EK.2 (XBB.1.5.13.2) is predominantly spreading in the U.S., with a 59% growth advantage over XBB.1.5. A concerning point about this variant is that it has another mutation added to the N-protein, likely impacting its interaction with T cells.
Ignoring it just gives the virus the advantage, and it will take every advantage we provide it.
The more often persistent infections occur, the more time and chances COVID will have to evolve around treatments and vaccines, making it harder for our immune systems to stop it.
COVID, Norovirus, Parainfluenza, Respiratory Adenovirus, Influenza, RSV, and others are all taking advantage of the weakened immune systems prior COVID infections leave in its wake.
The baseline of death, primarily from pneumonia right now, is incredibly high and increasing!
What are we doing about it?
Upgrading HVAC systems to eliminate 99% of pathogens and maintain CO2 at 600 ppm in schools and hospitals?
No, we aren't.
The evaluation of the trial data leaves us with more questions than answers. Confirming their conclusion on efficacy is not possible based on available data and is likely inaccurate. 1/
If parents take fewer precautions because they think their child is more protected than they are, they may take risks they otherwise wouldn't have.
They say,
“A three-dose primary series of 3-μg BNT162b2 was safe, immunogenic, and efficacious in children 6 months to 4 years.” 2/
The efficacy is based on positive cases that occurred at least 7 days after dose 3 and before the data cutoff date.
The starting point of February 7, 2022, and the cutoff date was June 17, 2022. 3/
Understanding life from COVID's perspective. 1. Step 1: Locate and infect a host.
Step 2: Suppress the immune response so the host doesn't know it's invading, weakening it for several weeks to many months and possibly for life.
1/
Step 3: Infect areas of the body that the immune system can't reach, such as the pancreas, joints, tonsils, brain, and central nervous system, and then relax.
Tonsils & adenoids are major sites of persistent infections in children without any symptoms.
It's like watching a slow-motion tidal wave. People's feet are off the ground, but they don't realize it yet. They are being pushed towards turbulent water & debri, unable to change course doomed to a disabling condition, early death, or left treading water struggling to survive.
This is already happening to millions of people. Every infection increases the odds of having long-term damage to health. The risks increase even more with the XBB.1.5 variant, now at nearly 90% prevalence across the U.S.
Why? 1. Infections with fewer symptoms or no symptoms may not necessarily carry fewer risks. They may increase them.
2. With mild symptoms or without any symptoms, everyone is susceptible to multi-organ persistence, and dysfunction
Educators were central to in-school transmission networks. Minimizing adult interactions & and ensuring universal & correct mask use & physical distancing when in-person interaction is unavoidable are important in preventing in-school transmission.
Isn't it odd that the CDC has abandoned the science of how masks work to prevent disease transmission?
Multiple viruses are widely circulating, & the most immune evasive/suppressive COVID variant to date is at high or substantial transmission levels in over 80% of the U.S.
A massive study was conducted from July 26, 2021, through December 13, 2021, including over 1.1 million students and over 157,000 faculty and staff in nine states: North Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, California, Washington, Georgia, Tennessee, Kansas, and Texas.
🧵 Comparing the Mental Health of 16 to 24 Year Olds in Two Australian States with Different Lockdown & Restrictions in Place.
16 - to 24 year olds on lockdown in Victoria, Australia, were more resilient than some assumed. Victoria had one of the longest lockdowns in the world.
Somehow, they managed to make it through without becoming any more angry or depressed than when it all started.
A study published February 23, 2023, compared the impact of longer lockdowns on the mental health of young people in Australia during the COVID pandemic. 2/
They looked at how the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that came with it affected the mental health of young people in two Australian states, Victoria and Queensland. Victoria had more days of lockdown and higher infection rates. 3/
🧵COVID Targets Thymus
A virus attacking and infecting T-cells is very likely capable of causing thymic involution. This is very bad for prepubescent children because they are still building the naive T-cell pool that must sustain them through life. COVID is shortening lifespans.
The thymus gland is the primary organ for the generation & education of T cells. This process is highly dependent on the cross talk between developing thymocytes & the thymic stromal compartment, which consists of thymic epithelial cells (TECs), macrophages, endothelial cells, 2/
fibroblasts, and dendritic cells. cTECs control fate commitment, expansion, and positive selection of the developing thymocytes. mTECs are primarily involved in the negative selection of thymocytes and in the establishment of the “central tolerance” through 3/