sobie-is-scared

Man I Love Fungi

Any pronouns / part-time cryptid full time dumbass / if there is noone left in the world not shutting up about animated media it means I am gone /

342 posts

I Had To Join In Eventually

I had to join in eventually

More Posts from Sobie-is-scared

sobie-is-scared

9 months ago

Photograph of a zine called “What’s Up With COVID and How to Protect Yourself: 2024 Edition.”
Subtitle:
“Feat. ADVANCED COVID safety tips!”
word balloon: “Have you heard the bad news?”
By Hazel Newlevant

Back cover text:
“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.
Citations:
Newlevant.com/COVIDzine

ALWAYS FREE

New zine that's free for anyone to print and distribute! Read the whole thing at newlevant.com/COVIDzine or in the rest of this post.

COVID zine page 1

Unless you make it a hobby to follow COVID news and studies, you're probably going off old info.
[stack of word balloons coming from different directions]
"COVID is mild now"
"The pandemic is over"
"'Pandemic of the unvaccinated'"
"COVID is like the flu"
"Only 'high risk' people need to worry about it."
"There's nothing you can do."

Businesses have a clear interest in YOU not worrying about COVID, and governments want to claim "victory" by hiding the problem.

They want you at work, shopping, traveling, and going to events just like you did in 2019--NOT demanding sick pay, clean air infrastructure upgrades, etc.

The CDC didn't want to admit COVID is airborne because it would open employers up to workplace safety lawsuits.

Masks are a visual reminder of the ongoing danger.

In a 2020 study, people who complied with mask mandates spent *25% less time shopping.*

In 2021, the CDC shortened their COVID isolation guidelines...at the request of Delta Airlines' CEO.

COVID zine p2

Here's the real tea:
[handwritten, bold text] COVID is airborne & movies like smoke.
Because the virus is transmitted by respiratory aerosols--the fog that you can see exhaled on a cold day.

Could you smell if someone was smoking? Then you could inhale their COVID virus.
[Cartoon of a person standing near 2 cigarette smokers, surrounded by smoke.]
This is why airflow, filtration, and limiting contacts are key to stopping infections.
[handwritten, bold text] Six feet apart /= safe
That's old news, from when scientists *hoped* COVID was mainly spread by large droplets.

Turns out, it can hang out in the air for hours.

COVID zine page 3

[Bold, handwritten text] COVID is still everywhere.

At least half of COVID spread is from people who don't (yet) have symptoms.

With no paid sick leave and too-short isolation guidelines, people are regularly forced to work while infectious.

[Cartoon of a waitress, unmasked, looking abashed, surrounded by an infectious cloud, saying "may I take your order?" Many jobs now disallow masks!]

The CDC stopped tracking COVID tests, so now the best way we have to estimate how many people have COVID: wastewater testing. Virus levels in sewage closely follow actual cases.

[Cartoon of a toilet with viruses getting flushed]

[Graph of Biobot COVID wastewater levels from jan 2020 to Feb 2024, showing 929 copies per mL on Feb 17]

[Cartoon of me, looking at the graph, saying "More cases than ANY TIME in 2020. Not great."]

COVID zine p4

[Conversion chart of Biobot wastewater levels measured in copies/mL to what percentage of the population is infectious. They are from https://pmc19.com/data/ and @michael_hoerger on twitter.]

Using the national measurements from Feb 2024, approx. 1 in 36 people were infectious with COVID.

[How Does Risk Increase with More Social Contacts? conversion chart]

[Cartoon of me, looking tired, wearing a respirator, pointing up at the chart. I'm in a crowd of people, drawn in silhouette, and clouds of COVID.]

You can see how the risk skyrockets with crowds.

U.S. residents can estimate how many people are infectious with COVID in YOUR area NOW with data from your nearest wastewater testing facility: biobot.io/data/covid-19 [QR code]

COVID zine p5

[Bold, handwritten text] COVID is really dangerous.

[Cartoon of a person's circulatory system]

COVID isn't just a respiratory illness. It injurs the blood vessels and can damage nearly any organ, all over your body.

Even mild infections cause brain shrinkage equivalent to aging 1 to 10 years.

Each infection has a ~1 in 10 chance of causing new, lasting symptoms, aka Long COVID. This is true for kids AND adults.

Long COVID can present in all kinds of ways. Even cases that start mild can become debilitating.

[Cartoon of a person lying down and wearing an eyemask, surrounded by handwritten descriptions of potential Long COVID outcomes]
Can't read, watch TV, look at phone, listen to music.
Brain fog, hard to even think.
In pain, feel like you have the flu for months on end.
Have to lay in the dark and quiet.

See pandemicpatients.org for an extensive list of Long COVID and Post-COVID Conditions: [QR code]

COVID zine page 6

[Graph labeled "Excess Deaths and COVID Deaths in Young Adults (age 18-49)". The "excess deaths [all cause]" number is at about double "COVID-19 deaths".]

So far in 2024, at least 1,000 people are OFFICIALLY dying of COVID in the U.S. every week. Chances of having a heart attack or stroke go WAY UP after a COVID infection, so it contributes to many more deaths than the official count.

[Bold, handwritten text] Repeat infections are hurting us.
The chances of bad shit happening get higher each time you get infected.

Viral fragments have been found in tissue samples even 12 months post-diagnosis. Viral persistence is a likely mechanism of Long COVID.

COVID disregulates the immune system, even in recovered patients. We're seeing outbreaks of RSV, monkeypox, polio, TB and more--possible signs of widespread immune dysfunction.

[Chart labeled: "Fig. 5: Cumulative risk and burden of sequelae in people with one, two, and three or more SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to noninfected controls."
It lists the following bad health outcomes, showing that each is more likely after 1 infection, more likely after 2 infections, and even MORE likely after 3 infections:
Hospitalization
at least one sequela
cardiovascular
coagulation and hematological
Diabetes
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal
Kidney
Mental health
Musculoskeletal
Neurological
Pulmonary]

COVID zine page 7

[Bold, handwritten text] Vaccines and "hybrid immunity" are not enough.

COVID vaccines create antibodies that fight infection. They've greatly reduced hospitalization and death from acute infection. But antibody levels quickly decline over the following months. Vaccines aren't stopping people from getting infected, spreading COVID, and long-term damage

[diagram of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The 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 can't infect!]

COVID keeps mutating, with new shapes in the spike protein that evade old antibodies. You can get reinfected with a different variant, even in weeks.

[Bold, handwritten text] COVID vaccines are like an airbag. Avoiding exposure is like keeping your hands on the steering wheel.

COVID zine page 8

[Bold, handwritten text] Rapid tests give a lot of false negatives.

Taking a single rapid test only successfully detects ~60% of early symptomatic infections and ~12% of asymptomatic infections. The FDA now recommends repeat testing after a negative result.

Positive: You have COVID.
Negative: You MIGHT have COVID. Try again in 48 hours, or get a PCR test, especially if you have symptoms or known COVID exposure.

Improve test accuracy by collecting a combined nose and throat sample!

Instructions (from Ontario Health):
Do NOT eat, drink, chew gum, smoke, or vape for at least 30 minutes before collecting the sample.

Blow your nose first. Wash your hands and only hold the swab opposite the soft swab tip.

1. Swab between the inner cheek and lower gum, on both sides. Then, swab your tongue, as far back as you can go. OR, look in a mirror and swab your tonsils.

2. Swab the nasal wall. Tilt your head back and insert the swab straight back (not up) until you hit resistance. Rotate several times. Then do the other nostril.

Order free COVID tests (if covered by insurance): fastlabtech.com [QR code]

Find free testing locations: testinglocator.cdc.gov [QR code]

[Diagram drawing of a combined nose and throat swab, with the swab placed on the tonsils labeled "1" and the swab in the nose labeled "2", to indicate the correct order to swab in.]

COVID zine page 9

[bold handwritten text] What we can do:
[Cartoon of me, looking peaceful, wearing a Flo Mask, surrounded by a light cloud of virus.]

Don't breath COVID in. It's all about MASKS and AIRFLOW.

Wear a mask with N95 or better filtration (aka a respirator) and make sure there are no gaps. A mask is only as good as its seal!

N95+ filters trap particles with an electrostatic charge, which is why they're much better than cloth or surgical masks.

Head-straps give a better seal than ear-loops, and are more comfortable!

Elastomeric masks (reusable face piece, replaceable filters) give the BEST seal, assuming the model fits your face!

[Graphic of a CDC MMWR report, bit.ly/MMWR7106 :
People who reported always wearing a mask in indoor public settings were less likely to test positive for COVID-19 than people who didn't
Among 534 participants reporting mask type
Cloth mask: 56% lower odds
Surgical mask: 66% lower odds
Respirator (N95/KN95): 83% lower odds ]

COVID zine page 10

Seal check: Cover the surface with your hands. Can you feel the mask going IN when you inhale and OUT when you exhale? That's good.

[Cartoon of me with my hands over my mask]

If you feel any air leaking around the edges, the mask doesn't fit properly.

To better know if a particular mask fits you, try a DIY fit test. [arrow pointing to a QR code that goes to the DIY fit test instructional video linked in the tweet]

Source control is BETTER at stopping transmission than just the uninfected person wearing a mask! But both people masking is safest.

[Cartoon of me getting checked out by a cashier. I'm wearing a mask that has virus in it, demo-ing source control]

3M Aura is a good disposable respirator. (buy from a hardware store or stauffersafety.com, Amazon is full of fakes!)

EnvoMask Pro and FloMask Pro are good elastomerics.

[Drawings of the masks]

Laianzhi HYX1002 is currently the best mask that comes in black.

Fit test results: testtheplanet.org [QR code]

COVID zine page 11

Go outside for more airflow to disperse the virus!

Outdoor COVID transmission is still possible, but it's much safer than an enclosed space.

[Cartoon of me and a friend, both wearing masks. A leaf is blowing between us; evidently we're outside]

Failing that, open windows, run fans to pull in fresh air, and use HEPA air purifiers. Get a cross-breeze going!

[Cartoon diagram of two open windows with a box fan in between, pulling clean air in from one window and blowing indoor air out the other window.]

You can make a DIY air purifier by taping a furnace filter to a box fan.

Instructions: cleanaircrew.org [QR code]

Mini DIY purifier with a PC fan and a round HEPA filter!

[Cartoons of furnace filter taped to a box fan, and a round filter with a PC fan on top.]

Purifiers also help with pet allergies and wildfire smoke!

COVID zine page 12

[bold, handwritten text] Extra precautions:
SARS-CoV-2 primarily infects in the upper respiratory tract, so it makes sense to target treatment there. Some nasal sprays have been shown to reduce the risk of getting COVID!

XYLITOL nasal spray reduced healthcare workers' risk of infection by 62% in one randomized controlled trial.

IOTA-CARRAGEENAN nasal spray reduced HCW's risk of infection by 80% when dosed 4x daily in one RCT.

NITRIC OXIDE nasal spray reduced infection risk by 75% when taken 4x daily after COVID exposure for 10 days, in a preliminary study.

Povidone-iodine mouthwash reduces viral load in the mouth, though how well this prevents infection is unknown.

S. salivarius k12 probiotic losenges reduced upper respiratory tract infections by 65% among HCWs in one RTC.

[bold, handwritten text] NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR MASKS AND CLEAN AIR!!

The evidence base is much smaller and they won't stop you from spreading COVID if you DO get infected. But it's good to have many layers of protection!

COVID zine page 13

[bold] I have COVID, now what??

What I'm planning to do if/when I get COVID again. Not medical advice. I am not a doctor.

People's CDC has a detailed "What to Do if You Have COVID" guide. Gather supplies BEFORE you get sick!

[bold] There's still a chance to stop the spread!

Reduce the chances of infecting others in your household by isolating ASAP, ventilation, and everybody wearing masks. People stay infectious for at least 10 days! After that, test to find out if you're negative.

[drawing of bottle] "CPC or iodine mouthwash to kill virus in mouth"

Don't go out if you can help it. If it's an emergency that can't be delegated or postponed, WEAR A RESPIRATOR!!!

(In a catch-22, you may need results from an in-person PCR test to get disability benefits or Long COVID care down the road)

[bold] REST.

[drawing of mug] Dehydration is ALSO linked to Long COVID, so drink up!

Inadequate rest can WORSEN or potentially even CAUSE Long COVID. Don't work out!! Avoid exertion as much as possible, during infection and in the weeks after. Rest and pacing are also crucial for dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome, a common Long COVID condition.

COVID zine page 14

[bold] Early Treatment

Paxlovid is an anti-viral medication and lowers Long COVID risk by ~25%. It's prescribed for those at increased risk of severe illness...which is 75% of U.S. adults. It must be started within 5 days of symptoms.

Ideally, you can get a Paxlovid prescription from home with a telehealth doctor visit. More options:

Find a Test to Treat site (free prescriber visit) and/or a Paxlovid Patient Assistance Program site (free Pax for eligible people).
treatments.hhs.gov [QR code]

In New York State, you can get assessed through Virtual ExpressCare or by calling 212-COVID-19 .
ondemand.expresscare.video/landing [QR code]

[smaller] (outrageously insufficient, i'm sorry!!)

Here are the non-prescription meds and supplements that RTHM, a Long COVID clinic, recommends to reduce symptoms and risk of developing Long COVID:

H1 blockers
H2 blockers
Low-dose aspirin
colloidal silver nasal spray and gargle
Nattokinase
N-Acetyl-L-Cystein (NAC)
Curcumin (turmeric)
Multivitamin with Vitamin D3
Melatonin
Alpha Lipoic Acid (if noticing increased heart rate)

Read why: rthm.com [QR code]

UPDATE 4/11/2023:

I swapped out the colloidal silver nasal spray info for xylitol nasal spray info. I originally included colloidal silver spray because of the linked study and recommendation from RTHM, but I don't want to be pointing people toward something with notable health risks. Xylitol spray (Xlear) is also cheaper and more widely available!

Tags :

covid Important! comic zine future ref health

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sobie-is-scared

9 months ago

A while back my pharmacist saw my deadname on my profile and accidentially called it out, he corrected and deleted my deadname from the system so only my preferred name shows up now. There was a crowd of people behind me, so as he hands over the pills he apologized, in equal tone and volume as when he called my deadname and lied saying it's been a long day and he didn't mean to call out -his own- name. I quietly told him it was fine and he didn't need to do that for my sake.

His response: "No, it's my name now."

I went to the pharmacist yesterday, his nametag is my deadname. He informed me he's immigrating and in the process he's changed his first name to my deadname to have an English sounding name. That's why he's now able to get a reprint of his nametag to be my deadname. And repeated, with the intense seriousness of someone who is going to die on this hill: "It's mine now. Not yours. I'm taking." His tone indicated that decision is final.

Bro literally deadnamed me once, and has committed to flat out stealing my deadname. It's his now. Legally. Officially. I over heard his co-workers call him by the name.

Tags :

Queer i dont know if i should tag this as a meme but it sure is iconic

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sobie-is-scared

10 months ago

i did this instead of applying for a job

Tags :

This is so incredible what the hell Like this is insane..... animation art fanart danny phantom dp

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sobie-is-scared

10 months ago

COVER: In the foreground, a black person busses dishes while giving side-eye to two white adults talking as one of their kids sneezes. We see the air flow out and billow around them, splashing on a listening face and forming a miasma that fills the rest of the background. The busser has a button that says “service with a smile” even as their mouth is covered by a k100 mask. In large hand drawn lettering at the top of the page, the words “WHY WE MASK: IT’S NOT” sit on a black background. And then out in the miasma and in quote marks it says “JUST A COLD”. In the bottom right, it says “Laurel Lynn Leake” above a large “2024”.

Surrounded by drawings of COVID-19 particles of various sizes, it says “THE BASICS: COVID-19 is a viral illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, and primarily spreads through the air.” The first endnote appears, signified here as e1. It continues “A single infection - even a “mild” one - can severely damage nearly every organ system in your body. Each additional infection risks further harm to your immune system, lungs, heart, brain, guts, and reproductive organs, and can result in permanent disability or death. e2
About 75% of all adults e3 (and at least 30% of children e4) are at a high risk of developing severe SARS-COV-2.
If you’ve ever had COVID-19, EVEN ONCE, you are now high risk.” It then says “THE VIRUS:” and shows “SARS- COV- 2” separated into it’s three parts. A bubble connected to SARS says “Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome”. A bubble connected to COV says “Corona Virus (crown-shaped, round with spikes)”. And the bubble connected to 2 says “similar to 2002-2003 SARS-CoV outbreak”. A cartoony character with dense curls pulled into a ponytail sniffs and then starts to build up to a sneeze. And then again, it says “THE ILLNESS:” and splits up “COVID 19” the same way. A bubble connected to CO says “corona”, the one connected to the VI says “virus”, and to the D says “disease”. And for 19 it says “discovered in 2019”.

Large hand-drawn text reads “COVID-19 is an AIRBORNE ILLNESS e5” over that same curly haired character from the last page sneezing with a big “KACHOO!” We see a large billow of mist and droplets. A measurement in meters is below, showing larger droplets dropping in the first couple meters and the more misty particles continuing to 6 meters. In a box below, text reads “ It spreads when infected people exhale, cough, or sneeze plumes of tiny RESPIRATORY PARTICLES. You can shed hundreds of viruses in a single minute, just by breathing. e6 And sneezing can send viral gunk flying up to 6m (20ft)! Once they’re in the air, the tiniest RPs can linger in poorly ventilated spaces for HOURS...invisible to the naked eye. e7,e8”

A bubble points at a loose collection of little circular drops of different sizes, aiming at the bigger circles. The bubble reads “DROPLETS...are barely visible globs of fluid that drift to the ground.”. Another bubble points to tiny drops “AEROSOLS...are microscopic blobs, so light they float.”
Large text reads “What’s inside a respiratory particle?” next to a cute little self portrait looking through a magnifying glass, and then an arrow which shows the particle bigger, with a ball labeled “SARS-COV-2” and little squiggles labeled “mucus”. An arrow leads us to an even bigger particle, which has the ropey squiggles and spiked SARS-COV-2, but also little dots labeled “dust” and translucent blobs labeled “lung fluid”.
Text to the side reads “RPs are made up of lung fluids, mucus, & saliva, as well as contaminants like dust, bacteria, & viruses. e9
When a COVID-19 contagious person exhales, they send out lungfuls of SARS-CoV-2, hidden inside aerosols & droplets. e10 Aerodynamic aerosols carry the highest dose of viruses and are the most dangerous to inhale. e11
The particles protect their passengers as they fly through the air, ready to be inhaled by someone new.”

Bubble text at the top says “SYMPTOMS” and text below it says “COVID-19’s ACUTE PHASE symptoms start about 3-6 days after infection, & last about 12-14 days. e12 Symptoms & periods of contagiousness can differ by variant, but include… e13”
Below a bunch of words in bubbles are illustrated by cartoony figures. “EXHAUSTION, DIZZINESS, HEADACHE” is illustrated by a miserable head with little confusing and pain indications around it. A head hacking into their hand illustrates “COUGHING, SNEEZING, RUNNY NOSE”. A leaning figure has little stars and shapes shooting out of joints their joints as they say “ow”, illustrating “SORENESS, FEVER, CHILLS”. A figure that seems sick to their stomach and barely holding in vomit as their digestive system is illustrated inside represents “NAUSEA, VOMITING, ABDOMINAL PAIN”. “DIARRHEA” is off on it’s own, unillustrated, but might as well be that last figure too. And a confused head disgusted at the taste of an apple represents “LOSS OF SMELL AND/OR TASTE”.
Below, text says “Then again, you could be one of the 32-50% of people with COVID-19 who are… e14, e15” And then next to a silly drawing of a person frolicking and singing: “CONTAGIOUS WITH NO SYMPTOMS”’

“SEVERE SYMPTOMS” it says in big text surrounded by little alert symbols. A drawing of a figure in distress is shown, looking to be gasping for breath as they hold a hand to their neck. A bubble points towards their lungs that says “STRAINED AND/OR RAPID BREATHING, WHEEZING”, another bubble points at the heart that reads “CHEST PAIN AND/OR PRESSURE”, and a third bubble points at the bottom of the lungs that says “PNEUMONIA (fluid in the lungs)”.
Below, an arrow points at the darkened lungs and leads back to a large bubble with the text “HYPOXEMIA: COVID-19 can impair O2 flow to your blood, even without obvious breathing issues. LOW BLOOD OXYGEN symptoms can cause organ failure and even death w/o treatment. Measure BLOOD OXYGEN LEVELS at home with a PULSE OXIMETER:” It then shows a little drawing of a finger going into a pulse oximeter, and continues “91-94% = concerning, 90% and under = emergency!!”
Underneath it says “WARNING: Oximeters may give FALSELY HIGH READINGS to people with dark skin &/or painted nails. E16” It then says “Hypoxemia symptoms include:” A troubled and confused head illustrates “CONFUSION AND/OR DISORIENTATION”. A beating heart represents “RACING HEART”. Nothing seems to illustrate “INABILITY TO WAKE UP OR STAY AWAKE”. And then “CYANOSIS” is explained by smaller text “PALE, GREY, or BLUE-TINTED TONGUE, LIPS, &/or NAILBEDS, depending on skintone. E17” and illustrated by a shaded mouth, fingertips, and a toenail. At the bottom it concludes “ALL THESE REQUIRE EMERGENCY HOSPITALIZATION!”

“HOW COVID SPREADS” it says in large letters above the text “There are 3 main ways that viruses hiding in respiratory particles enter our bodies: 1) INHALATION, 2) DIRECT CONTACT and 3) INDIRECT CONTACT”
The page underneath this text is filled with a splash image of a chubby, shadowy figure breathing in mist and particles as we see the particles descend down the trachea and into their lungs. Couples sit across from each other at tables in the background, letting off gusts of air.
A bubble pointing to the inhaling mouth says “#1 INHALATION: The vast majority of COVID-19 infections start by breathing in aerosols. e18 In crowded, poorly ventilated spaces, you can inhale an infectious dose in minutes! People working or living in places like this are in constant danger of severe infection. e19, e20”

A Black femme with close-cut hair puts their arm over the shoulder of an Arab friend with short, loose curls, as they blow out air that flows all around them. A bubble pointing towards their visualized sinuses reads “#2 DIRECT CONTACT: Viral aerosols/droplets can also collide directly with your MUCOUS MEMBRANES. e21 Those are the layers of soft, wet cells lining your nose, mouth, eyes, respiratory tract, etc.”
Another balloon points at a beer bottle being handed from one of the friends to the other, it reads “#3 INDIRECT CONTACT: Much less likely to infect, but still possible: You get respiratory particles on your hands, & then transfer them to your mouth/nose/eyes. e22”

In large, stylized handwriting it says “When you breathe in…” above a drawing of the respiratory system. Smaller text continues next to the drawing “......air enters your RESPIRATORY TRACT, rushing down your TRACHEA (aka windpipe) before splitting off into the twin BRONCHI of the lungs.” On the drawing itself you can see this happening, with an arrow pointing to the tube that leads to the lungs labeled “trachea” and another arrow pointing at little dots traveling through it labeled “respiratory particles”. Below, it shows the lungs as hollow and filled with branch-like shapes, with the label “bronchi” pointing at the base of the branching shape.The text continues next to the drawing “Most of the tract is lined with undulating “hairs” called CILIA, which are coated with a slimy layer of protective MUCUS.
They work together to capture pathogens (bacteria, viruses, mold) and irritating particles (pollen, dust) in clumps of gunk you then eject by coughing &/or sneezing.”
A detailed panel shows a mess of long pointy shapes moving around each other like a coral reef. A label calls those long shapes “cilia” and thin squiggling lines that coalesce around them it labels “mucus”. Tiny dots of white that float around and collect around the mucus are labeled “SARS-COV-2”. Text beside the panel continues “But even if these defenses manage to snag the particles, they haven’t neutralized the real threat hidden inside.” And then, beside a drawing of an orb breaking apart and little particles flying out it says “The droplets and aerosols start to dissolve in the warm, wet environment of the respiractory tract...and the SARS-CoV-2 viruses break free! They kick off the initial COVID-19 infection by attacking any nearby cells.23”. A little SARS-COV-2 particle in the drawing says “wee!”

Text reads “SARS-CoV-2 uses SPIKE PROTEINS like lockpicks to trick cells into “unlocking” their outer membranes.” A drawing beside it illustrates it with a ball covered with irregular knobby outcroppings it labels “spike proteins”. The ball seems to be rolling over an indistinct surface and connecting with little Y shaped outcroppings that are labeled “cell receptor”.
The text continues “Once inside, the viruses re-program the cells to pump out more viruses. They swell until they burst, spreading viruses everywhere. e24” A drawing shows a cartoony cell with a face getting a tiny ball stuck to it, which confuses it. Then we see the cell looking sick, and then barfing up more little SARS-COV-2 balls.
“VACCINES” it says in a black bar with a drawing of a syringe spurting out drops. Text explains “Most COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune systems to create defensive ANTIBODIES that lock onto the spikes, rendering them useless.” And next to the text there’s a drawing of this happening. Little Y shapes labeled “antibody” fly at the SARS-COV-2 virus and connect with the spikes on the ball. Cell receptors at the bottom seem to be being kept at bay by this extra bit of mass.
The text continues “Antibodies don’t stop every single virus, but they make a difference! Vaccinated people have much better chances of surviving initial infections. e25
But now we’re dealing with 5 years worth of dangerously mutated VIRAL VARIANTS like Delta, Omicron, Pirola, & FLiRT! Our outdated antibodies can’t lock onto all the newfangled spike proteins anymore...e26
...So infections keep spreading, and scientists race to keep up with booster vaccines that can handle the latest variants.”

A drawing of overlapping branch shapes takes over the top of the page, each branch getting narrower and narrower until it gets to something like “leaves”. A circle around that “leafy” area points to a zoomed in version at the bottom of the page. We see there that the “leaves” were actually more akin to bunches of grapes at the ends of the branches.
Stylized handwritten text announces them as “Bronchioles”. Text underneath says “Once air reaches the lungs, it disperses through the BRONCHIAL TREE, where airways split into smaller and smaller BRONCHIOLES. Each bronchiole is tipped with ALVEOLI, clusters of flexible, interconnected ALVEOLAR SACS. Delicate capillaries wind between them, bringing blood to and fro.”
On the zoomed in drawing we see those details labeled. Veins and arteries wind around the branch-like bronchiole, and split into smaller capillaries. The whole “bunch” of grapes is labeled “alveoli” and the “grapes” are the “alveolar sacs”. We also see “aerosols” flow in through the brionchiole to the alveoli.

“Healthy Alveoli” it says in big text, next to a cross-section of an alveolar sac. We see a translucent feeling arrow flow in and split into multiple directions labeled “air flow in”. It comes over a honeycomb-like shape of different cells with shadows of nuclei inside of them. And at the cut edge, two arrows explain a narrow couple of layers between the cells and the air. These are labeled “thin fluid layer” and “semi-porous membrane”. Then below we see this membrane in action, as wiggly arrows bring CO2 out and O2 into a capillary. It’s labeled “gas exchange, CO2 out, o2 in” and we see a label along the same capillary that says “blood cells full of waste CO2” above the gas exchange, and then at the other end “oxygenated blood cells”. We see the cells themself burst forth from the cut capillary surrounded by fluid labeled “blood plasma”.
Text explains “Inside the alveolar sacs, fresh oxygen molecules travel through the separating membranes to swap places with waste carbon dioxide in the bloodstream. That’s another reason why the tinest aerosols are the most dangerous: they’re small enough to reach the alveoli and to use the gas exchange process to slip inside your blood. e27”

This large body of text starts off the page: “Our body launches into defensive action, but variants excel at turning our IMMUNE CELLS against themselves in an escalating CYTOKINE STORM. e28 Infected, dying cells release CYTOKINES (chemical signals) that summon immune cells...which get attacked by viruses, so they summon even MORE immune cells...! e29 The inflamed alveoli try to flush the invaders out with fluids, but that results in a suffocating state called PNEUMONIA. The swollen, pus-filled alveolar sacs struggle to continue exchanging O-CO through their damaged walls. Without treatment, this can end in death.”
Below, a diagram shows all of this happening. We see the inside of an alveolar sac that is being filled with “too much fluid!” as one bubble declares. And inside of the fluid, many little balls are coming up to one of the larger shapes at the wall of the sac, labeled “SARS-COV-2 infecting cells”. A few big blobby orbs are labeled “Immune cells”, and the little speckles that are flying away from one are labeled “Cytokines”. The one sending the cytokines looks unusual, suggesting infection, and another receiving the cytokines is attacking one of the cells on the cell wall. On the periphery of the wall where the semi-porous membrane was on the previous page, it’s much thicker, and text says “membrane’s getting too porous”. Little SARS-COV-2 circles are spilling through the wall and into a capillary. Where the virus is coming in, the walls of the capillary are thicker and an arrow points to it from a bubble, explaining “Cell lining swelling, blood cells coagulating e31 “. The big oblong blood cells flow by a lighter orb that’s extending little tentacle things at the wall of the capillary, causing it to swell. Text explains “Immune cell attacking healthy cell lining e30”. Another bubble points at the blood cells and says “02 starved blood cells”.

Stylized handwriting at the top says “Meanwhile…” and text continues “...SARS-CoV-2 spreads into the CIRCULATORY SYSTEM, triggering dangerous MICRO CLOTS & attacking the ENDOTHELIAL LINING. e32 That’s the thin layer of cells lining every artery, vein, and capillary
that normally keeps all your blood and tissues functioning.” To the left, we see blood splashing out of vein and little SARS-COV-2 particles within it. The vein connects to a diagram of a brain below, and that down through thicker and thicker blood vessels until it reaches the heart. The text gets a little larger for emphasis here, and says “Vascular damage like this damages EVERY part of you.” In regular text below it continues “Even “mild” initial COVID-19 infections travel through the bloodstream to injure your BRAIN, HEART, & other critical organs - whether you notice that damage or not. e33” And arrow pointing at the brain leads to a zoomed in shot of spindly neurons covered with tiny circles, while another arrow shows a zoomed in shot of heart cells shows fibrous stretched forms covered with more little tiny circles. Arrows point at the tiny circles in both, and labels them “SARS-COV-2”.

Bubble letters say “LASTING EFFECTS” over a graph showing viral count over time. A label at the start says “infection” at the base of a steep curve with a little whistling and skipping person. Then at the peak, labeled “symptoms start” a person wrapped in a blanket coughs. About halfway back down the other side, a little triumphant person declares “all better!” This whole section is labeled “initial infection zone, aka COVID-19”. Then, from the period where the symptoms start to 3 months, it’s labeled “ambiguous ongoing symptoms zone” with a little drawing of a fallen over person going “ooogh…” A line curving up and down past the 1 month mark, the 3 month, the 3 year mark is labeled “Persistent, recurring symptoms zone, aka Long COVID”. Illustrating this period is an alarmed person in bed saying “not again…” and a person with a cane and a headache saying “how am I STILL SICK”.
A block of text begins below “At least 10-30% of people who survive COVID-19 report symptoms reappearing months or even YEARS later, regardless of their age or health. e36, e37, e38 Many have had their lives changed for the worse...maybe permanently.
Long COVID (aka POST-COVID SYNDROME or POST-ACUTE SEQUELAE OF SARS-COV-2) varies wildly from person to person, but lung damage, strokes, heart attacks, immune dysfunction, and debilitating exhaustion are common. We’re only just beginning to understand it as a POST-VIRAL ILLNESS like Shingles (caused by the Chickenpox virus) & AIDS (caused by HIV).
Vaccines lower the likelihood of long-term damage, but don’t eliminate it. e39 Long COVID hits marginalized people the hardest, and we often go undiagnosed & untreated due to systemic bigotry in healthcare. e40, e41, e42”
A drawing underneath shows a young child sweating in bed with a sleep mask over her eyes, and she says “can’t sit up… can’t talk… light & sound hurt…” and then in larger text “this sucks”

In large bold letters this page says “LONG COVID”. This page shows a chubby person with an undercut and facial hair using a cane and closing their hand in front of them. Inside of them we see various organs, muscles, and veins. An array of bubbles float near the affected body part, some pointing at them. Starting from the top, near the brain, the bubbles say “strokes and memory loss”, “migraines”, “new or worsening mental illness”, “extreme exhaustion, aka myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome”, “brain fog”, “loss of taste/smell”, “immune disorders”, “hearing loss”, “new or worsening cancers”, “joint pain”, “lung damage”, “rashes”, “heart attacks”, “MAST cell activation”, “new or worsening diabetes”, “kidney and liver failure”, “nerve pain”, and “bowel damage”. Endnotes for this list are e43, e44, and e45.
Below, text says “As of 2024, we keep discovering new ways Long COVID damages the body, but we still don’t have a “cure”. There are many ways to treat the symptoms (primarily serious, extended REST e46, e47, e48), but no silver bullet to reverse damage.”

“THE DAMAGE GETS WORSE WITH EVERY NEW INFECTION” large text declares at the start of this page. Below, it explains “Most people don’t know that SARS-CoV-2 damage is CUMULATIVE. So every new infection raises the odds you’ll be hit by horrible new health complications that may become permanent. e49, e50 Even infections that feel like “just a cold” or “allergies” can cause trouble down the line. e51”
To the side, a graph shows the risk level of various effects measured by the number of infections. At 0 infections it shows a 1 risk level, and then various lines ascend at different rates as they go to 1, 2, and 3 infections, with the lowest ending at 2 risk level and the highest shooting up past 8. That highest line is labeled “hospitalization”, and the rest of the issues are arranged in order of most risk to least. They are labeled “ISSUES WITH YOUR...” “Kidneys”, “Heart”, “Blood”, “Lungs”, “Stomach / Intestines”, “Exhaustion”, “Diabetes”, “Mental”, “Neurological”, “Muscles / Skeleton”. e52
Text continues underneath “An easy or entirely asymptomatic initial infection may mean your immune system barely even activated to fight off the virus. Long after you recover from the “mild” symptoms, inactive viral debris can remain throughout your body. e53”
A sideways PET-scanned figure with shadows throughout the body, especially coalescing in the torso around the organs. It’s labeled “FDG-PET scan showing spike proteins in joints & blood vessels e54”
Text explains further below “These are VIRAL RESERVOIRS: Leftover viruses & spike proteins that collect in your muscles, bones, & organs, ready to reinfect you whenever your immune system gets stressed.”

“IMMUNE DYSREGULATION: COVID-19 infections can leave your immune system depleted and unable to fight off much of anything. e55 Exhausted T-cells can miss invading pathogens like bacteria or other viruses. They might even “reset” and forget how to handle infections they’ve fought off before. E56” A cartoony illustration of two sleepy t-cells, the left moaning and saying “don’t wanna…” while the right is fully snoring. Behind them lurk VIRUSES AND BACTERIA chuckling evilly.
COVID-19 infections can also leave you with a fired up immune system in constant high alert (aka AUTOIMMUNITY). Your T-cells and neutrophils may attack healthy cells causing systemic inflammation, especially when triggered by old virus debris. e57
Meanwhile, overactive platelets needlessly gather blood cells in micro-clots. These trigger heart attacks, strokes, as well as many other Long COVID symptoms throughout the body. e58”
Another cartoony illustration of cells: An angry t-cell sending out chemical signals and saying, “I KNOW there’s a virus around here somewhere!” Goofy smiling platelets bundle up blood cells with strings of goop, while a neutrophil declares “I’m helping!” and extends its spindly NETs to the clot and nearby cells, which wither in distress.

“STOPPING THE SPREAD” it says at the top of the page, followed in smaller letters by “So obviously we want to stop getting sick, but how? We can’t end pandemics through individual action alone.” And then bigger for emphasis it says “So we work together! And we combine many strategies, both individual and systemic.” And continues back at regular size “The SWISS CHEESE MODEL OF INFECTION PREVENTION is an easy, cheesy way to visualize this tactic. e59”
Billows of air carrying countless tiny particles flank those words, and coalesce at the front of a bunch of thing slices of Swiss cheese, each with holes in different places. Each slice is labeled a different thing, one is “limiting exposure”, another “well-fitting respirator masks”, “good air, filtration”, “fast, accurate testing”, “quarantining after exposure”, and “vaccines & boosters”. Each slice blocks more and more of the particles, until the end of the slices where a baby sits in clear air and says “I love not having COVID!”
Text below explains: “Just like how each Swiss cheese slice has holes, no single protection method against SARS-CoV-2 works 100% perfectly. So we stack together methods until we’ve covered up all the holes, and maximized protection!”

A group of protesters march at the top of the page, including a Native American in a wheelchair with a “Land Back” top, a teen holding up their fist, a middle aged Jewish person wearing a kippah and a Palestine watermelon shirt, and drag queen holding the progress pride flag. There’s a large “WE KEEP US SAFE” banner in front, and signs that say “end all genocide”, “clean air is a right”, and “free them all”, as well as a butterfly puppet symbolizing migrant rights. Below the drawing it says “COMMUNITY CARE”.
In mid-sized text it says “To survive this pandemic, we must follow the lead of Disability Justice and survive TOGETHER.” And then in smaller text it continues “That means all of us - the infants and toddlers too young to mask, the disabled and the neurodiverse, Black and Indigenous people, all people of color, queer and trans people, sex workers, pregnant people, immunocompromised people, the undocumented, the unhoused, the incarcerated and institutionalized...
People forced into constant exposure at home, work, and school until they’ve lost count of infections, people forced into indefinite isolation because one infection could kill them or permanently change their life for the worse, people who get fired when they run out of sick days and evicted when they run out of money…”
And then in bigger text it concludes “Everyone abused by our medical industry and abandoned by our governments. All of us.”

In mid-sized text it says “So why do we mask? Because we refuse to accept a world where any one of us is disposable. We fight for a future where we all survive - together.”
Below, a large drawing of those two from the bar on earlier pages, the Black femme and their curly-haired friend, walking arm-in-arm and looking at each other bashfully. There’s a river behind them, and a breeze blows the tassels of the femme’s hoodie, and the keffiyeh the other is wearing. They are both wearing masks, and hearts appear between their faces.

WHY WE MASK: It's Not "Just A Cold": A Handy Scientific Guide to Surviving COVID-19 Together

Here, have a free science zine with a ridiculously long title! Endless thanks to my partner and fellow disabled artist, Kimball Anderson aka @earnestattempts, who helped through the entire year-long process with art edits and image descriptions (located in the alt text). Additional thanks to my friends Dupe and Caitlin, who gave me thorough copy-edits, and every friend who read drafts or listened to me rant about COVID-19.

Feel free to spread it far and wide! And hit me up if you're interested in printing &/or distributing free copies :D

Read WHY WE MASK with Endnotes - includes working URLS so you can read the scientific papers I cited for yourself. Plus links for all the other resources, and a full transcript.

Download WHY WE MASK - Free PDFs to read, print, and share! Any donations go towards print copies &/or local mask blocs.

Can't get enough free printable COVID zines? Check out @newlevant's excellent What's Up With COVID & How To Protect Yourself: 2024 Ed! It was a huge inspiration in the final stretch.

Extra pages under the cut:

This page is made up of a repeating image of a COVID-19 virus, a ball covered with little spikes. A hazy texture overlays it, giving it a slight feeling of decay as the gray gets darker. In a swipe of white at the bottom, it says “All contents copyright Laurel Lynn Leake, 2024” and then a series of symbols that represent what is explained in the following text “Licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0, so you’re free to share it: just credit me, don’t substantially change it, and don’t use it to make money.”

This page is mostly empty except for this text: “DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor or scientist, and this zine is not intended as a replacement for medical care. The illustrations aren’t perfectly to scale because I’ve cartoonified things for clarity. However, I based everything on free peer-reviewed scientific papers, cited on page 22 and at this link: laurellynnleake.com/whywemask” There is also a QR code underneath.

In large text again, it says “WHY WE MASK” IT’S NOT “JUST A COLD”” and then a subtitle underneath “A Handy Scientific Guide To Surviving COVID-19 Together”. At the bottom of the page, a cute drawing of a big headed person with cat’s eye glasses. She looks nervous and sweat is flying off her, filling the house shape she’s in. Outside, a large COVID-19 particle looms. Text below reads “featuring ME!”

At this point in the book, we get into the text-dense Works Cited. To read the full transcript with URLS, go to laurellynnleake.com/whywemask. This page covers endnotes for pages 1 (The Basics) to 5 (Severe Symptoms).

Works Cited continued, from Page 6 (How Covid Spreads Pt 1: Inhalation) to Page 14 (Lasting Effects AKA Long COVID) endnote 37. To read the full transcript with URLS, go to laurellynnleake.com/whywemask.

Works cited continued, starting on PAGE 6: How COVID Spreads (PART 1: INHALATION) Endnote 18, and ending with Page 18 (Stopping The Spread) Endnote 59. To read the full transcript with URLS, go to LaurelLynnLeake.com/WhyWeMask

A small set of drawings of different types of masks sits in the “Guides & Tools” section between resources.
“For currently sick &/or chronically ill people:
END VIRAL EUGENICS Database – https://tinyurl.com/currentlysick
Find COVID-19 Medications (USA) – https://treatments.hhs.gov/
Drug Interaction Checker – https://Covid19-DrugInteractions.org/checker
COVID Safe Providers – https://covidsafeproviders.com/
Treatment Research – https://C19early.org/
Long COVID Physio – https://LongCovid.physio/pacing/
Mask buying/fitting resources:
Mask Database – https://tinyurl.com/maskdb
Respirator Repository – https://tinyurl.com/PDXMaskLibrary
Buy Lower Cost Masks (USA) – https://linktr.ee/buymasks
https://reddit.com/r/Masks4All/ - (caution: advice very white cis man centric)”
“Other resources: https://CleanAirCrew.org/ - Recommendations & DIY guides for air filtration
What’s Up With COVID & How To Protect Yourself, 2024 Ed - https://newlevant.com/COVIDzine - Hazel Newlevant’s excellent free printable COVID minicomic! Includes advanced safety tips (ex: nasal sprays, CPC mouthwash, air circulation/filtration). (English/Espanol)
We Keep Each Other Safe – https://ForwardTogether.org/tools/we-keep-each-other-safe/ - A Guide By & For Black, Indigenous, Latinx, POC & LGBTQ Communities. From 2020 but still very relevant (English/Espanol)
How To Get On – https://howtogeton.wordpress.com/ - Lily Silver’s self-advocacy guide for homebound/bedbound people, ME/CFS focused but helpful for all disabilities. Covers financial aid, affordable housing, medical care, mobility devices, etc. (USA)
Mutual aid databases (“global”, always updating):
COVID Action Map – https://t.co/DvrGjRPzhm/
MASK Bloc Org - https://maskbloc.org/
COVID Meetups – https://COVIDMeetups.com/
Online communities/support groups/events:
COVID Isn’t Over - https://linktr.ee/covidisntover
Long COVID Justice - https://longcovidjustice.org/Support
Disability Visibility Project – https://DisabilityVisibilityProject.com

And a drawing of a graph that shows “official number of cases” and “wastewater viral count” overlaid on top of each other, over time. The wastewater and official cases hew very close together at the start, and then dramatically diverge less than halfway through. If you look at the official numbers, it seems like things have died down, and if you look at wastewater it seems like things have gotten worse. Sections of time are labeled with quote marks “DURING THE PANDEMIC” covering just until a little after the two numbers start to wildly diverge, and “POST-PANDEMIC” where the wastewater shows that we are almost always above the peaks of the early years. Below, it says “Source: Santa Clara County Public Health Dept, inspired by Lee Altenberg, PhD.”
“ Wastewater trackers test sewage at processing plants for viral debris (including H5N1, influenza, etc). They’re far more accurate than government or corporate numbers. “Official” trackers for COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are almost always SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERCOUNTED.
Wastewater trackers still SKEW LOW, and run at a 2 week delay. Also, since they depend on gov access, they can get forced into removing their public datas (RIP Biobot Tracker :C).”
TURTLE ISLAND:
WastewaterScan Dashboard - https://www.data.wastewaterscan.org/
People’s CDC: COVID 19 “Weather Reports” - https://PeoplesCDC.org/
Iowa COVID Tracker (Covers the whole USA) - https://iowacovid19tracker.org
Canadian Tracker – https://COVID19Tracker.ca
Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative – https://PMC19.com/
GLOBAL:
KFF Global - Tracker https://t.co/7fmeb93fYI/
Worldometer - https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

Little aerosol droplets of water flow in a swooping line towards a brain and all of the veins that twist around it and lead down to the rest of the body. A cute little Laurel holds up a magnifying glass that is bigger than herself and shows within it a SARS-COV-2 virus.
In large text it says “A Handy Scientific Guide To Surviving COVID-19 Together”. And then in regular text it continues “Why’s everyone sick all the time? Well, it’s not “just a cold”, and it’s definitely not “mild”... It’s SARS-CoV-2, and it can change your life forever.
In larger text: “Whether you’ve been too burned out to keep up with COVID-19 news, or if you’re still masking and sick of explaining why, this zine is for you!

WHY WE MASK cuts through 5 years of COVID chaos with simple, non-judgemental language and fun science illustrations featuring masked-up queer & trans disabled people. Plus resources for protecting you and your loved ones.”
At the bottom, a hand gives a wrapped up boat shaped mask to another hand while puffs of air float around. The mask says “NIOSH N95” on it.

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