Really overjoyed to see the WH launch the Clean Air in Buildings Challenge that calls on all building operators, schools, universities, & organizations to adopt key strategies to improve indoor air quality in buildings to reduce #COVID19. #COVIDisAirbornewhitehouse.gov/briefing-room/…
2) this new clean air in building initiative is led by the EPA interestingly, rather than CDC or Labor. I think EPA is a good choice if it can turn guidelines into hard policy rules, not just voluntary suggested “guidelines” (like a pirate’s 🏴☠️ parlay). epa.gov/indoor-air-qua…
3) pretty solid guidelines here. Though wished they added Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes to the suggested disinfection list @CorsIAQ@JimRosenthal4!
5) That said, if buying a HEPA filter— be very very careful to avoid these HEPA imitations products that @CleanAirCrewOrg and others rate as unreliable and “false marketing”’
⚠️BA2 DOUBLES IN ONE WEEK—New @CDCgov data shows that #BA2 has now ~doubled to 23.1% from just 11.6% last week (revised 13%). This is a horrendous acceleration from just 7% prior. England surge started when BA2 hit ~half. April increase likely. #GetBoostedcovid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tra…
2) BA2 is surging at an exponential rate. Look at the same surge in #BA2 on a log scale — the green line clearly shows the log-linear steep climb. This is definitely an ominous trend.
3) Last week, for March 5th, CDC estimated 11.6%. But for the same week, CDC now admits they grossly underestimated the same week — CDC now revised that up to 13.7%… hence CDC has been underestimating BA2 by a bit. The current 23% could be too low too.
2) And while officials say they do have enough vaccine doses available for immunocompromised people to get a fourth dose, if the rest of the population ends up needing an additional dose, they may not have the funds needed to meet the nation's needs.
3) The gap in funding would be particularly severe if a vaccine-evading variant comes along and a new formulation is needed. 👀
BREAKING—a bill to make Daylight Savings permanent just passed the US Senate by **Unanimous Consent** (S.623: Sunshine Protection Act, as amended to make Daylight Saving Time permanent). It only needs to now pass the House before going to Biden’s desk!
YES— it happened—the US Senate does something right today… permanent DST for the (hopeful) win!
To be clear— we are currently in “Daylight saving time” between mid March and November. So it would make our current time permanent. No more clock switching if it passes the House. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_…
⚠️Kids hospitalizations ⬆️ 58%—I don’t know who needs to hear this—but endangering kids and letting 375 children 0-5 years hospitalized in last 7 days in England 🏴 is total insanity. 58% spike in 1 week! That’s #BA2 folks. #CovidIsNotOver
3) Europe already had a surge of old #Omicron… for those who think they are fully protected from #BA2 need to think again… and look how fast #BA2 driven when is moving.
📈SEWER SIGNALS—there is a sharp reversal in wastewater #SARSCoV2–many now rising across the US / plateauing and no longer falling, says CDC data. This parallels surge in Europe, just a few weeks behind. A #BA2 wave is coming—how soon/big is the question🧵 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
2) it doesn’t require a rocket scientist to see there is a huge reversal in wastewater #SARSCoV2 showing more coronavirus surge— this progression will likely continue as #BA2 rises further in prevalence.
3) we already saw hints of it last week in pockets like Palo Alto and others. But this is becoming much more common in more pockets around the country.