Soren Larsen

COVID Hits Black Americans Harder. New Vaccine Limits Increase the Risk Regulatory disorder at the CDC leaves it unclear who will be eligible for the shots and whether the vaccine will be free.

“Limiting booster eligibility risks further compromising the already fragile health status of many Black Americans,” Oni Blackstock, a physician and founder of Health Justice, a consulting firm that focuses on racial and health equity, previously told Capital B.

The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.

One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc

Vaccine-Preventable Disease: A Global Tracker | Think Global Health This map is updated weekly and visualizes outbreaks of nine childhood diseases in collaboration with the International Society for Infectious Diseases

I'd love to say lots of nice things about this invaluable preventable disease tracker from @monscience.bsky.social and team at Think Global Health. It's an incredible resource.

But I can't get over my anger & sadness that this resource is even needed.
www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/vacc...

ICE has been cracking down hard across the vast expanse of the greater Chicago area, and I wrote a little bit about what you need to understand about what it’s like here now. Plus, I compiled some resources for locals to get alerts and whistles. dansinker.com/posts/202…

This has been a weird and awkward time! It's especially cool when my voice cracks in the middle of presenting something important. But in all seriousness, I'm deeply grateful for the support I've received so far. And if you're queer in academia too, feel free to reach out!

A tricky thing about transitioning in academia is forgetting who I've officially "told" and every email I'm like, "do I need to add my deadname to this?" So anyways I'm trans - if I look kinda familiar, you probably met me when I used a different name, which you can find in my orcid if desperate.

Reimagining the serocatalytic model for infectious diseases: A case study of common coronaviruses Despite the increased availability of serological data, understanding serodynamics remains challenging. Serocatalytic models, which describe the rate …

Now out in Epidemics - we adapted traditional serocatalytic models to explore the development of a gradient of seropositivity for seasonal human coronaviruses. Our method is flexible and can be applied to other pathogens. Read it here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Matthew Shepard was murdered right when I was trying to come out of the closet. So like, this hit me pretty hard. Maybe that’s why I understand how important it is for trans kids to know they deserve to live.

The editors of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) were apparently fired today.

The precursor to MMWR began in 1878 to address emerging public health threats rapidly.

We are not “great” without it. We are vulnerable to threats from sporadic foodborne illness to bioterrorism.

#CDC is renaming #Mpox using the old misleading and stigmatizing term. #Mpox was set as global consensus by @who.int and there is no scientific or public health reason to go back to an outdated terminology.
What we need is action: vaccination, awareness & equitable access, not backward naming.

Shutdown Day Guide For LGBTQ+ People: "Continuing Resolutions" And New Anti-Trans Posts From The White House Shutdown day is here, and there has been a lot of competing coverage on Republican priorities, Democrat's demands, and what shutdown politics means for LGBTQ+ people in America.

1. It's shutdown day, and anti-trans provisions are on the line... either today, or in a few more weeks if a clean continuing resolution passes.

Trump posted a video this morning blaming a shutdown on trans people and immigrants.

Here is your shutdown guide.

Subscribe to support our journalism.

Modeling the Health Impact of Discontinuing COVID-19 Vaccination During Pregnancy in the US This decision analytical model study estimates the number of avertable COVID-19 hospitalizations in US infants younger than 6 months and pregnant persons with vaccinations during pregnancy.

What is the impact of the HHS decision to no longer recommend COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy? In our new research letter in @jamapediatrics.com, we provide estimates on the number of infant hospitalizations under different vaccine scenarios here. @mathewkiang.com, @peterhotezmdphd.bsky.social

Measles and Mumps Are Great, but Don’t Overlook the Awesomeness of Congenital Rubella Syndrome “CDC panel recommends multiple shots for measles, mumps, rubella, and chickenpox instead of a single vaccine… Experts react with concern that incre...

"This is what made parenting so much more interesting in the good old days. You young folks—Millennials, GenZ, GenAlpha, and whatever the heck comes after that—have no idea how much fun you’ve been missing. Now, though, you may get the chance to find out."

Very disturbing and unethical. Akido, a medical startup, is using an AI system to diagnose patients & provide treatment reca at clinical visits with medical assistants.

The worst part of all of this is who is being targeted (or tested) first w. this technology: Medicaid patients who are unhoused.

It's not too late to register for our manuscript writing event tomorrow! We hope to see you there 📝

Flyer advertising upcoming MIDAS Trainee Network event on How to Write a Strong Manuscript. The event will take place on Thurs 9/25 at 12pm ET with a presentation from Dr. John Drake from the University of Georgia, followed by Q&A and discussion. Register at: https://georgetown.zoom.us/meeting/register/rTEZP0pSQIqlLv_EyquGgQ

Ever read a paper & think, "wow 🤩 that was well written"?

Learn how to write your own *wow* paper with @midas-network.bsky.social trainees on Thurs 9/25 @ noon ET.

We'll hear from @jdrakephd.bsky.social on strategies for crafting & communicating a good story.

🔗 georgetown.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

For what it's worth I did get the test, but I don't think I'd want to do something like serological testing after recovering from an infection unless there was a compelling medical reason

I was shocked to discover they're running PCR to detect seasonal coronaviruses at my local urgent care, reporting to IDPH and billing insurance (though I recall the out of pocket $ not being very high). I think these diagnostics are getting cheaper/more widespread than ever.

MIDAS Trainee Network Hosts Event on How to Write a Strong Manuscript.

Register: georgetown.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

So I have a question...

RFK, Jr. says he does not believe "modeling studies" to estimate the number of premature deaths prevented by COVID vaccines, He want to see real data.

Question: What data does he have in mind?

1/2

An illustration of a man falling out of a piece of paper, with text that says: How an academic betrayal led me to change my authorship practices.

"The day the paper was published should have been a moment of pride. Instead, it felt like a quiet erasure." #ScienceWorkingLife https://scim.ag/4p3eH5g

Atlanta’s HIV epidemic is real and it’s driven by structural factors: lack of Medicaid expansion, racism, poverty, homelessness, limited comprehensive sex education, and barriers to HIV testing and PrEP access. Fear mongering to stigmatize certain communities is unhelpful and wrong.

Screenshot of the content creator on TIKTOK who created the now viral video spreading the false claim that there have been 20,000 new cases of HIV in Atlanta in 2025.

No, Atlanta has NOT had 20,000 new HIV cases in 2025. That’s a viral falsehood spreading on TikTok and Facebook .
As of 2022, ~43k people were living with HIV in metro ATL, and annual new diagnoses are in the hundreds locally (low thousands statewide) not tens of thousands in one city.

Incredible

Thank you, Jeremy, for always speaking truth to power. The recent NIH "priorities" with regard to trans kids are based on a false, dehumanizing narrative that puberty blockers and gender affirming care is dangerous, when in fact, it is life saving. Our kids deserve better.

Gender Data Would Be Off-Limits Under Proposed NIH Policy A draft rule would bar scientists funded by the agency from collecting data about gender identity, following other steps the administration has taken to restrict research on LGBT topics.

Draft policy would stop NIH‑funded researchers from collecting gender‑identity data

This is a calculated and desperate attempt to erase trans and nonbinary people and to ignore their health needs, autonomy, and visibility, along with that of cis women.

Small Investment, Big Returns: Why This NIH Center Matters The Fogarty International Center within the National Institutes of Health has had a huge global footprint and impact. US policy makers must save this national treasure

My new @forbes.com piece is about the critical importance of NIH and it's impactful Fogarty program

Small Investment, Big Returns: Why This NIH Center Matters

www.forbes.com/sites/madhuk...

NIH scientists say that mRNA vaccines have saved untold thousands of lives. A heroin addled nepo baby whose brain was partially eaten by a worm says mRNA vaccines are worthless and even dangerous. For busy medical patients, it can be hard to know who to trust.

Closing date tomorrow!

I see news outlets reporting on falling ‘fertility rates,’ and I find this terminology non-intuitive… and potentially problematic.

Falling fertility rates tell us about reductions in women’s birth rates, not reductions in women’s fertility!

Let me explain: