Jaydo 🍉

People don’t want to talk about Covid and the brain because most people are subjected to Covid so often. Surely it must be safe? No. Article: Did the Pandemic Break our Brains?” by Jamie Ducharme in TIME Magazine Sept 16, 2024 VD: Jaydo reads an excerpt from the TIME article with his face greenscreened over the page.

People know very little about Covid, and it’s a huge problem. Covid is only similar to flu in that it enters through the respiratory system, but once inside, Covid targets all parts of the body via ACE2 receptors in the lining of our blood vessels and most of our organs. How something feels is not the same as what it’s doing in our bodies - many things feel like the flu but can be extremely serious (HIV feels like flu at onset), and some things feel like nothing at all because we don’t have nerves in those areas. Often what we feel is our immune response, so lack of symptoms can mean the immune system is failing to respond. Covid is not safe to get repeatedly, and because people have been subjected to rampant Covid spread and led to believe it is safe, learning anything to the contrary is scary and most people will choose to avoid this information. This video is from January 2024 and is one of the videos I’m most proud of. I’m sharing this, and one more video I posted back then, before I start a new multi part series called “What the CDC should have told you about Covid” which will be a more organized and comprehensive effort to tackle most of the basic concepts around how Covid spreads, what it does in our bodies, how to stay safe, and the social and political dynamics of Covid in 2024. VD: Jaydo in a brown jacket seated in front of a wall talking to the camera for 3 min.

*Not medical advice,* but if I was Covid+, and when I found out a friend was, here is the first level of treatments I would personally use and what I sent my friend, since these are easy to find, widely used, and not very intense or experimental, in my opinion. Also, Covid is unpredictable; you can use none of these tools or all of them and it will not dictate your disease course, but there is evidence these tools could help and are safe for most people, although my imaginary lawyer says consult a doctor and do your own research 🫡 and the dosing schedule on slide 3 is just what I would do based on vibes but some of the guides below have different schedules/dosage. Articles on Histamines and H1/H2 Blockers: “Covid‐19 Histamine theory: Why antihistamines should be incorporated as the basic component in Covid‐19 management?“ Mashauri, Health Sci Rep. 2023 Feb 7;6(2):e1109. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9903129/ Bonus study: “The histamine receptor H1 acts as an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2” Fei Yu et al. mBio. 2024. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38953634/ Other Guides on Treating Covid: @clean.air.club “What to Do When I Have Covid” http://bit.ly/mycovidplan Long Covid Pharm D “I have COVID! What should my kids and I take to reduce chances of severe illness and Long COVID?” (Updated 9/14/24)” /p/i-have-covid-what-should-my-kids @peoplescdc “What to Do if You Have COVID” /2023/01/10/what-to-do-if-you-have-covid/ @plagueprose “Basic Acute COVID Care (version 1)” /Post/Basic-Accute-COVID-Care-version-1-T6T810HHVE Rthm is an online clinic geared towards Long Covid treatment with some helpful articles and could help access some of the treatments that are not over the counter: /learn/

Call for Interviews: Trans Long Haulers & Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) We are looking to interview trans Long Haulers (people living with/experiencing symptoms of Long Covid) who are currently on HRT or have paused HRT due to resulting symptom burden and inflammatory immune response. Preferance is for BIPOC sources, but ANYONE is welcome to be interviewed. This story will assess impacts to HRT access as growing COVID-19 related disability disproportionately impacts trans communities-featuring narrative throughlines to the AIDS epidemic. We would like to conduct filmed, in-person, and masked interviews in the Chicago area for any trans Long Hauler that fits the previous slide’s criteria. Otherwise, anyone in the US can be interviewed either on-record, meaning name will be cited in piece, or on background, meaning zero quotes or voice will be used in-story. If you are interested in either an in-person or virtual interview, please contact Khalil Dennis at [email protected] or leave a comment expressing interest! Thank you for your support, and please share with people whose stories may be best included and amplified. #callforsources #longcovid #covid #disability #transpublichealth

UPDATE, May 12th: OUR HEARING WAS CANCELLED. Look at our new post for more information and what to do. ****** We wish we were writing with better news, but things are not looking great right now for our bill. Certain members of the Immigration & Human Rights Committee want to kill it. We're doing everything we can to not let that happen, but it's not going to work unless we can show them overwhelming support. We're not going to target the naysayers just this second (if we switch gears, you'll be the first to know), instead we're going to focus on calling other folks on the committee who are still undecided. If you've already called these ones, call them again. Rope-a-dope a friend and get them to make calls, too. Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado: 217-782-0480, 773-237-4558 Rep. Sonya M. Harper: 217-782-0275, 773-925-6580 Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez: 217-782-8173, 708-222-5240 Rep. Charles Meier: 217-782-6401, 618-651-0405 Call template: bit.ly/Call4KikisLaw And if you haven't already, please fill out a witness slip. It a quick, 1-2 min action and is crucial to tally support. Witness slip instructions: bit.ly/Slip4SB3340 We don't mean to be dramatic—we try not to be—but it's actually do-or-die time. If they succeed in tanking the bill in the House Committee, we most likely will wind up having to start all over from scratch next year. That means, start all over in the Senate, too. I know everyone is busy and tired, but we need to pull out all the stops over the next 48 hours to try to save our bill. SOLIDARITY.

TELL SOMEBODY: 1 MONTH UNTIL #MaskWeek2026 🌎🌍🌏😷 **Please help amplify! To ALL communities - not just those who mask regularly (but also them too). Nothing changes if nothing changes ♾️ _ WHAT: at its simplest, #WorldMaskWeek asks folks worldwide to commit to masking up as often as possible for collective health for 1 week (May 25-31, 2026) Bigger picture, Mask Week is so many things: a tangible solidarity action, a vessel to meet like-minded folks, a way to truly embody intersectional values, & so much more. It can (& should!) look different from place to place, but the intention is rooted in deepening our practices of community care, because masking is a practice. _ WHO: World Mask Week is for folks: • Looking to opt back into masking up more often • Who are “still COVIDing” (or whatever preferred term) or trying to avoid airborne illnesses • Needing accessible PPE including masks, rapid tests, & other resources • Wanting to fight things like fascism, mask bans, & oppression towards Indigenous, Black, 2SLGBTQIA+, disabled, houseless, elder, youth & other marginalized beloveds _ ROLES: if you've fallen off with masking, we hope that you'll take this week as an opportunity to get back into the practice & #MaskUpAtTheBig3 (stores, appointments, and on public transit). If you already mask, help us get the word out to people where you live who are & are not still masking. *Feel free to translate & share all materials! The World Mask Week flyer is available in multiple languages on the website below. If you can send us other translations, we'd appreciate it. Fullest info & FREE MASKS for ALL ages WORLDWIDE at MaskWeek.com 😷♾️ _ Note: with love, we as Celebrate845 won't be entertaining comments saying that "1 week isn't enough". We know this. And: our goals are to re-onboard interested folks & build widespread, lasting coalition. Previous efforts have led to long term lifestyle changes & community wins. #MaskWeek #stillCOVIDing Music by Covid-informed artist @drewempire_ IDs incoming / DM to join the Volunteer ID Team

After Passing out of the Illinois Senate Human Rights Committee, SB3340 and HB4848 known as Kiki’s Law, or The Protective Medical Equipment Freedom Act, is landmark legislation that “enshrine[s] the right to wear protective medical equipment in any place of public accommodation where an individual has a lawful right to be—without obligation to disclose health status or any other protected information,” according to a coalition of organizations across Illinois, including Care Not COVID, Access Living, Progress Center for Independent Living, and the Arc of Illinois. In this segment of Conversations on COVID, I spoke to Sebastian Nalls (he/him), Access Living’s Healthcare/HCBS Policy Analyst to discuss Kiki’s Law, its importance to Illinois residents and people across the nation, and what steps are needed to ensure the bill’s success. To learn more about this effort, visit pmefa.org and follow @carenotcovidchi for updates. #covid #publichealth #disability #disabilityjustice #chronicillness

Jaydo goes to an outdoor wedding and experiences various travel difficulties on the way like an older woman drinking too much before the flight and falling on row 3 and throwing up everywhere causing the flight to emergency land, turning a short travel day into two days of flights, and for some reason on day 2 a plane is burning on the runway and anyway congrats to the happy couple love always wins sometimes ❤️ for the record, Jaydo is married, to public health advocacy and community care, but it’s open if you want to join

Up to 60% of health care workers may have long COVID 4 years after infection Mary Van Beusekom, MS March 20, 2026 “Four years after infection with the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 strain, up to 60% of health care workers (HCWs) in Switzerland still reported at least one COVID-19 symptom, although the number of participants dwindled over time, Swiss researchers write in Infection.” https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/60-health-care-workers-may-have-long-covid-4-years-after-infection Study: Saurer, P., Ballouz, T., Cusini, A. et al. Persistence of Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae (PASC) symptoms in healthcare workers four years after ancestral SARS-CoV-2 infection: a prospective multicentre cohort. Infection (2026). /10.1007/s15010-026-02768-0 /article/10.1007/s15010-026-02768-0

In the third and final installment speaking to current and former UCLA students, I interview Gwen Hill, a queer, multiply-disabled Chinese fem with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychobiology living with Long COVID. In partnership with UCLA’s Disabled Student Union and Undergraduate Students Association Council, Gwen fought to expand masking access and hybrid learning through a 6-month pilot health initiative. During the program, Gwen installed high quality respirators at 25 campus buildings while updating signage from old symptom monitoring standards. This included signage detailing why and when to mask, the mechanisms of COVID spread, and how to identify Long COVID. We discuss the 2024 emergence of Pro-Palestinian encampments and UCLA’s subsequent crackdown on masks, citing both increased racial profiling by bike cops and the barring of disabled students from their freedom of speech rights and accessing UC regents meetings. Though her initiative was not renewed, she expresses gratitude to UCLA’s LGBTQ Center for having “the cleanest air on campus,” citing their continued commitment to air purification and providing PPE in addition to contraceptives access. If you enjoyed this interview, be sure to like, comment, and share ✨ To see more from Gwen Hill, follow her photography account @gwendystar.media and follow @khaoticaa for more coverage! • • • #longcovidawareness #disability #covid #journalism #disabilityjustice

In this 2nd installment of a three-part series interviewing past and present UCLA students, I interview Layla Allen ( @laymagdalen3 ), a Black UCLA graduate with a double major in Public Affairs and African-American Studies. In this conversation, we discuss Layla’s experience navigating virtual learning during COVID lockdown and campus-wide mask mandates until its dismantling in 2022 following the Omicron wave. Layla recounts students taking incompletes during finals week due to rising illness and a subsequent lack of accommodations provided by professors following their 2nd COVID infection in 2023, which left them feeling “miserable” with their “brain not working.” With the advent of anti-g*nocide protests in 2024 and subsequent ICE activity in following years, Layla observed increased surveillance of mask wearers at UCLA and greater Los Angeles citing “bizarre” experiences being photographed in rideshares. Though Layla has amassed a COVID Cautious community in LA, they express grief at the lack of Black COVID Cautious community remarking how they miss sharing meals and going to creative spaces where masking and testing is seldom seen. Follow @khaoticaa for more ✨ and don’t forget to comment, save, and share to increase visibility 🫶🏾 • #fур #covid #disabilityawareness #mask #longcovid

Clean air should be a right, not a privilege! I’m partnering w. @positivedeviancenyc on events that will minimize airborne pathogens for all attendees, including the medically high risk community (who are not considered or accommodated otherwise by current public health policies). Sun 3/15: Author Talk + Book Fair at @bronxlandia w. me, @champagnepoet @documentingthenameplate Sun 4/12: I’m spinning w. @djtaranyc at @gabriela90.nyc Link in bio for tickets! Masks required + Far UVC + HEPA filters for mitigation. Cinematography by @fredroespi filmed at @salonniere_coffeebar #bobbito #cleanair #covidsafe #books #author