Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #scienceupfirst

Most recents (24)

Hospitals are overwhelmed and children's pain and fever medication is in low supply. Deciding whether or not to go to the ER is stressful.

We've broken it down for you in this decision tree. 👇

scienceupfirst.com/project/when-t…

#ScienceUpFirst

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You will also find:
- Additional information on fever
- What you can do at home to help reduce your child’s discomfort when feverish
- Your provincial or territorial health line number

#ScienceUpFirst

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We hope this decision tree helps relieve some of your stress.

Don’t forget to save it and share it with all the parents in your life!

Thanks to Dr. Shazma Mithani (@shazmamithani) for reviewing this post.

Sources: tinyurl.com/SUFKidERDecison

#ScienceUpFirst

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There is a lot of misinformation circulating online about this idea of “immunity debt”, so it’s important that you get your facts right.

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/10] Decorative element in the lower left corner. A chart with th
The term “immunity debt'' was coined and first mentioned in an opinion paper published in August 2021.

The author discusses the possibility of an immunity gap from the COVID-19 sanitary measure and the importance of vaccination to prevent outbreak.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Misinformers are now using this idea of “immunity debt” to suggest that the COVID-19 public health measures have weakened people’s immune systems by preventing them from being exposed to pathogens.

There are 2 problems with how they use this idea.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Seasonal depression is a type of depression caused by seasonal changes and varying in severity.

While 15% of people will experience mild symptoms (albeit uncomfortable), up to 3% will have full-blown symptoms resulting in serious life impairments.

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/15] A snowman and snowflakes. A...
Some people will experience the “winter blues”: lower mood sets, weight gain, low energy, and persistent fatigue.

In rarer cases, this happens in spring or summer instead, along with insomnia, weight loss, agitation, anxiety, and irritability.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is diagnosed when these seasonal mood changes have a negative impact on daily functioning.

People with SAD might oversleep, withdraw, or stop enjoying the things they normally enjoy.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Misinformation impacts Canadians’ mental and physical health everyday.

Would you be surprised if we told you some individuals are making a lot of money from misinformation?

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/16] Money symbol background, tw...
Misinformation online is omnipresent, it represent:
-43% of vaccines post
-40-60% of pandemics related post
-30% of YouTube videos about emerging infectious diseases contained either misinformation or misleading information

#ScienceUpFirst

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Social media platforms (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and blogs), as well as communication by public figures, media and online communities all contribute to the spread of misinformation.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Long COVID has over 100 identified symptoms, of which many are measurable impairments that can't be explained by the stress of the current pandemic. #LongCOVID is definitely not an imaginary disease.

#ScienceUpFirst
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One of the most common symptoms reported in long COVID patients is fatigue. This can be explained by the low oxygen levels measured in long COVID patients, which can strain the patient’s body.

#ScienceUpFirst
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Cognitive impairment (e.g. attention, memory, thinking, or concentrating disorders), can be explained by inflammation, lower blood flow in the brain, and similar processes to cognitive aging and neurodegenerative disease.

#ScienceUpFirst
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By now you’ve probably heard about Monkeypox.

With cases rising there are a few things we should clear up.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Who’s at risk of catching Monkeypox?
Anyone can be affected, regardless of sex, religion, race, gender or sexual orientation.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Monkeypox is mainly transmitted through direct contact with an infected person. It can also be contracted through contact with contaminated objects, contact with contaminated respiratory droplets, through infected animals and placenta to fetus.

#ScienceUpFirst

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By now you’ve probably heard about Monkeypox.

With cases rising there are a few things we should clear up.

Music by Macroblank on archive.org

#ScienceUpFirst

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Who’s at risk of catching Monkeypox?
Anyone can be affected, regardless of sex, religion, race, gender or sexual orientation.

#ScienceUpFirst

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It is mainly transmitted through direct close contact with an infected person. It can also be contracted through contact with contaminated objects, face-to-face contact with contaminated respiratory droplets, from infected animals and placenta to fetus.

#ScienceUpFirst

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When is it that a healthy amount of doubt and skepticism becomes a bad thing?

When misinformers use your healthy doubt and skepticism to question what has been scientifically proven and settled, it’s called doubt mongering.

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/7] A snake is wriggling it's t...
The tobacco industry used this tactic to create confusion around cigarette’s link to lung cancer. This tactic has appeared in climate change, and nuclear disarmament debates.

#ScienceUpFirst

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Doubt mongers don't try to convince you about their agenda, instead they create doubt on what's proven scientifically. For example, instead of trying to convince you that tobacco or climate change is harmless, they state that the science is in doubt.

#ScienceUpFirst

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I gave a guest talk recently on identifying fake science news. Here is a framework we used: FALSE CASE 1/8

@CaulfieldTim @DrJenGunter @ScienceUpFirst @JonathanStea #ScienceUpFirst FALSE CASE: A Guide to Spotting Fake News F: Feel / Emotion
F: Feeling/Emotion. What feeling does the report trigger? Fake/sensational science news often uses explosive language to trigger emotions

A: Author. Who is it? What is their position? Who are they speaking for? 2/8
L: Language. What language is being used? Is it "sciencey-sounding" but actually just long words strung together? Is it inflammatory? Vague?

S: Source. What is the source of the study? Peer reviewed journal? Is there no source? 3/8
Read 8 tweets
Thimerosal!?

Aluminum!?

Formaldehyde!?

Polyethylene glycol!?

There’s lots of misinformation about these vaccine ingredients, so let’s spend some time finding out what’s safe and what’s not. 👇🏿

#ScienceUpFirst #NIAW2022

🧵[1/6] Thimerosal Aluminum  Formaldehyde  Polyethylene glycol (aka
Thimerosal?

It’s a form of mercury that stops microbes from growing in some vaccines. 🛑

It hasn’t been used in routine kids’ vaccines in Canada since 2001, but is in some flu shots.

The mercury dose is less than a can of tuna! 🐟

#ScienceUpFirst #NIAW2022

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Aluminum?

It’s an “adjuvant” that helps the body mount a stronger response.

The amounts in vaccines are *tiny.*

A child will get more aluminum from baby formula or nursing than vaccines in the first 6mo of life.

#ScienceUpFirst #NIAW2022

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HPV is no joke.

There are 3 approved vaccines in Canada that prevent it.

Let’s talk about it ⬇️

#NIAW2022 #ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/8] Let's talk about the HPV va...
HPV = Human Papillomavirus.

It’s the most common sexually transmitted viral infection worldwide (1).

It’s estimated 75% of sexually active unvaccinated Canadians will get it at some point (2).

#NIAW2022 #ScienceUpFirst

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You don’t even need to have sex to get HPV. It can be transmitted by skin-to-skin contact (3).

#NIAW2022 #ScienceUpFirst

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When it comes to routine vaccines, stick to the schedule. It’s better that way. 📅

Wondering if, by spacing out your kids’ vaccines, you can save some tears?

We’ve got just the thread for you 👇🏽

#NIAW2022 #ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/10] Can I space out my baby's v...
The routine immunization schedule here in Canada was developed for a reason: to provide optimal protection from vaccine-preventable diseases (1).

And with vaccines, timing is everything (2).

#NIAW2022 #ScienceUpFirst

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Here are a few understandable (but unfounded!) reasons you might think about spacing out vaccines:

- Will a baby’s immune system get “overloaded” by too many vaccines all at once?
- Will getting multiple vaccines at once hurt too much?

#NIAW2022 #ScienceUpFirst

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Cases in many parts of Canada are on the rise 😩

And, because testing is so limited right now, most case graphs tell only part of the story.

So what do we do about it?

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵 [1/10] How do we respond to rising...
First of all: Are cases really going up?

Yes, because of a more infectious sub-variant (Omicron BA.2), relatively low booster coverage, and relaxing protection measures: health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/epide…

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵 [2/10] A chart showing the 7 day m...
Because tests are limited, in places like Ontario, experts estimate the true case count is 10x higher than what gets reported.

That’s why it’s useful to look at poop 💩.

Wastewater testing is telling us we’re in a 6th wave.

#ScienceUpFirst

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People don’t just wake up one morning convinced “globalists run the Internet.” 👁️

To get to that point, they need to travel down the rabbit hole. 🕳️

So what drives people towards conspiracy theories and extremism?

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵[1/12] Down the rabbit hole  What drives people towards conspiracy
Feelings of isolation (1) and uncertainty due to events outside your control (2) are a recipe for radicalization. It’s no wonder the pandemic has amplified conspiracy theories. 😰

#ScienceUpFirst

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Conspiracy theories give simple and structured answers for difficult questions, and can help ease anxiety. 😮‍💨

People with a greater desire for “cognitive closure” (total understanding of the world) are more likely to believe conspiracy theories (9).

#ScienceUpFirst

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A recent safety report by Pfizer has been seized upon by misinformers. There’s nothing particularly new or scary about it, despite the #Pfizer #VaccineSideEffects hashtags circulating online.

Let’s dig in on how this data has been misrepresented 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst A screenshot of the cover p...
Part of the mix up comes from a misunderstanding of “adverse events”.

Adverse events (AEs) ≠ side effects

AEs may or may not be related to a treatment (e.g. vaccines) and they are monitored for both treatment groups and placebo groups.

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#ScienceUpFirst
For example, if a trial participant swallowed a penny, that would be included as an adverse event. Even though it’s clear vaccines can’t make you swallow pennies.

As always, correlation ≠ causation

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#ScienceUpFirst
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COVID isn’t over. We know that’s not what anyone wants to hear right now, but it’s true. 🤷🏽‍♂️

So what is endemicity, and what will it take for us to get there?

Read on to learn more 👇

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵 [1/12] Is COVID-19 endemic?  A lot...
What is an endemic disease? 🤔

A single definition of “endemic” is tough to pin down (1). But epidemiologists say it’s when the rates of a disease are constant - not rising and not falling (2).

#ScienceUpFirst

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So, are we there yet with COVID-19? 📍

No we are not. COVID-19 remains unpredictable (3) and new variants will make it even more so (4).

#ScienceUpFirst

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Heard some sketchy stuff about the COVID-19 vaccine and your immune system?

This thread breaks down the myths 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst Vaccines are not going to ‘...
Myth: “COVID-19 vaccines created an HIV variant”

Reality: COVID-19 vaccines are not responsible for an HIV variant circulating in the Netherlands. A misrepresented study actually says the variant likely emerged in the 1990s.

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#ScienceUpFirst
Myth: “COVID-19 vaccines make you more susceptible to HIV/AIDS”

Reality: There is no UK report claiming vaccines increase the incidence of AIDS. Vaccines don't lower your T cell count causing immunosuppression. Vaccines boost T cell response!

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#ScienceUpFirst
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Misinformers often present only 2 choices. This or that.

But two seemingly opposite ideas can be true! 🤝

Come with us on a journey across the pandemic’s most popular false dichotomies. 🗺️ And learn how the world is more nuanced than this vs that.

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵 [1/8] Three circles overlap, red,...
Why bother with masks if you have the vaccine? 💉

Protecting yourself isn’t an either/or situation.

Both vaccines AND masks help protect you and everyone around you from disease. Who doesn’t want that?

#ScienceUpFirst

🧵 [2/8] Two orange and blue circles...
We often hear that we have to pick between public health and the economy. 👨🏽‍⚕️ / 💰

But, while the pandemic has hurt the economy, these measures also protect it. A healthy economy needs healthy people!

#ScienceUpFirst

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No vaccine is perfect. That includes the COVID-19 vaccines.

But they don’t need to be in order to save millions of lives.

A thread about transmission 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst We keep hearing, “Vaccines don’t stop transmission”  T
Transmission is the passing of a disease-causing pathogen (like a virus) from an infected person to someone else.

COVID-19 vaccines directly and indirectly reduce the transmission of COVID-19.

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#ScienceUpFirst
COVID-19 vaccines can directly reduce transmission by stopping your body from passing on live copies of the virus.

Vaccines were good at interrupting transmission of the Alpha/Delta variants. How well they stop Omicron transmission is being studied.

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#ScienceUpFirst
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Beware of the fake news trap! 🕳

Last month we put out a series of Misinformer Tactics in collaboration with the amazing illustrator Jordan Collver (@JordanCollver).

Here is a recap of what to look out for 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst How lies spread. Learn to spot these 5 misinformer tactics.
Astroturf? It looks like real grass, but it’s fake.

Similarly, Astroturfing is a practice where a message *appears* to have authentic grassroots support… but is really operated by just a few individuals.

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#ScienceUpFirst

Most choices go beyond binary.

But misinformers present ideas as either/or. You either care about health or the economy. You wear a mask or you hate freedom!

False dichotomies are black and white. The reality is shades of grey.

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#ScienceUpFirst

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Got Omicron? You are not alone!

See our thread on what we know so far 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst “I got Omicron, what’s next?”  (What we know so far ab
Can I get infected with Omicron again?

Anecdotal reports find reinfections happening weeks apart. Experts expect it is possible to catch Omicron more than once. Scientists are currently assessing how often reinfections occur and who is at most risk.

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#ScienceUpFirst
Though the relationship is not clearcut, several factors may influence reinfection:

How many exposures you have had (via vaccine 💉 or infection 🦠)

How recent your exposures are 📅

The severity of those exposures 🤒

If you're immunocompromised

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#ScienceUpFirst
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Saw some head-scratching data? 🤔

Understanding the Base Rate Fallacy can help you avoid jumping to the wrong conclusions. 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst Are you getting the full picture? A chart shows how COVID-19
How we communicate data influences how others will perceive it.

And let’s just say some graphs are better than others 👀

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#ScienceUpFirst People send us this graph A LOT as "proof" that va
For example, the pie chart above only gives raw hospitalization numbers, but does not give the base rate data (i.e. the number of people vaccinated in the whole population).

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#ScienceUpFirst
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“Should I get Omicron and just get it over with?”

NOPE! 🙅‍♀️

We’ve heard this line of thinking from our friends and family. But we’re here to tell you that getting COVID-19 isn’t inevitable and now isn’t the time to throw our hands in the air.

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#ScienceUpFirst Don't give up! COVID may feel inevitable, but don't rush out
Omicron spreads very easily, and hospitalizations are climbing.

Between Jan 3 and Jan 10, COVID-19 hospitalizations in Canada jumped from 4,113 to 6,926 and 290 more COVID-19 patients were admitted to an ICU (2).

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#ScienceUpFirst A graph showing number of patients hospitalized across the m
We get that talking about “flattening the curve” gives serious 2020 déjà vu. 😵‍💫

But it’s truly what we need to do! Healthcare workers are dealing with record case numbers while severely short staffed (3, 4). Slowing the spread matters.

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#ScienceUpFirst
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Don’t underestimate “mild” - COVID-19 isn’t a chicken wing 🍗

There’s confusion around the severity of Omicron, let’s get into it 👇

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#ScienceUpFirst Is Omicron “Mild”?  ICUs filling up with COVID patients
Good news: there is evidence of less lung damage (1,2,3); and lower rates of hospitalization and death (4).

But, what’s mild for one can be severe for others. Plus, the number of Long COVID cases related to Omicron are not yet captured.

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#ScienceUpFirst
The bad news: Omicron is more transmissible than all previous variants (5).

In Canada, we’ve seen the highest number of cases reported so far in the pandemic (and with limited testing, these are an underestimate) (6).

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#ScienceUpFirst
Read 6 tweets

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