SARS-CoV-2 isn’t the only virus with variants. Let’s do a little deep dive into some of the other “common cold” viruses, like the coronavirus, that have variants that cause all kinds of problems. Just a reminder that we’ve lived with these for all of our lifetimes. Let’s begin: Adenovirus (variant Ad14). Can cause severe and sometimes fatal respiratory illness in patients of all ages, including healthy young adults. In 2007 this variant killed 5% of tracked cases, including an infant. cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/m…

🧵 Let’s unpack Biden’s dangerous doublespeak from last night. Aside from it being the most horrifying political speech I’ve ever seen given from American soil, it’s chalk full of words aimed at division and manipulation. So, let’s get into this… /1 First, Biden claims republicans are a grave threat to democracy. OK, let’s say they mean abortion. What are republicans really trying to do here? Whether we agree with its legality or not, at its heart, the republicans in question want to PROTECT the rights of babies. /2

🧵 Here’s my childrens’ Kaiser horror stories. My youngest daughter had strabismus (crossed eye) from birth, and had a second surgery to align it in Feb 2020. Kaiser refused to do the in-person follow-up a month later due to their China-styled COVID restrictions. So we waited. 1/ A month later, she tripped and fell and severely damaged one of the lenses in her corrective glasses. We called to get a replacement. No can do. COVID made glasses dangerous, I guess. Note: these glasses were absolutely critical to her maintaining eye alignment during healing. 2/

3 years ago I sent my youngest off to kindergarten. It was a euphoric triumph after raising 4 kids full-time. My days were now mine! I knew nothing of politics. Didn’t care. Then COVID came. A virus with no risk to my kids. A blue governor took away school. Mama bear awakened. /1 My instincts told me that 2 weeks was a lie. I saw leftist politicians jump on the masking and closure bandwagon. I saw the lefty schoolboard refer to my kids as disease vectors. I saw their rights trampled. I got angry. I got educated. I got involved. That was 3 years ago. /2

🧵 I’ve gotten a lot of crap for what people call my “15 minutes of fame”. And you know what, it pisses me off. Yes, I went viral. Yes, I became known as the anti-mask mom. And yes, I had no idea how Twitter worked before all that. But I need to say something for the record. 1/ Before my video (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, check my pinned tweet), I was heavily involved in the fight for my children. When the school closures started, I immediately connected with other moms and started local protests. We attended school board meetings. 2/

In the summer of 2020, I had enough of (then blue) Virginia’s increasing levels of lockdown, so I drove my 4 kids to the free state of Utah for several months (my poor husband stayed in Virginia to work). On that drive, I learned that America outside blue enclaves was normal. /1 There weren’t many masks (except in crazy Illinois). Restaurants were open. Farms were being, well, farmed. America continued to thrive. The bread basket kept providing bread for the scared and huddled coastal elites. Theme parks were open. And yes, people were getting COVID… 2/

10 years ago I lost my father to an unknown viral respiratory disease that destroyed his lungs. In under 6 months he went from the strong adventurer I knew to requiring a wheelchair and oxygen. When he passed, it wasn’t pleasant. (1) When people on here share stories of loved ones who died of COVID, it breaks my heart. I know the pain. I know the anger. My dad caught the virus from someone, and his number was called. He also caught the virus on vacation, living his life to the fullest. (2)

When I read the comments, one question stands out: How can you get more involved? You’ve heard the phrase “All politics is local”. That’s so true. Go to school board meetings. Befriend people there. Join online groups. Educate yourself with facts. Never back down. Support others. I lost many friends because I fought restrictions from the beginning of “the downfall”. It was almost enough to make me back down. But my kids kept asking me to fight for them. And guess what, I met new friends through my advocacy! Lifelong friends. And I still attend meetings!

Oh my gosh we did it. Got a response to an email we sent my son’s middle school principal that says kids will not be required or asked to wear a mask, nor will additional mitigation strategies be required for those who choose to unmask. My children will be mask free from now on! Why we had to battle for this essential and simple freedom is beyond me. But, I am exhausted from it.

WOW! This caught on camera RIGHT NOW at the PWCS board meeting. A MOTHER being forcibly removed!!! These are the jackboots in charge of educating our children! Is this the kind of syndicate you run, @PWCSChairman RT RT RT!!! #abuse #pwcs @JasonMiyaresVA

Thread: My family knew the facts about COVID from the earliest reports in December 2019, thanks to a husband who tracks viruses like most guys track fantasy football, and has done so for 30 years. 🤓

We were never afraid. Ever. We watched EO after EO come, each one curtailing yet another freedom. My husband was on Facebook and Twitter sharing facts to keep people calm, but folks stopped caring as if they wanted to be afraid. Then it got political.

If I hear one more person tell me that my kid wearing a mask is a small price to pay… Price to pay for what? For a jacked up childhood living in a constant state emergency that by EVERY SINGLE METRIC AVAILABLE is the very least of concerns for kids? Literally. It’s not a price to pay to protect the double-masked and triple vaxxed teachers. It’s not for the 900,000 COVID deaths, of which 98% - NINETY EIGHT PERCENT - are over 75 or have multiple existing and life-threatening co-morbidities. Last I heard, kids aren’t singing in rest homes