The man who eats alone. Inside the Kremlin’s kitchen: The secret operation of feeding Putin.
https://www.news-cafe.eu/?go=news&n=13609
#putin #russia #covid #pandemic #moscow #kremlin

Hello, it’s the (delayed this week -- sorry!) weekly #washingtonstate #kingcounty (that is, #seattle and environs) #COVID #COVID19 #wastewater toots.

A quick reminder that this King County respiratory disease data comes from Washington State, not the federal government.

Starting with the West Point (WSPT) sewage treatment plant: last week, the Sars-CoV2 7-day running average crept up a bit, though it is still at the low end of the scale, historically speaking. Last data is from 3/18.

WSPT is one of three King County(-ish) sewersheds in this dataset. You can find overviews, individual sewershed results, and a breakdown of variants for the state wastewater surveillance program, along with other metrics like case counts and hospitalizations for Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses, at https://doh.wa.gov/data-and-statistical-reports/diseases-and-chronic-conditions/communicable-disease-surveillance-data/respiratory-illness-data-dashboard#WasteWater. If you go to the page and click "learn more" in the statewide view tab, you can find out lots of details about how these data are calculated and how to interpret them. The dashboard gets updated every Wednesday (generally). The WA Department of Health is here on the feditubes at @WADeptHealth.

THEY'RE TRYING TO KILL EVERYBODY!

I'm listening to Alex Wagner's podcast from a couple of weeks ago talking about how the #DisasterPresidency is decimating the #EPA.

And I think…

They're also trying to shutdown #FEMA.

…and the #NIH.

…and put a lunatic in charge of #HHS.

…and ignored/dismissed #Covid.

…and are ignoring #BirdFlu. And #Measles.

…and dismiss #ClimateChange.

…and defunding #Superfund toxic waste cleanup.

…and in his first term, repealed laws against dumping toxic coal ash.

Penny heart attack update and COVID rant:

Went with Penny for some of her post-widow maker heart attack cardiac function, scans, imaging testing and checkup today.

Penny's cardiac function hasn't improved, even after a full round of cardiac therapy, BUT it hasn't worsened. That still is good news.

COVID RANT: During this check-in, the registration clerk lady started asking the #COVID prescreening questions and halfway through, frustrated, she said "I don't know why we have to ask these covid prescreen questions now." JFC. It was obvious by looking at her she probably has been to a MAGA rally.

This was a major university medical center, one of the top notched rated cardiac centers in the nation.

It really disturbed me she was so cavalier about COVID, esp when this cardiac center sees so many vulnerable, severely heath challenged, people. #health We traveled several hours to go there.

Video on Long COVID and its consequences. But COVID is just a flu, right ? #covid #health #santé
https://youtu.be/2HGi81LsXtA?si=6oTJBO9VCiJLP--L

CDC is pulling back $11B in Covid funding sent to health departments across the U.S.

NBC News
March 25, 2025
By Brandy Zadrozny

Misinformation: The pandemic is not over.

https://stillcoviding.ca/en/news/cdc-is-pulling-back-11b-in-covid-funding-sent-to-health-departments-across-the-u-s/

so uh... #PlusLife users in the US... how are you planning on getting test kits now that they can no longer be shipped to us, thanks to the ghouls in power?

Question for the extroverts who are still masking:
What things are you doing to form bonds with people and connect while being safe? What is working for you?

I run games online and have met with friends at concerts where my wife and I are masked. It’s still hard. I’ve also tried outside group activities like run clubs, but then they want to go get pizza together and I don’t want to be eating inside. I’d love to meet people with similar attitudes about Covid. I tried CovidMeetup.com but I wasn’t making a lot of connections. I’d love to hear what you all do.

Please boost if you can.

#covid
#mask
#extroverts

Another travesty:

"Our #NIH grant to discover coronavirus antiviral meds was terminated today.

We'd developed a better SARSCoV2 inhibitor than Paxlovid +we recently discovered an improved drug that looks better than Pfizer's own 2nd-gen inhibitor.

Part of a complete elimin of COVID-related research, incl. #LongCOVID.

The rationale given is that the pandemic is over.

Ppl are dying of #COVID at several times the rate of flu +still getting long COVID."
-Dr M Lin

#USPol
https://arstechnica.com/health/2025/03/cdc-rocked-by-top-level-departures-loss-of-11-4b-in-covid-funding/

Review finds that full vaccination reduces risk of Long Covid by 27% if become infected.
#COVID #LongCovid
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/does-covid-19-vaccination-reduce-risk-and-duration-post-covid-19-condition

Grogner

Nos corps n’oublient rien… et c’est bien le problème.
https://www.grognon.org/2025/03/16/un-editorial/

A powerful personal story of navigating workplace safety, social isolation, and the ongoing reality of COVID. Luca shares the struggle of being "the last mask on" — reminding us why it's crucial to stay informed, connected, and COVID-conscious.

Read Luca's full experience here: https://whn.global/the-last-mask-on-how-sars-cov-2-changed-my-life-without-even-touching-me/

does anyone know where to get colourful ffp2 (or better) masks online in the uk now? i used to get the opharm ones but they've been out of stock for ages and i miss coordinating my mask with my outfit

hashtag #covid i guess??

Cognitive changes on in Long Covid
#COVID #LongCovid https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-my-brain-works/202503/long-term-covid-19-is-real

Covid will drop off the top ten list of causes of death pretty soon.

Due to vaccination, as well as previous infections. (There was a big rate of change bump, too)

That said: the measures to mask nearly made flu non-existent for a year, that's pretty cool.

So, personally, it's just nice to wear a mask when flying, or when I'm under the weather at the grocery store.

If something like this returns I hope the response is to mask. Or, ideally, to have better indoor ventilation and sanitation...

It's like a water system before John Snow and the Broad Street Cholera outbreak. At some point the infrastructure should become more sanitary to reduce disease.

Until that time, be polite if you have the sniffles...