Prof Christina Pagel

I wrote a piece with @[email protected] @TheConversationUK on this.

It's important to delay #Covid infection AND it's doable.

Full article here:
https://theconversation.com/covid-treatments-and-prevention-are-still-improving-so-the-longer-you-can-avoid-it-the-better-192140

COVID treatments and prevention are still improving – so the longer you can avoid it the better

There seems to be increased complacency around continued COVID infections, and even an attitude that they don’t matter. But they do – and we can reduce the risk.

The Conversation
Dec 8, 2022 at 1:18pmWeb
Show threadProf Christina PagelDec 8, 2022
Firstly, #Covid infections are not risk free. Even after prev infection & vaccination, you can still get pretty sick or develop long covid. Risk of longer term issues also higher. Plus not everyone has had it yet and the CEV community remain at much higher risk.
Show threadProf Christina PagelDec 8, 2022
Second, future better vaccines are likely that better prevent infection & transmission. More treatments are coming too, in case you do get infected (e.g. Paxlovid last yr). So if I avoid infx this yr I might not get it at all next yr (with better vax) or be less sick if I do.
Show threadProf Christina PagelDec 8, 2022
Thirdly, #mitigations that can sustainably delay infections have much broader public health benefits: from better sick pay, improved housing, improved work places, to cleaner indoor air. (e.g see emphasis on indoor air in today's air pollution report)
Show threadProf Christina PagelDec 8, 2022

Finally, putting in place these mitigations that are airborne disease agnostic is an important preventative tool against the NEXT pandemic.

Anyway, full article here!
https://theconversation.com/covid-treatments-and-prevention-are-still-improving-so-the-longer-you-can-avoid-it-the-better-192140

fun to write with @kityates as ever & thanks to Phoebe Roth for editing!

COVID treatments and prevention are still improving – so the longer you can avoid it the better

There seems to be increased complacency around continued COVID infections, and even an attitude that they don’t matter. But they do – and we can reduce the risk.

The Conversation
Show threadMatt ChambersDec 8, 2022
@chrischirp @kityates Good article! My goal is to be the last person in the US to be uninfected! (Is there a prize for that?)
Show threadWndlBDec 8, 2022
@chrischirp @kityates And walk around like the Japanese elderly circa 2018, eg, masked. We call our best the Bernie Sanders (it's worked for him!).
Show threadreinerDec 8, 2022
@chrischirp this inspires hope. My household has managed to not get infected with COVID because we try to take all the precautions but have been feeling like there’s no end in sight. Knowing that there are vaccines being worked on that could prevent infection and transmission feels like what we’ve been waiting for without having realized it. Thank you for the info!
Show threadPamela EhnDec 9, 2022
@chrischirp I follow the data posted on globalepidemics.org. And it’s BAD out there, folks! I’ve been vigilant about masking because I not only did not want to get re-infected, I didn’t want to re-infect my cats, one of whom died of long COVID. While the vaccine reversed most of my long COVID symptoms, COVID left me with asthma that is far more reactive, so not taking risks.
Show threadJim SheerinDec 8, 2022
@chrischirp @TheConversationUK Excellent article, well worth a read.
Show threadillogic error 🇬🇧🇪🇺Dec 8, 2022

@chrischirp @TheConversationUK

Pretty much all I need to know. Although I can't remember the last time I saw anyone wear a mask when out and about. And, of course, Government has 'moved on' from covid...

Show threadRyanDec 8, 2022
@TheConversationUK @chrischirp For what it’s worth I really don’t get why you’d use a content warning here. (See screenshot below for how it looks). Like, scrolling past two pages of you telling me you’re hiding your insightful toots about a topic that you’re an expert in isn’t somehow better than actually seeing the toots. Also, maybe your instance is different but mine allows me to write around 11,000 characters per toot, so there is no need to break your toots up into little Twitter sized bites and chain them together. I mean, there is nothing wrong with doing that if that’s what you prefer, it’s just not necessary
Show threadReach for the Stars Dec 8, 2022
@chrischirp @TheConversationUK vaccines are for more effective and long lasting than the top line public health numbers make them out to be: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/974363
COVID-19 Vaccines Work Better Than Expected

COVID vaccines are said to "wane" in efficacy but that refers to only one arm of the immune system.

Medscape
Show threadOliDec 8, 2022

@chrischirp @TheConversationUK a very interesting article
If i could delay covid infection til there was improved indoor air quality in schools and other indoor spaces.....i would already be dead from old-age

Woefull response so far from government to really sound arguements

Show threadAlly MillerDec 9, 2022
@chrischirp @TheConversationUK - the case for a medical and public health revolution in the approach to respiratory viruses. #Covid is still a killer, making our population less healthy and shortening lives. AND we have too long neglected the harm caused by Flu, RSV and other respiratory viruses. The pandemic should be a tracing Cholera to the water supply moment
Show threadboojitDec 10, 2022
@chrischirp @TheConversationUK thank you for this piece; very thought provoking. Would you be able to shed light on (do we have the data to shed light on) how the risks of COVID reinfection differ from influenza reinfection? I just want to be able to articulate why we want to think about COVID differently than influenza, and right now I'm not sure I can
Show threadCateDec 10, 2022
@chrischirp @TheConversationUK
I’m working for never getting the COVID infection!
Show threadJoFloHoosierDec 17, 2022
@chrischirp @TheConversationUK ,
This Comment below the article was also interesting:
#covid #reinfection #mitigation #ventilation #masking #NetiPot #nasalirrigation