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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

9/ Want the in-depth answers to these questions?
Click here 👉 yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/routine-va...

Plus, gain access to a PDF version of the top 14 FAQs on routine vaccinations by upgrading to a paid newsletter subscriber!

Love,
The YLE Team & @kmpanthagani.bsky.social

Routine vaccinations, sanitation, and a look back at history

Sanitation vs. vaccine impact, requirements, universal recommendations, Hep B and more

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

8/ Bottom line: vaccines are victims of their own success. They’ve quietly prevented infections, disabilities, and deaths we no longer see. That invisibility fuels doubt, but it doesn’t erase the benefits.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

7/ ❓Why does the U.S. recommend universal vaccines when some countries target only high-risk groups?
Three reasons:
🔹 Behavioral: Universal policies drive uptake
🔹 Financial: Other governments pay, so cost is key
🔹 Safety net: The U.S. has weaker supports, so casting a wider net is critical

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

6/ Before universal hep B vaccination, about 18,000 U.S. kids were infected every year. Half of those infections were at birth. Today, thanks to the policy, fewer than 20 are reported annually, though models do suggest that a few hundred still slip through.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

5/ ❓Why vaccinate every U.S. baby for hep B even if they aren't “high risk”?
Put simply, hep B is a tricky virus: it's often silent, is easily passed from mom to newborn at birth, and can cause lifelong liver disease. Universal birth dosing was an absolute game changer.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

4/ ❓Do the benefits of measles vaccination still outweigh the risks, given low case counts?
Absolutely. Exposure risk changes with coverage, but measles is so contagious that when vaccination dips, outbreaks spread quickly. Benefits far exceed rare vaccine side effects.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

3/ ❓Why require vaccines for diseases that aren’t endemic, like rubella?
Think of vaccination as a dam. It holds back outbreaks. If you tear it down because “flooding isn’t happening,” the water comes rushing back. That’s why we still need the shield for diseases like rubella.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

2/❓Did sanitation and nutrition, not vaccines, actually stop measles?
No. Sanitation helped deaths plummet. But measles *infections* stayed sky-high until the vaccine arrived. Once introduced, cases plummeted as well. The vaccine is the reason measles was declared eliminated in the US.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

1/ A lot of people have genuine questions about #routinevaccines. Between headlines, politics, and fear, it can be hard to find nuanced answers. Let’s walk through some FAQs. 👇

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

10/ We’ll continue to monitor this closely and keep you updated on its implications for you. To make sure you don’t miss that update, click here 👉 yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

Love,

The YLE Team 💖

Your Local Epidemiologist | Katelyn Jetelina | Substack

Providing a direct line of "translated" public health science to you, so you can take action for your community's health. Click to read Your Local Epidemiologist, a Substack publication with hundreds ...

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

9/ So what does this mean right now? Nothing has happened yet, and all of this depends on how this shutdown shakes out. However, if this passes, health insurance costs are expected to skyrocket for many people.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

8/ If the pandemic-era health insurance tax credits expire, costs could spike for millions. For example, someone earning $28,000 now pays about 1% of their income ($325/year) for coverage. Without these credits, that jumps to nearly 6% ($1,562/year), a $1,200 increase, which is unaffordable for many

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

7/ If you're one of the 24 million people who buys your health insurance through the ACA Marketplace, the government limits how much of your income you have to spend on your monthly bill. In other words, people who earn less pay less. The government then covers the rest through a tax credit.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

6/ At the heart of the shutdown fight is whether the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits are expended before they expire at the end of the year, and premiums start to skyrocket. Those credits were increased during Covid. I want to break down what that looks like for a lot of families.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

5/ As of right now, SNAP and federally funded school lunches are covered through this month. But the longer the shutdown lasts, the bigger the gaps: missed outbreaks, delayed guidance, outdated data—and fewer tools to keep people safe.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

3/ We're already seeing the immediate impacts the shutdown is having on public health: CDC dashboards are paused, wastewater data isn't being updated (with the exception of measles), Medicare telehealth for homebound seniors has expired, and fewer staff mean longer wait times for those on Medicare.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

3/ We're already seeing the immediate impacts the shutdown is having on public health: CDC dashboards are paused, wastewater data isn't being updated (with the exception of measles), Medicare telehealth for homebound seniors has expired, and fewer staff mean longer wait times for those on Medicare.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

2/ Up to 75% of the health federal workforce is furloughed—including at CDC and FDA. However, many federal employees work in state and local health departments, keeping essential services running. But some states face frozen budgets and delayed funds, leaving public health with little cushion.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

1/ We’re almost a week into the #governmentshutdown. Beyond the headlines, it's triggering a slow-moving breakdown in public health systems services —impacting food programs, disease tracking, and potentially your insurance bill. The longer it goes, the more it will impact public health and you.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 1d

Headlines are atrocious given federal government confusion on fall vaccines. What questions do you have about the flu, Covid or RSV vaccines?

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 2d

12/ That’s your weekly Dose, you’re all caught up for the week! Public health is moving fast—our job is to keep you informed with facts and context. Want this straight to your inbox? Here's the link! yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

Love,
The YLE team 💖

Your Local Epidemiologist | Katelyn Jetelina | Substack

Providing a direct line of "translated" public health science to you, so you can take action for your community's health. Click to read Your Local Epidemiologist, a Substack publication with hundreds ...

yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 2d

11/ Pediatric Covid vaccines are delayed in some offices due to a mix of politics (waiting on CDC approval which was given today), limited supply (this is the first year only Moderna is approved for kids under 5), and low demand, which makes clinics hesitant to order doses they might not use.

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 2d

10/ Finally, my friend texted me this question, and I figured many parents out there have the same: “Do you have any insight into why our pediatricians still haven’t received any Covid vaccines and have no info on when they will?”

It’s likely a combination of a few things:

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 2d

9/ We also have public health wins! I'll talk more in depth about these later this week, but for now, the Nobel Prize in Medicine went to regulatory T cell discoveries, FDA approved another generic medication abortion pill, and backup cameras have cut severe child injuries from car backovers by ~66%

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Your Local Epidemiologist @ylepidemiologist.bsky.social · 2d

8/ New research highlights circadian rhythms—our body’s internal clocks that depend on light and routine—as key to quality sleep. Keep a steady sleep/wake schedule, dim lights at night, and get bright sunlight during the day. Consistency and light contrast are often more powerful than sleep gadgets.

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