Hey you, I love you, and I don’t want you to get covid (again)
for the love of everything, please do what you can to stop infecting yourself with this virus
https://marzapsales.substack.com/p/hey-you-i-love-you-and-i-dont-want
I am talking to you. Yes, YOU. If you are reading this, I care about you and I really don’t want you to get Covid.
Covid still kills (every week since late August 2023, there have been over 1,000 recorded Covid deaths in this country). And I know, you probably think that you won’t be one of those numbers. Maybe you think of those numbers as people who are elderly, immunocompromised, or with many health conditions and perhaps you don’t currently fall into those categories. Maybe, you just don’t think of those numbers at all.
I sincerely hope you never become one of those numbers either.
But beyond dying from an acute Covid infection, I don’t want you to die next year from a heart attack caused by an infection you got this Christmas. Or for you to develop an autoimmune disease after Covid. Or for repeat infections to simply shorten your life by a few years.
I wish you would take precautions—if not for my sake, or in solidarity with the disabled/surplus class—for your own sake.
I don’t know many people who still take Covid precautions in their daily life. Online, I’ve connected with so many people who do but, in terms of people I’ve known personally, I think I know less than 10 people who don’t eat out indoors, wear a high quality mask in all indoor public spaces, and/or work to improve air ventilation and filtration, etc. So I am talking to the vast majority of people I know who largely ignore Covid. I see it in real life, but I really witness most of it on social media. I see the food you’re eating indoors, the concert you’re going to, the large protest you’re attending. I see your smiling, maskless face. And I love your smiling face and I miss spending time with you, but I can’t bring myself to like any of your photos. I can’t like a photo where you might be getting infected with a disease that could disable or kill you. I love your smiling face and I want you to smile and have joy for such a long time.
And I know so many of you who already have felt the effects of previous Covid infections. I know your allergies have gotten worse. You told me that you still struggle with brain fog after one infection. Or that you have to wear a jacket at all times because your body doesn’t regulate temperature in the same way. I see that you are sick way more times a year than you were four years ago.
Maybe you’re lucky and you don’t have any noticeable effects from Covid. But maybe, beneath the surface, you may be developing blood clots that could cause a stroke. Or your overall immune response is weaker than it was, leaving you susceptible to future infections.
Perhaps you are thinking, “I’ve never gotten Covid, so I don’t have to worry about any of these things.” And I would challenge you on that assumption. How often do you test for Covid? Do you use rapid tests or PCR? Most Covid spread is asymptomatic, meaning you could have been infected and never felt sick. And you can still get Long Covid from asymptomatic infections. Plus, most of us don’t have regular access to PCR testing, which is much more accurate than rapid tests. A single rapid test only has a 10% chance of catching an asymptomatic infection. So if you haven’t been testing regularly, it is probably safe to say that you have been infected with Covid more times than you have confirmed.
And maybe you really are okay so far (I genuinely hope so). Maybe you’ve really only had 1-2 infections and you are fortunate enough to not have any lasting damage. How many more infections can your body stand before you do have lasting damage? 3-5? What about after you’ve had Covid 10+ times? What do you think that will do to your health?
Recently, a Canadian study on Long Covid showed that 1 in 9 Canadians have Long Covid symptoms. 38% of people who’ve had 3 or more infections reported Long Covid symptoms. So again, if we’re over 4 years into this and you’ve been infected once or twice (that you know of), how many more years of reinfections can your body handle?
Covid hasn’t gone away. Sure, case numbers are lower than previous years, but that’s because testing isn’t available or even encouraged. Wastewater levels are still high, indicating there’s still plenty of Covid around. In fact, we are currently in the middle of the second largest Covid surge of all time (the only larger one being the initial Omicron wave in the winter of 2021-2022). I repeat, there is more Covid currently circulating than at any point in 2020 (when you tried your best to avoid Covid). So if you are moving about the world like it’s 2019, then you are being exposed to Covid regularly.
I am so worried about you and your future. We are all one Covid infection away from serious illness, a new disability, or death. I am scared it will be your next infection. And there’s no way for you to know if it will be your next infection or if it will be many more down the line until it’s too late.
Covid isn’t going away on its own. Your vaccine from a few years ago isn’t going to protect you in the long term (and even if you stay up-to-date on vaccines, you still risk Long Covid and other damage with each infection). And unfortunately, as of right now, there are no cures for Long Covid. The fact is that every time you get infected with Covid, you are risking (and increasing your chances for) severe illness, Long Covid, or even death. And so the fewer times you are infected with Covid, the better.
I know, that’s a lot to digest, especially if it’s something you try to avoid thinking about. But we aren’t powerless. There are ways you can reduce the amount of times you are exposed to or infected with Covid.
I know that most people I am writing to won’t read this and immediately start living a perfectly Covid cautious lifestyle. But every time you avoid an infection, that keeps you from rolling that dice on being hospitalized or developing Long Covid or dying. And there’s an added bonus that every time you avoid an infection, you avoid passing on Covid to those around you. The more people who take up mitigation measures, the safer we all are.
So below is a list of things you can incorporate to reduce that risk. Even if you only incorporate one or two of them, it is better than nothing. And I’m here for you, every step of the way. If there’s any barrier to you using these tools, I am down to help you in any way that I can. I will mail you masks or tests. I will help you find a mask that is more comfortable or breathable for you. I will connect you to local resources.
Wear a mask.
Ideally wear a well-fitting N95, KN95, or KF94 (but any mask is better than none).
Ideally wear it in all spaces where you share air with people outside your household, but especially wear it in crowded indoor spaces.
Stay up-to-date on your vaccines.
Only about 20% of people in the US have gotten the 2023-2024 Covid shot, meaning most people I’m writing to probably haven’t gotten it.
While the Covid vaccine doesn’t fully prevent infection, it can temporarily reduce chances of infection and reduce chances of hospitalization and severe illness from Covid.
While you’re at it, please get your flu shot (and RSV, if you are eligible). Covid infections harm the immune system, so you may be more vulnerable to worse outcomes from other infections than you used to be.
Improve air ventilation/filtration (the more we clean and move in fresh air from a space, the less viral particles can hang out in an area).
Open windows.
Check that your HVAC filters are up-to-date and turn your fan on.
Get HEPA filters or build a Corsi-Rosenthal box.
Test and have folks test before gathering.
If possible, use PCR tests–many communities still have free PCR testing, they often just aren’t well advertised.
If using rapid tests, swab your mouth before you swab your nose and test multiple times (a few days before and the day of) for increased accuracy.
Avoid crowded indoor spaces.
If you choose to eat out or engage in risky activities, like going about spaces maskless, consider reducing risk by going at off-peak hours when there are fewer people.
Choose takeout instead of dining in sometimes. Or spend time outside–check out new or old spots with patios–when the weather is nice.
I know, it seems like I am asking a lot. Perhaps you think I’m unreasonable. I am asking these things of you because I care about you. I have lost a lot in the past year. I don’t want to lose you. And until we find effective treatments for Long Covid or a vaccine that actually stops the spread, we have to live with the reality that you don’t know how many Covid infections you can withstand.
I love you. I care about you. I don’t want you to get Covid ever again.
Masks are community care❤️🔥😷 free masks: maskbloc.org
• Remember: covid is not over, 50% of infections are asymptomatic, minimum 10% of infections end up in long COVID, re-infections wreck us, COVID spreads and moves like cigarette smoke, think of the people around you and you as people who are all day smoking, it becomes more visual to understand how COVID moves.
• There is no way to “train” the immune system because it is not a muscle. there is a common misconception that exposure to harmful germs strengthens the immune system. viral diseases like COVID, flu, measles weaken the immune system, leaving the possibility of lasting damage. The reality is that you don't build your immunity with repeated infections, vaccines strengthen the immune system by teaching it to recognize pathogens without all the risks. Focusing on infection prevention is key.
• Rapid antigen tests give many false negatives.
• Solving the pandemic was never in the cards for the capitalist world.
#MaskUp #WearAMask #CovidRealist #CovidIsAirbone #LongCovid #YallMasking #DisabledLiberation #DisabilityJustice
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