How do we know a pandemic's over?

[dann]

Dr. Jen Irwin on bsky, Aug 26, 2026
“During COVID” is, checks date, NOW:
South Texas school district cancels classes amid COVID-19 spread (KSAT, Aug 25, 2026)

Jonathan Howard on bsky, Aug 27, 2026
The guy who “would have” opened schools is letting schools close.

Niema Moshiri on bsky, Aug 27, 2026
Dang good thing his profile pic doesn't have something like "NO MORE LOCKDOWNS!" plastered all over it. Oh wait

 

[dann]

COVID-19 cases are on the rise in these 48 states. See map (USA Today, Sep 1, 2026)
COVID-19 cases are ticking up in almost every U.S. state as summer draws to a close, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
COVID-19 activity was still categorized overall as "very low" nationwide by the agency as of Aug. 28, though cases are consistently increasing. This is likely the result of what has come to be known as the "summer surge,"

 

[dann]

Everything you need to know about COVID-19 vaccine changes in Australia (Sep 17, 2026)
For the past five-and-a-half years, vaccines against SARS‑CoV‑2, the virus that causes COVID-19, have been free for everyone living in Australia.
But that's about to change.
From October 1, only people at highest risk of severe COVID-19 disease will get the jab for free.

 

[dann]

:

‘Outdated’ health policies surrounding Covid still pose a danger today, says U of C researcher (CTV News, Sep 18, 2026)
“Unfortunately, when Covid hit, there was very little attention paid to aerosol transmission as a means of Covid infecting from one person to another,” Ungrin said. “Warnings were provided by scientists, engineers, occupational health and safety experts, many people within the medical profession, but infection control leaders really based their decisions on some fairly outdated understandings of aerosol biology and disease transmission via aerosols, and as a result, they basically assumed that it was not possible for Covid to be airborne.”
“And this, obviously, now we can see turned out to be a mistake,” he added.

 

[Roger Ramjets]

“Unfortunately, when Covid hit, there was very little attention paid to aerosol transmission as a means of Covid infecting from one person to another,” Ungrin said. “Warnings were provided by scientists, engineers, occupational health and safety experts, many people within the medical profession, but infection control leaders really based their decisions on some fairly outdated understandings of aerosol biology and disease transmission via aerosols, and as a result, they basically assumed that it was not possible for Covid to be airborne.”

That certainly wasn't the case here. We didn't initially have to wear masks (though some people did) because they weren't sure how effective they were and social distancing was thought to be adequate. Businesses had large glass shields to protect counter staff, some of which are still in place today. There may have been an over-emphasis on touch transfer, but at least one person is known to have gotten Covid this way and an abundance of caution didn't hurt. The important thing was that these measures worked and we squashed the virus in 3 weeks, then enjoyed a year of Covid-free living. If only we hadn't let that Aussie tourist in...

 

[dann]

That certainly wasn't the case here. We didn't initially have to wear masks ...

Don't assume that everybody knows who "we" are or where "here" (= ) is!

 

[dann]

Trump and RFK Jr.'s plan to end the pandemic once and for all:

Long COVID, disputing measles deaths, and newborns without RSV protection: The State of US Vaccine Policy (CIDRAP, Oct 1, 2026)
5. Nursing homes may stop reporting weekly COVID cases, and the CDC relabeled its wastewater levels
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, led by Dr. Mehmet Oz, has drafted a plan to end weekly reporting of COVID, flu, and RSV cases in nursing homes, according to The New York Times. It would also drop the requirement to educate nursing home staff about COVID vaccines and offer them the shots, even though staff vaccination rates have been below 10% in recent years.

The only surprise is that he hasn't proposed another name change. The "Chinese Virus" never caught on, and after his renewed infatuation with Xi he'll have to come up with something new.