@ducky has kindly again shared summaries from her COVID-19 reading this week! https://covidbc.webfoot.com/2025/05/24/2025-05-24-general/

Highlights:

the [FDA] anticipates requiring large randomized controlled trials with the controls getting a placebo for all vaccines — even for just updating the strains used in previously approved vaccines. (Yes, giving some participants an ineffective treatment when an effective treatment is known is highly unethical.)

This modern globalized life, with high velocity human transportation, requires guardrails not necessary at a plod. Influenza and SARS-CoV-2 simply recombine and mutate too frequently to do studies with 12-month endpoints, and the policy announcement she cites says they will

demand robust, gold-standard data on persons at low risk

which, if they choose, could be taken to mean longitudinal studies

1/

via https://mstdn.ca/@ducky/114567116220929081

Imagine a faith that puts the well-being of people ahead of corporate interests in 2025.

https://www.stmargaretscedarcottage.ca/why-are-we-still-masking.html

THIS is what living a moral life can look like. Caring about others, refusing to perpetuate false narratives, protecting oneself, following evidence as it accumulates.

BONUS: THIS WEEK they're selling ultra-quiet air purifiers at a discount, to fundraise https://www.stmargaretscedarcottage.ca/order-your-air-cleaner.html

h/t a zero

This paper https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01290-1 is interesting. They tested Vitamin B3 in a pill that is

designed to release nicotinamide [a form of Vitamin B3] in the lower small intestine and colon

And found:

Acute COVID-19 might be safely and easily reduced in severity and duration
In general, no improvement in Long COVID rates (here termed Post-COVID syndrome, PCS)
BUT, for people with recovery-like trajectories, they found superior outcomes. This takes a few quotes:

The subgroup was

participants at risk who had shown improvement in the primary endpoint or one of the three key secondary endpoints in the acute phase of the disease

In [this] subgroup, a significant benefit of nicotinamide was also observed in participants with PCS (nicotinamide: n = 48, PCS score 8.33 ± 0.84; placebo: n = 57, PCS score 11.82 ± 1.03; absolute difference: −3.49; 95% confidence interval, −6.1 to −0.86; P = 0.010

Now we all know how Long COVID isn't one single disease. Let's assume for a second that other results that suggest at least one subset has a microbiome component are correct.

As they say "life finds a way" so it would make sense that remnant gut populations could rebound over time and that this subset of LC sufferers might be more likely to have recovery trajectories. (This while we have no treatments for any subset.)

This obviously won't stop the pandemic nor its consequences, but still, here's hoping that there's no patent encumbrance on coating B3 for lower-gut delivery.

Of course here in BC we'll get access the same time we get access to Metformin.

h/t https://zeroes.ca/explore I think?

So. How about this careful result demonstrating viral replication inside megakaryocyte immune cells?

transmission electron microscopy pointed to the presence of viral particles inside bone marrow MK. Immunolabeling confirmed the presence of two SARS-CoV-2 proteins, spike and Orf3a, as well as double-stranded RNA suggesting a potential viral replication cycle.

Note this study is from last month, but it's from hospitalized 2020-2021 patient data. It's existence proof, not population statistics.

That said:

bone marrow MK infection is not a strict determinant of mortality. However, all survivors experienced post-acute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 condition (PASC) diagnosed during post-intensive care follow-up

short

The good news is SARS-CoV-2 and Long COVID research are advancing fast.

Luckily people are generously devoting time to roundups like these:

https://longcovidweekly.substack.com/p/long-covid-weekly-132-a-new-name

https://covidbc.webfoot.com/2025/03/15/2025-03-15-general/

The person - the man - who spends the most on anti-aging in the world, whose physiology is the most measured in the world?

Lost 15% of lung capacity to "mild" acute COVID-19.

https://www.donotpanic.news/p/the-billionaire-who-wants-to-live

To be clear, 15% is not "you take an extra 6th breath for every 5." It is worse in ways that you can investigate for yourself. It is Not Good.

If we were to see immune damage manifesting at a population level, it would look like what we’re seeing today: big waves of common illnesses. Unusual spikes of uncommon illnesses. Course reversal for previously declining and eliminated illnesses. An unexplained, global wave of sickness.

How much more denial can the bodies of our children take? Are we going to force them to find out?

lots of citations demonstrating that damage and more at https://www.thegauntlet.news/p/kids-keep-getting-sicker-as-evidence

"We know that infection and reinfection, even when mild, is linked to cell and organ damage that may harm their future health. More needs to be done to protect our children, and the first step is ensuring that our schools are safe"

"The briefing also says Long Covid can also lead to a 'substantially increased' risk of sudden death and 'silent' damage to cells and organs which can lead to later illness.

"Certainly the silent organ damage is a real problem, we think, for future development of disease."

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/543885/long-covid-warning-silent-organ-damage-is-a-real-problem

Full readings from my time at the PCP this week. Not good - especially in a known COVID surge in MA - better ventilation, HEPA (merv 13) filters, and masking would go miles in protecting your staff and patients from acquired illness at your facilities.

**Outdoors, CO2 levels are 400-475 ppm. Above 800 ppm, at least 1% of your air is “shared” - meaning you're breathing in exhaled air. CO2 levels above 1,000 ppm is a sign there are elevated risks of potential virus transmission for everyone in the room. Spaces with multiple occupants should aim for 600 ppm to prevent cross-infection.

#covidisnotover #maskup #openawindow
#indoorairquality #covidco2 #cleanair #cleanairnow #cleanairforall #cleanaireverywhere
#airborneaware #airquality
#longcovid #aranet4 #aranet #covid19 #ventilation #southshorema #plymouthma #massachusetts

Who says you can't both mask with a quality KN95 AND be festive? I ordered a box of these for upcoming holiday gatherings with family. #covidisnotover #bringmasksback #bringbackmasks #openawindow
#indoorairquality #covidco2
#airborneaware #airquality
#longcovid #co2guerillas #aranet4 #aranet #covid19 #ventilation #southshorema #plymouthma #massachusetts