Covid data is less reliable than it used to be because most tests are not reported officially, but flu data is comparable to previous years and it was already nearly twice as high by the end of November as it usually is by January.

There are people out there who promote the idea that the best way to build immunity is to get sick, so I want to address this for a moment. The public idea that's floating around is a dangerous misinterpretation of a French study from a year ago, there is no reputable medical organization that recommends getting sick over preventive strategies and vaccines.

Finally, as terrible as Covid has been, one of the bright spots has been that it has been less dangerous (though far from safe) for children. This is not true of the latest surge of viral diseases. Searching for "pediatric icu" on news sites reveals that hospital resources for children are becoming overwhelmed in places as widespread as Atlanta, Georgia, Portland, Oregon, and Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Given all of that, I want to encourage you to stay safe out there. Vaccination is still one of the most effective things you can do and vaccines are currently available for both the new strains of Covid and the Seasonal Flu. Better yet, this year's Seasonal Flu vaccine lines up particularly well with the strains we are seeing across the country, making it even more effective than usual.

Masking is also effective, and it's currently winter which means you get the additional benefit that the mask will keep your nose warm in the cold instead of overheating your face. Also be sure to stay away from people who are sick and to avoid spreading any illness that you, yourself, might catch. Avoiding enclosed places and crowds of people when possible is also useful as many of these diseases can be spread before the person even knows they're sick.

Finally, I strongly encourage you to talk to your doctor, nurse, or medical provider. Some of you may know me personally, but as far as expertise goes I'm just some guy on the internet spreading information. Check with a medical professional and trust their judgement over mine.

I was sick as fuck yesterday, and called in to work at about 3:30 in the morning and then slept for damn near the entire day. I called in for today last night, not feeling much better, and then– miracle of miracles– they called a snow day, not because it was snowing but because apparently so many of our bus drivers are sick that the whole system has broken down, and there’s already another one…