#Doctors share why it’s still important to take the virus seriously.

#Key Points

• COVID still causes significant hospitalizations and deaths despite declining severe impact rates.
• Re-infections increase risk for certain health issues.
• Annual vaccination is key to preventing severe disease and reducing long COVID risk.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID was associated with an estimated 290,000 to 450,000 hospitalizations and between 34,000 and 53,000 deaths between July 2024 and July 2025, the most recent year that data is available. These stats show just how much the virus is still impacting us.

For comparison, here's how the flu impacted people in 2024-2025 Which was a more severe flu season than normal:

CDC estimates there were 51 million influenza (flu)-related illnesses, 23 million medical visits, 710,000 hospitalizations and 45,000 deaths during the 2024-2025 flu season. Based on CDC criteria, the severity of the 2024-2025 season was high.

The estimated flu-related illnesses and medical visits are higher than the 2017-2018 season, the last high severity flu season. Estimated hospitalizations are the same as 2017-2018, while estimated deaths are lower.

I guess this is the new normal. Double the amount of severe respiratory disease than before, and little to no seasonality.

https://aatishb.com/maskmath/

Found this interactive "Mask Math" site with info on how effective masking can be under different circumstances.

From in the Comments:

• Applegate has a chronic autoimmune condition (MS)
• Kimmel has narcolepsy which is also autoimmune in mechanism
• Kimmel has a daughter with tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect

Just spinning that roulette wheel and making funnies.

Thanks to ☆ Yσɠƚԋσʂ ☆ @yogthos@lemmy.ml for this one, I saw posted here. Wasn't expecting to see a comic so perfectly nail it.

Edit: Aaaand now I see that this was basically posted yesterday, but as a link to the xcancel thread about it. So I guess here's the direct link to the comic at least.

I don't know how to share the images themselves, I think SDF Lemmy's image hosting is still broken, but it's very cute and well-cited.

"Wearing a mask is the easiest way to make a direct, positive impact on your community"

Thought this might spur some decent discussion. Lots of libs in the comments but a few good points made.

A vaccine called GBP511 has begun clinical testing in Australia. Pioneered by UW Medicine researchers, it is intended to protect against COVID-19 and related coronaviruses — including some that haven’t yet jumped to humans. South Korean pharmaceutical company SK bioscience is bringing the vaccine to trial.

This is from the tech reviewer at dongknows.com. On a personal note I want to do Hyrox but I'm afraid of catching covid or anything else from other participants. These places & events where people will show up regardless if they're sick or not (think vacations) are very dangerous.

Lol, this came out in Aug 2024. Dunno how I missed it.

https://gcsurplus.ca/ also know as a Government of Canada Surplus, sells respirators at a cost of 1 CAD per box (which contain 50 respirators) they will ship (only to canadian addresses) free.

tweet

In August an immunologist declared the "Leonardi Effect" had received a "decent burial"

Fast forward to today: a new preprint shows what I warned about in 2020

Persistent SARS-CoV-2-induced impairment of CD8 T cell responses to community-acquired pathogens

I was right Key finding: Post-COVID patients show markedly reduced T cell reactivity to common pathogens (influenza, Staph, VCZ) which is evidence of lasting immune dysregulation favoring secondary infections and viral reactivation

Link

This is the scenario I described years ago: accelerated CD8 aging/paralysis/exhaustion/senescence, poorer control of pathogens.

We ignored it at our peril. Rising "mystery" infections, cancers, herpes flares? Not a coincidence

after covid, patients show profound mitochondrial defects in T cells specific for common pathogens

Classic signs of T cell exhaustion/senescence

This is the scar I predicted in 2020

Aged, dysfunctional T cells that can’t properly control chronic viruses

Science eventually catches up.

Protect your T cells: vaccinate, mask in crowds, avoid reinfection

found from x

Saw the clip making the rounds on Twitter the past few days. Fuck Jon Stewart.

https://xcancel.com/AlterIvan1/status/2004689328312909894

Also, one of the other people in the clip (Tim Miller) is a known COVID minimizer:

https://xcancel.com/michael_hoerger/status/2004805556729774551

and apparently, a gay Republican, former Jeb! 2016 staffer, and so-called Never Trumper—dude's made in a lab to appeal to credulous libs.

I hate the holidays normally, but the thought of doing ANOTHER YEAR of this has gotten me really down in the dumps. I have no one to talk to about this and no one left in my life. Things really suck a big fat cock at the moment. On the plus side, I get to look forward to my $7000 deductible spinning up anew on 1/1/26. Yaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy............

How are you all doing?

I'm not affiliated with this, just trying to get more eyes on it. I'll probably attend it myself, if I can find the time.

https://fan-club.neocities.org/skillshares

This post is about mental strategies that can help you remember things better when dealing with brain fog. These aren't magic fixes, but if even one tip helps, I'm glad. (Don't forget physical health like sleep, diet, and exercise matters too!)

How memory works (simple version):

Think of a memory like a house. If all the roads to it are blocked, you can't reach it. But if you build more roads or stronger ones, you're more likely to get there. The tips below help build those "roads."

3 Practical Tips:

1. Pay attention on purpose
It's hard, especially with brain fog, but even a little extra focus helps. When you tell your brain "this matters," it's more likely to save it. Try pausing for a second and saying in your head: "I want to remember this."

2. Understand, don't just repeat
Your brain remembers things better when they make sense. Instead of memorizing a random fact, ask: Why is this true? How does it connect to what I know?
Example: A rock lying on the ground is easy to ignore. But a rock holding down a tent flap? That makes sense, it has a job. You'll remember it better because it fits.

3. Use tricks like mnemonics or memory palaces

• Mnemonics: Turn lists into catchy phrases.
  Example: Remember "MAP": Mindful Attention, Ask Why, Place It (referring to memory palaces). Short and easy to recall.

• Memory Palaces: Your memory loves images and stories, not just words. Use a place you know well, like your home. Walk through it in your mind, and place each item you want to remember in order, using wild, exaggerated pictures.

  Example: You need to buy apples, grapes, oranges, and kiwis.

  • Open the front door and a waterfall of shiny red apples pours out, bouncing down the steps like boulders. One hits your foot, ouch!
  • In the living room, the TV is gone, replaced by a giant bunch of purple grapes, glowing like jewels. You pluck one; it sparkles as you pop it.
  • In the kitchen, the sink overflows with fizzy orange soda, and floating on top are peeled oranges, bobbing like life rafts.
  • The fridge is stuffed wall-to-wall with fuzzy green kiwis, pulsing like tiny hearts. One winks at you as you close the door.

Now, mentally walk through your home again, the story pulls each fruit back instantly. The crazier the image, the easier it sticks.

I've been using this for months now. I still have brain fog, but it feels better, more like me, when I don't blank on why I walked into a room or forget what I meant to say. Small things, but honestly? It's kind of nice to remember again.