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iliveinprocrasti-nationn · 2 years

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“they’re saying only 1% of people die of covid so why are you worried?” ok then. not looking at any sources, let’s go off that statistic for this post. note: we’ve lost over a million people and counting in the united states alone.

i’ve seen some estimates saying 10%-30% of people end up with continuing symptoms (fatigue, brain fog, etc) after the end of infection, which could mean tens of millions of people. however, if even only 2% had persisting symptoms and we go by that 1% death statistic, that could be 2 million people living with some form of long covid impacting their daily life.

don’t wanna listen about covid? ok, let’s compare it to another disease known for its lasting symptoms and its “long” form: polio.

polio could be asymptomatic, but symptoms presented as flu-like if there were any. all things considered, paralysis was rare in comparison to infection numbers. i’ve seen a lot of polio statistics, and some say only 1 in 1,000 (0.1%) polio cases resulted in paralysis, though this seems like a rough average between the three variants. still, there were tens of thousands of cases of poliomyelitis paralysis. 1952 alone had over 20,000 paralysis cases reported, and that’s one year of many polio outbreaks (the most well known u.s. outbreak was 1948/49-1952).

just because a percentage seems low does not mean the damage is minuscule. be knowledgeable about how information is being presented to you and what the actual impacts are. small numbers do not equal little harm.

#im so tired of people who don’t know shit about disease trying to talk about it #although the cdc is supposed to know things and they’re only spouting bullshit too so who fucking knows #sometimes i wish public policy went with the polio route of ‘scare the shit out of people about this disease to keep them safe’#because the management right now is complete bullshit #anyway hi i spent years researching disease as a hobby and took an epidemiology class with a semester focusing on polio #i could compare covid to the spanish flu pandemic too but that would be another post #anyway im tired of this bullshit. viruses have the potential to wreak havoc on the body and covid is a prime example. the studies coming out #and the anecdotal experiences of many should be worrying to you and you should be avoiding it at all costs. you will not get lucky every #time against disease. knowledge is power especially when talking about disease #other source if y’all don’t think the research + study were enough and want me to have first hand experience seeing the disease progression:#my dad died of covid. i watched that disease wreak havoc on every part of his body as it progressed. it was absolutely terrifying and #exhausted his body to where his heart couldn’t keep up anymore. this isn’t a fucking cold #coronavirus #my post

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romythe · 4 months

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The reason for the extreme fatigue associated with long covid has been discovered by Dutch scientists.

Turns out the mitochondria (energy centres) in the muscles are not working properly and muscle tissue wastes away.

I sincerely hope this will be a step towards something that can actually help people with long covid and definitely the stigma attached to it.

#long covid #covid #covid 19 #coronavirus #longcovid #chronic illness #covid research #netherlands #news #covid fatigue

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dialogue-queered · 2 years

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Extract 1:

As the country passes 10,000 Covid deaths, the paradox is stark. There have been more than four times as many deaths in 2022 as in 2020 and 2021 combined, yet the confusion and fear of the early months of the pandemic have largely subsided, as has engagement from political leaders and the media.

Extract 2:

Aaron Deane can no longer handle hearing about Covid numbers and deaths. He switched off all his Covid news alerts. Deane, a nurse who lives in Sydney, travelled to Victoria to help nursing homes struggling to cope with Covid outbreaks in 2020.

Deane felt furious when he would read news reports quoting politicians including the then prime minister and health minister saying that those who died from Covid were “palliative” or “elderly”.

“I just thought, ‘Have some respect.’

“Don’t minimise the toll, don’t minimise the trauma of deaths, and everything everyone went through at the same time as those deaths, like being locked in their homes. It was just awful.”

#health #australia news #coronavirus #infectious diseases #medical research #Aaron Deane #2022 #auspol #the guardian

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pandemic-info · 9 months

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Vaccines currently in development

(I did not create this list and I'm sorry I don't know the original OP who compiled it.)

These are all currently in development to come to market in the next 2 years. If just one really works it will be a game changer

MT-001 a novel protein component vaccine candidate, MT-001, based on a fragment of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that encompasses the receptor binding domain (RBD) | A SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Designed for Manufacturability Results in Unexpected Potency and Non-Waning Humoral Response - https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/11/4/832 Mice and hamsters immunized with a prime-boost regimen of MT-001 demonstrated extremely high anti-spike IgG titers, and remarkably this humoral response did not appreciably wane for up to 12 months following vaccination. Further, virus neutralization titers, including titers against variants such as Delta and Omicron BA.1, remained high without the requirement for subsequent boosting.

DCFHP a ferritin-based, protein-nanoparticle vaccine candidate that, when formulated with aluminum hydroxide as the sole adjuvant (DCFHP-alum), elicits potent and durable neutralizing antisera in non-human primates against known VOCs, including Omicron BQ.1, as well as against SARS-CoV-1. | A ferritin-based COVID-19 nanoparticle vaccine that elicits robust, durable, broad-spectrum neutralizing antisera in non-human primates https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10110616/#MOESM3

ISM3312 a COVID-19 drug entirely designed by generative AI works by inhibiting a protein called 3CL protease — a critical factor in viral replication and a popular target for anti-COVID drugs. Unlike similar therapeutics, it works on a very broad spectrum — showing efficacy not only against all current COVID variants, but also coronaviruses other than SARS-CoV-2. As such, it may possess the ability to resist future mutations, providing a solution to drug-resistant strains. | ‘It’s perfect’: World’s first generative AI-designed COVID drug to start clinical trials https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2023/02/23/its-perfect-worlds-first-generative-ai-designed-covid-drug-to-start-clinical-trials.html

BNT162b4, composed of a T cell antigen mRNA encoding for SARS-CoV-2 non-spike proteins that are highly conserved across a broad range of SARS-CoV-2 variants and will be evaluated in combination with the Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine | Pfizer and BioNTech Advance Next-Generation COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy with Study Start of Candidate Aimed at Enhancing Breadth of T cell Responses and Duration of Protection https://investors.biontech.de/news-releases/news-release-details/pfizer-and-biontech-advance-next-generation-covid-19-vaccine

25F9 and 20A7 identified as two highly potent broadly neutralizing antibodies, making them promising prophylactic candidates against sarbecovirus infection |Broadly neutralizing antibodies against sarbecoviruses generated by immunization of macaques with an AS03-adjuvanted COVID-19 vaccine – Science Translational Medicine – https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.adg7404

ChAd-SARS-CoV-2-BA.5-S, which encodes for a pre- fusion and surface-stabilized S protein of the BA.5 strain. | A bivalent ChAd nasal vaccine protects against SARS-CoV-2 BQ.1.1 and XBB.1.5 infection and disease in mice and hamsters https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.05.04.539332v1

#covid #covid vaccine #vaccines #treatment #will it be like this forever #'will you mask forever?'#research #science #neutralizing vaccine #coronavirus

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i-amusemyself · 2 years

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Masterpost on Mask Efficacy Reseach in Covid-19

Sick of hearing that masks don’t work? Me too :)))) here’s some research studies showing that they do for next time Karen starts Karening.

(Correct as of August 2022)

A general respiratory viruses review (there are many more but that’s a post for another day):

A review of studies showing mask wearing prevents respiratory virus transmission including SARS, influenza, bird flu and Covid-19.

Wang et al., 2021 doi: 10.1002/mds3.10163

Animal models and masks with Covid-19

This study placed hamsters in separate cages and measured transmission of Covid-19 from an infected hamster to a healthy one. Surgical masks were shown to decrease infection rates.

Chan et al., 2020 doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa644

Mathematical models/simulations and masks with Covid-19

Mathematical modeling demonstrates mask ability to reduce transmission and mortality. It shows even masks of low efficacy can do this transmission rate is low or decreasing.

Eikenberry et al., 2020 doi: 10.1016/j.idm.2020.04.001

Mathematical modelling shows that higher quality face masks can protect the wearer from Covid-19, but two-way masking is better than one-way masking.

Bagheri et al., 2021 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2110117118

Researchers made a cough aerosol simulator to test how well different masks blocked the aerosol. N95 masks blocked 99%, surgical masks blocked 59%, cloth masks blocked 51% and face shields blocked only 2%.

Lindsly et al., 2021 doi: 10.1080/02786826.2020.1862409

Medical grade respirator masks are able to filter particles the size of Covid-19, while poorer quality masks are still able to filter larger aerosol particles which likely contain the virus.

Robinson et al., 2022 doi: 10.1080/02786826.2022.2042467

A model based on close-contact behaviour on the Subway showed that virus exposure could be reduced by 82% if all passengers wore surgical masks.

Liu et al, 2022 doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129233

Community settings and masks with Covid-19

A study looking back at 124 households in Beijing found that when one family member had Covid-19, risk of secondary infections within the household decreased by 79% if the infected member started masking before symptoms.

Wang et al., 2020 doi: 10.1136/bmjgh-2020-00279

In Hong Kong, in the period studied, masking compliance was 96.6% and Covid-19 incidence was significantly lower per million people than in countries with less mask compliance.

Cheng et al., 2020 doi: 10.1016/j.jinf.2020.04.024

A study of 211 Covid-19 cases and 839 controls in Thailand showed that consistent mask wearing was independently associated with reduced risk of Covid-19 infection.

Doung-ngern et al., 2020 doi: 10.3201/eid2611.203003

Introduction of mask mandates in states across the US was associated with a decline in Covid-19 infection growth rates.

Lyu and Wehby doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818

A randomised trial in nearly 350,000 people in Bangladesh found that mask wearing significantly reduced symptomatic Covid-19 infections.

Abaluck et al., 2021

In US counties with masking mandates, daily case incidence declined by 35% in 6 weeks compared to matched counties without masking mandates.

Huang et al., 2022 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2021.01072

An outbreak of Covid-19 on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which carried 382 men, showed that those that wore face coverings were 70% less likely to become infected.

Payne et al., 2020 doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6923e4

A study of mask wearing in 20 million people, alongside Covid-19 infection data from 92 regions showed that mask wearing corresponds to a 19% reduction in Covid-19 reproductive number, R.

Leech et al., 2022 doi: 10.1073/pnas.2119266119

Young children wearing masks was associated with a 13% reduction in risk of childcare program closure due to Covid-19, meaning more in-person education.

Murray et al., 2022 doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.41227

Healthcare settings and masks with Covid-19

A hospital in Massachusetts managed to decrease rates of Covid-19 infection amongst 10,000 staff with universal masking, despite increasing rates of infection in the community.

Wang et al., 2020 doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.12897

A North Carolina health provider showed that epidemiological curve of healthcare-aquired Covid-19 infections was flattened in healthcare workers following a universal masking policy. This was despite increasing community incidence.

Seidelman et al., 2020 doi: 0.1017/ice.2020.313

A study of 29 general hospitals in Israel found that hospital-acquired Covid-19 infections among healthcare workers only started to decline following a universal masking mandate for all staff, patients and visitors.

Temkin et al., 2021 doi: 10.1017/ice.2021.207.Epub

A systematic review of 13 studies in healthcare and the community found that probability of Covid-19 infection for mask wearers was 7%, compared with 52% for non-mask wearers.

Alihsan et al., 2022 doi: 10.1101/2022.07.28.22278153

Properly fitted N95 masks alongside high quality air filtration can protect from Covid-19 infection for long periods, even with high viral loads at close range.

Landry et al., 2022 doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac195

This study shows masks were able to block the exhalation of virus particles by individuals infected by Covid-19 in Brazil.

Mello et al., 2022 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264389

“But masks can harbour bacteria and fungi and give you pneumonia”

This is most likely referring to the study by Park et al., 2022 doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-15409-x

However, if they actually read the paper they would find that:

Most fungi found were on the outside of the mask. Most fungi were opportunistic pathogens (only a danger to immunocompromised), rather than pathogenic.

Most bacteria were non-pathogenic in humans. Of the bacteria that were potentially pathogenic, most were commensal (normally found within the body) or opportunistic (don’t cause harm unless immunocompromised).

The article does not recommend against mask use, only repeated use of the same mask in immunocompromised individuals.

The paper points out that masks reduce transmission of Covid-19.

The paper points out that pathogenic bacteria and fungi are detectable on many materials we use in daily life.

And if you’re really worried about what’s on your mask:

Masks can be sterilized with steam or hot water without compromising their efficacy.

Rahman et al., 2022 doi: 10.3390/polym14071296

“But studies show that masks don’t work”

The most commonly cited evidence of this is a Danish study on the effectiveness of adding a mask mandate.

Bundgaard et al., 2021 doi: 10.7326/M20-6817

This study found that there was no significant difference in infection rates in 4000 Danes, between those recommended masks and those not recommended masks.

However, the study has many limitations which may explain why results differ from the majority of mask studies:

Infection rates reported in the study were not comparable with rates reported in the Danish population at the time.

Fewer people were infected in the masked group, but not to a level of statistical significance. The authors state that results are inconclusive, as opposed to concluding that masks provide no protection.

Only surgical masks were given to participants, which have a limited ability to protect the wearer from airborne viruses vs aerosolised viruses due to their loose fit.

The study only assessed how effectively the masks protected the wearer, not how well it reduced transmission to others.

In the group where masks were recommended, only 46% reported wearing their masks completely as recommended. I.e. more than half of this group did not always wear a mask.

The authors themselves state that the findings should not be used to conclude that mask recommendations in the community would not be effective in controlling Covid-19 spread.

“But masks make it hard to communicate!”

Data is mixed on expression recognition, but some studies show masks have no detrimental effect. Also, context and additional non-verbal cues are often not considered in studies.

A study of children aged 7-13 found that face masks did not impair ability to infer emotions.

Ruba and Pollack, 2020 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243708

Also, clear face masks are available, including clear surgical masks and clear respirators.

“But masks reduce oxygenation”

Wearing a face mask does not cause low O2 nor high CO2 at rest or during activity.

Shein et al., 2021 doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0247414

Gas exchange is not significantly affected by the use of surgical mask, even in subjects with severe lung impairment.

Samannan et al., 2020 doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.202007-812RL

THAT graph that anti-maskers love to show

“Fig. 3. Correlation between Infection Rate and Annual Mask Usage generated from discarded face masks. (USA: United States of America; UK: United Kingdom)”

This graph actually comes from a paper on microplastics from face mask disposal, as opposed to anything epidemiological.

Shukla et al., 2022 doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.134805

This graph does not accurately show the Annual Mask Usage (AMU) of each country to an accuracy that could ever be used in a paper with an epidemiological focus.

The authors did not account for variable mask usage in different countries and they use no real world data used on this. Instead, variation in Annual Mask Usage (AMU) is estimated by considering the population of each country in rural vs urban areas, and the presumed acceptance of masks in each area, which is constant for each country (10% in rural areas vs 80% in urban). Basically, this graph shows no accurate data on mask wearing in each country.

The authors also state that there is a correlation between AMU and infection rate. However, the country with the greatest population in the world, China, counters this trend. Equally, the data for India and Brazil, which also have a large proportion of the global population, also contradict this conclusion. This would explain why the authors never attempted to provide statistical tests to prove the correlation that they have supposedly found.

I think that about sums it up, but feel free to add more!

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