‘Throwing a Raccoon in a Henhouse’: What We Heard This Week

“It’s a bit like throwing a raccoon in a henhouse. If we silence healthcare workers, the outcome would be even more disastrous.” — Ming Lin, MD, an emergency physician, on the lessons he’s learned since being fired after criticizing his former employer over COVID safety concerns.

“This is a walk, don’t run situation, to go get your boost.” — CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, discussing the authorization of a COVID-19 booster shot for certain recipients of Pfizer’s vaccine.

“This multidomain management strategy in diabetes is effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, but the effect on dementia has been less clear.” — Thomas van Sloten, MD, PhD, of Maastricht University Medical Centre in The Netherlands, on staving off dementia using lifestyle managment in type 2 diabetes.

“Families are just desperate and turn to emergency nurses for help because they see us as their safety net.” — Kathleen Kiley, RN, of Boston Children’s Hospital, discussing a “bundling” intervention in the emergency department implemented for suicidal children.

“We both have two Moderna shots and a Moderna booster, figuring that even if the booster isn’t approved yet, it can’t hurt.” — An anonymous source who bypassed current CDC/FDA recommendations on who should get a COVID-19 booster shot.