COVID isn't over. RFK Jr.'s vaccine recommendation is a terrible choice.
The logic behind this decision is obscure at best, which may be why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention referred questions regarding this policy to the U.S. Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and to the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services. For women and children, COVID-19 can be a serious disease, and COVID-19 vaccines and boosters help protect the pregnant mother, newborns and children. Pregnancy is a risk factor for severe COVID-19. The British Medical Journal published a large review of studies and concluded that COVID-19 increases the risk of maternal death and severe maternal morbidities (e.g., mechanical ventilation, thromboembolic disease).
On one hand, the federal government recommends a COVID-19 booster for those over the age of 65 and for younger adults and children who have at least one risk factor, but then not recommend for those who are at risk because they are pregnant. COVID-19 vaccinations have been observed to effectively increase antibody levels against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19) and reduce the chances of a premature delivery. COVID-19 boosters are also safe during pregnancy and have not been found to be associated with spontaneous abortions. The decision to withhold COVID-19 vaccinations for children demonstrates a myopic approach to science and a lack of critical thinking. It appears policymakers are only focused on the prevention of death and hospitalization, defining this outcome as severe disease and assuming everything else is mild. This approach ignores the severe and chronic disabling effects of long COVID in children.
It is true that on average children have milder COVID-19 infections and develop long COVID less commonly than adults. However, milder does not mean mild, and less common does not mean uncommon. It is estimated that approximately 4% of children will develop long COVID, compared to 10% to 26% for adults.
This is way too high of an incidence for children, especially when re-infections are all too common. Long COVID in children can be serious. COVID-19 increases the chances of a child developing diabetes, other seemingly unrelated infections (for example respiratory syncytial virus [RSV] infections) and cognitive, mental health problems.
Vaccinations have been found to reduce the chances of children developing long COVID. So maybe we should recommend and not discourage their use. Children can also spread the disease and place others at risk. This was known early on in the pandemic. I'm not sure how the public began to believe children did not pose a risk to others. Children are germ magnets, a life principle held by many parents and grandparents. Children readily spread every respiratory disease that I can think of. Why would COVID be any different?
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How does our nation confront these public health risks? Simple, blame problems on lockdowns, ignore epidemiological evidence and quit counting cases. Then recommend against pregnant mothers and children receiving the vaccine.
Clinical studies, medical record data and data from the V-Safe program have documented the vaccine's safety. VAERS (Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System) is not intended or designed to determine the risks of complications, only to identify potential complications to be investigated. Similar to Facebook, inaccurate or malicious reports can also be entered by AI bots and foreign adversaries to stir social discontent. In general, vaccines are watered-down infections. They boost your immunity while markedly decreasing, but not completely eliminating, severe complications.
The mRNA vaccine does not change one's DNA, and the dosage of the spike protein is much smaller than one receives from an infection. If vaccines are as dangerous as social media disinformation says, then multiply these dangers by several magnitudes when an infection develops. If one is worried about mRNA, then obtain the protein-based vaccine, Novavax, which may have lower side effects and should have better standardization of the delivery dosage.
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We soon will be at risk of facing another wave of COVID from the Nb.1.8.1 variant, which is currently spreading across Southeast Asia and just landed in the United States. This variant has increased infectivity and immune-evasive properties. Everyone should become vaccinated and up to date with their COVID-19 boosters, including pregnant women and children. COVID is not over, it is still dangerous, and can cause serious long-term sequelae that may not be evident for months or years after the acute infection. We need to update our nation's vaccination policy, not based on political populism, but to reflect the realities of the world we are living in.
Agree or disagree? Submit a letter to the editor.
Kevin Kavanagh is a retired physician from Somerset, Kentucky and chairman of Health Watch USA.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: I'm a retired doctor. Kennedy's COVID policy will hurt US. | Opinion
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Newsweek
9 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Florida Issues Raw Milk Warning After 7 People Hospitalized
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Florida Department of Health issued a public warning this week after 21 people, including six children under the age of 10, fell ill and seven were hospitalized due to multiple illnesses linked to drinking raw milk. Campylobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) infections were both linked to the consumption of raw milk from a single farm in Northeast and Central Florida. At least two patients have experienced severe complications, prompting state officials to intensify alerts about the health risks of unpasteurized dairy products. Newsweek reached out to the Florida Department of Health outside of regular working hours via email for comment. Why It Matters The state health alert highlights the potentially serious risks of consuming raw, or unpasteurized, milk, which can contain harmful bacteria. Pasteurization, a heat-treating process required for most dairy sales nationally, kills these germs. However, raw milk remains available in Florida solely for animal or pet consumption, which complicates oversight and regulation. According to the Florida Department of Health, vulnerable groups, including children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, face a heightened risk of developing a severe illness. STEC bacteria can, in severe cases, result in complications like hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, which especially endangers children's health. File photo: bottles of raw milk. File photo: bottles of raw milk. JoNel Aleccia/AP What To Know Health officials reported that the current outbreak originated from a single farm, though the farm's name has not yet been released. The infections have been traced directly to the consumption of raw milk products from this farm, prompting concern over its sanitation protocols. Federal agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), strongly advise against consuming raw milk due to the risk of serious illness. Between 1998 and 2018, at least 202 outbreaks linked to raw milk were reported in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resulting in 2,645 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations. However, some believe that drinking raw milk is healthy, a stance supported by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Some people believe raw milk is "more nutritious, with higher levels of enzymes, beneficial bacteria, and vitamins that may be reduced during pasteurization," Darin Detwiler, a food safety adviser and professor at Northeastern University's College of Professional Studies, told Newsweek. "Others say it tastes better or supports local farming practices. There's also a cultural or nostalgic appeal for those who grew up drinking milk straight from the source," he said. Kathryn J. Boor, a professor of food science at Cornell University, told Newsweek that "some people claim that they feel better after drinking raw milk relative to after consuming pasteurized milk." Raw milk may also be considered by some to be "more natural than pasteurized milk, which is appealing to some consumers," she said. However, "to say that raw milk is more nutritious than pasteurized milk is a fallacy," Detwiler said. "Pasteurization only slightly reduces some heat-sensitive vitamins, like B12, but overall nutrient loss is minimal," he said, adding that the "core nutritional value of milk remains intact." "While raw milk may contain probiotics, these are unpredictable and unregulated. The risk of harmful bacteria often outweighs any potential probiotic benefit," Detwiler added. On farms, "milking areas are never sterile, which is how milk can become contaminated," Boor said. The problem is that "milk that has become contaminated with soil of some nature, for example any material that may be on the cow's body, generally does not look, taste, or smell different from milk that is not contaminated," she said. This means that "raw milk may become contaminated with bacteria from an unclean environment," Boor said, adding that in some cases, the bacteria can make people sick. "Those who choose to consume raw milk are at greater risk of exposure to such microbes than those who choose to consume pasteurized milk," she said. What People Are Saying Kathryn J. Boor, a professor of food science at Cornell University, told Newsweek: "Pasteurization was developed scientifically with one goal: to ensure milk's safety while simultaneously minimizing changes in flavor, nutrition, and functional characteristics. I grew up on a dairy farm and have focused much of my career on dairy science. Just as I don't choose to drive my car without wearing my seatbelt, I also don't choose to drink milk that has not been pasteurized. At this time, there is no substitute for pasteurization in terms of risk reduction." Darin Detwiler, a food safety adviser and professor at Northeastern University's College of Professional Studies, told Newsweek: "Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria like E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, which can cause severe illness or even death. Raw milk has a troubling history of outbreaks of these pathogens, resulting in life-threatening illnesses, especially for vulnerable populations—children, pregnant women, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Even healthy adults can experience serious complications from contaminated raw milk." He added: "Hospitalization rate is significantly higher for raw milk outbreaks than for pasteurized milk. Fatal cases have occurred, especially in young children and immunocompromised individuals. Listeria is a primary concern due to its high fatality rate. While raw milk accounts for a small percentage of total milk consumed, it causes a disproportionately high number of outbreaks." He also said: "There are steps that can reduce—but not eliminate—risk, such as sourcing raw milk from farms with excellent hygiene practices, regularly tested animals, and chilled transportation. However, even with best practices, raw milk remains inherently risky because harmful pathogens can exist even in seemingly healthy herds. Pasteurization is still the most reliable way to kill those pathogens without significantly impacting nutrition." Kalmia (Kali) E. Kniel, a professor and associate chair in the Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the University of Delaware, told Newsweek: "I believe that people want to consume raw milk based on the perceived benefits. In reality, the only benefits that have been identified in the published literature are those from children who grew up on small farms in Europe and were exposed to microorganisms on the farm. I believe this is more related to the hygiene hypothesis and stimulation of the immune system. There was some reduction in allergies shown in these children, which was likely based on exposure to the dust and soil on a farm. "Again, these were very small farms in Europe, and these were not random clinical trials or complete scientific studies, so we should be cautious with interpretation. There is no scientific study to support the consumption of raw milk by children or adults that shows a lifelong benefit." She added: "Milk has been historically pasteurized to reduce risk of illness and to increase the shelf-life of the product. Issues surrounding raw milk sales and consumption are not limited to those of food safety and public health, but also include issues of burden and capacity of state inspections, investigations, and potential for impact on the health care system." "Following good hygiene practices on the farm and during milking can reduce the chance of milk contamination, but not eliminate it." What Happens Next State health officials are continuing to investigate the issue, and the Florida Department of Health said in its warning that those in the state are "encouraged to use this information to make informed decisions about their health and sources of raw milk should they choose to consume it."
Atlantic
an hour ago
- Atlantic
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'My vision is that every American is wearing a wearable within four years.' — Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 'Did you see the game last night?' I ask Greg. The year is 2029 and we are taking the New, Improved Presidential Fitness Test. The Secretary put some special touches on it himself. My wearable (we all have to wear wearables now, since the Secretary's mandate) says that I still have 5,000 more steps to go. If we don't pass our Presidential Fitness Test, we'll have to visit the Wellness Farm to pick turnips and be ' reparented.' 'No,' Greg says. I can sense that Greg is flagging. 'Ever since the Leeches First mandate, I've had to spend most of my time, you know.' He bends down to pluck a leech off his calf. It lolls about, engorged with blood. He deposits it carefully into his leech pack. We both sigh. The leeches are the worst. Before taking what used to be called medicine (it is now, according to the CDC's revised guidance, Just One More Supplement, No Better Or Worse Than Any Other Supplement), the Secretary insists that everyone 'try leeches.' The papers at the time described this new mandate as a Huge Triumph for Big Leech. We walk past a billboard with a reminder from the CDC: Don't Forget to Leech and Bleach! We feel pretty bad most of the time. 'Have you had your Anti-Lemon yet today?' I ask. All the government funding that used to help with vaccines was rededicated to invent the Anti-Lemon, a fruit with all the same properties as a lemon except it can give you scurvy. The Secretary thinks everyone should try scurvy once, to build character. Like every idea he has (he claims they are all his, but I think some of them come from the worm in his brain), it was a good idea. (I am allowed to think only good thoughts about him since the ban on negative energy. The wearable claims to be able to pick up on it, using a technology that is described as 'mood ring–adjacent.') 'Oh, right!' Greg says. He fumbles in his leech pack and pulls out the Anti-Lemon. 'Cheers.' 'Cheers,' I say. I wiggle one of my teeth with my tongue. They wiggle more since the scurvy initiative. I glance at my wearable. Just 4,800 more steps to go. 'How's your job?' 'Great!' Greg says. I can tell Greg is trying very hard not to think a bad thought. He looks wan and greenish, like a seasick pickle. Greg used to be a veterinarian but he isn't allowed to be one anymore. He's a Taurus. The new surgeon general just announced that Tauruses can't be vets. The energies would be all wrong. Greg's would be especially wrong because of where his moon placement is. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me, but I have accepted that it's because I'm a Pisces. Pisces are famous for their inability to understand what is currently considered cutting-edge science. Greg has been selling crystals instead. There is big demand for crystals now. 'How's yours?' 'Mine's great too!' I say, quickly. This is not, strictly speaking, true. I've been a lot less productive without my Supplement That Is No Better Or Worse Than Any Other Supplement. It used to help my brain work. Some months I can obtain it, but other months when I go to get it it's been replaced by a sugar pill. The Secretary calls this a randomized trial, but I don't think it is. Classic Pisces of me! Anyway, I get a lot more headaches than I used to. I reach into my pocket for my roadkill sandwich. A part of the Fitness Test is whether we can successfully consume what the Secretary calls Gold-Standard Meat. He says it will 'rewild' our stomachs. For too long, humans have been coasting along digesting 'indoor food,' which he says is why nobody is sailing ships around Cape Horn anymore or constructing good Chichén Itzás, like they used to. ('When was the last time you saw Christopher Columbus?' he asked on the radio recently. 'We're going to bring all of that back.') 'Bear?' Greg says, hopefully. I shake my head. 'Mystery.' We chew hesitantly, the same way we embark on the now-mandatory annual Wastewater Plunge. 'Yours has lettuce,' Greg says. I look at it. 'I hope,' I say. We squint into the sandwich for some time. 'I bet the Secretary would be excited to see that in his sandwich,' I say diplomatically. I wonder if the wearable can sense my fear. I try to eat around the green object. I can feel a negative thought forming. Hopefully the wearable doesn't pick it up. Sometimes if your heart beats too fast, the wearable thinks you are making bad energy. If too many people with bad energy get together and think bad thoughts, it can create a deadly miasma. Miasma can cause you to have COVID-like symptoms. Also food-poisoning-like symptoms and polio-like symptoms. It's amazing how much havoc miasma has wreaked since we stopped authorizing new vaccines. Greg looks like he's about to say something. Quickly, I offer him some Apple Jacks, which are now colored without artificial dyes and, somehow, are also full of beef tallow. (The sugar content is the same.) We all have to eat a lot of these natural, healthy foods. Much better than carrot cake. The effort of chewing silences him briefly. While he chews, I stare at his neck. There's an irregularly shaped mole there that resembles the state of California. I don't remember it. 'New mole?' I ask. 'Yeah,' Greg said. 'You should get that checked out,' I say. 'Insurance won't cover it. Too woke.' Greg shakes his head. 'Besides, the sun can't harm us, the Secretary says.' Greg sighs. The Secretary has told us not to sigh on the grounds that Gold-Standard Science, dating back to the time of Shakespeare, found that each sigh killed your heart a little bit at a time. There aren't any statistics on it, but that's good; evidence has long been the ally of Big Pharma. Big Pharma was corrupted long ago because people were willing to pay them more money for medicine that 'worked' than medicine that didn't work. This was a scam, and fortunately the Secretary has gotten to the bottom of it. Better than data is when you can tell a story about something that happened to a guy you knew, or better yet, a guy your cousin knew. That is how most of the CDC recommendations happen now. Greg looks hard at me. I can tell he's about to utter some negativity aloud. I am afraid that he is thinking about the people who have died for no reason. All the people who are going to die. Once you start to think about that, it is hard to keep your energy positive. 'Do you ever think,' Greg asks, ' No, I've drunk all the fermented-soybean enzyme I want to drink. I don't think it's helping, and I don't want to drink any more? ' I look around anxiously. My head hurts. My stomach also hurts. I look at my wearable. Just 4,600 more steps to go. The Secretary has promised that he will whisper the true cause of autism to whoever gets the best Fitness Test score. 'No,' I say, quickly. 'I don't.'
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