Notices by Dr. Lucky Tran :verified: (luckytran@med-mastodon.com)

It's disturbing seeing some medical and public health professionals trying to normalize RFK Jr by saying "we have to meet him halfway."

NOPE.

RFK is a charlatan who has deliberately spread disinformation that has killed people.

Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.

Vaccines are one of the most important inventions humans have ever made. Period.

This is what Valencia looks like after its worst flood in living memory. Tell me again how climate protestors blocking traffic are the problem?

"If Harris loses, we will get a Trump presidency, a white supremacist presidency, an anti-Black, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic presidency in which people like the bigot I had to deal with on CNN will be emboldened like never before."

@mehdirhasan

They are staging a fascist rally in Madison Square Garden. This is not a drill. Do not sit out this election. The result of the election is absolutely consequential and will affect so many lives for generations.

Universal masking and social distancing at the start of the pandemic were so effective that they eliminated a strain of flu, and now annual flu vaccines have been redesigned because that strain no longer needs to be included in the shot. Amazing.

Story: https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/10/17/nx-s1-5155104/flu-shot-vaccine-b-yamagata-extinct

Starting this semester, the University of California San Diego will require all students to complete a climate change course and demonstrate the ability to understand and address climate change.

We should require any political leader taking office to do the same.

We should broadcast virus reports daily, just like the weather.

We appreciate weather reports even if they bring bad news, as they help us plan and avoid accidents.

Studies show people take more precautions when they know virus levels are high, so let's normalize virus reports.

New CDC study: 75% of US adults support wastewater monitoring, and 95% say they would take steps to protect themselves if wastewater data showed disease spread was high.

We need to fund wastewater monitoring and include the data in daily weather reports, so everyone is aware.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/wr/mm7337a2.htm

From the 95% who would take more precautions if they knew virus levels in wastewater were high, 51% said they would wear a mask in indoor spaces, according to the CDC survey.

52% would get vaccinated, 61% would avoid large gatherings, and 76% would wash their hands more.

Throughout history, falsely blaming marginalized groups for the spread of diseases has contributed to hate crimes, ethnic cleansing, genocides, and the holocaust. This kind of rhetoric must never be accepted or normalized.

Democrats at the DNC convention keep claiming “COVID no longer controls our lives.”

What scientists say: The global incidence of Long COVID is ~400 million individuals, which is estimated to have an annual economic impact of approximately $1 trillion.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03173-6

#DNCConvention2024

Imane Khelif sold scrap metal to pay for her boxing training, is a UNICEF ambassador, stood up against horrific bullying, and is now an Olympic champion.

Farmers are getting infected with bird flu because they are working in 104 degree heat without masks and other PPE.

This illustrates how climate and pandemics are connected, how ignoring both only makes the impact of these crises much worse, and why labor justice is a key part of the solution.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/covid-rates-are-rising-again-why-does-sars-cov-2-spread-so-well-in-the/

New study by Linsey Marr:

“We aerosolized SARS-CoV-2 & pulled it through masks. After 1hr we were able to recover infectious virus from fabric masks but not an N95 or surgical mask. When we pressed artificial skin against the masks we found viral RNA but no infectious virus on the skin.” #MasksWork

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c01581#

"I'm a strong supporter of the decision of stopping of masks on our subway system, masks in protest, and masks in other areas where it's not health related." - NYC Mayor Adams

But you can get COVID everywhere. EVERYWHERE is health-related. A mask ban doesn't make sense.

Mask bans will not stop crime. Mask bans will not stop protests. What mask bans will do is put people's health at greater risk, and make society less accessible.

North Carolina's anti-mask bill just passed the House. It will now go to the Governor.

This is a horrible bill that narrows the health exemption for wearing a mask, and makes it easier for cops and anti-maskers to harass people into taking off their mask.

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/politics-government/article289178384.html

4+ years into COVID and many still missing the nuances:

Often 6ft isn't enough, but increasing physical distance reduces risk

N95s are much better, but surgical masks do help

Outdoors is safer, but you can still catch it

Vaccines reduce transmission, but don't eliminate it

North Carolina's House has rejected the anti-mask bill! The bill will now go through a compromise process, which could include re-adding a health exemption.

More work needs to be done, but this shows that advocacy is making a difference. Keep going!

https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/nc-house-votes-not-to-concur-with-bill-reinstating-mask-restrictions/