#covidcompetent — Public Fediverse posts

@DenisCOVIDinfoguy This brings up such conflicting feelings.

Yes! We need to get the word out that COVID-19 is not just a respiratory disease, that it can impact almost every vascularized organ!

But it's simultaneously INCREDIBLY frustrating to read "The best preventive measure is vaccination" when we KNOW that the best preventative measure is clean air via respirators, and the second best preventative measure is cleaner air through air exchange and filtration.

#COVID #COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #CovidIsNotOver #COVIDisAirborne #CovidCompetent

I went to one of Sen Merkley's town halls, and more than what was said (though some good things were discussed), the most amazing thing to me was that 2-4 people in each 80 person seating block were wearing respirators (high quality masks).

That is a TON of folks for where I live. I cried happy tears. It wasn't the Senator or most of the staff (yet?), but it was still beautiful.

#WearARespirator #WearAMask
#ProtectEachOther
#WeKeepEachOtherSafe #CovidIsNotOver
#CovidCompetent #CovidSafeScouts

I went to one of Sen Merkley's town halls, and more than what was said (though some good things were discussed), the most amazing thing to me was that 2-4 people in each 80 person seating block were wearing respirators (high quality masks).

That is a TON of folks for where I live. I cried happy tears. It wasn't the Senator or most of the staff (yet?), but it was still beautiful.

#WearARespirator #WearAMask
#ProtectEachOther
#WeKeepEachOtherSafe #CovidIsNotOver
#CovidCompetent #CovidSafeScouts

I went to one of Sen Merkley's town halls, and more than what was said (though some good things were discussed), the most amazing thing to me was that 2-4 people in each 80 person seating block were wearing respirators (high quality masks).

That is a TON of folks for where I live. I cried happy tears. It wasn't the Senator or most of the staff (yet?), but it was still beautiful.

#WearARespirator #WearAMask
#ProtectEachOther
#WeKeepEachOtherSafe #CovidIsNotOver
#CovidCompetent #CovidSafeScouts

I went to one of Sen Merkley's town halls, and more than what was said (though some good things were discussed), the most amazing thing to me was that 2-4 people in each 80 person seating block were wearing respirators (high quality masks).

That is a TON of folks for where I live. I cried happy tears. It wasn't the Senator or most of the staff (yet?), but it was still beautiful.

#WearARespirator #WearAMask
#ProtectEachOther
#WeKeepEachOtherSafe #CovidIsNotOver
#CovidCompetent #CovidSafeScouts

I went to one of Sen Merkley's town halls, and more than what was said (though some good things were discussed), the most amazing thing to me was that 2-4 people in each 80 person seating block were wearing respirators (high quality masks).

That is a TON of folks for where I live. I cried happy tears. It wasn't the Senator or most of the staff (yet?), but it was still beautiful.

#WearARespirator #WearAMask
#ProtectEachOther
#WeKeepEachOtherSafe #CovidIsNotOver
#CovidCompetent #CovidSafeScouts

So in BC there's either a SARS-CoV-2 variant in circulation that causes a productive cough (mucus, not just a dry cough)

or there's quite a few people [edit: out of those who have COVID-19, who are few relative to the last 2 years] getting co-infected

anyways, in short right now it's not prudent to assume if someone has a productive cough that they don't have COVID-19.

And with the amount of coughing - it might be wise to mask!

If masking all the time is too much, why not keep a flat-fold N95+ in a pocket or purse, and pop it on when someone's coughing or sneezing, until you leave the room?

#SARSCoV2 #COVID #COVID19 #COVIDIsNotOver #COVIDisAirborne #CovidCompetent #CovidAware #CovidCautious

Parent: "The kids have been sick for weeks, they're probably not contagious any more."

Everyone else: "great!"

Me: "I'll just keep this :mastorespirator: on thanks."

Parent: "But how will you eat?"

Me: "I can manage without snacking, don't worry!"

(very few days later)

Them: "I feel so sick, I can't even imagine going for a walk around the block. Brutal!"

Me: "doing OK over here - get well soon!" (privately thanking the mercies that the respirator seal seems to have been good enough)

#N95 #N95sSaveLives #respirator #COVIDisAirborne #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #flu #influenza

2025_8_19 The symptoms are coming from inside the house.

2026-3-9 edit: A previous version of this page held steps you can take during the acute infection to lower your risk of Long Covid, or lower the severity of how a reinfection will worsen your existing Long Covid.

Information on supporting a FULL recovery from SARS-CoV-2 is now more accessible on its own permalink page here, or from the top bar: Information > Got a Covid Infection?

https://www.illmarks.com/symptoms-are-coming-long-covid-prevention-tips/

#allergy #art #backToSchool #backtoschool #besafe #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cdc #chronicIllness #covid #covidIsAirborne #covidIsNotOver #covid19 #covid19 #covidcompetent #CovidIsntOver #environmental #health #healthcare #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #maskup #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SaltingTheVibes #sarsCov2 #sars2 #sciArt #SciArt #WearAMask #WearARespirator

2025_8_19 The symptoms are coming from inside the house.

We are in a severe Covid surge right now thanks to Late Summer/Back To School, and it will also probably worsen significantly again for the winter holidays. Because your risk for Long Covid increases with each infection, here are some steps you can take during the acute infection to lower your risk of Long Covid, or lower the severity of how a reinfection will worsen your existing Long Covid.

This is not medical advice, this is a summary of things I have read from various studies, journalists, and newsletters, and what I try to prioritize for myself. I send this to loved ones who accept my offer for it when they or someone they know gets infected, and I figured I should make it more broadly accessible.

Ways to Lower Your Risk of Long Covid &
Lower The Severity of A Reinfection’s Worsening Your Long Covid

Medicines, Vitamins, and Supplements

• Increase Vitamin D ASAP and sustain it for at least a month. It’s a reserve vitamin so you can’t cram it all in 2 days, and should not. It is possible to have too much Vitamins A & D, so please be mindful of dosing.
• Increase Iron ASAP and sustain it, similarly to above.
• Zinc, like Vitamin D, is key to our immune system’s functioning & signaling. Zinc can help boost underactive immune features, calm overactive immune features, and reduce inflammation. Additionally, studies have found Zinc levels are significantly reduced during Covid infection, and reduced in relationship to severity of infection, so it makes sense to combat this.
• Metformin has LOTS of evidence of decreasing Long Covid risk with typically few side effects, but it does require a prescription.
  If you’re asking your doctor, I recommend supplying a trusted source: This 2023 Quadruple Blind RCT Study is a Gold Standard for clinical trials. If relevant, additionally add 2025 Study found added efficacy in Fat Folks, 2023 BMJ Blog, 2025 RECOVER Blog.
• H1 Antihistamines have preliminary research to support them decreasing LC risk and SIGNIFICANT research supporting them as treatments in Covid-19 infections, plus ways to lower your Covid infection risk overall. All H1 antihistamines have shown in vitro benefits, however the ones I’ve seen most studied in humans are cetirizine/zyrtec, ebastine, azelastine, and loratadine. Most trials in humans used modern antihistamines, which I agree with. I do not generally suggest any first generation antihistamines including Dramamine, Benadryl, NyQuil, or their generic versions unless you have a medical reason for choosing them & their adverse anticholinergic effects. H1 antihistamines are typically available without a prescription in the US.
• A recent study from Germany found a Nasal H1 Antihistamine, Azelastine Nasal Spray reduced covid infections by 69% (nice). Some people have critiqued this study’s methods, so more research is needed. However, if you need to be on a nasal H1 antihistamine anyways, a 2x a day dose of Azelastine, or 3x a day dose of German Azelastine is extrapolated to be beneficial from a long covid precaution perspective, similarly to other H1 medications above. This is typically available without a prescription.
• H2 Antihistamines, especially Famotidine/Pepcid, reduce both symptom severity and viral load, leading to an earlier resolution of infection. These are available without a prescription in the US, and typically inexpensive.
• Paxlovid is less effective at decreasing Long Covid risk in the acute phase, but does have other benefits, even if started late. It is additionally showing progress as part of a combination therapy. Stock up on mints and cough drops though.
• Magnesium, Vitamin C and other immune-boosters can be very beneficial IF you are not autoimmune/don’t have other relevant considerations.
• If you are on trans masculine HRT or similar medications please continue. Men & NB people with similar levels of hormones have lower risk and sometimes lower symptom burden than women & NB folks with similar hormone levels. We aren’t sure why yet.
   

Other OTC items which might help lower the viral load or otherwise make the acute infection less impactful:

• A mouth wash containing PVP-I [povidone-iodine] or CPC [cetylpyridinium chloride]. This can be used multiple times a day.
• Green tea (ECGC)
• Hibiscus tea (ACE2), though PEANUT ALLERGIES SKIP THIS ONE, including folks sensitive due to aflatoxins by Mast Cell Activation Syndrome — peanuts and hibiscus are often intercropped.
• Antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids (including flaxseed oil, fish oil) help remove oxidative stress, which is helpful in both acute Covid (infection and replication causes OS) and in multiple forms of Long Covid. I’ve read . Antioxidants are vitamins A, C, E, Selenium (Se), and Zinc (Zn). Vitamin A is possible to overdo, so please be mindful of dosing.
• Nicotine, surprisingly to some, though Indigenous People of Turtle Island know Traditional Tobacco as Medicine. If you are already using nicotine (including patches), you can keep it up during the acute phase to hopefully lower some risk. It is also being investigated as a Long Covid treatment, I had a positive experience with my experiment.
   

Transmission Precautions (how to protect people you live with, etc):

COVID is most often transmitted via the air, not droplets like we thought early in the pandemic. As such:

• Fresh air will be your easiest and most effective option, assuming climate safety. Even a slightly open window will be MUCH better than closed windows.
• Masks are extremely effective, especially when both parties wear them. Respirators (aka a mask with a safety rating such as N95, KN95, KF94, P2, FFP2, DS) are best, but anything is better than none. Try to get as good of a seal as you can/minimize air leaks.
• Air filtering with HEPA filters is great if you have access and funds. Try to make sure the filter(s) you use are sufficient for the square footage of the space. Earlier variants had a filter goal of 6 air changes per hour (ACH), but anything is better than nothing, especially when combined with opened windows, etc. If the filters are insufficient for the square footage/meterage or ACH, place them for largest impact: for example close to the sick person, in areas with poor ventilation, or areas of high social contact.
• If HEPA filters are too expensive or unavailable, try to make a Corsi-Rosenthal Box (a DIY air filter alternative using MERV13+ filters and a box fan, free directions abound online). Same strategies as above.
• Last home air filter precaution: most climate control systems have a filter, and if that filter is already or can easily be changed to a MERV13+ filter, that will be an additional help.
• If you must run errands/go to work/etc, please prioritize one of the rated respirators above. Try to do curbside or other distanced, outdoor pickup options where available.
• There are nasal precaution options including the aforementioned OTC H1 Antihistamine Azelastine and Profi Spray (which is highly effective, but their science was measured with nasal swab application, not spray).
• It doesn’t take a lot: We have stopped the acute spread of Covid in our home two times (that we know of!–the real number is probably much higher) by using only a couple strategically placed HEPAs and window cracking.
• When in doubt, think Swiss Cheese:
   

Please Take Care:

• If you feel any sustained exhaustion or fatigue, please rest and do not push yourself for at least two-three months after infection, including physical and mental exertion. A lot of us long haulers had an inkling early on that something was off but we pushed ourselves to be “back to normal” and that caused immense lasting harm. It might sound like a long time now, but a few months is a short time in comparison to the rest of your life. Trust me.
  I wish I had read this earlier: Indefinitely Ill – Post-Covid Fatigue
• Pacing is the most helpful tool I have found for my health, and has been practiced by people with post-viral illness for a long time.
  Intro to pacing: ME Action’s Stop Rest Pace
• Scheduling breaks with reminder alerts is how I do it, and by having specific things I look forward to about downtime (slowed audiobooks, a nature soundscape, etc). Some people are better at remembering on their own.
• Lastly, I recommend using a symptom tracker even for initial infection (and that couple month period after). Hopefully before too long there won’t be many symptoms to track and things’ll be mostly a-ok, and it won’t be needed, but the way covid makes the brain all squiggly, IMO tracking symptoms is super important for understanding what your body needs to have your best chance at maintaining your current health!
• The app Visible is popular in some LC communities, but a journal or calendar is a-ok too. It helps to check in with your body and see how much feels safe to do and what to prioritize. (Visible is free for symptom tracking and I recommend the free version short-term. If you end up needing long term pacing help and want to include the paid wearable, though here’s my coupon code: https://join.makevisible.com/68284299c4dc3e )
   
   
  Thank you for taking care of yourself and your communities. We need all the precautions, kindness, and care we can get right now.

  Additional Covid Safety info from someone else’s patreon:
  https://www.patreon.com/posts/huge-free-covid-86871700
   
  My other Long Covid & related topics info:
  Illmarks Resources Page

https://www.illmarks.com/symptoms-are-coming-long-covid-prevention-tips/

#allergy #art #backToSchool #backtoschool #besafe #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cdc #chronicIllness #covid #covidIsAirborne #covidIsNotOver #covid19 #covid19 #covidcompetent #CovidIsntOver #environmental #health #healthcare #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #maskup #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SaltingTheVibes #sarsCov2 #sars2 #sciArt #SciArt #WearAMask #WearARespirator

2025_8_19 The symptoms are coming from inside the house.

2026-3-9 edit: A previous version of this page held steps you can take during the acute infection to lower your risk of Long Covid, or lower the severity of how a reinfection will worsen your existing Long Covid.

Information on supporting a FULL recovery from SARS-CoV-2 is now more accessible on its own permalink page here, or from the top bar: Information > Got a Covid Infection?

https://www.illmarks.com/symptoms-are-coming-long-covid-prevention-tips/

#allergy #art #backToSchool #backtoschool #besafe #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cdc #chronicIllness #covid #covidIsAirborne #covidIsNotOver #covid19 #covid19 #covidcompetent #CovidIsntOver #environmental #health #healthcare #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #maskup #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SaltingTheVibes #sarsCov2 #sars2 #sciArt #SciArt #WearAMask #WearARespirator

2025_8_19 The symptoms are coming from inside the house.

2026-3-9 edit: A previous version of this page held steps you can take during the acute infection to lower your risk of Long Covid, or lower the severity of how a reinfection will worsen your existing Long Covid.

Information on supporting a FULL recovery from SARS-CoV-2 is now more accessible on its own permalink page here, or from the top bar: Information > Got a Covid Infection?

https://www.illmarks.com/symptoms-are-coming-long-covid-prevention-tips/

#allergy #art #backToSchool #backtoschool #besafe #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cdc #chronicIllness #covid #covidIsAirborne #covidIsNotOver #covid19 #covid19 #covidcompetent #CovidIsntOver #environmental #health #healthcare #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #maskup #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SaltingTheVibes #sarsCov2 #sars2 #sciArt #SciArt #WearAMask #WearARespirator

2025_8_19 The symptoms are coming from inside the house.

We are in a severe Covid surge right now thanks to Late Summer/Back To School, and it will also probably worsen significantly again for the winter holidays. Because your risk for Long Covid increases with each infection, here are some steps you can take during the acute infection to lower your risk of Long Covid, or lower the severity of how a reinfection will worsen your existing Long Covid.

This is not medical advice, this is a summary of things I have read from various studies, journalists, and newsletters, and what I try to prioritize for myself. I send this to loved ones who accept my offer for it when they or someone they know gets infected, and I figured I should make it more broadly accessible.

Ways to Lower Your Risk of Long Covid &
Lower The Severity of A Reinfection’s Worsening Your Long Covid

Medicines, Vitamins, and Supplements

• Increase Vitamin D ASAP and sustain it for at least a month. It’s a reserve vitamin so you can’t cram it all in 2 days, and should not. It is possible to have too much Vitamins A & D, so please be mindful of dosing.
• Increase Iron ASAP and sustain it, similarly to above.
• Metformin has LOTS of evidence of decreasing LOng Covid risk with typically few side effects, but it does require a prescription.
  If you’re asking your doctor, I recommend supplying a trusted source: This 2023 Quadruple Blind RCT Study is a Gold Standard for clinical trials. If relevant, additionally add 2025 Study found added efficacy in Fat Folks, 2023 BMJ Blog, 2025 RECOVER Blog.
• Antihistamines have preliminary research to support them decreasing LC risk. Recommend an H1 (cetirizine/zyrtec) and an H2 (Famotidine/Pepcid, Cimetidine/Tagamet). Use a modern antihistamine as listed above to minimize side effects and long term risk, do not generally recommend first generation antihistamines including Dramamine, Benadryl, NyQuil or generic versions unless you have a different medical reason for choosing them. These are typically available without a prescription in the US.
• A recent study from Germany found a Nasal H1 Antihistamine, Azelastine Nasal Spray significantly reduced covid infections. More research is needed, but a 2x a day dose of Azelastine, or 3x a day dose of German Azelastine is extrapolated to be beneficial from a long covid precaution perspective similarly to other H1 medications above. This is typically available without a prescription, and is inexpensive in the US.
• Paxlovid is less effective at decreasing Long Covid risk in the acute phase, but does have other benefits, even if started late. It is additionally showing progress as part of a combination therapy. Stock up on mints and cough drops though.
• Magnesium, Vitamin C and other immune-boosters can be very beneficial IF you are not autoimmune/don’t have other relevant considerations.
• If you are on trans masculine HRT or similar medications please continue. Men & NB people with similar levels of hormones have lower risk and sometimes lower symptom burden than women & NB folks with similar hormone levels. We aren’t sure why yet.
   

Other OTC items which might help lower the viral load or otherwise make the acute infection less impactful:

• A mouth wash containing PVP-I [povidone-iodine] or CPC [cetylpyridinium chloride]. This can be used multiple times a day.
• Green tea (ECGC)
• Hibiscus tea (ACE2)
• Nicotine, surprisingly to some, though Indigenous People of Turtle Island know Traditional Tobacco as Medicine. If you are already using nicotine (including patches), you can keep it up during the acute phase to hopefully lower some risk. It is also being investigated as a Long Covid treatment, I had a positive experience with my experiment.
   

Transmission Precautions (how to protect people you live with, etc):

COVID is most often transmitted via the air, not droplets like we thought early in the pandemic. As such:

• Fresh air will be your easiest and most effective option, assuming climate safety. Even a slightly open window will be MUCH better than closed windows.
• Masks are extremely effective, especially when both parties wear them. Respirators (aka a mask with a safety rating such as N95, KN95, KF94, P2, FFP2, DS) are best, but anything is better than none. Try to get as good of a seal as you can/minimize air leaks.
• Air filtering with HEPA filters is great if you have access and funds. Try to make sure the filter(s) you use are sufficient for the square footage of the space. Earlier variants had a filter goal of 6 air changes per hour (ACH), but anything is better than nothing, especially when combined with opened windows, etc. If the filters are insufficient for the square footage/meterage or ACH, place them for largest impact: for example close to the sick person, in areas with poor ventilation, or areas of high social contact.
• If HEPA filters are too expensive or unavailable, try to make a Corsi-Rosenthal Box (a DIY air filter alternative using MERV13+ filters and a box fan, free directions abound online). Same strategies as above.
• Last home air filter precaution: most climate control systems have a filter, and if that filter is already or can easily be changed to a MERV13+ filter, that will be an additional help.
• If you must run errands/go to work/etc, please prioritize one of the rated respirators above. Try to do curbside or other distanced, outdoor pickup options where available.
• There are nasal precaution options including the aforementioned OTC H1 Antihistamine Azelastine and Profi Spray (which is highly effective, but their science was measured with nasal swab application, not spray).
• We have stopped the acute spread of Covid in our home two times (that we know of! the real number is probably much, much higher) by using strategically placed HEPAs and window cracking. Think Swiss Cheese:
   

Please Take Care:

• If you feel any sustained exhaustion or fatigue, please rest and do not push yourself for at least two-three months after infection, including physical and mental exertion. A lot of us long haulers had an inkling early on that something was off but we pushed ourselves to be “back to normal” and that caused immense lasting harm. It might sound like a long time now, but a few months is a short time in comparison to the rest of your life. Trust me.
  I wish I had read this earlier: Indefinitely Ill – Post-Covid Fatigue
• Pacing is the most helpful tool I have found for my health, and has been practiced by people with post-viral illness for a long time.
  Intro to pacing: ME Action’s Stop Rest Pace
• Scheduling breaks with reminder alerts is how I do it, and by having specific things I look forward to about downtime (slowed audiobooks, a nature soundscape, etc). Some people are better at remembering on their own.
• Lastly, I recommend using a symptom tracker even for initial infection (and that couple month period after). Hopefully before too long there won’t be many symptoms to track and things’ll be mostly a-ok, and it won’t be needed, but the way covid makes the brain all squiggly, IMO tracking symptoms is super important for understanding what your body needs to have your best chance at maintaining your current health!
• The app Visible is popular in some LC communities, but a journal or calendar is a-ok too. It helps to check in with your body and see how much feels safe to do and what to prioritize. (Visible is free for symptom tracking and I recommend the free version short-term. If you end up needing long term pacing help and want to include the paid wearable, though here’s my coupon code: https://join.makevisible.com/68284299c4dc3e )
   
   
  Thank you for taking care of yourself and your communities. We need all the precautions, kindness, and care we can get right now.

  Additional Covid Safety info from someone else’s patreon:
  https://www.patreon.com/posts/huge-free-covid-86871700
   
  My other Long Covid & related topics info:
  Illmarks Resources Page

https://www.illmarks.com/symptoms-are-coming-long-covid-prevention-tips/

#allergy #art #backToSchool #backtoschool #besafe #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #cdc #chronicIllness #covid #covidIsAirborne #covidIsNotOver #covid19 #covid19 #covidcompetent #CovidIsntOver #environmental #health #healthcare #longCovid #longcovid #maskUp #maskup #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastCellDisease #mastcell #mcas #medArt #medart #medblog #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #pwme #SaltingTheVibes #SaltingTheVibes #sarsCov2 #sars2 #sciArt #SciArt #WearAMask #WearARespirator

@skinnylatte first off this thread is a gold mine of people worth following - informed and unwilling to deny overwhelming evidence :mastothumbsup: :mastorespirator:

my answer varies by who's asking

as @foolishowl said kids are maybe the hardest. I'm mostly at "this stops me from getting sick" for kids.

friends and friendlies, I use the question as an excuse to info dump, which I follow up with an email with pull quotes and citations from reputable sources, so they know it's not BS

unknowns and hostiles get some variation of "I can't afford to get sick", "are you going to pay my bills if I get sick", and then info dump what I can

#CovidIsNotOver #COVIDIsAirborne #MaskUp #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent

A recent common cold may nearly halve risk of COVID-19, study suggests

So Covid-Competent folks - this is going to land different in different quarters.

• The previously evidence-supported paradigm/metaphor "the immune system is a candle not a muscle" might need to be abandoned for a third, more nuanced position[+]
• Of course there's the need to check the paper itself, and if it's solid, to replicate / validate, but beyond that.
• Folks with immune dysregulation can't all just catch rhinoviruses all the time to keep the system active.

[+] probably approximately: "microbes vary:

• some are overwhelmingly beneficial, eg. in our gut;
• some have mixed costs and benefits like rhinovirus or conditions when they become pathological like candida, and
• some basically only have costs like influenza(?), SARS1 and SARS2, measles"

re: https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/recent-common-cold-may-nearly-halve-risk-covid-19-study-suggests

#COVID #COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #CovidCompetent #AirborneAware #rhinovirus #paradigmshift

in this week's COVID-19 roundup from @ducky includes highlights like:

paper from Germany found that 21% of masters’ athletes (median age in the high 50s) had Long COVID. The prevalence did not differ by sex, athletic specialties, training load, or prior competition level. Long COVID can happen to healthy, fit people!

(emphasis hers)

from market vendors who self medicated:
taking aspirin increased the risk of COVID-19 infection by 134%;
taking vitamin C decreased the risk of COVID-19 infection by 56%.
Meanwhile, not getting a 💉 COVID-19 booster increased their risk by 238%.

and

for immunocompromised people, taking Paxlovid for 10 or 15 days instead of five days didn’t make a whit of difference.

summaries of more papers, and citations for it all, at https://covidbc.webfoot.com/2025/07/19/2025-07-19-general/

#COVID19 #COVID #SARSCoV2 #Pandemic #CovidIsNotOver #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent

Edit: @ABScientist shared https://ccnse.ca/sites/default/files/Fomites%20and%20COVID-19%20March%2022%20final%20in%20template-revised.pdf !

hey Covid-Competent, well-informed folks! I have a favour to ask!

has anyone bookmarked a good reference for what % of SARS-CoV-2 cases are due to fomite transmission?

the US CDC was at one point saying:

each contact with a contaminated surface has less than a 1 in 10,000 chance of causing an infection [1]

but that's not a % of infections, it's per contact with contaminated surface. That's supported a few ways, eg. by a sampling that included counting touchpoints:

The estimated risk of infection from touching a contaminated surface was low (less than 5 in 10,000) by quantitative microbial risk assessment [2]

but that study didn't actually culture virus, they checked RNA levels and counted touches (and again, is per contaminated touch, not per case)

Try as I might, I can't actually find a grounded estimate of how many actual infections have been fomite-driven at any point in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

[1] https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/science-and-research/surface-transmission.html
[2] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7927285/

@askazero

#SARSCoV2 #COVID #COVID19 #COVIDIsAirborne #CovidIsNotOver #CovidCompetent #AirborneAware

MD in the UK:

The amount of people I know who now have cognitive issues is staggering. Young, old, it doesnt matter. These are ‘non long Covids’. Biobank called it early- loss of grey matter/reduced volume. People making mistakes everywhere, can’t remember simple lists, can’t find words etc [1]

Don't try and say this doesn't ring a bell, if you live in a community of more than 10.

[1] Dr. Taylor, https://bird.makeup/users/drclairetaylor/statuses/1938803665760067960

#COVID #SARSCoV2 #COVID19 #CovidIsNotOver #CovidCompetent #LongCOVID

Imagine a faith that puts the well-being of people ahead of corporate interests in 2025.

https://www.stmargaretscedarcottage.ca/why-are-we-still-masking.html

THIS is what living a moral life can look like. Caring about others, refusing to perpetuate false narratives, protecting oneself, following evidence as it accumulates.

BONUS: THIS WEEK they're selling ultra-quiet air purifiers at a discount, to fundraise https://www.stmargaretscedarcottage.ca/order-your-air-cleaner.html

h/t a zero :mastomask: 👍

#BC #Vancouver #CovidIsNotOver #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #COVID #COVID19 #SARS2 #religion #faith

This was my reply to @o-bel.bsky.social on the other app Thought I’d share it here as these conversations & experiences are important 👇👇👇 #COVIDinformed #immunocompromised #COVIDcompetent #OCD #OCDAwareness

This was my reply to @o-bel.bsky.social on the other app Thought I’d share it here as these conversations & experiences are important 👇👇👇 #COVIDinformed #immunocompromised #COVIDcompetent #OCD #OCDAwareness

Are you Covid-Competent and wishing for some emotional and rational support as much of the world cosplays 2019?

https://whn.global/stuck-in-the-middle-with-masking-playing-the-long-game-in-a-short-sighted-age/ is trending at https://zeroes.ca/explore/links for good reason. Short, accessible, a respected MD who is living according to clear evidence.

#COVIDIsNotOver #COVID #COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #CovidIsAirborne #Pandemic #CovidCompetent #AirborneAware

Hey #covidcautious #covidcompetent #CovidIsNotOver #stillCOVIDing #covidconscious community!

Please check out & support this CC journalist who publishes a FREE list of Covid-safer performance-arts & related events (incl. activism), many accessible from anywhere, each week! Support tiers start @ $1/month - please join if you can & repost:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/covid-safe-bay-127039572

So. How about this careful result demonstrating viral replication inside megakaryocyte immune cells?

transmission electron microscopy pointed to the presence of viral particles inside bone marrow MK. Immunolabeling confirmed the presence of two SARS-CoV-2 proteins, spike and Orf3a, as well as double-stranded RNA suggesting a potential viral replication cycle.

Note this study is from last month, but it's from hospitalized 2020-2021 patient data. It's existence proof, not population statistics.

That said:

bone marrow MK infection is not a strict determinant of mortality. However, all survivors experienced post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 condition (PASC) diagnosed during post-intensive care follow-up

short 🧵

#CovidIsAirborne #SARSCoV2 #COVID #COVID19 #CovidCompetent #AirborneAware #immunology

@themaskerscomic this is really remarkably solid data

The cohort included 297,920 SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals and 915,402 SARS-CoV-2-negative controls. Every individual had at least a six-month follow-up after cohort entry

With a range of risk ratios from roughly +25% to +200%! That's up to triple the risk!

children and adolescents [...] infected with SARS-CoV-2 exhibited increased risks for a range of post-acute cardiovascular outcomes, with RR [risk ratio] between 1.26 and 2.92

and things have not gotten better with newer variants:

similar cardiovascular outcomes in children infected with the Delta and Omicron variants

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-56284-0 also via @TRyanGregory

#COVIDIsNotOver #COVID #SARSCoV2 #COVID19 #CovidCompetent #AirborneAware #pediatrics #cardiology #PASC #LC #LongCOVID

This preprint seems so good! [edit: pre-proof not pre-print, it has been peer reviewed and the data passed muster, but might have formatting, grammar, and spelling tweaks]

goals were: a) to detect viral load in indoor air in different areas and floors of a separate COVID building in a hospital [...], b) to evaluate the effect of an air-cleaner in the reduction of viral load in the presence of patients, and c) to examine the correlation between viral presence in the air and particle matter burden.

their methodology is making me happy!

Their system separated aerosols into > 2.5 μm, 1.0 to 2.5 μm, 0.5 to 1.0 μm, 0.25 to 0.50 μm, and < 0.25 μm, and found

SARS-CoV-2 was detected in all different fractions and the highest viral loads were detected at stages A (> 2.5 μm) and B (1 - 2.5 μm).

however this was in open-window conditions, ie. low CO2 and higher airflow; sampling with the same equipment in households, they found

the highest amount was detected in Stage 4 (0.25 - 0.5 μm)

The data is mostly PCR but they did do some sequencing, and positively confirmed the dominant variants were stable through the study, and not confounding.

Note the air cleaner was a "Airocide (APS GCS-25 model) air purifier" which uses "photocatalytic oxidation technology" as well as 254nm UV, with no HEPA or other mechanical filter.

Also, this is vindicating for those of us pleading with folks to not immediately de-mask in the hallway:

the highest concentration was detected in COVID clinic rooms displaying a high peak of 1123 copies/m3, whereas at the corridor area showed 481 copies/m3

Also highly of note, they could not detect any virus in the areas that were upstream of negative-pressure COVID-19 care. So yes, home isolation protocols that emphasize negative pressure zones absolutely are well founded!

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0021850225000643 via https://aus.social/@Sidherian

#SARSCoV2 #COVID #COVID19 #COVIDIsNotOver #CovidIsAirborne #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #PublicHealth #CleanAir

Hey men who enjoy sex! MASK UP TO KEEP IT UP! :mastorespirator: 🍆

If taking a soccer ball ⚽ to the crotch had 1/5 odds of long term erectile dysfunction (ED) would you wear a cup when you play soccer?

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-88904-6

20% of men in this study got NEW ED - and only 1/4 "got their mojo back" after two years.

#MaskUpToKeepItUp #MaskUp #reproductiveHealth #health #men #mensHealth #ED #sex #health #CovidIsNotOver #CovidCompetent

The person - the man - who spends the most on anti-aging in the world, whose physiology is the most measured in the world?

Lost 15% of lung capacity to "mild" acute COVID-19.

https://www.donotpanic.news/p/the-billionaire-who-wants-to-live

To be clear, 15% is not "you take an extra 6th breath for every 5." It is worse in ways that you can investigate for yourself. It is Not Good.

#CovidIsNotOver #COVID19 #COVID #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #LongCOVID #aging

If we were to see immune damage manifesting at a population level, it would look like what we’re seeing today: big waves of common illnesses. Unusual spikes of uncommon illnesses. Course reversal for previously declining and eliminated illnesses. An unexplained, global wave of sickness.

How much more denial can the bodies of our children take? Are we going to force them to find out?

lots of citations demonstrating that damage and more at https://www.thegauntlet.news/p/kids-keep-getting-sicker-as-evidence

#AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #LongCOVID #CovidIsNotOver #COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #immunity

"57% decreased odds of 1 or more PCC symptoms and a 73% decreased odds of 2 or more PCC symptoms" - that's dramatically lower odds of a child suffering:

➡️ unable to remember
➡️ unable to focus
➡️ unable to exercise
➡️ headache
➡️ insomnia
➡️ lightheadedness, fainting
➡️ extreme fatigue
➡️ loss of vivacity, joie de vivre
➡️ personality changes
➡️ hospitalization and death

Protect your children.

Otherwise, if they survive, they will wonder why you didn't protect them, when it costs only the time to get vaccinated, and a few pennies a day N95s and HEPA filters.

Otherwise, you might find yourself mourning the potential you KNEW your child had, and desperately hoping for treatments.

Treatments may never come. Neurons don't come back. Developmental windows close.

Don't be the ghoul that condemns your children, don't strip their future because it's not cool to mask. It might not be cool to wear a bike helmet either. Concussions can't be undone, either. Don't usher your children willingly into suffering and disability.

DON'T FUCKING STACK THE ODDS AGAINST YOUR KIDS.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11851240/

ht/ @augieray https://mastodon.social/@augieray/114128494000879104

#vaccines #vaccine #COVID19 #CovidIsNotOver #SARS2 #SARSCoV2 #COVID #CovidCompetent #AirborneAware #maskUp #pediatrics #pandemic #disease #LongCOVID #LC #LCKids #LongCovidKids

"a Nature Immunology study from January 2024 "Long COVID manifests with T cell dysregulation, inflammation and an uncoordinated adaptive immune response to SARS-CoV-2" reveals further harm through T cell dysregulation in long COVID patients. The research identified increased frequencies of exhausted SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ T cells, alongside CD4+ T cells primed for inflammation, and a lack of coordination between T and B cell responses."

"a paper in JCI insight showing T cell exhaustion to other infections following a covid infection"

"a Nature Immunology study from January 2022 "Immunological dysfunction persists for 8 months following initial mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection" shows that COVID-19 leads to a prolonged reduction in naive T cells (both CD4+ and CD8+) in individuals with long COVID, persisting up to eight months post-infection."

"Such a long-term impact on the naive T cell pool is not a standard feature of recovery from other acute viral infections like influenza, [...] This effect may not completely persist, however, what it represents is sloughing of the T cells."

A study published in Immunity found "Even after vaccination, those with a history of COVID-19 showed weaker and less functional CD8+ T cell responses, a phenomenon likened to the immune damage seen in chronic viral infections like hepatitis C or HIV. This attenuation indicates that SARS-CoV-2 inflicts a lasting impairment on CD8+ T cell effector function"

@Westcoastmaven I hear you, and regret to inform you that neither the official narrative nor the corporate media narrative are aligned with scientific results. The risk of acute death was always low in relatively healthy people. The risk of long term damage per single infection was and remains high, with Statistics Canada estimating that half of people don't fully recover from Long COVID, and that more than 1/3 of people experience Long COVID symptoms by their 3rd COVID-19 infection.

And that 1/3 risk of Long COVID symptoms by a third infection IS if the person is vaccinated.

And numerically, cases are not low right now:

"Canadian COVID Forecast Mar 1-14, 2025

About 1 in every 52 people infected

Compared to lowest point of pandemic in Canada:
-Infections ~14X higher
-Long COVID ~13X higher
-Hospitalizations ~12X higher
-Deaths ~11X higher"

from https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:qbuobwdie7rzq4fburk63aft/post/3ljiuvhkka22b who are still doing COVID-19 modelling at UofT

#COVID #CovidIsNotOver #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #COVID19 #SARSCoV2 #pandemic

"We know that infection and reinfection, even when mild, is linked to cell and organ damage that may harm their future health. More needs to be done to protect our children, and the first step is ensuring that our schools are safe"

"The briefing also says Long Covid can also lead to a 'substantially increased' risk of sudden death and 'silent' damage to cells and organs which can lead to later illness.

"Certainly the silent organ damage is a real problem, we think, for future development of disease."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543885/long-covid-warning-silent-organ-damage-is-a-real-problem

#AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #COVIDIsNotOver #COVID19 #COVID #SARSCoV2 #LongCOVID #PASC #pandemic #maskUp #cleanAir

@PhoenixSerenity Oh wow, the pink on white writing on your mask is light and at first I missed that you wrote "❤️ COVID KILLED MY DAD" - consolations and that is hard core and you are inspiring.

I wish everyone cared about family and strangers the way you do, and had the courage to act caringly.

#maskUp #yallMasking #COVID #COVID19 #AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #SARSCoV2

"Why Are People Wearing Masks In 2025?"https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/p/why-are-people-wearing-masks-in-2025 👈 This is so good.

It's not short - but that's part of the point.

There are SO many good reasons to mask and SO much evidence.

https://misfitmentalhealth.substack.com/p/why-are-people-wearing-masks-in-2025

h/t @ducky

#AirborneAware #CovidCompetent #CovidIsNotOver #CovidIsAirborne #MaskUp #COVID19 #flu #influenza #mask

Heartwarming aspects of this Sci-Fi dystopia:

* Rebel forest rangers
* Fursuited public-interest cryptographers
* Librarian dark networks
* Everyday people doing distributed archiving
* Doctors of the Resistance

RIGHT NOW THIS IS EXCITING! ➡️ https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ucsfapathy/

#CovidIsNotOver #COVIDisAirborne #CovidCompetent #maskUp #cleanAir #resistance #morality #publicHealth #DoNoHarm #LongCOVID #Doctors #Medicine

Learn from history. HISTORY INCLUDES THE PAST FIVE YEARS.

Statistics Canada is not falsifying huge datasets. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231208/dq231208a-eng.htm?HPA=1

The Tyee is not falsifying long form reporting. https://thetyee.ca/Analysis/2024/07/02/What-We-Can-Do-Long-COVID/

McMaster researchers are chasing health, not grants. https://healthsci.mcmaster.ca/long-covid-what-you-need-to-know-about-post-covid-19-condition/ (though "can last months" should read "can last months, years, or perhaps never end.")

#CovidIsNotOver #LongCOVID #SARS2 #SARSCoV2 #COVID19 #CovidCompetent #COVID #StatisticsCanada #statistics #history #publicHealth

I thought I'd read "just one more paper" (uh huuuh 😏) tonight

Semi-randomly landed on https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01260-6 from 2021

...huh

"The simplest solution to this is for social-media companies to remove the anti-vaxx misinformation superspreaders: the professional propagandists making a living from the anti-vaxx industry, from their platforms, as detailed in our July 2020 report. There is no moral justification for profiting from harmful lies, and there is no legal barrier to social-media companies’ removing them for breach of their terms of service. In fact, in the USA, moderation decisions are explicitly protected by law. The problem has never been ability; instead, it has been the will to act. Tech companies have failed to act because their business model relies upon keeping users on their platforms scrolling through content interspersed with advertising, regardless of that content’s impact on society. Their failure to act should be punished with tough government regulation." 💥

and that closing paragraph: "All of us have been doing our bit in 2020 and 2021 to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Think of the friends and family you have not seen. Think of the medics risking their own lives and losing patients to this cruel virus. Think of the Herculean efforts made by scientists to develop a vaccine in record time. The anti-vaxx industry and technology companies, however, for their own solipsistic reasons, threaten to derail all that progress. It is up to all of us to stop them from doing so."

#CovidCompetent #CovidIsNotOver #COVID #COVID19 #pandemic #socialMedia #politics #policy #vaccines

➡️ Clean water - no cholera. ❌:bacteria:
➡️ Clean air - no covid. ❌:coronavirus:
➡️ Clean info - no disinformation. 📵🙊

#cleanAir #cleanWater #CovidCompetent #covid #cholera #disinformation #choleraInTheAgeOfCovid

Guess what! The Brookline Public Library has CO2 monitors that you can borrow! Very useful for checking out the ventilation in any indoor space that is ventilated (mechanically or naturally) with outdoor air. FREE!!!!!
https://brookline.minlib.net/Record/.b42432650
#Brookline #BrooklineMA #IndoorAirQuality #COVIDisAirborne #CovidConscious #CovidCompetent