Blood–brain barrier disruption...with long COVID-associated cognitive impairment

"Using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, we show BBB disruption in patients with long COVID-associated brain fog.

nature.com/articles/s4159…
"brain regions with reduced volume in patients with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection"

Important News from CDC on HICPAC Infection Control recommendations:

"Based on the significant interest in the draft recommendations, CDC is taking a proactive step of communicating back to HICPAC some initial questions and comments...
1/
blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare… "In addition, CDC is working to expand the scope of technical backgrounds of participants on the HICPAC Isolation Guideline Workgroup .. in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) regulations and guidance.
2/

"Long Covid: NHS legal action launched by family of girl

"The mother of an 11-year-old Aberdeenshire girl with long Covid has launched a legal action against their health board, in what lawyers claim is the first case of its kind in Scotland.
1/
bbc.com/news/uk-scotla… "Helen Goss, from Westhill, is seeking damages from NHS Grampian on behalf of her daughter, Anna Hendy.
"The action claims the health board is responsible for "multiple failings" in Anna's treatment and care.
"NHS Grampian said it would not comment on individual patient cases.
2/

Handwashing, Gloves, and Masks: Oh My!
In 1847, German obstetrician Ignaz Semmelweis saw that obstetric patients died of childbed fever at a much higher rate than those treated by midwives...he suggested to his colleagues that they wash their hands
1/
whn.global/handwashing-gl… ..before examining their new mother patients. His idea was ridiculed and ignored. Patients continued to suffer unnecessary illness and death until Louis Pasteur’s experimental confirmation of germ theory in 1861 was disseminated and accepted in the medical community. ..
2/

"Covid is everywhere, and I’m wearing a mask again – why is that so weird?

"Spain has made mask wearing mandatory in hospitals and health settings as the country faces a wave of Covid and flu infections. A junior doctor says she thinks Britain should do the same

1/ "As of this week, masks are mandatory in Spain’s hospitals&health centres as the country experiences a surge in Covid, flu & other illnesses. As the UK navigates a similar surge this winter, Chidera Ota, 29, explains why she’s started wearing a mask while out and about.

2/

"What Companies Can Do Against Long Covid
By Britta Domke

"Many companies are overlooking the significant risk posed by Long Covid, a decision that could have serious repercussions. With a few targeted measures, it's possible to make workplaces largely safe from coronavirus. 1/ "Deserted workplaces, everyone's out with Corona: For businesses, this wave of illness often translates into considerable revenue losses.
2/

New from Canada:

Canadian adults testing positive or suspected COVID-19 by June 2023 is 64%, 45% one infection, 14% two, 5% three or more. Likely underestimated

1 in 9 (11.7%) reported long-term symptoms, nearly 1 in 5 (19.0%) of those infected.

1/
www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quoti… Of those still having long-term symptoms, 79% had them for six months or more, including 42% for one year or more. Those who reported a resolution of long-term symptoms, 74% had them for fewer than six months, and 93% experienced them for less than a year.

2/

Work From Home: A 21st Century Revolution

Work From Home (WFH) is now mainstream. Office occupancies rebounded since the beginning of the pandemic, but current data shows occupancy has only reached 50% and is declining in certain cities

New Report ⬇️
1/
whn.global/newsletter/wor… The pandemic propelled Work From Home (WFH) into the mainstream as the risk of infection drove individuals, employers, and governments to adopt WFH when hospitalizations and deaths were skyrocketing.

2/

Important news on infections and safety in Healthcare:

HICPAC is the subject of Gross Misconduct Complaint filed with HHS Inspector General against HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, CDC Director Mandy Cohen, HICPAC Federal Officer Alexander Kallen. 1/

whn.global/hhs-complaint-…
Background:

The membership composition of CDC’s Healthcare Infection Control Advisory Committee (HICPAC) currently stands in violation of the Federal Advisory Committees Act (FACA) and the Committee’s own Charter and has been in violation for a number of years.  2/

Something must be happening now when a three year old paper about pervasive damage from COVID to blood vessels in children is suddenly in the news. This damage has many consequences that appear over time.

When will people act?

1/
Report:
thesun.co.uk/health/2451937… "Blood vessels are channels that carry essential nutrients, like oxygen, to all the organs in the body. They also carry waste products away.

"Damaged blood vessels can cause blood clots, ‘leaky’ vessels and reduced blood flow

2/

New paper on Masks:

Some claim scientific studies show masks don’t work, or that surgical masks are as good as N95s. Just released paper shows this claim is false. Masks work, and N95 respirators give a much higher benefit than surgical masks.1/ The controversy about N95 respirator and mask efficacy is based on claims that studies (RCTs and meta-analyses) have no observed effect. Our paper shows these claims result from the use of incorrect mathematical equations.2/

Covid deaths are on the rise again, so what happens? Mask-wearing in hospitals is scrapped | George Monbiot

"The only masking that’s going on is that of the government’s continued failure to get to grips with the virus
1/
theguardian.com/commentisfree/… "For some people, going to hospital may now be more dangerous than staying at home untreated. Many clinically vulnerable people fear, sometimes with good reason, that a visit to hospital or the doctors’ surgery could be the end of them.

2/

If You Suffer from Urgent Normal Syndrome, Ask for Help

by Jessica Wildfire

“A woman finds a mask in her coat pocket, leftover from the 2021 mandate. It triggers such a violent emotional reaction in her mind…

1/

https://t.co/MLvmVsWSCWjessicawildfire.substack.com/p/if-you-suffe…
“… that she throws the mask across the room and starts sobbing, then tweets about the experience. This woman might be suffering from urgent normal syndrome.

What’s that, you ask?

2/

Covid reduces quality of men's semen for months after even mild infection

"Scientists found that more than three months after suffering from mild Covid infection, men have lower sperm concentrations and fewer sperm that are able to swim.

1/

walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/c… "Professor Rocio Núñez-Calonge said that after an average of 100 days following infection there appeared to be no improvement in sperm quality and concentration, even though new sperm would have been produced in that time.

2/

Reminder of this great example of using directed air flow, the third level of clean air prevention. When done well it can reduce transmission 1,000X

How Brisbane Independent School prevented outbreaks of COVID-19, despite Omicron abc.net.au/news/2022-04-0… via @ABCaustralia "Dr Mueller is a member of OzSage, an independent scientific advisory panel that came together during the pandemic to provide expertise on ways to reduce transmission.
"The big crisis of COVID will be borne in terms of long-term health outcomes and system strain for healthcare"2/

Letter: Hospital safety

Attached and in thread: A letter that might be adapted for practitioners, hospitals or care facilities. OK to send it to multiple addresses at the same facility. This includes Mass General and Brigham Hospitals through the patient portal or directly.

1/

https://twitter.com/yaneerbaryam/status/1657405981540720641

Re: Request for Reasonable Accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for Subsequent Medical Care

Dear [Healthcare Provider's Name],

Dear Office of Patient Advocacy [Office of Patient Advocacy <MGHPatientAdvocacy@partners.org>],

2/

Just days after retracting their statement that patients couldn’t ASK for provider masking—a violation of patient civil rights—now Mass General tells patients they MUST TRUST MassGen providers to DECIDE FOR THEM. Patronizing. Sorry, you lost trust.

Numbers to call:

1/ Deciding for patients by blanket policy and refusing to allow individual priorities is inconsistent with patient rights. If MassGen believes patients don't have the right to participate in decision making about their care, patients would be better off finding providers who do. 2/

Opinion: California health care providers' retreat from COVID masking is shameful

In what universe is it ethically appropriate for physicians and hospitals to infect their own patients with COVID?

@NohaAboelataMD

1/
mercurynews.com/2023/05/05/opi… "When the California Department of Public Health last month lifted mask mandates in health care settings, it didn’t even cross my mind as a physician and CEO of Roots Community Health Center to drop masks in clinics I oversee in the East Bay and San Jose.

2/

“something seems to have broken with capitalism.”

‘We may be looking at the end of capitalism’: One of the world’s oldest and largest investment banks warns ‘Greedflation’ has gone too far

1/
fortune.com/2023/04/05/end… "Albert Edwards, a global strategist at the 159-year-old bank Société Générale, just released a blistering note on the phenomenon that has come to be called Greedflation.

2/

Human Rights Commissioner troubled by end of mask mandates in healthcare settings

Human Rights Commissioner Kasari Govender released the following statement on recent announcement that universal mask mandates in healthcare settings would be eliminated
1/
bchumanrights.ca/news/human-rig… “As mask restrictions have been lifted.. I have repeatedly expressed concerns about human rights implications of these policy decisions: that removal of mask mandates has disproportionate impact on marginalized people, seniors, and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.2/

Hundreds die of COVID after catching virus while in hospital

More than 3200 infected., according to leaked Victorian Health Department data. Of these patients, at least 344 – more than 10 per cent – died.

1/

12ft.io/proxy?q=https%… “Infections should not be occurring in healthcare facilities,” said Assoc. Prof. Philip Russo, infection prevention expert

The data was initially leaked by an emergency doctor. The Age independently verified the information came from an official health department document.

2/