Dr. Olivia Zarella
@epidemiocracy.bsky.social
Epidemiologist, 🦠 infectious disease expert & public health communicator. Doctor & MPH. Justice-driven ⚖️. Bylines: The Scientist, Colorado Sun. Views are my own.
Our grant partners at Harvard just notified us that their federally funded grant was just abruptly cancelled…along with 800 other federally funded awards to Harvard. This is terrifying.
May 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Our grant partners at Harvard just notified us that their federally funded grant was just abruptly cancelled…along with 800 other federally funded awards to Harvard. This is terrifying.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Some of the CDC's main channels for communicating urgent health information to the public have gone silent.
Diseases are spreading. The CDC isn't warning the public like it was months ago
Some of the CDC's main channels for communicating urgent health information to the public have gone silent.
www.npr.org
May 21, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Some of the CDC's main channels for communicating urgent health information to the public have gone silent.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Because of the layoffs at NIOSH, multiple lifesaving programs have been shut down even though they’re required by law.
May 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
Because of the layoffs at NIOSH, multiple lifesaving programs have been shut down even though they’re required by law.
Took a little break from Bluesky. But we’re back and better than ever. I fully intend to make this space a public health communication account - a little bit of disease, a tad of communication tips, and a lot a bit of politics.
May 6, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Took a little break from Bluesky. But we’re back and better than ever. I fully intend to make this space a public health communication account - a little bit of disease, a tad of communication tips, and a lot a bit of politics.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Coinciding with it's "No" letter Harvard has refashioned its university homepage into essentially an advertisement for the social benefits of university research. This is the current front page.
April 14, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Coinciding with it's "No" letter Harvard has refashioned its university homepage into essentially an advertisement for the social benefits of university research. This is the current front page.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
If Democratic congressional leadership don’t lead an en masse halt to all legislative business after today, I don’t know why they’re worth supporting. What moment could more demand a response of intractable and tedious opposition? Shut it all down, and refuse to budge.
April 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
If Democratic congressional leadership don’t lead an en masse halt to all legislative business after today, I don’t know why they’re worth supporting. What moment could more demand a response of intractable and tedious opposition? Shut it all down, and refuse to budge.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
As health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the agencies he leads have taken far-reaching steps to undermine confidence in vaccine efficacy and safety.
The Many Ways Kennedy Is Already Undermining Vaccines
The health secretary has chipped away at the idea that immunizing children against measles and other diseases is a public health good.
www.nytimes.com
April 14, 2025 at 1:04 AM
As health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the agencies he leads have taken far-reaching steps to undermine confidence in vaccine efficacy and safety.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
As an infectious diseases specialist I beg to defer. Simply encounter as a healthy individual an N meningitidis and you might die, doesn’t matter how healthy you are.
The U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services has repeatedly claimed: “If you’re healthy, it’s almost impossible to die from an infectious disease in modern times.”
That is dangerously false.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
That is dangerously false.
www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...
Experts Push Back on RFK Jr’s Infection Comments
The new Secretary of Health and Human Services has made claims about measles and other communicable diseases that could lead to sickness, and even death, his critics claim.
www.medscape.com
April 13, 2025 at 5:05 PM
As an infectious diseases specialist I beg to defer. Simply encounter as a healthy individual an N meningitidis and you might die, doesn’t matter how healthy you are.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
This is terrible. Also please understand this is how every scientist and medical researcher in America feels right now.
“I put so much work into [my career curing cancer or other diseases], all worthless.”
“I put so much work into [my career curing cancer or other diseases], all worthless.”
I honestly hate myself so much right now this is the lowest I’ve felt in months. What’s even the point of covering the economy when it changes every second. I put so much work into the tariff analysis, all worthless. I would have been better off writing a garbage article with no details on April 3rd
April 14, 2025 at 2:49 AM
This is terrible. Also please understand this is how every scientist and medical researcher in America feels right now.
“I put so much work into [my career curing cancer or other diseases], all worthless.”
“I put so much work into [my career curing cancer or other diseases], all worthless.”
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Dr. Peter Marks, recently pushed out of FDA, told us he believes the measles outbreak is being underreported. He says the case count is likely 3-7x higher, saying we could actually have as many as 3,000 cases. Yesterday, Sec'y Kennedy said we had 600+ cases and the outbreak was under control.
April 11, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Dr. Peter Marks, recently pushed out of FDA, told us he believes the measles outbreak is being underreported. He says the case count is likely 3-7x higher, saying we could actually have as many as 3,000 cases. Yesterday, Sec'y Kennedy said we had 600+ cases and the outbreak was under control.
This has been the hardest week in public health yet. I mean harder than during COVID. At least during that, there was a sense of community… a group mentality to rally against a disease that was risk to us all. Now? Imagine that disease was targeting scientists and immigrants. That is our experience.
April 5, 2025 at 12:44 AM
This has been the hardest week in public health yet. I mean harder than during COVID. At least during that, there was a sense of community… a group mentality to rally against a disease that was risk to us all. Now? Imagine that disease was targeting scientists and immigrants. That is our experience.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Instagram is the weirdest service
They congratulate you when they actually show your posts to people, like you solved the puzzle that day
"Your post from March 2023 has been seen by 350 people! Keep it up!"
They congratulate you when they actually show your posts to people, like you solved the puzzle that day
"Your post from March 2023 has been seen by 350 people! Keep it up!"
April 4, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Instagram is the weirdest service
They congratulate you when they actually show your posts to people, like you solved the puzzle that day
"Your post from March 2023 has been seen by 350 people! Keep it up!"
They congratulate you when they actually show your posts to people, like you solved the puzzle that day
"Your post from March 2023 has been seen by 350 people! Keep it up!"
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Today is the day I cried. The destruction of HHS and the CDC; the failson in charge of it all; the overwhelming loss of so many brilliant, dedicated people; the cruelty and disrespect with which it was done.
Tomorrow is the day this profound sorrow renews my motivation.
Tomorrow is the day this profound sorrow renews my motivation.
April 1, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Today is the day I cried. The destruction of HHS and the CDC; the failson in charge of it all; the overwhelming loss of so many brilliant, dedicated people; the cruelty and disrespect with which it was done.
Tomorrow is the day this profound sorrow renews my motivation.
Tomorrow is the day this profound sorrow renews my motivation.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
we all understand that this just means we have to yell at our reps more, right
April 2, 2025 at 1:14 AM
we all understand that this just means we have to yell at our reps more, right
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
A sad day for science & public health www.cnn.com/2025/04/01/h...
‘It’s a bloodbath’: Massive wave of job cuts began at US health agencies | CNN
A massive wave of job cuts began at US health agencies early Tuesday, with some employees receiving early morning emails that their jobs were eliminated and some unable to access the building when the...
www.cnn.com
April 1, 2025 at 2:34 PM
A sad day for science & public health www.cnn.com/2025/04/01/h...
Tired of the democratic party taking nap after nap during this constitutional crisis. Congregate, make a comms plan, and start holding televised hearings every day all day investigating each illegal thing the #trumpadmin is doing. For the love of god, get it together #democrats, or get replaced.
March 26, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Tired of the democratic party taking nap after nap during this constitutional crisis. Congregate, make a comms plan, and start holding televised hearings every day all day investigating each illegal thing the #trumpadmin is doing. For the love of god, get it together #democrats, or get replaced.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
1. Tulsi Gabbard was overseas while participating in the Signal chat.
2. Steven Witkoff was in Russia when he was added to the Signal chat.
3. Russia infiltrated Signal some time ago to use it against Ukrainians.
It’s high time to Benghazi the shit out of Trump’s administration.
2. Steven Witkoff was in Russia when he was added to the Signal chat.
3. Russia infiltrated Signal some time ago to use it against Ukrainians.
It’s high time to Benghazi the shit out of Trump’s administration.
March 25, 2025 at 6:18 PM
1. Tulsi Gabbard was overseas while participating in the Signal chat.
2. Steven Witkoff was in Russia when he was added to the Signal chat.
3. Russia infiltrated Signal some time ago to use it against Ukrainians.
It’s high time to Benghazi the shit out of Trump’s administration.
2. Steven Witkoff was in Russia when he was added to the Signal chat.
3. Russia infiltrated Signal some time ago to use it against Ukrainians.
It’s high time to Benghazi the shit out of Trump’s administration.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
According to a source I have at the CIA, Director Radcliffe lied today under oath. Signal is absolutely not loaded on agency computers. As a matter of fact it’s specifically prohibited as an outside app. Skype is allowed for conference calls but not Signal. He’s lying. @markwarner.bsky.social
March 25, 2025 at 9:14 PM
According to a source I have at the CIA, Director Radcliffe lied today under oath. Signal is absolutely not loaded on agency computers. As a matter of fact it’s specifically prohibited as an outside app. Skype is allowed for conference calls but not Signal. He’s lying. @markwarner.bsky.social
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
In a media landscape increasingly hostile to evidence-based information, the work of science communicators like us has never been more vital—or more difficult. You've probably noticed our content has slowed lately. Trust me, it's not because our passion has dimmed. We’re more committed than ever.
March 25, 2025 at 10:41 PM
In a media landscape increasingly hostile to evidence-based information, the work of science communicators like us has never been more vital—or more difficult. You've probably noticed our content has slowed lately. Trust me, it's not because our passion has dimmed. We’re more committed than ever.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
The CIA Director testified today that he is not sure a reporter was on the unclassified national security group chat that recklessly disclosed military plans in Yemen.
The whole world is aware of who was part of Signalgate.
These people cannot be trusted with America’s national security.
The whole world is aware of who was part of Signalgate.
These people cannot be trusted with America’s national security.
March 25, 2025 at 4:59 PM
The CIA Director testified today that he is not sure a reporter was on the unclassified national security group chat that recklessly disclosed military plans in Yemen.
The whole world is aware of who was part of Signalgate.
These people cannot be trusted with America’s national security.
The whole world is aware of who was part of Signalgate.
These people cannot be trusted with America’s national security.
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
Help track what’s at stake
Please please please continue to submit details of your terminated grant using this Google Form 👇
Your submissions continue to be key to understanding patterns of grant terminations and facilitating advocacy and litigation. 💪💪💪
Your submissions continue to be key to understanding patterns of grant terminations and facilitating advocacy and litigation. 💪💪💪
Cancelled NIH grant information submission form
Please use this form to submit information identifying specific NIH grants that have been cancelled for any reason after January 20, 2025.
Data from this form will be used to update the Rescinded NIH...
docs.google.com
March 25, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Help track what’s at stake
Reposted by Dr. Olivia Zarella
There is so much about this opinion piece from Griffis that is upsetting but this part makes me apoplectic.
archive.ph/aGUUO
This is called policy-based evidence-making. It is among the most abhorrent practices of antiscience people, working to weaponize confirmation bias to grant...
archive.ph/aGUUO
This is called policy-based evidence-making. It is among the most abhorrent practices of antiscience people, working to weaponize confirmation bias to grant...
March 25, 2025 at 7:50 PM
There is so much about this opinion piece from Griffis that is upsetting but this part makes me apoplectic.
archive.ph/aGUUO
This is called policy-based evidence-making. It is among the most abhorrent practices of antiscience people, working to weaponize confirmation bias to grant...
archive.ph/aGUUO
This is called policy-based evidence-making. It is among the most abhorrent practices of antiscience people, working to weaponize confirmation bias to grant...
Read the #hegseth #warplans group chat Atlantic article here without the paywall. Everyone needs access to this information and the Atlantic should remove the paywall ASAP.
archive.ph
March 25, 2025 at 11:50 PM
my husband is a lawyer, I’m in public health - our are mornings are politico doomscrolling and our nights include wondering if we should start doomsday prepping with our Costco membership.
March 25, 2025 at 1:38 PM
my husband is a lawyer, I’m in public health - our are mornings are politico doomscrolling and our nights include wondering if we should start doomsday prepping with our Costco membership.