A short 🧵 on measles—please help get the word out to protect our nation’s school children.

“Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.” 1/ “Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before through four days after the rash appears.” 2/

For those saying, look at Japan right now (they are experiencing a wave of COVID infections). I took a look at the contextual differences and learned something important:

Japan & the U.S. are worlds apart on pandemic mortality. Look at their cumulative excess deaths. 🧵 1/ Why look at excess deaths? “Given the massive undercounting of the death toll attributed both directly and indirectly to COVID-19, excess deaths provides a glimpse of the true and total impact of the pandemic.” 2/

Some in the #COVID19 aware community were blocked recently by a long-time stalwart of COVID science and safety because they pushed back on bad optics of a photo showing the person unmasked in a tightly crowded space (reportedly outdoors).

A few thoughts. 🧵 1/ It’s not my intent to demonize the person (w/ over 80K followers) who posted the photo many saw as a betrayal of their COVID aware norms and values. I also won’t come to his defense. He’s a tenured full professor and can manage his Twitter blowback quite well on his own. 2/

Important Vaccine Updates:
“On June 15, 2023, the committee will meet in open session to discuss and make recommendations on the selection of strain(s) to be included in the periodic updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2023-2024 vaccination campaign.” 🧵 1/

fda.gov/advisory-commi… Two COVID-19 vaccines (original and BA.4/5) are currently FDA approved, one for individuals 18 years + also approved thru EUA for children as young as 6 months (Moderna) and the other for individuals 12 years + also approved thru EUA for children as young as 6 months (Pfizer). 2/

Getting ready to depart on my first international flight since before the pandemic began.

Equipped with layered protections I learned from Twitter U: boosted recently with bivalent vaccine, respirator 😷 , Enovid nasal spray, clinical strength mouthwash with CPC… 1/ Plus, I will wear a 😷 indoors and not dine inside a restaurant. I recognize my privilege to have access to all of these tools. Extremely grateful to the COVID Conscious Community for educating me about how to stay safe and protect others at the same time. 2/

The COVID public health emergency is ending: it now joins the ordinary emergency that is American health 🔥
bmj.com/content/381/bm… “It’s true that covid deaths have declined from the peaks of more than 3,000 daily deaths in winter 2021. Yet, even as covid fatalities finally subside to weekly lows under 1,500 per week, covid is on track to become the 9th leading cause of death in the US.”

Antiviral and bivalent vaccine efficacy against XBB.1.5 1/

thelancet.com/journals/lanin… “These results suggest that remdesivir, molnupiravir, nirmatrelvir, and ensitrelvir are efficacious against both XBB.1.5 and XBB in vitro.” 2/

U.S. officials weigh whether to allow people at high-risk of severe COVID-19 the chance to get another bivalent booster. 1/ Studies have shown that vaccine protection against infection, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations fades after 6 months. 2/

Here’s an important slide from the ACIP meeting I neglected to share, and it addresses the question that some in my replies are asking.

It is clear that the bivalent booster protection against symptomatic infection wanes after 4-5 months, especially for those 65+. The work group concluded that there isn’t enough data yet to determine if bivalent booster protection against hospitalization is waning.

This week I went to a dental appointment that I’ve been putting off because of COVID.

A short 🧵 on what I encountered and the precautions I took. 1/ These are the items I planned to use to help me stay safe: a Smart Air QT3 travel-size air purifier w/ HEPA filter, Enovid nasal spray, and a 3M Aura NIOSH N9210+ mask. 2/