Against my preference, as well as the stated needs and preferences of my students, 2 of my 3 college classes this fall are required to meet in-person.

This isn’t particularly surprising given the current state of denial about the risk of COVID as well as a lack of awareness about rising case numbers. Most of my colleagues and students are proceeding as if there is nothing to worry about.

But, while it seems like most of the world has gone “back to normal”, my family and I are still masking and taking precautions to avoid being infected.

As we begin the fall semester, here’s what “not living in denial”, while also “not living in fear,” looks like for me:

1. Masks— I will always be masked in indoor situations or crowded outdoor situations. I wear these.
2. Choose online or outdoor— I will always opt for outdoor or online interactions, especially for elective situations.
3. CO2 monitor— I have this one.
4. HEPA air filter— I bring this one with me to teach on campus.
5. Open windows
6. Flexible attendance and participation policy

But WHY?

Sadly, the pandemic is not over. And even worse, COVID cases are increasing again.

No matter how much we want it to be, the COVID pandemic is not over.

Also, the fact that leaders and the media may not be telling you it’s time to take precautions, does not mean everything is okay. In other words, media silence about COVID and research that is coming out about COVID does not mean that there’s nothing to worry about. It’s infuriating, but there’s a reason why you might not being hearing about things that are vital information for making daily decisions.

Although we are no longer tracking statistics to help us understand what is actually going on, we do know that:

• people are being infected,
• long covid is impacting people often
• subsequent infections

Unfortunately, at this point in the pandemic, we can’t adequately assess our daily risk because, since the end of the health emergency in May 2023, COVID infection rates are not adequately tracked. Hospitals are no longer required to test or report to the CDC; the rise in at-home tests means that testing and test results aren’t captured as information. Additionally, wastewater tracking data—our best method of estimate right now—is not available or even being collected in all areas (like Baltimore!). Another way of saying this: we are currently IN THE DARK about the real risk of infection in our communities.

However, based on the inadequate information we do have, it is clear that infection rates are on the rise.

We have tools to help lower the risk of infection.

Masks

First of all, COVID is airborne (duh). (It seems silly to even type that at this point in the pandemic, but so many public health missives still tell us mainly to wash our hands 🤦🏻‍♀️.)

Wearing a mask is still the best way to lower your risk of infection.

Continuing to take precautions and wear masks is, of course, not just about protecting ourselves, but also about protecting those around us who may be more vulnerable to severe illness or death from COVID. It is a small inconvenience that can have a big impact on the health and well-being of our communities.

More masks in a shared space means more protection. In

Air Filters

Here’s how to build a simple Corsi Rosenthal box for your home or office.

CO2 Monitors

Masks aren’t the only tools we have, of course. A C02 monitor can help you gauge the risk of airborne disease transmission, as well as the general quality of air in a room. Did you know that air quality can impact your ability to think clearly? It is not, however a silver bullet for measuring COVID risk, so it’s important to understand situations where the it might but not clearly gauge risk.

There’s no such thing as a mild case of COVID.

COVID is NOT the same as getting the flu. New data show that Omicron carries 4 times the risk of death as the flu.

Even mild cases can end in death.

Getting a mild case of COVID can make us think that it’s not a big deal. But we know that repeat infections increase the risk of death, hospitalization and serious health issues.

COVID alters your immunity (and not for the better!).

COVID weakens your immune system. This can make it easier for opportunistic infections to infect you.

How COVID-19 Changes the Immune System

Innate immune cells remain altered for at least a year after infection.

time.com

COVID increases risk of long-term disease and disability.

1. The long-term consequences of one or multiple COVID infection is NO JOKE! Scientists expect in the coming years for there to be a rising number of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s (PD), Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Alzheimer’s.
2. Long COVID leaves people with health issues that can last for last weeks, months, or years. People with Long COVID are at higher risk of early death and serious disease.

People with Long COVID Are at Higher Risk of Early Death and Disease

According to a new study



time.com


3. Each infection or reinfection increases the risk of hospitalization, death, and disabling health effects.
• https://www.researchsquare.com/article/rs-1749502/v1
• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-020-1121-z
4. COVID can kill you months after you recover (even mild cases raises your heart diseases by 72%, heart attack by 63%, strokes by 52%). REWRITE AND GET STATS
• The risk of heart problems one year after COVID-19 infection is "substantial.” The same study found a 52% increased risk of stroke at one year among COVID-19 survivors.
• The increased risk of heart attacks is most prominent in people ages 25-44 (I’m in that age bracket!)
• 35% increased risk of anxiety disorders after COVID infection.

The risks of COVID are not “safer for children.”

We know that infections and hospitalization are increasing for children ages 0-11.

I want my kids to have the best chance at lives unburdened by chronic illness and disability.

It’s not weird to not want to get sick. Any kind of sick, but especially COVID.