There’s a vocal subset of people here who like to act as if Covid is still the same threat it was five years ago. The pandemic is over, because Covid is endemic now. It just always is there. Like the common flu was before Covid. And the Covid variants these days are very much on a similar level to the flu. Trying to build some conspiratorial narrative out of that makes you sound insane.
“There is no such thing as a COVID infection without consequence,” says long COVID researcher, David Putrino[…].
So there is a cumulative effect that can be occurring with each infection.
Early in the pandemic, we actually published a paper where we showed that, even in animal models — when we infected mice with a very, very mild case of SARS-CoV-2 infection — which only caused lung inflammation, we still saw these inflammatory chemicals called chemokines emerging from the infected lungs and starting to attack central nervous system structures such as the spinal cord and the brain.
[…]You know, this is a virus that, once it enters the body, is very capable of entering the bloodstream, creating immune responses that travel all over the body.
It disrupts what we call “interferon signalling,” which is part of the immune system that helps you to fight off infections or latent infections, such as Epstein Barr virus.
Typically our immune system can keep these things suppressed, but when SARS-CoV-2 enters the picture, it starts to cause altered interferon signalling. It causes immune damage and dysregulation.
And suddenly, not only does your body have trouble clearing the SARS-CoV-2 virus itself, but it also starts to have trouble keeping some of these other viruses that have been latent from reactivating and causing problems.
In addition to SARS-CoV-2’s ability to dysregulate the immune system and suppress the immune system, the spike protein itself is very damaging to blood vessel structures as well as red blood cells and platelets themselves.
And so between those two features, the ability to dysregulate the immune system and the ability to cause systemic damage throughout the bloodstream, you have a very dangerous novel virus on your hands.
It stopped being a pandemic once it became endemic. Or do you argue that we’re in a flu pandemic because it comes back every year? And sure, the vaccines did help a lot. But the virus that causes Covid also mutated into less severe strains. Just like with the flu, there can always be a more deadly mutation again. But right now the current strains and the fact that almost everybody had it and/or got vaccinated make Covid about as bad as the seasonal flu. And just like the flu it keeps being monitored, vaccines get updated and should it come back in force, we are much better equipped than in 2020.
For example the CDC and similar organizations in Europe. There is no clear definition of what a pandemic is or when a disease becomes endemic. Even the WHO alleges that. As we have no vaccine that would allow us to eradicate Sars-Cov-2 and because the infection numbers are somewhat seasonal I am heavily inclined to follow those experts that call it endemic. It’s also important to note that endemic does not equal harmless. Of course we need to research the long-lasting effects and still find ways to deal with them. But I, and apparently most health experts, don’t see a need to keep up the awful restrictions from five years ago.
Wow, I didn’t know the US CDC has declared it endemic. Fair enough. I personally don’t follow the CDC, would not be sure they’re not compromised by the administration. Hard to trust any official line from the US these days.
COVID sure isn’t seasonal though, it’s year round and has many waves. I wish it would settle but so far nope.
I haven’t seen anyone call for the restrictions like in 2020. What I’m seeing are people calling for clean air and masking in health centers, as well as offering remote working and virtual events. All very reasonable, sensible, and doable.
Research into the long term effects is already fairly substantial, showing brain damage, vascular damage, and immune damage.
Upvoting you because I agree that some voices need to process the shift to endemic.
But I also agree with the tweet that low cost systematic changes should still be underway to lower overall viral burden, or soften the blow of the next pandemic.
I don’t know if HEPA filters in public institutions is actually effective, so I suppose the argument hinges on that; is there actually low hanging fruit like that?
Oh, I agree with that too! That should just be a normal thing, enabling kids to still learn together with their peers. I was so damn glad when the restrictions were lifted, because I saw the awful effect social segregation was having on my kids. For offices, remote work should be a right for any job where it’s possible and not something out feudal lords have to grant.
Working with preschoolers, there was a point last year where I realized that every single kid I work with was born post-Covid. It was a wild relevation, but since part of my job is teaching social skills, at least these kids won’t skip a beat because of it. I just feel for their older siblings.
And the Covid variants these days are very much on a similar level to the flu.
They’re not. Many of the variants that exist now last for weeks. I don’t know of any flu symptoms that don’t go way basically on their own within a week or so.
Then you never had proper influenza. That shit took me out harder than Covid. It’s a matter of luck and in the beginning Covid was more serious than most influenza strains. But they became more harmless. Which doesn’t mean that you can’t run out of luck and have a severe case of Covid. But over the entire population Covid is on a similar level as influenza.
There’s a vocal subset of people here who like to act as if Covid is still the same threat it was five years ago. The pandemic is over, because Covid is endemic now. It just always is there. Like the common flu was before Covid. And the Covid variants these days are very much on a similar level to the flu. Trying to build some conspiratorial narrative out of that makes you sound insane.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/beyond-long-covid-1.7485888
Not being the same threat is largely due to vaccines which are being restricted, and it being a different threat doesn’t mean it’s no threat.
Also, it is still a pandemic, only the emergency phase ended.
It stopped being a pandemic once it became endemic. Or do you argue that we’re in a flu pandemic because it comes back every year? And sure, the vaccines did help a lot. But the virus that causes Covid also mutated into less severe strains. Just like with the flu, there can always be a more deadly mutation again. But right now the current strains and the fact that almost everybody had it and/or got vaccinated make Covid about as bad as the seasonal flu. And just like the flu it keeps being monitored, vaccines get updated and should it come back in force, we are much better equipped than in 2020.
I look to the WHO who say it’s still a pandemic, where do you get endemic from?
For example the CDC and similar organizations in Europe. There is no clear definition of what a pandemic is or when a disease becomes endemic. Even the WHO alleges that. As we have no vaccine that would allow us to eradicate Sars-Cov-2 and because the infection numbers are somewhat seasonal I am heavily inclined to follow those experts that call it endemic. It’s also important to note that endemic does not equal harmless. Of course we need to research the long-lasting effects and still find ways to deal with them. But I, and apparently most health experts, don’t see a need to keep up the awful restrictions from five years ago.
Wow, I didn’t know the US CDC has declared it endemic. Fair enough. I personally don’t follow the CDC, would not be sure they’re not compromised by the administration. Hard to trust any official line from the US these days.
COVID sure isn’t seasonal though, it’s year round and has many waves. I wish it would settle but so far nope.
I haven’t seen anyone call for the restrictions like in 2020. What I’m seeing are people calling for clean air and masking in health centers, as well as offering remote working and virtual events. All very reasonable, sensible, and doable.
Research into the long term effects is already fairly substantial, showing brain damage, vascular damage, and immune damage.
Upvoting you because I agree that some voices need to process the shift to endemic.
But I also agree with the tweet that low cost systematic changes should still be underway to lower overall viral burden, or soften the blow of the next pandemic.
I don’t know if HEPA filters in public institutions is actually effective, so I suppose the argument hinges on that; is there actually low hanging fruit like that?
Where do you get the information that it’s endemic when the WHO are saying it’s still a pandemic?
Oh, I agree with that too! That should just be a normal thing, enabling kids to still learn together with their peers. I was so damn glad when the restrictions were lifted, because I saw the awful effect social segregation was having on my kids. For offices, remote work should be a right for any job where it’s possible and not something out feudal lords have to grant.
Working with preschoolers, there was a point last year where I realized that every single kid I work with was born post-Covid. It was a wild relevation, but since part of my job is teaching social skills, at least these kids won’t skip a beat because of it. I just feel for their older siblings.
They’re not. Many of the variants that exist now last for weeks. I don’t know of any flu symptoms that don’t go way basically on their own within a week or so.
Then you never had proper influenza. That shit took me out harder than Covid. It’s a matter of luck and in the beginning Covid was more serious than most influenza strains. But they became more harmless. Which doesn’t mean that you can’t run out of luck and have a severe case of Covid. But over the entire population Covid is on a similar level as influenza.