C̶͚̃a̵̯͠s̸͌͜s̷̜ả̵n̵̥͑d̸̓r̶̦a̵̛

TL/DR (Too long/ didn't read): Wear a mask.

This started as a short critical post but I don't know all of you from the bird site so here goes:

Basically, the New York originating COVID variant XBB.1.5 is the product of unmitigated evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It binds better to host cells (us). The difference between where it was and where it is is like elmer's basic glue vs. rubber cement. Or more appropriately a spear vs. a harpoon with a barbed tip. Bot'll stick. One will stick significantly better.

It's evolutionary trajectory specialized to infect ("become more virulent and immune evasive"). Viruses are -whether they have will as we understand it or not- are propelled to propagate: To persist. Unless stopped.

Its evolution cannot outpace physical barriers. Are they 100% effective? No. Nothing is. But even a surgical mask will limit exposure. n95 that fits yer face is significantly better.

(Want to try various masks out before buying a ton all at once? Try the sampler packs!

Various packs for USA: https://shop.evidencebased.ca/collections/all?filter.p.m.custom.ships_to_countries=%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%B8+USA

For Canada: https://twitter.com/DonateMask/status/1608576661636939776?s=20&t=PxymrkeGEcx57J51OrbXxg

When you know your preferred best sealing fit and want to buy in bulk: https://www.projectn95.org/collections/respirators/
Thanks @donatemask !)

A vaccine is nice. Encouraged even. But the virus outpaces their development. And they still do nothing to protect from COVID related illness after acute infection. In October the White House warned (in a timidly low key way: a background prop) 1400 deaths a day by April if the bivalant (sometimes called bivariant- ya'know, the latest one Pfizer and Moderna put out) booster was administered at the then current rate. Uh, well, about that. Uptake sucks. https://twitter.com/amorvincitomnia/status/1609946619734298624?s=20&t=PxymrkeGEcx57J51OrbXxg The October projections didn't account for XBB.1.5. It hadn't been identified yet.

The thing about this virus is: it's constantly coming in to contact with other variants of itself. Far more variants than the news ever covers exist. They all swap genetic material with one another. (See attached image from here: https://twitter.com/RajlabN/status/1607193262527504385/photo/1) They evolve and converge. There are 46(!) variants listed on the side from most prevalent to least. XBB.1.5 accounted for 16% back then. Now it's closer to 50% of circulating virus. This jump in prevalence is roughly 1 week.

If any of you have moshed: this evolutionary process is a moshpit, and the music sucks. Here's a visual aid of those mosh pits comparing the original strain to the others from June 2022: https://twitter.com/amorvincitomnia/status/1541824445978800128?s=20&t=PxymrkeGEcx57J51OrbXxg

I'll link to some technical threads regarding XBB.1.5 and COVIDs impact on us, worth a skim even if you aren't familiar with the technical stuff.

But the simple take away is always going to be ridiculously- marvelously- simple: Wear a mask.

Please protect yourself and your community. There is NO cure nor all-in-one treatment for long COVID related issues.

Basic 5 minute overview on Long COVID: https://longcovid.physio/long-covid-video-series/impact-on-day-to-day-life

SARS-CoV-2 is worse to the immune system than SARS-CoV-1 (2003)

After mild SARS2, vitally critical immune cells (plasmacytoid dendritic cells) do not come back even after 7 months.

In SARS 1 they come back in 7 weeks

For comparison: In HIV they are also gone irreversibly.https://twitter.com/fitterhappierAJ/status/1608301676535943168?s=20&t=k0GGLpwHJjKLNlv3qLNxaQ

Thread on how COVID reprograms the immune system (Hot off the presses news and it sucks! For all of us! Wear a mask!): https://twitter.com/WesElyMD/status/1610257204090896385?s=20&t=PxymrkeGEcx57J51OrbXxg

Thread with an approachable TikTok regarding COVIDS impact on the brain: https://twitter.com/amorvincitomnia/status/1606175448672583681?s=20&t=PxymrkeGEcx57J51OrbXxg

Thread on bloodclots related to COVID: https://twitter.com/WesElyMD/status/1610626121996931075?s=20&t=PxymrkeGEcx57J51OrbXxg

Plus, masks are cool. ARE WE NOT ANARCHISTS!? This is like our whole thing (+ everything else. Obviously.)

Products

Purchase N95 masks, elastomeric respirators, and more! 100% of the money that we raise goes towards sending free N95-equivalent masks and rapid tests to folks in need across Canada.

EBSECan Charity Fundraising Store
Jan 5, 2023 at 7:21amWeb
Show threadC̶͚̃a̵̯͠s̸͌͜s̷̜ả̵n̵̥͑d̸̓r̶̦a̵̛Jan 5, 2023
Related:
Show threadC̶͚̃a̵̯͠s̸͌͜s̷̜ả̵n̵̥͑d̸̓r̶̦a̵̛Jan 5, 2023

I edited the original post but so everyone sees it:

Want to try various masks out before buying a ton all at once? Try the sampler packs! Now with the USA link!
https://shop.evidencebased.ca/collections/all?filter.p.m.custom.ships_to_countries=%F0%9F%87%BA%F0%9F%87%B8+USA

Products

Purchase N95 masks, elastomeric respirators, and more! 100% of the money that we raise goes towards sending free N95-equivalent masks and rapid tests to folks in need across Canada.

EBSECan Charity Fundraising Store
Show thread@daraghhayesJan 5, 2023
@amorvincitomnia @donatemask Great succinct post. I really worry about how things might look by February or so. My five-year-old son is the only one who consistently masks in his classroom (several of his friends have been quite ill) and I teach at a college where almost no one masks, despite numerous instances of students and colleagues needing to be off sick for extended periods or even hospitalized. In the absence of a strict requirement to do so, most won't do the right thing.
Show threadcaseyjonesedJan 5, 2023
@amorvincitomnia Masks save lives. That’s what you need to know. Pass it on. Save lives!
Show threadOlivia ParamourJan 5, 2023
@amorvincitomnia @donatemask How do I interpret this dataviz?
Show threadC̶͚̃a̵̯͠s̸͌͜s̷̜ả̵n̵̥͑d̸̓r̶̦a̵̛Jan 7, 2023

@Oliviaparamour @donatemask I'm tired and wired so if this doesn't make sense let me know and I'll clarify. It's basically like a word cloud. Here's mine from the bird site. Larger the word, the more times I've used it.

In the SARS-CoV-2 dataviz the size of the circle corresponds to the percentage identified to be actively circulating in the USA within the last 15-days of the analysis (December 26th in that image, with a range extending 15 days back from 12/26/22). The percentages are in the right hand column. The top 17 variants are above above 1% observed prevalence. But every dot represents an omicron-related subvariant per the notes in the tiny text at the bottom (sorry)

The tiny text reads:
Circulating Variants to the Following US States: All | Specimen Collected in the last 15 days | Updated on 12/26/2022 1:43:25am | source (sequences): GISAID - ** Data is dynamic and is constantly being updated | Lineage assignment: Nextclad tool^^ | Summary of PANGO designations: https://www.pango.network/summary-of-designated-omicron-lineages/ [end of tiny text]

Here's GISAID: https://gisaid.org/about-us/mission/ Basically everyone uses it. Unfortunately the PANGO visualization is hosted by PANGO, and why I posted the source cuz this guy's job (or maybe he himself) pays to use the visualizer: https://twitter.com/RajlabN/status/1607193262527504385

Now- the reason I posted it has to do with this text from the original post cuz the takeaway isn't where XBB.5.1 was on December 26th. It's about comparing where it was on the 26th to 2 days ago, January 5th: "There are 46(!) variants listed on the side from most prevalent to least. XBB.1.5 accounted for 16% back then. Now it's closer to 50% of circulating virus. This jump in prevalence is roughly 1 week."

Takeaway is protect yourself and others with mask+vacc. Every infection brings with it new opportunities to evolve. Every evolution is bad. :(

Summary of designated Omicron lineages – Pango Network

Show threadMarian GladstoneJan 5, 2023
@donatemask @amorvincitomnia
#MaskUP Come on!