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Maggie Astor

@maggieastor.bsky.social
35K followers 685 following 5.1K posts

Reporter at The New York Times writing about the intersection of health and politics, especially in marginalized communities. NYT Guild steward. No, not one of those Astors.

PostsRepliesMedia
Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
It would really help my crossword-solving skills if my brain were capable of retaining which part of a church is the apse and which is the nave
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Yeah totally that's me
Hi Maggie,

Given your coverage of beauty, aesthetics, and plastic surgery,
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Reposted by Maggie Astor
Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Following up on last night's news: I asked HHS who's running the Press 3 option. They sent a general statement about the reopening that didn't answer that. But it did contain this sentence. HHS itself doesn't run the hotline, and the main 988 operator, Vibrant, is not anti-LGBTQ. But I'm working...
HHS remains fully aligned with President Trump’s Executive Orders to defend women from gender ideology extremism and restore biological truth to the federal government.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
This was the argument for why I had to stand when I was a cashier at a clothing store, and it didn't make me more attentive or hospitable. It just made my feet hurt so much that after my shift, I had to sit in the car for 15 minutes before I could stand to press the gas pedal
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
The 988 suicide prevention hotline's Press 3 option — which provides specialized services to LGBTQ callers — has been restored more than a year after the Trump administration shut it down. Confirmed by HHS and the office of Senator Tammy Baldwin, who led on legislation that forced its restoration
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Help, I think I assembled my Ikea cat wrong
A tuxedo cat curled up with his head  almost upside down and his paws at weird angles
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Several start-ups are marketing tests that they say can diagnose endometriosis without surgery. That would be huge — but experts I spoke to urged caution. The evidence for these tests is preliminary, from small studies in groups that may not be representative.
nytimes.com
New Tests Claim to Diagnose Endometriosis. Here’s What to Know. (Gift Article)
Patients and doctors are eager for a noninvasive way to diagnose the disease, and several start-ups are offering new options. Here’s what to know about them.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
I love it when I'm doing a final fact-check on a story publishing tomorrow and the website housing an important document is down. Love it
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Me watching the sun set earlier and earlier
A page from Isaac Asimov's The Naked Sun:

"On a planet such as this one, exposed nakedly to the sun, day and night were not a matter of choice at all, but were imposed on man willy-nilly.

Baley tried to picture a world as a sphere being lit and unlit as it turned. He found it hard to do and felt scornful of the so-superior Spacers who let such an essential thing as time be dictated to them by the vagaries of planetary movements."
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I don't believe he doesn't know his address and phone #. But if we pretend it's true, that would be so damning in a way he doesn't intend: It'd mean for however long he's lived at that address and had that #, he hasn't once had to do something like fill out a check-in form for a doctor himself.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Sometime this week, someone posted a thread about physiological responses to long-term stress/existential dread, and giving yourself grace if you constantly feel on the verge of burnout these days. I wanted to share it with someone and can't find it — anyone know what I'm talking about and have it?
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
State of Maggie's Subconscious: I dreamed I forgot my bag on the subway and realized it just as the doors closed behind me and was stranded at the museum I was going to (?) with my belongings lost. I woke up super stressed and all morning have been deeply rattled by something that didn't happen
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Sweaty guy on the train leaning miserably against the window, unmasked, coughing without covering his mouth God almighty I hate it here
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Reposted by Maggie Astor
Margarita @margarita.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
71% seems low
gizmodo.com
71% of Americans Say They're Completely Exhausted
A CDC report shows that people are not feeling relaxed and restful in the United States.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
I recognize this is very first-world-problems, but I've had such a long workday and am annoyed by the fact that I want to treat myself to dinner and dessert but there is no overlap between "restaurants I want to order dinner from" and "restaurants I want to order dessert from"
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Now with updates: Among Kennedy's new appointees to USPSTF are at least three (including the chairman) who have denounced gender-affirming care for trans teens or work with organizations that oppose that care. At least two have criticized Covid shots or said fewer people should get them.
nytimes.com
RFK Jr. Names New Members to Powerful Health Panel Whose Work He Has Blocked (Gift Article)
The selections suggest the Trump administration may be trying to move the United States Preventive Services Task Force in a direction that serves its political ideology.
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Reposted by Maggie Astor
Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I've updated with initial information on the new appointees. At least 2 have denounced gender-affirming care for trans teens. At least 2 have spoken/published on very rare cardiovascular side effects of Covid vaccines. More to come. I'm reachable on Signal at maggieastor.63 if you have info.
nytimes.com
Kennedy Names New Members to Powerful Health Panel Whose Work He Has Blocked (Gift Article)
Mr. Kennedy has repeatedly interfered with the work of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, whose recommendations guide insurance coverage for many Americans.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
BREAKING: RFK Jr. appointed 8 new members to the US Preventive Services Task Force, after more than a year of stymieing its work. I'm diving into their backgrounds now and will update soon. The selection process was opaque and HHS didn't provide required public access to the nomination materials.
nytimes.com
Kennedy Names New Members to Powerful Health Panel Whose Work He Has Blocked (Gift Article)
Mr. Kennedy has repeatedly interfered with the work of the United States Preventive Services Task Force, whose recommendations guide insurance coverage for many Americans.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
ma'am please tell your chatbot I'm a health reporter
Hi Maggie,,

I saw your recent piece on Talarico/Paxton and wanted
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I remain convinced that the Connections testers think the difficulty scale goes from 1 to 3 instead of 1 to 5
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Life update: There is a spotted lanternfly inside this lampshade and my cat is wailing with frustration
A lampshade with the shadow of a spotted lanternfly inside it A lampshade with the shadow of a spotted lanternfly inside it
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
The CDC hasn't yet authorized the updated Covid shots through the Vaccines for Children program, which serves uninsured and low-income kids. (First reported by WSJ.) A source told me career officials at CDC — employees who aren't political appointees — have been working to make them available.
nytimes.com
Covid Vaccines Delayed for Half of U.S. Children (Gift Article)
The Health Department has not decided whether to provide the shots to states through the Vaccines for Children program, which serves uninsured and low-income families.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Look, I'm going to be unwisely honest and admit that even as a too-online person extremely immersed in the news, while I had vaguely heard the name "Robert Kraft" before this week, I could not have told you who he was beyond "some rich guy"
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Look, I don't ask for a lot, but I don't think the ventilation in a DOCTOR'S OFFICE should be three times worse than the ventilation on a crowded NYC subway car (the little yellow upward blip on the right). For comparison, the green plateau on the left is the NYT office.
A chart of carbon dioxide levels from my Aranet4 app shows a green line around 700 ppm. It then steeply escalates past 3000 ppm, becoming a red line, then goes back down and has a tiny yellow peak around 1100 ppm.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Look who's got four paws and a catnip banana and just got perfect labwork at his 13-year checkup
A black cat with white socks sprawled on a hardwood floor with a catnip banana toy
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Whiskers
A black cat with a white patch on his chin and outrageously long white whiskers looks up while being petted on his head
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Summer 2026, up to 159 lifers
black vulture / willow flycatcher / field sparrow / grasshopper sparrow /orchard oriole / marsh wren / peregrine falcon / gadwall / red-eyed vireo / broad-winged hawk / great crested flycatcher / least tern / lesser black-backed gull / brown pelican / black scoter / sanderling / Forster’s tern / lesser yellowlegs / white ibis / gull-billed tern / blue grosbeak / pileated woodpecker / white-breasted nuthatch / red-shouldered hawk / western sandpiper / white-rumped sandpiper / stilt sandpiper
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I've been trying for a month to get a business (personal life, not work) to answer one simple but really important question, and they never answer their phone and don't return voicemails and don't have an email on their site, and I feel the pressure building up like fucking tectonic plates
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
A couple updates: Sanofi (Novavax) has begun shipping, and Walgreens will stop requiring prescriptions in Oregon after state officials took action. (I haven't heard back from CVS yet, but very possible they will do the same.) My article will be updated soon with this information.
nytimes.com
New Covid Vaccines Are Available. Here’s How to Get One. (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Some personal news (redaction is only because I don't think it's my place, while reporting on the vaccines, to elevate a specific one of the three manufacturers, and anyway I'm just getting the one that happens to be in stock at the most convenient pharmacy)
What
Covid-19 (new)

Date and location
When
Thursday, September 3, 2026
at 6:30 PM ET
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Covid vaccines are now in stock at CVS, according to a spokeswoman. CVS will require prescriptions in three states: Arizona, Louisiana and Oregon. (Walgreens is also requiring them in Arizona and Oregon.) This could change if state officials act. My article will be updated soon with this info.
nytimes.com
F.D.A. Approves New Covid Vaccines, and They Should Be Available Soon (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Oh no another way to spend more time on my phone Wordle in 1 Bonus September 2, 2026 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 4:46
Congratulations!

You solved 5/5 rounds of Wordle in One in 4:46.

0:32
0:17
0:16
3:35
0:06
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My first apartment out of college was a narrow railroad apt in Bushwick. You entered in the kitchen and walked through like so: kitchen, BR 1, infinitesimal living room, BR 2. Bedroom 2 was the only room with a door. I was in BR 1, separated from the kitchen and living room by accordion dividers 🧵
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
A group of major medical organizations released recommendations this morning for Covid, flu and RSV vaccination, including guidance for the general population as well as specifics for children, people over 65, pregnant people and immunocompromised people. Here's a guide.
nytimes.com
Your Guide to Covid, Flu and R.S.V. Vaccines This Fall (Gift Article)
Major medical groups released new recommendations on who should get the shots, citing a lack of strong guidance from the federal government.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The pitch emails are going great
to me

Hello, «First_Name»,
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
This argument is so absurd that I want to know if the lawyers felt embarrassed writing it. Nobody (except people who bought the NFT hype 🫠) thinks they own an *exclusive* copy of a digital product. They think they own A copy. A copy that can't be yanked off their device later.
Sony’s argument is that because digital copies of games are not a finite resource, and that because multiple people can buy a digital copy of the same game, that means nobody actually ‘owns’ it – if they did, nobody else would be able to have it.“As plaintiffs admit, Section 1 of the SPLA likewise explains that ‘the Software is licensed to you, not sold’, Sony’s filing reads. “This makes sense. In the digital age, it is not plausible to allege that reasonable consumers believed they were obtaining ‘ownership’ of a digital game.

“Were that the case, then Plaintiff Edward Heycock would not have been able to obtain the game Resident Evil Requiem on February 25, 2026 for $69.99 from the PlayStation Store after Plaintiff Jason Mendoza had obtained Resident Evil Requiem on February 14, 2026, because Mr Mendoza, not Sony, would have owned it then.”
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Reposted by Maggie Astor
The City Reporter @thecityreporter.nyc · 01/09/2026
"Ida is precisely the day we stopped primarily worrying about coastal flooding and started worrying about stormwater."
thecityreporter.nyc
5 Years After Ida, NYC Is Still Struggling To Deal With Extreme Rain and Deadly Flooding
Heavy rain and flooding is expected to become more common and intense in the city due to climate change.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
If you're someone who, like me, fully appreciates the importance of vaccines but is also needle-phobic, I can't recommend enough finding a likeminded friend who you can get vaxed with and then get baked goods. Because now it's on my schedule not as "needle 😭" but "see my friend and have cake!"
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
I've added a section on pediatric access to my article (gift link). The gist is that in some (not all!) states, even some where Covid shots are freely available to adults, there may be restrictions on kids' ability to get them *at pharmacies.* You may need to seek the shot from their pediatrician.
nytimes.com
F.D.A. Approves New Covid Vaccines, and They Should Be Available Soon (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
If anyone has DIRECT KNOWLEDGE of whether the Vaccines for Children program will provide the new Covid shots in the absence of an ACIP recommendation, please email me (maggie.astor at nytimes dot com) or message on Signal (maggieastor.63). I can offer anonymity if you need it. I protect my sources.
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Reposted by Maggie Astor
Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Erica Schwartz, the new CDC director, ordered agency officials to challenge two measles deaths reported by PA, shunning the agency’s normal procedure of accepting state data and amplifying comments made by her boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/31/h...
nytimes.com
C.D.C. Director Challenges Pennsylvania’s Report of Two Measles Deaths (Gift Article)
Questioning a state’s investigation is highly unusual for the public health agency, but reflects tensions between the Trump administration and many states over health issues.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I've confirmed Walgreens will let people self-attest that they qualify for an updated Covid shot—meaning they won't require proof of a high-risk condition—in all states EXCEPT AZ/OR/UT, where prescription is required for now. (Rx requirement in those states could change) Pls see next post in thread
nytimes.com
F.D.A. Approves New Covid Vaccines, and They Should Be Available Soon (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
I am inordinately fascinated by this note I just found in a copy of "The Turn of the Screw" that I haven't previously opened in the many years it's been on my shelf. I don't remember where I got the book.
A handwritten note on a scrap of lined paper: 

Wait for me?

Getting mouthguard fitted in MS.

If not, I'll catch you later <3

Shouldn't be too long @ 5:05

Text when you get this. It might not be worth it
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Walgreens has confirmed initial state-by-state availability of Covid vaccines. It may change — last year, some states that initially had age or prescription limits lost them when state officials acted — but this is the situation for now. Other pharmacies may have different policies.

We will continue to update availability as appropriate.

    States where the 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine will be available at Walgreens pharmacies soon to patients ages 3+:


AL, AK, AR, CA, CO, DE, HI, ID, LA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, OK, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, DC

    States where the 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine will be available soon, subject to state-specific age restrictions:


CT (12+), FL (18+), GA (13+), IL (7+), IN (11+), IA (18+), KS (12+), KY (5+), MA (5+), MO (7+), MT (7+), NJ (5+), NC (7+), OH (5+), SC (16+), TX (14+), VT (5+), WI (6+), WY (7+)

    States where pharmacist administration will be available with a prescription. List may change:


AZ, OR, UT  

    U.S. territories where the vaccine is not currently available for administration at Walgreens pharmacies:


Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
@joshuajfriedman.com please humor my intolerance for unread notifications: How can I get rid of the blue dot, which refers to the "go live" feature? (Maybe I have to click "go live" to register that I've seen it? But I don't want to do that if it actually takes me live with no confirmation step)
A button with an ellipsis and a blue dot indicating something unread
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
A small update: I've confirmed CVS and Walgreens expect to have vaccines in stock within a few days. I have NOT yet confirmed the state-by-state breakdown of requirements (e.g., if there are states where Rx will be required or there will be other limitations). PLEASE READ NEXT POST BEFORE COMMENTING
nytimes.com
What to Know About New Covid Vaccines for Fall 2026 (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Don't you know there's an eclipse you jerks
Weather app showing clouds and thunderstorms in NYC during the lunar eclipse
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
I'm glad you all appreciate my work, because it is not appreciated by my cat, who is currently running an experiment titled "If I Attempt to Eat the Human's Ankles, Will She Pay Attention to Me Instead of Her Glowy Rectangle"
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Reposted by Maggie Astor
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 27/08/2026
The FDA approved updated Covid vaccines on Thursday, clearing the way for manufacturers to ship doses to pharmacies and doctors’ offices. But criteria set by the agency and a legal dispute could complicate access for some people.
nyti.ms
What to Know About New Covid Vaccines for Fall 2026
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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Maggie Astor @maggieastor.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Article here. This will be updated as I learn more, especially about any access difficulties. If a question is unanswered in this article, I don't know the answer yet, but I'm working hard to get more info as quickly as possible.
nytimes.com
What to Know About New Covid Vaccines for Fall 2026 (Gift Article)
The shots have been approved for people 65 and older, and for younger people with underlying conditions. Others may be able to get them off label.
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