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shouting at the void with my mask still on
Jan. 5th, 2023 11:14 am::------::
January 5: What is the last restaurant you went to?
I ate inside in Minneapolis w. David & Laura Bryan. Pho, I think. We went to a place next to their house, too, that was beautiful. Tropical. That was back in November of 2022. We sat next to an open window. Both times I wore my mask when not eating. These were the only times I've eaten inside a restaurant in 2022.
::------::
January 5: What is the last restaurant you went to?
I ate inside in Minneapolis w. David & Laura Bryan. Pho, I think. We went to a place next to their house, too, that was beautiful. Tropical. That was back in November of 2022. We sat next to an open window. Both times I wore my mask when not eating. These were the only times I've eaten inside a restaurant in 2022.
::------::
People are acting like now that we're all vaccinated, the pandemic is over. It feels a little like everyone's gone insane, but truly I know they're acting according to the information they have, which is woefully inadequate and oftentimes false. The COVID-19 misinformation wars have been lost. The public is being lied to about immunity debt, immunosuppression, Long COVID, the effectiveness of vaccinations, if booster shots are optional or not (they are not), etc, etc.
In short, when the current governments told the people of North America that the pandemic was now going to be managed through individualized risk assessment, it neglected to inform citizens of the true magnitude or mechanism of that risk.
The talking points that survive say that if you're vaccinated, you'll be fine. This isn't right. If you're vaccinated, you have far better chances. Full stop. You can still get sick. You can still be a carrier. You can still be injured and disabled for life. You can still die, even. These truths should be everywhere. Mask mandates should remain and continue. Testing centers should remain.
And yet.. in spite of the science, the knowledge, the hard facts: Barriers to travel are gone. Workers are back in offices. Mask-wearing is optional in most public places. In Canada and the USA, life is pretty much back to normal for the vast majority of people.
Meanwhile, more people died in 2022 either from COVID-19 or in association with the disease in Canada and the US than during each of the first two years of the pandemic.
Meanwhile, across the provinces and states that are top #XBB15 dominant epicenters (Canada/Northeast US), hospitalizations are increasing. The reason is that #XBB15 is one of the most evasive variants against immunity (high escape) and fusion with human cells (high ACE2 binding)—a worst of both worlds.
Meanwhile, Long Covid continues to gather further victims. Defined by a constellation of numerous symptoms occurring weeks or months following Covid-19 infection, it affects both adults and children. It attacks those who had severe acute infections and those who had mild or asymptomatic infections. You can be sick, never know it, and still have irreversible damage.
Meanwhile, a recent Freedom Of Information request uncovered the fact that every provincial government in Canada had high quality information on the severity and prevalence of long COVID as early as July 2020. This was not communicated to the public. And if Canada had that knowledge, it must follow that in Europe and the US - same story.
First, it is important to acknowledge the ethical framework of Public Health, as set out by PHAC, states scientific uncertainty should not prevent decision makers from taking action to reduce risks associated with COVID. It's understood that Public Health therefore has an ethical duty to apply precaution. However, we also now know Canadian decision makers had a staggering quantity of high quality information detailing the prevalence and mechanisms of the long term complications of COVID. They simply chose to ignore it.
Meanwhile, COVID increases your risk of diabetes in the year after infection. Meanwhile, there is a direct relationship between COVID and potential heart disease.
Meanwhile, we have no cure for the widespread damage a COVID infection causes in pulmonary, vascular, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems (lungs, vessels, heart, stomach/intestine/bowel, and nerves respectively). Or any sure way to serve those suffering from the virus’ ability to induce ubiquitous micro-clotting.
Meanwhile, due to misinformation, disinformation, and negligent omission of data, public perception of Long COVID varies between it being uncommon and only impacting the immune compromised or those with preexisting chronic health issues, to it being imaginary, psychosomatic, or of dubious origin.
Meanwhile, COVID infections can disrupt the immune system, giving many COVID survivors serious auto-immune diseases, as well as make people more susceptible to other infections. Studies are beginning to show that for at least 6-8 months after a COVID infection, even in a mild, asymptomatic case, the t-cells of the body aren't working as intended. For reasons that have not yet been clarified, this is especially true for men. This means that everyone's who's caught COVID, no matter the symptoms, should consider themselves temporarily immune-compromised.
TLDR: Wear a mask. Test regularly. Subscribe to Your Local Epidemiologist on Substack.
Meanwhile, a recent Freedom Of Information request uncovered the fact that every provincial government in Canada had high quality information on the severity and prevalence of long COVID as early as July 2020. This was not communicated to the public. And if Canada had that knowledge, it must follow that in Europe and the US - same story.
First, it is important to acknowledge the ethical framework of Public Health, as set out by PHAC, states scientific uncertainty should not prevent decision makers from taking action to reduce risks associated with COVID. It's understood that Public Health therefore has an ethical duty to apply precaution. However, we also now know Canadian decision makers had a staggering quantity of high quality information detailing the prevalence and mechanisms of the long term complications of COVID. They simply chose to ignore it.
Meanwhile, COVID increases your risk of diabetes in the year after infection. Meanwhile, there is a direct relationship between COVID and potential heart disease.
Meanwhile, we have no cure for the widespread damage a COVID infection causes in pulmonary, vascular, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems (lungs, vessels, heart, stomach/intestine/bowel, and nerves respectively). Or any sure way to serve those suffering from the virus’ ability to induce ubiquitous micro-clotting.
Meanwhile, due to misinformation, disinformation, and negligent omission of data, public perception of Long COVID varies between it being uncommon and only impacting the immune compromised or those with preexisting chronic health issues, to it being imaginary, psychosomatic, or of dubious origin.
TLDR: Wear a mask. Test regularly. Subscribe to Your Local Epidemiologist on Substack.
