New: the week's #Covid news and new resources in one easy, free digest. US faces "quindemic," babies under 6 have highest hospitalizations, David Tennant's Macbeth cancellations, new black masks, and more.

Link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/pandemic-roundup-115966923

#publichealth #LongCovid #journalism #prevention

“If you’ve been fighting for Covid mitigations for the last five years - you more than likely saw this coming. It was painfully obvious when the great unmasking occurred that many people on BOTH sides of the aisle didn’t care about the “vulnerable”. Didn’t care about community or protecting their neighbours. Didn’t care about anything other than their own ability to go to brunch, travel, socialize and get ‘back to normal.’

I’m not saying people should have shuttered inside their homes forever. None of us are. But they should have kept masking. There was no reason to stop. Respirators are highly effective at stopping the spread of Covid. The vast majority of people CAN wear them. We have mask blocs all over the world to provide masks to people who can’t afford them. It’s a simple thing you can do to protect yourself and - perhaps more importantly - protect others.”

If you missed my latest - it’s about the U.S. election, disability rights, eugenics, fascism and how we got to where we are. Perhaps more importantly - it’s about what comes next.

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/how-did-we-get-here-and-what-comes

#CovidIsAirborne #CovidCautious #CovidIsNotOver #CleanAir #WearaMask #Disability #LongCovid #Ableism #Denial #CleanAir #Pandemic #PublicHealth #InfectionControl #Eugenics #SafeHealthcare #N95 #Respirators #MasksWork #MaskUp #Spoonie #Discrimination #Dysautonomia #mecfs #pots #mcas #communitycare #wearamask #chronicillness #keepmasksinhealthcare #MaskBans #NoMaskBans #fascism #election2024

#IDMastodon #Publichealth A Note to 🇺🇸 One thing you might want to do before Jan. 20th 2025 is update all your vaccinations…

Israel Bombs Polio Vaccination Center in Area Marked for Humanitarian Pause

https://truthout.org/video/israel-bombs-polio-vaccination-center-in-area-marked-for-humanitarian-pause/

#dismantleisrael #Palestine #Gaza #genocide #infanticide #zionismisnazism #palestinewillbefree #publichealth #medicalaid #unrwa #bds #warcrimes

#IDMastodon #molecular_biology #MolecularMedicine #Publichealth #LongCovid & Mitochonrial Dysfunction.This study distinct mitochondrial structural abnormalities in LC patients,notably incl significant swelling, disrupted cristae, & an overall irregular morphology, which collectively indicates severe mitochondrial distress.

People spend their lives running from suffering. Doing whatever they can to avoid feeling pain. The idea of “forever suffering” is terrifying to them. I think this fear is behind a lot of the disdain we see directed at disabled people.

We remind others that suffering can be permanent. That it can’t always be outrun.

We exist in the grey. Our illnesses won’t kill us - but they also won’t ever get better. There’s no cure on the horizon. No “are you better yet?”

This reality scares the crap out of people.

As such - they pull away from us. They abandon us or treat us with such disdain that we walk away from them. The ones that stay often expect us to hide how sick we are. To plaster a smile on our face and say we’re “fine” so that they don’t have to feel uncomfortable.

When they ask how we’re feeling or if we’re “any better”… they don’t want to hear the truth. In fact - if you tell them the truth you could find yourself facing a lecture on “positive thinking” or how you just need to “try harder” and you will suddenly overcome your illnesses.

People are unable or unwilling to face the realities of chronic illness - so they make it harder for us to face it as well. They treat it like it’s our fault. Like we did something to become ill or like we could get better if we “really wanted to”.

They will push our boundaries, gaslight us and yes - put us at risk for covid. So this is your reminder that it is ok to set and hold boundaries. It’s ok to protect yourself. If someone won’t be there at your worst - they don’t deserve you.

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/we-dont-do-sick-if-you-cant-hide


#CovidIsAirborne #CovidCautious #CovidIsNotOver #CleanAir #WearaMask #Disability #LongCovid #Ableism #Denial #CleanAir #Pandemic #PublicHealth #InfectionControl #Eugenics #SafeHealthcare #N95 #Respirators #MasksWork #MaskUp #Spoonie #Discrimination #Dysautonomia #mecfs #pots #mcas #communitycare #wearamask #chronicillness #keepmasksinhealthcare #MaskBans #NoMaskBans

Scared of E. Coli? Donald Trump Should Terrify You.

#FoodSafety #FoodIndustry #EColi #PublicHealth #HealthRisks

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/tom-colicchio-food-safety-election/#respond

People are angry that hospitals are bringing back mask mandates due to COVID outbreaks.

Patients like me are angry that we have to risk infection to get medical care. Some of us have died due to hospital acquired COVID.

Masks make sense in hospitals - why oppose them?

I’ve yet to hear a decent argument against mask mandates in hospitals.

The people who oppose them are almost always the ones screaming about how strong and healthy their immune systems are - so theoretically they never spend any time IN a hospital. Why do they care?

Inevitably people just trot out the tired “if your mask works then no one else needs one”… which just highlights that they’ve never spent any significant time in the hospital.

If you’re sick enough to need the hospital there’s decent odds something might prevent you from masking.

Even if you CAN mask - if you’re admitted what do you do when you need to eat, drink or brush your teeth? What if you require oxygen, having vomiting or airway complications?

The responsibility to stay covid safe shouldn’t be left to the patient.

It’s cruel and unusual punishment.

Mandatory masks mean that patients are protected by those around them - which is how it should be.

No one should have to risk covid to get care - and the normalization of hospital acquired covid needs to stop.

If you’re someone who opposes masks in healthcare - or who doesn’t understand WHY they’re necessary - please read my plea to healthcare workers.

Vulnerable patients feel unsafe. Expendable. Terrified.

Needing the hospital is scary enough - we shouldn’t have to worry about forced infection too:

https://www.disabledginger.com/p/a-plea-to-maskless-healthcare-workers

#CovidIsAirborne #CovidCautious #CovidIsNotOver #CleanAir #WearaMask #Disability #LongCovid #Ableism #Denial #CleanAir #Pandemic #PublicHealth #InfectionControl #Eugenics #SafeHealthcare #N95 #Respirators #MasksWork #MaskUp #Spoonie #Discrimination #Dysautonomia #mecfs #pots #mcas #communitycare #wearamask #chronicillness #keepmasksinhe

I completely agree with Mike Freelander—it's truly appalling that the government would prioritise briefing lobbyists over its own caucus on such an important issue. The influence of the gambling industry on policy is a major concern, and it seems Labor is indeed being "softened up." The public deserves strong and decisive action against gambling ads, particularly on TV and social media, where they can have a harmful impact, especially on vulnerable communities. It’s high time the government put people’s well-being ahead of industry interests.#GamblingAds #PolicyReform #PublicHealth #StopTheSpin #PeopleOverProfits #AusPol

If you don’t fight, you lose: Senator Janet Rice reflects on marriage equality, First Nations justice, climate action in farewell speech https://www.croakey.org/if-you-dont-fight-you-lose-senator-janet-rice-reflects-on-marriage-equality-first-nations-justice-climate-action-in-farewell-speech #publichealth

Four years later, a call for better public health communications on COVID amid the ongoing "global threat" https://www.croakey.org/four-years-later-a-call-for-better-public-health-communications-on-covid-amid-the-ongoing-global-threat #publichealth

As we mark World Health Day, some essential reading on critical hope, solidarity, equity and future-proofing the public health workforce https://www.croakey.org/as-we-mark-world-health-day-some-essential-reading-on-critical-hope-solidarity-equity-and-future-proofing-the-public-health-workforce #publichealth

What can Australia learn from the United States when establishing the new Centre for Disease Control? https://www.croakey.org/what-can-australia-learn-from-the-united-states-when-establishing-the-new-centre-for-disease-control-2 #publichealth

Health and social inequities predicted to increase in Aotearoa/New Zealand under new government https://www.croakey.org/health-and-social-inequities-predicted-to-increase-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-under-new-government #publichealth

Critical climate negotiations begin with a focus on health and a message to world leaders – "we are watching you" https://www.croakey.org/critical-climate-negotiations-begin-with-a-focus-on-health-and-a-message-to-world-leaders-we-are-watching-you #publichealth

My submission to the Australian Senate on the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Bill 2023 (Cth) and Accompanying Regulations is now available https://works.bepress.com/matthew_rimmer/429/ The Australian Government is looking to consolidate and modernise its tobacco control laws with this bill - and enhance the operation of plain packaging of tobacco products. #auslaw #auspol #smoking #tobacco #tobaccocontrol #tobaccoendgame #health #publichealth