Latest news with #ColbyCollege
CNN
07-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
CDC ends emergency response to H5N1 bird flu
Respiratory viruses Federal agencies FacebookTweetLink The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has ended its emergency response to H5N1 bird flu, citing a drop in cases. 'As reports of animal infections with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus ('H5N1 bird flu') have declined and no human cases have been reported since February 2025, on July 2, 2025, CDC's H5N1 emergency bird flu response was deactivated to transition back to regular program activity,' a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement Monday. The spokesperson said that surveillance, readiness and response for influenza – including H5N1 bird flu – will continue under the CDC's influenza division and other appropriate agency programs. Dr. Nirav Shah, who resigned this year from his position as CDC principal deputy director, says he would have also chosen to end the emergency response. 'This was not something that was imposed from the top down. It was initiated by the career scientists at CDC,' said Shah, now a visiting professor at Colby College in Maine. 'The rationale is, in short, there haven't been any human cases. And so there is not the need to sprint all-out every single day when there haven't been human cases in a while. If there were to be more human cases, it is very easy to ratchet back up the level of the intensity of the response. It can literally be done in an afternoon.' The end of the bird flu emergency was first reported by Bloomberg News. H5N1 was first identified in the late 1990s and has caused sporadic outbreaks around the world. Since 2022, the virus has affected nearly 175 million birds in the US, including wild birds, commercial flocks and backyard flocks. It has also spread to dozens of species of mammals in more than 100 countries around the world. In early 2024, the virus infected dairy cattle in the United States and became a threat to the dairy industry. Over the past 14 months, it spread to more than 1,000 herds across 17 states. A total of 70 human cases have been reported in the United States, with one death. The CDC H5N1 emergency was declared April 4, 2024, and allowed for additional support to the public health response, such as staffing. Reports of cases have slowed, but experts note that there's a seasonality to bird fu, with cases peaking in the fall or early winter. Changes at federal health agencies may mean some milder cases are going undetected, they say, but it's unlikely that serious cases are being missed. 'The current public health risk from H5N1 bird flu is low, however, CDC will continue to monitor the situation and scale up activities as needed,' the HHS spokesperson said.
CNN
07-07-2025
- Health
- CNN
CDC ends emergency response to H5N1 bird flu
Respiratory viruses Federal agenciesFacebookTweetLink Follow The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it has ended its emergency response to H5N1 bird flu, citing a drop in cases. 'As reports of animal infections with avian influenza A(H5N1) virus ('H5N1 bird flu') have declined and no human cases have been reported since February 2025, on July 2, 2025, CDC's H5N1 emergency bird flu response was deactivated to transition back to regular program activity,' a spokesperson for the US Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement Monday. The spokesperson said that surveillance, readiness and response for influenza – including H5N1 bird flu – will continue under the CDC's influenza division and other appropriate agency programs. Dr. Nirav Shah, who resigned this year from his position as CDC principal deputy director, says he would have also chosen to end the emergency response. 'This was not something that was imposed from the top down. It was initiated by the career scientists at CDC,' said Shah, now a visiting professor at Colby College in Maine. 'The rationale is, in short, there haven't been any human cases. And so there is not the need to sprint all-out every single day when there haven't been human cases in a while. If there were to be more human cases, it is very easy to ratchet back up the level of the intensity of the response. It can literally be done in an afternoon.' The end of the bird flu emergency was first reported by Bloomberg News. H5N1 was first identified in the late 1990s and has caused sporadic outbreaks around the world. Since 2022, the virus has affected nearly 175 million birds in the US, including wild birds, commercial flocks and backyard flocks. It has also spread to dozens of species of mammals in more than 100 countries around the world. In early 2024, the virus infected dairy cattle in the United States and became a threat to the dairy industry. Over the past 14 months, it spread to more than 1,000 herds across 17 states. A total of 70 human cases have been reported in the United States, with one death. The CDC H5N1 emergency was declared April 4, 2024, and allowed for additional support to the public health response, such as staffing. Reports of cases have slowed, but experts note that there's a seasonality to bird fu, with cases peaking in the fall or early winter. Changes at federal health agencies may mean some milder cases are going undetected, they say, but it's unlikely that serious cases are being missed. 'The current public health risk from H5N1 bird flu is low, however, CDC will continue to monitor the situation and scale up activities as needed,' the HHS spokesperson said.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats see Maine governor as best option to unseat Susan Collins
Eyes in Maine are on Gov. Janet Mills (D) as Democrats await a final decision from her on whether she will challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), their top target in the 2026 midterms. Mills, subject to months of speculation about a possible Senate run as she's unable to seek a third term in office, is viewed as perhaps Democrats' best chance of finally ousting Collins after several failed attempts in the past. She cast some doubt in April about whether she would run, though she didn't definitively rule it out. Democrats likely face an uphill battle to defeat Collins regardless, but they believe the two-term governor could be the ideal candidate to take on the longtime senator. 'She's demonstrated twice that she is able to win statewide. There's not too many people in the state that can say that. She's got a long record in public office. Mainers know her. They like her,' said David Farmer, a Democratic consultant who worked for former Gov. John Baldacci (D). 'They're energized by the fact that she stood up to the president, not because she wanted to, but because he singled her out.' Collins has been one of the strongest political figures in Maine for decades, building a reputation as a maverick, independent-minded senator. As Maine's only Republican statewide officeholder, Collins has been a target in the past but has repeatedly held on. Democrats were bullish about their chances in 2020, centering enthusiasm and significant spending on then-state House Speaker Sara Gideon. The broader political headwinds seemed likely to help, as Maine is a Democratic-leaning state on the federal level and voted for former President Biden by 9 points. But Collins won comfortably over Gideon by almost the same amount, taking many by surprise. Still, observers see Mills as having a solid shot. She comfortably won both of her gubernatorial elections after eight years of Republican leadership, becoming the state's first female governor. She's also enjoyed a net positive favorability rating, though it has dropped over the past few years. 'She knows the state of Maine well. She guided the state through the pandemic as well as any other governor. She is a careful, smart campaigner,' said Daniel Shea, a professor of government at Colby College in Maine. 'She would run the campaign the way a seasoned Maine politician would run the campaign.' Mills came onto the national stage more recently for her faceoff with President Trump over his executive order to withhold federal funding from states that permit transgender athletes to compete on women's and girls' sports teams. But Mills hasn't been clear about whether she'll actually enter the race. She told a local Maine outlet in April that she wasn't currently planning to challenge Collins or seek another office. But she also said 'things can change week to week, month to month.' If she doesn't enter, Democrats have alternatives. Jordan Wood, who served as chief of staff for former California Rep. Katie Porter (D) but is originally from Maine, became the first Democrat to enter the race in April. 'I was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine and I'm running for Senate because Washington's broken political system is holding us back from solving the problems Mainers face,' he said in a statement. 'Mainers are ready for a new generation of leadership that has the courage to take on both parties to do what's best for Maine, not just offer concern.' David Costello, the 2024 Democratic nominee for Senate who lost to independent Sen. Angus King, launched his bid last week. 'Not only am I trying to sell my candidacy on the ideas of substantive reform, I'm also trying to say that if you look at my background, having grown up in a mill town and working-class family in Maine … [being] engaged in government at all levels and [having] a very extensive public service record, I think it certainly could resonate very well against Sen. Collins,' he said. Other possible candidates who've expressed interest include state House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and former state Sen. Cathy Breen. Regardless of who eventually becomes their nominee, Democrats point to potential vulnerabilities for Collins. An April poll found 71 percent of voters don't want Collins to run for reelection, and her approval rating was significantly underwater. She also faces a potentially perilous vote ahead as Trump's 'big beautiful bill' advances in Congress. Collins has expressed concerns about possible cuts to nondefense spending, including Medicaid, but Democrats have signaled their intent to go on offense against the GOP over it. Her position as chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee will put even more of a spotlight on her. She's also taken tough votes in the past, such as her vote in favor of confirming Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was a key vote in the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. 'Mainers are fed up with Susan Collins for selling them out to advance her party's agenda of gutting Medicaid, laying off workers, threatening Maine businesses to enable chaotic economic policies, and being the decisive vote to confirm the Supreme Court Justice who overturned Roe v Wade,' said state Democratic Party spokesperson Tommy Garcia. 'Susan Collins has failed Mainers — and that's why they are eager and ready to elect a new Senator in 2026.' But Republicans expressed optimism about her chances of winning again, presuming she goes forward with her expected reelection bid, particularly given her past success. Lance Dutson, who served as communications director for Collins's 2014 campaign, noted that several notable figures have jumped into the governor's race already, but they haven't entered the Senate race yet, possibly signaling hesitation to face Collins. 'The top-tier Democrats in the state are not getting into the Senate race. And I firmly believe it's because of the results of 2020 that [they] threw everything they possibly could throw at Senator Collins in a very challenging year, and she crushed them,' Dutson said. Republicans also say even a candidate with high name recognition like Mills could have baggage from a declining approval rating and being out front on an issue like transgender athletes in women's sports, which Democrats have taken attacks on. 'Janet Mills is a classic Maine politician. She's from the rural part of the state. She's more grounded than some of the other candidates the Democrats have put up,' Dutson said. 'But it's a big difference being at the Maine State House and then going against this really juggernaut political machine of Senator Collins.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Democrats see Maine governor as best option to unseat Susan Collins
Eyes in Maine are on Gov. Janet Mills (D) as Democrats await a final decision from her on whether she will challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), their top target in the 2026 midterms. Mills, subject to months of speculation about a possible Senate run as she's unable to seek a third term in office, is viewed as perhaps Democrats' best chance of finally ousting Collins after several failed attempts in the past. She cast some doubt in April about whether she would run, though she didn't definitively rule it out. Democrats likely face an uphill battle to defeat Collins regardless, but they believe the two-term governor could be the ideal candidate to take on the longtime senator. 'She's demonstrated twice that she is able to win statewide. There's not too many people in the state that can say that. She's got a long record in public office. Mainers know her. They like her,' said David Farmer, a Democratic consultant who worked for former Gov. John Baldacci (D). 'They're energized by the fact that she stood up to the president, not because she wanted to, but because he singled her out.' Collins has been one of the strongest political figures in Maine for decades, building a reputation as a maverick, independent-minded senator. As Maine's only Republican statewide officeholder, Collins has been a target in the past but has repeatedly held on. Democrats were bullish about their chances in 2020, centering enthusiasm and significant spending on then-state House Speaker Sara Gideon. The broader political headwinds seemed likely to help, as Maine is a Democratic-leaning state on the federal level and voted for former President Biden by 9 points. But Collins won comfortably over Gideon by almost the same amount, taking many by surprise. Still, observers see Mills as having a solid shot. She comfortably won both of her gubernatorial elections after eight years of Republican leadership, becoming the state's first female governor. She's also enjoyed a net positive favorability rating, though it has dropped over the past few years. 'She knows the state of Maine well. She guided the state through the pandemic as well as any other governor. She is a careful, smart campaigner,' said Daniel Shea, a professor of government at Colby College in Maine. 'She would run the campaign the way a seasoned Maine politician would run the campaign.' Mills came onto the national stage more recently for her faceoff with President Trump over his executive order to withhold federal funding from states that permit transgender athletes to compete on women's and girls' sports teams. But Mills hasn't been clear about whether she'll actually enter the race. She told a local Maine outlet in April that she wasn't currently planning to challenge Collins or seek another office. But she also said 'things can change week to week, month to month.' If she doesn't enter, Democrats have alternatives. Jordan Wood, who served as chief of staff for former California Rep. Katie Porter (D) but is originally from Maine, became the first Democrat to enter the race in April. 'I was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine and I'm running for Senate because Washington's broken political system is holding us back from solving the problems Mainers face,' he said in a statement. 'Mainers are ready for a new generation of leadership that has the courage to take on both parties to do what's best for Maine, not just offer concern.' David Costello, the 2024 Democratic nominee for Senate who lost to independent Sen. Angus King, launched his bid last week. 'Not only am I trying to sell my candidacy on the ideas of substantive reform, I'm also trying to say that if you look at my background, having grown up in a mill town and working-class family in Maine … [being] engaged in government at all levels and [having] a very extensive public service record, I think it certainly could resonate very well against Sen. Collins,' he said. Other possible candidates who've expressed interest include state House Speaker Ryan Fecteau and former state Sen. Cathy Breen. Regardless of who eventually becomes their nominee, Democrats point to potential vulnerabilities for Collins. An April poll found 71 percent of voters don't want Collins to run for reelection, and her approval rating was significantly underwater. She also faces a potentially perilous vote ahead as Trump's 'big beautiful bill' advances in Congress. Collins has expressed concerns about possible cuts to nondefense spending, including Medicaid, but Democrats have signaled their intent to go on offense against the GOP over it. Her position as chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee will put even more of a spotlight on her. She's also taken tough votes in the past, such as her vote in favor of confirming Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was a key vote in the Supreme Court's ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. 'Mainers are fed up with Susan Collins for selling them out to advance her party's agenda of gutting Medicaid, laying off workers, threatening Maine businesses to enable chaotic economic policies, and being the decisive vote to confirm the Supreme Court Justice who overturned Roe v Wade,' said state Democratic Party spokesperson Tommy Garcia. 'Susan Collins has failed Mainers — and that's why they are eager and ready to elect a new Senator in 2026.' But Republicans expressed optimism about her chances of winning again, presuming she goes forward with her expected reelection bid, particularly given her past success. Lance Dutson, who served as communications director for Collins's 2014 campaign, noted that several notable figures have jumped into the governor's race already, but they haven't entered the Senate race yet, possibly signaling hesitation to face Collins. 'The top-tier Democrats in the state are not getting into the Senate race. And I firmly believe it's because of the results of 2020 that [they] threw everything they possibly could throw at Senator Collins in a very challenging year, and she crushed them,' Dutson said. Republicans also say even a candidate with high name recognition like Mills could have baggage from a declining approval rating and being out front on an issue like transgender athletes in women's sports, which Democrats have taken attacks on. 'Janet Mills is a classic Maine politician. She's from the rural part of the state. She's more grounded than some of the other candidates the Democrats have put up,' Dutson said. 'But it's a big difference being at the Maine State House and then going against this really juggernaut political machine of Senator Collins.'
Boston Globe
05-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
What's going on with measles, bird flu, and COVID? Here's a guide to the latest.
Write to us at . To subscribe, . TODAY'S STARTING POINT Measles outbreaks. A canceled effort to develop a bird flu vaccine. An infectious new COVID variant and changing federal guidance about who should get boosted. In recent weeks, drama in D.C. has buried several vaccine-related developments. Today's newsletter explains what's new and what it means. COVID What's changed: Last month, health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. What it means: The administration has tried to narrow the pool of people it says should get boosted. But where some of the changes reflect reasonable readings of the science, others do not. Advertisement Dr. Nirav Shah, a top CDC official during the Biden administration, said experts debate whether younger children should get boosted. When Shah was in government, he recommended it. But many other countries don't, noting that most young children have a low risk of serious illness. The mRNA technology used in some COVID shots can also have side effects, including a condition called myocarditis that mostly affects boys and young men. Advertisement But Shah, who previously led Maine's CDC and is now at Colby College, says the evidence is much less debatable in the case of pregnant women. Not only are boosters safe and effective for them, but getting them protects babies in utero and up to 6 months old The way Kennedy made the changes has also troubled experts. Normally, health agencies gather outside advisers' input before making new recommendations. But Kennedy seems to have acted unilaterally. His announcement, made in a minutelong social media video, 🎁 ). 'What it suggests is that some of the conclusions are foregone,' Shah said. Kennedy argues that health experts made mistakes that undermined public trust during the pandemic. Shah acknowledges that, to a point. Some experts, he said, tried to squelch dissenting views or didn't effectively communicate that scientists' understanding of COVID would evolve, causing confusion when public health guidance changed. Other experts overstated 🎁 ). But the administration's approach risks sowing further confusion. Kennedy's announcement conflicts with an article that two Trump-appointed FDA officials published days earlier, which listed pregnancy as one factor that puts women ' 'What worries me is that when we get into another emergency situation, if trust in federal health authorities has waned, that's a problem,' Shah said. Advertisement Meanwhile, COVID keeps evolving. A variant called NB.1.8.1 has recently driven up cases in China and elsewhere. But for now, Shah isn't hugely concerned. NB.1.8.1 descended from Omicron, a variant that swept the United States in late 2021 and early 2022. So even if cases rise, existing vaccines and antibodies from prior infection will likely help protect against severe illness. The World Health Organization says the new variant ' Bird flu What's changed: A few months ago, bird flu was spreading rapidly among cows and chickens, What it means: Bird flu may be seasonal, which Given the uncertainty, some experts have faulted the administration for Advertisement Measles What's changed: Cases of the highly contagious virus continue to rise nationwide, but slowly. The largest outbreak, in West Texas, seems to be abating. Three Americans have died this year, all unvaccinated. What it means: A slowing case rate is good news, although many more people could have gotten sick than the official numbers reflect. The measles vaccine is safe, highly effective, and decades old, but Kennedy was slow to full-throatedly recommend it as the outbreak grew. 🧩 3 Down: 90° POINTS OF INTEREST Bob Lamb, who operates his gunsmithing business out of his garage in Cheshire, Mass., says the area has a "hunting culture." Erin Clark/Globe Staff Boston War of words: The US attorney for Massachusetts accused Boston Mayor Michelle Wu of making ' Dueling claims: Democratic activists asked a state agency to investigate Josh Kraft's mayoral campaign for allegedly Secret proceedings: A closed hearing begins in Boston today to determine whether a former Stoughton police deputy chief should lose his ability to work as an officer Evolving: A Boston nonprofit that launched after George Floyd's murder is navigating a backlash to Massachusetts and New England Karen Read retrial: The defense called a snowplow driver, who testified that he Market Basket case: Who's who in the latest Proxy fight: Representative Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts is running to become the top Democrat on an important House committee. His challengers Gun rights: Massachusetts has one of the country's strictest gun-control laws. But guns are ubiquitous in some towns — including Mount Katahdin deaths: Rescuers Trump administration One big bill: Trump's tax cut legislation would add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade, a nonpartisan congressional agency found. Trump has Latest salvo: Elon Musk urged Republican lawmakers Weaponizing government: Trump directed his administration to investigate Joe Biden and his aides, alleging they hid Biden's decline and that some of his actions weren't legally valid. ( Russia-Ukraine war: Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin and said the Russian leader had pledged to retaliate against Ukraine's drone attack on Russian airfields last weekend. ( Israel-Hamas war: The United States vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that called for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. ( The Nation and the World Trans rights: Nebraska's governor signed a law banning transgender athletes from girls' sports. About half of states have similar bans. ( Overstaying their welcome: About 400,000 tourists who stayed in the United States longer than their visas allow — like the suspect in the Boulder, Colo., attack did — Explosive find: Officials in Cologne, Germany, temporarily evacuated 20,000 residents after construction work unearthed three unexploded US bombs from World War II. Experts defused them in about an hour. ( BESIDE THE POINT By Teresa Hanafin 💧 More rain this weekend: Either Boston is in 🎵 Rick Astley has the last laugh: 'Never Gonna Give You Up' has hit 1 billion streams on Spotify. 🦈 Films inspired by 'Jaws': From asthmatic sharks to 18-foot bears, here are some of the 🐔 Chicken wars: Mickey D's is bringing back the Snack Wrap after nine years because of demand — and the success of similar wraps from Burger King and Wendy's. ( 🏠 3 summer home rehabs: In downtown Burlington, Vt., Advertisement ⛱️ Beach etiquette: Don't encroach, block views, shake sand, disrespect wildlife, or do other things that are hallmarks of an obnoxious beachgoer. ( Thanks for reading Starting Point. NOTE: A 🎁 emoji indicates a gift link. A $ is a subscription site that does not offer gift links. This newsletter was edited and produced by ❓ Have a question for the team? Email us at ✍🏼 If someone sent you this newsletter, you can 📬 Delivered Monday through Friday. Ian Prasad Philbrick can be reached at
