More damage from COVID revealed six years later. This shows how incredibly damaging COVID has been and that it's definitely not "just a cold" as many deniers still insist it is.
I was never diagnosed with COVID, yet I suffered from intense hypersensitivity and had to see an opthalmologist. This article now makes me wonder.
"Mild COVID-19 can cause severe and long-lasting eye problems,
according to a study from Linköping University, Sweden. The study also
explains why it has been difficult for sufferers to get help: the
abnormal eye behavior cannot be detected by standard methods. The
researchers have developed a diagnostic model to detect COVID-related
eye problems.
"I think it's very important that the problem is recognised and that
we show that it can be measured by objective testing. Patients don't
have access to that today. We've studied people in Sweden, but believe
that many people around the world are experiencing these problems," says
Neil Lagali, professor of experimental ophthalmology at Linköping
University, who led the study published in Nature Communications.
"The study originated with people seeking care for eye problems
following a mild COVID-19 infection. They were experiencing a lot of
discomfort, sensitivity to light and in many cases severe eye pain,
difficulty reading and focusing their gaze.
"Following examination of those affected, the research team realized
that the problem was substantial, not only in terms of prevalence but
also in impact on quality of life. Among those affected were people who
wanted to continue their studies or work but were unable to do so, as
they could no longer read text and were suffering from pain and extreme
eye fatigue. Healthcare professionals could not find anything wrong with
their eyes, nor provide any explanation for their symptoms, let alone a
diagnosis.
"In the current study, the researchers examined 100 people with eye
problems following COVID-19 who had not been hospitalized. They had
suffered from eye problems for 3 months up to 3 years, and one in three
were on full or part-time sick leave. The researchers compared the
affected group with a control group of 32 people, who had also had mild
COVID-19 but without eye problems.
"In their study, the researchers found long-term inflammation and deterioration of several eye functions controlled by the nerves in the brain.
"One of the advanced tests involved proteomics, where a variety of
proteins in the tear fluid are analysed. In those with eye problems, the
researchers found an abnormal pattern of proteins regulating nerves and
immune cells, so-called T cells. The findings were consistent with
advanced eye microscopy that they used to measure the T cells and nerves
in the eye. Strikingly, the same protein pattern has been found in
blood and tissue in cases of severe and fatal COVID in other studies.
"Our findings suggest that these people have suffered a severe
reaction to COVID-19 manifested in the eyes, with long-term inflammation
and an impact on the nerves that control multiple eye functions," says
Petros Moustardas, senior research associate at Linköping University and
lead author of the study, who performed the proteomics analyses.
"Many of those affected became highly sensitive to light. The
researchers can now provide an explanation: their pupils let too much
light into the eye. The impaired pupil function was furthermore linked
to headaches, difficulty reading text and in focusing the eyes.
"Another finding was that both eyes could not cooperatively function
in a normal way. Known as strabismus, or crossed-eyes, this occurs
almost exclusively in young children. This type of adult-onset
strabismus is unusual. According to Neil Lagali, it can be explained by
the fact that the nerves that control the eye muscles have been
affected.
"The various abnormalities discovered by the researchers point to an
eye syndrome that occurs following COVID-19. To develop diagnostic
criteria, which do not exist today, the researchers came up with two
diagnostic models. One model uses only measurements from instruments
usually found in eye clinics in larger academic hospitals. In the second
model, a few tear fluid protein values are added, making it even more
accurate.
"These people are really struggling in their daily lives. Now we know
what's wrong with their eyes, and have several clues as to how COVID-19
may have caused these problems. We hope that the findings can lead to
effective treatment and that in the long run their problems will ease,
but unfortunately we don't know yet," says Neil Lagali.
"The study was conducted in collaboration with Helen Setterud and
Björn Johansson at the Linköping University Hospital Eye Clinic, and
partners at Linnaeus University in Kalmar. The study was financed by the
Swedish Research Council."
I agree 100% with the reader comments: this vile American should either be arrested and charged with treason as soon as he arrives back in the United States; or taken hostage by the Iranians he seems to love.
The only people he is "influencing" are haters like himself, so let him stay there! We don't want him here.
"Anti-Israel
and anti-American social media personality Jackson Hinkle was spotted
at Ali Khamenei’s funeral, where he led ‘Down with the USA’ chants and
handed out beverages to mourners."
Please read her wonderfully-written column, and you'll feel the same way. It's filled with wonderful graphics, videos, and tweets, but I've never really figured out how to copy videos into this blog, so look at the whole thing on her websiteto see the full effect for yourself. (Hat tip, 7-6-26 Power Line picks).
The two Americas faced off over Independence Day Weekend, the
nation’s 250th birthday. To the Left and the ruling class, it was the
worst-case scenario. How could they celebrate the administration they’ve
called “fascist” for ten years? And worse, if Trump pulled off a
successful Fourth, and the people felt happiness for even one second,
what of their ongoing mass delusion?
A gathering storm, lightning
cracking in the sky, buckets of rain pouring down, it looked like a
weather intervention to prevent the nation’s big celebration with the
biggest fireworks display in history. Nothing would have made them
happier. But Trump was never going to let that happen.
I had that feeling, the same one I’ve had so many times. Trump
decides to push through anyway, as he did in Butler after almost being
assassinated on live television.
Or
just after the Correspondents’ Dinner, where another shooting almost
massacred reporters and the Trump administration. He wanted to go back
into the room and give his speech.
That kind of heroism can’t be
taught. It is true grit. It comes from being raised to be tough,
resilient, and to stand there, allow yourself to be pummeled by every
force imaginable, and remain standing. It always reminds me of that
scene in Raging Bull when Jake La Motta refuses to be taken down by
Sugar Ray.
“You never got me down, Ray.”
Yes, that’s Robert De Niro before he lost his mind to TDS, and when
he was still an actor, all of us could admire. He and everyone else in
the upper crust of Liberal society believe it’s their right to rob the
American people of representative democracy. They might have won, but
they underestimated the kind of stuff Trump is made of. “You never got
me down, Ray.”
I kept wondering, is he really going to show up
that late and give a speech? Are they really going to push through with
the fireworks? The crowd drenched? An unpredictable weather pattern
swirling overhead? Sure enough, the minute Lee Greenwood took to the
stage, we knew what was coming next.
I knew I was watching the stuff of legends as Trump took to the stage
to give his speech. It was something beautiful and spectacular to
behold. I’ve never seen anything like it, and it was pure Trump. The
real Trump, not the fake version sold by the legacy media and the Left
every day.
I just kept thinking, there will be another one like
him. We’re all so lucky to be living through this moment, and we have to
make sure the story is told right.
I know I sound like a
sycophant for Trump. I know what people think when they read the kind of
adoring words I use to describe him, and how I neglect to write about
his flaws, his bad decisions, or his mistakes. I won’t deny it.
To
quote the great Teddy Roosevelt, “The poorest way to face life is to
face it with a sneer.” That’s all we’ve gotten from the most powerful
people in the country for the last ten years: one long sneer.
I
knew how the elitists who believe this country belongs only to them
would respond. I used to be one of them. I hated Trump right alongside
them. I mourned the death of democracy, too. The difference is that, at
some point, the hate became too much for me. I couldn’t be part of it. I
had to find out what was true and what wasn’t.
I feel like I have
to write about what I am seeing, but also to correct the record each
and every time, because I know what the legacy media will report and how
they’ll want to tell their version of the story in history books. My
admiration for Trump has only grown as I’ve watched him deflect the
slings and arrows.
Deep down, guys like Robert de Niro and Bruce
Springsteen know who they are. They know they have everything and are
used to getting their way. They can’t face their own irrelevance. They
don’t want to go down in history as losers to their sworn enemy. What
does that say about them?
They pretend it’s Trump who is the
bully, but who are we kidding? They live in their own bubble. How could
they ever know what was real anymore? They’ve become the antagonists,
the bullies, the villains. because they’re the side that still has all
of the power.
They threaten and intimidate anyone who would dare
participate in a Trump-backed celebration of America at 250. Do they
think we don’t notice? They’re the bad guys now. They’re the rich kid
villain in a John Hughes high school movie.
To many other
people, Trump represents the most famous guy in the world who has their
back and is their voice. The best way to have prevented his rise was to
understand that this is a big country that didn’t want to be ruled by
the coastal elites.
And
yes, it’s a cosmic joke that the Gray Champion, the hero of our time,
is the guy who was on Celebrity Apprentice and hosted beauty pageants.
Trump’s rise is about him, but it’s also about them - those at the top
whose reaction to Trump has been their downfall. They destroyed
themselves trying to destroy him.
Does that mean I think he’s perfect? Of course not. I wish he’d fund the National Parks. But I know a legend when I see one.
If you can’t stand back in awe over something like this, there is nothing left.
Thank you, President Trump, for giving your supporters the thrill of a
lifetime and for showing people like me what real courage looks like.
I can hardly find words to express the awe and happiness I experienced while watching the America 250 events unfold yesterday and today, July 4-5. I was literally glued to the TV the whole day, watching the Tall Ships; the military flyovers; Trump's inspirational after-midnight address; honoring the Gold Star families; honoring the elderly military heroes; all the people who returned after having to be evacuated for the storm; Lee Greenwood singing "God Bless The USA" while the crowd sang along; the wonderful U.S. Army Band and its singers; the most amazing fireworks display -- it was just further confirmation to me that America is the greatest country on earth, and that I am fortunate to have been born here.
How lucky we are that Trump is our President, especially during this glorious year. The contrast between patriotic Americans and the Democrat Socialists could not be any starker.
I can never hear Kate Smith's version of this anthem without thinking of my father's reaction. All his life, he would have tears in his eyes and could hardly speak from the emotion that song produced in him, and his memories of WW2 and the homefront.
I had the same reaction during a different era. Whenever I hear it now, I think of September 11 and how that song was played during the seventh inning stretch of MLB games.
Both emotional events, and the combination of a grateful immigrant songwriter in Irving Berlin, and a powerful singer in Kate Smith. No other version will do.
I saw the following column at RedState. It was lovely to see Ronald Reagan and others in the accompanying video.
Like Christmas, Independence Day is famous for its songs.
There
are so many of them that bring home the patriotism of the holiday, our
gratitude for our forefathers for creating a more perfect union, and our
love of America. Think, the Star‑Spangled Banner, America the Beautiful, Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the U.S.A., and lately, during the World Cup, John Denver’s Country Roads.
Of course, one of those patriotic favorites is God Bless America, and it’s still sung by the massive crowds across the country.
But when was it first performed, and who wrote it?
Although
the first public performance was in 1938 to celebrate Armistice Day
(the end of World War I), the story actually goes back to 1918 and “The
Dean of American Songwriters,” the great Irving Berlin. He’d written the
tune 20 years earlier, but it wasn’t until 1938 that a revised version
was sung publicly:
November 9, 1938
In
[a] remarkable letter, songwriter Irving Berlin writes to fellow
composer Harry Ruby on the eve of “God Bless America’s” reintroduction
to the world. The timing is chilling as the letter was written on the
eve of the Kristallnacht program (Nov. 9–10, 1938) in Nazi Germany.
Berlin reveals that Kate Smith will sing it the next night on national
radio—reviving a forgotten WWI-era tune that would become a defining
American anthem. This letter, written just one day before Smith's
Armistice Day broadcast, captures the quiet beginnings of what would
become one of the most patriotic songs in U.S. history.
Although technically the very first
rendition by Smith was for radio in 1938, she reprised it for the 1943
Warner Bros. film "This Is the Army," where she performed it with a
large orchestra and choir. See if you can spot a legendary former
president and even the songwriter himself in the clip:
Here is the first time ever God Bless America was sung Happy 250 America Watch and spread Like and smile pic.twitter.com/9xPMImc96W
This
simple one-verse song became an overnight hit, and a hopeful song as
war threatened. “It’s not a patriotic song,” composer Irving Berlin said
in a 1940 interview, “but an expression of gratitude for what this
country has done for its citizens, of what home really means.” Today,
many Americans consider “God Bless America” an unofficial national
anthem of the United States.
For decades, you used to hear Smith’s
version at New York Yankees and Philadelphia Flyers games, but the Left
always wants to make sure you can’t have nice things, so in 2019, they
dragged up other songs that she had sung nearly a century ago and got her canceled. The two teams no longer play her voice because some of the tunes were deemed to be racist.
Critics
of cancel culture struck back, noting that Smith recorded one of the
controversial “racist” songs with an African American man, and it was
meant to be satirical, not hateful. Meanwhile, she didn’t exactly sound
like your average KKK Grand Wizard in an interview:
Smith
called for racial tolerance in 1945 in an address on CBS Radio,
declaring, "Race hatreds, social prejudices, religious bigotry, they are
the diseases that eat away the fibers of peace". She went on to state
"it is up to us to tolerate one another in order to achieve peace".
In any case, you won’t hear her anymore at Yankees or Flyers games.
The
Left is always trying to erase our history, but the problem for them is
that they can’t. We’ve got the documents, we’ve got the videotapes,
we’ve got the contemporaneous news stories. I hope you enjoyed Smith’s
rendition.
Now fire up those grills,
display your American flags, and let the world know that you are a loud
and proud American who will not be erased.
I don't need any convincing. Since my first COVID vaccine in 2021, I have been happily touting the benefits of these lifesavers, and I have avoided getting COVID myself. So did my father, who got his first COVID shot in Jan. 2021 at the age of 90. For us, it's been a miracle drug, and I'm grateful.
"Billions of doses later, a global review
has found that mRNA vaccines are safe and highly effective. Not only
have they proven to be a valuable weapon against COVID-19, it reports,
but the platform shows promise for treating many other diseases,
including influenza, RSV, autoimmune disorders, and even cancer.
"The first mRNA vaccines
approved for widespread human use were the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna
vaccines against COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. While their rollout was
lambasted as "rushed" by some, research into the technology had really
been decades in the making.
"Now
that billions upon billions of doses have been administered around the
globe, scientists can take a step back and get a clear view of their
impact, resulting in a new global review.
“After billions of
doses, we now have an extraordinary amount of scientific evidence,” Anna
Blakney, assistant professor at the University of British Columbia,
said in a statement.
“People
should feel empowered to ask questions about their health and what they
put in their bodies,” said Blakney. “Our goal is to provide clear,
credible evidence to inform these conversations and decisions.”
What Did The Review Find?
"The researchers compiled and assessed heaps of mRNA vaccine data from around the world taken from laboratory research, clinical trials, and real-world surveillance.
"Serious adverse side effects
from mRNA vaccines were exceptionally rare, with myocarditis and
pericarditis (inflammation of the heart) occurring in just 12.6 cases
per million for Pfizer BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine and 35.6 cases per
million for Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. Both values are substantially
lower than the risk of getting those conditions from a COVID-19
infection.
"The risk of anaphylaxis following Pfizer BioNTech's
COVID mRNA vaccine was 4.7 cases per million doses, and Guillain-Barré
syndrome risk after the AstraZeneca vaccine was 38 cases per million
doses. The majority of other side effects were mild – such as sore arms,
fatigue, or fever – and only lasted a few days.
"The review also
found mRNA vaccines to be effective at preventing serious COVID-19
infections, with 87 percent overall effectiveness against SARS‑CoV‑2
infection, 93 percent effectiveness against hospitalization, and 94
percent effectiveness against mortality 14 to 42 days after
vaccination.
"Effectiveness waned over time, however, and was
reduced by certain variants, such as the Omicron lineage (for which the
vaccines on the whole had 67 percent effectiveness against infection and
72 percent against hospitalization).
"The team also addressed some
common misconceptions about how mRNA vaccines work. Above all, they
sought to clarify that these medications don't alter a person's DNA.
Instead, the mRNA provides a set of instructions that prompts human
cells to produce a harmless piece of a virus, training the immune system
to recognize and respond to it.
"Both the mRNA and the lipid nanoparticles it's packaged within are quickly broken down and cleared from the body after use.
"The
findings also support mRNA technology's potential for treating diseases
beyond COVID-19. An ever-expanding list of trials – for everything from
pancreatic cancer to bird flu – are already underway, potentially meaning that we will have mRNA vaccines for a wide range of illnesses in the near future.
“This
is really about what comes next,” said Blakney. “We’re seeing the same
platform being applied to cancer treatment and other diseases.
Understanding how these vaccines work—and why they’re safe—helps build
confidence in the next generation of medicines.”
"The study is published in the journal The Lancet."
What a great piece! It should be required reading. We have to fight back and not give in to these Jew-haters, Israel-haters, and America-haters who are suddenly so unfortunately prevalent in our country. I show I'm not cowed by wearing my Star of David and patriotic jewelry every day rather than let them think they're in charge. It's a little thing, but it helps.
The
Patrouille de France conducts a flyover above the Statue of Liberty in
New York Harbor in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American
independence, June 9, 2026. Photo by Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images.
(July 2, 2026 / JNS)
"For those old enough to remember the general hoopla and feel-good
atmosphere of the American bicentennial, the general lack of enthusiasm
surrounding the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence is
shocking … and discouraging. Unlike 50 years ago, when the entire nation
seemed to fairly burst with patriotic fervor, this year’s commemoration
has a downbeat flavor to it.
"Even worse, some Jews are—for the
first time in the history of the country—beginning to think that America
is no longer a safe place. Some are even openly speaking of it as no
different from any other stop in the last two millennia of Jewish
Diaspora waystations.
"The reasons why are not far-fetched. But
rather than giving up on the United States at a time when Jewish life is
starting to feel precarious, Jews should be doing the opposite. They
should not only be joining wholeheartedly in the America 250
celebrations. They should be doubling down on their determination to
fight for it.
Partisanship and woke ideology
"Some of
the lack of enthusiasm for America 250 is due to the hyperpartisanship
of these times, with many Democrats and liberals being reluctant to
celebrate the country led by a man they despise: President Donald Trump.
"But
a lot also has to do with the pervasive influence of left-wing
ideologies like critical race theory, intersectionality and
settler-colonialism, that helped generate a spate of antisemitism that
has rocked this country following the Hamas-led Palestinian Arab
terrorist attacks in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. These toxic ideas now
dominate American education, journalism, culture and the arts. A
half-century ago, they were largely unknown and confined to portions of
the academy where progressives were just beginning to make their way in
their long march through American institutions. But today, the belief
that the United States is an irredeemably racist nation that has been
more a force for evil than good has become widespread.
"This
neo-Marxist worldview is patently false. And yet, it has played an
outsized role in convincing a great many people, especially the
college-educated who now make up the vast majority of those who vote for
Democrats and identify as liberal, that old-fashioned patriotism of the
sort that was commonplace in 1976 is not merely out of fashion. It’s
downright wrong.
"And it is due to the growing influence of such
thinking that many are starting to feel like the golden age of American
Jewry is over.
"Antisemitism isn’t merely rising to unprecedented levels; it is being mainstreamed by corporate media outlets like The New York Times.
More than that, for the first time in American history, it has become
an organizing principle of politics. Hatred for Israel and the
normalization of blood libels against the Jewish state are now the
litmus test by which left-wing activists view candidates, including
those who are otherwise down-the-line liberals on every other issue,
such as Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), who just lost a primary that will mean the end of his career as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
"Sadly,
the same phenomenon is beginning to make itself felt on the American
right as well. Though the overwhelming majority of Republicans and
conservatives are pro-Israel and philo-semitic, the influence of
Jew-hating podcasters—namely, former Fox News host Tucker
Carlson, the even crazier commentator Candace Owens and the
Holocaust-denying neo-Nazi Nick Fuentes, along with enablers like media
celebrity Megyn Kelly—is also on the rise. Worse than that, Vice
President JD Vance has been sending signals that not only is he neutral about the debate on the right about antisemitism, but that he is ready to jettison the U.S.-Israel alliance.
The fruits of American liberty
"With
the academy and so many other sectors of American life becoming hostile
environments for Jews who won’t bend the knee to woke hatred for Israel
and the Jewish people, it’s understandable that many no longer think of
it as the “Goldene Medina” in the way their immigrant forebears did.
"That’s
sad, but it’s also counterproductive. Instead of throwing in the towel
on what admittedly sometimes seems like a sinking ship, Jews should
understand that they have no choice but to stand and fight for their
place in society.
"One reason for doing so is that, contrary to the
assumptions of many Jewish liberals, America has always been a uniquely
welcoming place for Jews. From its earliest days, the American republic
not only didn’t erect barriers to Jewish equality and participation
that were a given in Europe, as well as in the Arab and Muslim worlds.
With few exceptions, Jews have always been treated as equal partners in
the American experiment in constitutional government, rather than, as is
the case elsewhere, a tolerated minority.
"The principles of
Judaism were baked into the Western Enlightenment thinking that was
intrinsic to the mindset of the framers. And that made itself felt in a
variety of ways. President George Washington’s famous letter to the
Hebrew Congregation of Newport, R.I., in which he wrote that “happily
the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction,
to persecution no assistance” was not merely a personal sentiment.
Though Jews were a tiny minority in America, they had taken an active
part in the American Revolution. And in a republic without an
established religion and in which many of the various Christian sects
had a living memory of persecution in Europe, religious freedom was
enshrined as the nation’s “first freedom” in the Bill of Rights.
"It
was a nation that was not merely dedicated to liberty as no other had
been. It was also a place where economic freedom and the rule of law
were guaranteed, thus giving Jews and other immigrant minority groups a
chance to better themselves. If American Jewry is the freest and most
prosperous Jewish Diaspora in history, it is a function of the governing
system first conceived in 1776 and then firmly established in the
framing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. It is those founding documents
that are the guarantee of Jewish liberty as well as that of everyone
else.
"That this exceptionalism and tradition of liberty is under
assault is not in doubt. A two-front war is being waged against the
Judeo-Christian heritage that is the foundation of American liberty from
both the left and the right. And given the strength of liberty’s woke
opponents, pessimism about its survival, which is inextricably linked to
Jewish safety, may be forgiven at times.
"But the semiquincentennial is no time to concede that fight.
No choice but to stand and fight
"We
must do so not merely out of a desire to defend our lives here. We must
do so because a strong America that has not abandoned the best of
Western civilization and values is essential to the worldwide struggle
against the forces of tyranny, both Marxist and Islamist, which threaten
Israel and Jews everywhere.
"If Jewish life is unsafe in America,
it will be unsafe everywhere. And that will impact Israel as well.
That’s why it is essential that, rather than giving up or giving in to
hysterical talk about the end of American liberty and even the end of
American Jewry, we must recommit to the fight to roll back the woke tide
on the left and its antisemitic echo on the right—and to defeat it.
"This
may be a generational struggle in much the same way that leftist
efforts to impose these false beliefs on the United States were one. But
it is a battle that is necessary to fight—not just to save American
Jewry, but to save the canon of Western civilization on which our
freedoms rest.
"The contempt for traditional patriotism and belief
in the truth that the American republic—flawed though it might be—is a
force for good in the world has already been made clear by left-wing
elites. But as discouraging as this discourse may be, it is a reminder
that the stigmatizing and targeting of Jews is part and parcel of the
same struggle that other Americans are engaging in. America is and
always has been exceptional. But it will only remain that way so long as
a broad cross-section of its citizens—Jews and non-Jews, liberals and
conservatives, Democrats as well as Republicans—are willing to stand up
against the woke forces seeking to traduce its founding values.
"The
appropriate answer to attacks on Jews is not flight or a call to
shelter in place. Jews must speak up and not abandon the streets or the
public square to the antisemites and woke mobs. The rejoinder to
anti-Jewish violence and intimidation is for Jews to act in the most
quintessential American way possible: to arm themselves and make it
clear that they will not be intimidated or silenced.
"Those who
hate the founding principles of the United States, in addition to its
Jewish residents, may seem to be on the ascent, as election results in
various Democratic Party primaries have shown. But they are wrong about
the end of American greatness or the need to transform it into some pale
reflection of Marxist or Islamist concepts. And as dire as the
situation may seem at the moment, these enemies of liberty may be
sealing their own fate with their attempt to foist antisemitic
extremists on a country that is inherently moderate and where Jew-hatred
of this type has always been confined to outliers rather than the
mainstream.
"Faith in the good sense and decency of the American
people may seem like a forlorn hope when you witness the ability of
figures like New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to affect the future of
American democracy. But those who bet against America have always been
shortsighted suckers. Right now is no time to doubt that this will
continue to be the case.
"On this 250th Independence Day, rather
than writing off America, we should be embracing it all the more
enthusiastically and pledging to defend it against those who wish to
tear it down. The alternative is not merely unthinkable; it’s an
abandonment of Western civilization, and all that decent people hold
dear.
"Happy birthday, America! Even on your worst day, we still believe in you, and we know you’re worth fighting for."
Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of JNS. Follow him: @jonathans_tobin.
Jonathan S. Tobin is editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem News Syndicate, a senior contributor for The Federalist, a columnist for Newsweek
and a contributor to many other publications. He covers the American
political scene, foreign policy, the U.S.-Israel relationship, Middle
East diplomacy, the Jewish world and the arts. He hosts the JNS “Think Twice”
podcast, both the weekly video program and the “Jonathan Tobin Daily”
program, which are available on all major audio platforms and YouTube.
Previously, he was executive editor, then senior online editor and chief
political blogger, for Commentary magazine. Before that, he was editor-in-chief of The Jewish Exponent in Philadelphia and editor of the Connecticut Jewish Ledger.
He has won more than 60 awards for commentary, art criticism and other
writing. He appears regularly on television, commenting on politics and
foreign policy. Born in New York City, he studied history at Columbia
University.
Even though COVID is said to be at low levels right now, you can never really drop your guard, so it's good to remind yourself of COVID symptoms and get your vaccine, just to be on the safe side.
This summer, COVID-19 is very much still a risk for many—even if you're generally healthy, doctors warn.
"Nearly everyone remains at some risk of a severe COVID infection," Dr. Michael Mina, MD, Ph.D., chief medical officer of Invivyd, tells Parade.
"However, those with the highest risk include the very young, older
individuals, and immune-compromised individuals who cannot or do not
mount appropriate immune responses to protect themselves against the
virus. The immune-compromised population is varied and can include those
who have autoimmune disorders or cancer, those who have had a recent
organ transplant and those with cardiac, renal or liver diseases.
Immune-compromised people are particularly at risk for severe COVID-19."
Dr. Kyle Hoedebecke, MD, MBA, MPA, MS, FAAFP, CPE,
clinical advisor of Alpas Wellness NOVA, concurs, explaining, "As has
been the case since the beginning of this pandemic, the groups at
greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19 are older adults, people
with compromised immune systems, pregnant patients and people with
pre-existing conditions (e.g., heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, obesity)."
That comprises a lot of people, so even if you're generally fine, you'll likely want to take at least some precautions to protect others who need it. Find out the most common COVID-19 symptoms in July 2026,
plus why there are unique challenges right now in terms of staying
healthy in the face of the pandemic that never really ended.
What Are the Most Common COVID-19 Symptoms in July 2026?
"Loss of taste and smell is less common than it was during earlier waves," Dr. Lora shares. "Vascular phenomena, such as 'COVID toes,'
are also less frequently seen. Due to higher levels of immunity in the
population, we also see fewer patients developing severe respiratory
symptoms early in the course of illness compared with the beginning of
the pandemic."
That
is a relief, right? However, there are some important elements to
consider now that you may not have before in terms of the level of COVID
risk with which you're comfortable, because now, you may be sicker for
longer and also at higher risk of cognitive impairment (which could be potentially longer term if you get long COVID).
"In
terms of population health, it's not as much about the severity of the
symptoms of COVID-19 changing in 2026 as it is about the next generation
of Omicron variants' ability to cause repeated infections," Dr. Ayesha Bryant, MD, MSPH, clinical advisor of Alpas Wellness, says. "Some patients are reporting fatigue, cognitive impairment and brain fog, GI issues and longer-than-expected recovery periods, but the most commonly reported symptoms remain in the upper respiratory tract."
What COVID Variants Are Most Prevalent Right Now?
Right
now, we're seeing a lot of descendants of the Omicron variant,
specifically XFG, NB.1.8.1 and other variants of the JN.1 lineage, Dr.
Bryant says. Experts are a bit divided on whether or not that's a good
thing.
On
one hand, Dr. Lora notes, "While [Omicron variants] remain highly
contagious, we have accumulated immunity from vaccination and past
infections, helping reduce the severity of illness for many people."
On
the other hand, Dr. Bryant warns that newer Omicron variants have shown
a potential for repeated infections, and really—it sucks enough getting
COVID once. Having it multiple times just seems cruel.
Does COVID Risk Go Down in the Summer?
Unfortunately, unlike flu and the common cold,
which tend to peak in the months during which we're huddled up indoors
in close quarters, COVID risk isn't reduced just because we're outside
getting fresh air and extra vitamin D.
"While
age and comorbidities are still strong predictors of severe disease
regardless of the specific variant of SARS-CoV2, the warmer temperatures
associated with summer may result in less time spent in enclosed areas
where airborne pathogens are more likely to be transmitted," Dr. Bryant
explains. "However, increased mobility during summer months via travel
and larger social gatherings also increases opportunities for airborne
pathogen transmission."
What's more, you'll want to stock up on COVID tests, because a lot of common COVID symptoms overlap with those of seasonal allergies—and if you're anything like me, grass pollen has been trying to kill you since March.
How Can I Protect Myself and Others From COVID-19?
Get vaccinated!
"While
vaccines may not always prevent infection, they continue to provide
important protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death,"
Dr. Lora urges. "Staying up to date remains especially important for
high-risk individuals. The vaccine has also been shown to reduce the
risk of complications after COVID-19, such as heart attacks or strokes."
"The
most effective way to protect oneself from infection is through
layering of protection, such as maintaining current vaccinations,
testing for SARS-CoV-2 when experiencing symptoms, receiving antiviral
therapy promptly if eligible and practicing additional caution around
immunocompromised people," Dr. Bryant advises.
Dr.
Hoedebecke agrees. "Regardless of seasonal activity level, using common
sense practices to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses remains
effective," he says. That means staying home when you're ill, improving
air circulation through ventilation systems, wearing masks in high-risk
environments, hand washing and using hand sanitizer as needed.
There's a Medication That Could Help Prevent Long COVID—but Most Doctors Aren't Prescribing It Yet
If
you're a candidate for them, you'll want to grab some Paxlovid from
your doctor, but even then, don't necessarily expect a miracle.
"The
treatments available today are limited and researchers are working to
develop new approaches and new classes of treatments," Dr. Mina tells Parade.
"While certain antiviral medications such as Paxlovid remain on the
market, many of their benefits have been shown in recent research by
scientists to be significantly reduced since they were first introduced.
Additional research has shown potential increases in rebound."
Dr. Mina recommends monoclonal antibody treatment if you can get it.
Other
than that, experts recommend drinking a lot of water, getting a lot of
rest and managing symptoms with over-the-counter medications like
ibuprofen or acetaminophen for fevers and aches, lozenges for sore
throat and cough and decongestants for sinus congestion.
"Imagine being so consumed by hatred for Donald Trump and his immigration
agenda that you would hand a full pardon to a man who sexually
assaulted a 10-year-old girl for four years, just to keep him from being
deported.
"You do not have to imagine it. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D-Minn.) actually did it.
"Last
month, Walz pardoned Tou Lue Vang, a 42-year-old illegal immigrant
convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, wiping his record
clean and shielding him from deportation to Laos. It’s bad enough that
the pardon erased Vang's conviction entirely, but what makes it worse is
that Walz did it to rescue him from the consequences that Trump's
immigration enforcement was finally about to deliver.
"Vang pleaded
guilty in 2006 to repeatedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl over
four years, starting in 2002. When police arrested him in 2005, he did
not deny what he did. He justified it, telling officers it was a
"cultural thing" to "marry and have sex with girls as young as 12."
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Vang also tried to pay
his victim $10 to keep her quiet while the abuse was happening.
"Vang’s
plea deal kept him out of prison, but it cost him his legal immigration
status, and he received a final order of removal in October 2006.
Instead, Vang stuck around for nearly two decades until Trump's
Minnesota immigration operation, dubbed Operation Metro Surge, finally
caught up with him last year. Records show Vang applied for a pardon in
July 2025, presumably sensing his window was closing.
"The
pardon came from a three-person panel that included Walz, Minnesota
Attorney General Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), and Minnesota Chief Justice
Natalie Hudson. You can’t even pretend that Trump’s immigration policies
weren’t a factor because, as the Daily Mail reported, “Ellison also
cited President Donald Trump's expansive use of executive pardon power
in his statement defending his pardon of the pedophile.”
"DHS spokeswoman Lauren Bis laid out exactly what happened here. "Tou
Lue Vang lost his legal status following his conviction for repeatedly
sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl," she said, adding that the
pardon wipes his conviction from the record entirely. A DHS spokesperson
called Walz "disgusting" for granting the pardon. DHS Secretary
Markwayne Mullin went further, calling the move "horrific" in a
statement on X.
"This evil alien from Laos repeatedly sexually
assaulted a 10-year-old child," Mullin said. "These are the illegal
alien criminals sanctuary politicians like Tim Walz are protecting over
American citizens."
"Mullin is right, obviously, and Walz just proved it in the most grotesque way possible.
"This is Trump Derangement Syndrome in its purest form. Walz pardoned
Vang because Trump wanted him gone, and spiting Trump apparently matters
more to Walz than punishing a child rapist.
"Remember when
President Trump said he’d focus his deportation efforts on the worst of
the worst, and Democrats insisted he was really targeting “innocent”
illegal immigrants? Does anyone honestly believe that claim now? If
Democrats like Tim Walz are so consumed by Trump Derangement Syndrome
that they’ll pardon a convicted child rapist to keep him from being
deported, the issue was never about protecting non-criminal illegal
immigrants. It was always about resisting Trump. When a sitting governor
will shield a convicted child predator from deportation to spite Trump,
you’ve reached rock bottom.
The rise of the Socialist left in New York is a bad omen for obvious reasons.
The radical agenda is uniformly anti-police, pro-criminal, favors
wildly expanded government powers over private property and demands
punishing taxes on businesses and high-income families to fund its
redistribution schemes.
If that were all, it would still be a destructive and dangerous movement.
But the post-election analysis from last week’s New York primary races finds another driving force among the winning candidates.
Namely, the hatred of all things Israel, and those who dare support the Jewish state.
It hardly needs to be said that the pied piper of this sickening eruption is Mayor Mamdani.
He started it and continues to fan the flames of antisemitism.
And now New Yorkers have made the added mistake of electing a cadre of clones.
As Jay Jacobs, the state leader of the beleaguered Democratic Party’s
state leader, told The Post, the pro-Palesinian, anti-Israel furor “was
a more important issue” in luring voters to races that otherwise had
very low turnouts.
Overall, only abut 17% of registered Dems voted in the districts
where the Socialist candidates beatprevailed over other Dems, some of
them incumbents.
ADL blames hate, too
The Anti-Defamation League effectively reached the same conclusion, saying in a statement
that the winners in the three hotly contested congressional primary
winnersies rode to victory on a “movement built on antisemitic
rhetoric.”
It said that as Mamdani walked through an election night victory
party of the Democratic Socialists of America, some people chanted “from
the river to the sea,” part of a coded Palestinian message calling for
the elimination of Israel.
“We’re witnessing candidates succeed not in spite of demonizing
rhetoric against the Jewish community and the Jewish state, but because
of it,” the organization added.
It also made a larger point by noting that, “When leaders cheer
slogans that dehumanize Jews, it does not stay at a victory party. It
bleeds into schools, neighborhoods and daily life, putting Jewish
families, children and neighborhoods at risk.”
Against that backdrop, the surge of hate crimes against Jews and Jewish institutions is not a coincidence.
The attacks are the poisoned fruits of a movement based on hate.
That this is happening in New York is more than a minor rupture with the past.
For much of the past 50 years, Democrats were the most ardent and consistent supporters of Israel.
At the same time, in many Jewish households, being a Dem and voting for the party’s candidates became near-religious rituals.
Jews played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement, and have been in the forefront of most liberal causes ever since.
But the party has changed dramatically in recent years.
Barack Obama started his presidency by apologizing to Arabs for America’s Mideast policies.
Beyond his ignorance about much of that history, he demonstrated complete disdain for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Along with his championing Palestinian causes, the moves made Obama
the most unpopular American president in Israel since its post-World-War
11 founding.
It’s now clear that the Obama years opened the door for an even
bigger shift in the Dems’ view of Israel, which has declined sharply in
the past three years.
The oddest thing is what propelled it to change so quickly.
A February Gallup survey reported that only 33% of Democrats say they
are pro-Israel, while 60% say they view our close ally unfavorably.
Gallup says that is the first time a majority of any political party
held negative views on the Jewish state since the question was first
asked in 1989.
Dem future at stake
The finding comes despite the horrors of the Hamas attack, but timing
suggests Dem views were changed by distorted media coverage of the war
in Gaza that followed and that converted Palestinians into the victims.
The bestial slaughter of 1,200 Israelis, most of them civilians,
including women and children, who were, raped, killed or taken hostage,
were shoved aside by inflated figures about Palestinian casualties
released by Hamas propaganda outlets.
Much of that coverage, from American television networks, wire
services and leftist outlets led by The New York Times, amplified Hamas’
false charges of genocide and the starvation of children.
As the incomparable Douglas Murray wrote, Israel is the only nation not allowed to win a war.
The media’s stew of falsehoods helped to launch the keffiyeh-wearing
mobs on elite college campuses, many of whom demonstrated their
antisemitism and their ignorance by denouncing Israel as a colonialist
state that has no basis in the region.
That same movement then helped to propel Mamdani from Albany’s back benches into City Hall.
That he vowed not to visit Israel and to arrest Netanyahu if he ever
came to New York, breathed new life into the coals of the ancient
hatred.
Never mind that Netanyahu was indicted by the International Criminal Court, which the US does not recognize.
What mattered most was that Mamdani expressed his contempt for all
things Israel, a view he has repeatedly offered, most recently by being
the first mayor in six decades to boycott New York’s Israel Day Parade.
And now his example and support have elected some like-minded bigots.
How and where this ends is impossible to predict, but it seems to me that there are two possible outcomes.
Either decent and wise Dems will rise up and marginalize the Jew haters, or watch as their party is completely consumed by them.
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