Jen, MPH :verified::4d ago

Hello! It seems to be time for another intro post, a big move for me from med-mastodon.com. That server is closing on April Fools Day!

Glad to be here at @hearme_social and thanks to @admin for already sending me a welcome note! Please bear with me as I figure out how to (hopefully successfully) migrate my account! I originally found Mastodon in the Great Twitter Migration of 2022. In the past few months as med-mastodon has had issues, I've taken bit of a break, but I miss it here and it's my favorite social media site! I promise to post more soon!

Please follow me if you're interested in #USPol #HealthPolicy #Covid #CovidIsNotOver #Pandemics and #CurrentEvents #MaskUp and I'll probably follow you back!

Amalia ZeichnerinMar 27

"Big #Tech #billionaires have infiltrated the highest levels of government globally. They are lobbying to keep AI unregulated so they can profit off #war, #pandemics, and human #exploitation.

This is our one window of opportunity to rein them in before it's too late."

The People's #AI manifesto

Please sign and share. #boost

https://action.eko.org/a/the-people-s-ai-manifesto

The People's AI manifesto

We know that AI could transform society for good, but right now power-hungry billionaires like Musk, Altman and Karp are in full control of the technology - and seem oblivious or indifferent to the ha

Ekō
ClareBear 💚 Mar 25

College President Sir Collin Tukuitonga is incredulous at New Zealand’s decision. “We know that it is just a matter of time before the next global pandemic arrives. Rejecting amendments that are designed to strengthen global co-ordination on health threats is worse than burying one’s head in the sand – it is positively flipping off the international community, including our partners in the Pacific”.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/GE2603/S00090/nzs-rejection-of-amendments-to-whos-international-health-regulations-ill-advised-and-against-national-interest.htm

#nzpol #WHO #pandemics

Show threadIvi ChocMar 14
#infectiousdiseases #epidemics #pandemics #outbreak #viruses #adaptation Havens et al. 6 March 2026, Cell Dynamics of natural selection preceding human viral epidemics and pandemics "Viral adaptation is not a necessary precursor to outbreaks of novel zoonotic viruses" doi.org/10.1016/j.ce...

Redirecting
Show threadIvi ChocMar 14

#infectiousdiseases #epidemics #pandemics #viralAdaptation #outbreak #virus #viruses #adaptation

Original open access article

Havens et al. 6 March 2026, Cell [InPress, Corrected Proof]

Dynamics of natural selection preceding human viral epidemics and pandemics

"Viral adaptation is not a necessary precursor to outbreaks of novel zoonotic viruses"

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2026.02.006

Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬Mar 12
#BrownUniversity’s #Pandemic Center studies #pandemics, and the #US resurgence of #measles is a grim sign of what’s coming
Low levels of #vaccination across the country mean measles #outbreaks will continue to occur, needlessly hospitalizing and killing the unvaccinated. But beyond these harms, the disease’s resurgence serves as a serious warning about the country’s capacity to manage #infectiousdisease threats of all kinds.
https://arstechnica.com/science/2026/03/we-study-pandemics-and-the-resurgence-of-measles-is-a-grim-sign-of-whats-coming/
We study pandemics, and the resurgence of measles is a grim sign of what’s coming

The US eliminated measles in 2000, but the disease is once again circulating.

Ars Technica
Show threadEvolving KirtMar 12

We are back to a situation where passenger aircraft seem to be the only technology anybody wants to use? but this is very prone to catastrophic disruption, like #wars and #pandemics

Insisting on flying for a meeting also makes other disasters more likely by contributing to #ClimateChange

Other technology exists, but it's not being used. WHY?

cc @kirt

Benjamin Carr, Ph.D. 👨🏻‍💻🧬Mar 10
Viral #Outbreaks Take a Common Path from Animals to People, Study Finds How #Pandemics Are Made
Scientists compared seven viral outbreaks that occurred in recent decades, including epidemics of Covid, Ebola and influenza. The outbreaks were not preceded by any unusual genetic changes in the viruses. In all but one case, in 1977, the viruses circulated in animals and gained the ability to spread to and among people only by unfortunate coincidence.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/09/science/covid-coronavirus-evolution.html
https://archive.ph/UjxJ0
Viral Outbreaks Take a Common Path from Animals to People, Study Finds

Researchers have devised a new tool for discerning between naturally occurring viral outbreaks and those resulting from lab accidents.

The New York Times
Columbus - FeedsMar 3
COHatch fuels expansion with a focus on suburbs - Andrew King
COHatch fuels expansion with a focus on suburbs

Expect its new "anchor" headquarters in Dublin by the end of 2027.

Axios Columbus
TechdirtFeb 25

Trump Administration Makes The Conscious Choice To Make America Less Prepared For The Next Pandemic

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.techdirt.com/2026/02/24/trump-administration-makes-the-conscious-choice-to-make-america-less-prepared-for-the-next-pandemic/

Trump Administration Makes The Conscious Choice To Make America Less Prepared For The Next Pandemic

Way back in the ancient days of the year 2020, the world went through this pandemic thing called COVID-19. For those of you not old enough to remember such ancient history, it was a fairly signific…

Techdirt