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
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.
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.
CDC wastewater surveillance data show transmission rising. This is our forecast if transmission growth follows typical patterns.
The high & low estimates could be thought of as optimistic & pessimistic scenarios for NB.1.8.1.
2) PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 9, 2025
Notice that current transmission (red line, lower left) tracks closely with two years ago (yellow), slightly below the median (gray), and not far below last year (orange).
Consider each of these trajectories realistic scenarios.
3) PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 9, 2025
All indications are that we are headed into the start of an 11th national wave in the U.S.
We could percolate near the lull point another couple weeks (fingers crossed), but that scenario is becoming less likely.
National COVlD transmission recently fell to its lowest levels since the pre-Delta era.
It's go-time for many who have delayed medical appointments. The situation will likely get much worse in Jul/Aug.
2/ PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 2, 2025 (U.S.)
An estimated 1 in 211 are actively infectious. Most states are "low" or "very low" per CDC.
The situation remains serious even in a relative "lull." >1.5 million weekly estimated infections to result in 600-900 excess deaths.
3/ PMC COVlD Dashboard, June 2, 2025 (U.S.)
By the end of the month, we forecast an increase to 450k daily infections. If NB.1.8.1 takes off, closer to 600k. If overhyped, percolating only slightly higher.
🔥1 in 180 actively infectious
🔥1.9 million weekly infections
🔥>93,000 new #LongCOVID cases from the week's infections
🔥1,100 excess deaths from the week's infections
This is a "lull."
2) PMC Dashboard, May 26, 2025 (U.S.)
The forecast calls for a near-doubling in transmission the next month to 450k daily infections.
The 95% confidence interval includes flat transmission (percolating), or escalating to 650k (if NB.1.8.1 takes off).
3) PMC Dashboard, May 26, 2025 (U.S.)
Looking at year-over-year transmission, 2025 (red) is closely tracking the median (gray).
It transmission accelerates, it could look more like last year (orange). If it slows, more like two years ago (yellow).
1) CDC & Biobot wastewater surveillance both show the West region in an apparent uptick in C19 transmission.
Here's the graph of regional transmission from CDC data with the West in green:
2) This image zooms in on the West (green line) so you can see the apparent departure from the C19 lull more easily.
3) Biobot still provides national & regional C19 updates. They usually post sometime between Thursday morning & Saturday evening. IMO, their most recent data point can be viewed as the Wednesday of the prior week.
Like the CDC, they have an apparent uptick in the West (green).
In this national "lull" in transmission, we are seeing...
🔥A quarter-million daily infections
🔥90-360k Long COVlD cases from the week's infections
🔥600-1,100 deaths from the week's infections
🔥LA, SD, NE, & GU in high transmission
1) Good luck getting any new federal research to support #LongCOVID until "covid" is dropped from the dirty words that get grant applications triaged to the trash bin.
You know which senator to call.
I just did, and got a staffer instead of voicemail.
2) I told the staffer that #LongCOVID is affecting millions and that no research will be funded to address this while "covid" remains on the banned word list.
3) I told them about my family member who was a strong Special Forces veteran, got covid once, & according to their neurologist, it triggered #LongCOVID in the form of Dementia w/Lewy Bodies.
DLB is one of the worst conditions imaginable. After a 2yr battle, they died in 2024.