Dr. Jen Irwin

An open letter to Prime Minister Carney: A healthy economy needs a healthy public - Canadian Covid Society “There is no path to a healthy economy without a healthy public and investment in science” To The Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada and the new Liberal Government: A healthy econo...

A reminder that -

“There is no path to a healthy economy without a healthy public and investment in science”

@protectbc.bsky.social
@cancovsoc.bsky.social

covidsociety.ca/news/open-le...

Effect of HEPA Filtration Air Purifiers on Blood Pressure: A Pragmatic Randomized Crossover Trial

A randomized crossover trial of 154 adults living near highways found HEPA filters lowered systolic BP in those with elevated baseline levels by ~3 points vs sham.

Clean air may be good for your heart, it seems🫀

www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/...

Indeed….not ideal

Unfortunately, @Nosferatu is rarely (ever?) wrong…

I am now prepared to say we are seeing the start of a COVID wave in Ontario.
What was once a small uptick……

Why RFK Jr’s Cancellation of Moderna’s Pandemic Flu Vaccine is Nonsensical Raywat / blog, COVID-19, epidemiology, politics / 0 comment

I'd already written about the foolhardiness of RFK Jr cancelling mRNA flu jabs. Now he's defunded the entire platform. This will bite the US hard on the ass, both in terms of health outcomes and long term bioscience-based prosperity. Re-upping from June:

medium.com/@deonandan/w...

As Students Go Back to School, New Study Highlights the Importance of Clean Air in Classrooms /PRNewswire/ -- With students across the country preparing to head back to school in the weeks ahead, today the American Lung Association, in collaboration...

“Children and adolescents spend up to half of their waking hours in school, where indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Poor IAQ has been linked to increased illness, asthma attacks, absenteeism and even decreased academic performance.”

www.prnewswire.com/news-release...

COVID significantly increases risk of death from metastatic cancer, new study shows Viruses like COVID-19 and the flu could awaken dormant cancer cells that have previously spread to the lungs, triggering growth of metastatic disease.

COVID significantly increases risk of death from metastatic cancer. Viruses like COVID-19 and the flu could awaken dormant cancer cells that have previously spread to the lungs, triggering the growth of metastatic disease.
healthimaging.com/topics/clini...

There is a large green digital billboard display with the words COVID-19 CAUSES... BRAIN DAMAGE DEMENTIA IMMUNE DAMAGE HEART PROBLEMS DIABETES CHRONIC ILLNESS N95 ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION ANYONE CAN GET LONG COVID, EVEN KIDS. MASK UP AND STAY SAFE. On it. There is also a graphic of a purplish virus particle, and a white n95 mask. There are also 3 vehicles in the picture, two are dark blue suvs and the other is a white car. There are buildings in the background and a patch of grass in front of the parking lot where the vehicles are. It is a sunny day.

Covid numbers are rising and we trying to get the word out. Here are the first two billboards so far this summer and I’ll be working to keep putting them out well into the fall.
If you want to help me continue the campaign any help is appreciated.

gofund.me/fc751c58

It is never too late to start wearing respirator masks again if you've stopped.

Need help sourcing quality masks? linktr.ee/buymasks

If you cannot afford quality masks, contact your local Mask Bloc for free supplies: maskbloc.org

#MaskUp #MasksWork #WearAMask #CovidIsntOver #CovidIsNotOver

Small cohort but concerning.

Sadly we’ve known for years now that SARS-CoV2 has a negative impact on placental health. Asymptomatic infections are not discussed and No one seems to care. Maybe because it damages the brain also. Humanity is not in a good place.

SARS-2 being a risk for the brain development of a fetus during pregnancy needs to be explained to potential and current birth parents.

If you or someone you love is pregnant, it is so important for the health of your baby to avoid COVID exposure/infection. Masks can help you stay well. Wear secure-fitting N95s, KN95s or KF94s all the time when outside the home. Avoid crowds. Don't spend time with sick people. #MaskUp #WearAMask

Epigenetic differences at immune and type 1 diabetes susceptibility genes in blood from young children after COVID-19 infection Viral infections, including COVID-19, are associated with an increased risk for type 1 diabetes (T1D), but potential underlying mechanisms remain unex…

Tell me again how Cøvid is okay for kids 🤬🤬🤬💥

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Cord blood cytokines/chemokines linked to delays in toddlers exposed to SARS-CoV-2 prenatally - Pediatric Research Pediatric Research - Cord blood cytokines/chemokines linked to delays in toddlers exposed to SARS-CoV-2 prenatally

Looking at the impact of maternal COVID infection on neurodevelopment, the authors found: at 6 months, 33.3% of infants exhibited cognitive delays, 20% communication delays, and 40% motor delays, increasing to 35.71%, 64.29%, and 57.14% at 24 months, respectively.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

This is essential reading. Sweden’s early pandemic response was a disaster.

International support welcome, too.

With US OSHA being sidelined, this standard from Canadian Standards Association could fill a major international leadership gap. Airborne disease needs airborne workplace safety. Including in healthcare!

DEADLINE: Aug 19.

Support a National Standard for N95s (and other respirators) in Healthcare The Canadian Standards Association is looking for public feedback on an update of a national standard for N95s (and other respirators).

Attention Canadians who think nobody should get an airborne infection while seeking healthcare:

PLEASE take a few minutes to fill this out (there’s a how-to guide included).

It could safe a life, including your own.

donoharmbc.ca/national-sta...

Assessment of vertigo and dizziness in individuals following COVID-19 - Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Background Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that affects not only the respiratory system but also the central and peripheral nervous systems. Dizziness, vertigo, and balanc...

This study found that dizziness/vertigo was present in 25.34% of the patients who had COVID-19 & that associated symptoms included a sense of distress, nausea, blurred vision, and tinnitus (p < 0.05).

COVID can do a number on a person’s quality of life.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...

“So you’d rather segregate all of these people from society instead of mildly inconveniencing yourself?”🫠

It could be argued that influential individuals in public health and associated departments and organisations are currently involved in professional protectionism. After spending years creating the impression covid infections are benign in children they are in a position where a change in messaging now will lead to difficult questions being asked of those who have consistently presented infection in children as benign.

🎯 🎯 🎯

Long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution linked to increased risk of dementia An analysis of studies incorporating data from almost 30 million people has highlighted the role that air pollution – including that coming from car exhaust

'Long-term exposure to outdoor air pollution linked to increased risk of dementia - tackling air pollution can deliver long-term health, social, climate, and economic benefits.' Dr Haneen Khreis, et al., @mrcepid.bsky.social, @cam.ac.uk

www.cam.ac.uk/research/new...

Canada is in the midst of the worst measles outbreak since the virus was declared eliminated back in 1998. Ontario remains the heart of the outbreak: Public Health Ontario said 1,938 people have gotten sick with measles so far in 2025. Smith says those numbers may have changed peoples' minds. "In these circumstances, where you have an unprecedented measles outbreak and you have the lives of children on the line, sometimes, that's the tipping point," he said.

As the measles outbreak worsens, more Canadians demand mandatory school vaccinations because unvaccinated children are driving this outbreak.

Enough with the discussions. The solution is political - Feds and provinces must make vaccines mandatory.

www.cbc.ca/news/health/...

Canada needs to fix its massive measles outbreak and the solution is simple:

mandatory school vaccines - no more conscience/religious exemptions.

@rmcarpiano.medsky.social:
“provincial school vaccination requirements are far weaker than most US states.”

www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/more...

Support a National Standard for N95s (and other respirators) in Healthcare The Canadian Standards Association is looking for public feedback on an update of a national standard for N95s (and other respirators).

There's a more fulsome instruction guide on how to comment on the proposed standard at donoharmbc.ca/national-sta...

Again, note that no other sector covered by the Z94.4 standard is attempting to undermine it in the way that IPAC managers are doing for healthcare. /6

It’s amazing to see so many infection control professionals stand up in defence of the right to get infections in healthcare.

The great Prof Richard Corsi (of Corsi-Rosenthal box fame) walks you through CSA-Z94.4 here:

bsky.app/profile/cors...

It’s well past time to prioritize patient safety and actual science over outdated dogma. Kudos to the Canadian Standards Association for being a world leader.

Most of these folks are paid out of public funds (ie your tax dollars). If you disagree with them please let your MP, MPP or MLA know