Lena Sun
lenasun.bsky.social
Lena Sun
@lenasun.bsky.social
National health reporter, The Washington Post
[email protected]; Reach me securely on Signal: LenaSun.04
The National Academies statement says: “…based on our body of work on this topic and the overwhelming scientific consensus, we support the statement that vaccines do not cause autism.” 2/2
November 23, 2025 at 10:24 PM
3/3 More than 100 health care workers among those being monitored for flu-like symptoms and tested if they have symptoms. So far no additional contacts infected.
November 15, 2025 at 12:36 AM
2/3 Person is older adult who has been hospitalized since early November. Person had backyard flock of domestic poultry with exposure to wild birds.
November 15, 2025 at 12:36 AM
If 982 is the total number at HHS staff who were supposed to be fired, it seems the bulk of those laid off are at @CDCgov.
HHS can you provide a breakdown by agency? 3/3
October 14, 2025 at 10:31 PM
The HHS official says in court filing:
“Employees have been working since October 10, 2025, to rescind the notices that had been issued in error. The final number of RIF notices that have been issued to HHS employees is 982.” 2/3
October 14, 2025 at 10:31 PM
At ASPR, analysts with top-secret clearances who work with intelligence agencies on biodefense, emerging CBRN threats, were fired. They focused on threats from “state actors, any type of threat, whether it it’s intentional or accidental,” said a former HHS official. 4/4.
October 14, 2025 at 12:34 AM
At CDC, one of the offices within Office of Science that usually signs off on high-profile agency scientific publications, including the flagship MMWR, still RIFd 3/4
October 14, 2025 at 12:34 AM
At CDC, of about 1,300 laid off, about 740 have been rescinded. Another 600 or so are still fired. That includes a team that does day-to-day operations for a key health and nutrition survey (NHANES). 2/4
October 14, 2025 at 12:34 AM
RIF notices also sent to the CDC’s 2023 and 2024 class of civilian EIS officers known as its main disease detectives, per sources. These are the people who are typically the first responders in an outbreak. 4/4
October 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Among other RIF notices at CDC:
—Center for Forecasting and Analytics;
—all of CDC Washington
—Office of Human Resources
—National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 3/4
October 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
The CDC official who was leading the measles response and was RIFd has more than 28 yrs experience as the senior USG official leading outbreaks on Ebola, Marburg virus, and mpox. 2/4
October 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Many parents fear Trump and RFKJr rhetoric about autism as an “epidemic” is harmful and going backwards. “We’re not a disease, we’re people,” one parent says. “We don’t need to ‘cure’ autism. We need to expand access to services.”
September 27, 2025 at 6:11 PM