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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

@maskblocwr.bsky.social

25 followers 99 following 33 posts

We provide masks, tests, air purifiers, and health information free of charge in the so-called Waterloo Region. 💙 Make requests through our linktree or website. 💙 ⭐ We are volunteer-run. Join us! ⭐ https://linktr.ee/maskblocwr | https://maskblocwr.org/

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 8d

We have masks and rapid tests available at the following locations:
- Full Circle Foods: 16 King St. E, Kitchener
- SHORE Centre: 50 Westmount Rd. N, Unit D1, Waterloo

A storefront illustration with a purple and white awning, a brown door with an "open" sign, and a window. Below the awning, white text reads "Mask Bloc Waterloo Region". In the window, there is black text that reads "Current Pickup Locations". Below the storefront, there is more white text that reads: "Full Circle Foods 16 King St. E, Kitchener. SHORE Centre 50 Westmount Rd. N, Unit D1, Waterloo". In a purple star to the right of the location information, white text reads "We also offer free delivery!"

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Julia Doubleday @juliadoubleday.bsky.social · 9h

People continue to call COVID advocates’ pleas for masking “unreasonable”.

Yet people who’ve already been disabled by COVID have no choice but to live with the “unreasonable” burdens of constant COVID safety.

My latest:
substack.com/home/post/p-...

Beyond all reason

Long COVID patients are constantly harangued about our requests for COVID safety. Yet what we're asking for is far less than what we're called on to do to survive.

substack.com

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 10h

Immunosupremacy: #COVID & Past Pandemics. Excellent analysis. open.substack.com/pub/uptonreb...

Because of the way society has given up on COVID precautions and the way even progressives prefer to downplay the pandemic, mask-wearing has become more stigmatized and those who wear them have become pathologized as “paranoid,” “hypochondriacs,” or even “crazy/insane.” I hope I don’t need to point out how ableist this is. It is disturbing to watch progressives embrace an ideology that was previously mostly associated with conservatives and the anti-vaccine movement.

Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 1d

Canadian COVID Forecast Oct 11 - Oct 24, 2025

ONTARIO

HIGH [decreasing]

About 1 of every 108 people is infected.

Compared to lowest point of pandemic in Canada:

-Infections: 4.7 x higher
-Long COVID: 6.0 x higher
-Hospitalizations: 9.2 x higher
-Deaths: 8.4 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. Ontario's COVID Forecast outlook is HIGH [decreasing] with a COVID INDEX SCORE of 7.5

About 1 of every 108 people is infected.

Estimated infections this week: 200,000-345,700
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: MODERATE; 4.7X higher
Long COVID: HIGH; 6.0X higher
Hospitalizations: HIGH; 9.2X higher
Deaths: HIGH; 8.4X higher
HOW TO HELP:
EVERYONE:
UPDATE vaccines every 6 months
WEAR N95-type masks
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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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 10h

🧵 #Ontario #COVID

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 1d

FOCUS ON PROVINCES: ONTARIO

The Forecast score this week is 8 (HIGH).

Infections this week are expected to result in 300 deaths, 1,600 hospital admissions and 8,900 new daily life activity-limiting long COVID cases.

Graph showing estimated new daily infections for Canada and Ontario (5 week rolling averages)

Graph available at: https://covid19resources.ca/covid-hazard-index
Page 11 (Infections)

Graph showing expected deaths resulting from estimated new daily infections for Canada and Ontario, since Dec 2021. (5 week rolling averages)

Graph available at: https://covid19resources.ca/covid-hazard-index
Page 18 (Deaths)

Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 1d

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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Jessica Ellis @baddestmamajama.bsky.social · 1d

Sorry guys, the world changed, covid wasn’t here before and is now, that does require some adaptation, or some eugenics, I guess pick your side.

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Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Jessica Ellis @baddestmamajama.bsky.social · 1d

I’m very very tired of “living in fear” being lobbed at maskwearers by people who frequently say they can’t wear one because no one else around them is.

Living in fear is ignoring science and endangering lives and your own health because you’re terrified of not fitting in.

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Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Ryan Tennant @ryantennant.ca · 12h

It's Accessible Education Day at #UWaterloo!

This afternoon, I'm looking forward to joining the panel "What are instructors doing to integrate accessibility in their courses?"

My talk will focus on how shared indoor air quality is a fundamental barrier to accessibility and what we can do about it.

A title slide for a presentation, with purple coloured striped at the top and faded pathogen-containing aerosols in the background.

Integrating Health-Inclusive Principles in Course Design
Addressing Shared Indoor Air as an Accessibility Barrier
10/14/2025
Ryan Tennant, BASc, MASc, PhD CandidateSystems Design Engineering
University of Waterloo – Accessible Education Day 2025

University of Waterloo crest (orange, black, red, and white shield)
Faculty of Engineering

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Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Connie @bethechange1682.bsky.social · 16h

Excellent thread

Julia Doubleday @juliadoubleday.bsky.social · 1d

“Doing what you can to avoid spreading it to other people” is masking , until we have clean air - and in the meantime , you all need to be advocating for clean air, which none of you are showing the urgency around when you fail to mask.
40%+ of Covid cases are asymp and Covid disables people

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 1d

High levels of CO2 can:

* Cause tiredness and headaches
* Affect your cognitive ability
* Impact your wellbeing
* Increase the risk of spreading respiratory particles and viruses they carry /4 (end)

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 1d

"However, CO2 readings will help you determine whether you should take steps to increase the circulation of fresh air in your space which will improve the air quality and may reduce the risk of the spread of infectious illnesses." /3

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 1d

"Poorly ventilated indoor spaces increase your risk of contracting an airborne virus or infection. The reading on a CO2 monitor is not a direct indicator of the risk for contracting these infections..." /2

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 1d

Wondering how good the ventilation is in your home, workplace, etc.? You can borrow an Aranet CO2 monitor from #Waterloo or #Kitchener public libraries to find out. /1
www.wpl.ca/browse-borro...

Air Monitors

Borrow an Aranet4 Home Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitor or a Corentium Home digital radon monitor and check air quality in your surroundings.

www.wpl.ca

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 1d

Deadline for in-person attendance is today; still a few days for virtual.

longcovidweb.bsky.social @longcovidweb.bsky.social · 5d

Register for the 2025 #LCWSymposium, Oct 20–21, 2025, & join critical discussions shaping #LongCOVID. Scan the QR code to download the Whova app - receive announcements, vote in polls, & stay connected!

Register by:
Oct 14 (In-person)
Oct 17 (Virtual)
bit.ly/4hRoczz

A promotional graphic for the 3rd Canadian Symposium on Long COVID. The top half reads “Register & Download the Whova app!” with a large QR code on the right. The bottom features a view of St. John’s, Newfoundland, and event details: “Virtual and In-person, Emera Innovation Exchange, Memorial University of Newfoundland, October 20–21, 2025.” The Whova QR code allows attendees to receive announcements, vote in polls, and access symposium updates.

Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Mask Bloc Paris @maskblocparis.bsky.social · 3d

Colombie, Irlande, Canada, Chili, Nouvelle-Zélande, Allemagne, Argentine, Italie, Écosse, Australie, Espagne, États-Unis, Angleterre, France...

Il existe plus de 200 Mask Blocs partout dans le monde ! 🌱

maskbloc.org

#AutoDéfenseSanitaire
#CovidIsNotOver
#MaskUp

Worldwide Mask Bloc Directory – Find your local Mask Bloc

MaskBloc.org lists active Mask Blocs around the world. Free high-quality masks, COVID-19 tests and other equipment for your community. Mutual Aid & We Keep Us Safe.

maskbloc.org

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 2d

Source: www.instagram.com/ottawacovidc... /4

Ottawa Covid Community Alliance (@ottawacovidcommunityalliance) • Instagram photos and videos

1,166 Followers, 104 Following, 47 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Ottawa Covid Community Alliance (@ottawacovidcommunityalliance)

www.instagram.com

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 2d

Finally, some guidance. /3

So, here are some considerations for hosting Covid-19 safer events! Because no one should leave a gathering with an illness that could disable or kill them.
1. Do not attend the event if you have had close contact with individuals who have been sick.
2. Be honest about the precautions that you can take/expectations leading up to the gathering.
3. Wear high quality masks in public spaces leading up to the gathering and during your gathering to help reduce exposure/transmission.
4. Use rapid tests before the event (make sure they aren't expired). If you have the resources, test twice before the event, 24-48 hours apart, which can help improve accuracy.
5. Use air purifiers within the gathering space.
6. Have windows or doors open (if safe!) to allow for air movement in/out of the area.
Resources: Donate A Mask, maskbloc.org

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 2d

Next, some awareness. /2

So as many of you gather for thanksgiving, without giving a second though to the ongoing pandemic or precautions that could be taken to reduce transmission, let me remind you:
Your thanksgiving gatherings will actively contribute to preventable Covid-19 transmission, resulting in increased disability and death.
And before you get upset, saying that you shouldn't be stopped from spending time with your family and community, take a minute to realize that's not what I am saying.
What I am saying, is that transmission, and the resulting death and disability, are preventable if people take precautions. Wearing high quality masks (e.g. KN95, N95) in public spaces, using rapid testing, can help reduce risk to keep EVERYONE safe.

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 2d

A bit late, perhaps, but still generally true for future gatherings! Guide to a safer #Thanksgiving from @ottawacovidcommunityalliance on Instagram. First, some stats. /1

Some very quick reminders as people go to celebrate thanksgiving this weekend:
1. 1 in 60 people currently have Covid in Canada.
2. Up to 60% of Covid-19 transmission is asymptomatic.
3. Covid-19 spreads through aerosols that can remain in the air for several hours.
Just because someone doesn't "look sick", doesn't mean that they aren't contagious. This is why precautions like masking and testing are essential to prevention.

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Reposted by Mask Bloc Waterloo Region

Dr Noor Bari @njbbari3.bsky.social · 2d

😳

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 2d

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
A study of nearly 300,000 US veterans showed that people who got the 2024–25 #COVID booster had substantially fewer ER visits, hospitalization, and deaths compared to those who got only the flu shot. Benefits were seen across all age groups and health statuses.

Association of 2024–2025 Covid-19 Vaccine with Covid-19 Outcomes in U.S. Veterans | NEJM

Amid the declining clinical severity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and diminishing public uptake of annual coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines, ...

www.nejm.org

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Ruth Ann Crystal @drruth.bsky.social · 3d

✨Please share! My newsletter is out.✨

📉US COVID cases go down, Europe's go up
💉COVID booster protects > prior infection or vaccines
👧100s of kids quarantined for Measles
😓CDC layoffs and reinstatements
🔥Menopause inflammaging reversed with HRT

& much more buff.ly/q54ZQkX

#medsky #pedsky 🛟😷🧪

Picture of the US. South is blue which means low levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater. The rest of the US is yellow which means Medium levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater.

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Nikki St Clair (she/they) @nikkiisuplate.bsky.social · 2d

Made some more mask chains in support of Mask Bloc Waterloo Region!! Check 'em out ⬇️

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 3d

Mask chains and stickers on sale as a fundraiser for Mask Bloc Waterloo Region. Lots of available styles! www.nikkistclair.ca/product-cate...

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region // Nikki St Clair

www.nikkistclair.ca

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Preorder Read This When Things Fall Apart @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 3d

Some folks who preordered are starting to receive their copies of Read This When Things Fall Apart! ❤️

The book is supposed to be published on November 4, but I am so happy some folks are getting it early. It's needed now.

Nicoletta Penguin @nicoguin.bsky.social · 4d

My pre-ordered copy arrived today. Thank you for this gem of a book.

The cover of pre-ordered and delivered before publication date Read This When Things Fall Apart: Letters to Activists in Crisis edited by Kelly Hayes.

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Mask Bloc Waterloo Region @maskblocwr.bsky.social · 3d

Mask chains and stickers on sale as a fundraiser for Mask Bloc Waterloo Region. Lots of available styles! www.nikkistclair.ca/product-cate...

Mask Bloc Waterloo Region // Nikki St Clair