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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 14m

We still can't do much to mitigate against earthquakes except #DuckAndCover.

But we could do an awful lot in an #OngoingPandemic, now in its 6th year with #NEIS - to PREVENT #Reinfections, deaths, severe disease, & #LongCOVID.

With -

▶️ #N95 masks
▶️ #CleanAir indoors
▶️ Up to date #Vaccinations

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Reposted by Tania J. Spencer

quiabo the exhorter @yungquiabo.bsky.social · 1d

the problem with being a covid denialist is eventually you run out of T-cells

Joad The Wet Sprocket @joadsprocket.bsky.social · 1d

I am not interested in living in a society of Universal Public Masking and neither are most people. This ask is not reasonable, and the invocation of solidarity in service of it is ridiculous.

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Reposted by Tania J. Spencer

loscharlos @loscharlos.bsky.social · 15h

“Our primary message is that reinfections still matter, and you should do what you can to avoid reinfection..” — Yong Chen, University of Pennsylvania

OCT 1, 2025 10:06 AM PT
Repeat COVID-19 Infections Could Double Your Risk of Long COVID

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 9h

This 👇

bats 🦇✨ @itsbabs.bsky.social · 19h

even the smartest folks whose takes i otherwise appreciate, who otherwise want to resist fascism themselves & encourage others to, find wearing a mask in, at least, public indoor spaces—to prevent the harms of this administration from impacting others—to be a bridge too far; it’s shameful, frankly.

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 1d

yeah, i think a commitment to public health obligates you to get vaccinated and, when you are sick, do what you can to avoid spreading that to other people. the demand that one mask at all times in public spaces is, i think, unreasonable.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 9h

I ❤️ this bookshop -

The Haunted Bookshop @bookshopghost.bsky.social · 10h

No.

Our mask requirement is not "virtue signalling".

It's protecting a) the cancer patient and b) the child who is still too small to wear a mask.

And also--and I can't emphasize this strongly enough--you.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 12h

"...and 25,000 new #LongCOVID cases serious enough to limit daily life activities" 👇

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 13h

Infections in Canada this week are expected to result in 4,500 hospitalizations, 780 deaths (people who die at least 1 year earlier than they would without COVID) and 25,000 new long COVID cases serious enough to limit daily life activities.

3 tables showing total expected hospitalizations since Dec 2/21 by province (error range -/+ 10%), total expected ICU admissions since Dec 2/21 by province (error range -/+ 10%), and total expected deaths since Dec 2/21 by province (error range -/+ 10%)

Tables available at: https://covid19resources.ca/covid-hazard-index
Page 19 (Reported deaths, ICU, hospitalizations by age)

Graph showing Estimated new daily infections resulting in daily life activity-limiting symptoms lasting >3 months, by province, since Dec 2021. (5 week rolling averages)

Graph available at: https://covid19resources.ca/covid-hazard-index
Page 13 (Long COVID)

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Reposted by Tania J. Spencer

Henry L Niman PhD @hlniman.bsky.social · 21h

#H5N1 confirmed
British Columbia
Abbotsford
Commercial Poultry

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 12h

2/
“He was pouring gas all around the bottom of my steps, along the side of my house... I screamed, ‘Get out! Get out!’ and he poured gas all over me,” she said":

www.ctvnews.ca/canada/artic...

RCMP investigate alleged assault of woman who lives beside B.C. ostrich farm

The RCMP are providing round the clock protection for a B.C., resident who lives next to Universal Ostrich Farms (UOF) after a masked man doused the woman in gasoline and punched her in the face.

www.ctvnews.ca

Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 12h

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"Violent threats against government workers & businesses & a shocking physical attack on an elderly neighbour of the farm have highlighted how tensions around a CFIA-ordered cull of hundreds of ostriches have taken a very dark turn":

thetyee.ca/News/2025/10...

How the Ostrich Farm Cull Has Unleashed Threats of Violence | The Tyee

The CFIA union head says members and their families are being threatened.

thetyee.ca

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Reposted by Tania J. Spencer

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 14h

Canadian COVID Forecast: Oct 11 - Oct 24, 2025
SEVERE: NL, NS, SK
VERY HIGH: MB, NB, North, PEI
HIGH: CAN, AB, BC, ON, QC
MODERATE: none

About 1 in 95 people in Canada are CURRENTLY infected.

This image shows gauges with the Oct 11 - Oct 24, 2025 Forecast scores for Canada, the provinces, & territories. From left to right:

Canada: HIGH - 8.9
Alberta: HIGH - 7.0
British Columbia: HIGH - 8.4
Manitoba: VERY HIGH - 14.9
New Brunswick: VERY HIGH - 11.3
Newfoundland & Labrador: SEVERE - 17.0
North: VERY HIGH - 12.3
Nova Scotia: SEVERE - 16.3
Ontario: HIGH - 7.5
Prince Edward Island: VERY HIGH - 11.8
Quebec: HIGH - 10.0
Saskatchewan: SEVERE - 17.0

A text box reads: "The COVID Forecast is calculated from 3 equally weighted categories: 1) Current infections and spread; 2) Healthcare system impact; 3) Mortality. Within each category there is one sub-category for trends over the most recent week (Trends) and one sub-category for current parameter values relative to a specified baseline (Current values). Trends and current values are weighted equally when determining the final score for a category. All Forecast input data and sources are available here (https://datastudio.google.com/embed/u/0/reporting/42b886cf-d661-488e-b7d8-5c5836b55ab6/page/p_2yqs028mwc). Past Forecast scores are available in the table below. Forecast scores are grouped into 4 ranges: MODERATE (1 to <5, white), HIGH (6 to <10, yellow), VERY HIGH (10 to <15, orange), SEVERE (>15 red)."

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 12h

#Yukoners 👇

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 13h

Canadian COVID Forecast Oct 11 - Oct 24, 2025

NUNAVUT, NWT, YUKON

VERY HIGH [no change]

About 1 of every 108 people is infected.

Compared to lowest point of pandemic in Canada:

-Infections: 7.9 x higher
-Long COVID: 6.0 x higher
-Hospitalizations: 15.1 x higher
-Deaths: 13.8 x higher

This image describes the Canadian COVID Forecast for the fourteen-day period between Oct 11 - Oct 24, 2025, which is produced by COVID-19 Resources Canada. Nunavut, NWT, & Yukon's COVID Forecast outlook is VERY HIGH [no change] with a COVID INDEX SCORE of 12.3

About 1 of every 108 people is infected.

Estimated infections this week: 900-1500
What these numbers mean: MODERATE 1-5, HIGH 5-10, VERY HIGH 10-15, SEVERE >15 COMPARED TO THE LOWEST POINT IN THE COVID PANDEMIC IN CANADA
How much higher are key indicators compared to the lowest point in the COVID pandemic in Canada?
Waste water, infections: HIGH; 7.9X higher
Long COVID: HIGH; 6.0X higher
Hospitalizations: SEVERE; 15.1X higher
Deaths: VERY HIGH; 13.8X higher
HOW TO HELP:
EVERYONE:
UPDATE vaccines every 6 months
WEAR N95-type masks
AVOID indoor social gatherings
AVOID crowded non-essential places
Who is HIGH RISK?
People 60 and older, babies < 1 year, pregnant
ALL AGES: immunocompromised OR medically at-risk OR no vaccine or infection in the last 6 months

Recommendations are based on the COVID-19 Risk Index from the Peterborough ON Public Health Unit
COVID-19 Resources Canada is a grassroots organization of volunteer scientists supporting Canadian COVID responses. Sources, data and methods for the COVID Index are available at www.Covid19Resources.ca

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Reposted by Tania J. Spencer

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 14h

Canadian COVID Forecast Oct 11 - Oct 24, 2025

CANADA

HIGH [no change]

About 1 of every 95 people is infected.

Compared to lowest point of pandemic in Canada:

-Infections: 6.1 x higher
-Long COVID: 5.9 x higher
-Hospitalizations: 11.3 x higher
-Deaths: 9.2 x higher

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Reposted by Tania J. Spencer

Doug Johnson 🇨🇦🇺🇦🌦️🏞 @smikooman.bsky.social · Jan 31

Forced to kill its 400 birds after avian flu was detected in the flock, an ostrich farm in Edgewood, B.C., contends with financial and emotional devastation. #Kootenay
www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/artic...

As Canada rushes to curb bird flu, B.C. farmers decry cull order for 400 ostriches

The fear of another pandemic has resulted in the culling of millions of chickens, ducks, turkeys, and now ostriches. But some experts believe they are not enough of a risk to cause such hardship to fa...

www.theglobeandmail.com

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 14h

Agreed, @castanet.net should ashamed.

More here -

bsky.app/profile/tani...

Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 19d

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This is how the anti-vax, freedom-convoy, anti-mask, COVID-is-hoax, save-our-ostriches community behave. With violent threats & intimidation -

globalnews.ca/news/1145052...

Businesses threatened over ‘involvement’ with B.C. ostrich cull, including death threats | Globalnews.ca

Reports of the threats began on Monday, the same day that officials with the CFIA arrived on the farm with RCMP to execute a lawful warrant to search it.

globalnews.ca

Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 14h

You're welcome, Julie.

Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

19/
To be clear, I'm not minimising the impact of #LongCOVID, which could strain #Healthcare systems, & is already undermining economies.

I'm just asking that we view it through the correct lens: I.e. not controlling an #OngoingPandemic, in its 6th year with #NEIS, is a self-inflicted injury.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

18/
...about the pandemic ("nothing" they cried) - & then opted for "Right then, it's #VaxNRelax & #YouDoYou".

Which isn't a public health strategy. It's an abrogation of responsibility.

Especially egregious, when we know that pandemics can usher in fascism. As has happened.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

17/
Long COVID is already highly stigmatised, & doesn't need to be scapegoated with societal collapse.

If we're looking for someone to blame, we should start with the #PublicHealth departments & governments that asked people what they wanted to do...

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

16/
We need to avoid explaining anti-social behaviour or extreme rightwing oppositional defiance with the reflexive "oh, he/she/they probably has Long COVID".

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

15/
Have we lost our risk assessment faculties? No.

Many of the people now living with #LongCOVID are the ones still masking, building #CorsiRosenthalBoxes, using #HEPAs, & pleading for #DavosSafe schools.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

14/
But have we lost our minds? No.

Have we lost our empathy? No.

Many of the people now living with #LongCOVID are the ones using low energy reserves to advocate & protect others.

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

13/
Among other things, #LongCOVID -

▶️ causes a loss of IQ points;
▶️ people living with Long COVID take twice the time to achieve half as much;
▶️ dreams are evanescent;
▶️ short term memories are shredded;
▶️ vocabularies contract (& when we lose words, we can lose concepts too).

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

12/
So how does #COVID brain damage present in #LongCOVID?

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Long Covid and Impaired Cognition — More Evidence and More Work to Do | NEJM

During the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, reports emerged that persons who had been infected with SARS-CoV-2 were having lingering health problems. Such long-term issues were collectively r...

www.nejm.org

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

11/
Arguing that COVID damaged our empathy is a slippery slope to arguing that current day fascism is caused by brain damage, rather than a misshapen & enduring ideology.

Along with -

#RuggedIndividualism
#SocialMedia
#Selfishness

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Tania J. Spencer @taniaspencer.bsky.social · 17h

10/
And even though we know, repeated COVID infections cause significant brain damage, brakes on for this kind of speculation -

x.com/jamesthrot/s...

x.com

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