Nearly every disease that we understand is caused, in some way, by inflammation.

Meanwhile those of us sounding the alarm must feel like 1970s climate activists did. Like we're screaming HELLO, THERE IS IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE OF IMPENDING DISASTER, WE CAN DO SOMETHING NOW BUT EVERY SECOND IS PRECIOUS SO LET'S PLEASE PAY ATTENTION and everyone around us is like, Well I don't think that's a big deal and besides there are other bigger problems...

7/

It should NOT be either/or. It should be the norm to wear a respirator in all activist spaces and all protests. It should be expected of anyone who cares about other people as an absolute baseline.

The invisible threats that are destroying us from within are stealing the futures we cannot yet imagine.

Solidarity means that we must keep learning and we must keep paying attention, even when it makes us defensive and uncomfortable.

8/

So yes, please, take the action that feels most pressing today. And think about the kind of world you want to have, and what it takes to build it. How can you incorporate COVID awareness and clean-air precautions into your activism and your community? This is not just about protecting ourselves and our families—though that certainly will allow us to continue our work much more sustainably.

We need to shift the tide. We need to change the norms.

We need to be loud, and maybe even obnoxious.

9/

Nearly every disease that we understand is caused, in some way, by inflammation.

COVID-19 causes severe, systemic, permanent inflammation in many different parts of our bodies.

It's a bit of a misnomer to say that only some virus survivors have long COVID. Only some people are exhibiting current symptoms of chronic illness that they can directly trace to an infection.

But EVERYONE HAS PERMANENT COVID DAMAGE AND ELEVATED INFLAMMATION.

1/

We need to care SO MUCH about each other that we stop trying to go with the flow. We can't limit ourselves to change work that is popular and supported by our friends and families.

Because the same people who were all about "flattening the curve" and shaming Trumpists for flouting masks and shunning vaccines are now... not masking and not getting regular boosters, for reasons that have nothing to do with science and everything to do with peer pressure.

Y'all are capable.

10/

@nat my doctor said that no matter what people choose to believe, the fact is that COVID damages every organ in the body.

@nat (deep, weary sigh)

@kimlockhartga This. And not just every organ, but your blood, in unusual ways that other viruses don't!!! Which is probably why it's so successful at spreading to every organ.

https://answers.childrenshospital.org/covid-19-inflammation/

@nat I think we are just beginning to see what we've done by not taking it seriously enough. Reactivated Epstein Barr has pretty much triggered every autoimmune illness I have. All from one pesky virus.

I don't have a nice cozy way to wrap this up. I'm frustrated, but I want to be encouraging. I'm seeing more and more people who get it. I just wish most of them didn't have to become disabled first.

You may have the opportunity to do something BEFORE you're disabled. You'll still have consequences at some point. But you can keep it from being worse. And you can protect others, and help others protect themselves, so in 50 years the world won't be dismayed by your hopeless inaction.

11/11

@nat Yes. Yes. All of the yes. Thank you.