Nicole E. Basta | Lightnews

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Nov 26

Sustaining & advancing vaccine-preventable disease control is more difficult than ever

It's going to take all of us dedicated to this field & the very latest innovations to turn the tide

More info coming soon - course dates May/June 2026

Please reach out with any questions/ideas in the meantime

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Nov 26

Exciting news! 🚨

My new course: "Innovations in Immunizations: Epidemiology, Effectiveness, and Equity" will launch online as part of the 2026 McGill Summer Institutes in Global Health!

I designed this course to meet the moment - we are facing truly unprecedented times...

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Oct 31

Great reminder, @gregggonsalves.bsky.social! A friend who wants their friends to stay healthy is a very good friend in my book.

Friends definitely don’t let friends face the fall respiratory virus season unvaccinated!!

Please get your COVID and Flu shots, ASAP, friends!!

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · Oct 31

I am going to be that annoying friend. Get your #COVID & #flu shots. There is little downside to getting immunized and it will spare you from being out sick, having to go to the doctor's office, hospitalization and yes, death. Too many people aren't stepping up to get the shots. Do it this weekend.

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Oct 31

Check out our new paper @nejm.org. RSV, COVID-19 & Influenza vaccines continue to show consistent effectiveness & safety based on a review & synthesis of 500+ research studies👇! We worked hard to evaluate the evidence so you can be confident about getting vaccinated this fall!

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Oct 29

Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Gregg Gonsalves @gregggonsalves.bsky.social · Oct 31

I am going to be that annoying friend. Get your #COVID & #flu shots. There is little downside to getting immunized and it will spare you from being out sick, having to go to the doctor's office, hospitalization and yes, death. Too many people aren't stepping up to get the shots. Do it this weekend.

Jake Scott, MD @jakescottmd.bsky.social · Oct 30

NEW @nejm.org: We synthesized 511 recent studies on Covid-19, RSV & flu vaccines for 2025-26. With federal advisory processes disrupted, clinicians & the public need rigorous, independent evidence synthesis.

Here's what we found: 🧵
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Updated Evidence for Covid-19, RSV, and Influenza Vaccines for 2025–2026 | NEJM

Changes in the vaccine advisory process in the United States have disrupted immunization guidance, which reinforces the need for independent evidence review to inform decisions regarding immunizati...

www.nejm.org

Jake Scott, MD @jakescottmd.bsky.social · Oct 30

Thank you, @cidrap.bsky.social, for covering our new @nejm.org review of Covid-19, RSV, and influenza immunizations.

Check it out: cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/meta-analysis-covid-rsv-flu-vaccines-fall-provides-sea-data-showing-efficacy-safety

Meta-analysis of COVID, RSV, flu vaccines for fall provides 'sea of data' showing efficacy, safety

cidrap.umn.edu

Madhu Pai, MD, PhD @madhupai.bsky.social · Oct 29

Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

McGill Medicine and Health Sciences @healthsciences.mcgill.ca · Oct 29

Canada Research Chairs awarded to FMHS ~ Six new or renewed CRCs have been announced for researchers in the Faculty.
➡️ https://ow.ly/8Lj150XhAw8

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Sep 24

Serving on the Vaccine Integrity Project Scientific Team @cidrap.bsky.social alongside so many epidemiology/medicine/public health colleagues is an honor and a daily reminder of the commitment that so many of us have made to shining a light on the rigorous evidence we all need to protect our health.

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · Sep 24

A growing contingent of doctors say they are wary of federal health guidance under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—and they are forming a parallel public-health universe.

The Doctors Building a Public-Health Universe Outside the Government

A growing contingent of physicians and policymakers are breaking away from federal health guidance under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

on.wsj.com

The Wall Street Journal @wsj.com · Sep 24

A growing contingent of doctors say they are wary of federal health guidance under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—and they are forming a parallel public-health universe.

The Doctors Building a Public-Health Universe Outside the Government

A growing contingent of physicians and policymakers are breaking away from federal health guidance under Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

on.wsj.com

Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA/ELCV) @clsa-elcv.bsky.social · Sep 17

CLSAFindings💡: Characterizing influenza vaccine coverage and factors associated with missed vaccination among adults from 2018 to 2021: an analysis of the CLSA follow-up 2

Cc: @nicolebasta.bsky.social, @mcgill.ca, @cwolfs1.bsky.social, @uncchapelhill.bsky.social

🔗: ow.ly/iNYm50WYliQ

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Aug 16

Now, more than ever, public health requires leaders at the very highest levels doing more than just tearing things down.

It requires leaders who value people and communities & who can point to how their efforts and leadership have improved people’s lives.

What is public health for, if not that?

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Aug 16

Building a brighter future and creating change is hard.

Public health has been doing that hard work for centuries-with lots more to do.

That hard work only has gotten harder, more complex, more challenging.

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Aug 16

Attacking, scapegoating, sowing anger, and fabricating mistrust against public health is easy.

Anyone can do it.

Some of those appointed to lead have spent their whole careers doing only that.

But it takes more than repeating a long list of complaints to lead.

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Aug 16

Public health practitioners and researchers care about:

🧒People
🤝Communities
🩻 Physical Health
🧠 Mental Health
🌱 Well Being
💟 Equity
…and so much more

Those working in public health have dedicated their lives to service, so that everyone, everywhere can thrive.

Helen Branswell 🇨🇦 @helenbranswell.bsky.social · Aug 15

This point isnt being made enough. Last week’s attack on the #CDC could have been a slaughter.
www.statnews.com/2025/08/15/c...

The CDC shooting was public health’s Jan. 6

“In RFK Jr.’s America, it will never be safe to practice public health or medicine," write an epidemiologist and a former CDC staffer.

www.statnews.com

Pandemic Center at Brown University’s School of Public Health @pandemiccenter.bsky.social · Aug 15

Our newest issue of the #TrackingReport was posted yesterday, you can read it here for updates on #measles, #mpox, and more!

Not subscribed yet? Hit the link at the top to get the next issue in your inbox.

mailchi.mp/messages/pan...

The Atlantic @theatlantic.com · Aug 6

Even if Congress continues to fund the National Institutes of Health at current levels, the Trump administration “is setting them up to fail,” a former official told Katherine J. Wu:

How Many Times Can Science Funding Be Canceled?

Whether or not Congress cuts NIH’s budget, the Trump administration has devastated its ability to operate.

bit.ly

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · Jun 14

I haven't been very active on here, but would love to connect with colleagues new and old from #epitwitter #episky & beyond. Please come find me on linkedin! www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

The last month of my sabbatical from McGill University is off to an inspiring start-and inspiration is something all of us working in public health, vaccinology, and infectious disease prevention… | N...

The last month of my sabbatical from McGill University is off to an inspiring start-and inspiration is something all of us working in public health, vaccinology, and infectious disease prevention coul...

www.linkedin.com

Joshua Tucker @jatucker.bsky.social · Jun 4

Cutting NIH or NSF funding sounds abstract. Seeing what research is actually being cut makes it real. Kudos to @nytimes.com for this piece:

www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Here Are the Nearly 2,500 Medical Research Grants Canceled or Delayed by Trump

Some cuts have been starkly visible, but the country’s medical grant-making machinery has also radically transformed outside the public eye.

www.nytimes.com

Eli Perencevich @eliowa.bsky.social · May 30

New: Evaluating the Test-Negative Design for COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Using Randomized Trial Data #idsky #medsky #openaccess jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Test-Negative Design for COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness From Randomized Trial Data

This secondary cross-protocol analysis assesses 5 phase 3 COVID-19 Prevention Network randomized clinical trials as test-negative design studies to evaluate how various sampling methods, symptom defin...

jamanetwork.com

UK Clinical Vaccine Network Conference @ukcvn.bsky.social · May 28

🚨 2 WEEKS TO GO!

#UKCVN2025 kicks off soon – the UK’s only adult vaccine research conference! 🌍

Hear from top experts like ‪Professor Nicole Basta, Dr Conall Watson & many more 🌟

📍 Cutler's Hall, Sheffield & online
🗓️ 11th–12th June

Register now before it's too late 👉 ow.ly/8i2p50VOwF3

Registration

ow.ly

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

Great insight from Kathryn Edwards in @statnews.com

The FDA is circumventing key roles and procedures for licensure and use of Covid vaccines

www.statnews.com/2025/05/22/f...

The FDA is circumventing key roles and procedures for licensure and use of Covid vaccines

The FDA’s recent activities regarding Covid-19 vaccines stray far from the well-established standards of vaccine regulatory processes.

www.statnews.com

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

NEJM @nejm.org should issue a correction based on this evidence…if they want to uphold the gold standard of evidence-based scientific publishing

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

Great post @sabivm.bsky.social! I also posted some citations for Canada and Europe showing just how wrong that NEJM editorial was about other countries’ COVID vaccine approvals bsky.app/profile/nico...

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

The US will be an outlier if they take away the choice to get the COVID19 vaccine from any Americans.

COVID19 vaccines ARE authorized for use among all individuals 6 months & older in Europe, Canada and elsewhere.

Seems this point was left out of the NEJM editorial entirely.

UK Health Security Agency @ukhsa.bsky.social · May 22

📢 Data we've published today shows the positive impact of the #Flu vaccine last winter.

The figures are encouraging, but many more could have been protected if more eligible people took up the free flu vaccine.

www.gov.uk/government/n...

Between 96,000 and 120,200 hospital admissions were avoided in England last winter due to the flu vaccine

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

US COVID19 vaccine authorizations are currently in line with the authorizations in Canada, as well:

Health Canada (FDA-equivalent for Canada): COVID19 vaccines are authorized for individuals aged 6 months and older covid-vaccine.canada.ca/spikevax-xbb...

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

US COVID19 vaccine authorizations for all ages are currently in line with the authorizations in Europe:

European Medicines Agency (FDA-equivalent for Europe): COVID19 vaccines are authorized from 6 months on www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-reg...

EMA listing of age groups authorized for COVID19 vaccines showing 6 months and older

Nicole E. Basta @nicolebasta.bsky.social · May 22

The US will be an outlier if they take away the choice to get the COVID19 vaccine from any Americans.

COVID19 vaccines ARE authorized for use among all individuals 6 months & older in Europe, Canada and elsewhere.

Seems this point was left out of the NEJM editorial entirely.

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