Author | Lightnews

Louisiana officials waited months to warn public of whooping cough outbreak

Reposted by Rosemary Westwood

NPR @npr.org · 7d

After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. That's not the typical public health response. n.pr/4obRAo5

After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. That's not the typical public health response.

n.pr

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · 7d

BREAKING: Louisiana's health secretary is threatening to furlough staff who work to administer SNAP, the federal food aid program, over the "Schumer shutdown."

www.wwno.org/public-healt...

Louisiana Department of Health threatens furloughs over SNAP funding

A letter from Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein to staff at LDH states that employees will be furloughed without pay for up to 240 hours between November 3 and December 2.

www.wwno.org

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Reposted by Rosemary Westwood

Simone Popperl @simonepopperl.bsky.social · 7d

@rosemarywestwood.bsky.social spent months carefully reporting this important, nuanced, and chilling piece.

What happens when public health institutions don't follow their playbook during an infectious disease outbreak?

Take a look/listen:

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · 7d

New from me: After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach.

www.npr.org/sections/sho...

Louisiana officials waited months to warn public of whooping cough outbreak

After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. That's not the typical public health response.

Louisiana officials waited months to warn public of whooping cough outbreak

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · 7d

New from me: After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach.

www.npr.org/sections/sho...

After a whooping cough outbreak killed two infants, Louisiana health officials waited months to officially alert physicians or do public outreach. That's not the typical public health response.

Want a COVID vaccine? You might have trouble getting one in Louisiana.

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Reposted by Rosemary Westwood

Julie O'Donoghue @jsodonoghue.bsky.social · Sep 3

Every large health care institution in Louisiana - Ochsner, LCMC, the Louisiana Department of Health
and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana - did not respond to questions from a reporter about how to get the COVID vaccine. #lalege #lagov

www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/...

Louisiana patients face new hurdles to get a COVID shot this fall, as federal rules and state pharmacy laws limit who can be vaccinated.

www.theadvocate.com

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Sep 3

NEW: Louisiana’s deadly whooping cough outbreak is now its worst in 35 years www.wwno.org/public-healt...

Louisiana’s deadly whooping cough outbreak is now its worst in 35 years

So far this year, Louisiana recorded 368 cases of whooping cough, also called pertussis, as of August 23, according to provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

www.wwno.org

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Aug 28

"We have been asked to revise and to review and change studies that have been settled in the past, scientific findings that were there to help guide vaccine decisions.”

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Aug 28

CDC leaders who resigned said RFK Jr. undermined vaccine science, risking lives

As the CDC reels from the firing of its director, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Fox News the agency is “in trouble and we need to fix it.”

wapo.st

Cassidy calls for meeting of CDC vaccine advisers to be postponed following agency shakeup

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Aug 28

STAT @statnews.com · Aug 28

Bill Cassidy is calling for next month’s meeting of a federal advisory panel on vaccines to be postponed in the wake of a mass exodus of leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. www.statnews.com/2025/08/28/c...

A key GOP Senator called for a federal advisory meeting on vaccines to be delayed, citing 'turmoil' at the CDC.

www.statnews.com

CDC leaders who resigned said RFK Jr. undermined vaccine science, risking lives

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Aug 28

As the CDC reels from the firing of its director, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Fox News the agency is “in trouble and we need to fix it.”

wapo.st

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Jul 30

I am so moved by the people who've given over $110,000 to @wwno.org in just a week and a half (!). We are so grateful and proud to know that so many believe in the mission of public media and keeping all people informed — for free — to build a stronger democracy. Thank you!

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Jun 24

New data show more women in Louisiana had abortions last year than *before* the state banned nearly all abortions.

Why? Telemedicine.
www.wwno.org/public-healt...

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world, Pew study says

Reposted by Rosemary Westwood

Daniel Burke @burke13.bsky.social · Jun 10

Christianity grew by 122 million members, but declined as an overall slice of the world's population.

www.npr.org/2025/06/10/n...

The Pew report reveals how religious disaffiliation and population growth have influenced the global religious landscape.

Why Black Catholics in New Orleans feel a special connection to Pope Leo XIV

Reposted by Rosemary Westwood

Daniel Burke @burke13.bsky.social · Jun 5

They call him "Cousin Leo."

Love this piece from @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social

www.npr.org/2025/06/03/n...

A genealogist has discovered that Pope Leo XIV has Creole roots in New Orleans, where Black Catholics are now celebrating "Pope Leo of the 7th Ward."

'We call him our cousin': Black Catholics in New Orleans embrace Pope Leo as their own

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Jun 5

The @RNS version is here! With extra spice like Fr. Tony Ricard's silent retreat — with a boom box. religionnews.com/2025/06/04/w...

NEW ORLEANS (RNS and NPR) — ‘I’m praying for this new pope from the United States who has roots in the 7th Ward. That was a mind-blowing moment for me,’ said one Black priest, whose church is a mile f...

religionnews.com

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · Jun 5

New Orleans folks are the absolute best, and this is one of those stories that was an absolute joy to report. Cheers to all of Pope Leo XIV's new cousins 😂

My latest for @npr.org
www.npr.org/2025/06/03/n...

Why Black Catholics in New Orleans feel a special connection to Pope Leo XIV

A genealogist has discovered that Pope Leo XIV has Creole roots in New Orleans, where Black Catholics are now celebrating "Pope Leo of the 7th Ward."

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 27

Actual PR pitch to an actual inbox; not an Onion headline

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 23

Also proud to note I was the lead editor for two other winners and helped edit a third. It's extremely cool to help talented people do powerful work.

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 23

🏅 Excited to win a regional Murrow Award for reproductive health coverage! Congratulations to all the winners — especially my WWNO and Gulf States Newsroom colleagues! And grateful to the sources who make this work possible.

www.rtdna.org/news/rtdna-a...

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 15

Thank you to the judges and congratulations to all the winners!

Louisiana investigates second case against New York doctor over mailing abortion pills • Louisiana Illuminator

Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 15

A highlight of last year was getting to work with the tireless
@jackjenkins.me and our wonderful editors at @npr.org
and @rns.org — exciting to be awarded for that exhausting (and also fun) collaboration from the Associated Church Press! 🎉

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Reposted by Rosemary Westwood

Louisiana Illuminator @lailluminator.com · May 13

Louisiana investigates second case against New York doctor over mailing abortion pills, @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social reports for @wwno.org lailluminator.com/2025/05/13/m...

Louisiana officials are investigating a second case against a New York doctor for allegedly mailing abortion medications into the state.

lailluminator.com

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 6

I am utterly charmed.

From Alaska Capitol’s cafeteria, author and illustrator claims Pulitzer Prize alaskabeacon.com/2025/05/05/f...

From Alaska Capitol’s cafeteria, author and illustrator claims Pulitzer Prize | Alaska Beacon

Tessa Hull's 'Feeding Ghosts' was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for memoirs and biographies, placing her among America's top authors.

alaskabeacon.com

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Rosemary Westwood @rosemarywestwood.bsky.social · May 6

Extremely well deserved.

ProPublica @propublica.org · May 5

JUST IN: ProPublica’s “Life of the Mother” series, which exposes the fatal consequences of abortion bans, has won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

This is the second consecutive year we’ve been awarded this distinction and our eighth Pulitzer: www.propublica.org/series/life-...

Pulitzer Prizes Public Service Winner: ProPublica. Image (right) displays headline that reads: Their States Banned Abortion. Doctors Now Say They Can't Give Women Potentially Lifesaving Care.