Notices by Another concerned scientist (abscientist@forall.social), page 2

More swimmers test positive at the Olympics.

Who could have predicted this?

https://swimswam.com/u-s-olympic-swimmers-david-johnston-luke-whitlock-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-paris/

Could it be that Covid sometimes makes people unaware of the seriousness of their medical condition (e.g., long Covid?).

It does seem to be the case for already existing neurological conditions.

"Reduced awareness of neuropsychological disorders (i.e., anosognosia) is a striking symptom of post-COVID-19 condition"

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666354622001016

@EricCarroll

Often these people believe that the pandemic was a host and that the measures were a way to subvert the population (but do not think about why the measures are no longer in place).

They think you fell for government propaganda.

While in reality, they fell for government propaganda and you are following the science.

@EricCarroll

The alternative is that they do not believe the pandemic is a hoax, but believe that the virus is only dangerous for the "vulnerable".

The mask then a sign that you are vulnerable. And part of the population think that they are allowed to bully the vulnerable.

This is, in part, because they were made to believe that measures were only in place to protect the vulnerable, and they felt they were punished for something that did not affect them.

@EricCarroll

The scary thing about the pandemic is not so much the virus, but how easy it is to set people up against each other and make them believe all kinds of stuff that is not aligned with science.

@aral

Capitalism: Climate change is getting worse and worse, but it is important that airlines keep their profits.

Millions of taxpayers went into the Royal Dutch airlines. Why can't we just say: Let's let it go bust? There is still Ryanair and Easyjet if we are desperate to fly.

https://nos.nl/artikel/2518699-air-france-klm-boekt-grootste-verlies-sinds-corona-crisis-489-miljoen

@RebelGeek99

In the Netherlands I am a social outcast for wearing an FFP2/FFP3 mask. Sometimes I am wondering whether I would fit in better in an Asian country, despite not speaking the language and being of a different race.

@freemo

So if candidate A gets 45%
candidate B gets 35%
candidate C gets 5%
candidate D gets 5%,

A will be the winner and gets all the votes/points/representatives (winner takes all).

If those voting for C and D would have voted for B, B would have won and takes everything?

@freemo

What happens to votes that do not go to the two main candidates? Are those simply ignored? Or do they go to the candidate with the highest number of votes?

@freemo

The problem is that the choice is between two people. So it is bad or really bad.

@josh

At least give people the choice whether they want to be exposed or not.

Why is there not a single section in trains for people who do not want to breathe in other people's air?

Why are workplaces forcing people back into the office without mitigations in place?

Why are children forced inside poorly ventilated classrooms?

@freemo @currentbias

"Stage 1: Acute HIV Infection
Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, about two-thirds of people will have a flu-like illness. This is the body’s natural response to HIV infection."

So one-thirds does not have any symptoms at all.

https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/about-hiv-and-aids/symptoms-of-hiv/

@freemo @currentbias

But would you classify HIV as a flu, just because it give flu-like symptoms (initially)?

Many virus infections have delayed health effects. Post-polio, brain inflammation years after measles, HPV-cancer, EBV-MS.

But we seem to have a tendency only to look at the acute stage.

@freemo @currentbias

Plus good quality masks in healthcare settings (and dentists), and at least part of the public transportation (e.g., a section of the trains). A bit like smoking and non-smoking sections previously.

I think that some of the flights should be made masks-only, so that you have a choice whether or not to breathe in other people's germs while travelling.

Society is now completely biased towards people whose bodies can handle multiple infections per year.

@freemo @currentbias

But now we have a virus that goes around in huge waves. In the last wave around 40% of the Dutch and 60% of the Danish population is estimated to have become infected. There are around 5 waves per year.

For flu, there is one wave per year, meaning that vulnerable people can live their lives fairly normally for the rest of the year.

Clearly these vulnerable are not needed in the workforce either, because we do not want to do anything to protect them.

@freemo @currentbias

Which means we have now divided the population into people with the right genes and the unlucky ones.

The ones with the right genes can happily live their lives. The unlucky ones have to stay home and be bullied for wearing a mask.

Until the next pandemic and we will do the gene selection once again. And it could be that an entirely new set of genes could become important.

@freemo @currentbias

Maybe there are genes that protect against the damage from Covid. On a population level, the damage is clear in many studies.

@freemo @currentbias

Have you had tests of your cardiovascular system? How is your blood pressure? Your blood sugar levels? Cholesterol levels?

@freemo

It is a vascular disease that spreads through the air. It damages the inner lining of your blood vessels. As a consequence it can damage many organs: Gut, brain, heart, kidneys.

Very much unlike the common cold. Much more like the flu, which has been downplayed a lot as well.

@currentbias @freemo

I know it is scary to realise that Covid is probably taking away your health at each (re)infection, but it does not help to simply give up and accept the damage it does.

If everyone does a bit of extra effort to prevent infections, it is better for everyone, because there is so much less virus going around.