2026-01-30 General

COVID-19 COVID-Related Excess Death and Sickness This paper from Greece (2026-01-19) reports that children who had a confirmed COVID-19 infection had worse global longitudinal strain (GLS) — a measure of how much the left ventricle of the heart can contract. Kids who had more severe infections had worse GLS. This paper from Japan (2026-01-21) reports… Continue reading 2026-01-30 General

2026-01-23 General

COVID-19 Long COVID ๐Ÿ‘ง There has been a lot of hand-wringing about high absentee rates among children, with very little mention of the fact that maybe, y’know, children are sick more than were before everybody started collecting COVID-19 infections like they were baseball cards. Finally, a paper from USA (2026-01-16) does something that starts to… Continue reading 2026-01-23 General

2026-01-16 General

COVID-Related Excess Death and Sickness There have been a fair number of articles and post on teh socials wringing hands about how cancer rates in young people were risking — with the implication that it was because of COVID-19 infections or vaccines. However, the data for that hand-wringing had been pre-pancemic. Good news! We just… Continue reading 2026-01-16 General

2026-01-09 General

COVID-19 COVID-Related Excess Death and Sickness ๐Ÿคฐ This paper from USA (2025-01-01) reports babies who were exposed to COVID-19 while in the womb had neurological developmental issues compared to babies who were not exposed. Compared to controls, exposed children: ๐Ÿคฐ This paper from China (2025-12-23) reports that eggs for IVF which are taken while the… Continue reading 2026-01-09 General

2025-12-12 General

COVID Long COVID ๐Ÿš‘ This paper from USA (2025-12-03) reports that veterans who were eventually diagnosed with Long COVID had a 34% higher risk of emergency department visits in the six months after their infection compared to those who tested positive for COVID-19 infections but who did not get Long COVID. ๐Ÿฉธ This paper from… Continue reading 2025-12-12 General

2025-12-05 General

Recommended Reading ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿงด๐Ÿž๐Ÿฆ ๐Ÿคข This older article (2019-12-10) reports on a simple experiment that a schoolteacher did with her class: she took slices of bread and had kids handle them after various hand hygiene techniques. Tongs? The bread was immaculate. No handwashing? Covered with mold. Spoiler: hand sanitizer is not as good as washing with soap… Continue reading 2025-12-05 General

2025-11-21 General

There’s been a lot of news this week, but most of the articles it’s been politicians-in-other-countries-doing-stupid-things. It hasn’t just been the USA, either: UK, Scotland, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, and I forget who else all made appearances. That hasn’t left much mindshare for articles about the science and/or Canada. ๐Ÿ™ COVID-19 Long COVID This paper… Continue reading 2025-11-21 General

2025-11-14 General

I want to remind people again to get a flu shot this year. There’s a new substrain — H3N2 subclade K — which apparently is more contagious and nastier if you catch it. The flu shot isn’t hugely effective against infection but it has some effectiveness (especially for children!), and even if it doesn’t stop… Continue reading 2025-11-14 General

2025-11-07 General

COVID-19 Long COVID ๐Ÿ’‰ This paper from USA (2025-11-01) reports that vaccination cuts the risk of Long COVID in adolescents by 36%. This paper from Alberta (2025-11-07) (and this press release on the paper) reports on differences between men with Long COVID and women with Long COVID. The study notes that testosterone normally helps keep… Continue reading 2025-11-07 General