Dr.Lynora Saxinger

I imagine many know this already but holy heck, what a massive Microsoft SharePoint security breach - with no patch yet.
Just in case- an FYI.
Check w/ your IT folk if it affects you.

In the wake of RFK Jr.’s ACIP shake-up, the medical community is taking matters into its own hands.

Dr. Michael Osterholm’s new Vaccine Integrity Project at CIDRAP aims to fill the void with science-based, nonpartisan guidance. #VaccineIntegrity #PublicHealth

The #ACIP meeting can only be described as the battle between science and anti-science. Greatest respect to the CDC scientists who are presenting the data in the face of a torrent of outright disinformation from several new members of ACIP who clearly have an antivaxx anti science agenda.

Why it matters: ACIP votes are legally binding for Medicaid and Medicare. If this new ACIP says no to a vaccine, millions could lose access. 3/

Here’s Your Cheat Sheet for Vaccine Recommendations Backed by Science These graphics will guide you through science-based vaccine guidelines for children and adults

PLEASE SHARE 🧪‼️

Vaccination schedules on the CDC website have already started changing under RFK Jr.

Scientific American has published a guide to the EVIDENCE-BASED vaccine recommendations in place BEFORE ACIP members were removed by the administration.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/see-...

Secretary Kennedy replaced CDC’s vaccine advisors based on false claims of conflicts of interest, and yet one of his new ACIP appointees reported more conflicts than all the 17 fired members combined. Striking.

Yeah, raw milk remains bad for you. Clear risk and no proven benefit. (Imaging licking a cows udder- and all of the manure win the environment. Those are the bacteria you are getting exposed to.)
doh.wa.gov/you-and-y....

And-Public health clinics only?

?Covid and influenza shots in one trip won't be possible
Whole system was pharmacy based- 25X more >65y got vaccine in pharmacy than clinic
Will they boost public health capacity -resources for this???
The vaccines has- and still saves lives.

AB COVID vaccine-
People on AISH, homeless, immunocompromised will have to PREBOOK ONLINE for their covered shot- logistical nightmare, reduces access

Health care workers- not mentioned??
-This is an occupational risk and immunizing HCW is recommended to protect patients

Now, most >65y olds in community will pay ?>100$ for COVID vaccine
>65:
1/2 of the hosp, 2/3 of the ICU adm, and 3/4 of the deaths in the pandemic
2024-2025 Alberta data: >60years: hosp 2432, ICU 108, deaths 249
COVID vaccine recommended by NACI
Median income 36K in Canada

One note re :"wastage": AB had 10% lower vaccine uptake than BC but I'm not sure how many people were aware it was recommended. The campaign didn't use the word "COVID".

This gov't vaccine campaigns have been found lacking: shorturl.at/H0Dwa, shorturl.at/BrULe

Whoa now.

Alberta COVID vaccine planning news release (shorturl.at/U15nE) has some major shockers.

First- it IS $$$ and it IS newly provincial dollars (like all other vaccines). NACI provided guidance (shorturl.at/r0fWf) in Jan as provinces bought supply ~March.

How underground brokers use their connections inside Meta to profit from hacked accounts When your Facebook or Instagram account gets hacked, social-media giant Meta offers little support. Intermediaries and insiders can help you get back online – but it will cost you

I wouldn’t want to be Meta this morning. They’ve made more than just the news business in the country furious. Incredible reporting from @alexposadzki.bsky.social & Kathryn Blaze Baum www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

Dangerous habits- HCW edition! In healthcare, instant messaging in electronic medical records is not considered timely/adequate communication. It’s like texting and hoping someone sees it versus phoning and having them pick up. if it’s urgent, or if you haven’t heard back, call!

Shoutout to the Canadian Medical Association for this injection of common sense.
Health professionals should strive to provide the best current evidence-based care possible without having to break a law.
For any diagnosis.
Full Stop.
https://rb.gy/y75bef

Going great…
Basically, southern Alberta = measles exposure risk. Are they still trying to contact trace?
Info here: www.albertahealthser...
Make sure you/ yours are up to date on vaccines: 10-20% of cases hospitalized usually. At best It’s nasty.

So the "good old days" were pretty hard on kids. In the 1800s about 1 in 3 children died before age 5, mostly from infections, many vaccine preventable.
Here is an example of a families' keepsake memory.
Postmortem daguerrotypes of kids were NOT rare.
Vaccines prevent this.

In the 1800s-early 1900s, schools and institutions were opened for "Deaf, Dumb, and Blind" (then termed) kids. Measles was a big cause of acquired hearing loss- post encephalitis or ear infection.
Bacterial meningitis was another big cause (also vaccine preventable).

But... it's just a kid rash illness ?!?
Yes - and no.
About 996/1000 healthy kids fully recover after illness, with 1-3 dying, 1 with encephalitis, AND 100-200 would have complications of bacterial pneumonia or ear infection. There are still >100,000 measles deaths annually.

Measles: forgetting history and being doomed to repeat it?

Measles is a highly contagious, whole-body viral infection.
Before immunization (1970s) it killed at least 2.6 million/yr, and left many kids with lifelong disabilities (deafness, developmental delay)

There are enough notifications of infectious people in public spaces that you might as well just take a minute and check if you need anything: in immunized in AB can text "vaccine record" to 88111 as a start.

Safety: Measles vaccine disinformation is just bananas, but social media people yelling about autism and selling remedies yelling about it doesn't actually make it less safe. Great track record, really good vaccine, saves a lot of lives.

People who grew up in the 50s and 60s survived a LOT, including measles (spray cheese, no seat belts, everybody smoked). This group has good antibodies to measles - immunity is lifelong.
BUT
Seventies-80s kids grew up with less measles around and many had just 1 dose.

What to do: Measles Immunization
For most people born before 1970 (VERY likely naturally immune) or who have had 2 doses of measles vaccine, not much. Some pre 1970s at VERY high risk might be offered a dose.
Anyone with 0 or 1 doses: check this table out (Alberta version)

WHY?
777 / 880 measles cases so far confirmed to be related (gathering in New Brunswick, October 2024)
-cases in 5 provinces and spread in three.
POINTS:
This is REALLY contagious.
Unvaccinated at very high risk if exposed
If 1-2 doses, infection very rare -not zero

MEASLES -Oh, Canada.
Quebec outbreak over
Alberta: 29 new cases announced today (total 118)
- 17 cases in adults >18, about 10% hospitalized.
Ontario alone has had 925 cases as of April 16. Wowza.
COMPARE:
the worse full year since 1998 was 2011 with 752 cases.

Maternal mortality ratio An interactive visualization from Our World in Data.

ourworldindata.org/g...
Healthcare discussions can get pretty theoretical - and increasingly political. But data is just information - that can point to possibly fixable problems. Access to care and factors affecting maternal care worth looking at.

So:
Measles can be a big deal, most recover but bad outcomes happen and it still kills people - mostly kids- every year.

People may be blasé about this because the vaccine, which is safe, HAS worked well.

For most, two doses and you are good (prior exposures matter)



10/10

Vaccination with MMR

Kids/youth: 2 doses!
Adults born in 1970+ from 1 dose era - Alberta now recommends 2 doses (but some places give second dose for higher risk like travel, health care workers)
Born 60s and earlier: likely immune but 1 dose for higher risk areas


9/10

THE MEASLES VACCINE
Good news: this is one of our most long-lasting vaccines after 2 doses!
SO If you have had 2 doses at any time you are considered protected - or if prior infection
(not rcommended for some immunocompromised or pregnant people though)
8/10