Covid-19 is definitely increasing in some pockets of the U.S. and ticks are still thriving.

Also, is a sugar cane in Coke really better? A landmark study on aluminum in vaccines,

a quiet federal rollback of multilingual services, and a few things worth celebrating, including

increased use of the 988 crisis line.

Plus: a quick explainer on what the heck is going on with all these federal budget cuts: reconciliation, rescissions, and appropriations.

Here’s your deep dive into the public health news you can use.

But first: announcements

Calling Californians! Come help shape YLE.

Following the success of the YLE New York edition and hearing from tens of thousands of you about more state editions, we’ll launch a YLE newsletter dedicated to California starting in August. More on that soon…

For now, we’re looking for California residents to join us in shaping the conversation. What issues matter most in your communities? What do you want to see more (or less) of? Your input is invaluable. If you’d like to participate in a live, virtual small group conversation, submit your info here.

We’re hiring!

We’re also growing our team and are looking for a Community Engagement Manager. If this sounds like you or someone you know, apply here.

COVID Disease “weather” report

A summer Covid-19 wave is underway in the South and West. All three early indicators—wastewater data,

test positivity rates, and ER visits—are rising. Texas and Florida, for example, are already into a wave,

aligning with summer 2023 trends.

Source: CDC; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist

This isn’t being driven by a dramatic new variant, but rather by small changes in circulating strains,

humid weather prompting people to stay indoors, and waning immunity from infection among those

who haven’t had Covid-19 in a while.

• What to do: To minimize disruptions and protect the highest risk people, consider wearing a mask
• in crowded indoor spaces, especially places like airports. Monitor for symptoms,
• especially if you’re visiting high-risk individuals, like grandparents in nursing homes.

Ticks are still tickin’ with emergency room visits remaining high (higher than in the past eight Julys)

with the Northeast and Midwest seeing the biggest uptick.

Source: CDC; annotated by YLE

Why the bad year? Annual variation, as well as ticks slowly migrating to more populated areas,

climate change, and increased awareness.

Here’s all you need to know, including yes, falsehoods, on these bite-sized threats.

What does this mean for you?

• Wear clothes that cover your ankles and arms.
• Use repellent that contains 20% or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin.
• Do a thorough tick check, including on pets—dogs can bring ticks into your home.
• For kids, especially check under arms, in and around ears, in the belly button, and their hair.
• If you get bitten, remove the tick as quickly as possible.
  • Unless you are experiencing symptoms, there is no need to go to the ER.
  • If you are experiencing flu-like symptoms (fever, body aches), rash, or are having trouble
  • removing the tick, contact your doctor.

Reconciliation vs. Rescission vs. Appropriations. Whattt is happening with the budget?

Feeling confused? You’re not alone.

Last Friday, a rescission package was passed, which pulled back $9 billion in previously approved funding,

primarily from foreign aid ($8 billion) and public broadcasting ($1.1 billion). While Congress controls the budget,

the executive branch can request these kinds of cuts through the 1974 Impoundment Act.

That’s exactly what Trump did. Congress agreed, retroactively canceling funds that had been approved but not yet

spent.

This is separate from two other major budget moves:

• Reconciliation (a.k.a. the “Big Beautiful Bill”), which already passed, cut funding for Medicaid and SNAP.
• Appropriations, the next big budget showdown, will set spending levels for fiscal year 2026,
• including for NIH and CDC.

Table by Chelsea Cipriano for Your Local Epidemiologist

What does this mean for you? Your voice still matters (and in fact, had an impact on the rescission bill—see Bright Spots below).

October’s appropriations season is critical. Keep showing up for the programs you care about.

Relationships with your representatives are more important than ever.

Cane sugar vs. HFCS: Does it matter?

MAHA is celebrating food industry announcements about switching from high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) to cane sugar.

So… should you buy the cane sugar version? From a health perspective, it doesn’t matter.

There’s certainly a taste difference. And, while both sweeteners consist of glucose and fructose, there are also slight differences in the ratios:

• Cane sugar comes from sugarcane and has equal amounts of glucose and fructose.
• HFCS is processed from corn starch and has a higher proportion of fructose to glucose (typically 55:45 in sodas).

This means that HFCS is metabolized differently by the liver; however, strong research that has pooled study after study indicates

that there are no meaningful differences between the two sweeteners in terms of health outcomes.

What’s really at play here is the appeal to nature fallacy that we, humans, love to gravitate towards—the idea that something “natural”

(like cane sugar) must be healthier than something “processed” (like HFCS). But both are sugar. Both are processed.

And both, in excess, increase the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

We covered this fallacy in detail a few months ago, in anticipation of RFK Jr.’s Health Secretary position:

Health (Mis)communication

Here’s what we’re getting ourselves into

Kristen Panthagani, MD, PhD · Jan 21

RFK Jr.’s hearing for Health and Human Secretary of the United States is soon. A recent poll showed that 40% of Americans view him positively. Despite the myriad fringe beliefs he has espoused, such as that HIV doesn’t cause AIDS or Wi-fi causes cancer, his message has resonated with many Americans. Why?

Read full story

What policy would make a difference in the health of Americans? Really anything that takes the time, money, and energy going into this and puts it toward effective actions, including:

• Clearer labeling
• Reducing sugar availability in schools and kids’ menus
• Price policies
• Public education campaigns

New study: Aluminum in vaccines isn’t driving chronic illness

A major study from Denmark has just been released, offering reassuring news: aluminum salts used in childhood vaccines

are not linked to chronic diseases.

Here’s the background:

• Aluminum salts are an additive for many children’s vaccines.
• They are used as an “adjuvant” to boost the immune response.
• Some of the public has been concerned about the safety for decades, which was heightened when a 2022 CDC study suggested
• a possible relationship between exposure to aluminum salts from vaccines and the risk of asthma.

The new study included over 1.2 million people, tracked over a 24-year period.

Scientists leveraged Denmark’s robust national health data system (which the U.S. lacks).

They found that aluminum-adjuvated vaccines are not linked to:

• Autism
• Asthma
• Allergic or atopic disorders
• 50 other chronic conditions (a median of 5 years later)

A few critics are not convinced, and that’s okay. Science should be scrutinized. But the truth is we’ll never test every possible scenario

in every individual. Evidence builds over time, not from one study alone, and this new study aligns with decades of safety data across

billions of doses.

What does this mean for you? If you’re asking good-faith questions about vaccine safety, this study offers strong reassurance. Aluminum in vaccines is not causing a wave of chronic illness, such as asthma.

Multilingual resources in the federal government

Last week, federal agencies received a quiet but consequential directive: begin implementing an Executive Order that declares English

the official language of the United States. This order, signed in March, revokes a Clinton-era Executive Order that required federal agencies

to improve access to services for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP).

The policy shift introduces uncertainty and raises concerns for emergency response, healthcare (like Medicaid), and public services

(like SNAP food benefits). One in five U.S. residents speaks a language other than English at home. Language is key to equitable

health access, informed consent, and health empowerment.

But language access is still the law. This isn’t the end of federally supported translation services.

Rather, multilingual services may no longer be actively prioritized or expanded at the federal level.

What does this mean for you? For health professionals, community organizations, and anyone working to reach diverse populations:

• Don’t stop offering multilingual services. Consider bolstering them.
• Download existing translated resources now, in case they’re removed from federal websites.
• Support trusted messengers in immigrant and non-English-speaking communities with
• the tools they need to communicate health information effectively.

Languages are beautiful. This wall in Paris says “I love you” in 311 languages. Source: Hannah’s camera roll.

Bright spots

1. It’s the third anniversary of the national suicide and crisis lifeline, 988.
2. Call volume is up, a promising sign that more people are aware of the service and utilizing it.
3. (In 2023, just 18% of adults knew about 988.) The current HHS budget is set to maintain funding for 988
4. (although the LGBTQ+ support line was discontinued last week, and Medicaid cuts could threaten broader access to mental health care).

Source: KFF; Annotated by Your Local Epidemiologist

2. PEPFAR funding preserved. In a rare bipartisan win, $400 million for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
3. was spared from cuts this past Friday in the rescission bill. This U.S. program, started in 2003 by President Bush,
4. is credited with saving 26 million lives from HIV and AIDS and allowed 7.8 million babies to be born healthy to mothers living with HIV.

That’s it for now. Have a wonderful week!

Love, YLE

Your Local Epidemiologist (YLE) is a public health newsletter that reaches over 380,000 people in more than 132 countries, with one goal: to translate the ever-evolving public health science so that people are well-equipped to make evidence-based decisions. This newsletter is free to everyone, thanks to the generous support of fellow YLE community members. To support the effort, subscribe or upgrade below