#public_health | The Distraction Index
DI
The Distraction Index
Dashboard
Undercovered
Smokescreen
Timeline
Topics
Search
Method
Corrections
About
Blog
Contact
Support
#public_health
20 events across 17 weeks
4
Damage
7
Hype
9
Noise
18.4
Avg Dmg
23.5
Avg Hype
WEEK 68
Apr 12 – 18
HYPE
2026-04-16
Trump Administration Pollution Reprieve for Toxic Gas-Emitting Plants
Policy Change
federal · broad
Damage
42.2
Hype
43.5
WEEK 61
Feb 22 – 28
DMG
2026-02-24
States Sue Trump Administration Over Vaccine Schedule Changes
Policy Change
multi state · broad
Damage
32.1
Hype
27.5
WEEK 60
Feb 15 – 21
NOISE
2026-02-18
Guinea-Bissau Stops Vaccine Study Funded by Trump Administration
Policy Change
international · narrow
Damage
7.4
Hype
21.5
WEEK 59
Feb 8 – 14
NOISE
2026-02-09
March for Life Attendees Exposed to Measles
federal · moderate
Damage
0.0
Hype
9.7
NOISE
2026-02-07
Washington State Proposes 3-Cent Sugar Tax
Policy Change
single state · broad
Damage
WEEK 58
Feb 1 – 7
NOISE
2026-02-05
RFK Jr. National Tour on Food Safety and Healthcare AI
Information Operation
federal · broad
Damage
5.0
Hype
24.3
WEEK 55
Jan 11 – 17
NOISE
2026-01-16
CDC Wastewater Disease Surveillance Program Faces Potential Funding Cuts
Resource Reallocation
federal · broad
Damage
0.9
Hype
11.3
WEEK 52
Dec 21 – 27
DMG
2025-12-25
Immigration Raids Force Immigrants to Avoid Medical Care
Enforcement Action
federal · broad
Damage
31.8
Hype
16.8
WEEK 47
Nov 16 – 22
HYPE
2025-11-21
CDC Changes Website to Question Vaccine Safety, Disproven Links to Autism
Information Operation
federal · broad
Damage
33.4
Hype
34.2
WEEK 41
Oct 5 – 11
HYPE
2025-10-10
RFK Jr. Promotes Unproven Tylenol-Autism Link in Cabinet Meeting
Information Operation
federal · broad
Damage
24.1
Hype
30.8
WEEK 38
Sep 14 – 20
DMG
2025-09-20
RFK Jr. Vaccine Panel Changes COVID-19 Shot Guidelines
Policy Change
federal · broad
Damage
47.2
Hype
45.6
WEEK 25
Jun 15 – 21
NOISE
2025-06-14
Measles Outbreak Spreading to 34 States
multi state · broad
Damage
0.0
Hype
9.6
HYPE
2025-06-14
Measles Cases Spread to 34 States with North Dakota Focus
Policy Change
multi state · broad
Damage
WEEK 20
May 11 – 17
NOISE
2025-05-17
Cuts to Narcan Program Could Be Detrimental, Advocates Say
Resource Reallocation
federal · moderate
Damage
1.0
Hype
7.7
NOISE
2025-05-17
Federal Funding Cuts Impact Rural Libraries, Vaccine Research, and Antibiotic Development
Resource Reallocation
federal · moderate
WEEK 13
Mar 23 – 29
NOISE
2025-03-29
Federal Funding Cuts Threaten Colorado HIV Research and AIDS Prevention
Resource Reallocation
single state · moderate
Damage
4.9
Hype
24.3
WEEK 11
Mar 9 – 15
HYPE
2025-03-15
RFK Jr. Warns Against Vaccinating Chickens for Bird Flu
Policy Change
federal · broad
Damage
27.6
Hype
33.4
WEEK 10
Mar 2 – 8
HYPE
2025-03-07
CDC Posts Conflicts of Interest Database on Vaccine Panel Members
Information Operation
federal · broad
Damage
1.5
Hype
17.2
WEEK 8
Feb 16 – 22
DMG
2025-02-22
Kennedy Targets Childhood Vaccine Schedule Amid Texas Measles Outbreak
Policy Change
federal · broad
Damage
62.9
Hype
34.6
WEEK 3
Jan 12 – 18
HYPE
2021-01-01
RFK Jr. Petitioned FDA to Revoke Authorization of All COVID Vaccines
Policy Change
federal · broad
Damage
32.0
Hype
33.4
0.4
Hype
11.0
6.8
Hype
25.1
Damage
6.8
Hype
9.1