Shira Lurie

Things we want people to know. 6 years after the start* of the COVID-19 pandemic. *The day the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. This was not the date of the first case.

It’s not just a cold. We wish it were just a cold. We would not keep talking about it if so. Since 2020, doctors, scientists, and millions of people who have had COVID-19 have learned that it can cause permanent damage to multiple organ systems within your body, leave you disabled and unable to do the things you love, and significantly harm your quality of life. A cold cannot disable or kill you the way COVID-19 can.

We know a lot more about prevention than we did back then. We all remember when we thought maybe we’d be ok as long as we were 6 feet away from sick people; that masks worked one way but not the other; and more. But just like with all new viruses and scientific study, we learned more as there was more time to study and observe, and we now know that wearing masks and keeping cleaner air are key to protecting ourselves and others. Now that we know better, we can (and should) better protect ourselves and others.

We understand the frustration about vaccines, but they are still extremely important. We all remember when vaccines were first made available, and it would’ve been great if that was the end of the pandemic. It wasn’t. And a lot of people have gotten frustrated and have given up on vaccination. It’s true, the virus that causes COVID-19 changes (which is why, like the annual flu shot, we need to get updated COVID-19 vaccines each year), and the vaccines we have now will not eliminate COVID-19 on their own. But they are still very effective at preventing serious illness and death, so even though they are not the one quick solution to the pandemic we all wish they were, they are still extremely important, and we should all stay up to date.

This week marked the anniversary of the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We’ve summarized our thoughts a bit below, but tl;dr: Unfortunately, COVID-19 is still with us, & although we may be tired of hearing about it, it’s extremely important to continue to take steps to protect ourselves & others.

A woman in a mask Headline: Why Do Some People Still Wear Masks In 2026 And On A Completely Unrelated Note Why Is Everyone In The Office Sick Right Now Apart From The Guy In The Mask? Story from Jerk Wingley and Terramin Defishunsee Photo from Adobe

Why Do Some People Still Wear Masks In 2026 And On A Completely Unrelated Note Why Is Everyone In The Office Sick Right Now Apart From The Guy In The Mask?

Bottom line from the last 6 years of COVID research : If you’ve got blood vessels, you’d be wise to avoid additional infections.

Now is a great time to normalize wearing a respirator. Might feel awkward at first, but every person who does makes it easier for others to follow. Be a leader. 😷

I was impressed by the third party reviews, hands free ease of use, and long battery life. Would never rely on it without a mask, but a very comfortable extra layer!

Selfie of white woman wearing glasses and a white n95 mask seated in a theatre. There are other masked patrons behind her.

Shoutout to Neptune and their masked performances. Theatre is for everyone ❤️

(And Air Fanta’s maiden voyage!)

What isn’t

WHAT

Text says "Have you heard of Immune Amnesia?If you haven’t (and even if you have), we’ll tell you about it.” In the corner is an image of a man scratching his head.

Important to understand first: When your body is exposed to certain germs that can cause diseases, your immune system builds a “memory” of them, so if you’re exposed to these germs again, your immune system recognizes them and knows how to fight them off. Your immune system also builds this memory when you get vaccinated, so you don’t have to get sick in order to protect yourself from future infections. Graphics show a shield with arms holding a sword and fighting off germs. Another graphic shows a vaccine vial

text says "Important to understand first: Immune amnesia means something has caused your body to lose, or “forget,” its memory of germs you’ve been exposed to before, meaning you’re more likely to get sick and to experience severe illness if you’re exposed to it again. Measles can cause your immune system to forget up to 73% of its memory. In other words, after having measles, you will be immune to measles, but may be at increased risk of other serious illnesses. Did you know? Measles is not the only virus that can harm your immune system. COVID-19 has also been found to cause long-term harm to your body’s ability to fight off illnesses, making you more likely to get sick and experience severe illness.” Graphics show a stick figure shivering with fear because the shield in front of him is broken, and now germs are reaching him. Two pie charts: one says “100% memory before” and the other shows “73% memory lost after"

Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict whose immune system will be most harmed by being sick. It can happen to anyone! The best way to avoid immune amnesia is to get vaccinated & take other steps to avoid getting sick So please remember, it is not a good idea to expose yourself to these viruses on purpose in order to build immunity! That is what vaccines are for. Getting sick makes you much more likely to hurt your immune system! Graphics of a vaccine, a mask, and an air purifier and open window symbolizing clean air

Did you know? Certain illnesses, like measles & COVID-19, can harm your immune system & make you more vulnerable to sickness later. Protect your immune system by getting vaccinated & avoiding getting sick! Learn more about measles & immune amnesia: www.healthychildren.org/English/tips...

Comic: Reasons to wear a mask in 2026 - The Sick Times Artist Gillian Levine recently wrote and illustrated a comic sharing reasons to continue masking in 2026.

"Ignoring the problem doesn't make it go away...if you truly care about other people, you'll put [a mask] on."

We republished illustrator Gillian Levine's comic, "Reasons to mask in 2026" in @thesicktimes.org. Check it out 👀😷

thesicktimes.org/2026/02/27/c...

Maybe one day it will stop snowing.

If you don't want to mask in crowded indoor spaces, you can just admit that and say it's because of social conformity norms & peer pressure.

Because it's not about science. Don't bend the science to fit a social comfort choice

Thank you to @nbcovidinfo.bsky.social for bringing Nova Scotia Health's AI chatbot to our attention a while back, and to @dentremy.bsky.social for this comprehensive story:

This is true in the deepest, darkest sense.

According to the provincial data, 109 Nova Scotians died of Covid in 2025. That’s more than in 2020 (65) or 2021 (46).

Masks save lives.

A valentine with candy hearts, the largest purple heart in the center reads "Masks r love"

It's very sweet to protect each other.

A well-fitted mask can keep others safe from many airborne illnesses including Covid, flu, RSV, strep, measles, and tuberculosis.

Show some love for clean air and use this template to send a letter to the NS Premier, your MLA, and the Minister of Ed today!

On Feb. 23, the NS Legislature is back in session. Let them know that it's time to get serious about infection control in schools.

People hate when you refuse to pretend the pandemic is over. They hate it so much.

Thank you. And having unsuccessfully tried to push you over several times, I can also attest to yours.

Above average catching ability

U.S. Olympic men’s cross-country ski team member Ben Ogden, second from left, speaks at a news conference Thursday, Feb. 5 at the competition venue in Tesero, Italy. From left, Ogden’s teammates are Zak Ketterson, JC Schoonmaker and Zanden McMullen. (Nathaniel Herz for FasterSkier)

Masked members of the U.S. women’s Olympic cross-country ski team pose for a photo Thursday, Feb. 5 after a news conference at their competition venue in Tesero, Italy. From left , Jessie Diggins, Hailey Swirbul, Sammy Smith, Julia Kern, Novie McCabe and Rosie Brennan. (Nathaniel Herz for FasterSkier)

Encouraging to see some members of the US Olympic team wearing masks to protect their health ahead of competition.

Come thruuuuuu maritimes!!!!

Such great news! I hope other provinces to follow this important example! Great work, NB!!!

History shows that pandemics lead to fascism Studies of the 1918 flu pandemic shows correlation with the rise of fascism in the following decades.

Just a reminder (please don't be complacent 🇨🇦Canada) -

"Want to resist creeping fascism? Put your mask back on":

@shiralurie.bsky.social

rabble.ca/health/histo...

Long COVID is here to stay—even in children Post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC, also known as long COVID) are complex, multisystem, long-lasting complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection that profoundly impact the daily life of those...

“The take-home message from this study is clear: long COVID is here to stay, even in children, & can be exacerbated by reinfections and sustained by high viral circulation. …Without decisive action, the long-term societal cost of long COVID will continue to rise.”

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

A lot of resistance historians who were silent about Biden’s violent crackdown on student encampments suddenly coming out in defense of the right to protest.

We see you, you absolute cowards.

It’s not too late to put your mask back on.

What is it that you’re afraid of?

[COVID zine page 1] There are a lot of vested interests[1] in ignoring a simple truth: [bold, handwritten] COVID is an AIRBORNE disease which is STILL a danger to EVERYONE. But there's so much we can do to prevent it! If COVID spread by droplets and surfaces, then it could be prevented by handwashing—conveniently, an individual responsibility. However, study since 2020 has made it clear: [Bold, handwritten] Many diseases are airborne![2] Including: MERS Measles COVID Chickenpox[3] SARS-1 Common Cold Flu RSV Tuberculosis THIS IS A HUGE PARADIGM SHIFT. Airborne transmission means that building owners need to provide clean indoor air, just like clean water.[4] They can't “wash their hands” of COVID.

[COVID zine 1/18]
Droplet spread theory is outdated. Respiratory illnesses are primarily transmitted by aerosols. www.wired.com/story/the-te...
Powerful institutions have been ignoring this information because of the structural changes needed. clarion.unity-struggle-unity.org/let-them-eat...

[COVID zine page 7] [Bold, handwritten] Vaccines are important but not sufficient. Vaccines have significantly reduced hospitalization and death from acute COVID,[34] but they only modestly reduce risk of infection[35] and Long COVID.[36] Antibody levels quickly decline post-shot (or acute infection).[37] [diagram of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is covered in spike proteins, and there are circulating antibodies, some of which bind to the spike proteins. There's a human cell covered in ACE2 receptors. When a spike protein binds to an ACE2 receptor, that's cell infection. When an antibody binds to the spike protein, it's blocked from infecting the cell!] SARS-CoV-2 keeps mutating, with new shapes in the spike protein that evade old antibodies.[38] That's why it's important to get updated shots that are better matched to currently-circulating variants. [39] [Bold, handwritten text, wrapped around a drawing of hands on a steering wheel] COVID vaccines are like an airbag. Minimizing exposure is like keeping your hands on the wheel.

[COVID zine 7/18]
Last edition, I only emphasized the limitations of COVID vaccines. But now we're in a different (worse) place 🙃

Updated shots do modestly reduce the risk of symptomatic infection (~50% for the following 4 months) and of developing Long COVID! Just not enough to solely rely on.

[COVID zine front cover] [bold, handwritten] What’s Up With COVID and What We Can Do About It: 2026 Edition [Drawing of a person (me) with a shoulder-length shag haircut, wearing head-strap respirator mask a sweatshirt, carrying a Corsi-Rosenthal box (a DIY air purifier made with a box fan and furnace filters)] [word balloon] clean the air, basically! By Hazel Newlevant [COVID zine back cover] [handwritten text, circled by a chain which is breaking on the bottom] “Every chain of transmission that is broken is VALUABLE. Every person that doesn’t GET SICK, that doesn’t lose that WEEK OF WORK, that doesn’t become DISABLED or DIE, from the minorest of inconveniences, to the GREATEST of losses: every single one of those things is VALUABLE.” -Becca on DEATH PANEL podcast 2/16/23. Print and distribute this zine yourself! Download a PDF here. [arrow pointing to the citations QR code] [drawing of this zine, getting stapled with a long-arm stapler] [Creative Commons license logo] CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Citations: [QR code] newlevant.com/COVIDzine [bold, handwritten] ALWAYS FREE

What's Up With COVID and What We Can Do About It: 2026 Edition

I've thoroughly updated this public health propaganda zine! With new information about:

Adjusting mask fit
CO2 monitoring
Improving ventilation for infection control

Read at newlevant.com/COVIDzine or in the thread below 👇

Like wearing a mask