luckytran

luckytran, 7 days ago to random

New poll from Data for Progress finds that 71% of US voters are against mask bans.

luckytran, 7 days ago to random

Update on the North Carolina anti-mask bill: The committee has come to an agreement on a compromise bill.

BUT the compromise bill contains problematic language, saying you can wear a mask to "prevent the spread of contagious disease."

This sounds like you can wear a mask if you already have COVID, but not to prevent yourself from getting it.

Masks are a key prevention tool. People should have the right to wear them to protect their own health.

luckytran, 8 days ago to random

“Months of extreme hunger have already killed many Palestinians in Gaza and caused permanent damage to children through malnutrition.

Two UN organisations said more than 1 million people were “expected to face death and starvation” by mid-July.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jun/05/starvation-already-causing-mass-death-and-lasting-harm-in-gaza-agencies-say

luckytran, 8 days ago to random

Many of us heard that COVID moves like cigarette smoke. That's a great analogy. And like smoke, while it's true that you can still be affected at longer distances, especially if you are in rooms with poor ventilation, it's going to be much worse the closer you are to the source.

luckytran, 8 days ago to random

4+ years into COVID and many still missing the nuances:

Often 6ft isn't enough, but increasing physical distance reduces risk

N95s are much better, but surgical masks do help

Outdoors is safer, but you can still catch it

Vaccines reduce transmission, but don't eliminate it

luckytran, 9 days ago to random

This article is misleading and emboldens pandemic deniers and minimizers.

It's incorrect to say there was no science to support distancing rules.

The science absolutely shows us that increasing physical distance is associated with decreasing risk.

The nuance that is dangerously not conveyed here is that while distancing helps, 6-feet alone often isn't enough because COVID is airborne, so we need layered measures like masks and clean air too.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/06/02/six-foot-rule-covid-no-science/

luckytran, 13 days ago to random

Hospitals in South Australia have paused elective surgery and declared an internal emergency due to staff being sick with COVID. The pandemic is not over. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-30/sa-public-hospitals-in-internal-emergency/103915690

luckytran, 16 days ago to random

We are living in an age of denial. Denial of a genocide. Denial of an ongoing pandemic. Denial of a climate crisis.

Acknowledging reality is an act of rebellion.

luckytran, 21 days ago to random

North Carolina's House has rejected the anti-mask bill! The bill will now go through a compromise process, which could include re-adding a health exemption.

More work needs to be done, but this shows that advocacy is making a difference. Keep going!

https://www.cbs17.com/news/north-carolina-news/nc-house-votes-not-to-concur-with-bill-reinstating-mask-restrictions/

luckytran, 22 days ago to random

A new gold standard review of 100 studies finds:

• masks are effective in reducing transmission of respiratory diseases

• N95 respirators are significantly more effective than medical or cloth masks

• mask mandates are effective in reducing community transmission

https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/cmr.00124-23

luckytran, 26 days ago to random

News: Biobot is sunsetting its COVID-19 wastewater public data visualization platform.

While Biobot will continue to publish their contextualized weekly respiratory risk reports, this represents another decrease in data transparency, and a step in the wrong direction.

Source: https://biobot.io/from-raw-data-to-actionable-insights-biobots-evolution-of-public-data-sharing/

luckytran, 27 days ago to random

The US government keeps telling us that COVID is fine now because “we have the tools.”

Well, they stopped requiring the reporting of COVID hospitalization data and they have ended programs for free tests, free masks, and now free vaccines.

We absolutely DO NOT have the tools.

luckytran, 27 days ago to random

The US government is ending the program that provides free COVID vaccines to people who are uninsured and underinsured.

This is a public health failure that will further decrease already low vax rates, and puts marginalized communities at greater risk.

https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4670459-cdc-ending-free-covid-vaccines-uninsured/

luckytran, 27 days ago to random

Please keep signing and sharing this petition against the banning of masks in North Carolina. It’s helping to get more media attention on the issue!

You can sign here: https://www.change.org/p/halt-the-passage-of-nc-bill-237-banning-masks-in-public?recruited_by_id=0e43e830-125b-11ef-b999-6dfe8a4a6443

luckytran, 27 days ago to random

"lf a person refused to (unmask), that right there should cause you some sense of alarm."

NYC Mayor Eric Adams continues to encourage businesses to request customers to unmask. This is ableist, puts people's health at risk, and is NOT required by law.

video/mp4

luckytran, 28 days ago to random

"So this bill will protect the Ku Klux Klan to wear masks in public, but someone who's immunocompromised like myself cannot wear a mask?"
— North Carolina Senator Sydney Batch, who is a cancer survivor

Unbelievable.

luckytran, 28 days ago to random

An NPR reporter collected samples of raw milk from 4 farms in Texas, and asked a USDA-authorized lab to test for bird flu. The lab refused to do it, because the farms wouldn't give them permission to test, even though permission isn't required. Wow.

https://www.npr.org/2024/05/15/1251647612/a-bird-flu-outbreak-among-dairy-cows-sparks-new-warnings-about-unpasteurized-mil

luckytran, 28 days ago to random

There is zero evidence that mask bans help prevent crime. The goal of mask bans is to scare people away from exercising their First Amendment rights to protest, and to give cops more power to target Black and Brown communities.

luckytran, 28 days ago to random

Cops should never have the power to make health decisions on your behalf. But that will soon be reality in North Carolina, thanks to the anti-public health mask ban.