Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA Profile picture
Sep 26, 2022 11 tweets 12 min read Read on X
Empowered communities want free #N95 masks!

Our new pre-print shows that people are excited to use N95s during COVID surges when given them for free w/helpful information on their evidence & how to use them.
1/
psyarxiv.com/f76vw Study abstract: People want...Project banner: Free N95 Qu...Aegle N95, given away in th...
You might remember when we posted about the study back in December!

I hope you find the results useful. We tried to make the figures relatable, even if you're not reading science articles every day. Please let me know if you have questions!
2/

We gave out 2,500 #N95 masks in 5 packs to our racially & socioeconomically diverse community. Many used N95s for the 1st time. People treated us like we were giving them kidneys. So grateful!

97% used at least 1 N95 & 40% used all 5 within 1-mo!

3/
We called our #N95 giveaway study "Project #Bandura," named for the famous #psychologist who studied social learning.

Well -- people learned, socially! >80% of participants told others about N95s. Several enthusiasts shared w/dozens of ppl!
4/
Cost was the biggest barrier to sustained #N95 use!

Still, ppl planned to buy an average of >10 more N95s in the near future (2x what we gave them).

More interesting, if FREE, 88% would use N95s again. Once you pop, you can't stop!
5/
We only gave away 2,500 N95s. It was labor intensive b/c we included educational materials, had a follow-up survey, went through IRB, etc.

However, it validates @amandalhu's 17,000 mask giveaway, those of cities and fed govt's.

Free N95 & #BetterMasks are hugely popular!
6/
As a #psychologist, there is 1 big truth I believe w/my heart. If you talk to most ppl in a way that's reasonable, about 97% will feel empowered to take actions to improve their lives & communities.

As true for COVID as anything else. We just need more courageous leadership.
7/
With N95s extremely popular during #COVID surges, what's the national strategy?

The U.S. had a stockpile and started giving them out for free (after my psychology research team 🤣). There are no known plans to buy and distribute more.

8/11
Domestic manufacturers are selling off #N95 inventory & equipment after boom-and-bust cycles. Many are closing their doors.

It's a low-cost filter. For your face. That keeps you from getting sick & becoming disabled or dying.

What are we doing???
9/11
Thanks if you posted about #CovidisAirborne. The study is dedicated to you.

You converted me from cloth masks to N95s.

Shouldn't we have federal #policy priorities to make high-quality masks available to everyone during surges?

10/11

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More from @michael_hoerger

Dec 15
PMC COVID Update, Dec 15, 2025 (U.S.)

In the latest CDC data, 15 states have moderate to very high transmission.
🔹1 in 63 estimated actively infectious nationally, rising fastest in the Midwest & Northeast
🔹Very High: Indiana
🔹High: Nebraska, Vermont, Connecticut

🧵1/9 Heat map from CDC data and PMC estimates of 1 in 63 actively infectious and >700,000 new daily infections, based on wastewater derived estimates using models noted in the Technical Appendix at the website listed in the image.
PMC estimates 1 in 26 people in Indiana are infectious and 1 in 39 in Connecticut.

MI, MS, and AR may have higher levels than shown due to poor reporting.

States AL to MS shown.

🧵2/9 Alabama	Moderate	1 in 41 (2.4%) Alaska	Very Low	1 in 220 (0.5%) Arizona	Very Low	1 in 118 (0.8%) Arkansas	Low*	1 in 68 (1.5%) California	Very Low	1 in 382 (0.3%) Colorado	Very Low*	1 in 230 (0.4%) Connecticut	High	1 in 39 (2.6%) Delaware	Very Low	1 in 222 (0.4%) District of Columbia	Very Low	1 in 131 (0.8%) Florida	Very Low	1 in 320 (0.3%) Georgia	Very Low	1 in 275 (0.4%) Guam	Very Low	1 in 426 (0.2%) Hawaii	Very Low	1 in 670 (0.1%) Idaho	Very Low	1 in 108 (0.9%) Illinois	Low	1 in 71 (1.4%) Indiana	Very High	1 in 26 (3.8%) Iowa	Low	1 in 76 (1.3%) Kansas	Moderate	1 in 62 (1.6%) Kentucky	Mode...
PMC estimates 1 in 39 are infectious in both Nebraska and Vermont (coincidence, not typo).

Very few NY sites are reporting to the CDC, so use the NYS website there instead.

States MO to WY shown.

🧵3/9 Missouri	Low	1 in 80 (1.2%) Montana	Very Low	1 in 135 (0.7%) Nebraska	High	1 in 39 (2.5%) Nevada	Very Low	1 in 225 (0.4%) New Hampshire	Moderate	1 in 47 (2.1%) New Jersey	Very Low	1 in 200 (0.5%) New Mexico	Low	1 in 75 (1.3%) New York	Moderate*	1 in 49 (2.1%) North Carolina	Very Low	1 in 226 (0.4%) North Dakota	Low*	1 in 85 (1.2%) Ohio	Moderate	1 in 62 (1.6%) Oklahoma	Moderate*	1 in 47 (2.1%) Oregon	Low	1 in 89 (1.1%) Pennsylvania	Moderate	1 in 55 (1.8%) Rhode Island	Low	1 in 70 (1.4%) South Carolina	Very Low	1 in 215 (0.5%) South Dakota	Low	1 in 86 (1.2%) Tennessee	Moderate	1 in 60 (1.7%) ...
Read 9 tweets
Dec 8
PMC COVlD Update, Dec 8, 2025 (U.S.)
1/9

🔥🔥🔥Very High: Arizona (Yuma)
🔥🔥High: Indiana and Vermont
🔥Moderate: Nebraska and Alabama

Data only go through late November, and levels often increase following Thanksgiving. Heat map and PMC estimates of transmission (1 in 102 actively infectious).
PMC COVlD Update, Dec 8, 2025 (U.S.)
2/9

State-by-state estimates (part 1). Arizona is Very High, but sites were only online in the Yuma area. Indiana remains high.

MI and MS have considerable uncertainty.

DC is exceptionally low. Alabama	Moderate	1 in 47 (2.1%) Alaska	Very Low	1 in 220 (0.5%) Arizona	Very High*	1 in 18 (5.7%) Arkansas	Very Low*	1 in 138 (0.7%) California	Very Low	1 in 574 (0.2%) Colorado	Low	1 in 76 (1.3%) Connecticut	Low	1 in 91 (1.1%) Delaware	Very Low	1 in 307 (0.3%) District of Columbia	Very Low	1 in 5,777 (0.0%) Florida	Very Low	1 in 494 (0.2%) Georgia	Very Low	1 in 180 (0.6%) Guam	Very Low	1 in 289 (0.3%) Hawaii	Very Low	1 in 704 (0.1%) Idaho	Very Low	1 in 121 (0.8%) Illinois	Very Low	1 in 112 (0.9%) Indiana	High	1 in 30 (3.3%) Iowa	Low	1 in 83 (1.2%) Kansas	Low	1 in 105 (1.0%) Kentucky	Very L...
PMC COVlD Update, Dec 8, 2025 (U.S.)
3/9

State-by-state estimates (part 1). Vermont remains High. Tennessee has fallen rapidly from a quick surge.

Data quality are low in NY. Missouri	Very Low	1 in 176 (0.6%) Montana	Very Low	1 in 136 (0.7%) Nebraska	Moderate	1 in 45 (2.2%) Nevada	Very Low	1 in 372 (0.3%) New Hampshire	Very Low	1 in 109 (0.9%) New Jersey	Very Low	1 in 217 (0.5%) New Mexico	Very Low	1 in 118 (0.8%) New York	Very Low*	1 in 260 (0.4%) North Carolina	Very Low	1 in 233 (0.4%) North Dakota	Low*	1 in 101 (1.0%) Ohio	Low	1 in 70 (1.4%) Oklahoma	Low*	1 in 68 (1.5%) Oregon	Very Low	1 in 150 (0.7%) Pennsylvania	Low	1 in 89 (1.1%) Rhode Island	Very Low	1 in 187 (0.5%) South Carolina	Very Low	1 in 144 (0.7%) South Dakota	Low	1 in 82 (1.2%) Tennessee	Very Low...
Read 9 tweets
Nov 23
PMC COVlD Update, Week of Nov 24, 2025 (U.S.)
🧵1/10

With CDC data operational again, the transmission map is back. The data are always a week old, so transmission is likely worse than depicted.

We estimate 1 in 116 people actively infectious and 422,000 new daily infections. Heat map: Indiana and Arkansas with "moderate" transmission. All others, "low" or "very low" (CDC categories).
PMC COVlD Update, Week of Nov 24, 2025 (U.S.)
🧵2/10

State level estimates are back. Note, the CDC changed their data processing approach in August, which tends to downplay transmission.

Does 1 in 45 in Indiana seem "moderate"?

Levels in MI may be mod/high (poor reporting). Alabama	Very Low	1 in 153 (0.7%) Alaska	Very Low	1 in 272 (0.4%) Arizona	Low	1 in 63 (1.6%) Arkansas	Moderate*	1 in 47 (2.1%) California	Very Low	1 in 365 (0.3%) Colorado	Very Low	1 in 137 (0.7%) Connecticut	Low	1 in 103 (1.0%) Delaware	Very Low	1 in 262 (0.4%) District of Columbia	Very Low	1 in 418 (0.2%) Florida	Very Low	1 in 408 (0.2%) Georgia	Very Low	1 in 292 (0.3%) Guam	Very Low	1 in 887 (0.1%) Hawaii	Very Low	1 in 426 (0.2%) Idaho	Very Low	1 in 116 (0.9%) Illinois	Very Low	1 in 116 (0.9%) Indiana	Moderate	1 in 45 (2.2%) Iowa	Very Low	1 in 108 (0.9%) Kansas	Very Low	1 in 109 (0.9%) Ke...
PMC COVlD Update, Week of Nov 24, 2025 (U.S.)
🧵3/10

State-level estimates (continued).

Current levels may be much higher than noted here. Note that CDC data are always at least a week old. The 2nd half of November is a time period historically of accelerating transmission. Missouri	Very Low	1 in 202 (0.5%) Montana	Very Low*	1 in 114 (0.9%) Nebraska	Low	1 in 95 (1.1%) Nevada	Very Low	1 in 228 (0.4%) New Hampshire	Low	1 in 78 (1.3%) New Jersey	Very Low	1 in 192 (0.5%) New Mexico	Very Low	1 in 151 (0.7%) New York	Very Low	1 in 212 (0.5%) North Carolina	Very Low	1 in 212 (0.5%) North Dakota	Very Low*	1 in 116 (0.9%) Ohio	Very Low	1 in 109 (0.9%) Oklahoma	Low*	1 in 70 (1.4%) Oregon	Very Low	1 in 194 (0.5%) Pennsylvania	Very Low	1 in 111 (0.9%) Rhode Island	Very Low	1 in 167 (0.6%) South Carolina	Very Low	1 in 112 (0.9%) South Dakota	Very Low	1 in 127 (0.8%) Tennes...
Read 10 tweets
Nov 8
PMC COVID Update, Week of Nov 10, 2025 (U.S.)
1/6🧵

🔹301,000 new daily infections based on wastewater-derived models
🔹1 in 162 people (0.6%) actively infectious
🔹Levels the past 2 months corrected upward by Biobot
🔹"Lull point" estimated between Nov 5-21. Rising soon. Year over year graph, emphasizing that levels commonly rise in mid November
PMC COVID Update, Week of Nov 10, 2025 (U.S.)
2/6🧵

The central estimate of the forecast suggests we will surpass 500,000 new daily infections on Nov 22.

There's a 25% chance of a prolonged lull like last year. More likely, we are in wave territory by the end of the month. Close up of the most recent 3 months of data, including the forecast.
PMC COVID Update, Week of Nov 10, 2025 (U.S.)
3/6🧵

We are presently in a lull between the 11th and 12th wave. Now is the time to get boosted and stock up on N95 masks, tests, and air purifier filters.

Do a DIY fit test if you've been putting it off. Graph of the 11 waves
Read 6 tweets
Nov 3
PMC COVlD Update, Nov 3, 2025 (U.S.)
1 of 9 🧵

The relative "lull" in SARS-CoV-2 transmission is unlikely to go much lower.

✨1 in 209 people are estimated actively infectious, likely the lowest levels of 2025 nationwide.

Get boosted. Stock up on masks, tests, & filters. Year-over-year graph
PMC COVlD Update, Nov 3, 2025 (U.S.)
2 of 9 🧵

No data presently suggest the rise of a winter wave any earlier than "usual."

If following historical trends, transmission will pick up Nov 15-29. Last year's rise was atypically late. Forecasted transmission
PMC COVlD Update, Nov 3, 2025 (U.S.)
3 of 9 🧵

Expect rising misinformation/disinformation as transmission heats up:
🔹Abuse of community notes, particularly surrounding wastewater methodology
🔹Paid bot army attacks, especially about boosters & masks
Read 9 tweets
Oct 28
PMC COVlD Update, Oct 27, 2025 (US)

Transmission typically accelerates in mid-November.

We are currently in a relative 'lull.' We estimate about a quarter-million new daily infections with 1 in 185 people actively infectious. Still bad, likely to get worse.

1/9 🧵 year over year graph
PMC COVlD Update, Oct 27, 2025 (US)

Our forecast through November 8 calls for flat transmission.

Nothing yet indicates the onset of a winter wave, but it would also be atypical for the lull to last much longer than another 2-3 weeks.

2/9 🧵 Graph of recent transmission and current forecast
PMC COVlD Update, Oct 27, 2025 (US)

We estimate 264,000 new daily infections during this 'lull' period.

Biobot data have returned. Our substitute data from WWS last week correlated r=.97 (near perfect) with that, but Biobot did retroactively increase recent estimates.

3/9 🧵 Graph of the 11 waves of the pandemic
Read 9 tweets

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