Laura Miers
@lauramiers.bsky.social
Chronically ill, LongCovid since 2020. Public health advocate and lived experience expert. Ex-Texan. Medicine, languages, Sociology, & law. Global citizen & polyglot.
“The American Red Cross announced Monday the organization faces a blood shortage so severe it cannot provide enough blood to some hospitals that need it for patients.”
Blood supplies are at historic lows. The shortage has been accelerating since 2021. www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
Blood supplies are at historic lows. The shortage has been accelerating since 2021. www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
Red Cross: Blood shortage at emergency levels, medical care jeopardized
American Red Cross and other blood organizations say donations are at historically low levels. The shortage stems from pandemic-era behavior changes.
www.usatoday.com
January 9, 2024 at 6:34 AM
“The American Red Cross announced Monday the organization faces a blood shortage so severe it cannot provide enough blood to some hospitals that need it for patients.”
Blood supplies are at historic lows. The shortage has been accelerating since 2021. www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
Blood supplies are at historic lows. The shortage has been accelerating since 2021. www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...
“Hospitals and emergency rooms could be forced to ration care by the end of this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned, saying recent trends in COVID-19 and influenza are now on track to again strain America's health care system.” www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-v...
COVID and flu surge could strain hospitals as JN.1 variant grows, CDC warns
"COVID-19 hospitalizations are rising quickly," the CDC said, and the new variant JN.1 is making up an increasing share of cases.
www.cbsnews.com
December 21, 2023 at 5:51 AM
“Hospitals and emergency rooms could be forced to ration care by the end of this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned, saying recent trends in COVID-19 and influenza are now on track to again strain America's health care system.” www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-v...
Regardless of variant, half of LongCovid patients fail to improve after 18 months.
🚨 “Omicron patients had lower quality of life…
At 1.5 years after infection, patients had no clinically meaningful decline in severity of LongCovid.” www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stu...
🚨 “Omicron patients had lower quality of life…
At 1.5 years after infection, patients had no clinically meaningful decline in severity of LongCovid.” www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stu...
Study: Regardless of variant, half of long-COVID patients fail to improve after 18 months
The analysis included 806 patients who were infected with the wild-type strain, Alpha, Delta, or Omicron strain.
www.cidrap.umn.edu
October 31, 2023 at 12:40 AM
Regardless of variant, half of LongCovid patients fail to improve after 18 months.
🚨 “Omicron patients had lower quality of life…
At 1.5 years after infection, patients had no clinically meaningful decline in severity of LongCovid.” www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stu...
🚨 “Omicron patients had lower quality of life…
At 1.5 years after infection, patients had no clinically meaningful decline in severity of LongCovid.” www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/stu...
“…BA.2.86 underwent a mutation very similar to the FLip mutation in a new strain called JN.1, making its ability to bind to our cells even stronger than most other Omicron variants still currently dominating as well as increasing transmissibility.” www.salon.com/2023/10/29/h...
Has the winter COVID variant arrived? Here's why experts are closely monitoring the JN.1 strain
JN.1 isn’t yet a cause for alarm, but that could change, serving as a reminder that COVID always has new tricks
www.salon.com
October 30, 2023 at 5:45 PM
“…BA.2.86 underwent a mutation very similar to the FLip mutation in a new strain called JN.1, making its ability to bind to our cells even stronger than most other Omicron variants still currently dominating as well as increasing transmissibility.” www.salon.com/2023/10/29/h...
“Americans Don’t Get to Have the Best New COVID Drug
A Japanese antiviral appears to shorten symptoms and protect against chronic disease.” www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
A Japanese antiviral appears to shorten symptoms and protect against chronic disease.” www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
Americans Don’t Get to Have the Best New COVID Drug
A Japanese antiviral appears to shorten symptoms and protect against chronic disease. Also, it doesn’t taste like soapy grapefruit.
www.theatlantic.com
October 26, 2023 at 6:50 PM
“Americans Don’t Get to Have the Best New COVID Drug
A Japanese antiviral appears to shorten symptoms and protect against chronic disease.” www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
A Japanese antiviral appears to shorten symptoms and protect against chronic disease.” www.theatlantic.com/health/archi...
In 2021, we learned SARS-CoV-2 shortens telomeres & accelerates biological aging. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...
Evidence for Biological Age Acceleration and Telomere Shortening in COVID-19 Survivors
The SARS-CoV-2 infection determines the COVID-19 syndrome characterized, in the worst cases, by severe respiratory distress, pulmonary and cardiac fibrosis, inflammatory cytokine release, and immunosu...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
October 24, 2023 at 2:46 PM
In 2021, we learned SARS-CoV-2 shortens telomeres & accelerates biological aging. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles...
Why is endless mass infection still our only strategy?
January 2022: “13 out of 22 participants or 59% with cognitive symptoms met HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) criteria. As did 7 out of 10 (70%) of asymptomatic patients.” onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
January 2022: “13 out of 22 participants or 59% with cognitive symptoms met HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) criteria. As did 7 out of 10 (70%) of asymptomatic patients.” onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
Risk factors and abnormal cerebrospinal fluid associate with cognitive symptoms after mild COVID‐1...
Cognitive post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC) can occur after mild COVID-19. Detailed clinical characterizations may inform pathogenesis. We evaluated 22 adults reporting cognitive PASC and 10 n....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 24, 2023 at 12:35 PM
Why is endless mass infection still our only strategy?
January 2022: “13 out of 22 participants or 59% with cognitive symptoms met HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) criteria. As did 7 out of 10 (70%) of asymptomatic patients.” onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
January 2022: “13 out of 22 participants or 59% with cognitive symptoms met HIV associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) criteria. As did 7 out of 10 (70%) of asymptomatic patients.” onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
“Multi-drug-resistant pathogens were found in 87% of cases…
All bacterial bloodstream infections were acquired within the hospital setting." journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
All bacterial bloodstream infections were acquired within the hospital setting." journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Bacterial bloodstream infection in critically ill patients with COVID-19: a retrospective cohort stu...
Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), have a high risk of developing bloodstream infections (BSIs). However, ...
journals.sagepub.com
October 24, 2023 at 12:28 PM
“Multi-drug-resistant pathogens were found in 87% of cases…
All bacterial bloodstream infections were acquired within the hospital setting." journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
All bacterial bloodstream infections were acquired within the hospital setting." journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
This was published in February 2022, & the public still has NO idea.
“Their research found patients who had COVID-19 were 60% more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were not infected. When hospitalized, the likelihood jumped to 86%.” www.ksdk.com/article/news...
“Their research found patients who had COVID-19 were 60% more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were not infected. When hospitalized, the likelihood jumped to 86%.” www.ksdk.com/article/news...
'Much, much bigger problem than expected': St. Louis research warns of looming mental health crisis ...
The lead researcher said this data could be used to "nip it in the bud" and to "prevent it from becoming and much, much more serious problem down the road."
www.ksdk.com
October 24, 2023 at 11:46 AM
This was published in February 2022, & the public still has NO idea.
“Their research found patients who had COVID-19 were 60% more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were not infected. When hospitalized, the likelihood jumped to 86%.” www.ksdk.com/article/news...
“Their research found patients who had COVID-19 were 60% more likely to suffer from mental health problems than those who were not infected. When hospitalized, the likelihood jumped to 86%.” www.ksdk.com/article/news...
2020: “A troubling study by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reports a ‘high proportion’ of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 show elevated levels of a biomarker tied to blood vessel damage.”
Then we infected & reinfected all the kids. 🥰 studyfinds.org/children-wit...
Then we infected & reinfected all the kids. 🥰 studyfinds.org/children-wit...
Virtually all children infected with COVID-19 show signs of blood vessel damage, study shows
Making matters worse, this sign of cardiovascular damage is being seen in asymptomatic children as well as kids experiencing symptoms.
studyfinds.org
October 23, 2023 at 4:08 PM
2020: “A troubling study by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia reports a ‘high proportion’ of children infected with SARS-CoV-2 show elevated levels of a biomarker tied to blood vessel damage.”
Then we infected & reinfected all the kids. 🥰 studyfinds.org/children-wit...
Then we infected & reinfected all the kids. 🥰 studyfinds.org/children-wit...
“The Donald Trump fraud trial won't happen on Monday because there is a ‘COVID issue,’ according to New York Attorney General Letitia James' office.” www.rawstory.com/trump-fraud-...
No New York Trump trial on Monday due to COVID: AG
The Donald Trump fraud trial won't happen on Monday because there is a "COVID issue," according to New York Attorney General Letitia James' office.While details are unclear about the specific issue, i...
www.rawstory.com
October 23, 2023 at 12:24 AM
“The Donald Trump fraud trial won't happen on Monday because there is a ‘COVID issue,’ according to New York Attorney General Letitia James' office.” www.rawstory.com/trump-fraud-...
January 2023: “Few people with LongCovid demonstrate full recovery, with one study finding that 85% of patients who had symptoms 2 months after the initial infection reported symptoms 1 year after symptom onset.” www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations - Nature Reviews Microbiology
Long COVID is an often debilitating illness of severe symptoms that can develop during or following COVID-19. In this Review, Davis, McCorkell, Vogel and Topol explore our knowledge of long COVID and ...
www.nature.com
October 22, 2023 at 7:26 PM
January 2023: “Few people with LongCovid demonstrate full recovery, with one study finding that 85% of patients who had symptoms 2 months after the initial infection reported symptoms 1 year after symptom onset.” www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Covid testing in Switzerland has been private pay all year. Zurich is offering free Covid testing from September to December, & they accidentally uncovered a 30% positivity rate.
Countries that refuse to test do it for a reason. www.srf.ch/news/schweiz...
Countries that refuse to test do it for a reason. www.srf.ch/news/schweiz...
Covid-Prävention in Zürich - Hunderte Zürcher testen sich gratis auf Corona
In Zürich haben sich bislang 600 Personen gratis auf Covid testen lassen. Der Stadtarzt ist positiv überrascht.
www.srf.ch
October 22, 2023 at 5:10 PM
Covid testing in Switzerland has been private pay all year. Zurich is offering free Covid testing from September to December, & they accidentally uncovered a 30% positivity rate.
Countries that refuse to test do it for a reason. www.srf.ch/news/schweiz...
Countries that refuse to test do it for a reason. www.srf.ch/news/schweiz...
August 2021: “If only 10% of the 34M Americans that were affected by Covid get LongCovid & try to apply for these services, our system that is already overwhelmed & underfunded is going to collapse.”
At least 24M Americans have LongCovid now. There’s no funding. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
At least 24M Americans have LongCovid now. There’s no funding. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Covid Long Haulers Spark Call for Increased Disability Funding
A new report calls for increased federal funding for rental assistance, nutrition programs and disability insurance.
www.bloomberg.com
October 22, 2023 at 4:57 PM
August 2021: “If only 10% of the 34M Americans that were affected by Covid get LongCovid & try to apply for these services, our system that is already overwhelmed & underfunded is going to collapse.”
At least 24M Americans have LongCovid now. There’s no funding. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
At least 24M Americans have LongCovid now. There’s no funding. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
This was published 6 months ago.
“Researchers at the University of Miami reported what they believe are the first two confirmed cases in which the SARS-CoV-2 virus crossed a mother's placenta & caused brain damage in the infants they were carrying.” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
“Researchers at the University of Miami reported what they believe are the first two confirmed cases in which the SARS-CoV-2 virus crossed a mother's placenta & caused brain damage in the infants they were carrying.” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
COVID caused brain damage in 2 infants infected during pregnancy -US study | Reuters
Researchers at the University of Miami reported on Thursday what they believe are the first two confirmed cases in which the SARS-CoV-2 virus crossed a mother's placenta and caused brain damage in the...
www.reuters.com
October 22, 2023 at 4:20 PM
This was published 6 months ago.
“Researchers at the University of Miami reported what they believe are the first two confirmed cases in which the SARS-CoV-2 virus crossed a mother's placenta & caused brain damage in the infants they were carrying.” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
“Researchers at the University of Miami reported what they believe are the first two confirmed cases in which the SARS-CoV-2 virus crossed a mother's placenta & caused brain damage in the infants they were carrying.” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
“Interestingly, this neuroinflammation was located in some brain areas that are exposed to circulating blood factors via normal anatomical gaps in the specialized ‘blood-brain barrier’ of the brain’s blood vessels.” polybio.org/polybio-supp...
PolyBio-supported team identifies neuroinflammation in Long COVID correlated with vascular disease m...
(Medford, MA) – Brain inflammation (neuroinflammation) has been proposed as a driver of Long COVID symptoms. However, no research team has...
polybio.org
October 22, 2023 at 2:15 AM
“Interestingly, this neuroinflammation was located in some brain areas that are exposed to circulating blood factors via normal anatomical gaps in the specialized ‘blood-brain barrier’ of the brain’s blood vessels.” polybio.org/polybio-supp...
What?
“Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step towards learning more about the disease and developing vaccines and treatments.” news.yahoo.com/scientists-i...
“Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step towards learning more about the disease and developing vaccines and treatments.” news.yahoo.com/scientists-i...
Scientists infect volunteers with Zika in hunt for vaccines, treatments
Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step towards learning more about the disease and developing va...
news.yahoo.com
October 22, 2023 at 1:21 AM
What?
“Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step towards learning more about the disease and developing vaccines and treatments.” news.yahoo.com/scientists-i...
“Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step towards learning more about the disease and developing vaccines and treatments.” news.yahoo.com/scientists-i...
This was published a year ago.
“The spikes in heart attack deaths have tracked with surges of COVID infection—even during Omicron…The data showed the increase was most significant among individuals ages 25-44…” www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/cov...
“The spikes in heart attack deaths have tracked with surges of COVID infection—even during Omicron…The data showed the increase was most significant among individuals ages 25-44…” www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/cov...
COVID-19 Surges Linked to Spike in Heart Attacks
New data analysis from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai found that deaths from heart attacks rose significantly during pandemic surges, including the COVID-19 Omicron surges, overall revers...
www.cedars-sinai.org
October 21, 2023 at 11:58 PM
This was published a year ago.
“The spikes in heart attack deaths have tracked with surges of COVID infection—even during Omicron…The data showed the increase was most significant among individuals ages 25-44…” www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/cov...
“The spikes in heart attack deaths have tracked with surges of COVID infection—even during Omicron…The data showed the increase was most significant among individuals ages 25-44…” www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/cov...
“Hernandez showed no signs of illness before the race, coaches said.” www.insider.com/texas-high-s...
Texas high school student collapses and dies after winning a cross-country race, the latest in a str...
Angel Hernandez, 16, is the latest in a string of young athletes who have died during competition.
www.insider.com
October 21, 2023 at 11:55 PM
“Hernandez showed no signs of illness before the race, coaches said.” www.insider.com/texas-high-s...
🚨 High risk of heart tumors after Covid. www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13...
High Risk of Heart Tumors after COVID-19
An emergence of evidence suggests that severe COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk of developing breast and gastrointestinal cancers. The aim of this research was to assess the risk of heart ...
www.mdpi.com
October 21, 2023 at 6:26 PM
🚨 High risk of heart tumors after Covid. www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/13...
“An unprecedented outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease is plaguing East Campus, according to Duke Student Health.
Duke has seen roughly 60 cases of HFMD in the past four weeks…” www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023...
Duke has seen roughly 60 cases of HFMD in the past four weeks…” www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023...
Duke sees over 60 hand, foot and mouth disease cases over past 4 weeks
Duke has seen roughly 60 cases of HFMD in the past four weeks, according to Director of Student Health John Vaughn, with the outbreak mostly affecting the Class of 2027.
www.dukechronicle.com
October 20, 2023 at 9:40 PM
“An unprecedented outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease is plaguing East Campus, according to Duke Student Health.
Duke has seen roughly 60 cases of HFMD in the past four weeks…” www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023...
Duke has seen roughly 60 cases of HFMD in the past four weeks…” www.dukechronicle.com/article/2023...
X has devolved into a broken nightmare from hell, & frankly it’s really depressing. Everyone is lashing out and fighting, and there’s very little legitimate news left. I intend to start transitioning to this platform. I’m not following many people yet, but bear with me!
October 20, 2023 at 9:30 PM
X has devolved into a broken nightmare from hell, & frankly it’s really depressing. Everyone is lashing out and fighting, and there’s very little legitimate news left. I intend to start transitioning to this platform. I’m not following many people yet, but bear with me!
We have known all along, but we chose to ignore it.
June 2020: “The emerging picture indicates that the model for HIV treatment, a cocktail of antiviral drugs, may be a good bet for those with mild illness..." www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/h...
June 2020: “The emerging picture indicates that the model for HIV treatment, a cocktail of antiviral drugs, may be a good bet for those with mild illness..." www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/h...
October 17, 2023 at 7:29 PM
We have known all along, but we chose to ignore it.
June 2020: “The emerging picture indicates that the model for HIV treatment, a cocktail of antiviral drugs, may be a good bet for those with mild illness..." www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/h...
June 2020: “The emerging picture indicates that the model for HIV treatment, a cocktail of antiviral drugs, may be a good bet for those with mild illness..." www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/h...
“The understaffed agency charged with monitoring tuberculosis in NYC is struggling to respond to new cases — fueling fears of a resurgence decades after the nation got TB under control.” www.politico.com/news/2023/10...
New York City struggling to contain rising tuberculosis cases
Budget cuts and understaffing are delaying the city’s ability to handle an increase in tuberculosis patients.
www.politico.com
October 16, 2023 at 7:11 PM
“The understaffed agency charged with monitoring tuberculosis in NYC is struggling to respond to new cases — fueling fears of a resurgence decades after the nation got TB under control.” www.politico.com/news/2023/10...
“Erie County’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Gale Burstein, is a pediatrician, and she says there’s recently been ‘an unusual number’ of childhood deaths pertaining to respiratory illness.”
Doctors share distress signs after “unusual number” of child deaths
“These cases are tragic and heartbreaking, and as communities and families, we can prevent these deaths from happening,” Dr. Gale Burstein said.
www.wivb.com
October 3, 2023 at 9:35 PM
“Erie County’s Commissioner of Health, Dr. Gale Burstein, is a pediatrician, and she says there’s recently been ‘an unusual number’ of childhood deaths pertaining to respiratory illness.”