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Weekly COVID-19 Update for 2023-12-24
COVID is still airborne, and COVID still very much isn't over.
Northeastern and Midwestern USA SARS2 virus levels in wastewater are *soaring*, Northeast is currently at 1500 copies/mL (~750 copies indicates a strong surge), and Midwest is at 1300 copies/mL. Southeastern and Western USA are maintaining relatively lower levels between 600 and 700 overall, but both are still climbing. See https://biobot.io/data for county-specific data as results can vary widely between locales.
How to reduce your risk of infection? The SARS2 virus is airborne and can spread like smoke, so #MaskUp with an #N95 or better, avoid superspreader events and locations, and stay up-to-date on your boosters. Do it for yourself, so you don't catch SARS-CoV-2, and for others, so you don't spread SARS-CoV-2. Even if you're fully vaccinated, your risk of developing #LongCOVID following an infection is lower but not zero, and multiple reinfections increase your odds of negative health outcomes. Plan A always should be to prevent an infection from developing by wearing a respirator with a good seal around your mouth and nose (FFP2, FFP3, KN95, N95, N99, P100, etc.).
Holiday tips:
-If someone tells you that COVID is over, you might ask them why, if we didn't consider COVID to be over in 2020 or 2021, when the COVID wastewater levels were lower, why should we consider it over now, when the virus is circulating in even higher amounts?
-"Fewer cases" doesn't mean much when most of the at-home rapid tests don't get counted in official records, and the most accurate PCR tests are neither freely available nor given to everyone getting on a plane or attending classes.
-"Fewer deaths" also means less when you remember that about 1,200,000 of the most vulnerable people already have died from it, COVID-19 remains the #3 cause of death in 2023 (behind heart disease and cancer, the risk of both of which may be increased by COVID), and the risk of a Long COVID/post-acute COVID syndrome (PACS) disability or other potentially life-shortening organ damage (brain, kidney, lung, immune, etc.) isn't measured just by the death count. Also, the USA's life expectancy still hasn't recovered from the drop it experienced following the start of the pandemic.
source: https://biobot.io/data
source: https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20231006/these-are-the-top-10-causes-of-death-in-the-us
source: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2022/covid-and-the-heart-it-spares-no-one
source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33914346/
source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/29/average-us-life-expectancy-increased-not-pre-covid/71738611007/
#covid#pandemic#corona#coronavirus#sarscov2#publichealth#science#disease#covidisntover#virus#medicine#sars2#covidisairborne#covidisnotover#health#lifeexpectancy
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An open letter to the U.S. House of Representatives
Co-sponsor H.R. 1478, the Federal Firearms Licensee Act.
542 so far! Help us get to 1,000 signers!
As your constituent, I'm writing to ask that you co-sponsor H.R. 1478, the Federal Firearms Licensee Act. This is a groundbreaking gun safety bill that will help keep guns off our streets by providing law enforcement with the tools necessary to crack down on gun trafficking and the rogue gun sellers that perpetuate it. The laws that govern gun dealers are outdated—and that's what makes them dangerous. By modernizing and strengthening the federal laws that gun dealers must follow, this legislation will ensure that gun sales are done responsibly, securely, and safely, and that the dealers who fail to do so are held accountable. Please co-sponsor the Federal Firearms Licensee Act to make sure gun dealers are required to do their part to stop this deadly crisis.
▶ Created on March 11 by Jess Craven
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MMWR Booster #1: Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department or Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Immunocompetent Adults
Top 5 Takeaways
1. Effectiveness of Bivalent mRNA Vaccine: The bivalent mRNA vaccine, which includes a component against the Omicron BA.4/BA.5 sublineages, was found to be effective in preventing COVID-19–related medical encounters and hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults.
2. Comparative Vaccine Effectiveness (VE): VE of the bivalent booster, after 2, 3, or 4 monovalent doses, was significant against emergency department/urgent care encounters and hospitalizations when compared with no vaccination or only monovalent vaccination.
3. Duration of Protection: The relative protection offered by the bivalent vaccine increased with time elapsed since the last monovalent dose, suggesting waning immunity from the monovalent vaccine.
4. Study Period and Context: The study was conducted during the prevalence of the Omicron BA.5 sublineage and other Omicron sublineages in the U.S., from September to November 2022.
5. Limitations and Future Research: The study acknowledges limitations like not accounting for previous SARS-CoV-2 infections and potential residual confounding factors. Further research is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of the bivalent vaccine and its optimal timing.
Link: BroadlyEpi.com
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7 Steps to Health Equity: Addressing Root Causes Now in 2024
Health equity is more than just equal access to healthcare services. It means giving everyone a fair chance to be as healthy as possible, no matter their background or circumstances. This includes addressing the social and economic factors that can create barriers to good health. Read More...
#healthequity#publichealth#healthdisparities#covid#healthcare#health#womenshealth#equity#blackhealthmatters#blackhealth#mentalhealth#community#wellness#healtheducation#communityhealth#healthdisparity#pwme#socialdeterminantsofhealth#publichealthmatters#globalhealth#myalgice#mastcellactivationsyndrome#premenstrualdysphoricdisorder#meaction#myalgicencephalomyelitis#heds#nightingales#unexplainedweightloss#saveliznevra#millionsmissing
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Q. Who should get the RSV vaccine?
A. The ACIP recommends adults ≥60 years may receive a single dose RSV vaccine using shared clinical decision-making. As part of this discussion, providers and patients should consider the patient’s risk for severe RSV-associated disease. Persons aged ≥60 years who are at highest risk for severe RSV disease and who might be most likely to benefit from vaccination include those with the following chronic medical conditions:
• Lung disease (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma)
• Cardiovascular diseases (such as congestive heart failure and coronary artery disease)
• Moderate or severe immune compromise
• Diabetes mellitus
• Neurologic or neuromuscular conditions
• Kidney disorders
• Liver disorders
• Hematologic disorders
***Adults aged ≥60 years who are residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are also at risk for severe RSV disease.
Optimally, vaccination should occur before the onset of the RSV season. Coadministration of RSV vaccines with other adult vaccines during the same visit is acceptable.
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The Vital Role of Dust Collector Manufacturers in Keeping Our Air Clean
Dust may seem like an insignificant nuisance, but it's anything but. Microscopic particles can wreak havoc on our health, environment, and industrial processes. Fortunately, unsung heroes stand sentinel against this silent threat: dust collector manufacturers. These companies play a crucial role in safeguarding our air quality, and Intech Bulk Handling Systems Pvt. Ltd., a leading chain conveyor manufacturers in India, stands out as a prime example.
Invisible Hazards, Tangible Impact:
Dust exposure poses significant health risks, triggering respiratory problems like asthma and allergies. In industrial settings, it can also compromise product quality, damage equipment, and even escalate fire hazards. Dust collectors combat these issues by capturing and filtering dust particles, ensuring cleaner air for workplaces and communities.
How Dust Collectors Work:
These unsung heroes come in various configurations, each suited to specific applications. Common mechanisms include:
Cyclones: Utilizing centrifugal force, they separate heavier dust particles from air.
Bag filters: Air passes through fabric bags, trapping dust while clean air exits.
Cartridge filters: Similar to bag filters, but with pleated cartridges offering higher efficiency.
Wet scrubbers: Water sprays capture dust, often ideal for sticky or hazardous materials.
Intech's Contribution to Cleaner Air:
Intech Bulk Handling Systems, while specializing in chain conveyors, also recognizes the importance of dust control. They offer a range of dust collection systems tailored to various industries, including:
Cement: High-efficiency bag filters capture fine dust particles, protecting workers and the environment.
Pharmaceuticals: Dust-free environments are crucial for product purity. Intech's systems ensure compliance with strict regulations.
Food processing: Preventing dust contamination safeguards product quality and consumer health. Intech provides solutions for both dry and wet ingredients.
Beyond Individual Companies:
The efforts of dust collector manufacturers reach far and wide. They contribute to:
Improved public health: By reducing dust exposure, they help prevent respiratory illnesses and promote overall well-being.
Environmental protection: Dust collectors control air pollution, contributing to cleaner air and mitigating climate change effects.
Enhanced industrial efficiency: Cleaner work environments and protected equipment lead to improved productivity and reduced maintenance costs.
Conclusion:
Dust collector manufacturers may not grab the headlines, but their work is essential for our health, environment, and industrial well-being. Companies like Intech Bulk Handling Systems, with their commitment to innovative solutions, exemplify the critical role this industry plays in keeping our air clean. As we strive for a healthier and more sustainable future, appreciating and supporting these silent guardians of clean air becomes ever more important.
#dust collector manufacturers#clean air#Intech Bulk Handling#dust emissions control#CleanAir#DustControl#IndustrialSafety#HealthAndSafety#EnvironmentalProtection#AirQuality#DustCollection#Manufacturing#PublicHealth#CleanerEnvironment#Sustainability#WorkplaceSafety#IntechBulkHandling#ChainConveyors#India
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What's up with the Mississippi River lately?
A look into the current saltwater intrusion affecting Louisiana
*Slight Disclaimer: To be clear, what you are reading now is not expert opinion, rather educated research formulated into my own knowledge and understanding of said subject material. Thank you for listening.
Firstly, I think that it is appropriate to inform ourselves as to what this saltwater intrusion is. According to the U.S Geological Survey, “This interface between freshwater and saltwater is maintained near the coast or far below the land surface. The interface...is a diffuse zone where freshwater and saltwater mix. Under natural conditions, the seaward movement of freshwater prevents saltwater from encroaching on freshwater coastal aquifers. We generally see saltwater intrusions occur in spots where a pumping well (structural device used to extract liquid resources) is operated. To put it into current perspective though, the saltwater intrusion we are recently hearing about is due to a lack of rainfall within the regions that the Mississippi River occupies. Basically, water from the Gulf of Mexico has been invading the supply of water the Mississippi River provides, due to this drought. This has slowed and interrupted the flow of streaming water, enabling the intrusion of salt water to contaminate this freshwater supply.
Hot and dry conditions over the summer seem to have triggered the extreme drought, affecting people not only in Mississippi, but in Southeast Louisiana as well. Residents' kitchen faucets, showers, and other essential water systems are becoming unsafe to utilize. People more at risk include pregnant women, those with kidney disease, high blood pressure, and autoimmune diseases. ABC News provides coverage of the intrusion situation in Louisiana. Following is a quote from Matt Roe, a spokesperson for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans, when referring to the current state of the Mighty Mississippi River, “it doesn’t have the mass and velocity needed to push the salt water back down around the mouth of the river.” He is explaining the reason as to why the intrusion is happening.
Because the water has become unsafe, reliance on prepackaged water bottles has become more common. These bottles are necessary to prepare meals in some areas, as well as to drink. A councilman from the Plaquemines Parish (greater southeast New Orleans region) Mark “Hobbo” Cognevich, chimes on the present affairs of the affected areas and says “grocery stores are constantly having to restock plastic water bottles, neighbors have reported getting rashes after showering...We are praying for rain...” It is evident that this water intrusion is a problem and is causing complications for ordinary living in the affected areas. So, how have officials responded to this environmental crisis? One example is the heightening of an existing underwater levee used to block and slow the flow of salt water. Also, millions of gallons of fresh water are being taken by barges to treatment facilities in impacted areas.
All in all, while steps are being taken to aid the plight of residents, there is still a mistrust between residents and officials. I think this is so because Louisiana is a state that has endured prior instances of environmental disaster. The guidance given and availability of resources has not always been equitable or distributed in a timely manner, leaving residents distrusting and insecure in the faith of officials.
I hope this was informative and was able to resonate with you in any way, appreciate the read!
Cline, S. (2023, September 25). What is saltwater intrusion and how is it affecting Louisiana’s drinking water? ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/explainer-saltwater-intrusion-affecting-louisianas-drinking-water-103480428
Water Resources Mission Area. (2019, March 2). Saltwater Intrusion. Saltwater Intrusion | U.S. Geological Survey. https://www.usgs.gov/mission-areas/water-resources/science/saltwater-intrusion
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sooo, it seems that the current state of science on covid is that don’t know what are exactly long-term implications of multiple re-infections and if and how is long-covid treatable YET THEY ALLOW EVERYONE WALK WITHOUT MASKS!
#covid pandemic#publichealth#I'm afraid we're fucked as a species in the long term#oops#but we can still be ok as individuals#fuck capitalism
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Listen in to the Ideas Podcast as they discuss how President Donald Trump politicized COVID-19, shedding new light on how his administration tied the pandemic to the president’s political fate in an election year and chose partisanship over public health, with disastrous consequences for all of us.
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Who won the GoOverseas Top Internship Community Choice Award?
Child Family Health International (CFHI) is a recipient of the GoAbroad Top-Rated Internship Organization Award in 2021. CFHI a United Nations-recognized non-profit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, is a distinguished leader in Global Health experiential learning for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate trainees through both faculty-led and non-faculty-led program structures. CFHI has been providing standard-setting community-based study abroad programs for 30 years.
Highly recommended by students worldwide: Explore : cfhi.org
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Happy Doctor's Day! Thank you for your tireless work in keeping us healthy and safe. You are appreciated more than words can express.
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https://www.facebook.com/primecashofficial/
https://www.instagram.com/primecash_pro_official/
#DoctorsDay#ThankYouDoctors#HealthcareHeroes#MedicalProfessionals#FrontlineWarriors#GratefulPatients#HealthyLiving#PatientCare#MedicalCommunity#PublicHealth#SaluteToDoctors#primecash
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COVID-19 Pandemic Update for 2024–01–31
Take a close look at what’s happening with the USA’s #COVID19 wastewater curve. Leveling out (at 821 copies/mL, surge levels) in late January is NOT an encouraging sign! See second image for close-up.
Typically, the #SARSCoV2 viral levels in the water peak on New Year’s and then drop through February and early March. This year, levels are remaining high to extremely high in all regions, and all of them are starting to stabilize or flatten out rather than continuing to drop. While they could resume dropping again soon, for now this is a concerning sign that the virus is spreading at very high levels and a sharp reminder that #COVIDisNotOver!
#MaskUp with an #N95 mask or better that has a tight seal around your mouth and nose (no surgical or cloth masks) and STOP THE SPREAD. #COVID can cause disabilities, strokes, heart attacks, diabetes, brain damage, immune dysfunction, and all kinds of other serious health problems up to and including death.
source for wastewater curve: https://biobot.io/data/
#covid#covid-19#pandemic#corona#coronavirus#rona#covidisnotover#covidisairborne#publichealth#public health#medicine#science#health#healthcare#wellness
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An open letter to the U.S. Congress
Stop overfunding Medicare Advantage!
597 so far! Help us get to 1,000 signers!
At tremendous cost to taxpayers and people with Medicare, the government has overpaid Medicare Advantage plans tens of billions of dollars for more than a decade and is projected to overpay them more than $1 trillion in the next decade. Just as the government recoups overpayments to individuals it should be recouping Medicare Advantage overpayments, not rewarding them with greater revenues. In addition to driving up costs for everyone with Medicare, it is eroding the Medicare Trust Fund. I urge you to reduce MA rates to a level commensurate with Traditional Medicare and recoup all overpayments. Thanks!
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MMWR Booster #3: Early Estimates of Bivalent mRNA Vaccine Effectiveness in Preventing COVID-19–Associated Hospitalization Among Immunocompetent Adults Aged ≥65 Years — IVY Network, 18 States, September 8–November 30, 2022
Top 5 Takeaways
1. Effectiveness of Bivalent Booster: The study found an 84% effectiveness of the bivalent booster against COVID-19 hospitalization compared to unvaccinated individuals.
2. Relative Vaccine Effectiveness: Compared to those who received ≥2 monovalent-only mRNA vaccine doses, the bivalent booster showed a relative effectiveness of 73%.
3. Study Population and Methodology: The study involved 1,168 immunocompetent adults aged ≥65 years, part of the IVY Network, across 18 states, with a case-control analysis.
4. Additional Benefits of the Bivalent Booster: The booster provided significant additional protection against COVID-19 hospitalization, especially in adults aged ≥65 years with underlying conditions.
5. Limitations and Future Directions: The study acknowledges limitations like insufficient sample size for certain analyses and the need for ongoing monitoring amidst emerging variants.
Link: BroadlyEpi.com
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If it offends you, it’s meant to. I would call it the apathy of inaction. *artist unknown #apathykills #inaction #politicsasusual #guncontrol #publichealth #childsacrifices #gunlobbywhores #deathart #politicalart (at Catalina Foothills, Arizona) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpLDENUryeusz1CWevmckQJgCajiRfkgOmg9TU0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
#apathykills#inaction#politicsasusual#guncontrol#publichealth#childsacrifices#gunlobbywhores#deathart#politicalart
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Q. How effective are the RSV vaccines for older adults?
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A. Both vaccines performed well in clinical trials, according to data presented to the FDA.
Arexvy™, developed by GSK, is following participants through three RSV seasons. GSK reported an overall efficacy of 82.6% against lower respiratory tract disease during the first season, 77.3% for mid-season, and 67.2% over two seasons. Against severe disease, efficacy was 94.1% during the first season, 84.6% at mid-season, and 78.8% over two seasons.
Abrysvo™, from Pfizer, showed an efficacy of almost 89% against lower respiratory tract disease involving at least three symptoms in the first year after vaccination, and 78.6% mid-way through a second season in the data presented to the FDA.
While data showed that one vaccination could be protective for at least two seasons, no determination has been made on how frequently the shots should be given.
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