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AOC Tests Positive For COVID

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has tested positive for Covid-19, less than one week after she was spotted <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10363679/AOC-spotted-partying-maskless-crowded-drag-bar-Miami-vacation.html">partying maskless</a> at a crowded bar in Miami.
“Representative Ocasio-Cortez has received a positive test result for COVID-19. She is experiencing symptoms and recovering at home. The Congresswoman received her booster shot this Fall, and encourages everyone to get their booster and follow all CDC guidance,” reads a statement from her office.
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The far-left member of ‘the squad’ was seen last week at several Miami hotspots, as New York was hit with a record-high number of Covid-19 cases due to the far less mild Omicron variant. New York has also instituted a strict mask and vaccine policy. 
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AOC was spotted partying in a bar maskless in the great free state of Florida. Absolute hypocrite <a href="https://t.co/5lPEtPTnib">pic.twitter.com/5lPEtPTnib</a>
— Libs of Tik Tok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1477788957865742337?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
How will AOC spin this? Blame Florida?
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Nailed it:
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Haven’t heard much from AOC in awhile. I assume she got covid in Miami.
— Boomieleaks (@Boomieleaks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Boomieleaks/status/1479853558438797317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
https://twitter.com/k_ovfefe2/status/1480334806273646597
 
 
source <a href="https://www.infowars.com/posts/aoc-tests-positive-for-covid">https://www.infowars.com/posts/aoc-tests-positive-for-covid</a>

news AOC Tests Positive For COVID

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has tested positive for Covid-19, less than one week after she was spotted partying maskless at a cro...

Kazakhstan Denies US-Funded ‘Military Biological Lab’ Seized By Rioters After Russia Claims Potential Pathogen Leak

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Kazakh officials have denied that a US-funded ‘military biological laboratory’ was seized by rioters in the recent unrest, which has seen at least 160 dead since the violence broke out just one week ago.
It is unclear whether the deaths, reported by the health ministry to state news channel Khabar-24, are primarily civilians or law enforcement according to the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10384151/Kazakhstan-denies-funded-bio-lab-seized-protesters-deaths-rise-164-bloody-riots.html">Daily Mail</a> – however officials said on Sunday that at least 16 police or national guard members had been killed. Pictures of Kazakh secret service operatives killed during the unrest have also been released.
According to Russian media, the biolab near Almaty – built in 2017 and used to study outbreaks of particularly dangerous infections – was ‘compromised,’ resulting in a potential leak of dangerous pathogens. Kazakh officials have denied the claim.
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The secret bio-laboratory funded by the US defence department – which has links to Russian and Chinese scientists – was also compromised in the disturbances, according to social media claims that it was seized.
‘This is not true. The facility is being guarded,‘ said the health ministry which is responsible for the Central Reference Laboratory, in Almaty.
Official Russian news agency TASS had highlighted alleged social media reports that it was taken over by ‘unidentified people’ and ‘specialists in chemical protection suits were working near the lab so a leak of dangerous pathogens could have occurred‘.
The laboratory’s existence has been controversial and in 2020 the country formally denied that it was being used to make biological weapons.
At the time, the Kazakh government stated: ‘No biological weapons development is underway in Kazakhstan – and no research is conducted against any other states.’ -Daily Mail 
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Of course, since the source of the claim is Russian state media, one should take it with the same grain of salt as any state-sponsored outlet (or their legacy media mouthpieces).
As the Mail notes, “The airport, mayor’s office and secret services buildings fell briefly into the hands of rioters during a wave of protests backed by shadowy armed cells.”
In 2018 there were reports that a new strain of meningitis which had leaked from the lab – which was similarly denied. According to officials, no US personnel remain involved in the lab’s work, which included studying Covid.
The most recent controversy over the lab comes amid ‘growing intrigue’ over how the recent protests came to be organized, and which have been tamped down since a large Russian force was sent to the country. According to reports, ‘well-coordinated’ armed groups were operating alongside protesters over a hike in gas prices.
Nearly 6,000 people have been detained following the riots, with a “sizeable number of foreign nationals among them,” the Mail reports. It’s unclear where these alleged foreign provocateurs originated from.
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Russia and allies Belarus have continued to pour troops and equipment into Kazakhstan.     
Kazakh authorities said earlier on Sunday that 16 police or national guard members had been killed in the protests that started on January 2.
A total of 103 deaths were in Almaty, the country’s largest city, where demonstrators seized government buildings and set some on fire, according to the ministry. The country’s ombudswoman for children’s rights said that three of those killed were minors, including a four-year-old girl.
The ministry earlier reported more than 2,200 people sought treatment for injuries from the protests, and the Interior Ministry said about 1,300 security officers were injured. -Daily Mail
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As we <a href="https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/palace-coup-kazakh-security-chief-arrested-treason-was-close-friends-hunter-biden">noted on Sunday</a>, Among the boldest and eye-brow raising political moves by embattled Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev within the past days that grabbed international headlines was his ordering the arrest of Kazakhstan’s powerful former intelligence chief, Karim Massimov, on the charge of high treason.
Massimov had served as the prior longtime strongman ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev’s prime minister and has long been considered his “right hand man”. Shortly after, a photo has resurfaced, currently subject of widespread speculation which shows Joe Biden and Hunter Biden posing with the now detained Kazakh security chief Karim Massimov, along with well-connected oligarch Kenes Rakishev.
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UPDATE: It wasn't just one meeting
Hunter Biden said Massimov was his "close friend."
That close friend has now been arrested for attempting to overthrow the government of Kazakhstan. <a href="https://t.co/Wrodpmpzzo">pic.twitter.com/Wrodpmpzzo</a>
— Clint Ehrlich (@ClintEhrlich) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClintEhrlich/status/1480155880578453505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Where does this rabbit hole lead?
 
 
source <a href="https://www.infowars.com/posts/kazakhstan-denies-us-funded-military-biological-lab-seized-by-rioters-after-russia-claims-potential-pathogen-leak">https://www.infowars.com/posts/kazakhstan-denies-us-funded-military-biological-lab-seized-by-rioters-after-russia-claims-potential-pathogen-leak</a>

news Kazakhstan Denies US-Funded ‘Military Biological Lab’ Seized By Rioters After Russia Claims Potential Pathogen Leak

Kazakh officials have denied that a US-funded ‘military biological laboratory’ was seized by rioters in the recent unrest, which has seen a...

Florida’s DeSantis Says WH, Mainstream Media ‘Hostile’ to Him Over Therapies to Treat COVID-19

Florida’s conservative governor has long had strained relations with the federal authorities and mainstream media over his stance on the southern border crisis and COVID-19 countermeasures, as Florida has remained open most of the time.
Despite some of the relative successes of Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the Biden administration and much of the media remain hostile to Florida’s way of coping with the virus, the governor believes.
In an interview with Fox News’ <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/desantis-biden-fauci-hostile-to-those-focusing-on-treatments-in-addition-to-vaccines" target="_blank">“Life, Liberty & Levin”</a> on Sunday, DeSantis said that the constant assault of negative publicity and criticism from Washington is “all political.” 
He claimed that he wears such a critique like a badge of honor, telling presenter Mark Levin that it is all “positive feedback.”
“If the corporate press nationally <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://sputniknews.com/20211226/journo-mocked-online-for-saying-selfish-people-like-desantis-are-the-reason-for-omicron-outbreak-1091822251.html" target="_blank">isn’t attacking</a> me, then I’m probably not doing my job,” he said. “So the fact that they are attacking me is a good indication that, you know what, I’m tackling the big issues.”
DeSantis explained that the state authorities reject critical race theory, promoted by the left, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://sputniknews.com/20211105/florida-gov-desantis-vows-legal-action-against-biden-administration-over-illegal-vax-mandates-1090494220.html" target="_blank">challenge</a> the vaccine mandates imposed by the federal government, and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://sputniknews.com/20211111/1090640640.html" target="_blank">fight against</a> the flow of illegal immigration that has affected the state, “all those things that a vast majority of Floridians and Americans <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://sputniknews.com/20211102/1090411011.html" target="_blank">want to see</a> done but that does threaten the ruling class and the regime.”
He then emphasized that he is genuinely working to provide Floridians with therapeutic choices such as monoclonal antibodies to complement White House-backed vaccines, while also allowing citizens to choose whether or not they want to be injected with the vaccines in the first place.
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“We set up these centers this summer when we started to see the delta variant rear its head, and it worked. We were keeping tens of thousands of people out of the hospital, saved thousands of lives. No one disputes that,” DeSantis said of the monoclonal antibody treatment sites. “Well, as that was happening in September, the federal government decided to seize control of the monoclonal antibodies and cut supplies to Florida and Texas, mainly.”
According to the governor, when that happened, he contacted GlaxoSmithKline in Brentford, UK, to get sotrovimab medicines, in order to continue providing Floridians with the help against the novel coronavirus.
When omicron strain emerged, DeSantis sought antibody treatment once more, and Biden’s Health and Human Services department reportedly refused, figuratively saying: “‘Oh, Florida, you use too much of it’,”according to the governor.
“Well, part of the reason we use more than other states is because we’ve actually embraced treatment. Most of these other governors and the people like Fauci and the federal leadership, they basically say get a shot, wear a mask, and they never talk about treatment,” he said.
Biden continues to reiterate pro-vaccine platitudes and carry on the same way the feds have for months, the governor added, by neglecting the significance of examining, approving, and assisting states in obtaining treatment choices like the ones he supported.
“I wish the vaccines were sterilizing, but they’re not providing that type of an immunity,” DeSantis explained. “So to just not deal with treatment and be hostile to people like me who are, it shows so much of this is about a political agenda.”
According to the Florida governor, this agenda is “about partisanship, and it’s not about the best interests of the American people, when you talk about how these folks <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://sputniknews.com/20211109/florida-gov-desantis-announces-start-of-2022-reelection-campaign-based-on-states-freedom-1090579303.html" target="_blank">are acting.</a>“
According to the latest Johns Hopkins University <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/us/florida" target="_blank">data,</a> as of Sunday, January 9, the Sunshine State recorded a total of 4.6 million cases of COVID-19 with 62,688 deaths. Since the start of the vaccination campaign, more than 13.7 million residents have been fully vaccinated, which is about 65% of the total population. 
The state <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/florida-covid-cases.html" target="_blank">had more</a> than 120,000 new cases of the virus as of Saturday, with a seven-day average increase of more than 58,000 infections.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.infowars.com/posts/floridas-desantis-says-wh-mainstream-media-hostile-to-him-over-therapies-to-treat-covid-19">https://www.infowars.com/posts/floridas-desantis-says-wh-mainstream-media-hostile-to-him-over-therapies-to-treat-covid-19</a>

news Florida’s DeSantis Says WH, Mainstream Media ‘Hostile’ to Him Over Therapies to Treat COVID-19

Florida’s conservative governor has long had strained relations with the federal authorities and mainstream media over his stance on the sou...

The West has a few bargaining chips to stop Russia from invading Ukraine

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Ahead of two crucial meetings this week, the United States and NATO allies are discussing a number of ways to deal with the deteriorating relationship between Russia and the West, and the looming prospect of <a href="https://www.vox.com/2021/12/8/22824015/russia-ukraine-troops-tensons-putin-biden-nato">another Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>.
Although US and NATO leadership have both expressed a strong desire for a diplomatic path forward, more aggressive options to support Ukrainian sovereignty against Russian aggression, including major trade restrictions, are <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/08/politics/biden-russia-ukraine-potential-economic-sanctions/index.html">reportedly</a> on the table.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has adopted an increasingly bellicose posture toward Europe and the West, particularly over the past several months. Among other actions, an increasing number of Russian troops — about 100,000 at present, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/01/07/world/europe/ukraine-maps.html">according to the New York Times</a> — have been stationed along Russia’s border with Ukraine, possibly in preparation for a <a href="https://www.vox.com/2021/12/8/22824015/russia-ukraine-troops-tensons-putin-biden-nato">major offensive</a>.
The Biden administration and the Kremlin are <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/nato-united-against-any-russian-aggression-us-says-after-meeting-2022-01-07/">scheduled to discuss</a> the US response to Russian military action in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, and a larger conversation between NATO member countries and Russia is set for Wednesday in Brussels, Belgium. Further talks about Russia’s actions and <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/world/europe/russia-nato-security-deal.html">proposed security demands</a> are also set to take place in Vienna, Austria, with member nations of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
After a virtual meeting Friday of foreign ministers from its member states, NATO promised a coherent response to protect Ukrainian sovereignty, and Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg <a href="https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/news_190516.htm">insisted in a statement Friday</a> that the alliance is committed to a diplomatic approach with Russia.
“Russia’s aggressive actions seriously undermine the security order in Europe,” he said. “NATO remains committed to our dual-track approach to Russia: strong deterrence and defense, combined with meaningful dialogue.”
But should NATO’s present tack — and next week’s talks — fail to deter Russia from action against Ukraine, Stoltenberg has signaled that NATO is prepared to pursue more aggressive options. Although Ukraine is not a member of NATO and thus the alliance is under no obligation to step in should Russia attack, Stoltenberg’s statements to the press show that he views Russia’s aggression in Ukraine as destabilizing to European security; and that should that security be threatened, there will be consequences for Russia.
“We have troops, we have forces,” <a href="https://www.politico.eu/article/stoltenberg-nato-ready-russia-talks-fail/">Stoltenberg told reporters Friday</a>, although he declined to discuss details. “We have the readiness. We have the plans to be able to defend, protect all allies, and we are constantly adapting, and also actually investing more now than we had done for many years in modernizing our military capabilities to make sure that we preserve peace in Europe.”
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken <a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-emmanuel-macron-4b0815a24bb98ca7e3b81aa0dc6b1838">also warned that the US was</a> “prepared to respond forcefully to further Russian aggression,” although it’s unclear exactly what form that response might take.
<a href="https://www.vox.com/22385716/russia-sanctions-biden-cyber-ukraine">Sanctions</a> are a well-trod path in the US-Russia foreign policy space, and other nations, including the United Kingdom, have indicated their willingness to increase economic pressure on Russia should upcoming talks fail to reach a diplomatic outcome.
Senior US officials <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/08/politics/biden-russia-ukraine-potential-economic-sanctions/index.html">told CNN’s Natasha Bertrand</a> that the US is preparing economic blocks on Russia that would severely curtail the country’s ability to import goods like smartphones, aircraft, and car parts — damaging the Russian economy and putting it in the company of pariah nations like North Korea and Syria, which have similar severe trade restrictions.
As Alex Ward explained for Vox last year, <a href="https://www.vox.com/22385716/russia-sanctions-biden-cyber-ukraine">previous sanctions</a> have targeted mostly businesses, institutions, and individuals. But large-scale trade sanctions, which are <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/08/politics/biden-russia-ukraine-potential-economic-sanctions/index.html">reportedly now under consideration</a>, would impact Russia on an entirely different level, preventing the import of common goods and technology from the US and partner nations.
The UK is also preparing to impose “high impact measures targeting the Russian financial sector and individuals” should Russia invade Ukraine, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/britain-warns-russia-over-ukraine-were-working-high-impact-sanctions-2022-01-06/">Reuters reported</a> Thursday, and the European Union <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/eu-leaders-consider-new-sanctions-against-russian-surprises-2021-12-16/">agreed in December</a> to work in tandem with the US and UK to impose sanctions of its own.
Still, Russia has thus far <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/russia-says-its-disappointed-by-us-signals-before-geneva-talks-2022-01-09/">presented an unmoving stance</a>, with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov telling Russian state media agency RIA that the Kremlin “will not make any concessions under pressure and in the course of threats that are constantly being formed by the Western participants of the upcoming talks.”
Russia continues to deny that it’s planning to invade Ukraine and insists that Ukraine, NATO, and the West are the aggressors in the present conflict, a stance that’s reflected in the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/17/world/europe/russia-nato-security-deal.html">security demands</a> Russia sent out last month to NATO and US leadership. Among other things, Russia seeks to prevent Ukraine specifically, as well as other former Soviet republics like Georgia, from entering NATO — a stipulation that NATO leadership says absolutely won’t fly.
<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/blinken-rules-out-russia-demands-ahead-key-talks-over-ukraine-n1287221?icid=recommended">Blinken also said Sunday</a> that key Russian demands from its draft documents last month are off the table, though <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/biden-admin-weighs-proposing-cuts-us-russian-forces-eastern-europe-rcna11080">reporting from NBC</a> on Friday suggests that the US is considering a reduction of forces in Eastern Europe.
The Biden administration has <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2022/01/08/background-press-call-by-a-senior-administration-official-on-russia/">denied</a> that any cuts to troop deployments are being considered, but Blinken <a href="https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sotu/date/2022-01-09/segment/01">didn’t reject host Jake Tapper’s suggestion</a> that repositioning heavy weaponry in Poland, moving missiles, or making changes to military exercises could be bargaining chips when he appeared on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday.
In Monday’s talks, the Biden administration <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/08/us-discuss-missiles-military-exercises-ukraine-526800">will likely reassure Russia</a> that it doesn’t plan to build missile systems in Ukraine, though it has defended US missile systems’ positioning in Romania and Poland. The administration has also promised NATO officials it won’t make unilateral decisions for the alliance, a diplomat from a NATO member state <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/08/us-discuss-missiles-military-exercises-ukraine-526800">told Politico.</a>
However, there could be <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/08/us-discuss-missiles-military-exercises-ukraine-526800">room to negotiate</a> over military drills on both sides, the escalation of which has contributed to increased tensions. NATO regularly conducts training exercises in the Baltic region and includes non-NATO states like Sweden and Finland in those exercises, which Russia sees as a threat; Russia, meanwhile, has been conducting larger and more frequent drills closer to NATO countries, and both nations have increased the frequency of nuclear-capable bomber sorties near Ukraine.
The relationship between Russia and the West has been particularly contentious over the past few months, as the Ukraine crisis reaches a tipping point. Furthermore, Moscow’s support of Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko in his quest to anger the EU by <a href="https://www.vox.com/2021/11/14/22781335/belarus-hybrid-attack-immigrants-border-eu-poland-crisis">shuttling Middle Eastern migrants</a> to his country’s border with Poland, and the recent deployment of Russian troops in <a href="https://www.vox.com/2022/1/8/22872642/kazakhstan-protests-russia-troops-putin">Kazakhstan</a>, have only inflamed tensions as Russia seems intent on cementing its sphere of influence in former Soviet states.
The public consensus among Western officials, including Blinken, is that while next week’s talks offer possibilities, the seriousness with which Russia is approaching them is unclear at best, as is the Kremlin’s commitment to any reciprocity.
After Russia <a href="https://www.vox.com/2014/9/3/18088560/ukraine-everything-you-need-to-know">annexed Crimea in 2014</a>, Ukraine and Russia agreed to — but never fully implemented — a peace agreement called the <a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/2/13/8033779/minsk-russia-ukraine">Minsk Agreement</a>. Since then, continued conflict in eastern Ukraine has killed more than 14,000 people, as <a href="https://www.vox.com/2021/12/8/22824015/russia-ukraine-troops-tensons-putin-biden-nato">Vox’s Jen Kirby wrote in December</a>, and helped push Ukraine, particularly under the leadership of President Volodymyr Zelensky, toward the West and NATO. Putin sees in that shift the potential for Ukraine to join the alliance — and therefore, a threat to Moscow.
Short of a full invasion of Ukraine, however, Putin’s desire to wield his power and remind the West that he still has leverage in the region could be another reason behind the troop buildup, and a tactic to get the US and NATO to negotiate with him.
But the path forward is murky for Western powers and alliances. For example, it’s still unclear how tighter sanctions against Russia might play out, given that previous measures in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine have done little to deter Putin.
Additionally, while the new sanctions proposals would represent a major escalation in Western efforts to deter Putin, it’s quite a gamble to imagine that those measures alone would be enough to deflect what appears to be significant, entrenched military buildup under the direction of an authoritarian leader whose motivations are arguably <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-is-russia-threatening-to-invade-ukraine">much more existential</a> than merely the acquisition of territory.
As Alexander Motyl, an expert in Soviet and post-Soviet politics at Rutgers University Newark, told <a href="https://www.vox.com/2021/12/8/22824015/russia-ukraine-troops-tensons-putin-biden-nato">Kirby</a>, “The problem is we don’t know what Putin wants, and this is really the bottom line.”
Any consequences for Russia’s actions are difficult to determine and implement, since Putin remains inscrutable, Motyl argued. “Is he testing? Is he invading? Is he teaching the Ukrainians a lesson? We don’t know. And so it’s hard to do anything, because we don’t know what [Putin] wants, and we don’t know how far he’s willing to go.”
 
 
source <a href="https://www.vox.com/2022/1/9/22874719/nato-us-russia-ukraine-invasion-sanctions-meeting">https://www.vox.com/2022/1/9/22874719/nato-us-russia-ukraine-invasion-sanctions-meeting</a>

vox The West has a few bargaining chips to stop Russia from invading Ukraine

Ahead of two crucial meetings this week, the United States and NATO allies are discussing a number of ways to deal with the deteriorating r...

We need to wear better masks

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The rapid spread of the omicron variant means that <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/23/1066871176/mask-n95-omicron-contagious">many medical and public health experts</a> are urging Americans to adopt better masking protocols to protect themselves and others from the spread of Covid-19.
Masking best practices have changed since the beginning of the pandemic, and confusion still abounds about which mask to wear and in what circumstances. However, medical experts are in agreement: Masks are a crucial component in stopping the spread of all variants of Covid-19, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-12-30/n95-masks-a-must-have-with-omicron-but-fakes-abound">N95 respirator is still the most effective mask on the market</a>.
Although a simple <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/cloth-face-mask-omicron-11640984082">cloth mask</a> is better than no face covering at all, <a href="https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-disposable-face-masks.html">superior options</a> are now widely available — much more so than in March 2020, when Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance about <a href="https://www.vox.com/2020/5/29/21273625/coronavirus-masks-required-virginia-china-hong-kong">whether masking was even necessary for Covid-19 prevention</a> vacillated.
And since the <a href="https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/covid-omicron-variant-what-you-need-to-know">omicron variant</a> appears to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/omicron-coronavirus-variant.html">be far more transmissible than previous variants</a>, masking is a critical tool in helping prevent the spread, particularly in areas where Covid-19 cases are high.
Here’s what to know about masking and omicron.
Mask-wearing guidance has changed a lot over the course of the pandemic, and omicron presents more changes — as well as more opportunity for confusion. With the high transmissibility of the omicron variant, experts say, masking is particularly important. Omicron is estimated to be about <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-evades-immunity-better-than-delta-danish-study-finds-2022-01-03/">2.7 to 3.7 times more infectious</a> among inoculated people than the <a href="https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/5-things-to-know-delta-variant-covid">delta variant</a>, which rapidly became the world’s dominant strain last summer. While many people are experiencing milder cases with omicron, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html">cases are increasing precipitously</a>, even in highly vaccinated areas. Its ability to dodge antibodies created by the available Covid-19 vaccines means that additional prevention measures — like masks — are now back in the spotlight.
As Abraar Karan, an infectious diseases doctor at Stanford University, explained to <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/12/why-you-should-upgrade-your-face-mask-to-an-n95.html">New York magazine</a> in December, cloth masks and face coverings don’t filter aerosols — the particles through which the coronavirus spreads — particularly well; they can escape from an infected person and easily be inhaled if both parties are wearing cloth face coverings.
That means surgical masks and N95 masks are the way to go in 2022, as a <a href="https://twitter.com/seungminkim/status/1478867026542219264?s=20">recent Wall Street Journal graphic</a> illustrates.
N95 respirators in particular are much better at blocking these particles, <a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/12/why-you-should-upgrade-your-face-mask-to-an-n95.html">according to Karan</a>, due to the filter’s structure and the electrostatic charge that attracts and traps the tiny aerosol particles. Just as critically, the filter’s fit over the wearer’s mouth and nose is far better than a cloth mask or face covering, which can leave large gaps on the sides — giving infectious particles ample opportunity to escape.
The N95 has been the gold standard for masks since the start of the pandemic, and they provide the most protection against Covid-19, including the omicron variant. Now that they’re no longer in <a href="https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/7/10/21319960/n95-masks-shortage-trump-supply-chain">critically short supply</a>, they’re also the best option for day-to-day use.
<a href="https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2021/12/why-you-should-upgrade-your-face-mask-to-an-n95.html">As Karan explained</a>, the N95’s complex, irregular webbing allows for superior filtration which traps 95 percent of aerosol particles — hence the “95” in N95. KN95s similarly filter out 95 percent of particles; the K denotes that they are <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/health/a35383193/n95-vs-kn95-mask-differences/">manufactured to meet China’s mask standards</a>.
When used in a medical setting, N95s are generally single-use, but for average people in lower-risk settings, they can be <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/reviewed/2022/01/04/n-95-kn-95-masks-should-you-wear-one-heres-where-you-can-get-them/8971474002/">reused</a> a limited number of times.
N95 availability was scattershot at best in the beginning of the pandemic, even for health care workers. Now, nearly two years later, <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/best-disposable-face-masks-n95-kn95-kf94-surgical/#doesomicronchangemask">high-quality options</a> are much more readily available.
Cost is still a potential barrier, however, as N95s generally cost a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/where-to-buy-n95-kn95-masks-online/">dollar or two per disposable mask</a>, and counterfeit respirators pose an additional problem, as Anne Miller, executive director of the nonprofit N95 Project, explained to <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-12-30/n95-masks-a-must-have-with-omicron-but-fakes-abound">US News and World Report</a> in December. Nonetheless, Miller said, there are some failsafe ways to ensure that the model you are purchasing was manufactured by a reputable company and has passed NIOSH filtration tests.
Specifically, N95 masks should have a TC number; TC, followed by a series of five total numbers, then a lot number. KN95 respirators operate under a similar protocol; all models should have GB 2626-2019, followed by a space, then KN95, printed on them if they are produced by a reputable company. According to Miller, lack of a brand name on a mask or a claim on the mask’s packaging that it’s FDA-approved or registered with the FDA are major warning signs; those claims are essentially meaningless.
However, high-quality respirators that have been tested for fit and efficacy <a href="https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-disposable-face-masks.html">are available</a>, and doing a few basic tests on masks yourself can help you weed out ineffective models. For one, <a href="https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-disposable-face-masks.html">as the Strategist reported last month</a>, you shouldn’t be able to see light through the mask when you hold it up to a light source, nor should you be able to blow out a flame when wearing the mask. And in terms of fit, the sides should collapse when you breathe in, showing that your mask has an effective seal. If air escapes around the sides of the mask, you need a tighter fit, since aerosols can still flow in or out of the barrier.
If you can’t find an N95 or KN95, a surgical mask is quite effective as well, given its multiple layers and irregular weave, which is better at intercepting particles than the regular, uniform weave of cloth masks. Surgical masks aren’t quite as effective as N95 respirators, but they use the same filtration mechanism. Fit is also crucial, since surgical masks don’t have the same structure as N95 masks and don’t mold as well to the nose and mouth area. However, fit can be improved by <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/mask-fit-and-filtration.html#improve-fit">knotting</a> or twisting the side loops before placing them over your ears for a closer fit.
Despite still-existing barriers like cost and confusing messaging, it’s easier now in 2022 to buy an effective N95 or KN95 respirator that’s comfortable and fits your face. And in combination with Covid-19 vaccines and boosters, which provide <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/12/28/omicron-how-severe-us/">strong protection against severe Covid-19</a>, a good quality, well-fitting mask is one of the best steps you can take to protect yourself as case numbers <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html">continue to surge in the US</a>.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.vox.com/2022/1/8/22873390/covid-19-better-masks-n95-respirator-surgical-omicron">https://www.vox.com/2022/1/8/22873390/covid-19-better-masks-n95-respirator-surgical-omicron</a>

vox We need to wear better masks

The rapid spread of the omicron variant means that many medical and public health experts are urging Americans to adopt better masking pro...

Why one of the most vaccinated places in America couldn’t avoid omicron

In early December, after a two-year hiatus from the stage, Bad Bunny went home to Puerto Rico to give his most dedicated fanbase the concert of their lives. The reggaeton star may have delivered with his <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/bad-bunny-p-fkn-r-concert-live-review-1270509/">“P FKN R” show</a> — a two-day, $10 million spectacle and tribute to Boricua culture at a massive 60,000-person stadium in San Juan. But it also turned out to be a superspreader event.
All concert-goers were required to show proof of Covid-19 vaccination and to wear masks or else risk a $100 fine and removal from the concert. Though their vaccination status was verified at the door, there <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/bad-bunny-concert-puerto-rico-covid-cases-1235015526/">wasn’t much enforcement</a> of the mask mandate, and many attendees took them off once they got to their seats. As a result, an <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/02/us/coronavirus-puerto-rico.html">estimated 2,000 attendees</a> tested positive for the virus afterward, contributing to a 4,600 percent jump in cases on the island last month. December 2021 accounted for a third of the total cases recorded in Puerto Rico, and now the island’s <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/puerto-rico-delays-start-classes-amid-covid-19-82094397">positivity rate is 36 percent</a>.
The concert was emblematic of what has gone wrong in Puerto Rico — and in other parts of the US amid the spread of the omicron variant. Many Puerto Ricans feel more protected than they actually are due to the island’s high levels of vaccination, but two shots of vaccine have proved not to be a sufficient defense in the face of omicron, which is more transmissible than past variants. And more people getting infected has meant more people are ending up in the hospital, straining medical infrastructure.
Just a month ago, Puerto Rico appeared to be in a better position than other parts of the US. It has <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_deathsper100k">among the lowest Covid-19 death rates</a> in the US, and for months <a href="https://www.vox.com/22761242/puerto-rico-vaccine-covid-hurricane-maria">led the country in vaccination rates</a>. A unified messaging campaign from the scientific community and government leaders has allowed the island to largely avoid politicization of the virus and the vaccine. And Gov. Pedro Pierluisi has implemented some of the strictest vaccine mandates in the country. Without all of that, the latest wave could have been much more deadly.
But even Puerto Rico wasn’t immune to the highly contagious omicron variant, which has contributed to a <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/omicron-cases-are-exploding-scientists-still-don-t-know-how-bad-wave-will-be">spike in caseloads and hospitalizations</a> across the US. Gatherings during the holiday season, which in Puerto Rico spans from Thanksgiving to mid-January with Three Kings Day celebrations, have exacerbated the problem. And given that many Puerto Ricans are vaccinated — nearly <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-fully-percent-total">78 percent</a> as of January 6 — infections on the island have been generally mild, giving people a false sense of security during the latest wave.
“It’s a new variant, it’s Christmastime, and there’s a high vaccination rate, so people feel more free to go out because they’re vaccinated. And it seems like, though, omicron is eluding the vaccine, at least for contagion,” said Maria Levis, CEO of Impactivo, a public health consulting firm in Puerto Rico.
Public health officials project that the spike will last for about another two weeks. In the meantime, the Puerto Rican government has done what other US states and territories have refused to do, reviving restrictions on gatherings, travel, and school openings at the recommendation of scientists and public health officials. However, there is not much it can do about persistent hospital staffing shortages, which continue to threaten not only the welfare of Covid-19 patients, but also others seeking lifesaving care.
At the advice of public health officials, the Puerto Rican government reacted quickly to the onset of omicron by reviving and strengthening restrictions that had previously been in place.
The governor has <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/puerto-rico-delays-start-classes-amid-covid-19-82094397">delayed the start of public schools</a> by two weeks and recommended private schools do the same. He has made booster shots mandatory for employees in the <a href="https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/legal-and-compliance/state-and-local-updates/pages/puerto-rico-mandates-covid-19-booster-shots-for-health-and-education-sectors.aspx">health and education sectors</a>, and all schoolchildren age 5 and older must have their first dose by January 10.
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<figcaption>Drivers wait in line at a drive-through testing center operated by the Puerto Rico Health Department at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium parking lot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 18, 2021.</figcaption>
<cite>Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images</cite></figure>
Those attending mass events now have to provide not only proof of vaccination, but also a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours of the event. All establishments serving food and drink have to require vaccination or a negative test for entry, and capacity at those places is limited to 50 percent or 250 people maximum. All passengers on flights to Puerto Rico also have to show a negative test. And businesses must close between midnight and 5 am and are not allowed to sell alcohol during those hours.
Major events on the island have consequently been canceled or changed to a virtual event, including the <a href="https://pagesix.com/2021/12/23/miss-world-loses-millions-due-to-covid-19-cancellation/">Miss World pageant</a> and a 10,000-person <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-22/puerto-rico-s-new-year-s-date-with-dick-clark-goes-virtual">New Year’s celebration</a>.
For some Puerto Ricans, those measures don’t go far enough. Some have raised concern about the governor’s decision to delay the start of school rather than what they see as the safer option: <a href="https://www.sjspr.org/school-life/urgent-news">moving back to remote instruction</a>. Others see the governor’s actions as wise. But overall, there is notable fatigue over Covid-19 prevention protocols among young people.
The highest incidence of cases during the recent spike has been among people ages 15 to 39, said Victor Ramos, president of Puerto Rico’s College of Physicians, which is advising the governor on pandemic strategy. The virus has been spreading in their workplaces, their schools and universities, holiday celebrations, and large events — and they have been bringing it home to older, more vulnerable populations.
Two years into the pandemic, it’s difficult to convince those young people to stay home, especially when, due to widespread vaccination, the typical case of Covid-19 in Puerto Rico hasn’t resulted in symptoms more serious than those of a cold. Many also believe that with Covid-19 becoming endemic, it’s only a matter of time before they get the virus, so they might as well get it over with. The trouble with that strategy, however, is they still could spread it to people who are at higher risk for hospitalization.
“The symptoms have been really mild for folks that have gotten it, and that also plays into how serious people think it is,” Levis said. “People are also just tired.”
Meanwhile, public health officials are warning Puerto Ricans that two doses of the vaccine is not enough. <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/puerto-rico-delays-start-classes-amid-covid-19-82094397">Less than 40 percent</a> of the population has received a booster. But problematically, not everyone is eligible for a booster shot yet, since it hasn’t been six months since their last shot or three months since they got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Although the symptoms of Covid-19 are typically milder for the vaccinated, omicron is more transmissible, even among people who have had two shots. The combination of vaccinated people lowering their guard and the fact that most people in Puerto Rico have not received a booster shot has created an opening for omicron to spread. The result is a growing number of cases, currently at <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/covid-cases.html">nearly 400 percent more</a> than last winter’s peak, as well as a nearly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/us/puerto-rico-covid-cases.html">600 percent increase in hospitalizations</a> in the last two weeks at a time when the island’s public health infrastructure is struggling.
Despite being thrown the curveball of omicron, Puerto Rico’s government has responded exactly as public health officials have advised, and they are confident that the new measures will get the pandemic under control again. The same can’t be said of other states and territories in the US, which have largely eschewed a return to pandemic lockdowns.
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<figcaption>Workers register people to be tested for Covid-19 at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium parking lot in San Juan on December 18.</figcaption>
<cite>Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images</cite></figure>
Hospital staffing shortages are currently proving to be the biggest strain on health care resources across the US, and Puerto Rico is no exception.
“We have the beds,” Ramos said. “The problem we have is personnel. They are tired, they have to stay home because they are contagious, and some are on vacation because of the holidays.”
That means the quality of the complex and resource-intensive care Covid-19 patients require <a href="https://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-09-21-00140.pdf">might not be as high</a> as it could be. And that non-Covid-19 patients, especially those who already had limited access to physicians, may face delays in care, which could create long-term health issues that will outlast the pandemic.
There was already a <a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/2/27/21150176/puerto-rico-health-care-hospital-access-hurricane-maria">mass exodus</a> of doctors from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria hit the island in 2017, in part due to low wages and issues with insurance reimbursement that made it impossible for them to pay their offices and staff. By the following year, the medical specialist workforce had shrunk by 15 percent, meaning that there were only about 9,500 staff to serve the entire population of 3.2 million, as Catherine Kim <a href="https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/2/27/21150176/puerto-rico-health-care-hospital-access-hurricane-maria">reported for Vox</a>.
The numbers had recovered somewhat by the time the pandemic emerged. But many medical staff have had to stay home and quarantine when they test positive for Covid-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine-isolation-background.html">changed its recommendation</a> for people to quarantine for five days instead of 10 if fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and other symptoms have improved. Though <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/new-cdc-isolation-quarantine-guidelines-confuses-some-and-raises-questions">controversial</a>, that guidance could allow asymptomatic health care workers to return to work much sooner, helping alleviate staffing shortages and the availability and quality of medical care for all.
But burnout is also an issue. Many health care workers have left direct care of Covid-19 patients in favor of less risky jobs, such as vaccination and lab work, Ramos said.
All of this has meant that the capacity to address not only Covid-19, but also other patients presenting with urgent medical issues nevertheless remains a challenge. According to the federal government, 72 of the island’s 78 municipalities are <a href="https://data.hrsa.gov/topics/health-workforce/shortage-areas">medically underserved</a> and have “<a href="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23154035/2015_Puerto_Rico_Primary_Care_Needs_Assessment.pdf">unmet health care needs</a>.”
Aggravating that issue is the fact that many physicians on the island have reduced their on-site services, and patients with Covid-19 risk factors are afraid to access care in person for fear of contracting the virus. That has led to an explosion of need in the mental health sector and rising incidences of chronic diseases, like diabetes and hypertension, Levis said.
“It drives home the imperative that if Covid is endemic and we’re going to be seeing these surges pop up, we need to make sure that we have alternate ways of communicating with patients,” Levis said.
Unless those longstanding challenges in Puerto Rico’s health care system are addressed, in addition to the immediate personnel shortage, any future waves of the pandemic will continue to pose a risk to the health of Covid-19 patients and anyone else seeking care.
 
 
source <a href="https://www.vox.com/22870713/puerto-rico-omicron-covid-vaccine-travel-restrictions">https://www.vox.com/22870713/puerto-rico-omicron-covid-vaccine-travel-restrictions</a>

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