How Covid brain damage fuels social & political chaos in UK & USA 🧵
The UK & US face unprecedented strain on healthcare & social trust
Political discourse often scapegoats immigrants/minorities, ignoring a major driver:
The pandemic’s lasting & ongoing neurological toll
1/11
The UK & US face unprecedented strain on healthcare & social trust
Political discourse often scapegoats immigrants/minorities, ignoring a major driver:
The pandemic’s lasting & ongoing neurological toll
1/11
SARS-CoV-2 is neurotropic; it infects brain tissue, especially the frontal cortex, critical for empathy, impulse control, and decision-making.
Research shows repeat infections cause cumulative cognitive impairments & damage.
This inevitably erodes social reasoning.
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Research shows repeat infections cause cumulative cognitive impairments & damage.
This inevitably erodes social reasoning.
2/
This slow-burning health crisis increases absenteeism, reduces workforce productivity, and overloads healthcare systems, all without obvious cause for most.
When people can’t see the virus causing this strain, they look for simpler explanations.
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When people can’t see the virus causing this strain, they look for simpler explanations.
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The UK & US have among the highest documented cumulative infection rates globally, estimated over 90% of the population infected at least once by 2023
Hence widespread frontal lobe dysfunction, eroding social cognition/critical thinking across broad population segments.
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Hence widespread frontal lobe dysfunction, eroding social cognition/critical thinking across broad population segments.
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Children & young people are disproportionately affected due to high transmission rates in schools, as well as lower vaccination rates.
For example, UK vaccination rates for 5-11 year olds remain below 15%.
Boosters are almost non-existent.
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For example, UK vaccination rates for 5-11 year olds remain below 15%.
Boosters are almost non-existent.
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This means younger cohorts face increased risk of neurological damage, especially to brain areas controlling social reasoning & moral judgment.
This increases impulsivity & lowers resistance to simplistic/divisive political narratives, exacerbating polarisation/scapegoating
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This increases impulsivity & lowers resistance to simplistic/divisive political narratives, exacerbating polarisation/scapegoating
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Consequence?
We’re seeing a notable shift: younger people increasingly veering toward right-wing politics; facile, tribal narratives that exploit cognitive vulnerabilities caused by viral brain injury.
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We’re seeing a notable shift: younger people increasingly veering toward right-wing politics; facile, tribal narratives that exploit cognitive vulnerabilities caused by viral brain injury.
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The public, facing invisible disabilities and systemic strain, naturally seeks concrete explanations.
Politicians exploit this, redirecting frustration towards immigrants or minorities rather than confronting the pandemic’s deeper consequences.
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Politicians exploit this, redirecting frustration towards immigrants or minorities rather than confronting the pandemic’s deeper consequences.
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The healthcare strain due to Covid sequelae, and resulting workforce shortages, create a vicious feedback loop:
More infections → cognitive decline → social division → political polarisation → weakened public health measures → more infections
And so on…
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More infections → cognitive decline → social division → political polarisation → weakened public health measures → more infections
And so on…
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Covid’s neurological harm reshapes societies globally, especially in the UK & US due to infection burden & political climates.
Breaking this cycle means openly confronting Covid’s brain impacts & investing in health/education/social cohesion. Not denial or misplaced blame.
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Breaking this cycle means openly confronting Covid’s brain impacts & investing in health/education/social cohesion. Not denial or misplaced blame.
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Ignoring this will deepen social divides, weaken democratic institutions, and make future crises far harder to manage.
Let’s get real about what’s really damaging society.
It’s not each other.
It’s the virus, and our failure to confront it.
11/11
Let’s get real about what’s really damaging society.
It’s not each other.
It’s the virus, and our failure to confront it.
11/11
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