Coronavirus Tidbits #193 5/22/22
Quick links
News Diagnostics Drugs Devices Epidemiology/Infection control Tips Politics Feel good du jour Comic relief Perspective/Poem Bits of beauty
Announcements:
First, there is now a Resources Page here for the most commonly asked questions I’m getting.
Happy to continue to answer your questions/concerns as best I can, so don’t be shy about that.
New posts:
Bacteria-Killing Viruses Are Successful In Treating Antibiotic-Resistant Infections
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CDC Updates PrEP Vaccination Recommendations
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/974298
News
NEW: The spread of the Omicron variant has given scientists an unsettling picture of our Covid-19 future: Multiple reinfections, sometimes within months.https://t.co/hZaaw7TB8F
— Apoorva Mandavilli (@apoorva_nyc) May 16, 2022
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People with covid symptoms and positive antigen tests should be counseled that they may be infectious to others — both at initial presentation and if a relapse occurs after Paxlovid.
— Paul Sax (@PaulSaxMD) May 18, 2022
This case series documents possible transmission during relapse. https://t.co/YIsC5FtxyU https://t.co/yoktE5lLTD pic.twitter.com/8glUDJGLZE
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Heart-disease risk soars after COVID — even with a mild case https://t.co/iZC5rQDlOJ
— Judy Stone (@DrJudyStone) May 16, 2022
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Auto-antibodies to (type 1) interferon are a big deal:
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) May 16, 2022
"their detection appears to have a much greater predictive value for death, and, by inference, hospitalization and critical COVID-19, than sex, comorbidities, and common genetic variants"https://t.co/f6dMcOU9PA @PNASNews pic.twitter.com/l5uSBU3IEX
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Here's the one on #LongCovid https://t.co/7Xf2q6FR9z pic.twitter.com/FIi94ULxao
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) May 16, 2022
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"Our results demonstrate that use of live-attenuated
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) May 17, 2022
[nasal] vaccines may offer advantages over available COVID-19 vaccines, specifically when applied as
booster, and may provide a solution for containment of the COVID-19 pandemic."https://t.co/Rxd2ZF3GgPhttps://t.co/JUjXJwCTGi pic.twitter.com/qjzZm9lSwS
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And T cell vaccines that can be given nasally and achieve mucosal immunity across variantshttps://t.co/L6iIeXLhOp @PNASNews pic.twitter.com/bSeBKNkcJw
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) May 17, 2022
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COVID-19, MIS-C and Kawasaki disease share same immune response https://t.co/5YSoS3sv85 via @medical_xpress
— Judy Stone (@DrJudyStone) May 22, 2022
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To my friends of a certain age: Try REAL hard to stay out of the hospital. https://t.co/ti6FpzFqIs
— Paul Wilczynski Vaxxed 4x (@PaulWilczynski) May 16, 2022
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— Robby💙 (@rking78708) May 17, 2022
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More on this https://t.co/1Q3Mw31m9W
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) May 10, 2022
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Alpha-Gal Syndrome and Ticks
This thread is about alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) – meat allergy induced by tick bites. I’ve been living with AGS for >2 yrs. I hope this info will help those who suffer from this illness without knowing the cause. Please help bring awareness to #AGS (1/n) https://t.co/9aqo6pFT5o pic.twitter.com/b9iuKGk6yZ
— Prof. Akiko Iwasaki (@VirusesImmunity) July 10, 2021
remainder of thread at https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1413962890579791875.html
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Monkeypox
Gonna start appending my old pinned tweet to the end of every thread: https://t.co/C1kJRFlhgy
— Ed Yong (@edyong209) May 20, 2022
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Could monkeypox outbreak now in 4 continents have more than one introduction from Africa? Can it spread via sex? Is there iceberg below detected cases? How will vaccines be used? Vexing questions surround this rare disease I first covered 25 years ago.https://t.co/Odi3uIqqtn pic.twitter.com/fTnnDo2FZT
— Jon Cohen (@sciencecohen) May 20, 2022
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Monkeypox goes global: why scientists are on alert https://t.co/kuinLl0pWu
— Judy Stone (@DrJudyStone) May 22, 2022
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A CDC expert answers questions on #monkeypox. Q+A w/ Dr. Andrea McCollum, the poxvirus epidemiology team lead in the CDC’s division of high consequence pathogens and pathology, by @HelenBranswell https://t.co/HbYsGQdfhp via @statnews #GlobalHealth
— André Picard (@picardonhealth) May 19, 2022
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For more information on the actual vaccine:
— Chise (@sailorrooscout) May 19, 2022
•https://t.co/MQQuNYjjeQ
•https://t.co/rLIJGs68A9
FYI. Past data from Africa suggests that the smallpox vaccine is at least 85% effective in preventing Monkeypox.
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WHO Q&A about monkeypox https://t.co/vQ2lcKRneX
— Marion Koopmans (@MarionKoopmans) May 20, 2022
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#Spain: #Monkeypox outbreak linked to super-spreader event at adult sauna
— Paul Belcher | Mast: @pauljbelcher@eupolicy.social (@PaulJBelcher) May 21, 2022
Most of the country’s 30 cases have been traced back to a single venue in Madridhttps://t.co/xIR9Be6Wg7 via @MetroUK
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Every year, we run an MSc session on the dynamics of monkeypox transmission, and our team have worked a lot on contact tracing & transmission chain analysis for a range of infections. So a few thoughts on current MPX outbreak… 1/
— Adam Kucharski (@adamjkucharski) May 20, 2022
Waning immunity to smallpox might be boosting the new cases of monkeypox. Thread: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1527494313080303617.html
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Perhaps most importantly we have our free #OpenWHO course on #MonkeypoxVirus which is a great resource and is available in French and English.
— Krutika Kuppalli, MD FIDSA (@KrutikaKuppalli) May 20, 2022
It is a great way to get real information about this diseasehttps://t.co/WclSPkF6vy
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https://twitter.com/ENirenberg/status/1527725946190581762?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
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FDA Approves Expanded Smallpox – Monkeypox Treatment Formulation
New York-based SIGA Technologies, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the intravenous (IV) formulation of TPOXX for the treatment of smallpox.
SIGA stated in its press release issued on May 19, 2022, that the IV formulation is an essential option for those unable to swallow the oral capsules of TPOXX.
The oral formulation of TPOXX (tecovirimat) is approved in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
TPOXX worldwide approvals include the treatment of smallpox, monkeypox, cowpox, and complications from immunization with vaccinia.
Recently, SIGA announced that it had initiated clinical programs to support oral TPOXX label expansion for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis.
And from an availability perspective, SIGA announced on May 12, 2022, that the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) awarded a contract to SIGA for the procurement of up to approximately $7.5 million of oral TPOXX, of which approximately $3.6 million of oral TPOXX targeted for delivery in 2022.
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(there’s also a vax JYNNEOS® smallpox vaccine)
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https://twitter.com/Boghuma/status/1416569112856350735?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
Diagnostics:
Looks like @USPS and @HHSGov have opened up ordering for a third round of free COVID-19 tests
— Alexander Tin (@Alexander_Tin) May 16, 2022
"Each order now includes 8 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests"https://t.co/VncZ5t04RW https://t.co/D4WMddLS46 pic.twitter.com/d90S2UeiUe
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Remember this:
— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) May 15, 2022
“If There’s enough Virus to Detect
There’s enough virus to infect”
Brilliant!
(Note: This message ONLY pertains to rapid ANTIGEN (paper strip) tests!
PCR and PCR-like molecular tests can stay positive long after people are infectious) https://t.co/b31QXvPulS
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This human covid challenge experiment in @NatureMedicine showed that +RAT correlated well with infectious virus.
— Ben Ouyang 👨🔬👨⚕️ (@ben_ouyang) May 20, 2022
So if you have a +RAT, it's probably best to continue isolating and masking, even if you're beyond the 5-day guideline.https://t.co/UiopphBZLi
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https://twitter.com/ENirenberg/status/1526279516703936516?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
Drugs and Vaccines:
Pfizer booster for kids 5-12 ok’ed
In amending its earlier emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the FDA today authorized the use of a single booster in children ages 5 through 11 at least 5 months after completing the primary two-dose series.
In a statement, FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, MD, said though COVID-19 is typically less severe in children than adults, the Omicron surge came with higher numbers of illnesses, hospitalizations, and long-term effects from the disease in youngsters. He added that vaccination is still a strong hedge against severe consequences, and he urged parents to ensure that kids get their primary series.
Also, Peter Marks, MD, PhD, who directs the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said emerging data show vaccine effectiveness wanes after the second dose in all authorized populations and that the benefits of a booster dose in younger kids outweighs potential risks.
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Opinion: Does Paxlovid help people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19? Show us the data!
Paxlovid was given the green light based on a trial that included only unvaccinated, Covid-naive people. That’s a minority of Americans.
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New on Paxlovid relapse, being reported w/ increased frequency as use has risen
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) May 18, 2022
In-depth assessment of a case
No sign of resistance or lack of neutralizing antibody. "most likely possibility for the observed recrudescence is insufficient drug exposure"https://t.co/GTMbHemwc6
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A good write up by @TheScientistLLC @ce_offord
— David Boulware, MD MPH (@boulware_dr) May 20, 2022
on different physicians perspectives of #fluvoxamine and the FDA EUA decline.
For those wanting outpatient Rx to show a mortality benefit, the US RCTs I have been involved with have a 0.1% mortality. https://t.co/cl64XSDy4B
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Long Covid:
The #Longcovid adventure goes on. This week, three of us travelled from Northern Ireland to Germany for Microclot testing. All three of us tested positive for Microclots and hyperactivated platelets. pic.twitter.com/9RFhvWI9QR
— Ronan Boyle (@RonanBoyle2004) May 21, 2022
Dr Jaeger’s clinic in Mulheim Germany. Rx promising Anticoagulants/ anti platelets.
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Devices:
Full @KPBS interview (at very top >10 min) on cleaning indoor air with me @GuptaUcsd @KPBSErik at beginning and then me and Maureen Cavanaugh starting at 4:29. #corsirosenthalbox @UCSanDiego https://t.co/DhikickaaY
— Kimberly Prather, Ph.D. (@kprather88) May 19, 2022
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Study suggests, 'far ultraviolet-C light can reduce level of airborne microbes in a room by >92%'; and, 'that lamps operating at this wavelength could be used to combat common airborne viruses, including #SARSCoV2, and thus prevent its transmission'.https://t.co/sG5XvMe4qI
— Dr Joe Pajak CSci #CovidIsAirborne – it's science (@JoePajak) May 20, 2022
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Hate your face #mask? There’s hope https://t.co/gQT57crNZ9
— Judy Stone (@DrJudyStone) May 22, 2022
Attractive and get good reviews, but expensive https://www.airgami.life/collections/all
Epidemiology/Infection control:
It means being unable to participate in research, which biases the research.
— Hannah Davis (@ahandvanish) May 20, 2022
Not having a test result with #LongCovid can lead to lost income, inability to live by yourself, worsened pain, among other things:https://t.co/PdgzgyTNGu
2/
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Vaccination appeared to reduce the likelihood of continuing symptoms of long COVID, reported @DanAyoubkhani, MSc, in @bmj_latest.
— MedPage Today (@medpagetoday) May 19, 2022
By @mms_walker, @MedPageID.#IDtwitter https://t.co/K1t3enC731
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Spillover events – where a pathogen that originates in animals jumps into people – have probably triggered every viral pandemic that’s occurred since the start of the 20th century. Here's how we can reduce the risks https://t.co/wepHNUkSFq
— nature (@Nature) May 13, 2022
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COVID mortality age patterns changed significantly during pandemic
Early in the pandemic, older populations in the United States suffered the greatest death toll from COVID-19. But Penn demographers Irma Elo and Samuel Preston, with Boston University’s Andrew Stokes and others, wanted to understand whether this mortality pattern changed as the pandemic continued.
Between March 2020 and October 2021, the age pattern of COVID mortality changed in a striking fashion, with rates significantly dropping for those 80 and older and profoundly increasing for those 25 to 54. The findings held across racial and ethnic groups.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-05-covid-mortality-age-patterns-significantly.html
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COVID long-haulers: Study shows who is most at risk, impact on local communities
by Hiroshima University MAY 18, 2022
A Japanese research team looking at COVID-19’s lingering impacts on survivors and local communities found that having a mild case of COVID-19, smoking status, comorbidities, or your sex aren’t significant predictors to tell if you are less likely to develop long-term symptoms, but age is.
“The prevalence of sequelae did not significantly differ by sex, severity of COVID-19, place of medical care, smoking status, or comorbidities,” the research team, led by Hiroshima University Professor and Executive Vice President Junko Tanaka, said in their findings published in Scientific Reports.
The prevalence of lingering symptoms varied by age group in the study, but the researchers found that older patients are significantly more likely to become long-haulers compared to those aged 40 and below. This is consistent with previous studies showing that long-haul symptoms were more likely with increasing age.
They also discovered age-dependent differences in the prevalence of symptoms. Patients aged 60 and above were more likely than other age groups to report fatigue, palpitations, dry eyes or mouth, dyspnea, and sputum production.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-05-covid-long-haulers-impact-local.html
Tips, general reading for public:
Ventilate.
Mask.
Vax.
Politics:
Covid:
The Covid Capitulation – excellent (but somewhat dreary) summary on where our nation stands from my friend and colleague @EricTopol https://t.co/e0F2x3bnf9
— Prof Peter Hotez MD PhD (@PeterHotez) May 15, 2022
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https://twitter.com/MackayIM/status/1526023378561249280?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
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A politically connected testing company had contracts across Nevada. Its tests didn’t work. https://t.co/c0zT0itqK2
— Matthew Herper (@matthewherper) May 20, 2022
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States Have Yet to Spend Hundreds of Millions of Federal Dollars to Tackle Covid Health Disparities | Kaiser Health News https://t.co/akRTLyqjx5
— Judy Stone (@DrJudyStone) May 21, 2022
GOP:
Freudian slip:
Former President George W. Bush: “The decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq. I mean of Ukraine.” pic.twitter.com/UMwNMwMnmX
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) May 19, 2022
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The House GOP leadership has enabled white nationalism, white supremacy, and anti-semitism. History has taught us that what begins with words ends in far worse. @GOP leaders must renounce and reject these views and those who hold them.
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) May 16, 2022
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We're seeing a dramatic escalation in the war on a free press in America – epitomized by Doug Mastriano's ban on reporters covering his pro-coup campaign for Pa. governor. The GOP has become an enemy of the basic tenets of U. S. democracy
— Will Bunch (@Will_Bunch) May 15, 2022
My new column https://t.co/cbIpsCADWl
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Republicans: “Clearly video games are to blame.” pic.twitter.com/xD4IAdaTFJ
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) May 16, 2022
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Even though the Buffalo gunman was referred for mental health counseling 11 months ago when his high school brought in police to investigate his threats to shoot fellow students, he was still able to legally buy three long guns at age 18. #nyleg https://t.co/E5NOrs6neU
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) May 15, 2022
Racism
The government also used organized militias. But a lot of the killing was done by ordinary people who were urged by their media to get out there and exterminate those who were defined as a threat.
— Steve Inskeep (@NPRinskeep) May 16, 2022
It’s been a long time since I read this detail in an amazing book by @PGourevitch, “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families.” So I checked to be sure I remembered correctly. Here he is discussing it: https://pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/interviews/gourevitch.html
“RTLM (Radio-Television Libre Milles Collines)… became the genocidal radio. It was a radio dedicated entirely to entertainment and genocidal propaganda. And it was highly entertaining. It had pop music…”
“…It was very much in keeping with the kind of youth movement spirit of the militia movement. And people loved this radio station. It was very popular. And it mounted this increasingly virulent, exclusionary and exterminatory rhetoric…”
“…It became almost Genocide Central. It was through there that people were instructed at times, ‘Go out there and kill. You must do your work. People are needed over in this commune….'”
“They actually had disc jockeys who would say, So-and-so has just fled. He is said to be moving down such-and-such street. And they would literally hunt an individual… It was a rallying tool that was used in a tremendous way to mobilize the population.” Wasn’t long ago. 1994.
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Noting that in AP copy, 18-yeear-old Michael Brown was an “18-year old Black man,” while 18-year-old Payton Gendron is a “white teenager.” pic.twitter.com/53Jt1vWuqf
— Dr. Thrasher (@thrasherxy) May 15, 2022
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"How could an 18 year old have become a supremacist" they scream, while banning CRT and holocaust books
— Jesse Case (@jessecase) May 15, 2022
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Every time police arrest a white mass shooter alive & w/o shooting is an another powerful reason to reject the police “they-were-armed” justification and narrative after killing a Black person.
— Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) May 15, 2022
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This you? pic.twitter.com/pvrLMPII44
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 14, 2022
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In addition to the Black people murdered by Buffalo police, I can’t help but juxtapose the 70yr old white activist at a BLM protest they pushed so hard he fell and split his head open against an 18yr old white man who just slaughtered 10 Black people being so carefully handled.
— Kenyon Farrow (@kenyonfarrow) May 15, 2022
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Viktor Orbán tells CPAC the path to power is to ‘have your own media’ https://t.co/n2ZflKy9gP
— The Guardian (@guardian) May 20, 2022
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— Annbiebs (@AnnBieb) May 15, 2022
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“Words can be dangerous. Gov. Wallace never pulled a trigger. He never fired a gun. But in his speech, he created the environment for others to pull the trigger.”
— Windsor Mann (@WindsorMann) May 15, 2022
—John Lewis
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Elon Musk:
Elon Musk’s latest tweet is a picture of him shaking the hand of the right wing dictator of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro.
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) May 21, 2022
Musk is making a manic display of his paranoia and new found Fascism. He is dangerously unwell and his mental health has become a matter of national security. pic.twitter.com/JpeXFxUA7P
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Watched a @Tesla catch on fire this morning. As soon as it started smoking the electrical system locked trapping the guy inside. Luckily construction workers broke the window so he could escape. Neat feature pic.twitter.com/9OHoP9mWbe
— Mjarchie (@Mjarchie1) May 20, 2022
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NEW: Elon Musk says he’ll vote for Republicans this year because “the Democratic Party is overly controlled by the unions and…class-action lawyers.”
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 18, 2022
Musk is a notorious union-buster & was hit with a class-action lawsuit from 1k Black workers who alleged rampant racism at Tesla. pic.twitter.com/2SEUBTgDXm
Ex-Tesla autoworker Richard Ortiz tried to exercise his free speech by organizing his coworkers inside @ElonMusk's company.
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) May 18, 2022
In response, Tesla "coercively interrogated" him three times, then fired him illegally, federal investigators found. pic.twitter.com/ar1GnjSfMd
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Elon musk should be slang for the scent a person gives off when they’re sketchy/disappointing. “I was excited to meet his brother, but the guy had an unsettling elon musk.”
— Emily Nussbaum (@emilynussbaum) May 18, 2022
Very funny, snarky responses…
Tucker
Here's a challenge to anyone claiming the mass shooting in Buffalo is being "politicized." Which of these quotes are from Tucker Carlson, and which are from white supremacist mass shooters? pic.twitter.com/uIBnamJXCA
— Becca Lewis (@beccalew) May 16, 2022
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WaPo has verified 2014 emails in which Tucker Carlson and his wife asked Hunter Biden for help in getting their son into Georgetown.
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) May 19, 2022
(via @mviser)https://t.co/aKmBABMB4N
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Charles Manson was not present at murder scenes and did not commit actual murders, but found guilty because of his influence over his followers. How’s that any different from Tucker Carlson, who heavily influenced the Buffalo Shooter, with his replacement theory?
— Dee (@dshanico) May 15, 2022
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stefanik
https://twitter.com/Meidas_Ivy/status/1526009412267061248?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
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I hope political reporters will have enough guts to do stories like this over and over again until the stench of that repulsive theory is gone. https://t.co/OWv4JHfMBi
— Dan Froomkin/PressWatchers.org ☮️ (@froomkin) May 16, 2022
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Louisiana Senator: Our Maternal Death Rates Are Only Bad If You Count Black Women https://t.co/y6oHJETvvb via @VanityFair
— Gregg Gonsalves (@gregggonsalves) May 21, 2022
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The numbers here are pretty staggering:
— Max Berger (@maxberger) May 17, 2022
– $3,689,364 to defeat @NidaAllam
– $2,909,656 to defeat @EricaforUS
– $3,360,675 to defeat @SummerForPA
– $800,921 to defeat @JamieforOregon
These billionaire funded SuperPACs went all out to defeat working class women of color.
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The gunman who allegedly opened fire at a Laguna Woods church Sunday appeared to be motivated by political hatred directed at the Taiwanese community, Orange County Sheriff’s officials said.
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 16, 2022
The suspect was identified as a 68-year-old Las Vegas man.https://t.co/8r1e1v8saA
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NEW: @HUDgov accused Texas’ land office in March of discriminating against Black and Latino Texans in its plan to distribute Hurricane Harvey aid.
— Texas Tribune (@TexasTribune) May 16, 2022
In a newly revised plan, Texas is again on track to send a higher share of funds to whiter, inland counties. https://t.co/E3NeHnS71F
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In South Bend Indiana today. Twitter, do your thing. pic.twitter.com/5TxVjaKRPn
— SusanG (@Saloozalie) May 17, 2022
Abortion/Reproductive rights:
My little feminist at the #BansOffOurBodies rally in Cincinnati ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fmXIWzwLME
— Tiffany (@TuffTiffResists) May 14, 2022
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— Kim Wexler's Ponytail (@MadisonKittay) May 14, 2022
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The State Behind Roe’s Likely Demise Also Does the Least for New Parents in Need https://t.co/Cfa4nEOXEe
— Liz Szabo (@LizSzabo) May 20, 2022
Breastfeeding/Formula
Breastfeeding my two children for a year cost
— Shematologist, MD (@acweyand) May 12, 2022
$400 for home plus travel breast pump
$400 for breast milk storage bags
$2600 in extra groceries
$200 other supplies
~4,000 hours
Too many tears
And never would have happened without a supportive job and partner.
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The bill is aimed at ensuring that families in need can continue to buy baby formula with WIC benefits by easing current restrictions that limit parents' options. This would protect families during supply chain crises or product recalls.
— MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) May 19, 2022
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Imagine being so “pro-life” that you are willing to vote against baby formula …
— Eric Swalwell (@ericswalwell) May 19, 2022
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Republicans’ steadfast commitment to life begins at conception and ends at birth. https://t.co/sVfQb76wJr
— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) May 19, 2022
Health/Insurance:
My little sister has been really struggling with a health condition lately and finally got to see a doctor. They charged her $40 for crying. pic.twitter.com/fbvOWDzBQM
— Camille Johnson (@OffbeatLook) May 17, 2022
SCOTUS/Ginni Thomas
https://twitter.com/briantylercohen/status/1525576797428908033?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
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Clarence Thomas: People need to "live with outcomes we don’t agree with."
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) May 20, 2022
Ginni Thomas: pic.twitter.com/WNJ5gfLtnz
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One additional detail: Clarence Thomas is The Godfather to Clint Bolick’s child, and Bolick’s wife is the AZ lawmaker who Ginni Thomas pressured to overturn the 2020 election. No conflicts of interest? https://t.co/nucVmY1rjD
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) May 20, 2022
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If the church can prevent someone from receiving the Holy Communion because of their political beliefs, SHOULDN'T THE CHURCH BE TAXED???
— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@mmpadellan) May 20, 2022
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Justice Kagan's first paragraph says it all:https://t.co/aQytxooh5t pic.twitter.com/mBq4WmUIiN
— Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) May 17, 2022
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And THIS is why we need 1. perjury investigations and 2. impeachment inquiries. Not rocket science. Just responsible government. https://t.co/9whDGG4Z1I
— Glenn Kirschner (@glennkirschner2) May 17, 2022
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Civil rights/Florida
Breaking: DeSantis just signed a bill making it illegal to peacefully protest in residential areas.
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) May 16, 2022
Just another day in a nation of contracting civil rights.
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“The Biden administration is restoring flights to Cuban cities other than Havana and reestablishing a family reunification program suspended for years.” https://t.co/Zr54izVfKt https://t.co/6UYOlNvNji
— Alex Ward (@alexbward) May 16, 2022
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https://twitter.com/marceelias/status/1526339756078022657?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
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Texas:
Texas' Department of Public Safety claimed on Facebook that troopers had "encountered over 700 criminal gang members” during Operation Lone Star.
— ProPublica (@propublica) May 16, 2022
So reporters asked for proof.
Their response: Gang affiliation is not a metric that is tracked.https://t.co/91qsS05En2
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Laws restricting lessons on racism make it hard for teachers to discuss the massacre in Buffalo – NBC News https://t.co/HmisErNKey
— Michael F Ozaki MD (@brontyman) May 21, 2022
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Aside from the fact Texas Republicans NEVER fixed the power grid, this will add to the grid pressures. Texas is crypto mining mecca in the US. https://t.co/038RHLh0oe
— tellthetruth 🕯️🇺🇦🇺🇳🟧 (@9_tellthetruth) May 15, 2022
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If you see food shortages, the first place to look might be the $4 billion of food that rotted at the Texas/Mexico border a few weeks ago due because of a politician’s political stunt.
— Tristan Snell (@TristanSnell) May 14, 2022
This is a tweet about Greg Abbott.
Pennsylvania:
Pro-Trump ‘electors’ in Wisconsin hit with first-of-its-kind lawsuit https://t.co/w1mzFiez8f
— GStuedler🇺🇸🇧🇧 (@gstuedler) May 17, 2022
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Our next Governor will nominate a Secretary of State who’ll defend democracy or undermine it.
— Josh Shapiro (@JoshShapiroPA) May 20, 2022
Doug Mastriano promised to handpick a far-right nominee who’d help him decertify every voting machine in the state if he doesn't like the outcome of the election.
He’s said it himself.
Alabama/LGBT
Sim Butler has a trans daughter, 13. Now his family is "devastated" to leave Alabama to maintain her care. "We are so afraid that we could be arrested and thrown in jail for doing what’s best for our kid that we have to. We feel like we are fleeing.”https://t.co/xYZ9ifkFmm
— Reckon (@reckonsouth) May 17, 2022
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Judge strikes down Tennessee's transgender bathroom sign law https://t.co/oDbc94Zz8x via @nbcnews
— Liz Szabo (@LizSzabo) May 17, 2022
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Georgia:
NEWS: Following months of behind-the-scenes work by Sen. @ossoff, Hyundai Motor Company today formally announced a historic new electric vehicle and electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Bryan County, Georgia, creating 8,100 jobs. pic.twitter.com/C53Rg2y5Q9
— Ossoff's Office (@SenOssoff) May 20, 2022
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Water/Climate
Background story on a landmark legal victory for the environment obtained by students and professors at @UCIrvine: https://t.co/FawfJPahhm
— Steven Donziger (@SDonziger) May 13, 2022
Ukraine/Russia
Republicans are getting increasingly nervous this video has resurfaced and is being retweeted. Senator John McCain wants everyone to know that Rand Paul works for Vladimir Putin. pic.twitter.com/l984wkPGrB
— Ellen Kurz (@EllenKurz) May 14, 2022
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“Trump's meager comprehension of international affairs was a ‘major liability’ for US national security.” https://t.co/w0kCdp0dwg
— John Sipher (@john_sipher) May 19, 2022
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Extraordinary exchange on Russian state TV’s top talk show about Ukraine. Military analyst & retired colonel Mikhail Khodarenok tells anchor Olga Skabeyeva “the situation for us will clearly get worse…we’re in total geopolitical isolation…the situation is not normal.” pic.twitter.com/ExMwVDszsk
— Steve Rosenberg (@BBCSteveR) May 16, 2022
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National Gene Bank of Plants of Ukraine destroyed by the Russian army 🧬🌱
— Mikhail Khodorkovsky (@khodorkovsky_en) May 17, 2022
It kept more than 160 thousand varieties of plant seeds, and hybrids of agricultural crops, including some of those that no longer exist in Europe, and in the entire world. https://t.co/w6PICvpekk
Feel good du jour:
My first American bittern at nearby Tuttle Marsh. I had been chatting with some other birders there & mentioned I’d never seen one. After we went our separate ways, they found one right next to the road & told me they said, “Somebody go tell Jim!” And they did. How cool is that? pic.twitter.com/stOGXGBcTe
— Jim'sJunkBox (@JamesIsaak2) May 16, 2022
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https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1526327184058482690?s=20&t=nG-waX85U6dCWITcgL_YlA
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Operated on a little girl who really wanted to bring her Teddy bear back to the OR with her. Of course we said yes, but he had to comply with the proper dress code 😊🧸😷 pic.twitter.com/Ap2RL8xwpo
— Sarah Santiago, MD (@SarahASantiago) May 17, 2022
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Remember Christian Cooper? The avid bird-watcher and unfortunate victim of Central Park Karen a couple years ago?
— Nick Knudsen 🇺🇸 (@NickKnudsenUS) May 20, 2022
He’s getting his own @NatGeo bird watching show.
I couldn’t possibly love this more. https://t.co/lrCAnqysWl
Comic relief:
This is Luna. She's not usually allowed on the couch, but there are bigger problems in the world, so she'll be right here if you need her. 13/10 pic.twitter.com/QusCvbp9WV
— WeRateDogs® (@dog_rates) May 16, 2022
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When I was 7, my teacher told us to write an article about “world cultures” for school over the weekend. I remembered it late on Sunday so in a panic I made up something called the "Icelandic Fish Festival", figuring said teacher wouldn’t know either way.
— The author, Séamas O'Reilly (@shockproofbeats) May 17, 2022
remainder of story at https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1526578493630435330.html
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Everything was going well until the REAL rabbit showed up. 🐇🐇🐇 🤣🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/tq5FiIReST
— Sue (@SueJ2024) May 15, 2022
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I cannot stress enough that the bathtub is empty. pic.twitter.com/aH6gh4M4VG
— Casey Malone (@CaseyMalone) May 16, 2022
Perspective/Poem
My views on the terrible dangers of the racist and antisemitic Great Replacement theory https://t.co/Xhb6nI0Gcq
— Deborah E. Lipstadt (@deborahlipstadt) May 20, 2022
Bits of beauty:
