Steve Valeika DVM PhD
@zoonotic1.bsky.social
DVM (UGA 01) | PhD (UNC 08) | Small Animal Vet | Recovering Academic | Infectious Disease Epi | ID and Public Health consultant for the Veterinary Information Network | Board member for Buncombe County Health Dept. | Family Guy | Son of an immigrant
The airborne AIDS crowd is really making hay with this study which claims that you are immunosuppressed if you have a normal lymphocyte count, all based on misuse of p-values, and with all of the downsides of ecological and cross sectional studies.
I'm seeing a lot of discussion of this study, and so far everything I have seen goes well beyond what the data of this study allow us to conclude. Let's look at this together.
A thread 🧵
A thread 🧵
Persistent Attenuation of Lymphocyte Subsets After Mass SARS-CoV-2 Infection
As of September 15, 2024, the COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in more than 776 million
confirmed cases and seven million deaths worldwide [1]. While most patients recovered
from the acute phase of COVI...
www.ijidonline.com
December 7, 2025 at 5:24 PM
The airborne AIDS crowd is really making hay with this study which claims that you are immunosuppressed if you have a normal lymphocyte count, all based on misuse of p-values, and with all of the downsides of ecological and cross sectional studies.
Sunday morning, that special time when liberal pundits prepare to go on TV to concede as many points as possible to republicans in hopes that right wingers will think they’re cool guys.
December 7, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Sunday morning, that special time when liberal pundits prepare to go on TV to concede as many points as possible to republicans in hopes that right wingers will think they’re cool guys.
Block this AI slop factory bullshit. Doubly so since it fooled me and made me cry.
December 6, 2025 at 10:41 PM
Block this AI slop factory bullshit. Doubly so since it fooled me and made me cry.
I’m sure the Bandim institute will be quick to highlight this non specific effect of COVID vaccination.
COVID Shots Tied to a Lower Risk of Death From Any Cause medpagetoday.com/infectiousdi...
"After standardizing characteristics between the two groups, all-cause mortality incidence was 25% lower in those who had received a COVID shot."
"After standardizing characteristics between the two groups, all-cause mortality incidence was 25% lower in those who had received a COVID shot."
COVID Shots Tied to a Lower Risk of Death From Any Cause
Advantage held even after removing coronavirus-related deaths from the mix
medpagetoday.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:34 PM
I’m sure the Bandim institute will be quick to highlight this non specific effect of COVID vaccination.
I’ll happily take their schedule * ^
*in exchange for universal health care, with equitable access, their maternal and child health outcomes, lack of firearm deaths, lower pedestrian deaths and drug toxicity, and their paid family leave
^their vaccine schedule is questionable despite their system
*in exchange for universal health care, with equitable access, their maternal and child health outcomes, lack of firearm deaths, lower pedestrian deaths and drug toxicity, and their paid family leave
^their vaccine schedule is questionable despite their system
Any vaccine on this slide for the U.S. but not for Denmark is what Trump wants to get rid of, thanks to FDA employee Tracy Beth Hoeg, who has zero understanding of the U.S. public health system.
HepB, RSV, rotavirus, Covid19, flu, chickenpox, HepA and meningitis.
HepB, RSV, rotavirus, Covid19, flu, chickenpox, HepA and meningitis.
December 6, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I’ll happily take their schedule * ^
*in exchange for universal health care, with equitable access, their maternal and child health outcomes, lack of firearm deaths, lower pedestrian deaths and drug toxicity, and their paid family leave
^their vaccine schedule is questionable despite their system
*in exchange for universal health care, with equitable access, their maternal and child health outcomes, lack of firearm deaths, lower pedestrian deaths and drug toxicity, and their paid family leave
^their vaccine schedule is questionable despite their system
Traffic jam Asheville style. Impressive crosswalk usage. Better than a lot of the humans around here! (Looking at you tourists)
The little straggler at the end cracked us up. This is a mom and her too old to still be following her around ‘teenage’ offspring
The little straggler at the end cracked us up. This is a mom and her too old to still be following her around ‘teenage’ offspring
December 5, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Traffic jam Asheville style. Impressive crosswalk usage. Better than a lot of the humans around here! (Looking at you tourists)
The little straggler at the end cracked us up. This is a mom and her too old to still be following her around ‘teenage’ offspring
The little straggler at the end cracked us up. This is a mom and her too old to still be following her around ‘teenage’ offspring
Hoeg: What if we had like, a center. A center where scientists worked. And at this center they study diseases and how to control them. We could call it…
Hoeg: need dedicated team of scientists to put together risk/benefits.
me: that's what workgroups and CDC staff did under the previous, expert ACIP.
Hoeg: if public could read rationale, inform public.
Me: ACIP materials and recommendations were public.
me: that's what workgroups and CDC staff did under the previous, expert ACIP.
Hoeg: if public could read rationale, inform public.
Me: ACIP materials and recommendations were public.
December 5, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Hoeg: What if we had like, a center. A center where scientists worked. And at this center they study diseases and how to control them. We could call it…
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
If you want to help, you can share our story, check out our work at viralemergence.org, and - if you're the one in a million person who can save our project - reach out. (At this point, my job is to fundraise for the amazing scientists I work with, so they can focus on doing some actual science! 🦠)
Verena
Verena is an NSF-funded Institute working towards using open data, biological research, and artificial intelligence to predict and prevent the next pandemic.
viralemergence.org
December 5, 2025 at 3:11 PM
If you want to help, you can share our story, check out our work at viralemergence.org, and - if you're the one in a million person who can save our project - reach out. (At this point, my job is to fundraise for the amazing scientists I work with, so they can focus on doing some actual science! 🦠)
Make America Hepatitic Again
December 5, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Make America Hepatitic Again
So it’s ok to use serology to stop vaccination, even for diseases like HepB where serology is known to be an imperfect correlate of protection. But approving updated vaccines based on serology for diseases where serology is known to be a good correlate is blocked by Vinay.
Discussion for vote 2, recommending serology before other doses: reminder - ACIP does not have authority to require insurance coverage for this, this is not necessarily going to be covered voluntarily because there's no data behind it or basis.
December 5, 2025 at 4:50 PM
So it’s ok to use serology to stop vaccination, even for diseases like HepB where serology is known to be an imperfect correlate of protection. But approving updated vaccines based on serology for diseases where serology is known to be a good correlate is blocked by Vinay.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
At ACIP day 2, panel member Cody Meissner on hep B voting questions: "Thoughtful inquiry is always commendable. But that inquiry should not be confused with baseless skepticism, which is what I think we’re encountering here."
December 5, 2025 at 1:51 PM
At ACIP day 2, panel member Cody Meissner on hep B voting questions: "Thoughtful inquiry is always commendable. But that inquiry should not be confused with baseless skepticism, which is what I think we’re encountering here."
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
To which Malone replied, “tell it to the beard, Cody.”
“This disease has gone down in the United States thanks to the effectiveness of our current immunization program,” adviser Cody Meissner said.
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
CDC advisers delay vote on restricting infant hepatitis B vaccinations in tense meeting
From 1990 to 2019, reported cases of acute hepatitis B among kids declined by 99% due to infant immunization
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
To which Malone replied, “tell it to the beard, Cody.”
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
If a committee can’t clearly define the question, it shouldn’t be rewriting a 30-year-old, highly effective vaccine policy. This is not how evidence-based medicine is supposed to work. 1/2
ACIP just voted to delay 'til tomorrow morning their vote on its hepatitis B vaccine recommendations-- after much confusion about what, exactly, they were even going to be voting on.
December 4, 2025 at 6:29 PM
If a committee can’t clearly define the question, it shouldn’t be rewriting a 30-year-old, highly effective vaccine policy. This is not how evidence-based medicine is supposed to work. 1/2
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
found a 238 additional cases even counting children born to seronegative mothers. She adds that she agrees with the need for better screening but changes to practices take time and it is not prudent to change the vaccine recommendation to fit with their ideal of what clinical practice should look...
December 4, 2025 at 7:51 PM
found a 238 additional cases even counting children born to seronegative mothers. She adds that she agrees with the need for better screening but changes to practices take time and it is not prudent to change the vaccine recommendation to fit with their ideal of what clinical practice should look...
To which Malone replied, “tell it to the beard, Cody.”
“This disease has gone down in the United States thanks to the effectiveness of our current immunization program,” adviser Cody Meissner said.
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
CDC advisers delay vote on restricting infant hepatitis B vaccinations in tense meeting
From 1990 to 2019, reported cases of acute hepatitis B among kids declined by 99% due to infant immunization
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:50 PM
To which Malone replied, “tell it to the beard, Cody.”
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
“This disease has gone down in the United States thanks to the effectiveness of our current immunization program,” adviser Cody Meissner said.
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
CDC advisers delay vote on restricting infant hepatitis B vaccinations in tense meeting
From 1990 to 2019, reported cases of acute hepatitis B among kids declined by 99% due to infant immunization
www.theguardian.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:46 PM
“This disease has gone down in the United States thanks to the effectiveness of our current immunization program,” adviser Cody Meissner said.
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
“In your opinion,” vice-chair Robert Malone said, interrupting him.
“Uhh, these are facts, Robert,” Meissner responded. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
Did you know?
190 countries have infant immunization schedules that include the Hep B vaccine
115 countries recommend a universal birth-dose of the Hep B vaccine, one of the key actions WHO recommends to reduce Hep B prevalence
Read more in the WHO Hep B Report ➡️
iris.who.int/server/api/c...
190 countries have infant immunization schedules that include the Hep B vaccine
115 countries recommend a universal birth-dose of the Hep B vaccine, one of the key actions WHO recommends to reduce Hep B prevalence
Read more in the WHO Hep B Report ➡️
iris.who.int/server/api/c...
November 23, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Did you know?
190 countries have infant immunization schedules that include the Hep B vaccine
115 countries recommend a universal birth-dose of the Hep B vaccine, one of the key actions WHO recommends to reduce Hep B prevalence
Read more in the WHO Hep B Report ➡️
iris.who.int/server/api/c...
190 countries have infant immunization schedules that include the Hep B vaccine
115 countries recommend a universal birth-dose of the Hep B vaccine, one of the key actions WHO recommends to reduce Hep B prevalence
Read more in the WHO Hep B Report ➡️
iris.who.int/server/api/c...
Four Seasons Total Public Healthscaping
Once again, ACIP has just voted to postpone all votes on the birth dose of the HBV vaccine, because once again, they are too incompetent to even propose a vote properly.
These people are incompetent.
These people are incompetent.
December 4, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Four Seasons Total Public Healthscaping
If you told 2021 Steve that Cody Meissner would be 2025 Steve’s favorite ACIP member, 2021 Steve would know exactly who would be president, and who would be head of HHS in 2025.
ACIP member Cody Meissner states clearly that HBV vaccine is the reason for the drastic decline in HBV in the US.
Anti-vaxxer Robert Malone: In your opinion:
Meissner: These are facts.
Anti-vaxxer Robert Malone: In your opinion:
Meissner: These are facts.
December 4, 2025 at 5:54 PM
If you told 2021 Steve that Cody Meissner would be 2025 Steve’s favorite ACIP member, 2021 Steve would know exactly who would be president, and who would be head of HHS in 2025.
Reposted by Steve Valeika DVM PhD
Prasad makes wild claim about covid vaccines. Levi then points to that wild claim as evidence of harm from vaccines to bolster the idea that hep B vaccines may be harmful and we should be "humble." It's an incompetent snake eating its own incompetent tail. #acip
December 4, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Prasad makes wild claim about covid vaccines. Levi then points to that wild claim as evidence of harm from vaccines to bolster the idea that hep B vaccines may be harmful and we should be "humble." It's an incompetent snake eating its own incompetent tail. #acip
The New York Times just can’t help themselves. “Shake up?!?” Are you fucking kidding me? It’s like saying Trump is shaking up boat excursions in the Caribbean. And I know the journalists don’t write the headlines, but…
Inside Kennedy’s Methodical Quest to Shake Up America’s Vaccine System
www.nytimes.com
December 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM
The New York Times just can’t help themselves. “Shake up?!?” Are you fucking kidding me? It’s like saying Trump is shaking up boat excursions in the Caribbean. And I know the journalists don’t write the headlines, but…
Stem cells and platelet rich plasma injections for all!
I suspect FDA no longer has qualified people willing to do this job.
"FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has appointed Tracy Beth Høeg, a longtime skeptic of Covid-19 vaccines, to be the acting director of the agency’s drug unit,...."
endpoints.news/fda-to-name-... @endpts.com
"FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has appointed Tracy Beth Høeg, a longtime skeptic of Covid-19 vaccines, to be the acting director of the agency’s drug unit,...."
endpoints.news/fda-to-name-... @endpts.com
Breaking: FDA to name Tracy Beth Hoeg, who helped lead Covid shot investigation, as acting CDER chief
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary has appointed Tracy Beth Høeg, a longtime skeptic of Covid-19 vaccines, to be the acting director of the agency's drug unit
endpoints.news
December 4, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Stem cells and platelet rich plasma injections for all!
Prasad is now demanding that NEJM give him a “block button” so that he doesn’t have to be exposed to any criticism in that journal ever again.
12 former FDA commissioners denounce Vinay Prasad's internal memo on vaccine regulation, from
@matthewherper.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/12/03/f...
@matthewherper.bsky.social: www.statnews.com/2025/12/03/f...
A dozen former FDA commissioners decry Prasad memo on vaccine regulation
Changes to the ways in which the FDA plans to regulate vaccines represent a threat to effective vaccines and public health, 12 former commissioners say.
www.statnews.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Prasad is now demanding that NEJM give him a “block button” so that he doesn’t have to be exposed to any criticism in that journal ever again.
Nancy has realized that her passion in life, trying to catch glimpses of crotches in public bathrooms, is a full time job.
NEW: Nancy Mace is considering following MTG's lead and resigning from Congress before the end of her term. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/u...
Republican Anger Erupts at Johnson as Party Frets About Future
www.nytimes.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Nancy has realized that her passion in life, trying to catch glimpses of crotches in public bathrooms, is a full time job.