Correcting revisionist history:
"COVID is not a problem for young people in the US"
Covid responsible (not "with", underlying cause) for 2% of all deaths <20. That's 1 out of every 50 deaths of all kids who die. #1 in infectious diseases, 5th in disease overall.
/1
COVID-19 deaths created 300,000 American orphans, 330,000 if we count "primary caregivers" and 380,000 if we count "secondary caregivers". That's a lot of childhood harm.
2x as common for Black kids
4x as common for Indigenous kids
1.6X as common for Hispanic kids
/2
Our most vulnerable children, with medical illnesses, suffered the most during the pandemic. Children with heart disease, respiratory disease, neurologic diseases, and chromosomal abnormalities suffered more severe symptoms than did children without those conditions.
/3
COVID-infected mothers were more likely to have stillbirth, as well as higher rates of maternal mortality (mothers dying). Preterm and urgent c-section births were higher in COVID-infected mothers, relating to a higher rate of long term disability.
/4
Revisionism is taking over across the world, but will be even more pronounced in jurisdictions that have seen political power go to right-wing, anti-science, anti-vax, and covid-denying political groups.
We must never let the deaths of children and their parents be forgotten.
Why do you use pronouns in your bio?
Because it's an easy way to promote inclusivity & to increase awareness of gender expression. It costs me nothing, &because I work with kids who are establishing their identity it shows that I don't make assumptions.
/1
Is being transgender a mental illness?
Being transgender is not a mental illness. It is a natural variation of human phenotype, though some transgender individuals may experience distress, called gender dysphoria, which is addressed through appropriate care.
/2
Can a man be a woman?
Yes. Some individuals identify as a gender different from their assigned sex at birth.
"What is a woman?"
A woman is a female by identity. This can refer to biological sex identity or social gender identity, depending on the context.
/3
🧵RFK Jr. is an antivax, AIDS-denying, absolutely antiscientific conspiracist.🧵
ANTIVAX:
“They get [vaccinated], that night they have a fever of 103, they go to sleep, and three months later their brain is gone... This is a Holocaust, what this is doing to our country.”
/1
ANTIVAX:
"I do believe that autism does come from vaccines"
Metaanalyses involving MILLIONS of children have confirmed there is no link. The lie started with another antivaxxer, disgraced fraudster Andrew Wakefield, who fabricated data.
/2
ANTIVAX:
"I've read all the science on autism and I can tell you, if you want to know... If it didn't come from the vaccines, then where did it come from?"
Autism primarily from combo of genetic factors & early brain development differences.
Battling Election Misinformation
Part 2: "The Mandate"
Contrary to media/republican pronouncements, the election of Donald Trump was one of the narrowest (by popular vote, +1.73%) in history, with only 7 elections since 1800 being narrower.
/1
In fact, if we look at the margin of victory when we include all eligible voters, Trump wins with 31.3% of the voting population, compared to Harris' 30.2% and 1% going to other candidates. 37.4% did not vote.
If we only include voters, Trump wins 50.03% to 49.97%
/2
When we look at the electoral college results, Trump won 58% of available electoral college votes. This would rank his election 41st out of 57 elections since 1800.
"[AIDS] is not being caused by a virus. It's not a virus... These people are dying because of 'poppers'... they were people who were part of a gay lifestyle... "
"This is not a viral disease, but it's a disease that is environmental."
- HHS Secretary Nominee RFK Jr
/1
Chemicals in water are causing trans kids: "A lot of the problems we see in kids... are coming from chemical exposures, including a lot of the sexual dysphoria that we’re seeing."
- HHS Secretary Nominee RFK Jr
/2
Wifi radiation causes autism, allergies, asthma, eczema: “I think it degrades your mitochondria and it opens your blood-brain barrier,”
🧵Battling Antivax Disinfo🧵
Vaccination did NOT increase cancer deaths.
Here I took the 6 deadliest cancers (all 5 survival rates under 50%) in a highly vaccinated population (25-54), and we can see ZERO evidence of vaccine-related cancer deaths, all the way to May 2024.
/1
If i move ages to 55+, we see the same thing, and we are now looking at a lot of deaths from these extremely aggressive cancers, so this isn't some underpowered stuff here. There is NO evidence that deadly cancers have increased due to vaccination.
None.
/2
If we take all ages 5+ and look for until May 2024, we see no increase in these highly aggressive cancer deaths, or any cancer deaths.
The Presidential Election
Data Geekery with my interpretations
1) The Country Shifted, but More Didn't.
The final share will be ~ +1.3 to +1.5% for Trump, which is a shift of ~+5.8%.
If America was a room with 65 people in it, only 2 out of the 65 people switched shirts.
/1
Note: this math might seem like it doesn't work, but we have to remember to include those that voted 3rd party (1.5%ish) and those that didn't vote (about 35%).
Excluding non-voters who were eligible,
2020: 22/43 D & 20/43 R
2024: 20/42 D & 21/42 R
/2
In other words, the great majority of the country didn't switch, but we know there was definitely a nudge towards republican vote.
What does this mean?
The narratives about "America changing" should be very cautious, as 93% of America did not change.
/3