hi 👋🏼 long-time follower and new subscriber - curious if you’d share your rationale on dropping the masks and what indicators you’ll use to resume masking? I have a hard time gauging the absolute risk of covid with low wastewater levels like this so haven’t dropped the masks yet in my house. I’m terrified of the possibility of severe long covid but I’m also burning out on skipping out on seeing friends, important events, travel, etc. any advice?
Hi! Great question. A few years ago I wrote to "ride the waves" and I still very much view precautions in this manner. The probability of infection is so low during a lull, that I won't turn around to grab my mask if I forgot it on the way to the airport. During the peak of the winter infection wave, I would have turned back. As far as your fear for severe long covid, I also don't want to get long Covid. But the lower probability of infection + reducing long covid rates (thanks to vaccines, infections, and the virus mutating) have provided me relief. There will always be risk, but it has to be balanced with other things that bring me great joy, like traveling, events, and friends. These are important too! Hang in there.
I appreciate this response! I did tell myself last year that I’d allow some more risk this year once the wastewater levels went below 500 copies/mL (kinda arbitrary but seems very low relative to the rest of the year. I follow Biobot and live in the northeast) but now that the time has come I’m nervous 😬 and I’ve also seen the encouraging research on vaccines dramatically reducing the risk of LC so I’m cautiously optimistic.
Ditto on this great question. I know that everyone needs to define their own acceptable risk levels. I'm asking instead about your process in getting a more personal Covid "weather report". If I'm going for a walk that might involve rain, I don't look at yesterday's paper, I look at an on-line weather report. I pay attention to wind conditions, because although I don't mind puddles, my choice is to avoid umbrella-destroying wind. Then I check radar for storm cells with lightning. I wish I had an analogous process for Covid! I don't know enough about Wastewater Data (reliability or time lags or variation between the different variants) to know if it's like reading last week's weather report or today's radar. I have absolutely no clue about my risks of hospitalization, long covid, or death were I to contract Covid. By no clue, I mean not even a scale. Is it 1:10, 1:100, 1:100,000?
I'd be interested to know the rationale as well, for no longer masking. For myself, I will continue with the level 3 surgical masks for very low risk situations, and use KN95s or N95s in any higher risk situations (which is almost never since I don't travel and as a lifelong introvert generally avoid social events). In my area I am one of the few who still mask, and definitely 100% at work.
Speaking only for myself - because wearing masks - while effective - is really quite unpleasant for a lot of us. That was the awkward category I fell into for much of the pandemic: I'd actively avoid settings that required masks, because (a) they tended to be high risk places anyway and (b) blech, masks. And I found that the more effective a mask was, the more painful the experience. And the best masks, for a good chunk of the pandemic? Prohibitively expensive. Insofar as I may still mask during surges, I'm glad that they're no longer officially recommended because it keeps the prices down.
I, too, would like to know what your personal masking policy is. Can you please tell me under what conditions you’ve been masking up in the last month or so? I would personally love it if you told us in every newsletter when and if you wear a mask just to give me some more specific guidance. This is the first time that I have written in, but your newsletters have been invaluable to me during the pandemic. I am so grateful to you for writing them.
I'd be interested in discussion of the recently published (ESPIC-SR) study showing lack of effectiveness of paxolovid in patients with "standard" risk factors. It did not include many patients over 65 or with higher risk conditions. I wonder if paxlovid is still useful in such patients.
I have a question concerning hospitilization rates.
I am old enough that I predate the vaccine - I got pretty much ALL of the childhood diseases. I can't remember any of my sibs, cousins, or classmates being hospitalized for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, ... When I did my Ph.D. the university required me to show my vaccination - I told them that I didn't need it. They had me do an antibody test, which showed full immunity.
Why the high hospitilization rate now? We didn't have it 60+ years ago.
Thanks for this update. Re the eclipse-- yes it was awesome (in the original, not trendy sense)! "Science is so cool"-- yes, and so is nature! Nature (not science) brought us this amazing spectacle. Science enables us to experience it with delight and fascination, instead of terror and dread!
I have week-long responses to Covid vaccines. “Worst flu ever” levels of shaking, chills, fever, body aches, etc. I will never stop getting boosters (I have Long Covid; am a year-round masker), but what can I do to ameliorate side effects?
Have you tried Novavax? Each time I got the mRNA shot, I had the "worst flu ever" too. It was horrible. I tried Novavax last fall, and ZERO symptoms. It was incredible!
I work at a school in Michigan. I have a student who is positive for avian flu. They do not live on a farm or have contact with animals. It is spreading.
I'm not sure it would be on the news. Throughout the pandemic I have witnessed a failure to communicate what is happening at all levels. I consistently have covid positive students in my classrooms with no notification. We do, however, get notification for strep or lice. The student was very specific when sharing their diagnosis and was feeling rather miserable while at school (thankfully, masked.) There is a lack of transparency at all levels.
I am also curious about the trigger for re-masking. But right now I'm wondering if I should be getting another Covid-19 vaccine booster when summer comes along? And if so, when does it make sense to do so? I am a longtime Moderna person - but Novovax is available to me - should I try that instead? I understand there are fewer side effects.
I saw one when I was a child of about 9 or 10 where that happened. The day started out cloudy then cleared up just in time. My dad was an amateur astronomer. We went all the way from New Jersey to Prince Edward Island where we met up with a large group of his astrology buddies.
Question about avian flu and cats and… lettuce. My next-door neighbor plants a beautiful yearly vegetable garden in his backyard. We also have a lot of neighborhood cats in our area, some of whom he feeds, and my indoor-only cat enjoys watching them frolic through our patio door. My neighbor told me yesterday he might not get to planting his garden this year and that if he did he doesn’t know that he can keep the cats out of the garden beds. They have been using them as giant litter boxes is how he described this. My question is- do you think there could be risk of spread to humans through foods like lettuce that aren’t generally cooked before being eaten? So - bird to cat to cat feces to vegetable garden to human?
It seems like it’s going to be hard to get. So far, I haven’t found anyone who will prescribe it despite definitely qualifying. My primary even told me I’ll need to go to an ER, for a non emergent prophylactic infusion. Seems unwise.
For a kiddo under 4 who has one MMR dose, would you recommend fast-tracking dose 2 given the current measles situation? In our case she’ll have her 4yo well visit this summer, and I hope we’ll be offered the dose then. Do we need to go in even sooner for it? Or if they don’t offer it at this visit, should we push for it? (We live in a well vaccinated community.)
I would definitely talk to your doctor, but I’m in this situation with my daughter too. For what it’s worth, I’m not getting it earlier for her, unless we were exposed to an active outbreak. There’s an immunologic advantage to sticking to the schedule
I would be interested in your take on an article out of Japan, published April 8, 2024, "Increased Age-Adjusted Cancer Mortality After the Third mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Vaccine Dose During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan"
hi 👋🏼 long-time follower and new subscriber - curious if you’d share your rationale on dropping the masks and what indicators you’ll use to resume masking? I have a hard time gauging the absolute risk of covid with low wastewater levels like this so haven’t dropped the masks yet in my house. I’m terrified of the possibility of severe long covid but I’m also burning out on skipping out on seeing friends, important events, travel, etc. any advice?
Hi! Great question. A few years ago I wrote to "ride the waves" and I still very much view precautions in this manner. The probability of infection is so low during a lull, that I won't turn around to grab my mask if I forgot it on the way to the airport. During the peak of the winter infection wave, I would have turned back. As far as your fear for severe long covid, I also don't want to get long Covid. But the lower probability of infection + reducing long covid rates (thanks to vaccines, infections, and the virus mutating) have provided me relief. There will always be risk, but it has to be balanced with other things that bring me great joy, like traveling, events, and friends. These are important too! Hang in there.
I appreciate this response! I did tell myself last year that I’d allow some more risk this year once the wastewater levels went below 500 copies/mL (kinda arbitrary but seems very low relative to the rest of the year. I follow Biobot and live in the northeast) but now that the time has come I’m nervous 😬 and I’ve also seen the encouraging research on vaccines dramatically reducing the risk of LC so I’m cautiously optimistic.
Ditto on this great question. I know that everyone needs to define their own acceptable risk levels. I'm asking instead about your process in getting a more personal Covid "weather report". If I'm going for a walk that might involve rain, I don't look at yesterday's paper, I look at an on-line weather report. I pay attention to wind conditions, because although I don't mind puddles, my choice is to avoid umbrella-destroying wind. Then I check radar for storm cells with lightning. I wish I had an analogous process for Covid! I don't know enough about Wastewater Data (reliability or time lags or variation between the different variants) to know if it's like reading last week's weather report or today's radar. I have absolutely no clue about my risks of hospitalization, long covid, or death were I to contract Covid. By no clue, I mean not even a scale. Is it 1:10, 1:100, 1:100,000?
I'd be interested to know the rationale as well, for no longer masking. For myself, I will continue with the level 3 surgical masks for very low risk situations, and use KN95s or N95s in any higher risk situations (which is almost never since I don't travel and as a lifelong introvert generally avoid social events). In my area I am one of the few who still mask, and definitely 100% at work.
Speaking only for myself - because wearing masks - while effective - is really quite unpleasant for a lot of us. That was the awkward category I fell into for much of the pandemic: I'd actively avoid settings that required masks, because (a) they tended to be high risk places anyway and (b) blech, masks. And I found that the more effective a mask was, the more painful the experience. And the best masks, for a good chunk of the pandemic? Prohibitively expensive. Insofar as I may still mask during surges, I'm glad that they're no longer officially recommended because it keeps the prices down.
The profile you provide for Clade I mpox is very alarming. Please keep us posted.
I, too, would like to know what your personal masking policy is. Can you please tell me under what conditions you’ve been masking up in the last month or so? I would personally love it if you told us in every newsletter when and if you wear a mask just to give me some more specific guidance. This is the first time that I have written in, but your newsletters have been invaluable to me during the pandemic. I am so grateful to you for writing them.
I'd be interested in discussion of the recently published (ESPIC-SR) study showing lack of effectiveness of paxolovid in patients with "standard" risk factors. It did not include many patients over 65 or with higher risk conditions. I wonder if paxlovid is still useful in such patients.
I have a question concerning hospitilization rates.
I am old enough that I predate the vaccine - I got pretty much ALL of the childhood diseases. I can't remember any of my sibs, cousins, or classmates being hospitalized for measles, mumps, rubella, chickenpox, ... When I did my Ph.D. the university required me to show my vaccination - I told them that I didn't need it. They had me do an antibody test, which showed full immunity.
Why the high hospitilization rate now? We didn't have it 60+ years ago.
And yes, I am current on my shingles vaccine.
Thanks for this update. Re the eclipse-- yes it was awesome (in the original, not trendy sense)! "Science is so cool"-- yes, and so is nature! Nature (not science) brought us this amazing spectacle. Science enables us to experience it with delight and fascination, instead of terror and dread!
I have week-long responses to Covid vaccines. “Worst flu ever” levels of shaking, chills, fever, body aches, etc. I will never stop getting boosters (I have Long Covid; am a year-round masker), but what can I do to ameliorate side effects?
Have you tried Novavax? Each time I got the mRNA shot, I had the "worst flu ever" too. It was horrible. I tried Novavax last fall, and ZERO symptoms. It was incredible!
Thanks SO much for your reply! I will try that for my next booster 👍
I have the same with Moderna. Last one, I took Novavax and it was so much better. Just a little sleepy.
Similar experience. I had high fevers after both Pfizer and Moderna but no noticeable side-effects from Novavax.
Think I’ll try that next time. Anything that can help…
I work at a school in Michigan. I have a student who is positive for avian flu. They do not live on a farm or have contact with animals. It is spreading.
Is it H5N1? It seems like it would be all over the news if it was.
I'm not sure it would be on the news. Throughout the pandemic I have witnessed a failure to communicate what is happening at all levels. I consistently have covid positive students in my classrooms with no notification. We do, however, get notification for strep or lice. The student was very specific when sharing their diagnosis and was feeling rather miserable while at school (thankfully, masked.) There is a lack of transparency at all levels.
I am also curious about the trigger for re-masking. But right now I'm wondering if I should be getting another Covid-19 vaccine booster when summer comes along? And if so, when does it make sense to do so? I am a longtime Moderna person - but Novovax is available to me - should I try that instead? I understand there are fewer side effects.
Great graphics. The one about measles vac. between communities should be a poster in every! pediatrician's office!
I drove hundreds of miles to get into the path of totality and it was cloudy. It got dark for a couple of minutes. Oh well!
Dang it!! It was definitely touch and go there for a while in Dallas, too. But then it just cleared up right at the eclipse. It was incredible.
I saw one when I was a child of about 9 or 10 where that happened. The day started out cloudy then cleared up just in time. My dad was an amateur astronomer. We went all the way from New Jersey to Prince Edward Island where we met up with a large group of his astrology buddies.
I mean astronomy buddies. He hated thy the whole institution of astrology.
Went to Mazatlán cleared enough for some good fotos.
As below: .cleyet.org/eclipse
Question about avian flu and cats and… lettuce. My next-door neighbor plants a beautiful yearly vegetable garden in his backyard. We also have a lot of neighborhood cats in our area, some of whom he feeds, and my indoor-only cat enjoys watching them frolic through our patio door. My neighbor told me yesterday he might not get to planting his garden this year and that if he did he doesn’t know that he can keep the cats out of the garden beds. They have been using them as giant litter boxes is how he described this. My question is- do you think there could be risk of spread to humans through foods like lettuce that aren’t generally cooked before being eaten? So - bird to cat to cat feces to vegetable garden to human?
What is current status of norovirus
Right now www.wastewaterscan.org puts norovirus at "high"
What are your thoughts on Pemgarda? I'm excited about the idea of feeling more protected, but don't know how to think about the pros/cons
It seems like it’s going to be hard to get. So far, I haven’t found anyone who will prescribe it despite definitely qualifying. My primary even told me I’ll need to go to an ER, for a non emergent prophylactic infusion. Seems unwise.
For a kiddo under 4 who has one MMR dose, would you recommend fast-tracking dose 2 given the current measles situation? In our case she’ll have her 4yo well visit this summer, and I hope we’ll be offered the dose then. Do we need to go in even sooner for it? Or if they don’t offer it at this visit, should we push for it? (We live in a well vaccinated community.)
I would definitely talk to your doctor, but I’m in this situation with my daughter too. For what it’s worth, I’m not getting it earlier for her, unless we were exposed to an active outbreak. There’s an immunologic advantage to sticking to the schedule
I would be interested in your take on an article out of Japan, published April 8, 2024, "Increased Age-Adjusted Cancer Mortality After the Third mRNA-Lipid Nanoparticle Vaccine Dose During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan"
https://www.cureus.com/articles/196275-increased-age-adjusted-cancer-mortality-after-the-third-mrna-lipid-nanoparticle-vaccine-dose-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-in-japan#!/