#sars-cov-2 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

gumjrop · 3 months

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The Weather

In the US, 41 out of 54 states and territories are at high or very high COVID wastewater levels as of 1/18/2024. Ten states and territories have no data available. It’s important to note that levels of “moderate,” “low,” or “minimal” do not necessarily indicate a low risk of COVID exposure in our daily lives. Viral spread is still ongoing even if at lower levels, and precautions are warranted to protect ourselves and others.

Looking at the CDC’s national and regional wastewater data over time, we continue to see “Very High” levels nationally. It’s important to note that the last two weeks are provisional data, indicated by a gray shaded area on the graph, meaning that those values can change as additional wastewater sites report data.

Although wastewater data does not provide the same level of detail as previous PCR-based testing data, wastewater monitoring is an important ongoing resource to inform us about the current COVID situation. While the provisional data tentatively shows a downward trend this week, time will tell whether this is a true decrease in the final data. A downward trend does not mean continued decreases are guaranteed or that protections should be relaxed. Multilayered protections help drive COVID spread lower, and relaxing protections can lead to a resurgence of viral spread.

Visit the CDC’s State and Territory Trends page to see available wastewater testing near you, including the number of wastewater sites reporting. Write your elected officials to let them know you want to keep and expand wastewater testing in your area and nationally.

Wins

In November 2023, the CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) passed a series of draft proposals that will further weaken already insufficient protocols employed within healthcare settings. HICPAC refuses to reckon with the airborne nature of infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2, and does not propose crucial measures such as universal masking with well-fitted respirators, isolation periods, and ventilation. The People’s CDC has penned a letter to the ACLU alerting them of HICPAC’s irresponsible decisions, and the ramifications associated with them. We hope that by working together with the ACLU, we can implement public advocacy and legal actions in order to tackle this critical issue.

You can read the full letter here.

Johns Hopkins reinstated healthcare masking on 1/12/2024, in response to high respiratory virus levels. As with many other healthcare systems and public health departments that have restored healthcare masking when facing public pressure, we hope that universal masking can become a standard of care rather than a short term response to a surge. See “Take Action” below for more information.

Variants

JN.1, now the most prominent variant in the United States, is estimated to account for 85.7% of circulating variants by 1/20/2024. HV.1 is expected to drop to 5.3%, and all other variants are estimated to make up less than 2% each. Although ongoing viral spread allows opportunities for new variants to emerge, the latest 2023-2024 COVID vaccine boosters, COVID tests, and COVID treatments are still expected to be effective for JN.1.

Current updated booster uptake is low (as of January 19, 2024, the CDC reports that only 21.5% of adults and 11% of children have received it). It is not too late to get the updated booster, and to protect yourself against the latest variant!

Hospitalizations

In the most recent week (ending January 13, 2024), we see a slight downward trend in new hospital admissions, currently at 32,861. We see a similar slight downtick in currently hospitalized patients with COVID , at 27,879. This most recent week shows a slight decrease in hospitalizations, although it is too soon to say whether hospitalizations for the current surge have passed their peak. Hospitals continue to be overwhelmed. The data also lacks information on hospital-acquired infections. We urge you to continue taking stringent precautions, such as donning a well-fitting respirator (e.g., N95, KN95) in all indoor spaces–and especially in healthcare settings.

Long COVID

Amid ongoing advocacy by Long COVID groups, the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a committee hearing on “Addressing Long COVID: Advancing Research and Improving Patient Care.” The hearing included testimony from three Long COVID patients and four Long COVID physicians and researchers, bringing much-needed attention to the urgent need for funding for Long COVID research and treatments, and to the need for improved access to care for Long COVID patients. We recognize the community care modeled by some of the panelists and attendees who wore masks for the hearing, and we wish the senators on the committee would mask up as well.

Take Action

Write your elected officials to let them know that Long COVID impacts all of us, and that we need ongoing support for Long COVID research and clinical care. Ask Senators to support bill S.2560, the Long COVID Support Act. Ask Representatives to support bills HR.1114 (Long COVID RECOVERY NOW Act) and HR.3258 (TREAT Long COVID Act).

Although some healthcare settings have reinstated masking in response to high COVID levels along with high respiratory virus activity, ongoing pressure is needed to restore, keep, and expand masking broadly. Use our letter template and toolkit to call or write your elected officials in support of healthcare masking.

Want to do more to support healthcare masking? Consider starting, sharing, or joining a local campaign. Check out work in Illinois, Maryland, and Wisconsin, just to name a few. Also, sign and share our letter to the ACLU asking them to join us in supporting safe and equitable access to healthcare. Sign on is open until 2/1/2024.

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alwaysbewoke · 20 days

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side-eyeing all the anti-vaccine, anti-masks, "get back to normal," "the kids will be fine" fucktwats hella hard right now. fuck everyone one of you.

#COVID #brain health #cognitive deficits #memory problems #brain inflammation #brain aging #brain volume #brain structure #COVID-19 #SARS-CoV-2 #long COVID #brain damage #dementia #autopsies #respiratory virus

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i-amusemyself · 2 years

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PSA: Covid Effects and Complications

Alright fekkers this is how we’re doing public health announcements now that society is collapsing :))

This isn’t a post to tell you to avoid it, but to ask you to read the headings and make sure you make an informed decision if you wanna go out and get infected. If you do take risks, remember to avoid very young/old/pregnant/unwell/vulnerable people, test regularly and wear a mask (yes, they work).

Covid is Not Just A Respiratory Illness

COVID-19 routinely affects organs throughout the body, not just the respiratory system, including the brain, heart, liver, GI tract, endocrine system and skin (Gupta et al., 2020)

Covid can be seen as a blood clotting disorder masquerading as a respiratory illness. (Janardhan et al., 2020)

Covid Causes Brain Damage

Mild Covid infection shows significant orbitofrontal cortical atrophy (shrinking of parts of the brain) and cognitive decline (Crunfli et al., 2022)

Mild COVID-19 infection can cause impaired neurogenesis (nervous tissue growth), myelin and oligodendrocyte (nerve insulation) loss and increased neurotoxic molecules around the central nervous system (Fernández-Castañeda et al., 2022 *preprint)

MRIs of 401 patients done before and after Covid infection showed reduction in global brain size, grey matter loss (orbitofrontal cortex and parahippocampal gyrus) and cognitive decline. (Douaud et al., 2022)

COVID increases the risk of neurodegenerative disorders- Alzheimer’s disease risk is 3.5x increased; Parkinson’s disease risk is 2.6x increased; ischaemic stroke risk is 2.7x increased and intracerebral haemorrhage (bleeding in the brain) risk is 4.8x increased. (Zarifkar et al., 2022)

Risks of cognitive deficit, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures are increased for at least 2 years following Covid infection. (Taquet et al., 2022)

In 25% of mild Covid cases, visuocontructive cognitive deficits are seen, associated with changes in brain structure and metabolism. (de Paula et al., 2022)

Hospitalised Covid patients cognitive loss is similar on average to that sustained with 20 years ageing, and equivalent to losing 10 IQ points. (Hampshire et al., 2022)

People reportedly recovered from Covid show decreased intelligence and significant cognitive deficits. (Hampshire et al., 2021)

Covid Causes Alzheimer’s-like Pathology and Accelerates Existing Alzheimer’s Disease

Covid invades cognitive centers of the brain and induces Alzheimer’s-like neuropathology (Shen et al., 2022)

Covid is associated with accelerated progression of Alzheimer’s disease (aaic.alz.org)

Covid produces proteins that form cytotoxic aggregates which damage neuronal cells, which parallels Alzheimer’s disease mechanism (Charnley et al., 2022)

Risks of cognitive deficit, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures are increased for at least 2 years following Covid infection. (Taquet et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Kidney Damage

Mild Covid infection is associated with increased risk of kidney damage (Bowe et al., 2021)

Covid infection triples risk of End Stage Kidney Disease, requiring dialysis or kidney transplant (Bowe et al., 2021)

Covid Causes Diabetes

Covid patients have a 40% increased risk of being diagnosed with diabetes after first infection (Xie et al., 2022)

Covid infection is associated with an 81% increase in Diabetes incidence for 12+ weeks following infection (Rezel-Potts et al., 2022)

Mild Covid infections increase risk of Type 2 Diabetes development (Rathmann et al., 2022)

Covid infection leads to an average of 42% increased risk of Type 1 Diabetes across all ages. Risk increases most in pediatric patients- by 584%. (Quedan et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Cardiovascular Illness

Covid infection, even when mild, substantially increases risk of cardiovascular illness up to at least 1 year later (Xie et al., 2022)

Capillary density (how many small blood vessels are present) is reduced by 41% in sufferers of Long Covid 18 months after Covid infection (Osiaevi et al., 2022)

Acute Covid infection results in 6x increase in cardiovascular diagnosis; 11x increase in pulmonary embolism (blood clot in lung); 6x increase in atrial arrhythmias (abnormal heartbeat); 5x increase in venous thromboses (blood clot in vein). (Rezel-Potts et al., 2022)

A spike protein found on Covid-19 virus particles uses the body’s immune response to damage and inflame heart muscle cells. (heart.org)

People with Covid exhibited increased risks and 12-month burdens of incident cardiovascular diseases, including cerebrovascular disorders, dysrhythmias, inflammatory heart disease, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, thromboembolic disease and other cardiac disorders. Risk were evident even in those without prior cardiovascular disease. (Xie et al., 2022)

Risk of stroke more than doubles even with mild or asymptomatic Covid infection. Median time of stroke is 2 months after Covid diagnosis. (Tu et al., 2021)

Covid infection increases heart attack risk by 3-8x and stroke risk by 3-6x (Katsoularis et al., 2021)

Covid infection increases risk of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism and bleeding in the months following acute illness (Katsoularis et al., 2022)

Long Covid is associated with presence of microclots throughout the body. (Pretorius et al., 2021)

Long Covid patients may face an increased risk of abnormal blood clotting. (uclh.nhs.uk)

Covid Accelerates Biological Ageing

Accelerated biological ageing is seen in Covid infection (Cao et al., 2022)

Covid Damages the Immune System

Covid causes T-cell exhaustion, meaning the immune system is less able to fight off pathogens (Loretelli et al., 2021)

Previous infection with earlier SARS2 strains can lead to impaired immune responses to Omicron (Reynolds et al., 2022)

Covid infects and kills T-lymphocytes (key cells of the immune system), causing low T-lymphocyte counts 1(Guan et al., 2020), 2(Shen et al., 2022)

Long Covid patients show reactivation of latent Epstein-Barr (can cause MS) and Varicella Zoster (can cause shingles and Ramsey Hunt syndrome) viruses (Klein et al., 2022 *preprint)

2.8% of Long Covid patients reported Varicella Zoster Virus reactivation, leading to shingles, following Covid infection. Primary risk factors for VZV reactivation are age and immunodeficiency. (Davis et al., 2021)

Covid infection causes immunodefiency in recovered patients by downregulating a specific protein on B Cells (a type of immune cell). (Jing et al., 2021)

Covid Causes the Body to Attack Itself (Autoimmunity)

Covid causes production of autoantibodies which target the immune system, vascular cells, coagulation factors and platelets, connective tissue, and organ systems, including lung, the central nervous system compartment, skin, gastrointestinal tract and other tissues. (Wang et al., 2021)

Asymptomatic Covid infection can lead to severe Ulcerative Colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease). (Mora et al., 2022)

Mild Covid infection can produce significant levels of autoantibodies for 7+ months. (Bhadelia et al., 2021)

Covid infection precedes new appearance of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. (Galleoti and Bayry, 2020)

Covid infection linked to development of vasculitis, arthritis, lupus and sarcoidosis. (Gracia-Ramos et al., 2021)

Autoantibodies linked to Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, immune thrombocytopaenia and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia found in patients following Covid infection. (Moody et al., 2021)

In a group of non-hospitalised healthcare workers with Covid, 54% tested positive for autoantibodies- these targeted skin, smooth muscle, neutrophils (a type of white blood cell of the immune system) and gastric parietal cells (cells in the gut). (Richter et al., 2021)

Covid May Affect Both Male and Female Fertility

COVID-19 virus can be found and continues to replicate in the testes even after death (Costa et al., 2022 *preprint)

COVID-19 infects the testes and damages spermatogenesis (sperm production) (Ma et al., 2020)

Covid virus particles found in penis tissue of men infected 6-8 months earlier, who later experienced erectile dysfunction (Kresch et al., 2021)

Study shows total sperm number lower in men infected with Covid at 3 month follow up (Best et al., 2021)

Testes of Covid patients show significant seminiferous tubular injury and reduced Leydig cells- cells that produce testosterone. (Yang et al., 2020)

11 of 26 (42%) men with mild/moderate Covid infection showed incidental (asymptomatic) epididymitis on Doppler ultrasound - a condition that can cause infertility (Carneiro et al., 2021)

A case of premature ovarian failure due to Covid infection (Madaan et al., 2021)

Another case of premature ovarian insufficiency in a 34-year-old following Covid infection (Wilkins and Al-Inizi, 2021)

Ovarian injury, including declined ovarian reserve and reproductive endocrine disorder, can be observed in a study of women in China infected with Covid. (Ding et al., 2021)

Study finds men who had seemingly fully recovered from Covid infection developed decreased sperm count and motility and abnormally shaped sperm. (Ghosh et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Erectile Dysfunction

Covid virus particles found in penis tissue of men infected 6-8 months earlier, who later experienced erectile dysfunction (Kresch et al., 2021)

A Long Covid survey found 15% of men reported sexual dysfunction and 3% reported a decrease in genital size. (Davis et al., 2021)

Prevalence of erectile dysfunction 3x as common in men after Covid infection (28% vs 9% in controls) (Sansone et al., 2021)

Prevalence of erectile dysfunction in Thai men reported as 65% following Covid infection (Harirugsa et al., 2021)

Another study showing risk of erectile dysfunction triples following Covid infection. (Katz et al., 2021)

Study finds that Covid infection leads to 6-fold increased risk of erectile dysfunction, which worsens men’s mental health. (Hsieh et al., 2022)

Covid Causes Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction

30% of 4000 Long Covid patients met the criteria for a diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, a type of dysautonomia (Davis et al., 2021)

Dysautonomia (autonomic nervous system dysfunction) may be responsible for fatigue and hypoxia in Long Covid patients. (Barizien et al., 2021)

Covid infection frequently causes abnormalities in autonomic nervous system tests, as well as worsening pre-existing dysfunction. Abnormalities included orthostatic intolerance, fainting, heachaches, burning pains, excessive sweating and lightheadedness. (Shouman et al., 2021)

67% of Long Covid patients have moderate-to-severe autonomic dysfunction, regardless of severity of initial Covid infection. (Larsen et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid infection could result in gastric dysmotility and paralysis (stomach and intestines become unable to move food through). (Coles et al., 2022)

Covid Can Seriously Harm Children

SARS2 causes increased hospital admissions, mortality rate and absolute numbers of deaths in children, compared to Influenza (Shein et al., 2022)

Asymptomatic infection in children can lead to a serious, multiorgan hyperinflammatory syndrome (Riphagen et al., 2020)

An epidemic of hepatitis in healthy children could be linked to previous COVID-19 infection (science.org)

Pulmonary dysfunction persists even in children considered to be recovered from Covid (Heiss et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid leads to a 3x increased risk of psychotic disorders in children (Taquet et al., 2022)

Children are twice as likely to develop epilepsy or seizures following Covid infection, compared to following other respiratory infections (Taquet et al., 2022)

Children are at an increased risk of epilepsy, encephalitis, nerve, nerve root and plexus disorders up to at least 2 years after Covid infection (Taquet et al., 2022)

Intracranial (brain) bacterial infections have increased during the Covid pandemic, occuring during or just after Covid infection. One Michigan children’s hospital reports a 236% increase. (Khuon et al., 2022)

235,000 children in England have Long Covid symptoms lasting 12+ weeks that affect their daily life (ONS.gov.uk)

21% of Year 13 pupils missed 4+ weeks of school due to Covid for the 21/22 academic year in England (suttontrust.com)

Children and teens who’ve had Covid are at greater risk for blood clots, heart problems, kidney failure, and Type 1 diabetes (Kompaniyets et al., 2022)

5.2 million children have lost a parent or caregiver to Covid infection. (Unwin et al., 2022)

Covid infection leads to an average of 42% increased risk of Type 1 Diabetes across all ages. Risk increases most in pediatric patients- by 584%. (Quedan et al., 2022)

Covid Can Endanger Pregnancy and the Growing Baby

Covid infection during pregnancy increases risk of preterm delivery (Edlow et al., 2022)

Covid infection at delivery increases risk of stillbirth (DeSisto et al., 2021)

Covid infection during pregnancy increases risk of neurodevelopmental disorder diagnosis in babies by 2.17x during first year of life (Edlow et al., 2022)

Risk of severe Covid infection is higher in pregnant women. (Rad et al., 2021)

Newborns born to mothers who had recovered from Covid 10+ weeks prior to birth show viral mRNA and proteins in their stool and signs of intestinal inflammation. (Jin et al., 2022)

Covid infection destroys the placenta, starving the baby of oxygen, resulting in increased risks of stillbirth and neonatal deaths. (Schwartz et al., 2022)

Covid Can Lead to Development of New Allergies

Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) may be triggered by Covid infection, resulting in new allergies and risk of anaphylaxis. (Afrin et al., 2020)

Mast cell activation symptoms are increased in Long Covid (Weinstock et al., 2021)

Covid Worsens Mental and Psychological Health

Covid diagnosis associated with increased risk of mental health diagnosis and neurocognitive decline (Xie et al., 2022)

Risks of cognitive deficit, dementia, psychotic disorders, and epilepsy or seizures are increased for at least 2 years following Covid infection. (Taquet et al., 2022)

Covid Reinfection is Common and Increasingly Detrimental to Health

Reinfection with Covid increases risk of hospitalization, death and long covid by more each time 1(Al-Aly et al., 2022 *preprint), 2(World Health Organisation)

Covid reinfections are common. Mean time between 1st and 2nd infection is 79 days, and between 2nd and 3rd infection is 65 days. (Al-Aly et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid reinfection is possible as soon as 19 days after initial infection. (Ren et al., 2022)

Long Covid is Common, Serious and Potentially Disabling

1 in 5 (20-30%) develop a new health condition following Covid infection (Bull-Otterson et al. 2022)

Just below 1 in 10 (9.3%) triple vaccinated people are not recovered 4-8 weeks after Omicron infection in the UK (ONS.gov.uk)

1 in 7 (14%) of 11-18 year olds have symptoms 15 weeks after COVID-19 infection (Stephenson et al., 2021)

Long Covid causes disability and unemployment (theguardian.com)

Two million days of healthcare staff absences were lost to Long Covid during the first 18 months of the pandemic in England (the guardian.com)

On average, healthcare staff absent with Long Covid are off for more than 80 days in England (theguardian.com)

A US Long Covid group reports that 44% of those affected are out of work (longhauler-advocacy.org)

235,000 children in England have Long Covid symptoms lasting 12+ weeks that affect their daily life (ONS.gov.uk)

21% of Year 13 pupils missed 4+ weeks of school due to Covid for the 21/22 academic year in England (suttontrust.com)

The proportion of people unemployed and not seeking work due to Long Covid has doubled in the past year in the UK (theguardian.com)

Long Covid survey of nearly 4000 finds 45% required a reduced work schedule and 22% could not work due to illness (Davis et al., 2021)

88% of Long Covid sufferers experience cognitive dysfunction and memory problems (Davis et al., 2021)

80,000 people estimated to have left employment due to Long Covid by March 2022 in UK (Reuschke and Houston, 2022)

2.9 million people of working age in the UK have had, or currently have, Long Covid (Reuschke and Houston, 2022)

Long Covid has over 200 symptoms spanning 10 organ systems. (Davis et al., 2021)

Graph via @davidsteadson on Twitter

Vaccination Does Not Fully Prevent Long Covid

16% of Covid infections lead to Long Covid after 3 vaccinations (Azzolini et al., 2022)

Just below 1 in 10 (9.3%) triple vaccinated people are not recovered 4-8 weeks after Omicron infection in the UK (ONS.gov.uk)

Vaccination only reduces risk of Long Covid by 15%. (Al-Aly et al., 2022)

Covid Persists in the Body after Initial Infection

Covid can persist throughout the body and brain even following mild/asymptomatic infections, for at least 230 days (Chertow et al., 2021 *preprint)

COVID-19 can persist within the gut for at least 7 months after infection 1(Gaebler et al., 2021), 2(Natarajan et al., 2022)

Residual COVID-19 virus has been found in the appendix and breast tissue, 175- and 462-days post-infection, respectively (Goh et al., 2022 *preprint)

COVID-19 virus can persist in the eyes after initial infection (Armstrong et al., 2021)

COVID-19 virus can be found and continues to replicate in the testes even after death (Costa et al., 2022 *preprint)

Covid virus particles found in penis tissue of men infected 6-8 months earlier, who later experienced erectile dysfunction (Kresch et al., 2021)

Viral Persistence Can Cause Serious Illness Many Years Later

We do not know the long term effects of Covid Infection and Persistence.

Persistent Hepatitis C infection increases risk of Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) (Mitchell et al., 2015)

Persistent Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes cervical cancer (Sudenga et al., 2013)

Persistent HIV infection leads to immunodeficiency and AIDS (Pauza, 1988)

Persistence of Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) can cause development of multiple sclerosis (Ruprecht, 2020)

Persistence of varicella zoster virus (VZV), which causes chickenpox, can result in shingles and Ramsey Hunt Syndrome (Gershon et al., 2015)

These effects of Covid are not easy to learn about, but it is essential that people know the risks. This is not fearmongering- it is not “what if”s and “maybe”s- these are events that are happening right now, around the world.

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zmyaro · 30 days

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This is so fucking bleak. At 1/10 infections causing long term consequences, the mass disabling event we’re in is so massive I was wondering how it was going to be handled, because surely it would need to be addressed eventually… it appears that “addressing” has begun, and instead of prevention or support it’s just wholesale dismissal. If you haven’t yet stepped up yet for the disabled (and not yet disabled) people around you, now is the time to start, because if this is the direction they’re going then truly no one is coming to save us.

#COVID-19 #SARS-CoV-2 #Long COVID #John Garred #Misinformation #Disinformation #Health #Public Health

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rikaklassen · 1 month

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PDX Respirator Repository

Amanda Abbott created a spreadsheet with a lot of data on 60+ different elastomerics. There is no standardization as each manufacturer has their own sizing charts. So if you are looking for a new mask or looking to upgrade your PPE, there's now information on measurements.

There are even information on whether or you can create 3D-printed covers for the filters and paint the mask(s) to remain stylish during the creeping apocalypse.

If you live in or near Portland, Oregon, you can also contact Amanda for test-fits since she has most of the models. The only way to know if something is COVID-safe is to try the masks on, but they are non-returnable.

PDX Respirator Repository

Website

Google Docs

The website is not a store; just has store-like template.

Amanda Abbot's social media:

Website

Twitter/X

Fediverse

Itch.io

Yat

Tumblr

Cults

#COVID is not over #COVID-19 #COVID-19 resources #pandemic is not over #mask up #wear a mask #wear your mask #SARS-CoV-2 #SARS-CoV-2 resources #We Keep Us Safe #mask library #mask repository #respirator repository #respirator library #PPE #respirators #elastomerics #COVID resources

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pipzeroes · 1 year

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Source.

Transcription: User eniko on instance peoplemaking.games makes the following three posts:

One of the things that has made me most disappointed in humanity is finding out that a large majority of people is too afraid to do what they think is right if nobody else is doing it, even if the thing they think is right is as innocuous as wearing a mask - Apr 26, 2023, 02:38

Just put on the damn mask if you think it's the right thing to do. Who gives a shit what random people on the street think when you have a decent shot at permanently lowering your quality of life through long covid if you get infected? And if you know mask wearing is the right thing to do you probably also know that by not doing so you could get someone killed. Do you care less about being responsible for that than fitting in? - Apr 26, 2023, 02:52

Sorry if I seem angry. It's the anger, you see - Apr 26, 2023, 02:54

#sorry if I seem angry #it's the anger #you see #COVID #COVID is airborne #COVID is NOT over #COVID is ongoing #COVID floats like smoke #mask #masks #masking #mask up #SARS-CoV-2 #pandemic #COVID-19 #COVID19 #coronavirus

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cbirt · 9 months

Link

Imagine possessing the power to foresee the appearance of hazardous ⁠ viral strains well in advance of their impact. The scientists at Scripps Research in the USA invented an ML algorithm that employs spatial covariance, ⁠ built upon Gaussian process (GP) principles, to monitor how genetic changes influence host-pathogen balance in biological contexts. Utilizing GP-based SCV (Spatial CoVariance) facilitates the association between variations ⁠ in the SARS-CoV-2 genome and pathological manifestations. Utilizing GP-based SCV relationships and conducting genome-wide co-occurrence analysis create an ⁠ early warning anomaly detection (EWAD) system for Variants of Concern (VOCs). EWAD can anticipate changes in the pattern of spread and ⁠ pathology weeks or months ahead, identifying potential VOCs. Furthermore, GP-based SCV showcases a starting point to understand ⁠ nature’s evolutionary path to complexity through natural selection. It carries significance beyond just the COVID-19 outbreak, stretching across different areas of human ⁠ health to show how genetic variation impacts conditions like cancer and neurodegeneration. ⁠

A global pandemic quickly emerged due to the SARS-CoV-2 ⁠ virus, causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Over 600 million individuals have been impacted, and approximately 6 ⁠ million deaths are expected as a consequence. Notably, the majority of severe cases and fatalities were ⁠ observed in individuals aged 60 and above. The appearance of troubling variants such as Alpha, Delta, and Omicron ⁠ exacerbated the already significant worldwide social and economic disruption.

For scientists to grasp the behavior of the virus and its increased fatality in older adults, ⁠ experts underline the significance of investigating its entire genetic blueprint, called whole genome architecture (WGA) and analyzing its changes based on global genetic ⁠ variability and physiological reactions from the host. Developing effective strategies to combat the virus and protect ⁠ vulnerable populations relies on this crucial research.

#bioinformatics #machine learning #virology #covid-19 #sars-cov-2 #pandemic

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havegaysex · 4 months

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covid and canines

My mom sent this to me as a text so I don't have a source I'm sorry.

The image above is a blue background infographic that reads:

Covid and canines

key takeaways from the November 2023 study neurologic effects of SARS-CoV-2 2 transmitted among dogs

Canines catch it

all dogs in the trial were infected six were infected by nasal spray

Canines spread it

six dogs were infected via contact ( horizontal spread)

Canines may not show it

all dogs in the study were asymptomatic

Covid causes damage

all dogs in the study had short and longer term brain and lung damage

You can prevent infection

Break the chain

Wear an n95 or a respirator indoors.

Avoid interaction with dogs that are not protected from exposure.

Stay informed, share what you learn.

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gumjrop · 2 months

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The Weather

30 US states remain at High to Very High levels of SARS-CoV-2 detected in wastewater since February 9, 2024, with multiple states not reporting. Preventing the spread of COVID by taking precautions like masking and improving your indoor air quality can strongly reduce your chance of infection.

We would also like to note that the CDC, which usually updates their wastewater data on a weekly basis, has not updated their dashboard since Friday, February 9th. It is significant that this data delay arrives during the same week of the announcement that they are considering making cuts to the 5-day isolation guideline. We would like to urge the CDC to make their data release schedule public and to continue to provide wastewater information in a timely and consistent manner.

Despite regional declines in wastewater levels in the Midwest, Northeast, and West, the South is still trending extremely high, almost double the national average. This is especially concerning since 7 of the 10 states to refuse Medicaid expansion are located in the South, a region home to some of, “the largest Black populations in the US.” Our collective fight against the state’s abandonment of pandemic protections is a fight against racial injustice.

As a reminder, the last two weeks are provisional data, indicated by a gray shaded area on the graph, therefore these values may change as additional wastewater sites report data. We want to remind you that multiple layers of precautions can protect against a COVID infection.

Variants

JN.1 remains the dominant variant in the United States, and is projected to make up 96.4% of cases in the next two weeks. HV.1 is projected to drop even further 1%, and all other variants are estimated to make up less than 0.6% or less each.

Remember to check estimates for your specific HHS Region for more accurate projections of JN.1 prevalence in your own community.

Take Action

This week is a fast moving train when it comes to demanding equitable pandemic responses and protections from the CDC and public policy. Follow the campaigns below for ways to tap in, sign on, and get involved! And don’t forget to share these with your loved ones as well.

This week the CDC announced they’re considering a change in isolation guidelines for people with COVID, removing the 5 day isolation in order to take the pressure off of American citizens who can’t afford to stay home due pressures from work, lack of paid time off and childcare expenses.

Dr. Lara Jiramanus of The People’s CDC who was interviewed expressed that “frankly, there has been no change in the science. Most people continue to be shedding virus for about nine days, with a range of six to 11 days. Younger patients will tend to be infectious for maybe one day less than that. Older patients or people with severe disease can shed the virus for a longer time.” She further elaborates in conjunction with People’s CDC press release from February 14th that “public health policy should put people first, not billionaires. Rather than ending isolation, the US should ensure paid sick leave for all.”

The CDC’s isolation guidelines impact what reasonable accommodations we can ask for at work, at school, and in hospitals as well as our legal rights should we become held in interactions with police, in jails and in prisons. It is important for all of us on a human rights level that these guidelines reflect proper research and science.

Join us in echoing this call for mandated paid sick leave for all instead of an end to isolation guidelines to Biden and Congress. The CDC’s proposal to eliminate isolation is counter to medical science and the White House must not accept it. Call the White House Comment Line Tuesday – Thursday 11-3 ET at 202-456-1414 and the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Making calls is especially important between now and the end of March. For more information and a proposed script, follow this link. Stay tuned to our substack and social media for announcements of more actions in the next two weeks.

Additionally, ACIP, the Advisory Committee on Immunization and Practices will hold their next meeting online on February 28th and 29th.

Scientific evidence indicates updated vaccines should ideally be allowed, available, and fully covered by public funds and/or insurance, for people of all ages at least every six months.

Current vaccine uptake is low due to barriers such as lack of education, the recent diversion of the vaccine program through insurance companies, and pharmacies’ uneven participation in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, which is due to end December 31st, 2024. Even those who did receive the updated vaccine in the fall may not have adequate protection under the annual vaccine strategy, as vaccine efficacy wanes significantly four to six months following vaccination.

A more frequent vaccination approach and frequent updates to match current variants is needed to better protect all of us amid year-round COVID infections. Follow this link for guidance on submitting a written or oral public comment no later than this Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 11:59 ET to make demands for the above.

Last month the CDC kicked the horrible and unsafe new hospital infection control guidelines it was considering back to the advisory committee (HICPAC) that had proposed the draft guidelines.

Bad guidelines have been delayed, and the next fight over them will hopefully be on a more level field, and hopefully in a process that is at least in some ways more transparent.

Public health advocates have gained another round in this fight, and we’ll need your help! You can start by signing this new petition by National Nurses United that demands that HICPAC ensure the input of frontline healthcare workers, labor unions, patients and community members, and experts in occupational health, industrial hygiene, aerosol dynamics, respiratory protection and infection prevention is central in their next round of revisions.

Additionally, please use our action network letter and call-in toolkit to write to the president, your governor, and state and federal representatives to demand that they bring back masking in healthcare and utilize all measures of infection control that are currently available to us. Don’t forget to customize letters to your own experience! For more information on how COVID spreads in hospitals and the impact of nosocomial, or healthcare-associated, infections check out our article on substack.

MoveOn has started a petition to the Biden Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services and to Congress to bring back free PCR tests for all and to increase the number of free at-home rapid antigen tests. After the end of the Federal Health Emergency for COVID in May 2023, everyday people were stripped of the resources and support they needed to manage community care and health. Even with insurance, insurers are no longer required to cover the costs of testing, pushing the most reliable form of testing for early detection, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests, out of reach for many. Sign this petition to return fast, prevalent, and free testing tools to everyone equitably.

On a more regional note, those living in New York State are urged to customize this letter to tell their representatives and NYS Governor Hochul to continue to fund the COVID-19 Sick Leave program instead of disposing of it in the FY 2025 budget as is currently proposed. If the governor’s current budget proposal goes through, New York citizens would be forced to rely on state minimum sick leave policies of 5-7 days, meaning one COVID infection would easily meet or exceed sick leave allotments for the entire year. Additionally those who do not work in settings that meet the conditions of qualification to enforce the state’s sick leave policy would be left without any leave at all.

Finally, we must remember to keep calling our elected officials to demand a ceasefire in Gaza and to continue to wear and require high quality respirators (N95, KN95 or better) at protests and in organizing spaces. Masking in organizing spaces keeps our fight safer, more accessible and more sustainable. The occupation of Palestine is a healthcare issue. There can be no disability justice under settler colonialism.

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crytidsprinkles · 1 month

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Louis, Claudia and Lestat say no pandemic and virus associated disease erasure, denial or lies, and not on International Long Covid Awareness Day of all days.

#Interview with the vampire #Interview with the vampire series #Interview with the vampire AMC #AMC #AMC+#Ongoing pandemic #SARS-CoV-2 pandemic #SARS-CoV-2 #Louis De Pointe Du Lac #Claudia #Lestat De Lioncourt #GIF: interviewgifs #Coloring: me #International long covid awareness day #Long covid awareness #Covid is not over #Alt text in image

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bnyrbt · 7 months

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The Weather:

Wastewater levels appear to have dropped slightly in the West, Midwest, and South regions. The national average decreased, from 608 copies/ml to 509. However, wastewater levels remain higher than the past six months and as high as this past Winter of 2023. Until we see a significant drop, the risk for a COVID infection ranges between substantial to high. As an important reminder, when looking at wastewater data, it is important to examine your own region and/or county to estimate your current level of risk. Check your county or state for local information. Another source for wastewater tracking is SCAN. As mentioned in previous reports, Biobot data has shown retroactive data updates in reports published up to several weeks prior, likely due to variations in the timing of reporting across wastewater sites. In the meantime, to account for retroactive fluctuation, we will continue to report the previous week’s wastewater data as it appears to fluctuate significantly less than the most recent findings. Note that the “September 30” date refers to the “data collection date” rather than the last data point reported (September 20). Since the CDC stopped providing a national COVID transmission map, the People’s CDC has been working on something to replace it. The People’s CDC is building a new COVID transmission map that will be measured at the state level. We look forward to potentially sharing it in the near future.

Hospitalization:

New weekly hospitalizations associated with COVID have increased, reaching a new peak of over 19,000 during the week of September 9, 2023. This number is nearly 3 times the total number of hospitalizations since July 1, 2023, in which there were over 6,000 hospitalizations. More recently, there has been a slight decrease in new hospitalizations.

#op #covid #covid-19 #covid19 #covid 19 #pcdc #people's cdc #coronavirus #pandemic #public health #sars cov 2 #sars-cov-2 #img

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pressnewsagencyllc · 1 month

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COVID-19 Can Injure Heart without Even Infecting it

Credit: Peter Zelei Images / Getty Images SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can damage the heart in patients with ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) without directly infecting heart tissue, a new study has found. These findings suggest it is systemic inflammation that causes this damage. “The research also suggests that suppressing the inflammation through treatments might…

View On WordPress

#Cardiac Arrest #Coronavirus #COVID-19 #immune response #lung injury #macrophages #news & features #SARS-CoV-2 #Topics

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umbralwaves · 2 months

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Rest in eternal peace, @sassycrass. You changed social media; the world failed you.

For those of you who don't know, she created #YourSlipIsShowing, which exposed 4chn Nzi trolls. Black feminists see everything first and are severely punished for it.

— Pussy Queen's Coochie Cream (@datredgyal) February 16, 2024

#alt text #SARS-CoV-2 #white supremacy

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rikaklassen · 2 months

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There's a Google Maps crowdsourcing mutual aid networks, mask blocs, air filtration donation organizations, air purifier lending libraries and other resource groups. There are over 250 groups and continuously being updated. Please contact them to submit a pin.

Here is the URL for ease of memory recalls: covidactionmap.org

For updates you can follow COVID Action Map here:

Twitter

Instagram

Apologies for excessive tagging, but wanted to make sure the post is easily discoverable by anyone on Tumblr.

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pipzeroes · 6 months

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Excerpt from the above link:

First thing’s first. If the phrasing in the title feels unfamiliar, it has a purpose: We are eliminating the passive voice from the pandemic. Right now.

Someone INFECTED Neil Gaiman with COVID-19.

And many someones in overlapping layers of responsibility ENABLED this infection.

This linguistic shift from the passive to active voice might seem irrelevant but, instead of just echoing the framing we see in the headlines — that Neil Gaiman got COVID-19— it’s time to own that somebody has infected Neil.

The passive voice has served a macabre purpose in this pandemic. The passive voice, by erasing the subject of the sentence, neatly obscures accountability, and with it our own role in unmitigated infections. Moreover, it has prevented us from identifying the layers of responsibility in enabling infections on a mass scale. This mental block is the first obstacle to advocating for effective mitigations and constructive solutions. It stops us from preventing infections. But that is changing now.

It is time to own the damage that we are causing by infecting others with COVID-19. I believe that we all know, deep inside, that we are causing harm. And many of us are suffering from the cognitive dissonance of pretending that we aren’t. Because, in a pandemic, this is serious and large-scale harm.

This harm that, according to estimates, has killed over 25 million people and disabled at least 65 million and counting. The sooner we face the harm we are causing by infecting other people, the less damage we will cause to ourselves, to our loved ones, to our community, to strangers on the other side of the world. And to people who entertain and inspire us, like speculative fiction author and TV creator Neil Gaiman. And inspiration is necessary when we are facing so many challenges. It’s that simple.

COVID-19 is a serious, multi-system vascular disease that creates severe and cumulative damage.

Reinfections tend to be more severe and Long COVID occurs in 1/10–1/3 infections.

Up to 60% of infections are spread asymptomatically… Wait, let me rephrase that. People, who are asymptomatic, or presymptomatic, are infecting others with COVID-19 in up to 60% of cases.

A person who is presymptomatic can transmit a COVID-19 infection up to two days before symptoms arise.

People infect other people with SARS-CoV-2 through aerosols. An infected person expels them just by exhaling. The aerosols accumulate in the air, and spread across large spaces like cigarette smoke. They also remain in the air for hours, so even if a room is empty, if a symptomatic person was there earlier, the aerosols will still be there. Crowded, indoor spaces are high-risk for transmission.

We are currently in a wave caused by a new variant for which a vaccine has yet to be developed. In a crowd of 100, statistically 1-2 people will have active infections.

If we put all of this together, we see that live events in crowded, indoor spaces are particularly dangerous, and that masking only when someone is symptomatic is woefully inadequate to prevent infecting others. So, in order to not infect other people, we need to individually mask at these events, and to collectively apply pressure to venues that are enabling these infections, as well as to lawmakers who have removed protections.

That’s the tl;dr. Now, if you have some time, and feel motivated to prevent further infections, let’s look more systematically at the problem of people infecting other people, especially at live events, and how to constructively address it.

Neil Gaiman requested masking at his events, from both venues and audience members

It’s fucked-up that, three days after Neil Gaiman requested that attendees voluntarily mask at his tour events — because the venues themselves refused to enforce audience masking — Neil announced on social media that he has another COVID-19 infection and “this time it means business.”

This infection — and any COVID-19 infection — is terrible, but unfortunately not surprising. We are in a wave caused by multiple variants, and lawmakers worldwide dropped most COVID-19 public health mitigations earlier this year. So people who are appearing at live events now are at an incredibly high risk of being infected. The risk is also increased due to a swarm of new variants — so many versions of the virus are circulating now, you can get a case in August and another in September

As a fan of Neil Gaiman, I guess I wished that somehow it would miss him. COVID-19 infects the brain, and his brain has created my favorite TV series, Good Omens, a queer love story between an angel and a demon. This series has helped me, and countless others, heal from religious trauma. It also rekindled my appreciation for David Tennant in his role as the demon Crowley, who witnesses everything from Old Testament atrocities to a modern-day armageddon, and seems to be the only one suggesting that God might be a tyrant. With so many of us experiencing a dark night of the soul in the pandemic, it’s much-needed validation.

What also worries, but not surprises, me about Neil’s infection is that, if his statement that “this time it means business” is anything to go by, (especially for someone who can be quite understated), this infection is more severe than any previous ones. This unfortunately is also not surprising, as reinfections tend to be more severe. The damage from these infections is cumulative, and SARS-CoV-2 attacks the immune system, in many cases after a person has recovered from an initial infection. Viral reservoirs continually attacking the body are believed to be the mechanism of Long COVID. However, his more severe course reminds me of other performers who are currently touring, almost without exception at massive, indoor, unmasked events.

Actually, it’s more accurate to say that it scares the hell out of me.

Actors from another TV series beloved by queer fans, Our Flag Means Death, including Rhys Darby, Vico Ortiz and Samson Kayo, will appear at London Comic Con on October 27–29th. The event will have more than 100,000 attendees and does not require masks. And David Tennant, who sparked my motivation to advocate for safer venues, will appear at New York Comic Con October 12-15th. NYCC will have over 200,000 attendees and also does not require masks. I checked.

The math on the likely damage is pretty fucking grim.

It’s estimated that in a crowd of 100, 1–2 people have a COVID-19 infection. So that’s at least 2,000 attendees spreading the virus.

Each person infects 2–3 other people. This is total, so they may not infect people at this event. But because the venue is extremely high risk: indoors, crowded, no mitigations, they may infect more people than averge.

So, from 2,000 people who go to Comic Con with infections, that’s at least 4,000 people that they will infect.

Between ⅓–1/10 infections result in Long COVID, so at least 400 people statistically may develop Long COVID. From one event.

tl;dr 200,000 attendees/100= 2,000 infections x 2= 4,000 newly infected/10 =400 Long COVID cases

And that’s the conservative estimate. The upper-end estimate, based on data, is up to 2%.

You can bet that I’m well-aware that David Tennant has a .2%-2% chance of developing Long COVID from this one event, especially because he’s due to play MacBeth in London this winter. The luckiest person who ever existed would statistically develop Long COVID after their 50th event.

It’s not just headlining performers who need to worry about infections. Any attendee has a .2% chance of developing Long COVID from this one event, and that’s a tragedy in the fan community, but also for people working on staff who don’t choose to be there. I wonder what would happen if the damage were immediately visible, like setting fire to 400 guests, fans, and staff people at the door. What then?

If you have read my first article sounding the alarm on unprecedented numbers of performers becoming seriously ill and dying in the pandemic, you will know that my own fannish devotion to David Tennant inspired me to advocate for COVID-19 mitigations at venues and nourishes me with the love and compassion to do this work. With Neil Gaiman’s infection, it hits home that everyone who is currently doing live events, particularly large ones with no mitigations, are quite likely going to be infected. And in the fourth year of the pandemic, that means reinfected, which means that, like in Neil’s case, it will probably be more severe.

Performers are just my own corner of advocacy, but we all breathe the same air, so these new infections will affect everyone. And people with disabilities, who work in service and customer-facing jobs, or who have inadequate access to medical care, will be the most vulnerable. But most people now have had at least one infection, so we’re all facing danger here.

This is why I want to prevent people from infecting people at events, and by doing so to raise awareness in the wider public that this is an escalating emergency. And I think it’s achievable.

The first step is identifying the causes, both individual and structural. Then to come up with workable interventions at each point of responsbility.

Individual responsibility: someone infected Neil Gaiman with COVID-19

Preventing infections begins at the individual level. As the founder of #FansMASKUP, which is dedicated to raising awareness in the fan community about masking at live events, my first feeling was rage at the person who infected Neil. The incubation period for COVID-19 varies widely, from 2–14 days, though on average 5–6. So, if Neil developed symptoms on October 5th, it’s possible that someone in the audience on the October 2nd event infected him. And if that person is such a fan of Neil that they paid to see him live, I ask: why didn’t they just wear a mask? But even this is not so simple.

From my conversations with other fans who have been diligent about masking, they sometimes experience harassment, and fear for their safety and mental health. And since so many of us are LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, BIPOC and/or disabled, we are statistically more vulnerable to people harassing us, or even assaulting us, if we are the only ones masking. So as much as I’d like to judge this person for infecting someone who they admire, I have to admit that safety is too often a real concern for our community.

What can we do on an individual level to promote safer venues?

If we feel sufficient safety to mask at live events, then we should do so.

If we are going with friends, we can encourage them to mask too.

We can connect on social media and find other fans who are attending and mask together.

Heck, if we have a spare $20 (which not all of us do), we can even give out masks at the event so that we’re not the only one.

Aside from fear and social pressure, people may have stopped masking due to exhaustion, despair and misinformation — we MUST start again. Every masked person can break a chain of transmission and save many, many lives. Maybe even Neil Gaiman’s life, and certainly the lives of your loved ones, including fellow fans.

Institutional responsibility: venues are enabling people to infect other people with COVID-19

It would be a mistake to lay all of the responsibility on the person who infected Neil. There has been systemic neglect, and even malfeasance, at every level of responsibility, and the people who are making these decisions are enabling people to infect others. Though this reaches into the level of policy, let’s begin with the most direct enabler in this instance: the venues.

Remember, Neil said on social media that he requested audience masking at venues, but they refused. Then after his first tour date, he announced that someone had infected with with SARS-CoV-2. We can’t know whether someone infected him at this particular event, though the timing is consistent with the virus’s incubation period. Regardless, the venue has approximately 1,700 seats, and if Neil’s event was sold-out, as most are, that’s: 17 active infections, 51 new infections, 5 cases of Long COVID. So wherever someone infected Neil with COVID, it is worthwhile to advocate for venues to use mitigations.

The mitigations required to significantly reduce people infecting other people at live events are relatively simple and have been proven time-and-again to reduce the the transmission of SARS-CoV-2:

Audience masking and vaccination

Making use of HEPA air purification/filtration.

This is achievable, and venues should have been doing this since 2020. Some venues do it, and it is certainly possible, and not terribly complicated, for more venues to adopt these simple precautions.

Now, the more complex question is: if it’s so simple, why are venues refusing to use mitigations? Some of it is simply greed. It costs money, though not a lot of money, between £300–600 ($370–740) to purchase a HEPA air filter. And for truly cash-strapped venues, vendors likes Smart Air UK are renting out HEPA air filters for events. So there really is no excuse. For those who are unfamiliar with HEPA, here’s a primer from outreach coordinator (and fan herself) for Smart Air UK, Guilia Villanucci.

I’m quoting at length, but tl;dr: HEPA purifiers can remove more than 99.97% of virus particles from the air, and protecting Neil at one of his events would only have cost between $400-$700. And you can’t put a price on his brain, so…

HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air.” HEPA air purifiers are nothing else than a box with a filter and a fan inside. Researchers agree that, based on their efficiency, air purifiers can remove more than 99.97% of virus particles from the air when used continuously. Now, does this extra layer of protection have to be very expensive? It can be, especially if you look only at brand names without paying attention to the technical specifications. I recommend Smart Air products, partly because I work for Smart Air UK, but mostly because these air purifiers are cheaper than most on the market, are highly efficient, and are pretty quiet. NOTE: If you are a performer based in Chicago, USA, you should check out Clean Air Club, they loan air purifiers at no extra cost to artists and touring musicians. If you are a venue or a performer based in the UK, you can rent air purifiers from us, or purchase them to take them on tour with you, just like singer and songwriter The Anchoress does. An investment of between £300 to £600 will probably be enough to keep performers safer in a venue if you purchase from Smart Air UK.

Again, HEPA air purifiers are effective and affordable and I can only think a noxious mix of greed, inertia and denial are preventing most venues from using this basic precaution.

There may be other financial considerations. Requiring masks could lead to lost revenue as people who refuse to mask will not attend. And, as of yet, venues face no financial liability for enabling infections. Though with lawsuits winding their way through courts regarding liability for COVID-19 infections, this may change.

However, like fans, venues may also have legitimate concerns for safety, The far-right has so politicized masking that the people responsible for venues are likely afraid of repercussions, ranging from the awkwardness of barring an unmasked person from attending an event, to someone throwing a brick through the window, or even assaulting a person on staff. These fears are not entirely unreasonable. But we need to make clear that these venues are enabling people to infect their headliners, Neil Gaiman or David Tennent or Taylor Swift. Additionally, lack of mitigations endangers attendees and people on staff, and lawsuits against employers who have exposed employees to COVID-19 infection have had more success. This changes the risk calculation.

What can we do to encourage venues to create safer event spaces?

We can contact the venues themselves, beginning with the ones who likely are not using basic mitigations. These can be any venue where you or one of your favorites will be in attendance.

We can also start with the venues where Neil was scheduled to appear. Here is a list of these venues with the ways to contact them.

Emerson Colonial Theatre (888) 616–0272 [email protected] Twitter-X/IG: @BroadwayBoston

The Westport Library (203) 291–4800 Twitter-X/IG: @WestportLibrary

Cooper Union [email protected] (212) 353–4100 Twitter-X/IG: @cooperunion

Peter J Sharp Theatre (212) 864–5400 [email protected] Twitter-X/IG: @SymphonySpace

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts [email protected] 407.839.0119 @DrPhillipsCtr

Venice Performing Arts Center [email protected] (941) 218–3779

Zoellner Arts Center at Lehigh University 610–758–2787 [email protected] @LehighU @ZoellnerArts

Frikirkjan i Reykvavik+353 552 [email protected] @iclandnoir

Piggott Theatre (British Library) +44 (0)1937 546060 [email protected] Twitter-X/IG: @BritishLibrary

New Jersey Performing Arts Center 1973–642–8989 [email protected] @NJPAC

If, like me, cold-calling gives you anxiety, here’s a script that you could follow:

“Hello, I am calling to ask what COVID-19 mitigations you use. [If they require audience masking and use HEPA air purification, consider thanking them for their conscientiousness. If they do not, you could say:] Neil Gaiman requested COVID mitigations at venues, but now someone has infected him. To prevent infections at your venue, I am requesting that you require audience masking and purchase a HEPA air purification unit. These are proven to significantly reduce COVID transmissions.”

I know, it’s a bit wooden, so feel free to improvise. But remember: please don’t harass these people, because most likely you will be talking to a staff person and not the person who has made the decision not to use mitigations. And if the person answering the phone is on your side, this has a better chance of success.

You can also request mitigations through social media and e-mails, although phone calls bring the most attention. But do what’s at your comfort level. Most of us who are aware of the ongoing pandemic are burnt-out and need to conserve our energy.

To sum-up, we need to hold ourselves and other fans accountable, but they face real risks and cannot be held wholly responsible. Same for venues. We need to apply pressure for them to adopt COVID-19 mitigations, but they are not wholly responsible. This brings us to the final level of accountability for people infecting other people with COVID-19.

Structural responsibility: governments are enabling infections by eliminating COVID-19 protections

The highest level of responsibility falls to governments, generally, and public health authorities specifically. It’s alarming how quickly people have reverted to using little-to-no precautions. But, remember, for many places lawmakers only eliminated public health protections within the past few months.

The state of affairs in which we find ourselves is not normal, and I think it is a brief interlude in which politicians and the very wealthy are encouraging us to continue with business-as-usual, but as those around us become sicker and sicker, we know that this is not sustainable. If 10%-30% of COVID-19 infections lead to Long COVID, and we conservatively assume that most people are infected once per year, what will that look like in ten years?

The most wide-reaching change required to stop people from infecting other people is on the level of policy. There is a basic social contract for governments to ensure public health because, in a complex society, individuals cannot carry that entire burden themselves.

In a simpler example: governments are responsible for putting stop signs at intersections. If a government legislated that there should be no more stop signs, people would get seriously injured or die in more car accidents. And we could blame the individuals who cruise their cars through the intersections and t-bone other people in their cars, or the city whose employees removed the stop signs — but the lion’s share of responsibility falls onto the government who legislated that there should be no more stop signs.

In the widest frame, we also need to advocate to our city, county, state, provincial and national lawmakers for a return of COVID-19 protections.

We also need to advocate for improved public health communication. It’s alarming how many people lack the basic facts of how not to infect themselves and each other with COVID-19.

In a nutshell: If you have learned anything new about COVID-19 from this article, that’s a problem.

**A concerned David Tennant fan should not be doing science communication that is the rightful job of public health officials.**

We need to pressure public health authorities to improve communication, and meanwhile to educate ourselves and each other about COVID.

What can we do to bring back COVID-19 protections on a societal level?

1. Call or write to your representative. By mail, if you can. I know, it’s a pain and an archaic throwback to pre-digital times, but this is most likely to be heard. But if it’s not possible, call or e-mail as it does make a difference.

Find your representative: US: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative UK: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

2. Educate yourself and your community The Pandemic Accountability Index maintains a large repository of research on COVID-19 and its effects on the body here:

https://www.panaccindex.info/p/what-covid-does-to-the-body and here: What SARS-CoV-2 Does to the Body (2nd Edition, July 2023)

3. Stay updated on COVID news. Folks on social media have been sounding the alarm on the pandemic, like @1goodtern and performers specifically, like @MeetJess and me, @WaltzTales.

A twitter user has also kindly provided this list of scientists and concerned people worth following: @kprather88 (full credit to efforts to educate about all things covid) @jimrosenthal4 (C-R box, ’nuff said) @linseymarr (MacArthur genius grant https://forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2023/10/04/macarthur-foundation-names-the-winners-of-its-2023-genius-grants/?sh=6c3c96af4379… ) @joeyfox85 (mitigating airborne spread) @c19vaccinefacts (safe & effective) @scienceupfirst (not just covid!)

The final level of responsibility: the universe

This may sound a bit woo-woo, but if you read my first piece, which started with a loving-kindness meditation, you’ll have clocked that I think attending to ourselves emotionally is necessary for facing this emergency.

I honestly don’t know if there’s anything like a God who has an overview of the situation. And even though my Theology professor said the question of theodicy (“why is there evil in the world?”) isn’t a particularly interesting question, my answer is:

But *gestures broadly at everything.*

If there is a God they have a lot to answer for. But I do think that a real emotional crisis we’re facing is black-pilled misanthropy where we want to let the world burn, and all humans in it. But Neil Gaiman is a human. Whoever inspires us is a human. The feeling of being inspired in this particular way is your human experience. We humans aren’t more special than other animals. We only have the experiences that are unique to us in the landscape of all things, including high-concept science fiction from dynamic minds like Neil Gaiman’s.

I don’t think we should deny or suppress our feelings of despair and rage, or even hate, but to acknowledge and take care of them, and at the same time to nourish those aspects in us which support our joy and thriving.

It is possible to suffer and thrive at the same time. Perhaps if we could come up for a word for it, it would capture an essential strategy for moving forward with this pandemic. What do you think: Suffriving? Thrivering?

Let’s try leaning into some “Thrivering” together by advocating for safer venues, so that people like Neil Gaiman can continue inspiring us.

Special thanks to: Giulia Villanucci, Smart Air UK, Outreach Coordinator Nerdcake78 for the scoop. And for the slow-burn Aziraphale cuddlefic that is keeping me sane.

And everyone who is providing information, amplifying posts, and offering support. I would not be able to do this without the people who are helping out of simple kindness and solidarity.

#should have been more explicitly clear about this but too late to edit as it's been reblogged: this is an excerpt of someone else's article #this is not my own writing I am just quoting the link here #neil gaiman #david tennent #covid is not over #covid is airborne #covid is ongoing #pandemic #mask up #sars-cov-2 #long covid #masks #covid #covid-19 #long post

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