How do we know a pandemic's over?

[dann]

Sweden:

Smittan rusar – har ökat med 76 procent (Aftonbladet, Sep 9, 2025)
Covidsmittan gör comeback. På en vecka har de bekräftade fallen ökat med 76 procent.

Infections are surging – they have increased by 76 percent (Aftonbladet, Sep 9, 2025)
Covid infections are making a comeback. In a week, confirmed cases have increased by 76 percent.

 

[dann]

Denmark - rising numbers and vaccination season:
(Yes, in Denmark COVID-19 is still supposed to be seasonal, so C19 vaccination only takes place from October to December)

The wastewater numbers are rising again. They are still at "medium level" but getting close to "high."
Both the number of tests and the percentage of positives, now 9.3% (14% for 0-2-year-olds!), are on the rise.
So are hospitalization numbers. The age groups that are most affected are 0-2-year-old and 80+.

And apropos of 0-2-year-olds:
The Danish public-health authorities have decided that healthy (!) pregnant women will not be offered the C19 vaccination this year:
Gravide anbefales fortsat vaccination mod influenza – men ikke mod covid-19 (SST.dk, Sep 10, 2025)

Denmark is following in the footsteps of RFK Jr.:
RFK Jr drops Covid-19 boosters for kids and pregnant women from CDC list (The Guardian, May 27, 2025)

I hope that Danish pediatricians will protest against the decision like their American colleagues did:

RFK Jr.'s vaccine policy sparks a lawsuit from the American Academy of Pediatrics (NPR Health News, July 8, 2025)
The lawsuit centers on Kennedy's decision to removepregnant women and healthy children from the COVID-19 vaccine schedule in late May. The suit alleges this was "arbitrary" and "capricious" and in violation of federal law that governs how these decisions are made.

But I fear that they will instead listen to Christine Stabell Benn, Danish 'vaccine skeptic' and a member of Florida's Public Health Integrity Committee. Other cherry-picked members of that committee were Joseph A. Ladapo, Jay Bhattacharya, Martin Kuldorff and Tracy Beth Høeg.

 

[dann]

USA – Washington State:

Washington State COVID-19 Vaccine Standing Order (Washington State Department of Health, Sep 4, 2025)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
COVID-19 vaccination is authorized under this standing order and recommended for all eligible persons aged 6 months and older.

I don't know if this authorization is the same in the other West Coast states + Hawaii.

 

[dann]

USA:

Laura Miers on X, Sep 10, 2025
If the US was still testing & reporting data, we would be reporting an estimated 7 million new Covid infections per week.
Up to 3300 Americans are expected to die as a result of Covid this week alone (but not on paper).

Mike Hoerger on X, Sep 10, 2025
As a health scientist, it's shocking that up to 3,300 Americans are expected to die (excess deaths) as a result of this week's infections.

 

[dann]

It was obvious that the Swifties wouldn't be the only ones it impacted:

Jess on X, Sep 12, 2025
Will Wheaton has been one of the last standing actors who consistently masked (along with his wife), and never had issues promoting the importance of it and standing up to any criticism.
Unfortunately he let his guard down at Comic Con, and now has his first ever infection.

Charles W on X, Sep 12, 2025
Feels like an appropriate moment to re-post this. We fans need to stop infecting our favorites — and fellow fans and venue staff — for the sake of proximity.“COVID-19 is K*lling Performers"
COVID-19 is Killing Performers (Medium)

I bet performers kill more members of the audience than the other way round.

 

[dann]

COVID outbreak in control tower causes Sydney Airport chaos (7News, Sep 13, 2025)
Sydney Airport has been hit by major delays after a COVID outbreak swept through the control tower, forcing multiple air traffic controllers to call in sick.
The staffing crisis severely impacted departure operations, with flights limited to just 15 per hour for much of the day — around half the usual capacity at Australia’s biggest airport.

This study is about hospitals, but it might be of use in a control tower, too:
Risk mitigation of shared room ventilation and filtration on SARS-CoV-2 transmission: a multicenter test-negative study (Cambridge.org, Sep 10, 2025)

Masking up might also have helped ...

 

[dann]

USA - vaccination:

Dr. Lucky Tran on X, Sep 12, 2025
UPDATE: 19 states have issued orders to protect COVID vaccine access including AZ, CO, CT, DE, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, NC, NV, NJ, NM, NY, PA, RI, VA, WA.
Almost all orders allow pharmacies to give shots without prescriptions, some take steps to ensure insurance coverage.

Dr. Lucky Tran on X, Sep 12, 2025
If your state isn't on this list, please contact your governor's office and ask them to issue an order to protect COVID vaccine access.
If your state is on this list, call your governor's office and thank them for protecting COVID vaccine access.

Yaneer Bar-Yan on X, Sep 12, 2025
+Maine
Gov Mills standing order prescription for all Maine people, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at pharmacies, clinics, and health care offices across the state.
https://maine.gov/governor/mills/news/governor-mills-direction-maine-cdc-issues-standing-order-expanding-access-covid-19-vaccine

 

[dann]

USA - California - Berkeley:

Laura Miers on X, Sep 13, 2025
I remember when California adopted 1 day Covid isolation & said kids can attend school Covid positive after they legally banned residents from suing employers when they acquire Covid at work.

Jammer on X, Sep 12, 2025
‘Being immunocompromised, I still find it a little weird to be living in a world where there’s still, like an active pandemic for me, but not for most people.’Berkeley, California HS teacher on the COVID outbreak causing numerous students to miss school and its effect on her.

Positive COVID-19 cases see sudden increase at Berkeley High

The Berkeley High Jacket is the award-winning student newspaper of Berkeley High School in California. Since 1912 the Jacket has provided a platform for professional-level student journalism.

berkeleyhighjacket.com

Positive COVID-19 cases see sudden increase at Berkeley High (Berkeley High Jacket, Sep 12, 2025)
The COVID-19 pandemic started almost six years ago, but recently there has been an increase in cases at Berkeley High School. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), August has seen a surge of almost 12 percent in positive COVID-19 cases. According to the California Department of Public Health, there has been a 16 percent increase in cases for people up to 17 years old. According to the National Wastewater Surveillance System, California has had high levels of COVID-19 viral wastewater since Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025. Wastewater is water that has been used in a home, a business, or an industrial process.

 

[dann]

Mike Hoerger on X, Sep 14, 2025
CDC wastewater monitoring shows Very High levels of COVlD in Texas for the 3rd week in a row.

 

[dann]

Dame Sa on X, Sep 14, 2025
Disability is rising.
School absence due to illness is rising.
Workplace absence due to illness is rising.
Over 400k studies say Covid is very bad for our health. Even mild infections.
So why are authorities ignoring that? How bad does it have to get?! #LongCovid

It must be due to lockdowns, immunity debt, vaccines, cellphones, video games, immigrants and Woke!

 

[dann]

Norway:

Forskere: – En pågående folkehelsekrise av historiske dimensjoner (NRK.no, Sep 12, 2025)
Noe er alvorlig galt med den norske folkehelsa, mener forskere. En ny studie konkluderer med at mange flere har dødd enn ventet de siste årene, også blant unge. FHI tilbakeviser påstandene.
(...)
Ifølge forskerne var 2024 det tredje året på rad med en betydelig overdødelighet:

• Alder 1–19: 45 flere dødsfall (37 % høyere enn ventet)
• Alder 20–39: 107 flere dødsfall (18 % høyere enn ventet)
• Alder 40–64: 439 flere dødsfall (11 % høyere enn ventet)
• Totalt for alle aldersgrupper: 2898 flere dødsfall (7 % høyere enn ventet)

Researchers: – An ongoing public health-crisis of historic dimensions
Something is seriously wrong with Norwegian public health, according to researchers. A new study concludes that many more have died than expected in recent years, also young people. The Public Health Agency rejects the claims.
(...)
According to the researchers, 2024 was the third year in a row with considerable excess mortality:
Ages 1 to 19: 45 more deaths (37% more than expected)
Ages 20 to 39: 107 more deaths (18% more than expected)
Ages 40 to 64: 439 more deaths (11% more than expected)
Total for all age brackets: 2,898 more deaths (7% more than expected)

See graph in the article of the number of deaths from 2010 to 2024 in comparison to the predicted number of deaths based on the number of deaths from 2010 to 2019:
Antall årlige dødsfall i Norge = number of deaths per year in Norway

 

[dann]

UK:

Lesley-Ann Jones on X, Sep 13, 2025
Inspired interview with #DanBrown @Daily_Express, @MattNixson. Congrats! My contribution today here...

 

[dann]

USA - C19 vaccinations:

David Gorski on X, Sep 13, 2025
If you haven't gotten your updated COVID vaccine by now, book an appointment fast before next week's ACIP meeting. After that, you might not be able to get one. I plan on getting mine this weekend if I possibly can.

COVID shot access could tighten; RFK Jr. may claim they cause child deaths (ArsTechnica.com)

 

[dann]

San Diego County: "Weekly reporting will resume in October."
The end result this time:
San Diego County Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report, June 30, 2024, to Mar 29, 2025 (SanDiegoCounty.gov, May 3, 2025)
COVID-19: Cases 26,837; Deaths 260
Influenza: Cases 38,545; Deaths 208
RSV: Cases 5,678; Deaths 16
Notice that this was the 'mildest' C19 year till now, and by far the worst flu year since 2021-22.
Figures 19, 20 and 21 on p. 11 show "COVID-19, Influenza, and RSV Deaths by Age and Fiscal Year," 2021-22 to 2024-25, but notice the y-axis before you make comparisons.

San Diego County Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report, June 29, 2025–Sep 6, 2025 (SanDiegoCounty.gov, Sep 11, 2025
Covid-19: Cases 6,331; Deaths 26
Influenza: Cases 519; Deaths 0
RSV: Cases 46; Deaths 0

 

[dann]

Cat in the Hat on X, Sep 15, 2025
TheiPaper:
“Parents are blamed for kids missing school… No, Bridget Phillipson, it’s got nothing to do with bad behaviour.”
This is an excellent article from @theipaper which delves into the true drivers of the attendance crisis (the ones which the govt is trying to ignore).

 

[dann]

Denmark - even the MSM has registered the rising numbers, so it's time for journalists to call the professional calm mongers:

Nye tal: Nu stiger antallet af coronasmittede (Ekstra Bladet, Sep 17, 2025)
Coronasmitten stiger så småt, men der er ifølge overlæge og sektionsleder ved SSI, Bolette Søborg, ikke noget at være bekymret for
Du har måske allerede lagt mærke til det; kollegaer eller skolekammerater, der melder sig syge på stribe.
(...)
Antallet af testpositive og indlagte borgere med coronavirus er den seneste måned steget fra et 'lavt' niveau til 'middel'
(...)
- Man kan jo se, at corona er steget siden sommer, men det passer fint med årstiden. Så der er ikke noget unormalt eller ekstraordinært ved den udvikling, vi ser nu, siger Bolette Søborg, der er overlæge og sektionsleder ved SSI, til Ekstra Bladet.
(...)
Man kan se, at antallet af testpositive og indlagte er stabilt.
(...)
Så man kan sige, at spildevand er det første signal, men det er stadig ikke alarmerende, lyder det.
(...)
- Men vi har ikke set et kvantespring fra en helt ny variant-type
(...)
... hvis man ser på det relativt, vil det stille og roligt stige fra det 'lave' niveau.
- Skal man som borger være bekymret over den udvikling?
- Det skal man ikke. Men man skal tage det som et tegn på, at hvis man er i en risikogruppe eller man er en borger over 65 år gammel, så skal man tage sin vaccination, og så er man godt dækket. Det gælder også for influenza.

New numbers: The number of people infected with COVID-19 is rising (Ekstra Bladet, Sep 17, 2025)
The number of corona infections is increasing gradually, but according to the chief physician and section head at SSI, Bolette Søborg, there is nothing to be worried about.You may have already noticed it; colleagues or fellow students are reporting sick in droves.
(...)
The number of positive tests and hospitalizations with coronavirus has increased from a 'low' level to 'medium' in the past month
(...)
- We can see that Covid has increased since the summer, but it fits well with the time of year. So there is nothing abnormal or extraordinary about the development we are seeing now, says Bolette Søborg, chief physician and section head at SSI, to Ekstra Bladet.
(...)
We can see that the number of positive tests and hospitalizations is stable.(...)
So you can say that wastewater is the first signal, but it is still not alarming, they say.
(...)
- But we haven't seen a quantum leap from a completely new variant type
(...)
... if you look at it relatively, it will slowly rise slowly from the 'low' level.
- Should you as a citizen be worried about this development ?
- You shouldn't. But you should take it as a sign that if you are in a risk group or you are a citizen over 65 years old, you should get your vaccination, and then you are well covered. This also goes for influenza.

The graphs in the article show that we left the low level several weeks ago - and not particularly slowly.

So no restrictions and not even face masks/respirators. Ever since 2021 after the vaccinations and the booster vaccinations, all Danes are supposed to have"super immunity" except for the ones who are 65 years old or older or otherwise frail. Everybody else should get out there and get 'naturally' infected, stop worrying and be happy.

 

[dann]

Students are encouraged to infect each other and their teachers in order to make it seem as if the pandemic is over. And parents (and not, for instance, insufficient ventilation and air-purification) are blamed for the bad behaviour and attitude of their sick children.

How attendance data is used in inspections:
* As a starting point: Attendance data is a starting point for inspection discussions with school leaders about what they are doing to improve attendance behaviour.* To inform judgements: Inspectors use attendance data to assess a school's success in areas like behaviour and attitudes, and the leadership and management of the school.
* To track progress: Schools are expected to demonstrate that they are moving towards pre-pandemic levels of attendance, and inspectors will consider if a school's attendance is improving over time.

Strawfie Challenge on X, Sep 18, 2025
The reason schools push attendance to the point of bullying pupils and parents is this

 

[dann]

It's also important to remember that "the lies and horrible mishandling of the Covid pandemic" is here & now.
It's not a thing of the past.
And it's not going to get better any time soon. If at all.

Hanner on X, Sep 18, 2025
It's very important to mention the lies and horrible mishandling of the Covid pandemic
Once y'all had agreed to sacrificing the old and the sick for this fake normal, the powers that be knew they could push even further
Not to mention you've also been destroying your own health

Hanner on X, Sep 18, 2025
Governments have known since 2020 that Covid would lead to long term medical issues for everyone, but they didn't care.
The 1% extracted so much wealth from the working class since 2020 and they show no sign of stopping. Convincing you to reinfect yourselves forever was step 1

Hanner on X, Sep 18, 2025
For over 5 years now, public health around the world has been lying to the population with the help of mainstream media.
Once they knew y'all were fine with sacrificing "others" for brunch, hypernormalization was well under way. You've lived in this fake normal for years

Hanner on X, Sep 18, 2025
I truly hope more people wake up to realize they need to start masking now if they intend on fighting fascism and surviving it.
It's a lot harder to fight fascists if you've disabled yourselves with years of not masking and Covid reinfections. Long Covid is no joke
Mask up!!

 

[dann]

tern on X, Sep 19, 2025
You should have realised what was going on when the same people who sold you
carcinogenic slow death sticks by calling them mild sold you everythingogenic slow death infections by calling them mild too.

 

[dann]

USA - Northeast Public Health Collaborative:

Dr. Lucky Tran on X, Sep 20, 2025
Today, Maryland took additional actions to protect COVID access:-Issued a standing order so vaccines can be given based on guidance from medical societies instead of the federal gov-Confirmed they have joined the Northeast Public Health Collaborative
Maryland Department of Health issues respiratory virus vaccine guidance, COVID-19 vaccine standing order (Maryland Department of Health, Sep 19, 2025)