Sharon

Well we can thank our lucky stars she wasn't appointed CMOH for Canada.

On call today seeing a ++HIGH risk patient.

Me: You have COVID-19

Patient: I thought that was over.

Me: It's not.

she's wrong

bsky.app/profile/jimv...

A 3D medical animation shows the secretion of cytokines, small pink particles floating near purple and blue cells. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. Researchers identified high levels of cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as a potential biomarker for Long COVID. Two new studies compare SARS-CoV-2’s long-term risks to those of the flu. A small phase 1 clinical trial will test the safety of the cancer monoclonal antibody Pembrolizumab (Keytruda).”

Researchers identified high levels of cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as a potential biomarker for Long COVID. The small study, published in Science Advances, found that symptoms improved when production of IFN-γ (a molecule that plays an important role in immune response) decreased. The researchers followed the people with Long COVID for 31 months, and tested their blood with a highly sensitive procedure. “It’s unlikely that all the different Long COVID symptoms are caused by the same thing,” one of the authors said in a press release, stating the need for treatments for different presentations of the disease.

Two new studies compare SARS-CoV-2’s long-term risks to those of the flu. A recent study in Frontiers in Immunology found that both COVID-19 and flu can impact lungs post-infection, but that only COVID-19 caused a significant impact on the brain. The study used a mouse model to compare the long-term effects of flu and COVID-19, finding that COVID-19 led to brain inflammation, sensory processing issues, and other types of brain injury. Still, the study did not mention myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or dysautonomia, which can both impact the brain and be triggered by influenza. A separate study in Communications Medicine also found that there is a higher risk of kidney disease after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after influenza.

A small phase 1 clinical trial will test the safety of the cancer monoclonal antibody Pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Sponsored by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the trial will enroll 15 participants with neurological symptoms of Long COVID in Bethesda, Maryland. Ketytruda is an infusion drug that is used to treat various cancers, including advanced melanoma and Hodgkin lymphoma. The trial adds to other cancer drugs like Anktiva and rapamycin being tested for Long COVID. The study is not yet recruiting. Study contact: Ladifatou N. Fouanta, ladifatou.fouanta@nih.gov.

🔬 Researchers identified high levels of cytokine interferon gamma (IFN-γ) as a potential biomarker for Long COVID

🦠 Two new studies compare SARS-CoV-2’s long-term risks to those of the flu

💊 A small phase 1 clinical trial will test the safety of Pembrolizumab

#LongCOVID research: bit.ly/4rV8DNf

How Stand Up For Science is trying to 'pull every lever' to win over the public Stand Up For Science has become a formal organization and adopted a new strategy that's more confrontational with grassroots tactics

#GoTeam! 🙏

@standupforscience.bsky.social pulls every lever www.statnews.com/2026/03/06/s... @statnews.com

"...we think people care about science. We think people care about biomedical innovation."

"We think that people care about not getting polio. Like, it’s really simple. That’s our strategy."

#Covid #LongCovidAwarenessMonth #LongCovid #LongCovidAwareness #PublicHealth #crisis
www.ama-assn.org/public-healt...

Former Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull on PM Carney's address to parliament: "Mark Carney is the first national leader of a major country to make this argument [about middle powers needing to work together] so clearly. And it cut through at Davos. It's been inspiring."

"Immigrants have kept Canada's health care system standing by delivering critical bedside care," writes Iris Gorfinkel. "Over 1-in-4 family doctors and nearly 1-in-3 pharmacists in Canada were internationally trained in 2022." Mark Adams TNS

We're blaming our overstuffed ERs, excruciating surgery waits and family doctor deserts on exactly the wrong people www.thestar.com/opinion/cont... @drgorfinkel.bsky.social
↷ canadahealthwatch.ca 🍁

Iris Gorfinkel: We’re blaming our overstuffed ERs, excruciating surgery waits and family doctor deserts on exactly the wrong people As wait times soar and millions struggle without a family doctor, the old “blame the immigrants” narrative has made a comeback in Canadian politics and media. This kind of rhetoric

We’re blaming our overstuffed ERs, excruciating surgery waits and family doctor deserts on exactly the wrong people. The old “blame the immigrants” narrative has made a comeback, by @drgorfinkel.bsky.social www.thestar.com/opinion/cont... via @thestar.com

Iris Gorfinkel: We’re blaming our overstuffed ERs, excruciating surgery waits and family doctor deserts on exactly the wrong people As wait times soar and millions struggle without a family doctor, the old “blame the immigrants” narrative has made a comeback in Canadian politics and media. This kind of rhetoric

From 2005 to 2019
📈 Ontario’s 65+ population grew 56 %
📉 Hospital beds grew 3%

This isn’t an “immigrant problem”
...it’s a planning fiasco.

@thestar.com
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...

The Equality Fund honours the life of feminist Yanar Mohammed, condemns her targeted killing | Equality Fund Equality Fund - Funding feminist movements worldwide

"On the morning of March 2, 2026, Iraqi-Canadian feminist leader Yanar Mohammed was killed in a targeted attack in front of her home in Baghdad, Iraq."

‘At first, she couldn’t come off the oxygen long enough’: the film that gives Marianne Faithfull one final thrilling performance In new docu-drama Broken English, the much misunderstood singer looks back at all her past selves – and gives a performance that moves her audience to tears. Its makers relive an extraordinary shoot

Faithfull grows sombre when shown a clip of herself at 60 declaring that she loved being that age, feeling healthy and philosophical about things. “Now I’m less philosophical. I hate what’s happened to me. Covid did this.”’

www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ma...

Map of flu activity

Because of anti vaccine propaganda and the refusal to mask in high risk situations: since August 2025, there have been 452 influenza-associated deaths, with 255 of them in Alberta.

Map of flu activity Feb. 21, 2026: health-infobase.canada.ca/respiratory-...

It’s everywhere. Get vaccinated + mask.

We are not fighting over policy or political party.

We are fighting over whether we are going to be a civilization rooted in empathy and kindness—or cruelty and rage.

Choose your side.

please get your booster if you can, and mask indoors. if most of us masked in the highest risk situations, the 1% most vulnerable wouldn't have to shoulder the whole burden

CARNEY: "Once you start breaking rules, it's learned behaviour and the fact that we're having these conflicts without even the thought of recourse to the United Nations is deeply troubling."

They cut Meals on Wheels for seniors, doctors for the VA, and food for American children - but send billions of taxpayer dollars to the Middle East for an unnecessary war of choice.

Screenshot of a CIDRAP news brief titled “Up to 56,000 people died from COVID-19 or RSV last year,” written by Liz Szabo, MA and published today at 8:41 a.m. The article includes a photo of a hospitalized patient in a hospital bed connected to medical tubes and monitoring equipment in an intensive care setting.

According to data published last month by the CDC

🔹From July 2024 to June 2025, RSV caused an estimated 190,000–350,000 hospitalisations and 10,000 to 23,000 deaths deaths.

🔹During the same time, COVID-19 was linked to 290,000–450,000 hospitalisations and 34,000 to 53,000 deaths.

Screenshot of a Stuff news article dated March 4, 2026 titled “Covid hospitalisations climb as New Zealand enters new wave,” written by Rachel Powe. Below the headline is an illustration of several black coronavirus particles on a light background with diagonal yellow shapes.

New Zealand: COVID hospitalisations climb as the country enters a new wave.

COVID deaths are also rising as New Zealand enters its 9th wave.

Wastewater data shows cases are at their highest level in over 6 months

Source: archive.md/ij18m

In this @longcovidanswers.bsky.social podcast episode, Dr. Erica Spatz talks about Covid's cardiovascular impact, diagnostic testing, research, and more. Watch the full episode at covidsociety.ca/priorities/l...
#LongCovidHeartbeats #LongCovid #ILCAD2026 #LongCovidAwareness #hearthealth

Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for March 3, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is “high” (represented with an orange color) and stable (represented with a side to side arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is “moderate*” (orange) and slightly decreasing (represented with a diagonal down arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is moderate (darker yellow) and slightly decreasing. Text below these metrics reads: “*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions.”

The COVID-19 picture in the U.S. hasn’t changed much over the last month: national disease levels are declining, but very slowly, as some parts of the country remain disease hotspots even as we head into the spring. Flu is similarly still at high levels. bit.ly/4sktidd

Teal background graphic with white text. Top left: “whn.global.” Top right: “Long COVID Awareness Month.” Large centered headline: “Long COVID isn’t rare.” Below in smaller bold text: “Per the WHO, approximately 15 in 100 people still have symptoms at 12 months after contracting COVID-19.” Bottom line: “World Health Network - Science for a safer, healthier world.”

Long COVID isn’t rare.

According to the WHO, about 15 in 100 people still have symptoms 12 months after COVID-19 infection.

Prevent infection. Prevent reinfection. Protect your health.

#LongCOVID #LongCOVIDAwarenessMonth #PublicHealth #CleanAir

1/ If I hear one more public official call indoor air filters a "band-aid," I'm going to explode! Filtering indoor air should be as standard as filtering water. Full stop. 🧵

ID: Elle Siebert, Nicholas Rodelo, and Sara Johnson stand outside of City Hall after the Long COVID Awareness Day resolution was announced. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Los Angeles recognizes Long COVID Awareness Day. Local advocates pushed America’s second largest city to formally observe the day on March 15. By Miles W. Griffis.”

“We need to maintain and build this momentum through Long COVID Awareness Day,” said Johnson, who supported the Los Angeles resolution. “This [recognition] should be a springboard.”

The city council of Los Angeles passed a resolution to recognize Long COVID Awareness Day on March 15. The resolution will also light the iconic City Hall teal.

@mileswgriffis.bsky.social was at City Hall and spoke with the advocates who made it happen: bit.ly/40BRxHT

ANALYSIS: Would a bigger convention centre just be a bigger waste of money? | TVO Today The premier wants to compete for the largest conventions in North America. The math doesn’t add up.

New from me at TVO, arguing that convention centres are a colossal waste of money and whether Toronto attracts the annual conference of dental surgeons is simply not a pressing public policy matter. www.tvo.org/article/anal...

Picture of Arundhati Roy with the quote: "The thing is, people spend so much time mocking Trump or waiting for him to be impeached. And the danger with that kind of obsession with a single person is that you don't see the system that produced him."

She's absolutely right.

Illinois COVID levels have been "High" or "Very High" every week since Dec 20, 2025, per the CDC.

The PMC prevalence estimate is that 1 in 28 residents are actively infectious statewide, meaning a 59% chance of an exposure in a room of 25 people who aren't testing/isolating.

Screenshot of a Daily Mail article titled “Catching Covid significantly raises the risk of developing kidney disease, researchers find,” published 1 March 2026. Below the headline is a medical illustration of a semi-transparent human torso showing internal organs, with both kidneys highlighted in bright red. A caption notes kidney disease affects about 7.2 million Britons and occurs when the kidneys, which filter toxins, stop working properly.

"Catching COVID significantly raises the risk of developing kidney disease, researchers find"

"The virus was found to increase the chances that patients will develop the incurable condition by around 50 per cent."

Source: archive.md/Z87bA

Kidneys and Cövid
@thecovidinfoguy.bsky.social 🙏🏻

www.nature.com/articles/s43...