It ain’t over. You can help.

From the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have been concerned about the lasting effects of the illness. My sister was one of the first cases in the Houston area, and she battled long Covid symptoms – including brain fog, shortness of breath, and fatigue – for many months after her infection and recovery.

I am very alarmed at the high rate of infection demonstrated by wastewater testing being reported by the CDC. New Mexico is one state where these rates are actually rated as very high. From that, the CDC has made an educated guess that infection rates are growing in New Mexico. I am including graphics from the CDC that demonstrate these findings.

Vanity Fair recently published an article that demonstrates the effectiveness of masking to dramatically reduce COVID-19 transmission if just 80% of people would wear masks when they are in crowded spaces. (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/05/masks-covid-19-infections-would-plummet-new-study-says)

Other mitigations that help reduce disease transmission include the use of air filtration in enclosed spaces. For example, I use two Corsi Rosenthal boxes (homemade and proven as effective as HEPA filters) in my classroom, as well as two oscillating fans to encourage air circulation towards the filters. There is a recent study showing that the use of ceiling fans helps to reduce transmission of COVID-19 and other airborne illnesses. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9899686/)

Everyone’s risk assessment is going to be different. I try to be careful because I often interact with my elderly parents, but I am also in a classroom for most of the day with less than cautious high school students. This is why my classroom has filtered air, and why I wear a KN95 mask whenever other people are in my classroom, or when I am walking about my school. I also wear a mask while shopping, and when in other public spaces. While I do eat out in restaurants, I choose restaurants that have open air seating or ceiling fans to reduce my risk of exposure while I am unmasked and eating. I get a vaccine booster about every six months – because of my weight and other health conditions, I am considered high risk and can obtain those at no cost with my insurance.

There are many people who are also at high risk, but don’t have the advantage of knowledge or good health insurance to be able to identify and obtain the care they need if and when they are infected. By the most recent data available, the health effects of even a mild COVID-19 infection can include:

• Fatigue, feeling tired
• Weakness
• Brain fog (problems concentrating or thinking)
• Headaches
• Tremor
• Rapid or pounding heartbeat, feeling of skipped heartbeats (palpitations)
• Dizziness upon standing
• Symptoms that worsen after physical or mental activity (known as post-exertional malaise, PEM)
• Gastrointestinal symptoms including stomach pain, diarrhea, and/or constipation
• Loss of or change in smell and/or taste
• Thirst (for instance, dry mouth)
• Cough
• Changes in comfort or capacity for sex and/or desire for sex
• Chest pain, tightness, or pressure
• Hearing problems, including hearing loss or ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle and/or joint pain
• Back pain
• Sleep apnea
• Fever, sweats, and/or chills
• Hair loss
• Sleep problems, including insomnia
• Bladder problems, including difficulty urinating or incontinence
• Vision problems, such as blurry vision, sensitivity to light, floaters, flashing lights, or difficulty reading or focusing eyes
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Swelling of the legs
• Problems with teeth
• Foot pain
• Skin rash
• Abnormal movements
• Skin color changes (for instance, skin that is red, white, or purple)
• Changes in menstrual cycle

(Source: yalemedicine.org)

“COVID-19 can damage multiple organs throughout the body, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys, among others. When this happens, it can increase the risk of the development of new medical conditions, including: 

• Diabetes
• Kidney disease
• Heart conditions
• Neurological conditions
• Blood clots
• Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition in which the heart beats faster when standing up from a lying down position and can cause lightheadedness and fainting)”

(Source: yalemedicine.org)

There is even suspicion that COVID -19 is oncogenic. (https://fortune.com/2023/11/23/inside-long-covids-war-body-researchers-trying-find-out-virus-potential-cancer-carolyn-barber/)

All this to say, COVID-19 is not “just a cold.” It can, and has, caused life altering complications for thousands of people. We are already feeling the impact on our economy, and that will continue to grow unless we take even the simplest precautions – masking, air filtration, and vaccination. We can still make a difference in the lasting effects this ongoing pandemic is creating, and hopefully find solutions for the people already suffering from the disability inflicted by this terrible disease.

If nothing else, please wear a mask.