I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and for those in the Midwest, that you stayed safe from Winter Storm Bellamy (shoutout to my husband, who shoveled over nine inches of snow while I stayed warm). A new storm’s already on the way this week, and it’s expected to hit the Northeast. The weather gave my family the perfect excuse to catch up on some movies at home, though we missed out on the Zootopia 2 hype. I also decorated for the holidays (cue the annual real vs. fake tree debate), and of course, nibbled on some Thanksgiving leftovers. Speaking of which, if you have any lingering sides in your fridge, be warned: After today, they may no longer be safe to eat. If you want to whip up some last-minute lunch or dinner ideas to seize the day, check out these chef-approved leftover recipes. Now, let’s get to the headlines…
— Maria Corpus / Editor / Madison, WI
What's Happening
Health
Another Plot Twist in Vaccine Policy
What's going on: An internal email from a senior FDA official seems to have spilled the agency’s push for stricter vaccine rules. In a memo to staff, top vaccine regulator and critic Vinay Prasad called for tighter oversight of the annual flu shot, vaccines for pregnant women, and any new shots in general, according to The New York Times. The email linked the COVID-19 vaccine to the deaths of 10 children (whose ages weren’t specified) and suggested myocarditis (a rare heart condition) as the likely cause. These statements haven’t been peer-reviewed or published, and the FDA didn’t specify which vaccine maker or data it used to reach that conclusion. While the CDC acknowledged a “likely association” with myocarditis in 2021, especially in teens and young adults, it said vaccine benefits still outweighed the risks.
What it means: The basics haven’t changed: Infectious disease experts say COVID-19 vaccines remain safe and have saved countless lives, and they point to peer-reviewed studies and controlled trials to back that up. Some experts have questions about the FDA data and want more evidence from the Trump administration. Others allege the administration cherry-picked numbers to justify Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s broader rollback of vaccine recommendations. The memo also surfaced right before a key meeting later this week, when Kennedy’s handpicked advisors will discuss a potential overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule. Stay tuned.
