Notices by Augie Ray (augieray@mastodon.social)

There is the pervasive myth that needs to be busted. (Someone shared it with me just this week!) The myth is that we are healthier because we get more infections and that builds our immune system.

The immune system isn't a muscle. Yes, infections impart some immunity (sometimes long-lived and sometimes, as with COVID, quite brief.) But each infection carries more risks from acute and chronic illness than the meager benefits imparted. (1/4)

What? You mean private equity firms put profits before patients? Shocked! Shocked, I am!

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/investigations/private-equity-reduces-patient-care-enriching-investors-senate-report-rcna186636

Trump is a felon who cannot legally own a firearm. And in 10 days, he'll have US nuclear launch codes. Let that sink in.

😂 😂 😂 😡

Conservatives believe the wealthy should pay less taxes so that other Americans don't get essential services, leaving the rich with more cash to pay for private services others cannot afford.

The US has recorded its first death from H5N1 bird flu.

- Do not touch sick or dead animals or their droppings.
- Do not bring sick wild animals into your home.
- Keep your pets away from sick or dead animals and their feces.
- Do not eat uncooked or undercooked food.
- Avoid uncooked food products such as unpasteurized raw milk or cheeses from animals that have a suspected or confirmed infection.

https://www.katc.com/news/covering-louisiana/state-health-officials-report-first-avian-flu-death

A "baffling rise in post-pandemic mortality rates," and "the number of Americans claiming disabilities has skyrocketed since 2020, adding another puzzling factor." It's all so baffling and puzzling what could be causing this since 2020, isn't it?

At least this article notes, "Reasons behind the stunning increase vary, but many seem connected to the #COVID19 pandemic. A sizable number of COVID-19 survivors claim long-term health issues, the so-called Long COVID."

https://insurancenewsnet.com/innarticle/disability-claims-skyrocket-raising-new-puzzle-alongside-excess-mortality

It's fun to watch MAGA discover they were grifted, even before inauguration day.

Trump had called the H-1B visa program “unfair” to American workers and “very bad.”

Last night, he was asked why he changed his mind. He (of course) said he did not, and added, “We need a lot of people coming in.”

Not exactly what the Trumpsters expected, is it?

https://www.newsweek.com/trump-asked-why-he-changed-his-mind-h-1b-visas-2008218

There are people who see airplane lights at night and are afraid they're nefarious drones.

They see vaccines, and they fear they are dangerous and containing trackers.

They see immigrants, and they fear they will be violent.

Then they see me wearing a mask during a significant surge of #COVID19, RSV and flu, and they accuse me of being afraid without reason. 🤡

Deaths per year:

The US CDC reported 47,882 #COVID19 deaths (which is certainly undercounted) in the last year.

In the entire 2023-2024 flu season, the CDC reported 28,000 influenza-related deaths.

Gun violence claimed 46,728 lives in 2023.

27,300 people died by suicide using a firearm in 2023.

40,990 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in 2023.

How is it that COVID can cause as much death as things we worry about and legislate, yet it attracts no concern or action from most?

STUDY: Even in young individuals who predominantly experienced only mild forms of the infection, a gradual decline in health and fitness can occur over a span of four years post-infection. Some negative trends—at least in men—began to stabilize or even reverse during the 4th year, whereas in women, these trends showed no such improvement. The long-term public health impacts of #COVID19 may be more severe and affect a much broader population than is commonly assumed.

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/1/69

Bovine-origin H5N1 viruses have spilled over into cats, wild birds, poultry and mammals. Due to low numbers of H5N1 2.3.4.4b human infections, the CDC and WHO estimate a low pandemic risk, but their tools assess current risk and not future evolutionary potential of H5N1. Recent human infections with H5N1 2.3.4.4b viruses have had a substantially lower case fatality rate compared with previous H5N1 outbreaks in Asia, in which around half of people with reported infections died.

(4/5)

In late 2023 or early 2024, a rare genotype in wild birds (B3.13) made the jump to cows. Starting in February 2024, Texas dairy farmers reported falls in milk production, yellow milk, and dead cats on several farms. This spread rapidly to other states. In spring 2024, more than one-third of retail pasteurized milk samples from 12 US states contained H5N1 genetic fragments that present no danger to humans, but indicate widespread distribution of the virus in dairy cattle.

(3/5)

In 2020, a new genotype of H5N1 originated, belonging to clade 2.3.4.4b. This came from a genomic reassortment where two viruses infecting one host swap sequences, in this case 2.3.4.4b H5N8 and low-pathogenicity avian influenza. This led to more H5N1/LPAI reassortment events, and today's H5N1 is panzootic, spreading in fur farms, marine mammals, dairy cattle and wild birds.

(2/5)

This STUDY may be too scientific for some, but it is fascinating. If you want to learn more about the #H5N1 #HPAI #birdflu, this is worth your time:

In 1996, HPAI H5 virus emerged.

In 2014, an H5 virus came to North America, but US poultry farmers eliminated it by culling of 50M birds. Unlike 2014, the culling 90M domestic birds has not stopped H5 due to reseeding from wild birds.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08054-z

(1/5)

Another STUDY for those who think #COVID19 is just like other infections.

"COVID-19 survivors show a more pronounced decline in kidney function than those who recover from pneumonia caused by other infections. The risk for a 25% reduction in eGFR was higher in patients with COVID-19 than in those with pneumonia (hazard ratio [HR], 1.19), with the risk being even higher among those who required hospitalization (HR, 1.42)."

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/covid-19-takes-greater-toll-kidneys-than-pneumonia-2024a1000p7a?form=fpf

A bit of caution can go a long way. Enjoy a safe New Year's Eve and help to start your 2025 in good health. COVID risks are lower than past holiday weeks, but viral activity levels are still High at present!

If you'd like to see the recent #COVID19 research, my spreadsheet of 1,400+ studies is sorted from oldest to newest and presented in tabs based on cardiovascular, neurological and brain, pregnancy, and other health conditions.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12VbMkvqUF9eSggJsdsFEjKs5x0ABxQJi5tvfzJIDd3U/edit?usp=sharing

A right-wing investor group tried to force #Costco to abandon its DEI policies. The company responded:

“Our Board has considered this proposal and believes that our commitment to an enterprise rooted in respect and inclusion is appropriate and necessary… Our success at Costco Wholesale has been built on service to our critical stakeholders: employees, members and suppliers. Our efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion follow our code of ethics.”

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/27/business/costco-dei/index.html

For people with a #COVID19 diagnosis while hospitalized, "the rate per 1000 person-years of any Long COVID symptom/condition was 7842 for Days 31 to 197 post hospitalization and 5239 for Days 198 to 365 post hospitalization, with a percent change between time periods of –33%. Decreases in incidence over time for other symptoms/conditions included cognitive dysfunction (–29%), brain fog (–28%), arrhythmias (–26%), cerebrovascular disease (–23%)." https://www.natap.org/2024/IDWeek/longcovidsymptoms.pdf

Newly released report from the NYC Health Department based on a 2022 survey:

- 80 percent of adult New Yorkers infected with #COVID19 experienced at least one symptom lasting one month or longer.

- 33% of adults with at least one severe post-acute symptom after COVID-19 had probable depression, higher than those reporting only mild symptoms (6%) or no symptoms (2%).

https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/about/press/pr2024/nyc-adults-with-covid-19-experienced-symptoms-one-month-or-longer.page