"The statement that SARS-CoV-2 is airborne AIDS may be an oversimplification, but it draws attention to emerging evidence showing that the virus induces a distinct form of acquired immunodeficiency (AID)."
A new paper in AJPM Focus (Elsevier, 2025)🧵
A new paper in AJPM Focus (Elsevier, 2025)🧵
https://twitter.com/longcovidpnw/status/1978132284630077800
Science is beginning to recognize the true severity of SARS-CoV-2’s long-term impact. A new paper in AJPM Focus carries a striking title:
“COVID-19 is Airborne AIDS: provocative oversimplification, emerging science, or something in between?”
“COVID-19 is Airborne AIDS: provocative oversimplification, emerging science, or something in between?”
The authors (Salamon, Pretorius, Ewing, Bar-Yam, and others) review a large body of evidence.
Their conclusion - SARS-CoV-2 is not HIV - but it shares key biological traits with it -
immune exhaustion, viral persistence, and systemic inflammation.
Their conclusion - SARS-CoV-2 is not HIV - but it shares key biological traits with it -
immune exhaustion, viral persistence, and systemic inflammation.
COVID-19 can cause deep immune dysfunction -
reduced and exhausted T and B cells, loss of NK cells, endothelial injury, and microclots that starve tissues of oxygen.
These effects can persist and accumulate with reinfections.
reduced and exhausted T and B cells, loss of NK cells, endothelial injury, and microclots that starve tissues of oxygen.
These effects can persist and accumulate with reinfections.
Unlike HIV, SARS-CoV-2 spreads through the air, infects repeatedly, and leaves a cumulative immune toll on the population.
Reinfections are not harmless - they may compound immune and neurological damage over time.
Reinfections are not harmless - they may compound immune and neurological damage over time.
The neurological parallels are striking.
Long COVID (SAND) resembles HIV-related cognitive decline (HAND).
Both involve neuroinflammation, brain hypometabolism, and measurable cognitive loss - memory, focus, even IQ.
Long COVID (SAND) resembles HIV-related cognitive decline (HAND).
Both involve neuroinflammation, brain hypometabolism, and measurable cognitive loss - memory, focus, even IQ.
Both viruses accelerate biological aging - epigenetically, mitochondrial, and immunological.
HIV does so slowly. SARS-CoV-2 can trigger it within months.
HIV does so slowly. SARS-CoV-2 can trigger it within months.
The paper’s key message -
COVID-19 is not AIDS, but it represents a form of acquired immune dysfunction.
A blunt but necessary statement - one that forces us to face the chronic nature of this virus.
COVID-19 is not AIDS, but it represents a form of acquired immune dysfunction.
A blunt but necessary statement - one that forces us to face the chronic nature of this virus.
The phrase Airborne AIDS is provocative - but it’s meant as a warning, not an exaggeration.
It reflects growing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can reshape the immune system at a population level.
It reflects growing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can reshape the immune system at a population level.
The authors call for -
Research into viral persistence and immune biomarkers
Long-term care for those affected
And renewed focus on airborne prevention - because transmission is still ongoing.
Research into viral persistence and immune biomarkers
Long-term care for those affected
And renewed focus on airborne prevention - because transmission is still ongoing.
The pandemic didn’t end.
Only the narrative did.
Biologically, it continues - and science is finally catching up to that truth.
Only the narrative did.
Biologically, it continues - and science is finally catching up to that truth.
Spela Salamon at al., COVID-19 is “Airborne AIDS”: provocative oversimplification, emerging science, or something in between? @SalamonSMD @resiapretorius @yaneerbaryam @ArneauxK @DALupton @AndrewEwing11 ajpmfocus.org/article/S2773-…
To Public Health
Five years of inaction have exposed a systemic failure of purpose.
You were created to protect populations from harm - yet you looked away as evidence mounted of chronic, disabling disease. @szupraha @ZdravkoOnline @adamvojtech86
Five years of inaction have exposed a systemic failure of purpose.
You were created to protect populations from harm - yet you looked away as evidence mounted of chronic, disabling disease. @szupraha @ZdravkoOnline @adamvojtech86
It’s time to reclaim the mission of public health.
To tell the truth, to prevent exposure, and to protect those already harmed.
History will not forgive silence when the science was clear.
To tell the truth, to prevent exposure, and to protect those already harmed.
History will not forgive silence when the science was clear.
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