Flu Rises, COVID Remains Steady

From CIDRAP - Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy

US flu activity climbs, with more deaths in kids

Lisa Schnirring, 1/31/25

"The nation's flu activity continued a steady rise last week, with 44 states at the high or very high level and that national test positivity just shy of 30%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today in its weekly update.

"Outpatient visits for flulike illness have been above the national baseline for 9 weeks in a row. Of samples that tested positive for flu at public health labs, nearly all were influenza A, and subtyped influenza A samples were about evenly split between the H3N2 and 2009 H1N1 strains.

"On the CDC's flu activity map, most of the country is awash in shades of red that reflect high or very high activity. However, some states are shaded purple, the highest level on the activity scale. They include Southeastern states such as Louisiana, South Carolina, and Tennessee, but also several in the Northeast, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and New Hampshire.

16 more pediatric flu deaths

"The CDC reported 16 more pediatric flu deaths, which push the season's total to 47. The deaths occurred between the middle of December and the week ending January 25. All involved influenza A, and, of 13 subtyped samples, 7 were H1N1 and 6 were H3N2. 

"For deaths overall, the level remained steady, with flu making up 1.6% of all deaths last week.

"Emergency department (ED) visits for flu are at the very high level and are increasing in all age-groups, making up 7% of all ED visits, the CDC said in its weekly respiratory virus snapshot. Meanwhile, hospitalizations for flu remain elevated and are likewise on the rise for all age-groups.

COVID holds steady; RSV ebbs

"Though COVID-19 wastewater detections moved from the medium back into the high category last week, ED visits are still low, highest in young children and elevated in older people. Meanwhile, hospitalizations for the virus remain elevated and are highest in seniors. Deaths from COVID trended downward but still make up 1.6% of all deaths in the United States.

"Wastewater levels were up a bit in all regions and are still highest in the Midwest. The CDC said activity is likely growing or growing in the Southeast and West, along with parts of the northeast.

"Test positivity for COVID held steady, at 5.4% 

"For respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which has been a notable contributor to respiratory virus activity this season, showed downward trends, with ED visits—highest in children-- and wastewater detections at the moderate level. Hospitalizations are also highest for children, though levels are elevated among older people in some parts of the country."

COVID And Your Heart

From Medical Xpress 1/30/25:  

How the virus behind COVID-19 can harm your blood vessels and your heart

"It started as a respiratory illness—or so everyone thought. But it quickly became apparent that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, was so much more.

"Since the beginning, the virus showed a very dramatic ability to affect different organs and systems beyond the respiratory system," said Dr. Chiara Giannarelli, an associate professor in the departments of medicine and pathology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.

"Early on, there was some evidence the virus was damaging the heart, causing an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes in these patients. But no one was looking at the vasculature," the blood vessels that carry the virus throughout the body and in and out of the heart.

"From her lab in New York City, Giannarelli had front-row seats in the spring of 2020 to the epicenter of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. Because her research already focused on the complex relationship between inflammatory and immune cells in the arteries and their role in atherosclerosis—the root of cardiovascular disease—she felt well positioned to investigate.

"Meanwhile, other research teams were looking into what the virus was doing to the heart muscle. Cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, were being identified as the cause of death in some people with COVID-19.

"As researchers dug into both questions, one thing became clear: The body's overzealous immune response to the virus—known as severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2, or SARS-CoV-2—was responsible for most of the damage it wrought, said Dr. DeLisa Fairweather, vice chair of translational research for the department of cardiovascular diseases at the Mayo Clinic's Florida campus in Jacksonville.

"The same mechanisms involved in COVID-related cardiovascular events are responsible for COVID-related myocarditis, said Fairweather, lead author of a 2023 Circulation Research review article on COVID-19 and myocarditis.

"In one case, it's happening in the blood vessel walls, and in the other, it's in the heart muscle," she said. "It's just in a different location. What's important is the immune response to the virus."

"SARS-CoV-2 is a large, enveloped RNA virus, meaning it is surrounded by an extra layer of cell membrane that allows it to fuse with healthy cells in our body. It typically enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth, then targets the lungs.

"Cells in the lungs and blood vessels contain an abundance of ACE2 receptors, which the virus infiltrates using a spike protein on its outer membrane. These receptors are the virus's main entryway to host cells. They also play a vital role in cardiovascular function, including regulating inflammation. Once SARS-CoV-2 infiltrates the host cell, it empties its genetic material and begins to replicate.

"Fairweather said the real problem is that once inside the host cells, the virus targets mitochondria, small structures inside a cell that produce its energy, and hijacks them to replicate itself.

"We die without mitochondria," she said. "So this sends out a big alarm to the rest of the body." In some people, the perceived danger triggers extremely high levels of inflammation and an excessive immune system response known as a cytokine storm.

"Fairweather likened the response to the sounding of a DEFCON 4 alarm, calling out an entire army when only a few troops may be needed. "It's overkill," she said. "Why this happens is a question that's not well understood yet."

"What researchers do understand is that the inflammatory cytokines that charge to the rescue play a role in atherosclerosis, the buildup and rupture of plaque in the arteries that can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Because SARS-CoV-2 was linked to a greater risk for these cardiovascular problems, Giannarelli and her team wanted to know if the virus was getting into arteries and what it was doing once it got there.

"They analyzed tissue specimens from autopsies of people who were hospitalized and died from COVID-19. In immune cells known as macrophages that reside in the heart, they discovered the presence of a viral RNA sequence corresponding to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. A macrophage is a type of white blood cell that stimulates other immune system cells.

"Next, the researchers recreated a SARS-CoV-2 infection in human tissue in the lab to see whether the virus could continue to replicate within these macrophages.

"While the virus was unable to efficiently generate new infectious viral particles within these cells, it did trigger an outsized immune system response, Giannarelli said.

"In addition, they found white blood cells containing high levels of lipids were less efficient at clearing the virus than other cells. Lipid-filled cells may be offering the virus the perfect host environment "that allows it to persist and to continue to trigger an inflammatory response for a longer period of time," Giannarelli said.

"Fueling greater inflammation inside preexisting blood vessel plaque can lead to pieces breaking off, she said. "This is what creates heart attacks and strokes."

"Indeed, a recent study published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology found a prolonged increased risk for heart attacks and strokes in people infected with the virus in 2020, up to three years following their initial infections.

"But myocarditis can show up in people infected with the virus who had no evidence of previous heart disease, Fairweather said.

"That may be due to another type of immune cell called a mast cell, she said. Like macrophages in the heart, mast cells also carry ACE2 receptors. When SARS-CoV-2 infiltrates these cells, they amplify the immune response and trigger the excessive inflammation that leads to myocarditis.

"The good news, Fairweather said, is that as people build immunity to the virus through vaccinations and reinfection, their bodies will learn how to fight the virus better and with more appropriate immune response levels.

"Older adults, people with weaker immune systems and those with heart disease will remain more vulnerable than others, she said, but for most people, "the immune system should calm down and therefore the threat should go down over time."

Tragic Collision In The Sky

What a horrific tragedy for all aboard the aircrafts and for the friends and families of the passengers. I can't imagine the shock of waiting at the airport for your loved ones to arrive, only to be given this terrible news.

From what I saw on the video, it looked like the helicopter flew straight into the plane.  I hope the authorities get to the bottom of the accident soon and will be able to prevent such a disaster from ever happening again.

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From CNN 1/30/25: No survivors expected after midair collision between passenger jet and Army helicopter 

 

What we know so far:

• No survivors likely: No one is believed to have survived the midair collision between an American Airlines jet plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter last night in the Washington, DC, area, the fire chief said Thursday. President Donald Trump is expected to address the tragedy this morning at the White House Briefing Room.

• Recovery operation: Emergency authorities have switched to “recovery effort” after 28 bodies have so far been found, officials said. Officials are confident they will recover the bodies of those killed in the collision. The aircraft, flying from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 64 people, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

• NTSB leading investigation: The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. American Airlines said the two pilots aboard Flight 5342 were experienced in complex commercial flight, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the helicopter was on an annual proficiency training flight.

• Athletes on board: Several members of the figure skating community were aboard the jet, US Figure Skating said. Separately, Russia’s state news agency said two world-champion Russian figure skaters were on the plane.

Please Bomb Hamas & Its Vile Supporters Into Oblivion

Anyone who still thinks that Hamas and its "Palestinian" supporters are reasonable human beings should watch this video. This baying, evil mob of savages is out for blood and would gladly rip the hostages -- or any Jews -- to shreds. Remember what they did on October 7, and how they enjoyed it.

Israel should refuse to release the thousands of "Palestinian" terrorists and should strongly retaliate.

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Benjamin Netanyahu blasts ‘horrific’ scenes of angry mobs at chaotic hostage handover in Gaza

"Hours after the first hostage, female Israeli soldier Agam Berger was released in northern Gaza, chaos erupted as thousands of Palestinians encircled the handover site in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis – just outside of the destroyed home of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.

"Hundreds of militants from Hamas and the smaller Islamic Jihad group showed up in force and thousands of people gathered to watch, with some standing on the roofs of destroyed homes to catch a glimpse.

"Hostage soldier Arbel Yehoud, 29, appeared terrified as she was walked by several gunmen through a large mob — many trying to take pictures, video shows.

"Many in the crowd shouted and surrounded Yehoud as masked militants pushed people away and escorted her through."

For Jew-Haters, Jews & The Holocaust Are Politically Incorrect

Here's another great piece from Spiked, by Nicole Lampert 1/28/25:

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Don’t mention the Jews. Why did so many Holocaust Memorial Day commemorations fail to utter the j-word?

"There was certainly no shortage of commemorations of Holocaust Memorial Day on Monday.

"On ITV’s Good Morning Britain, one of the presenters earnestly explained how the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz was an opportunity to remember how ‘six million people were killed in concentration camps during the Second World War as well as millions of others, because they were Polish, disabled, gay or belonged to another ethnic group’.

"Then there was UK deputy prime minister Angela Rayner. She tweeted a photo of herself looking terribly serious as she lit a candle, ‘to remember all those who were murdered just for being who they were and to stand against prejudice and hatred today’. Fellow Labour MP Sarah Champion, seemingly wearing the colours of the Palestinian flag, joined in. Of the Holocaust, she wrote: ‘We must ensure that it stays at the fore of our national consciousness: we must never forget.’

"Elsewhere, the message from Newham Council in London captured the sentiments of most local councils in the UK. It said it was marking Holocaust Memorial Day with a ‘moving event honouring the millions lost’, before adding, ‘we stand united against hatred and work for a future of peace’.

"You might have noticed one thing was missing in all these statements, so I am just going to say it: Jews. Time and again, public figures and institutions simply failed to mention the name of the actual victims of the Holocaust.

"I’ve had it with Holocaust Memorial Day. If our leaders won’t use the occasion to talk about the fact that the Holocaust was the product of anti-Semitism, that it specifically involved the systematic murder of Jews, then what is the point? Especially right now, when the poison of Jew hatred is rising again to the point that I and other Jews sometimes feel suffocated by it.

"Like many Jewish people, I’ve come to dread Holocaust Memorial Day each year. Not just because it’s a reminder of the searing pain of what happened. The testimony of the survivors is heartbreaking, as are the stories about how quickly neighbours turned on their friends. But I also dread it because of the way the Jewish element of the Holocaust is now either completely ignored or is even turned against us.

"First the Nazis tried to erase us. Now those who claim to be against the Nazis are erasing us from that memory. Our voices feel increasingly shrill as our demands to be centred in the genocide of our own people are criticised as being selfish.

"This removal of Jews from Holocaust Memorial Day has long been the plan of that weird marriage of the far left and Islamists. For too many leftists, Jews have never been good enough victims for their compassion. They certainly don’t want to remind people that anti-Semitism, the creed they so often march alongside with, is dangerous. Instead, they like to paint Jews as oppressors – or genocidal maniacs. So they have to hide the fact that Jews were the ones attacked in the most heinous and deliberate genocide in history.

"There is another reason for removing Jews from the memory of the Holocaust. It’s a way of undermining the necessity of Israel’s existence – a state that had to come into being because the world closed its doors to Jews, despite knowing they were being slaughtered.

"Parts of the left really do seem keen on taking the focus of Holocaust Memorial Day away from Jewish suffering. In 2011, Jeremy Corbyn was among a group of mainly Labour politicians who supported a parliamentary motion to rename Holocaust Memorial Day, saying instead it should be called ‘Genocide Memorial Day – Never Again for Anyone’. This was despite the fact it already did officially remember later genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

"It is telling that, a few weeks ago, the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) wrote to 460 town halls and educational centres around the UK asking them to boycott this year’s Holocaust Memorial Day because apparently it wouldn’t be inclusive enough (the organisers failed to categorise the war in Gaza as a genocide). In truth, the IHRC hardly needed to go to all that trouble. The message of Holocaust Memorial Day has become so watered down that it is an act of bravery to even mention who the victims of the Holocaust were – especially after Hamas’s pogrom in Israel on 7 October 2023.

"One London Jewish councillor tells me that, having organised Holocaust Memorial Day events in the past, since the 7 October attacks she hasn’t been allowed ‘near’ it at the council. ‘I think lots of councils think erasing Jews from their events is “playing it safe”’, she tells me.

"I’m ashamed to say that some Jewish organisations have let activists and politicians do this. They’ve let them water down the Holocaust because, otherwise, no one will talk about it at all.

"What does that tell you about all those who drearily intone ‘Never Again’ with their crocodile tears about some anonymous horror? If they meant it, they would talk about what must never happen again. They would talk about Jews and anti-Semitism.

 

"All the while, anti-Semitism is surging. As a Jewish person who writes about this stuff, sometimes I feel overwhelmed by the fear, the angst, the terror of people writing to me about the anti-Semitism they have faced.

"You’ve seen the weekly images of ‘pro-Palestine’ protesters marching with swastikas, chanting blood libels, calling for another genocide of the Jews. You’ve seen how our political class has done nothing to challenge any of it. You’ve seen how news channels repeat Hamas propaganda. You’ve seen how anti-Semitism has been normalised, even as public figures slap themselves on the back because they lit a candle on Holocaust Memorial Day.

"Not one Jewish person who I know has felt entirely safe in the UK since 7 October. Never Again has become a hollow slogan, and not one of our cowardly leaders is prepared to call that out."

Nicole Lampert is a national newspaper freelance journalist based in London. Follow her on X: @nicolelampert

Some Very N-ICE News

This goes for all of us! (Well, most of us, anyway)

Imagine if this had been done by Biden and his "Border Czar" over the last 4 years! Instead, they have blood on their hands.

And Chicago's so-called Mayor, Brandon Johnson, ought to be recalled. He's more concerned with illegal alien murderers being arrested than he is over his own citizens being killed! These sanctuary cities are committing treason.

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NYC minority communities cheer ICE raids that rounded up violent criminal migrants: ‘Get them the hell off the street!’ 

"New York City residents in Hispanic and black communities that supported President Trump in huge numbers in the 2024 election hailed Tuesday’s local immigration raids that nabbed scores of suspected heinous criminals.

"Starting in the Bronx — where Trump’s support surged 35% between 2020 and 2024 — heavily armed federal immigration agents stormed through the city, targeting migrants with warrants for murder, kidnapping and other heinous crimes, police sources told The Post.

"Among those arrested was Anderson Zambrano-Pacheco, 25, an alleged ringleader of the notorious Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua whom immigration officers took into custody at an Ogden Avenue apartment in the Bronx.

“Oh, thank God they got him,” said a resident who lives near the complex, visibly relieved that the violent thug was taken off the streets.

"Elsewhere in the borough, locals expressed similar sentiments.

“Get them the hell off the street! Get them the hell out of the street so people don’t have to walk in fear,” said Evelyn Brown, 80, a Bronx resident from Jamaica who voted for Trump.

“Take the damn bad ones away!”

Queasy About The Quad-Demic

This is is an excellent article from Bruce Y. Lee at Forbes, 1/27/25. Unfortunately, there are far too nany people still shrugging off the warnings and the advice:

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‘Quad-demic’ Hitting US With Flu, COVID-19, RSV, Norovirus Surging

"This is not how you want to go viral. The U.S. is currently going through surges of not one, not two, not three, but four different viruses. That’s prompted folks to nickname the current situation a “quad-demic.” Here’s what you can do to protect yourself.

What Is The ‘Quad-demic’?

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Respiratory Virus Activity Levels website shows that COVID-19, influenza A and respiratory syncytial virus have all been on the upswing since November.

"For the week ending on Jan. 18, a quarter of reported influenza tests, 8.8% of reported RSV tests and 6.2% of reported COVID-19 tests came back positive. The scoop on norovirus: according to the CDC, for the week ending Jan. 4, nearly 28% of tests for this gastrointestinal virus came back positive, reportedly a five-year high.

"Now, it’s not super surprising that the activity of all four viruses have increased during the winter months — that tends to happen every year. After all, the cold and dry air may facilitate the transmission of respiratory viruses and keep people cooped up indoors, close to one another, which makes it easier to pass on all sorts of stuff. Plus, norovirus is non-affectionately known as the “winter vomiting virus” for a reason.

"This winter, the levels of the three respiratory viruses may have started increasing a little later than usual. That could have compressed all of the surges into January. Although it remains a bit hard to tell what exactly is happening with each virus since the U.S. government never really put in a comprehensive virus surveillance system that’s significantly better than what was in place in 2020.

"As you recall, in 2020, the U.S. was kind of caught with it’s proverbial pants down when the COVID-19 pandemic started and had to rely on a graduate student at Johns Hopkins University to start a website to keep track of COVID-19.

"What’s more striking are the combined activity levels of the four viruses. Remember none of these four viruses are nothingburger viruses. All four can cause symptoms bad enough to send you to the emergency room. 

"For the week ending Jan. 18, slightly more than 5% of all emergency room visits were due to the flu, 0.9% because of COVID-19 and 0.6% because of RSV. Bad cases of COVID-19, flu or RSV can end up killing you. There’s also the longstanding problem of possibly getting long COVID after a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. And most people who have had a norovirus infection will tell you that it’s not your run-of-the-mill gastrointestinal infection. In fact, the runs and the vomiting that it can cause can be like nothing else you’ve experienced, leading to major dehydration that could require medical attention.

The ‘Quad-demic’ Is Further Clogging Up The Healthcare System

"The “quad-demic” is likely putting a toll on the already heavily constrained healthcare system. Even when there are no infectious disease epidemics going on, it’s probably not common for people to say, “Looking forward to going to the ER where I’ll be seen immediately and not have to wait at all.”

"When you think of ERs throughout the country, the words “ultimate efficiency” and “well-staffed” don’t often come to mind. Throw in several viral epidemics together and it’s likely that wait times for those seeking care at clinics, hospitals and emergency rooms have gotten even longer.

"Therefore, if you do require any type of healthcare service, it’s especially important now to plan ahead. Think about what setting would be most appropriate for your condition. If you have a non-urgent matter, consider contacting your regular doctor during business hours for guidance. That may spare you a lot of unnecessary wait time in a more urgent setting such as urgent care or the ER. If you do have a health problem that requires urgent attention, make that clearly known to the healthcare professionals at the clinic, hospital or ER as soon as you get there. You don’t want to end up being lost in the viral shuffle.

How To Protect Yourself Against The ‘Quad-demic’

"It’s also a good idea to take proper precautions to keep yourself from being infected. This should apply everywhere but especially in waiting rooms, other healthcare settings and anywhere that may be prime areas for viral transmission. Don’t listen to those politicians and such who have tried to politicize the heck out of proven infectious disease-control measures. For example, N95 respirators are designed to block small particles like viruses. Wearing such face masks can effectively cut down respiratory virus transmission as long as the masks fit and are worn properly.

"Another useful measure is maintaining good ventilation with clean air. Remember back in 2020 when there was a push to install more air purifiers in indoor locations to cut down on SARS-CoV-2 transmission? Well, our society often has the memory of a goldfish when it comes to such things.

"Then there’s the whole handwashing thing. If someone says they haven’t washed his or her hands in, oh, say like 10 years, you may want to stay far away from that person. Washing your hands thoroughly and frequently can cut down on not only viral infections but also bacterial and other microbial infections, as I have written previously in Forbes.

"You also want to frequently disinfect high-touch surfaces like that life-sized Jason Momoa statue that you keep in your closet. The challenge is that norovirus can be resistant to many standard household cleaners and may require bleach to get deactivated.

"Finally, getting vaccinated can protect you further, at least against getting worse outcomes. If you are 6 months or older, you can get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines."

"The CDC recommends the RSV vaccine for pregnant women, infants, children who are at higher risk, adults 75 and older and adults aged 60 to 74 who have a higher risk of severe RSV disease. There is currently no norovirus vaccine on the market, but that may change in the near future.

"Oh, and one more thing. At this point, don’t rely on the federal government to tell you when an infectious disease may be surging. As mentioned before, the past five years have shown major deficiencies in the existing infectious disease surveillance systems in the U.S. Throw on top of that the current pause on communication from federal health agencies being enforced by President Donald Trump’s new administration since he took office on Jan. 20.

"It’s not clear how current the CDC infectious disease data will be until there is more clarity on what will happen to CDC. It’s not even clear what the the federal government will do to prevent and deal with infectious disease outbreaks at this moment like the current “quad-demic” and anything that may emerge in the near future. Consider yourself “four-warned.”

Attacked for Requiring COVID Masks

"Slammed"?  This professor should be applauded instead, for trying to keep everyone safe from COVID.  Contrary to what Joe Biden said on 60 Minutes in 2021, COVID is not over, and there is a reason to keep wearing a mask!

Will they continue to "slam" him when the next COVID surge starts?

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From the 1/25/25 Daily Mail:

Rutgers professor slammed for forcing students to wear Covid face masks in his lectures years after 

"An ethics professor at a top New Jersey university has implemented a 'non-negotiable' mask mandate for his lectures over the 'threat' of Covid. 

"Dr Jerry Piven, who is listed as an assistant teaching professor at Rutgers University sent an email to students the day before class was scheduled to begin that included a class masking policy. It was published, in part, on X without his knowledge. 

"It reads: 'And if you've looked at the syllabus or class announcements, you'll know that it's class policy to wear masks to class until reliable evidence shows that Covid is no longer a threat.

'Per the link I sent, it is still a threat. People are still going to emergency rooms, dying, and having protracted symptoms from long Covid that last for years and can be debilitating.'

"The link Dr Piven references was not included in the email screenshot or accompanying tweet, but data from the CDC shows weekly Covid deaths have been on the general decline since September and remain at historic lows, with around 500 deaths per week in January.

"For comparison, at the January 2021 peak of America's pandemic, nearly 25,000 people were dying per week.

"Dr Piven's email continues: 'If you find it odious to wear a mask for an hour so as not to potentially sicken others, I advise you to consider the ethics and debate them in class.

"'If on the other hand, you don't care about the evidence or people getting sick (and even dying), you are always free to find a class that better suits you. Naturally I'd prefer you stay, but for now you have the freedom to enroll in the classes of your choice.

'But the mask mandate is non-negotiable. Hope to see you tomorrow.' 

(The above is a screenshot of the email Dr Jerry Piven sent to students. The image was posted to X by the account New Jersey Project)

"Rutgers University has three locations throughout New Jersey and has consistently been ranked as a top public university in the nation - reaching the number 15 spot in the most recent rankings.

"It enrolls more than 69,000 students across its three campuses. For New Jersey residents, the 2024-2025 tuition ranges from $17,250 to $33,640. Tuition for non-New Jersey residents ranges from $36,760 to $53,155.

"A screenshot of the email was posted on X by the account New Jersey Project. It is unclear how the account obtained a copy of the email.

"Dr Piven confirmed to DailyMail.com he was behind the email and doubled down on his stance.

"He added: 'This mask mandate is based on current reports showing that Covid is still hospitalizing people, and accruing evidence that long Covid poses serious health risks. 

"'It is based on the advice of virologists and bioethicists who confirm that Covid is still dangerous. And given the concentrated cluster of students, the communicability of new variants that escape vaccine protections, it seemed like a wise precaution out of concern for the students.'

"Dr Piven told DailyMail.com his mask mandate is 'not tyranny. It’s profound ethical concern for the lives of others.' 

"He added: 'When the scientific data indicates that Covid no longer poses a threat, I will happily cancel the mandate.

"'But as of now, the notion that Covid isn’t a threat is simply not supported by empirical evidence, and is rather a fantasy or form of denial.'

"Face masks became a politically divisive topic during the Covid pandemic, with Republicans mostly shunning them and Democrats mostly embracing them, despite conflicting research on the masks' efficacy in preventing Covid.

The above graph shows the weekly Covid deaths (blue bars) and weekly percent positive Covid tests (orange line) from January 11, 2020 through January 11, 2025

"On Rutgers University's website Dr Piven is listed as teaching two courses in the Department of Philosophy - Phenomenology and Existentialism and Introduction to Ethics.

"The 2025 spring semester is listed as having commenced on January 21. 

"The X account which originally shared a screenshot of Dr Piven's mask email posted the caption: 'Rutgers University professor playing the mask game. Of course this is a philosophy teacher. Dr Piven apparently doesn't teach medical ethics.'

"It is not known whether either of these courses are required classes for any majors, but Introduction to Ethics is listed as an option among required courses for a minor in Medical Ethics and Health Policy. 

"There are six other options for this class offered at other times with different professors. 

"Dr Piven's email comes as the CDC reported 445 deaths in the week ending January 11 and a 6.6 percent test positivity rate. 

"Covid was responsible for 1.25 percent of emergency department visits in the week ending January 4. 

"Meanwhile, long Covid is an amorphous condition made up of a constellation of symptoms from brain fog and fatigue to heart inflammation and joint pain.  

"An estimated 17 million Americans have long Covid, which manifests differently in each person.

"Some people may only experience shortness of breath and fatigue, while others may experience brain fog and difficulty concentrating.

"Dr Piven said he did not know the X account tweeted a portion of the email and does not know how the account obtained a copy of it.  

"Rutgers University states on its website: 'Face coverings are not required at the university but are welcomed.'

"Additionally, the school 'no longer requires students, faculty, staff, and university affiliates to be immunized against the Covid-19 virus.' 

"Dr Piven told this website: 'My mask mandate also explicitly respects the freedom of students to choose other classes that they deem more suitable. No one is forcing them to take this class, and I respect their right to enroll in classes that accord with their own sense of freedom and liberty. 

"'But one thing crucial to ethical principles is the concern for others, not just oneself. So if the available data indicates that a disease can be easily communicable, potentially dangerous, and pose long-term health risks, I will mandate the simple and relatively painless caution that students wear a nearly weightless mask for an hour per day.'"

Dr Ruth's COVID & Health news 1/25/25

Here's Dr Ruth Ann Crystal's latest important newsletter: 

COVID & Health news, 1/25/25

"This week, there were a lot of changes to major institutions that affect public health and science.

"On Monday, Trump signed an executive order directing the United States to exit the World Health Organization. Withdrawing from the WHO impacts global health security, increasing risks for all nations and weakening collective efforts to fight infections.

"Also on Monday, the president signed an order withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. On Thursday, billionaire Michael Bloomberg announced that his foundation would fund 22% of what the United States previously provided to the UN climate change agency.

"Tuesday, The US Department of Health and Human Services announced that federal health agencies including the NIH, CDC and FDA should pause all external communications, including health advisories, weekly scientific reports, updates to websites and social media posts at least until February 1. Robert Kennedy Jr’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for January 29.

"Wednesday, The National Institutes of Health (NIH) cancelled all meetings until at least February 1. NIH grant funding review panels were cancelled which essentially halts funding for scientific research from the NIH. In addition, there is a ban on travel which affects scientists’ ability to present their work. The NIH Clinical Center can no longer recruit patients into clinical trials because of cancelled meetings and silencing information on clinical trials.

"On Thursday, for the first time in 60 years, the CDC did not publish its weekly Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), including three updates on the H5N1 Avian Flu outbreak.

SARS-CoV-2 and Other Respiratory Viruses

"According to the CDC, overall respiratory illness is still HIGH across the United States as of 1/24/25. COVID levels are now MODERATE nationally, but Influenza levels and emergency room visits are VERY HIGH. RSV levels are moderate and are decreasing.

"JP Weiland predicts that there are 375,000 new COVID infections daily in America and that every 1 in 89 people is currently infected with COVID, with higher levels seen in the midwest. Many people are sick with the Flu now and the majority of emergency department visits are due to Influenza A.

SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels per the CDC

From: https://www.cdc.gov/nwss/rv/COVID19-nationaltrend.html

"Per Sara Anne Willette, SARS-CoV-2 wastewater levels have not been reported by the CDC’s NWSS since January 19th, so her US Composite Wastewater Data map is limited to mostly WastewaterSCAN data.

Influenza A levels are very high now. Flu shots are still available.

From: https://data.wastewaterscan.org/

Acute COVID infections, General COVID info

"Last week, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove wrote an article warning “Don’t pretend COVID-19 didn’t happen.” We can learn a lot about how to prepare for future pandemics from the COVID pandemic. Millions of people died from SARS-CoV-2 and many people continue to be reinfected as the virus continues to evolve. Worldwide, vaccine uptake has been very low for high risk individuals over age 60 and even for health care workers. Dr. Van Kerkhove says that we should take what we have learned from the COVID pandemic to help us prepare against future disease outbreaks.

"A study from Boston University explored how acute SARS-CoV-2 infection alters tryptophan metabolism, leading to increased production of prothrombotic metabolites like kynurenine (Kyn) in mice and humans. It demonstrates that these changes activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and tissue factor (TF) pathways in endothelial cells, contributing to clotting complications observed in COVID-19 patients. Targeting the AHR and IDO-1 enzymes shows potential for stopping the prothrombotic effects of acute COVID infection.

From: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.17.633602v1.full.pdf

Pediatrics

"A group from Italy looked at blood immune profiles of 34 children with Long COVID, 32 with acute COVID infection, 27 with MIS-C (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children), and 19 healthy controls. They found that Long COVID in children has a distinct blood protein signature reflecting increased general inflammation and endothelial cell inflammation as seen by higher levels of CXCL11, CXCL1, CXCL5, CXCL6, CXCL8, TNFSF11, OSM, and STAMBP1a. A machine learning model demonstrated high accuracy in distinguishing Long COVID cases- the blood proteomic profile was able to identify Long COVID with an accuracy of 0.93, specificity of 0.86 and sensitivity of 0.97.

From: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41390-025-03837-0

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Vaccines

"A study from the Bloom lab found that infants who had no prior exposure to COVID or vaccination made antibodies to the spike protein's N-terminal domain (NTD) when infected by the XBB variant. People who had prior exposure to the original Wuhan virus variant made antibodies to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the virus. When the infants were vaccinated after their XBB infection, they started to make more antibodies to the RBD instead of the NTD, reflecting how exposure history shapes immune responses and influences viral evolution.

"A study that I reported on two weeks ago of 1,300 consecutive Long COVID patients at Northwestern analyzed whether vaccination prior to contracting COVID infection impacts neurological symptoms of Long COVID. They found that vaccination prior to infection did not appear to alter cognitive and neurological symptoms of Long COVID, though pre-existing vulnerabilities may influence its development​.

"Another study from Stanford looked at the effect of vaccination on Long COVID symptoms in two different cohorts. Although some people improved and some worsened after vaccination, most individuals with Long COVID reported no change in their symptoms after vaccination “regardless of age, race/ethnicity, sex, and the type of vaccine received (mRNA, viral vector, or protein subunit vaccines).” Vaccination after someone already has Long COVID may not decrease symptoms, but vaccination can prevent reinfections which helps decrease the risk of getting Long COVID.

Antiviral treatments

"Researchers from UCSF and the Gladstone Institute discovered a new class of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro) inhibitors. AVI-4516 and AVI-4773 show broad antiviral activity and are much better at reducing SARS-CoV-2 viral loads compared to Paxlovid in both cell studies and mouse studies. AVI-4516 and AVI-4773 show promise for combating emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and other coronaviruses, with excellent tissue distribution in the brain and other tissues in mice.

"Japanese company Shionogi, which makes the antiviral Ensitrelvir, will receive $375 million from the US Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and BARDA to develop a long-acting formulation of its SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitor drug S-892216 which could be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis for immunocompromised people to protect them from COVID infections.

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Long COVID

"Finding a reliable biomarker for Long COVID is crucial for improving diagnosis, understanding the disease, and accelerating drug development. Belgian immunologist Johan Van Weyenbergh’s lab identified promising blood RNA biomarkers for Long COVID- antisense SARS-CoV-2 and FYN RNA- which show potential for detecting viral persistence in blood with a 94% sensitivity rate. ORF1ab viral RNA was also found in whole blood from some of the people with Long COVID, indicating possible ongoing viral replication. The potential Long COVID biomarkers require further validation through larger, independent studies.

"The choroid plexus is a network of blood vessels in the brain that produces cerebrospinal fluid and allows immune cells to cross into the brain. A study of 129 people with Long COVID shows that an enlarged choroid plexus volume was associated with cognitive impairments and brain changes in people with Long COVID. Specifically, “ChP [choroid plexus] enlargement was associated with cognitive dysfunction, grey matter volume reduction in frontal and subcortical areas, white matter integrity and diffusivity changes and functional connectivity changes.”

"A systematic review of 31 studies on brain executive function deficits in people with Long COVID shows persistent cognitive impairments, particularly in working memory, task-switching, and inhibitory control. These deficits are linked to structural and functional brain changes in the frontal and cerebellar regions. Understanding these impairments could improve treatment and interventions for those affected by Long COVID.

"In some Long COVID patients with neurologic symptoms, autoantibodies (AAbs) to muscarinic cholinergic receptors (CHRMs) disrupt cholinergic signaling, which affects cognition, sensory processing, and movement. AAbs can breach the blood-brain barrier and interact with CHRMs, leading to inflammation and impaired neurotransmitter function. Therapeutic immunoadsorption (blood filtration) and monoclonal antibodies may neutralize these AAbs and alleviate neurologic symptoms in this group of patients with Long COVID.

"Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a chronic debilitating disease that often causes severe fatigue, post-exertional malaise, orthostatic intolerance, and cognitive impairment. The RECOVER-Adult study of more than 13,000 adults shows that the risk of ME/CFS is 15 times higher after COVID infection than in people who did not have a prior COVID infection. Most people (89%) with ME/CFS after COVID infection also met the RECOVER criteria for Long COVID.

"A comprehensive meta-analysis of 429 studies conducted between 2021 and 2024 found that approximately 36% of individuals diagnosed with COVID infection experienced Long COVID, with prevalence varying by region—51% in South America, 39% in Europe, 35% in Asia, and 30% in North America. The most common subtypes included respiratory issues (20%), general fatigue (20%), psychological symptoms (18%), neurological problems (16%), and dermatological conditions (12%). Key risk factors identified for development of Long COVID were being unvaccinated, having pre-existing health conditions, and female sex.

"A retrospective study looked at what increased the risk of Long COVID in essential workers in New York. Reinfections with SARS-CoV-2 increased the risk of Long COVID by 41%. Severe COVID infections were associated with 3x the risk of Long COVID and being unvaccinated increased the risk 3.3 fold.

H5N1

"Last week, the CDC recommended rapid subtype testing for H5 in people hospitalized with Influenza A, especially for those in the ICU. This will help to identify people with H5N1 Avian Flu more quickly.

"On January 17, HHS granted $590 million to Moderna to speed the creation of mRNA vaccines targeting pandemic flu threats like H5N1. The funds will help Moderna develop an H5N1 Avian flu vaccine tailored to the strains found in cattle and poultry.

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Other news:

"This week, Cecile Richards died at age 67 of brain cancer. She was the daughter of Texas governor Ann Richards, deputy chief of staff to Nancy Pelosi and Planned Parenthood president 2006 to 2018. She was a force to be reckoned with who fought tirelessly for women’s rights.

"Ziyad Al-Aly’s lab looked at 1,955,135 veterans with diabetes and compared the use of GLP-1 receptor agonists such as Ozempic to other diabetic medications. They found that GLP-1 RAs lowered the risk of 42 health conditions. “Compared to usual care, GLP-1RA use was associated with a reduced risk of substance use and psychotic disorders, seizures, neurocognitive disorders (including Alzheimer’s disease and dementia), coagulation disorders, cardiometabolic disorders, infectious illnesses and several respiratory conditions. There was an increased risk of gastrointestinal disorders, low blood pressure, syncope, arthritic disorders, nephrolithiasis, interstitial nephritis and drug-induced pancreatitis associated with GLP-1RA use compared to usual [diabetes] care.” These findings underscore the broad health effects of GLP-1RAs in addition to their use in diabetes and weight loss.

"The FDA is requiring new warning labels regarding an increased risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurologic disorder that can cause temporary paralysis, with two RSV vaccines- Arexvy which is indicated for older adults and Abrysvo which is used in people over age 60 and in pregnant individuals to help protect infants from RSV.

"An international, multicenter trial shows that antibiotic treatment for children aged 5 to 16 years with appendicitis was significantly riskier than having an appendectomy.

"Very small microplastics < 20 μm in drinking water are dangerous because they are small enough to be absorbed through the human gastrointestinal system and are found in our blood and organs. A new study from France shows that tap water was found to have higher amounts of tiny microplastics than 8 of the 10 bottled water samples tested. “Although all the investigated samples of bottled water were stored in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, PET accounted only for a small percentage of identified microplastics (MPs) in most samples.” The authors recommend that fine microplastics < 20 μm should be measured and regulated.

"Here is a new image of the Leo P galaxy located about 5 million light-years away from the James Webb Space Telescope. The young, massive stars look blue as compared to sun-like stars because they lack heavy elements.

From: https://www.stsci.edu/contents/media/images/2025/401/01JH0V3YAC020TJZQTPM337VAF

"Have a great rest of your weekend,

"Ruth Ann Crystal MD"

Don't Be Apathetic About COVID or Flu

Now is not the time to be complacent about COVID and flu.. This is a 1/24/25 news brief from CIDRAP: Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy:

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US flu markers show more rises as COVID levels decline 

"In its regular weekly snapshot on respiratory virus activity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that illness levels remain high, mainly due to impacts from the flu season.

"For flu, emergency department (ED) visits are very high, and test positivity—after leveling out a bit after the holidays—rose to 25% for the week ending January 18. The CDC added that ED visits for flu are rising in all age-groups. ED visits trended slightly downward after the holidays but have now started to rise again.

"Wastewater tracking shows that influenza A levels are still high.

"Hospitalizations for flu have also resumed an upward trend and are highest in older adults. Deaths from flu are also on the rise, making up 1.5% of all deaths for the latest reported week, which ended January 11.

COVID, RSV markers show more declines

"Meanwhile, COVID-19 markers declined or remained stable. ED visits for COVID are at low levels but are highest among young children and older adults. Though wastewater detections are at the moderate level and declining in all regions, levels remain highest in the Midwest.

"The CDC said its predictions for the next 2 weeks suggest that COVID ED visits will remain at a lower level compared to previous winter seasons. Test positivity for COVID remained stable, at 6.2%. 

"Hospitalization rates for COVID increased, especially among seniors.

"One COVID marker that rose was deaths, which were at 1.8% of all deaths for the week ending January 11, up from 1.4% the previous week.

"For respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), ED visits were highest in young children, and wastewater detections are at the moderate level, with test positivity stable, at 8.8%. The CDC added that hospitalization rates for RSV—highest in young children and older people—have peaked but remain elevated."

Jew-Haters For Hire!

From the 1/21/25 UK Guardian, re: rise of antisemitic attacks in Australia.  I  couldn't believe this statement -- ("But he did confirm that paid actors, rather than people motivated by anti-Jewish ideology, were believed to be behind the attacks.") -- as if it makes any difference whether you're a "paid actor" rather than a regular unpaid antisemite!  The end result -- attacks on Jews -- is the same.  

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‘Paid actors’ could be behind some antisemitic attacks, Albanese says
AFP investigating if ‘criminals for hire’ have been behind at least some recent incidents across the nation

"Anthony Albanese says it appears some of the perpetrators behind a spate of antisemitic attacks in New South Wales and Victoria could have been paid actors rather than ideologically motivated offenders, seemingly confirming the target of police investigations.

"Hours later, the Australian federal police commissioner, Reece Kershaw, said that authorities were probing whether potential “criminals for hire” were behind at least some of the recent incidents, warning it could be a long investigation.

"Albanese faced a string of questions on Wednesday morning after Kershaw on Tuesday revealed federal police were investigating if overseas actors were paying local agents to carry out antisemitic attacks in Australia, including in cryptocurrency.

"The lines of inquiry also included the possibility that young people were being radicalised online to commit antisemitic attacks. The Coalition had separately raised concerns about whether organised terror groups were involved, but Kershaw did not specifically raise this as a possibility. It was not believed at this stage that terrorist cells were linked to the spate of attacks.

“These investigative lines of inquiry are looking at whether some individuals have been paid to carry out some antisemitic acts in Australia. We believe criminals for hire may be behind some incidents,” Kershaw said in an additional statement on Wednesday.

“Part of our inquiries include who is paying those criminals. Where those people are, whether they are in Australia or offshore, and what their motivation is.”

"Albanese would not disclose further details about the AFP investigation, or speculate on which country the foreign actors potentially behind the attacks might be from.

"But he did confirm that paid actors, rather than people motivated by anti-Jewish ideology, were believed to be behind the attacks.

“I’m reluctant to say anything that compromises those investigations,” he said. “But it is important that people understand where some of these attacks are coming from, and it would appear, as the AFP commissioner said yesterday, that some of these are being perpetrated by people who don’t have a particular issue, aren’t motivated by an ideology, but are paid actors.”

"Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, asked why Albanese had not previously discussed the AFP’s investigation publicly.

“When did the prime minister find out that there were foreign players? Are these state actors or organised crime groups? Or are they antisemitic groups? What did the prime minister know?” he said.

“With respect, I understand the desire for more information.”

"On ABC’s RN Breakfast earlier in the morning, the shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, also said the suggestion of potential overseas involvement was a “gravely serious claim” that warranted urgent clarification from the prime minister.

“This either means, if it is true, if it is confirmed, that a transnational terrorist organisation is sponsoring attacks in Australia or potentially that a foreign government is engaging in state-sponsored terror targeting the Jewish community,” he said.

“Now to put claims like this out there would make it the most serious domestic security crisis in peacetime in Australia’s history and will cause incredible alarm within the Jewish community.

“So a lot more information is required about this claim.”

"The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, defended the decision not to release more specific information about the AFP’s investigations and lines of inquiry, calling Paterson’s demands for more information “potentially naive”.

“The Australian federal police will have very deliberate reasons for what they put out in the public and when they do it,” he told Radio National.

“They make decisions that are designed to advance investigations. I’m not able to add to anything that’s been put out there … they should put out the information they think helps with the investigation.”

"In his statement released ahead of Tuesday’s snap national cabinet meeting, Kershaw said the federal-led Operation Avalite into antisemitism had received 166 reports, with 15 under investigation.

"Albanese said after the meeting that 36 people had been charged with “antisemitic related offences” in NSW and 70 arrests had been made in Victoria.

"Burke said “there will be more” arrests and charges levelled against those allegedly behind such incidents."

What a Difference a Week Makes!

This is a great headline from the NY Post, and today I saw footage on Fox News of yesterday's ICE captures of unrepentent illegal alien criminals in Boston. They were gang members, murderers, and child-rapists, exactly the wrong people Boston's Mayor has been protecting. Notice who the Haitian gives thanks to. This is the stark difference between Biden and Harris, and Trump!

“F—k Trump… Biden Forever, Bro!” — Haitian Illegal Alien Gangster with Long Rap Sheet Freaks Out After ICE Takes Him Off of the Street (VIDEO)

"One Haitian illegal filmed by Fox News getting taken into custody colorfully told the country what we all knew: he had a free ride while the Biden regime was in charge and that Trump means business.

“I’m not going back to Haiti!” the man shouts from the ICE vehicle.

"He continues his freak-out while the Fox News crew continues to film and gives a shout-out to the individuals who made his life in America possible: Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

“F**k Trump! You feel me?” he screams. “Yo, Biden forever, bro!”

“Thank Obama for everything he did for me, bro!” he adds.

"Fox News notes the man is a gang member from Haiti with 17 criminal convictions in recent years. This individual is among those the Biden regime had in mind in their quest to remake American society."