The Importance of Clean Air

Published on December 23, 2022

The continuing spread of COVID-19 is now compounded by unprecedented hard-hitting RSV and flu outbreaks. As cases surge pediatric hospitals and ICUs are overflowing. The CDC has made a new call for masking to reduce transmission and urges wide-spread vaccination. Major urban areas in the US are adopting new mask recommendations, which strengthen prevention by recommendations including testing and isolation. Indeed, many of the ways to protect from COVID also protect against RSV and the flu. There are things we can do right now to protect our children and communities: (1) Clean the air using HEPA purifiers or more affordable DIY Corsi-Rosenthal boxes in every room, as well as opening windows whenever possible, (2) Helping schools and places of work with clean air policies using HEPA purifiers and upgraded ventilation systems, (3) wearing a high-quality N95 mask while indoors and while outside in proximity to others, (4) avoiding shared public spaces, and (5) keeping vaccinations up to date, and (6) If you feel unwell or have been exposed to someone who tests positive, stay home, isolate and test multiple times. Join projects to promote clean air and safety from infection at WHN.

LISTEN!📢 Watch/listen to WHN’s Long COVID Symposium recording for discussions that examine the impact on patients, society, labor markets and productivity, and the future of our health.

RESOURCES

RSV, INFLUENZA, COVID
Germany faces ‘catastrophic’ pediatric bed shortage as RSV cases soar (The Guardian)
Influenza, RSV and COVID-19 a triple threat in Europe (ECDC)
CDC reports record numbers of influenza-like illness across the United States (CDC)
Hospitals overflow in San Diego (7 San Diego)
U.S. Flu Hospitalizations Highest in 10 Years, Officials Say (US News)
Oregon hospital shifts to emergency mode amid rise in serious pediatric cases (OPB)

COVID-19
Strong evidence of outdoor transmission of Omicron (CCDC Weekly)
India reports lowest COVID numbers since 2020 (The Times of India)
COVID infection is associated with lower sperm counts in men (Journal of Medical Virology)
Long COVID is estimated to cost 3.7 trillion dollars in the US alone (Article)
New method for identifying subgroups of Long-COVID identifies groups that have particularly strong
impacts on (1) cardiac and renal systems, (2) respiratory, sleep and anxiety symptoms (3)
musculoskeletal and nervous system and (4) digestive and respiratory system (Nature)

POLIO
CDC will test sewage for polio outside New York to see if it’s circulating elsewhere in nation (CNBC)