Mike the Mad Biologist

Friday night, the Trump administration under direction from Plaguelord and HHS Secretary Kennedy decided to stop recommending childhood vaccines. This is both expected and very bad. I think there will be few immediate consequences fortunately, so that hopefully gives us time to reverse these horrible decisions in 2029 (which will be small consolation for those who are affected by this murderous idiocy).

The problem–and our possible salvation–is that this collapse in health will take time. Like many things, it will decay gradually and then suddenly. Most people will still be protected by vaccination, and the majority of young kids will still receive vaccines. So we will see an increase in sporadic outbreaks. At some point–and I’m not smart enough to know exactly when that is (and it will depend on the disease, the efficacy of the vaccine, and so on)–we will start having self-sustained, low level transmission of these diseases, and once that happens, we will then be very close to the dam breaking.

That said, right now we can coast on previous vaccination policy: there is a lot of (immunological) ruin in a nation, to use Adam Smith’s phrase. I hope and believe we can get to 2029 without too much American Carnage (to use a phrase), but if we don’t move quickly then, we could be in a very bad place. This isn’t to trivialize the stupid and needless deaths and illness that will accrue due to Plaguelord Kennedy’s insanity, but there is a path out of this, if we are able to walk it.

Part of getting on that path is impeaching Kennedy. Impeach him now.