Augie Ray

VP/Analyst of #CustomerExperience (#CX) research and advisory. Analyst by nature, not just by profession. Politically active to foster a world that has more #equity, respects #diversity, and embraces #progressive causes. Promoting #COVID19 awareness and caution because people, businesses, and the economy will suffer years of consequences for our failures to control the virus. (He/Him)

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Last Notes

2024-08-04 15:15:05

“Homosexuality was well known in the ancient world, well before Christ was born, and Jesus never said a word about homosexuality. In all of his teachings about multiple things—he never said that gay people should be condemned.”
- Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States
We need more leaders--and people of faith--like Jimmy Carter.

2024-08-04 15:07:51

I saw someone post, “I have a mental illness that makes me think that people will change their minds if I present the correct arguments with the appropriate facts and data,” and I wasn't sure whether to laugh to cry because, of course, it describes me. I continue to post when #COVID19 risks rise, but few of my friends pay any attention. My social feeds (like yours) are full of parties, maskless flights, and packed concerts. (1/5)

2024-08-04 02:51:24

I'm not happy with the Biden administration's actions on Gaza, but I want to be clear: Saying, "I don't care whether a vindictive, unethical, dangerous man is elected President and destroys the environment, robs women and people of color of rights, weaponizes the Justice system, and harms millions of people because I don't like Biden's stand on Gaza" is deeply idiotic.
You don't get everything you want in any candidate. So you vote for the one that comes closest to what you want. #VoteBlue

2024-08-03 16:12:14

An excellent article on #COVID19 at the Olympics:
Paris 2024 Was Supposed to Be ‘Normal’—But You Can’t Compete With COVID
https://www.self.com/story/covid-paris-olympics-2024

2024-08-03 15:56:23

STUDY: “The #COVID19 pandemic is an ongoing catastrophic public health event with dire long-term consequences, as many COVID-19 survivors experience a novel syndrome designated as long COVID syndrome. This novel syndrome also involved the CV system and manifests in coronary artery disease, hypertension, arrhythmia, heart failure, venous thromboembolism, and POTS.”
"Mild," they say.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11270463/

2024-08-03 15:35:55

STUDY: "Data showed a lower performance in oculomotor behaviour in people with long #COVID19, compared to healthy individuals. It cannot be affirmed an ocular musculature dysfunction; the differentiated behaviour could be associated to cognitive alterations affected in these people."
(In other words, it could be muscle damage, or it could be brain damage.)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39094376/

2024-08-03 15:14:19

- reply

8. I mention surges a lot, but look at the chart below. In the past two years, we have not had low levels of #COVID19 infections interrupted by occasional surges. We've had a constant high level of COVID with extremely rare and brief low points.
(4/5)
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/898/737/185/988/975/original/be93f55185572f8d.png

2024-08-03 15:12:42

- reply

6. Masks are effective at reducing risks. Staying out of risky situations (indoor crowds) is even safer. Small changes, particularly during #COVID19 surges, can provide oversized safety benefits.
7. The amount of exposure matters. If you are infected, a short or masked exposure is more likely to leave you with a milder infection compared to a long, unmasked exposure.
(3/5)

2024-08-03 15:12:15

- reply

4. The protection against severe outcomes offered by vaccination fades more slowly, but it does fade (and most Americans have not been jabbed in two years).
5. The protection against reinfection offered by an infection also fades over time, particularly as #COVID19 mutates. And because we've encouraged so much mutation, it's even possible to infected with more than one COVID variant at a time.
(2/5)

2024-08-03 15:11:12

When #COVID19 rise, so do my posts about COVID. I want you to be safer! So, here eight very brief things you should know:
1. COVID levels are high in the US now.
2. Each reinfection raises risks of chronic health issues. One of every 23 adult Americans is living with some activity limitations due to Long COVID.
3. The protection against infection offered by vaccination is incomplete and fairly brief, fading considerably after three to six months.
(1/5)

2024-08-03 13:49:49

“I’m only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris.”
- 99-year-old Jimmy Carter
He's been in hospice for over a year and wants to live long enough to vote for Kamala Harris. What's your excuse for not voting? #VoteBlue
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/08/03/jimmy-carter-kamala-harris-vote-100/74657161007/

2024-08-01 20:34:13

A guy named Scott Squires has an entire online directory full of "I mask" images, including both poster and Instagram sizes. Free for you to use! So, you know, go use them. #COVID19 #WearAMask
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BHqlqTS_e-2ZDgd8HFUmpu6nU08PVKu0
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/888/668/012/002/909/original/14cafd0cbb37e56a.jpg

2024-08-01 20:26:31

"COVID is just a mild cold."
Then why do 1 of every 23 Americans report they have activity limitations due to Long COVID?
Why does the CDC urge wearing a mask for 5 days after recovering and returning to normal activities?
Why was it the last straw that forced a Presidential candidate to withdraw from the race?
Why is #COVID19 forcing some elite athletes to drop out of the Olympics?
Why does the CDC report on COVID in wastewater (currently Very High in 19 states)?
Doesn't sound mild to me.

2024-08-01 17:31:49

"What I'm feeling right now is beyond any defeat I've ever experienced in sport. I'm absolutely stunned, devastated and no longer understand the world."
I don't understand athletes training their entire lives for the Olympics and then ignoring a surge of #COVID19, resulting in them missing their chance. All that work flushed down the drain because they couldn't be troubled to put on a mask or avoid indoor crowds before the event for which they've trained for years.
https://sports.yahoo.com/german-decathlete-eitel-miss-paris-163813910.html

2024-07-31 20:31:47

It's great that the CDC director wants to end polio. Truly.
But Mandy Cohen is almost entirely ignoring #COVID19 and apparently thinks we need to live with it.
As of March 2024, the CDC reported that no cases of paralytic polio due to indigenously acquired wild poliovirus have been reported in the United States since 1979.
Since March 2024, around 8,000 Americans have died from COVID in the US.
Make it make sense.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/882/980/091/162/488/original/f02b44327bfc7fbe.png

2024-07-31 18:31:59

An interesting tool from the The Immunisation Coalition in Australia will calculate your risk of hospitalization or Long COVID based on your health, vaccinations and infections.
For me, having had COVID once and more than four jabs (the last one nine months ago), my risk of having one Long #COVID19 symptom six months later after another infection is almost 50%. And my chance of having cardiovascular long COVID symptoms six months later is around 15%.
What's your risk?
https://corical.immunisationcoalition.org.au/longcovid

2024-07-31 14:25:27

Imagine the millions of people in the years to come that will think, "It's too bad that my 5th #COVID19 infection damaged my health for the rest of my life, but at least I avoided looking weird by being the only masked person in the airport/concert/conference/classroom. I really dodged that bullet!"

2024-07-31 01:47:34

I mean, how could anyone have foreseen this?!
COVID-19 hits Paris Olympics: Athletes forced to withdraw and mask up
https://globalnews.ca/news/10652170/covid-paris-2024-athletes-swimming/

2024-07-30 17:51:45

"California is still getting crushed by COVID. When will it end?"
Damn it, stop asking when #COVID19 surges will end. Start asking what we need to do stop the surges in the first place!
It's like asking what people should do in the middle of a drunk driving accident to decrease their mortality and morbidity risk rather than what we must do to reduce drunk driving in the first place!
I am getting so frustrated by why we keep being so stupid!
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/california-covid-cases-rising-19605270.php

2024-07-29 17:39:44

I dedicate this post to everyone who says young people have nothing to fear from #COVID19. Study of college students with COVID finds "COVID-19 has long-term detrimental effects on vascular function in college students."
https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-024-09646-w

2024-07-29 17:34:51

Train for years and then miss your Olympics chance, all because you couldn't be troubled to wear a mask during a #COVID19 surge at a crowded international event. I have trouble feeling empathy for people whose own actions result in them failing to reach their goals.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2024/07/29/adam-peaty-tests-positive-covid-missing-olympic-gold-paris/

2024-07-29 17:26:01

"We cannot humanely move on from the pandemic without making basic changes to adapt to life with Covid. That we are expected to is an abdication of responsibility by elected officials, who are seemingly willing to write off the health and safety of our society’s most vulnerable as a cost of doing business. We can do better."
Why #COVID19 Keeps Winning
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/why-covid-keeps-winning/

2024-07-28 13:29:47

- reply

Let's save our outrage for the meaningful and important. We only add heat to an already hot world by screaming over every perceived slight. The world needs more light and less heat!

2024-07-28 13:29:33

- reply

I do not believe God requires us to defend Him from symbols in art and entertainment. Instead, He implored us to defend the poor, needy, vulnerable and downtrodden. What happens in the Olympics opening ceremonies is insignificant; what happens with programs for seniors, how the Federal government treats immigrants, and whether we cut the safety net for those living on the margins matters more--or should, at least.
(4/5)

2024-07-28 13:29:15

- reply

If someone is so moved to express disgust over a few fleeting seconds of an Olympics Ceremony but has never once been moved to comment on Christians screaming for “Mass Deportation,” wearing “God, Guns & Trump” t-shirts, or supporting (by a wide margin) a dangerous, narcissistic, unethical, faithless adulterer for President, then I have some question about what triggers their outrage.
(3/5)

2024-07-28 13:28:57

- reply

But beyond the fact that some religious people were vocally outraged over a misunderstanding, there's something even more important, I think, about this incident: They were getting incensed over something inconsequential in a world with profound challenges and needs for those of faith.
(2/5)

2024-07-28 13:28:26

Sensitive topic, but I feel strongly:
Some Christians were outraged at the Olympics opening ceremonies because they thought a brief scene mocked the Last Supper. In fact, the scene was an interpretation of the Feast of Dionysus. (The giant blue Greek God in the center of the table was a pretty obvious tell, I think.)
(1/5)

2024-07-27 16:51:03

A Christian family member just posted an apology to God that the opening Olympics ceremony used an image of da Vinci's Last Supper. I've never once seen her apologize for most American Christians supporting a lying, unethical, dangerous, narcissistic, adulterer who violates every tenet of her faith.
I do not understand faith that is obsessed with the meaningless and not the vital. Stop obsessing over symbols and start raising your voice about what matters in our spiritual and physical world.

2024-07-27 15:47:01

STUDY finds that pregnant individuals who developed long-term #COVID19 during their pregnancy had a 3.3x increased risk of experiencing gestational hypertension, 2.3x higher risk of gestational diabetes mellitus, and 2,8x greater risk of fetal intrauterine growth restriction.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-68184-2

2024-07-27 15:42:43

I guess we need studies like this, but this is like studying to see if water is wet. (I know, water isn't wet--it makes things wet--but you get the idea.)
"Our study demonstrates that raising the Air Change per Hour (ACH) from 2 to 8 reduces the risk of particle inhalation by nearly 70 %. Additionally, limiting the amount of air recirculation or increasing the amount of fresh air helps to reduce the number of airborne particles in an indoor space."
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024111231

2024-07-27 15:28:52

I live in Milwaukee, where we hosted the RNC two weeks ago. COVID in wastewater in the suburban watershed is near its highest level ever. In the urban center, it's around the 3rd-highest ever. And this is a shot of last night's giant Harley event. Outdoor events are SAFER, but giant crowds like this aren't safe during a surge. I wish more people cared.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/859/157/278/156/976/original/586488e0f4cd67b9.jpg

2024-07-27 14:42:26

Why you want to avoid another infection and the risk of Long #COVID19. A STUDY finds three trajectories of the evolution of post-COVID-19 condition over two years:
- “High persistent symptoms” (4%)
- “Rapidly decreasing symptoms” (5%)
- “Slowly decreasing symptoms” (91%)
Almost everyone with LC suffers a long recovery. And for the rest, it's a 50-50 crap shoot between rapid recovery or high persistent symptoms.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1201971223005581

2024-07-27 02:09:48

GOP: The Dems have to stop exaggerating and calling Trump fascist.
Trump: “Get out and vote. Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It’ll be fixed! It’ll be fine! You won’t have to vote anymore... You gotta get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again.”
I'm sorry, what is he suggesting, exactly? #VoteBlue to save democracy.
https://www.mediaite.com/trump/trump-cryptically-declares-you-wont-have-to-vote-anymore-if-he-wins-second-term/amp/

2024-07-26 20:24:32

My new four-minute update on #COVID19 in the US:
COVID Summer Surge Nears Uneven Peak in the United States: Update for July 26, 2024
COVID may have peaked in the West and is still rising in the South. The rapid increase in the KP.3.1.1 variant suggests this surge might get extended or even reignited in the weeks ahead. Take care!
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/covid-summer-surge-nears-uneven-peak-in-the-united-states-update-for-july-26-2024-09343a8f643f

2024-07-26 13:46:09

Dear Dems,
Keep the focus on the American people. Give positive attention to Kamala Harris. Or talk about Trump's declining mental state or the dangers of Project 2025.
Stop wasting time on meaningless BS. It's fun to talk about JD Vance having sex with a couch--but it's pointless. All the BS about diapers, bronzers, Botox, and even whether Trump was hit with a bullet or shrapnel detracts from what gets voters to pay attention and vote.
Focus on what matters to get people to #VoteBlue.

2024-07-26 01:49:38

I lost my dad three years ago. Two nights ago, he appeared in a dream and I got to hug him--really hug him. I woke up in tears.
Do you ever stop and think about what a gift dreams are? I mean, I forget 99% of mine the moment I awake, but every so often, they bestow a lovely moment worth cherishing.

2024-07-25 01:26:42

I didn't listen when they said #COVID19 was invented,
Nor when they said we'd be safe once more were infected,
I ignored them when they said Long COVID was in the head,
And I rejected when they said events were safe from COVID's spread,
So I'm certainly going to ignore those saying the pandemic's passed,
I can see it's not, so I'll hold fast.

2024-07-24 22:06:53

My new post: COVID Already Impacts the Definitely-Not-Post-Pandemic Paris Olympic Games
Olympians testing positive, avoiding the Olympics Village, and withdrawing. Volunteers threatening to quit over the lack of #COVID19 mitigation. And a global surge is underway. Meanwhile, Olympics organizers insist they can treat it like the flu and control it with hand sanitizer.
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/covid-already-impacts-the-definitely-not-post-pandemic-paris-olympic-games-a5eaadbf0a1b

2024-07-23 15:59:57

Feel free to share with your conservative friends: The Biden-Harris administration presided over the best economic recovery in the world.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/836/632/234/391/366/original/231730570c84cfeb.png

2024-07-23 15:44:52

All of us could use more humility (me included). When I tweeted rapid support for Kamala Harris on Sunday, one of the progressives on Mastodon immediately criticized me. "Trust me," the person said, "young people won't support her."
Two days later, TikTok is full of youthful support for Harris, Harris has raised record donations, and the Dems have renewed enthusiasm. Mr. Trust Me needed to less criticizing and more listening.

2024-07-22 12:21:46

Let's get this done! #VoteBlue #imwithher
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/830/112/192/937/923/original/469e7c225d906732.jpg

2024-07-22 12:13:16

Sen Joe Manchin told CBS that he will NOT challenge VP Harris for Democratic nomination.
In other news, I've decided I won't challenge Usain Bolt to a sprint or Terry Crews to a weightlifting competition.

2024-07-22 02:25:36

The media is so desperate to make this election a horserace, they'll spread any idiotic "story."
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/827/765/720/272/818/original/82a8ea3ff3119b82.jpg

2024-07-22 00:14:39

After a summer of division, the Democrats have an opportunity to unite. If your first inclination after Biden endorses Harris is to “On no, not her” instead of “Let's get this smart, effective woman of color elected,” please hold up your hand so I can block you now. Seriously, what is with some liberals that they can't be happy if they're not sowing division?

2024-07-21 23:51:30

“The first party to retire its 80-year-old candidate is going to be the one who wins this election.”
- Nikki Haley, January 2024
#VoteBlue

2024-07-21 19:38:39

I look forward to helping elect President Harris.
Every election. Every race. Every Democrat. #voteblue

2024-07-20 17:37:28

It'll be a Cruel Summer if you get Bad Blood due to a #COVID19 infection. You won't be able to just Shake it Off. A COVID infection can create a Blank Space in your brain or damage your health Forever & Always. I Wish You Would take care at concerts and wear a mask! You should know All Too Well the risks by now.
Swift's concerts have been associated with COVID infections across Europe this summer.
https://www.businessinsider.com/taylor-swift-fans-calling-covid-19-infection-souvenir-2024-6

2024-07-20 15:46:57

In six days, the Paris #Olympics begin. The media is calling this the “first post-pandemic” Olympics. There will be no mitigations. Meanwhile, WHO Europe notes:
- Those with respiratory illness testing positive for #COVID19 in primary care has increased 5-fold in the past 8 weeks.
- The number of reported COVID hospitalizations in the past 4 weeks is 51% higher than the previous 4 weeks.
- The number of reported COVID deaths in the past 4 weeks is 32% higher than the previous 4 weeks. (1/2)

2024-07-20 14:41:28

GOP: I can't wear masks because they make me look silly.
Also GOP: A piece of cloth over my ear for theatrics is all right. A piece of cloth over my nose and mouth to save myself and others from acute and chronic illness is a step too far! 🙄
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/819/336/961/159/936/original/38dcbe1e1b0f0063.png

2024-07-20 12:41:03

I am wary of people who think their religious values require governments to limit people's freedoms but NOT to help, feed and care for people.
Or when they think that their God acted to save one politician from a bullet but failed to save another human being from that same bullet.
Or when people insist their religious values must be adhered to by the poor and weak but not by the wealthy and powerful.
(1/3)

2024-07-19 18:56:56

My latest weekly update on #COVID19 in the US: COVID’s Summer Surge Is Accelerating: Update for July 19, 2024
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/covids-summer-surge-is-accelerating-update-for-july-19-2024-0870e1550a51

2024-07-19 17:57:26

New update on #COVID19 in wastewater in the US:
The summer surge is continuing.
COVID rates up in all four regions.
COVID rising at an accelerating rate, as of 7/13/2024.
COVID levels worst in the West and South.
COVID levels VERY HIGH in 21 states.
https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-nationaltrend.html

2024-07-18 20:53:02

#COVID19 levels in #Florida wastewater are at near record levels in many of the 13 sewersheds reportings to WastewaterSCAN.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/809/470/596/665/542/original/e4ebd9dcbb1d2e5a.png

2024-07-18 20:31:19

Just like the Bible says: I was hungry and you cut the food assistance budget, I was thirsty and you denied me water, I was a stranger and you mass deported me.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/809/387/183/597/772/original/5c0365b38f95eb9f.png

2024-07-18 17:15:23

If the leader who told you the pandemic was over then gets a #COVID19 infection (his third!) despite being completely vaccinated and surrounded by the greatest ventilation and air safety tech in the world, it might cause sensible people to take some care.
Or not. You can be one of the people in the control group who gets COVID less frequently, or you can be in the group that finds out what ten infections in a decade mean to long-term health, wellness, mobility, and happiness. Chose wisely.

2024-07-17 17:21:39

People who post on #Twitter (or #X) think they're "fighting the good fight." Instead, everyone posting content, every paid blue check, and every advertiser is funding this: https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/15/elon-musk-plans-to-give-45-million-a-month-to-pro-trump-super-pac-wsj-reports.html

2024-07-17 14:18:59

Study finds kids' risk of diabetes rises 62% after #COVID19 infection:
"Of the 353 kids that had COVID infection information, the incidence rate was 8.6 per 100 person-years for participants testing negative for COVID-19. This wasn't significantly different compared with the prepandemic period. But after COVID-19 infection, the incidence rate jumped to 14.0 per 100 person-years."
It's not acute or mild!
https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/type1diabetes/111084

2024-07-16 17:39:12

The Republicans and Trump love to complain the Justice System has been weaponized by Biden.
Bob Menendez: Guilty
Hunter Biden: Guilty
Trump: Escapes any accountability for his crimes
Every accusation is a confession from Trump.
Every election. Every race. Every Democrat. #VoteBlue

2024-07-16 17:35:07

Make some noise and share this, please.
"A middle-class family with two children and an annual income of $100,000 would pay $2,600 in additional federal income tax. If the Child Tax Credit were also eliminated, they would pay an additional $6,600 compared with today's tax system. By comparison, a married couple with two children and earnings of $5 million a year would enjoy a $325,000 tax cut."
#VoteBlue
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/project-2025-tax-trump-economy-heritage-foundation-how-it-works/

2024-07-15 15:45:59

It turns out that electing an unethical criminal to the highest office in the US and letting them stack the justice system isn't such a good idea. Who woulda thunk?
Unless you want a generation of this, you need to vote!
Every election. Every race. Every Democrat. #VoteBlue

2024-07-15 15:04:48

I live in downtown Milwaukee, which is hosting the RNC this week. I can see the Fiserv Forum (the main location) from my condo, and we can also see Secret Service (possibly snipers) camped out on the roof of a hotel where Trump may or may not be staying. We've had low-flying helicopters circling many days this week.
I was going to join the protests, but given the violence this past weekend (not to mention surging COVID), I think I'll stay home. I hope everyone stays safe this week!

2024-07-15 01:07:05

You have to love that Republicans are calling Donald Trump a warrior and hero for getting bloodied during a shooting. This is the guy who literally said that John McCain was no hero for being a POW for five and a half years.

2024-07-15 00:45:47

The fact there are more people masking at the Tour de France than at your local hospitals during a #COVID19 surge says a lot about the commitment of healthcare organizations and workers to protect the health of their patients.

2024-07-14 21:44:51

Americans after the latest shooting: “This is not who we are.”
Also Americans: U.S. set to see another deadly year for mass shootings
This is EXACTLY who we are, and if we don't like it, then we need to FINALLY elect people who will pass sensible gun laws.
Every election. Every race. Ever Democrat. #VoteBlue
https://www.axios.com/2024/07/13/us-2024-mass-shooting-gun-violence-data

2024-07-14 21:02:48

Study on #COVID19 impact on the immune system:
“Along with the reductions of neutrophils, monocytes and NK cells, it thus seems that a single SARS-CoV-2 infection may cause a long-lasting impact on the cells of the innate and adaptive immune system” and “More than 90% of patients lacked neutralizing antibody activity at 10 months implying that a large proportion of study subjects after their first infection lost protection from reinfection.”
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/all.16210

2024-07-14 18:39:33

- reply

@npub1h2x…uym5 There was a response to this from Democrats, but it only amused and emboldened the Republicans. https://www.businessinsider.com/congress-members-ar-15-lapel-pins-2023-2

2024-07-14 16:38:34

It is disgusting that Democrats in Congress would wear AR-15 pins following an attempt on Donald Trump's life with an AR-15.
Oops, no, I got that wrong. These are the AR-15 pins worn by GOP members of Congress after schoolchildren were gunned down in yet another school shooting using an AR-15.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/785/824/274/519/903/original/37acd6d30c0309a2.png

2024-07-14 02:13:09

It would be nice if Republicans cared about every school shooting at much as they care about today's. All shootings are tragic and unnecessary, and each is an indictment of the US's loose gun laws.

2024-07-12 17:43:16

For the first time in two weeks, the CDC has gifted us data on #COVID19 levels in US wastewater, and it's what you'd expect (if you're informed):
- COVID is rising at an accelerating rate nationally.
- The COVID surge may have peaked in the West.
- The South is rising at a considerable rate.
- The Midwest and Northeast are at the early stages of their summer surges.
- Levels are high or very high in 26 states.
https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-nationaltrend.html

2024-07-11 16:02:50

If you're in St, Petersburg, FL, now would be a great time to escalate your #COVID19 caution. According to WastwaterSCAN, three of the four highest COVID levels in the nation are in your area. Highest in a year and still rising. Be careful.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/768/694/668/465/191/original/8dffdf7f1d090aa7.png

2024-07-11 15:01:08

I am incredibly annoyed at the CDC right now. (I know, hardly a novel idea, is it?)
The #COVID19 wastewater data on the NWSS site is now THREE WEEKS OLD. The last data posted is from June 22, and it showed COVID exploding in the West, rising significantly in the South, and trending up modestly elsewhere.
Since then--nothing. The CDC thinks there's no reason to share the best data we have, even as a surge forms in the US. (We should get an update in the next 24 hours.)
https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-nationaltrend.html

2024-07-11 14:00:51

The thing i constantly wonder about #COVID19 is how many people may live with lifelong diminished health because they couldn't say:
"Let's sit on the patio, not inside the restaurant."
"Let's go to the beer garden rather than that crowded bar."
"Let's do take-out or delivery tonight, instead."
"I'll attend that meeting virtually."
"No, I'm not sick. I'm masked so that I don't get sick and get others sick."
People act like COVID caution means sacrifice and isolation. It doesn't need to.

2024-07-10 14:04:35

Violet Affleck, daughter to Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck, speaking to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors: "One in 10 infections leads to long #COVID19, which is a devastating neurological [and] cardiovascular illness that can take away people's ability to work, move, see, and even think... The county must oppose mask bans for any reason. They do not keep us safer, they make vulnerable members of our community less safe."
https://people.com/violet-affleck-impassioned-speech-against-mask-bans-los-angeles-8675711

2024-07-08 20:21:52

Just a lighthearted four-minute video of what we can expect in six short months if Trump wins in November.
Every election. Every race. Every Democrat. #VoteBlue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpLpOtFNFWg

2024-07-08 00:42:07

Yes, I am exasperated that Joe Biden bragged that he “ended the pandemic” at a campaign stop today.
No, the #COVID19 pandemic isn't over.
Yes, COVID is presently surging across the nation.
Yes, the Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, just tested positive.
Yes, Long COVID remains a serious threat from infections.
But, I will eagerly vote for Biden in November. While I'm deeply disappointed in his COVID policies, that won't stop me from doing the right thing for the nation and the world. #VoteBlue

2024-07-08 00:16:54

#COVID19 is over?
Thus far in 2024, COVID has caused 300,520 hospitalizations and 32,048 deaths in the US.
In SIX MONTHS, COVID has killed:
More than twice the ANNUAL death toll from gun homicides.
75% of the ANNUAL death toll in motor vehicle accidents.
4x the number of US fatalities incurred during the decades-long war on terror.
How is this anyone's definition of “over”?
https://bnonews.com/index.php/2024/07/us-covid-update-july-7/#google_vignette

2024-07-07 17:10:50

Disabilities going up at the same time as #COVID19? It's just so puzzling! It must be remote work, not the fact COVID causes brain damage, cardiovascular events, neuropsychiatric issues, and Long COVID, right?
https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/post-covid-disabilities-increase-puzzles-experts

2024-07-07 15:48:11

My new, seven-minute update on #COVID19 status in the US.
Key points:
The CDC has strengthened its guidance
COVID is surging across the US
COVID is very high in select locations
We can all take simple steps to protect ourselves.
https://medium.com/@augieray_66704/us-covid-update-for-july-7-2024-infections-high-in-parts-of-us-and-the-cdc-takes-a-vacation-5a2064c8ce95

2024-07-06 15:35:47

In a poll taken SINCE the debate, Biden is performing better against Trump, not worse. (1/5)
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-07-06/biden-narrows-trump-s-election-lead-in-key-states-after-debate-poll
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/740/276/723/171/857/original/5cb73d7279a3d904.png

2024-07-05 15:57:05

Dear Donald, this is what leaders do when they lose elections. #VoteBlue
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/734/698/868/125/996/original/af4db7632733ed78.png

2024-07-05 13:18:09

My spreadsheet tracking the longer-term implications of #COVID19 infections has just surpassed 700 studies. Recent additions:
Cardiovascular risks remain elevated nine months after infection
People with non-severe initial infection demonstrated worse objective cognitive performance
COVID was associated with a 2.7x greater risk of having cerebral microbleeds on MRI
Pilots infected with COVID had a 1.8x higher risk of Sudden Cardiac Death
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12VbMkvqUF9eSggJsdsFEjKs5x0ABxQJi5tvfzJIDd3U/edit?usp=sharing

2024-07-04 14:38:41

I just had a person on Mastodon tell me #COVID19 doesn't exist and is a made-up disease. How do people like this still exist?

2024-07-04 13:04:48

STUDY finds that toddlers were able to learn how to interpret facial expressions despite the presence of face masks. "Toddlers effectively mitigated the social challenges associated with masks use: they overcame initial environmental limitations, improving their capability to interpret facial expressions even in the absence of visual cues from the lower part of the face." https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1386937/full

2024-07-04 12:53:43

Long COVID can change your life--even if you've seemingly recovered. “People who have recovered from long COVID can suffer relapses or flare-ups from new viral infections — not just from COVID but from cold, flu, and other viral pathogens, researchers have found.”
The ONLY way to prevent Long COVID is to avoid your next infection with #COVID19.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/cold-flu-virus-can-trigger-long-covid-relapses-2024a1000cau?form=fpf

2024-07-04 12:50:01

Around 75% of Americans ignored the 2023 COVID vaccine. New research has found this vaccine "provided statistically significant additional protection against a range of #COVID19 outcomes." It also found, "Older versions of COVID-19 vaccines offered little, if any, additional protection compared with being unvaccinated, including against COVID-19 hospital admissions, regardless of the number or type of prior doses received."
Stay up to date on vital vaccinations!
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2820268

2024-07-04 12:29:26

Slowly and quietly, the US CDC is changing its tune on #COVID19. It is not a seasonal virus but “can surge throughout the year... surges outside the winter season will likely continue as long as new variants emerge and immunity decreases over time… Although COVID-19 is not the threat it once was, it is still associated with thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths each week in the United States, and can lead to Long COVID.” (1/3)
https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/covid-19-can-surge-throughout-the-year.html

2024-07-02 17:00:01

Me: We are facing the potential destruction of democracy, the environment, women's rights, and other disastrous outcomes if Biden doesn't win.
Others: But Biden is old, and I don't like one of his policies.
Me: DID YOU NOT READ WHAT I JUST POSTED?!

2024-07-01 23:09:01

#COVID19 STUDY:
“COVID-19 can cause organ damage in individuals without symptoms... This organ damage, whether symptomatic or not, can lead to various health impacts such as heart attacks and strokes... It is therefore important to similarly recognize that while Long COVID symptoms are associated with organ damage, there are many individuals that have organ damage without displaying recognized symptoms.”
How many have serious health problems but just don't know it?
https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v30/i22/2866.htm

2024-07-01 20:19:10

The Supreme Court says it's illegal for Biden to cancel student debt. It also says the President is immune from prosecution in official acts. So, time to cancel student debt!

2024-07-01 19:05:01

I'm old enough to remember when we used to say, "No one is above the law." Because it was yesterday.
https://www.thenation.com/article/society/trump-immunity-supreme-court/
Every election. Every race. Every Democrat. #VoteBlue

2024-06-30 18:37:43

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control held a meeting of the EU Respiratory Virus network. Here's a photo of the event. These are the experts. Not one in a mask. Photos like this almost make me give up hope. It's no wonder hardly anyone takes #COVID19 risks seriously.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/707/013/711/921/598/original/7e0c9d67e994931d.png

2024-06-30 18:15:38

You're not voting for Joe Biden. You're voting for women, the LGBTQ community, children, the Middle Class, workers, immigrants, the poor, and Democracy. You're voting for you!
Every election. Every race. Every Democrat. #VoteBlue
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/706/922/092/723/310/original/8ef6d76bafe8ae7c.png

2024-06-30 16:20:34

I've now had two people claim masks protect other people, not the wearer. That is absolutely not accurate. How in the hell have we gotten almost five years into a pandemic with so many people so misinformed?
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20240523/Study-confirms-face-masks-effectiveness-in-reducing-disease-transmission-calls-for-improved-public-understanding.aspx

2024-06-30 02:41:51

On the one hand, it's infuriating Trump has an edge. On the other hand, those of you suggesting Biden step down should put a sock in it.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/703/254/385/146/669/original/8c3f6629e0227cf6.png

2024-06-30 01:59:28

In 2020, they said:
One wave and we'll be done.
We'll soon reach herd immunity.
Kids don't get or spread #COVID19.
Long COVID isn't real.
In 2021:
Vaccines offer lasting protection.
Immunity is not fading.
Reinfections are rare.
Long COVID is rare.
In 2022:
The pandemic is over.
In 2023:
We're post-COVID.
Risks are minimal.
In 2024:
Repeat infections are no big deal.
COVID is just an acute illness.
These were and are all wrong. People were harmed, and they will be harmed, by these myths.

2024-06-29 18:02:41

Implementing mask mandates in hospitals AFTER #COVID19 is surging is like installing fire detectors after a fire is burning. Sure, it's better than nothing, but it's also ridiculously reactive and falls short of healthcare workers' pledge to protect the health of patients.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/701/219/181/351/241/original/f648ae458ef41aac.png

2024-06-29 17:41:01

Look at that! Some great #COVID19 messaging from the California Dept of Public Health.
https://x.com/CAPublicHealth/status/1807066582889140569
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Respiratory-Viruses/Home.aspx
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/701/129/453/349/891/original/7d949ea4b0cc6c8c.png

2024-06-29 15:34:58

A thread for my friends and neighbors in #Milwaukee #Wisconsin:
While #COVID19 risks in Milwaukee remain fairly modest, in two weeks, we'll host one of the largest US superspreader events of 2024: The RNC. Around 50,000 conventioneers, media, and protesters will descend on the city, including from places with high COVID viral spread. And these will include the most vehemently anti-vax, least COVID-cautious, highest-risk people in the nation. (1/4)

2024-06-28 16:49:45

After suggesting a possible mask ban this week, Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has reportedly tested positive for #Covid19.
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/112/695/268/883/855/560/original/ca848ea7890b16b8.png

2024-06-28 14:34:08

In a study that will surprise no one: Large events are super-spreader events that increase #COVID19 hospitalizations.
STUDY: “Over the 10 weeks following the start of Carnival, the carnival provinces demonstrated a 15% (2022) 17% (2023) higher hospitalization rate compared to non-carnival provinces.The peak in cases and hospitalizations in regions actively celebrating Carnival compared to the rest of the Netherlands qualifies Carnival as a 'super-spreading' event.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666535224000600