Eric Feigl-Ding Profile picture
Mar 4, 2024 13 tweets 8 min read Read on X
⚠️BEYOND ANGRY—Lots of confusion on CDC’s new isolation guidelines— why? Because The CDC MADE THEM CONFUSING & VAGUE ON PURPOSE. Proponents claim it still has “some isolation” & still “some precautions”. But if you read actual guidelines (which are clear as mud)—see if you think they are vague/confusing…

1) stay home if symptoms “not better explained by another cause” ➡️ummm WHAT THE HELL??? Do people need to both likely ask doctor to exclude all other causes, or SELF-DIAGNOSE and play SELF-EPIDEMIOLOGY to attribute symptom causation to be <50% other cause? How do people even do that? Give me a frigging break.

2) If no fever, “Symptoms getting better overall”—➡️how do you define BETTER and OVERALL? 💡What if sneezing less frequent but runny nose still bad? 💡What if coughing less, less headache, but sneezing more? HOW THE HELL DO PEOPLE WEIGHT THESE DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS?!?! (Also keep in mind 50% of all COVID transmission is asymptomatic…. So this one is disingenuous to begin with). What the heck @CDCgov — you know this is outright dereliction of duty to put out trash guidelines like this!

3) After you go back to school/work/social settings—➡️for next 5 days (which does NOT guarantee you’re not infectious anymore at all to begin with)… “take precautions such as …. [LIST]… and/***or*** [LIST]”… the 🔥key detail I want to highlight is the super vague “or” near the end of that sentence! Why? Well, the explicit meaning therefore is simple “CHOOSE ONE OF THE ABOVE [LIST] OF PRECAUTIONS”. Thus, the @CDCDirector is basically telling you that you can do almost nothing and casually do one like “Simply TEST” and you can be around others—the CDC doesn’t even say “Only if you test negative”—just simply “test”!

This is honestly one of the WORST guidelines the @CDCgov has ever written. It is purposefully vague and allows a myriad of loopholes and subjective interpretations— exactly the kind of stuff corporate executives and politicians love — they can say they are complying with the CDC while doing virtually nothing much at all to protect people and public health!

This on on too of the already horrible shoddy data/analysis that the guideline is supposedly based on (see earlier 🧵), and based on data from likely illegally enacted CA guidelines (see other legal complaint 🧵)…. ➡️This is honestly one of the worst despicable disingenuous corrupt guidelines that the @CDCgov @CDCFlu has ever done and @CDCDirector has ever rubber stamped. The CDC used to be a shining beacon on a hill—it is now inept and/or complicit and has betrayed its mission to disease *control and prevention* that is in its very name.

(Share if you agree. Or explain in comments if you disagree.)

P.s. to my friends inside the CDC network—know that I respect you very much for your tireless work and efforts.🙏 The arc of the moral universe is long—but it does bend to justice. Keep doing quality science, keep internally fighting the good fight for public health, and know that your efforts to voice your opposition to CDC leaders will not in vain. The inept political leaders do not represent for all of you, and do not take away from your best efforts to protect public health. Don’t be afraid to stand up for reason, stand for good unpolluted science, and stand on the right side of history. In a world of public health—Don’t be a Mandy Cohen, be a Rosa Parks. Stay strong.✊🏼


cdc.gov/media/releases…
cdc.gov/respiratory-vi…Image
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2) The reason I’m able to know about CDC internal discussions and thinking is that I had advanced notice and had insider insights into rationale & knowledge of the data analyses they ran. It’s sooooo bullshit…. Here is my longer thread 🧵 explaining the JUNK IN ==> JUNK OUT. 🗑️
3) this kind of trashy data analysis justification would get past any doctoral Epidemiology program. My former mentors once chastised me for running the very type of trash analysis that CDC used to justify. And they used CA policy data—which was dubious to begin with.
4) We have filed a legal complaint against California Dept of Public Health and Cal OSHA regarding their isolation guideline drop—the impetus and data behind the CDC's new isolation rules. the CA rule was very strange & was illegally enacted—thus invalid!
5) I want to reemphasize my message to the the majority of the hardworking dedicated CDC scientists & staff:

P.s. to my friends inside the CDC network—know that I respect you very much for your tireless work and efforts.🙏 The arc of the moral universe is long—but it does bend to justice. Keep doing quality science, keep internally fighting the good fight for public health, and know that your efforts to voice your opposition to CDC leaders will not in vain. The inept political leaders do not represent for all of you, and do not take away from your best efforts to protect public health. Don’t be afraid to stand up for reason, stand for good unpolluted science, and stand on the right side of history. In a world of public health—Don’t be a Mandy Cohen, be a Rosa Parks. Stay strong.✊🏼
6) it has been widely rumored and discussed among colleagues that CDC Director Mandy Cohen notoriously has a thin-skin and easily feels insecure when snubbed by political leaders and the WH especially. Also not a surprise—she is a widely-known personal appointee of WH COS Zients.
7) if “85-90% of viral transmission occur in [first 5 days]”… hence we moved 10 to 5 days isolation in 2021—then why is there no isolation 5 days anymore? Because CDC is obviously moving the goal posts and pretending we don’t notice & forget #LongCovid.
8) we used to care about STOPPING TRANSMISSION—hence why we asked people to use condoms. But apparently CDC doesn’t care. COVID and LC costs $200 billion a year. But hey, cost of business shouldered by tax payers.
9) why do I say this new CDC guideline is every corporation’s wet dream? Because removing isolation rules is EXACTLY what they want to force workers back to work / slash their compensation for not coming back while still sick.
10) Curtain call for prevention and control of #COVID…. This is the end… of free COVID home test kids.
11) my dedication to this moment in history… this is for you @CDCgov & @CDCDirector
@CDCgov @CDCDirector 12) great summary of the tsunami of COVID research that contradicts the core essence of @CDCgov’s latest guidelines
@CDCgov @CDCDirector 13) local cities in recent weeks prior to CDC announcement: “We expect the CDC to rescind the 5 day isolation period in the very near future. Once the CDC guidance is updated, 📌employees will no longer be eligible for Covid pay for any period of isolation.”🔥 #ThanksMandy Image

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More from @DrEricDing

Jun 16
📍 THE 17 FIRED MEMBERS OF CDC’s VACCINE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (ACIP) speak out…

📍“As former ACIP members, we are deeply concerned that these destabilizing decisions, made without clear rationale, may roll back the achievements of US immunization policy, impact people’s access to lifesaving vaccines, and ultimately put US families at risk of dangerous and preventable illnesses.” 🔥

Full text:

Vaccines are one of the greatest global public health achievements. Vaccine recommendations have been critical to the global eradication of smallpox and the elimination of polio, measles, rubella, and congenital rubella syndrome in the US. They have also dramatically decreased cases of hepatitis, meningitis, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, tetanus, and varicella (chickenpox), and prevented cancers caused by hepatitis B virus and human papillomaviruses.1 Recent scientific advancements enabled the accelerated development, production, and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines, leveraging novel technologies that are estimated to have prevented approximately 1.6 million hospitalizations and 235 000 deaths in the US alone.2
For more than 60 years, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)—codified in the federal regulations (42 USC 217a: advisory councils or committees)—has served as a panel of experts that reviews the most up-to-date evidence on vaccines and monoclonal antibodies (eg, against respiratory syncytial virus [RSV]), providing sound recommendations to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding how vaccines should be used. ACIP recommendations are the cornerstone of the immunization program in this country. First, they serve as guidance and are the national standard for the use of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized and licensed vaccines, providing a unified and trusted approach to vaccinations for the diverse array of immunization providers across the US. Second, they ensure science-based and tested immunization schedules that are optimized for well-timed protection against serious diseases. Third, the recommendations affect insurance coverage and safeguard broad access for vaccines. Fourth, ACIP’s continued monitoring of disease epidemiology and scrutiny of vaccine safety inform timely updates to recommendations that have maintained the trust and protection of the population. This transparent and ongoing surveillance of vaccines is one of the most stringent around the world, historically making the deliberations and decisions of this committee a beacon for immunization programs globally, while also serving as the foundation for recommendations harmonized with leading medical organizations in the US.3,4
ACIP committee members have always been selected through a rigorous process based on their expertise in immunology, epidemiology, pediatrics, obstetrics, internal and family medicine, geriatrics, infectious diseases, and public health. Historically, committee members were chosen because they worked at hospitals, clinics, health departments, universities, and other organizations where they dedicated themselves to caring for patients, conducting research, and helping to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Members’ deep understanding of immunization issues ensured that vaccine policies were grounded in scientific evidence, aligned with the needs of economically, socially, and medically diverse US communities, and always considered the public value, trust, and acceptability of vaccines.
Despite recent suggestions to the contrary, health care providers and the US public trust ACIP. For the past 18 years, the National Immunization Survey has shown that 99 of every 100 children in the US have received at least some recommended vaccines by 2 years of age, consistent with acceptance of ACIP recommendations implemented by trusted clinicians (National Immunization Survey - Childof Healthy People 2030).…Image
2) Full text part 2:

This does not suggest the population is so distrustful that it warrants dismantling the process by which vaccines have been recommended. ACIP standard procedures have minimized the risk of alleged conflicts of interest and biases. For decades, members of ACIP have undergone a thorough application and review process to participate. Proposed members submitted letters of support from other known experts and peers, completed an interview process, underwent a background check, and disclosed financial interests that might be considered a conflict, including any professional or financial relationships of immediate family members. Historically, it has taken up to 2 years for nominees to be approved to join ACIP.
Once part of the committee, ACIP members spent significant time preparing for meetings, reviewing the scientific evidence, and chairing work groups that, along with many CDC public health officials, led to the final recommendations that were determined during public meetings, which also included opportunities for public comment. Recordings of these meetings, agendas, and presentations were publicly available. Additionally, members agreed to ongoing monitoring and disclosure throughout their tenure. For example, potential conflicts of interest were reviewed throughout their time on the committee. Statements about potential conflicts were required during each meeting and before each vote, and members recused themselves from voting if any conflicts were identified. These disclosures have also recently been posted on the CDC website for public scrutiny. ACIP was among the most stringent and transparent of the federal committees, and we hope those criteria will apply to any new members joining the committee.
The abrupt dismissal of the entire membership of the ACIP, along with its executive secretary, on June 9, 2025, the appointment of 8 new ACIP members just 2 days later, and the recent reduction of CDC staff dedicated to immunizations have left the US vaccine program critically weakened.5,6 These actions have stripped the program of the institutional knowledge and continuity that have been essential to its success over decades. Notably, the ACIP charter specifies that committee members serve overlapping terms to ensure continuity and avoid precisely the disruption that will now ensue. The termination of all members and its leadership in a single action undermines the committee’s capacity to operate effectively and efficiently, aside from raising questions about competence.
Compounding these concerns, recent changes to COVID-19 vaccine policy, made directly by the HHS secretary and released on social media, appear to have bypassed the standard, transparent, and evidence-based review process.7 Such actions reflect a troubling disregard for the scientific integrity that has historically guided US immunization strategy. The newly stated strategy to replace ACIP members with individuals who will “exercise independent judgment, refuse to serve as a rubber stamp, and foster a culture of critical inquiry” is already leading to warnings by academic and scientific institutions, professional organizations, and the public who for decades have known well that these sought-after qualities precisely characterized the now-dismissed members of the ACIP.5
3) Part 3:

As former ACIP members, we are deeply concerned that these destabilizing decisions, made without clear rationale, may roll back the achievements of US immunization policy, impact people’s access to lifesaving vaccines, and ultimately put US families at risk of dangerous and preventable illnesses. Vaccines and the anti-RSV monoclonal antibodies are lifesaving, and people in the US deserve to have recommendations and broad access to use them to prevent serious diseases. In this age of government efficiency, the US public needs to know that the routine vaccination of approximately 117 million children from 1994-2023 likely prevented around 508 million lifetime cases of illness, 32 million hospitalizations, and 1 129 000 deaths, at a net savings of $540 billion in direct costs and $2.7 trillion in societal costs.8Finally, as individuals, we remain committed to evidence-based vaccine policy, both through our ongoing work in immunization science, public health, and medical education, and by supporting future efforts to keep America healthy that uphold scientific rigor and the public’s trust.
Read 4 tweets
May 8
⚠️Tariffs On Medications Will Make America Sick

We might soon see the Trump WH impose tariffs on pharmaceuticals—patients will suffer and die.

During the past few weeks, President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariff wars have rattled the stock market, decimated many Americans’ retirement funds, and promised to send grocery prices soaring—and his administration hasn’t even gotten to critical pharmaceutical tariffs yet. But that will likely be the next shoe to drop.
Trump exempted pharmaceuticals from his first round of tariffs in early April, but recently declared that he intends to impose “a major tariff” on imported medicines “very shortly.” These tariffs, he claims, will prompt pharmaceutical companies to leave countries including China and India and begin “opening up their plants all over the place.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said in a television interview in mid-April that these tariffs are coming in the “next month or two.”

What will this mean? 

Read on:
progressive.org/op-eds/tariffs…Image
2) The majority of brand name drugs used in the United States are imported. Even generic drugs often rely on ingredients and direct imports from China, including pain relievers and cardiovascular drugs used by millions.
3) The United States was already facing a drug shortage crisis before Trump’s tariff announcement. Now, his policies will drive upnot only the cost of medicines, but also other health care items such as X-ray machines and medical instruments.
Read 8 tweets
Apr 10
It’s a trap: CATCH 22—if you register, ICE will deport you. If you don’t register, you’ve now committed a crime for the first time, and ICE will deport you. Trump doesn’t care if you’ve paid all taxes and followed all laws—ICE will deport you.

apnews.com/article/illega…Image
2) The Department of Homeland Security announced that it was mandating that all people in the United States illegally register with the federal government, and said those who didn’t self-report could face fines or prosecution. ***Failure to register is considered a crime***
3) Registration will be mandatory for everyone 14 and older without legal status. People registering have to provide their fingerprints and address, and parents and guardians of anyone under age 14 must ensure they registered. The registration process also applies to Canadians who are in the U.S. for more than 30 days, such as so-called snowbirds who spend winter months in places like Florida.
Read 4 tweets
Apr 3
Now economists know how scientists felt back when he pushed “hydroxychloroquine”
2) HCQ preventing COVID deaths has been debunked— and it’s now been linked with deaths.

@JoshuaPCohen1
forbes.com/sites/joshuaco…Image
@JoshuaPCohen1 3) JPMorgan on Trump Tariffs: “The largest tax increase since 1968” Image
Read 6 tweets
Mar 28
My god—Earthquake (a Richter ~7.7) causes a skyscraper to collapse in Bangkok. Hope all the construction workers made it out.
2) this skyscraper collapse was captured from a distant car’s dashcam while on a highway

3) another view of the collapse. For those who lived through 9/11, this collapse is a bit triggering.
Read 5 tweets
Mar 27
Welp—kiss public health & medical research infrastructure in America goodbye for the next 4 years. RFK Jr plans to cut 10,000 jobs from Trump HHS. Image
2) this will not make America healthy again… not by a long shot. So dangerous and irresponsible.
3) “Kennedy is set to announce Thursday the planned changes, which include axing 10,000 full-time employees spread across departments tasked with responding to disease outbreaks, approving new drugs, providing insurance for the poorest Americans and more”.
Read 5 tweets

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