Deep dive on RFK Jr’s new food stamp rules are v confusing.
Hannah Hansen, single mom of four, said her food stamps didn’t cover sweetened wild cherry sparkling water or semisweet chocolate chips for baking, but paid for ultra-processed items like “chips and cookies.” @rachelroubein.bsky.social

White House favors Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, to lead CDC Schwartz would be Trump’s third nominee to lead the agency. The administration is also said to be looking at three other people to serve in senior roles supporting her.

ICYMI: The White House is considering Erica Schwartz, frmer deputy surgeon general in Trump’s first term, to be director of @CDCgov. Also weighing 3 others for senior team, incl Texas health commish Jennifer Shuford. @ddiamond.bsky.social and me.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

White House favors Erica Schwartz, former deputy surgeon general, to lead CDC Schwartz would be Trump’s third nominee to lead the CDC. She left government in 2021, after the Biden administration passed her over for acting U.S. surgeon general.

NEWS - Erica Schwartz, former deputy US surgeon general, is favored candidate to lead CDC

former Walmart exec Sean Slovenski favored as a top deputy

still pending Trump's approval

w @lenasun.bsky.social

SCOOP: The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has delayed publication of a CDC report showing covid-19 vaccine cut the likelihood of ED visits + hospitalizations for healthy adults last winter by about half. My latest.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Cecillia Wang was born in Oregon after her parents legally emigrated from Taiwan, making her a U.S. citizen by birth.

Now, she is set to appear before the Supreme Court to address a question fundamental to the nation and her family: Who deserves to be an American? https://wapo.st/4uU4bAd

One of the best times of the year in the DC area. Cherry blossoms in so many neighborhoods.

White House navigates vaccine politics, midterm risks in CDC director search The Trump administration faces complicated political dynamics as it seeks someone to helm the key public health agency suffering a prolonged leadership vacuum.

NEW: White House faces fast-approaching deadline to name CDC director. Here are three ppl being considered. w/ @ddiamond.bsky.social @rachelroubein.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

RFK Jr.’s vaccine advisers drop proposal to revisit covid-19 shot Some members of the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel have publicly questioned the safety and manufacturing of the shots, including raising a debunked theory that DNA contaminants in the vaccines are harmf...

SCOOP: A key federal vaccine panel has abandoned an attack on covid-19 mRNA vaccines — a shift that comes as some GOP warn that any more changes to vaccine policy could damage midterm prospects. Me + @rachelroubein.bsky.com
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

A new poll shows who Americans trust over the CDC The new findings come after the Trump administration in January took the unprecedented step of overhauling the CDC’s routine childhood immunization schedule.

NEW: A new poll shows who Americans trust over the CDC. Survey reveals substantial gap between the major professional health associations and CDC, FDA and NIH. My story.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Inside RFK Jr.’s push against the flu vaccine that he links to his voice condition Trump’s health secretary has halted federal flu vaccine promotions, citing personal beliefs about vaccine risks.

Nice reporting by @lenasun.bsky.social and colleagues about the irrational and deceptive arguments that RFK Jr has used to take away the recommendation for routine influenza vaccine. Meantime, we have seen many unvaccinated kids with flu in the ICU, on ECMO, and who died. wapo.st/46jSng1

Our deep dive on RFK Jr, his voice condition and flu vaccine. (with correct handles this time) @laurenweberhp.bsky.social and me and @caitlingilbert.bsky.social @washingtonpost.com

From @lenasun.bsky.social article: "Three top voice medical experts and Dysphonia International said there is no scientific basis for the claim that the flu vaccine is behind Kennedy’s condition; there is evidence to suggest a potential association between dystonias and certain drug use."

2/ “Having seen over 300 patients with this condition over the course of my 30 year career, no one else has ever claimed or felt that they developed this condition due to a vaccination of any kind,“ said Steven Bielamowicz, an expert.

Inside RFK Jr.’s push against the flu vaccine that he links to his voice condition Trump’s health secretary has halted federal flu vaccine promotions, citing personal beliefs about vaccine risks.

NEW: RFKJr seems to have a personal reason for his long-running campaign against the flu vaccine: He links it to his voice condition. Our deep dive on the science. 1/2 @laurenweber.bsky.social, me @caitlinsgilbert.bsky.Social @Washingtonpost.Bsky.Social
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Inside RFK Jr.’s push against the flu vaccine that he links to his voice condition Trump’s health secretary has halted federal flu vaccine promotions, citing personal beliefs about vaccine risks.

🚨 Inside RFK Jr.’s long-running crusade against the flu vaccine w/ @lenasun.bsky.social @caitlingilbert.bsky.social

-links vaccine to his voice condition without evidence 
-moved to kill a flu vaccine campaign his 2nd day on job
-changed vaccine schedule

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

After leaving WHO, Trump officials propose more expensive replacement to duplicate it HHS proposes spending $2 billion a year to re-create systems the U.S. accessed through the WHO at a fraction of the cost, according to officials briefed on the matter.

🚨 WaPo scoop: You've heard of Trump's "board of peace."

Now HHS wants to build its own World Health Organization that will cost exponentially more than the U.S.'s contribution to the WHO.

-- with the incredible @lenasun.bsky.social

After leaving WHO, Trump officials propose more expensive replacement to duplicate it HHS proposes spending $2 billion a year to re-create systems the U.S. accessed through the WHO at a fraction of the cost, according to officials briefed on the matter.

The latest big scoop from @lenasun.bsky.social w/ @jacobbogage.bsky.social assisting

After pulling out of the WHO, Trump officials are proposing the U.S. spend about three times as much to duplicate it wapo.st/4tKRwyM

After leaving WHO, Trump officials propose more expensive replacement to duplicate it HHS proposes spending $2 billion a year to re-create systems the U.S. accessed through the WHO at a fraction of the cost, according to officials briefed on the matter.

SCOOP: After leaving WHO, Trump officials propose more expensive replacement to duplicate it. At a cost 3x what US paid annually. Me and @Jacobbogage.bsky.social
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

AMA joins effort to launch vaccine science review amid CDC turmoil The American Medical Association and a partner group are taking on a new role in reviewing vaccine safety and effectiveness as the CDC’s review process faces criticism.

NEW: The AMA and a leading public health research group focused on vaccines are teaming up to create a parallel system to review vaccine safety and effectiveness. 
The CDC’s vaccine review process has “effectively collapsed” under RFKJr. My story.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

“Katie Mettler, a former chair of the Washington Post guild, said: “I’m glad Will Lewis has been fired. I wish it had happened before he fired all my friends.”” www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/t...

We are absolutely heartbroken by the loss of two-thirds of our Washington Post health team. Editors, please hire these wonderful journalists.

Thank you so much for those kind words. Yes Monica is still here. Thank goodness.

We had devastating cuts to @washingtonpost. Our health team of 14 lost 9 reporters yesterday despite it being listed as part of the Post’s new focus.
But I still have my job. Along w/a core team, we are still dedicated to covering public health, holding the powerful to account.

What South Carolina’s soaring measles outbreak means for the rest of the U.S. More than 840 measles infections have been reported in South Carolina, surpassing the tally in Texas last year. Public health experts say it shows the risks when vaccination coverage falls.

South Carolina is now experiencing the nation’s worst measles outbreak since the virus was declared eliminated a quarter century ago.

@lenasun.bsky.social and photographer Juan Diego Reyes show what’s happening on the ground wapo.st/4rttZRg

Atlanta, Memphis and Nashville are metro areas with vaccination rates below the needed 95 percent. Measles outbreaks in those areas would be “terrifying,” said Scott Thorpe, head of a nonprofit public health group focused on the South.

SC has already seeded cases in NC and Washington states. “We are losing decades of public health successes, and children will get very sick and die from preventable illnesses,” said Martha Edwards, head of AAP’s SC chapter.

What South Carolina’s soaring measles outbreak means for the rest of the U.S. More than 840 measles infections have been reported in South Carolina, surpassing the tally in Texas last year. Public health experts say it shows the risks when vaccination coverage falls.

NEW: South Carolina’s measles outbreak is country’s largest in more than 25 years. But its falling vaccination coverage + rising religious exemptions from school requirements don’t make it an outlier. My story. Gift link. 1/3
wapo.st/4rttZRg

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Freeze of public health funds for states, then reversal, sows confusion A sense of whiplash spread across state public health agencies after the Trump administration paused $5 billion in federal spending, only to quickly say it would lift the pause on Saturday.

BREAKING: Sudden freeze of public health funds for states, then reversal, throws state and local health departments into confusion on eve of major snowstorm. Me + @Rachelroubein.Bsky.com
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...

Formal U.S. withdrawal from WHO is decried as ‘scientifically reckless’ Trump justified withdrawing from the health alliance formed in 1948 based on what he viewed as the “mishandling” of the coronavirus pandemic and a failure to adopt changes.

NEW: US formally exits WHO. U.S. officials say nation will remain a global leader in health, but through “existing and new engagements directly with other countries, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and faith-based entities.” My story.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2026/...