Augie RayOct 8, 2023

🧵: #COVID19 will only exacerbate the health disparities between the richest and poorest in the US. A new study demonstrates that, while we tend to ignore the ongoing COVID risks, those risks are not gone nor evenly distributed.

The study found that “Public facing industries, including teaching and education, social care, healthcare, civil service, retail and transport industries and occupations, had the highest likelihood of long-COVID.” (1/9)

Show threadAugie RayOct 8, 2023

People working in caring, leisure and other services had a 44% higher risk of experiencing Long COVID than average.

We could do much to mitigate the risks to people in less safe jobs as COVID continues to evolve and our immunity declines. (And it is declining: The CDC Director, Mandy Cohen, just noted, “What I want folks to understand is that protection is decreasing over time — and this virus is changing.”) Protecting those who don't have the privilege to work from home would mean: (2/9)

Show threadAugie RayOct 8, 2023

▪️ All of us getting the latest vaccine to decrease infections and transmission.

▪️ Employers investing in filtration and ventilation systems to help create safer public spaces.

▪️ Governments setting new rules for safe air, including CO2 monitoring, in public spaces.

▪️ And as a last line of defense, continued masking, particularly when COVID signs (such as wastewater surveillance or the positive rate of testing) is higher.

(3/9)

Show threadAugie RayOct 8, 2023
(I'd add that staying home and out of crowded environments would also help during COVID surges. But, I would acknowledge almost no one is today willing to do that, and it would, of course, have an adverse impact on the people who rely on those jobs. This makes it all the more important we adopt the other things that we can easily do to protect others.) (4/9)
Show threadAugie RayOct 8, 2023
In particular, I wish healthcare organizations would continue to require masking to protect both employees and patients. The science is indisputable that a significant percentage of COVID infections are nosocomial, and when patients are infected in healthcare settings, their prognosis of recovering is significantly reduced. (5/9)
Show threadAugie RayOct 8, 2023
As COVID continues to rise and fall in unpredictable ways--not seasonal, and not endemic--it amazes me that healthcare organizations continue to vacillate between masking and not. Not only would constant masking save lives and suffering, but it would also reduce the severity of the waves of COVID infections and hospitalizations we continue to experience. (6/9)
Show threadAndrew Wooldridge 🌱Oct 8, 2023
@augieray @TheDailyBurble yes! When I go in for cardiac rehab is on again off again masks required- they should just say ‘you go to any hospital - wear a mask’
Show threadEniko (moved ➡ gamedev.place)
@triptych @augieray @TheDailyBurble it'd also be much clearer. nobody would ever have to ask themselves "do i have to wear a mask at the hospital" if the answer is simply always yes
Oct 8, 2023 at 2:56pmWeb