jerry buchko ·☽︎.˙ (@jerrybuchko) — Bluesky Profile

3 months ago

Caerphilly school shuts as 'flu-like' illness hits 250 pupils and staff The school says it will shut for a short "firebreak" period to allow a deep clean.

So.

Those are your choices.

Take measures to stop disease.

Or watch it stop you.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

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3 months ago

A map of the United States titled “COVID-19 Heat Map, Based on CDC Wastewater Data and Levels (U.S.) – Dec 8, 2025.” The map shows each state shaded by wastewater-indicated COVID-19 transmission levels. Colors represent: Very High (dark red), High (red), Moderate (orange), Low (yellow), Very Low (pale yellow), and Limited Data (diagonal hash lines). Nevada is shown in dark red (very high). Iowa, Arkansas, and Massachusetts are shaded red (high). Several states including Kansas, Missouri, Louisiana, and Georgia are orange (moderate). Much of the country is pale yellow (very low), including California, Texas, Florida, and New York. Some states such as Wyoming, Montana, Minnesota, and parts of the Mid-Atlantic have limited data indicated by diagonal striping. A note at the bottom reads: “Five states have moderate to very high transmission. In the ‘Very Low’ regions, there is considerable variability, with some wastewater sites showing higher levels; see in the next two charts though that levels are exceptionally low in some places, such as Hawai’i, DC, and California.” The source is listed as Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative (PMC) and the map credits Michael Hoerger. Data last updated 11/29/25.

A data slide titled “National COVID-19 Estimates (U.S.) – Dec 8, 2025” from the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative. It lists current estimated COVID-19 impacts using large blue text and two-column tables.

Under Infections, values are:

Proportion Actively Infectious: 1 in 102 (1%)

New Daily Infections: 479,000

Infections the Past Week: 2,940,000

Infections in 2025: 225,000,000

Cumulative Infections per Person: 4.84

Under Long COVID, estimates are shaded light blue:

Long COVID Cases from New Daily Infections: 24,000 to 96,000

Long COVID Cases from New Weekly Infections: 147,000 to 590,000

Under Excess Deaths, also shaded light blue:

Excess Deaths from New Daily Infections: 140 to 240

Excess Deaths from New Weekly Infections: 900 to 1,400

A short paragraph at the bottom states: New daily infections are estimated at 479,000 for December 8. Late November transmission was flat like last year, unlike early-pandemic years where rates increased before Thanksgiving.

A table titled “COVID-19 State Prevalence Estimates – Dec 8, 2025” from the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative. It lists U.S. states with estimated active COVID-19 prevalence and the probability that someone is infectious in rooms of different sizes (10, 25, 50, 100 people). Columns include: State, CDC Level, PMC Estimate % Actively Infectious, and four risk columns.

The rows show wide variation. Examples near the top:

Alabama – Moderate; 1 in 47 infectious (2.1%); probability 19% in a room of 10 up to 89% in a room of 100

Alaska – Very Low; 1 in 220 (0.5%); 4% to 37%

Highlighted in red:

Arizona – Very High*; 1 in 18 infectious (5.7%); 44% in a room of 10, >99% in a room of 100

Indiana – High; 1 in 30 (3.3%); 29% in a room of 10, 97% in a room of 100

Other examples:

California – Very Low; 1 in 574 (0.2%)

Florida – Very Low; 1 in 494 (0.2%)

Illinois – Very Low; 1 in 112 (0.9%)

Michigan – Low*; 1 in 87 (1.2%)

Minnesota – Low; 1 in 99 (1.0%)

A note indicates *Limited data reporting for some entries.

Bottom text: Data last updated 11/29/25.

A table titled “COVID-19 State Prevalence Estimates – Dec 8, 2025” from the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative. It lists U.S. states alphabetically from Missouri through Wyoming. Columns show: State, CDC Level, PMC Estimate of percent actively infectious (as “1 in X”), and four columns estimating the chance that at least one person is infectious in rooms of 10, 25, 50, or 100 people.

Most states are labeled Very Low with estimated infection levels ranging from 1 in ~100 to 1 in ~300 people, giving 3–8% risk in a room of 10 and 20–60% risk in a room of 100.

Highlighted in red:

Vermont — High; 1 in 35 (2.8%); 25% risk in a room of 10, rising to 94% in a room of 100.

Other examples:

New Jersey — Very Low; 1 in 217 (0.5%); 5–37% infection risk depending on room size.

Ohio — Low; 1 in 70 (1.4%); 13–76% risk depending on group size.

Oklahoma — Low*; 1 in 68 (1.5%); 14–77% risk.

West Virginia — Low; 1 in 76 (1.3%); 12–73% risk.

A note states: Limited reporting; ND has no data, averages MN, MT & SD.

Bottom right text: Data last updated 11/29/25.

US Weekly COVID update: Dec 8, 2025

🔸1 in 102 Actively Infectious
🔸479,000 New Daily Infections
🔸2,940,000 Infections In The Past Week
🔸225,000,000 Infections in 2025
🔸147,000 to 590,000 Weekly Long COVID Cases
🔸900 to 1,400 Weekly Deaths

Source: pmc19.com/data/

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3 months ago

SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System A landmark new study shows COVID-19 isn’t ‘just a cold’: One infection left people with long-lasting immune damage, and those with heart disease lost up to 70% of key immune cells. Reinfections may wo...

"A landmark new study shows COVID-19 isn’t ‘just a cold’: One infection left people with long-lasting immune damage, and those with heart disease lost up to 70% of key immune cells. Reinfections may worsen this. The message is clear: protecting ourselves still matters."

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3 months ago

A Daily Mail news card preview showing the headline: “Deadly ‘super’ flu surge forces schools to close and triggers mask mandates across the US,” written by Cassidy Morrison. The featured photo shows a busy outdoor area with many people walking and standing close together. Most are wearing face masks, including a man in a black jacket and beanie at the center, and several women dressed for cool weather. Bright, colorful storefronts and blurred street lights are visible in the background, suggesting a busy city environment. The timestamp reads “Daily Mail · 3h.”

Deadly 'super' flu surge forces schools to close and triggers mask mandates across the US

The CDC estimates between 1.9 million and 3.3 million Americans have had the flu since October, with 19,000–38,000 hospitalisations. Rising cases have led to some states reinstating mask mandates in hospitals.

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3 months ago

A tweet from Hazie Thompson (@hazie.thompson) reads: “Once you are symptomatic it’s too late to protect those around you, let alone yourself. Mask early, mask often.” The post shows it was published at 4:21 AM on December 9, 2025, and has 6,727 views.

This. People are contagious before symptoms start — masking protects everyone.

#COVIDisNotOver #COVIDisAirborne #MaskUp😷

Source: x.com/haziethompso...

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3 months ago

A screenshot of a Nature news article dated 8 December 2025. The headline reads: “Long-COVID research just got a big funding boost: will it find new treatments?” The subheading explains that the German government has committed half a billion euros to research long COVID and other post-infection syndromes. The article is written by Michael Marshall.

Below the headline is a large photo of two women wearing N95 masks at what appears to be a public meeting or advocacy event. The woman in the foreground wears a grey T-shirt printed with “LONG COVID CAMPAIGN – CARE TREAT NOW.” Both women sit among a larger audience, many of whom also wear masks. The caption notes that global estimates suggest 6 in 100 people who get COVID-19 develop long COVID.

Germany invests €500M in long COVID and other post-infection syndromes

Germany is among many countries facing a growing burden from long COVID. Up to 1 in 5 Germans (2022) and 1 in 7 Americans (2023) had long COVID, and long COVID is estimated to cost the global economy about US$1 trillion annually

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3 months ago

A screenshot of a Scientific American article titled “COVID Vaccines Slashed Kids’ ER Visits by 76 Percent, Study Finds.” The subheading notes that a CDC report reaffirms the effectiveness of COVID vaccines at preventing severe disease in children. The article is dated December 11, 2025 and credited to Tanya Lewis, edited by Andrea Thompson.

Below the headline is a photo showing a child’s hand pointing at a row of colorful Band-Aids laid out on a medical table. The Band-Aids come in various bright patterns—zebra stripes, red with shapes, blue designs, cartoon-style prints, floral prints, green camouflage, and two yellow ones. The table has a white medical pad, and nearby are some clinic items such as a phone or device and other equipment. The caption states that the image shows a child picking out a Band-Aid before receiving a COVID vaccination in San Jose, California in 2022.

"COVID Vaccines Slashed Kids’ ER Visits by 76%, Study Finds"

Effectiveness of COVID Vaccines in Children (compared with unvaccinated children):

🔹76% reduction in ER or urgent care visits (ages 9 months–4 years)

🔹56% reduction in ER or Urgent care visits (ages 5–17 years)

Source: archive.md/roPXg

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3 months ago

Dr Noor Bari on X 21/7/2022
Replying to @NjbBari3
Essentially, we will make the pandemic end... and we can decide to start doing it now, while life is still relatively good, or much, much later... after poverty, disease, disability, and likely conflict have racked the foundations of our world.

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3 months ago

A little black squirrel relaxes on a widow frame. She is dusted with snow.

She likes to relax at our kitchen window.

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3 months ago

SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System A landmark new study shows COVID-19 isn’t ‘just a cold’: One infection left people with long-lasting immune damage, and those with heart disease lost up to 70% of key immune cells. Reinfections may wo...

SARS-CoV-2 Leaves a Lasting Mark on the Immune System
johnsnowproject.org/primers/sars...

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

👀😷 see? ... a better world is possible, fam,, #CovidIsNotOver
#WearARespirator

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3 months ago

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3 months ago

Bus Paintings: Addenbrooke's Sunset

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3 months ago

banyan tree 2

#art #photo #photography #banyan #tree #oldbuilding #streetsnap #westernlight #Tainan #EastCoastKin
©️skinskin

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3 months ago

Good morning #bluesky

Loch Morlich on a snowy winter’s day.

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3 months ago

Spare me muzak. Spare me newzak. The filling of space with a bombardment of tepidity.

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3 months ago

There hasn’t been a wild wolf in Hookland since 1483, but the land is long memory told in ghosts. The King’s Chase Forest has phantom pack. Wolves grown in size with each generation’s telling. Red-eyed, shadow-furred. They howl so we don’t forget our extinguishing sin. - #CLNolan

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3 months ago

"To be silent the whole day long, see no newspaper, hear no radio, listen to no gossip, be thoroughly and completely lazy, thoroughly and completely indifferent to the fate of the world is the finest medicine a man can give himself. "

Henry Miller

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3 months ago

a mountain and a sleeping wolf
unafraid of blood or of death.
I desire nothing more than a deep, restful sleep.

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3 months ago

Duchess, a beautiful black Bouvier, age 10, 95 pounds. A close-up portrait of her beautiful shaggy face. Duchess is a trained service dog and has a sweet temper. She is being fostered in Portola and just needs someone to adopt her! :)

Skye, a beautiful fawn Bouvier, age 10, 70 pounds. She's standing in a yard looking friendly with her thick fur and gentle face. She is a lovely girl and has a sweet temper. She is being fostered in Portola and just needs someone to adopt her! :)

Once again with a dog sitch: These beautiful Bouviers seek a new home following the sad passing of their owner. Duchess (left) is a trained service dog; that’s her buddy Skye. They are robust, have sweet tempers, & can be w/ other pets. In Portola, CA.

Pls share & also direct any questions my way!

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3 months ago

For greed is a savagery always turned against the most vulnerable.

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3 months ago

film stills from The Last Man on Earth

I can't afford the luxury of anger. Anger can make me vulnerable.

It can destroy my reason, and reason is the only advantage I have over them.

Goodnight.

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3 months ago

No, making a vaccine recommended or mandatory does not negate "informed consent."

These people are telling on themselves.

Taking away vaccine access and engaging in obfuscation actually undermines "informed consent."

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3 months ago

Regardless of the intended purpose of capitalism, the actual effect seems to be that people with sufficient wealth are exempt from caregiving work, and the sentiments that would encourage people to care about other people.

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3 months ago

tiny bord perched on a fence post. Its breath is visible as its a cold morning

Matej Peljhan.
matejpeljhan.com/aboutEN.html

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3 months ago

The wise witch never takes more than her share. There are only so many bottles of tincture and syrup she can store. She learns to swerve greed, to leave an unexpected bounty for birds and sprites. Sometimes the best harvest is a memory of beauty. – #EmilyCBanting, 1982 #WitchSky

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3 months ago

Selling the Poor on Spending Like They’re Rich - The American Prospect How plutonomy, premiumization, and social media squeeze the middle class.

"Citigroup executives coined the term “plutonomy” almost exactly 20 years ago in a memo sent to investors. The bankers didn’t coin the term as an intellectual exercise; the goal was to curate stocks accordingly." prospect.org/2025/12/01/p...

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3 months ago

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