Today marks the five year anniversary of Covid being declared a pandemic. Some things I want people to remember:
The threat is not gone. People are still dying and becoming disabled every single day
COVID is airborne. It’s always been airborne. Droplet transmission was pushed incorrectly & then doubled down on for economic reasons. If governments admit it’s airborne, they have to spend money upgrading air quality and providing respirators etc.
The only way to avoid Long Covid is to not get Covid.
A well fitted respirator like an N95 offers excellent personal protection
Mask mandates belong in healthcare
If you’re not masking for your patient, you’re abdicating your responsibility to do no harm
It costs nothing to open a window and it will improve ventilation and reduce odds of viral spread. Air purifiers work well too
COVID is a social justice issue. Masks, tests, air filters, paid time off… these things all cost money. The disease disproportionately impacts those who are most vulnerable and multiple marginalized
Repeat infections don’t make you stronger. They don’t give you immunity. They actually harm your brain, heart and immune system. They’re also NOT inevitable
Kids are harmed by COVID too. They need the adults to protect them. We need clean in schools and on school buses
We went “back to normal” for capitalism. It wasn’t because it was safe. It wasn’t because there was a cure. Governments and those in power Are willing to sacrifice us to keep end stage capitalism afloat a little longer
Repeat infections are NOT inevitable. We can still curb the spread. We don’t have to accept constant sickness and disability as our new normal.
May we be in a much better place five years from now than we are today.
If you know someone suffering from Long Covid, reach out to them. Ask them how you can support them. Remind them they’ve not been forgotten. Wear a mask for them. They are counting on you.
