Not a Doctor

  • Covid cases are on the rise — but vaccines are being restricted

    Getting a booster is a great way to protect yourself. We’re at the start of a new Covid wave. Several key measurements — including wastewater data, test positivity and emergency room visits — indicate a new rise in infections. Cases are increasing or probably increasing in 45 states, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It’s getting harder to…

    Melody Schreiber

  • FDA may pull the only Covid vaccine available for all kids

    The FDA may not renew Pfizer’s pediatric Covid vaccine — the only one available to kids without health conditions On Saturday, I published a scoop: The FDA reportedly told Pfizer it may not renew the emergency use authorization for its Covid vaccine for children aged 6 months to four years. That’s the only Covid vaccine…

    Melody Schreiber

  • NIH director’s own research filled with errors

    Jay Bhattacharya used a flawed study in 2020 to argue for reopening even as Covid gained force. Today, Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), testified before a Congressional committee. The main takeaway: Bhattacharya does not seem interested in defending steep budget cuts to U.S. research. He said budgets are a…

    Melody Schreiber

  • Top US officials throw Covid vaccines into turmoil

    The Trump administration is bypassing scientific evidence and procedure to change vaccine rules. Last week, three top U.S. health officials made an unusual announcement about Covid vaccines. They said they would remove the recommendation for Covid vaccination from the childhood immunization schedule, and would also cease recommending it for pregnant people. The first reason it…

    Melody Schreiber

  • How can lessons from Covid make health care better?

    A new study on Covid mortality underscores the importance of making health care more equitable now, before the next pandemic takes off. Welcome to Not a Doctor. I’m Melody Schreiber, a journalist and the editor of What We Didn’t Expect: Personal Stories About Premature Birth. I’m not a doctor, or a scientist, or really an expert of any kind. I…

    Melody Schreiber