The Sick Times

@thesicktimes

Award-winning nonprofit news site chronicling the #LongCOVID crisis. Founded by @BetsyLadyzhets.bsky.social & @MilesWGriffis.bsky.social Website: thesicktimes.org Newsletter: thesicktimes.org/newsletter Donate: the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org

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The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 25d

Sign up for our newsletter and get the latest Long COVID research delivered to your inbox every Tuesday! thesicktimes.org/newsletter/

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 25d

👀 Study: COVID-19 can cause long-term eye disorders 🧠 New study: people with Long COVID may have dopamine system damage in their brains 💊 Clinical trial: some repurposed drugs were not effective in treating Long COVID fatigue thesicktimes.org/2026/07/14/r...

A scientific illustration shows a neuron synapse with dopamine, small appearing molecules. The synspases are bright purple and blue, while the dopamine appear yellow and light blue. The illustration is contrasted with a jet black background. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. COVID-19 can cause long-term eye disorders, according to a cross sectional study. A new study found that people with Long COVID may have dopamine system damage in their brains. A U.K. clinical trial found some repurposed drugs were not effective in treating Long COVID fatigue.”

COVID-19 can cause long-term eye disorders, according to a cross sectional study in Nature Communications. Researchers in Sweden assessed 100 people with Long COVID and compared them to 32 people who had COVID-19 and “recovered.” “We found that the problems experienced by those affected were not detectable by standard tests,” one of the authors said in a press release, explaining that they had to use specialized examinations, including proteomics. The researchers found that immune dysregulation, dysautonomia, and nerve damage were linked to the eye disorders. Past research has found that retinal abnormalities may serve as biomarkers to help diagnose Long COVID.

A new study in eBioMedicine found that people with Long COVID may have dopamine system damage in their brains. The small study included 24 people with Long COVID compared to 24 “healthy” controls who underwent advanced brain imaging. “Our findings provide compelling evidence that Long COVID involves the loss of dopamine-releasing neurons,” one of the study’s authors said in a statement, explaining that this damage in specific areas of the brain correlated with symptoms of Long COVID. The authors state more research is needed but suggested that improving the function of dopamine signaling could be a target for treatment. Other researchers have also hypothesized that impaired dopamine signaling could cause cognitive symptoms in Long COVID.

A U.K. clinical trial found some repurposed drugs were not effective in treating Long COVID fatigue. The study evaluated the blood thinner rivaroxaban, the anti-inflammatory drug colchicine, and a combination of the antihistamines famotidine and loratadine. The results of the phase 3 trial, called STIMULATE-ICP, were published in The Lancet: Infectious Diseases. Researchers included nearly 800 people in the platform trial, testing the drugs alongside a control arm of people who received “usual Long COVID care,” which included pacing support. The trial was open-label, meaning participants knew which drugs they were taking. Participants improved somewhat in the treatment arms, but so did those in the control arm, meaning there was no significant difference between treatment and control and the trial failed on its primary endpoint.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 26d

Some FDA-approved GLP-1s are being studied in clinical trials for the disease, but their results aren’t available yet. Experts caution against using experimental peptides for #LongCOVID. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/14/e...

A graphic shows three vials of peptides on a graph paper and jet black background. The glass vials have a sticker on them that says, "RESEARCH PURPOSE ONLY: NOT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION". The text reads, “The Sick Times. Experimental peptides are being advertised for Long COVID. But the evidence is trailing behind. By by Jamie Ducharme.”

Peptides, short chains of amino acids that can have drug-like effects, are booming in popularity — even though many have not been thoroughly studied in humans and are not Food and Drug Administration–approved.

Despite the lack of research, some medical clinics and providers are advertising peptides as Long COVID therapies, and they are often hyped up on social media.

GLP-1 medications are also peptides. Some people with Long COVID are “microdosing” them in hopes of treating their symptoms.

One clinical trial is assessing the GLP-1 tirzepatide for the disease, while the National Institutes of Health RECOVER program will launch a trial on semaglutide later this year. A third clinical trial is assessing larazotide, a synthetic peptide, for Long COVID in children.

Research on peptides and Long COVID is ongoing. Experts say it’s safest to wait for those results, or at least to use peptides under the care of medical professionals.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 28d

🚨🙀‼️: Our summer fundraiser ends tomorrow at midnight and we need your help to cross the finish line! We’re aiming to gain 88 more Supporters. Monthly donors, even at $1 a month, help us in our mission in becoming a more sustainable newsroom.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 28d

We really need your help as we approach the end of our summer sustainability fundraiser! Our campaign ends tomorrow at midnight, and we still need 88 new Supporters: readers who set up monthly donations. These can be any amount per month — even $1! Can you help us reach our goal?

Thermometer graphic in which The Sick Times' fundraising goal is represented by a row of pixelated hearts, as you might see in an old-school video game. The hearts are all black outlines, and the first five are filled in with red. Text above the hearts reads: "The Sick Times - Goal: 200 new monthly supporters." Underneath the hearts, there is a cartoon drawing of a field with flowers."

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 28d

As of early July, it’s clear that a summer COVID-19 wave is getting started in the U.S. Disease levels are going up in the South and parts of the West Coast. This week's COVID-19 trends report: thesicktimes.org/2026/07/14/n...

ID: Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for July 14, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "medium" (represented with a darker yellow color) and slightly increasing (represented with a diagonal up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is low (light yellow) and significantly increasing (directly up arrow). Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· 29d

"From friends to medics, women are used to having their health issues dismissed, minimized, or blamed on their hormones." thesicktimes.org/2026/07/10/s...

Graphic featuring clips from old, black and white medical advertisements, one showing a man wearing a lamp on a band around his head and one showing a woman in a surgical mask. The clips are cut with diagrams of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and red, white, and black boxes. The text reads, "Stop telling women their Long COVID is menopause. From friends to medics, women are used to having their health issues dismissed, minimized, or blamed on their hormones."

"And it feels ever thus: women’s knowledge of their bodies sidelined, their intuition dismissed, their symptoms pigeonholed into the medic’s preferred diagnosis — which, once you hit midlife, is almost always menopause." - Kelly Rose Bradford

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 12

There are only a few days left in our summer sustainability fundraiser, and we could really use your help! When you set up a monthly donation — at any amount — you're funding the future of Long COVID journalism (and getting free stickers!). the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

White and chartreuse text on a solarpunk background reads, "The Sick Times. Fund the future of Long COVID journalism."

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 11

"Any monthly donation helps us continue to do things like produce our podcast, raise up voices in the Long COVID community, and share research updates you can bring to your medical providers — no paywalls, no AI, no bullshit." - @melaniemarich.bsky.social the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

D: A woman with brown hair wearing round glasses, a denim top, a khaki The Sick Times baseball cap, and a high-quality respirator. Her photo sits on top of an illustrated forest background. Black text in a chartreuse text box reads, “Our reporting moves the needle on the Long COVID conversation, and we couldn’t do this work without supporters of The Sick Times. Melanie Marich, Podcast Producer

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 10

Sign up for our newsletter and get @mileswgriffis.bsky.social's weekly research updates delivered directly to your inbox: thesicktimes.org/newsletter/

An autopsy study found persistent SARS-CoV-2 virus in the hearts of some people who had died after having COVID-19. A part of the National Institute of Health’s RECOVER program, the researchers shared their unpublished results in a poster at a pathology conference this spring. The study included 74 participants who had expedited autopsies that included samples of blood and cardiac tissue. Of 11 participants who had SARS-CoV-2 genetic material, nine had reported Long COVID symptoms before their deaths. A July RECOVER press release stated that people with SARS-CoV-2 in their heart were “more likely to have changes in their immune system and heart structure” and that the research adds to growing evidence of different subsets of the disease.

The July press release also shares other mid-year updates from RECOVER, including a summary of where the program’s clinical trials currently stand and information on observational and pathobiology studies. The NIH plans to open a new funding opportunity this summer for researchers studying Long COVID’s underlying causes, the update stated.

A study from Brazil found that people with diabetes were more likely to be impacted by Long COVID. The retrospective study, published in Scientific Reports, included 870 participants who were hospitalized for COVID-19 in late 2020, comparing those with diabetes to those without. The researchers found that people with diabetes were more likely to have cardiovascular complications and had a worse quality of life. They also found a 7.3% rate of new diabetes cases in the non-diabetic cohort over the seven months of the study, adding more research to COVID-19’s role in increasing the risk of diabetes.

A recent, small trial concluded that “cognitive rehabilitation” may be a potential therapy for the Long COVID. But the study, published in JAMA Network Open, found no improvements in debilitating symptoms like fatigue or sleep disturbances, nor did it find meaningful improvements in cognitive scores. Another larger trial on cognitive rehabilitation recently failed. The JAMA study found some improvements in “goal attainment.” “In the broader landscape of Long COVID treatment, cognitive rehabilitation falls well short of what is needed,” researcher Hannah Davis told TIME about the study. “The Long COVID patient community wants resources directed toward more curious and promising treatments and trials.”

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 10

This week's #LongCOVID research updates: thesicktimes.org/2026/07/07/r...

An image of immunohistochemistry (IHC), a type of labratory technique that identifies proteins in a tissue sample shows positive SARS-CoV-2 viruses. The image shows brown and blue dots. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. Autopsy study: found persistent SARS-CoV-2 in the hearts of some people who died after having COVID-19. RECOVER shared a summary of where the program’s clinical trials currently stand. Study: found that people with diabetes were more likely to be impacted by Long COVID. A small trial stated that "cognitive rehabilitation" may treat Long COVID, but found no significant improvements in debilitating symptoms..”

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 10

There's less than a week left to snag this exclusive sticker pack — designed by designed by Dimitrea Tokunbo and Grae Salisbury — when you become a Sick Times Supporter! Join today and help us keep our vital Long COVID journalism going! the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

Black text on a chartreuse background reads, “Exclusive stickers! For two weeks only, if you become a new monthly Sick Times supporter — at any amount — we’ll send you exclusive stickers designed by Grae Salisbury and Dimitrea Tokunbo.” Below are four sticker mock-ups featuring the Sick Times mascot, the caladrius, as well as illustrated masked characters.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 9

Exactly zero billionaires are making decisions in our newsroom. the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

White and chartreuse text on a solarpunk background reads, "The Sick Times. Powered by community. Not corporations."

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 9

This year, The Sick Times hosted a virtual variety show for Pride, giving queer and trans people with Long COVID the option to celebrate together, from home. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/07/m...

A black background with hot pink text and black and white photos of performers Khalil Dennis (Host), Taipei Queen, King Lotus Boy, Katie Drackert, Mondo Millions, and Hugo Joan Rose. The text reads, “Making Pride Accessible: Six queer artists reflect on performing with Long COVID. By Heather Hogan.”

A black and white photo of Khalil Dennis with text reading, “You can’t have liberation without a party.”

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 8

People are taking on immigration enforcement from bed and the streets. @crookedneighbor.bsky.social talked to organizers for tips to participate in resistance while staying safe. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/07/h...

ID: A young group of protestors march in the streets of Chicago protesting ICE, while wearing high quality masks. They hold signs that say, "Families belong together", "Chinga tu MAGA", and other messages. The text reads, “The Sick Times. How to protect your community from ICE when you have Long COVID. By Miranda DeNovo.”

If you recognize airborne illnesses as an ongoing instrument of mass death and disablement, you are morally obligated to oppose ICE for the same reasons. And if you are already organizing against ICE, you should be masking and encouraging comrades to do the same.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 7

While national COVID-19 averages remain low in the U.S., signals continue to accumulate that a summer wave is getting underway. It’s starting most prominently in the South, but there are also notable increases and hotspots in other parts of the country. thesicktimes.org/2026/07/07/n...

Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for July 7, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "medium" (represented with a darker yellow color) and significantly increasing (represented with an up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (lighter yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is low (light yellow) and slightly increasing (diagnoal up arrow. Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

While national COVID-19 averages remain low in the U.S., signals continue to accumulate that a summer wave is getting underway. It’s starting most prominently in the South, but there are also notable increases and hotspots in other parts of the country. As the latest data are from late June (before the recent holiday), actual COVID-19 levels are likely now higher in these locations.

In wastewater surveillance data: WastewaterSCAN has updated its national SARS-CoV-2 category to “medium” this week, along with “medium” regional levels in the South, Northeast, and Midwest. Unlike other data providers, WWSCAN bases its categories on both magnitude and direction of viral levels in wastewater; the average amount of SARS-CoV-2 is still quite low compared to the last few years of data, but there have been significant increases in the last three weeks.

CDC chart showing COVID-19 epidemic trends by state, as of June 30, 2026. The chart is a map of the U.S. with states color-coded according to their COVID-19 trends. Three states are colored in darker purple for "growing" cases: Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. Six more states are colored in lighter purple for "likely growing" cases: California, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey. Many other states are colored in light teal for "likely declining," darker teal for "declining," white for "not changing," and gray for "not estimated." Text above the map reads: "As of June 30, 2026, we estimate that COVID-19 infections are growing or likely growing in 9 states, declining or likely declining in 22 states, and not changing in 19 states. Previous estimates can be found on data.cdc.gov."

The CDC’s infectious disease forecasting center estimates that COVID-19 cases are “growing or likely growing” in nine states as of June 30, including several states in the South.
Due to data delays, COVID-19 levels are likely higher than reported in some places. Summer travel, holiday gatherings, and large events like the World Cup games are all likely contributing to outbreaks.

There are other pathogens circulating in the U.S. right now, too. A parasitic infection called cyclosporiasis, which spreads through contaminated food, is on the rise; health officials are particularly concerned about a recent outbreak in Michigan, NBC News reported. And it may be an “intense” year for West Nile virus, a pathogen that spreads through mosquitoes — the season for this virus has started earlier this year than any time in the last two decades, CNN reports.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 7

It's always a great day to support #LongCOVID journalism based on facts and trusted sources! Help us reach our goal of 200 new Supporters? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

An illustrated to-do list has an X over the task of "re-train my brain" and a checkmark beside the task of "Help The Sick Times grow their trusted Long COVID reporting."

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 6

Plus, hello! You get FREE EXCLUSIVE STICKERS designed by members of the Long COVID community!

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 6

You filled up a whole one of our heart containers today! Thank you! ‼️ ❤️ Do we have any folks out here who could kick five bucks a month our way? We could fill up the next container for only $100 if 20 people signed to be Supporters at only $5 a month! the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

A fundraiser tracker with heart containers over a sky over an illustrated field of flowers. The trackers is 32% full.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 6

Who else is investigating pandemic-fueled injustices, challenging powerful government and medical institutions, combing through the latest Long COVID research, and translating COVID-19 data into weekly updates? Will you support our vital work? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

A fundraiser tracker with heart containers over a sky over an illustrated field of flowers. The trackers is 25% full.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 5

If you become a Supporter during our summer sustainability fundraiser, we’ll send you an exclusive pack of stickers designed by Dimitrea Tokunbo and Grae Salisbury, two artists in the #LongCOVID community! the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

White and chartreuse over a cartoon Solarpunk background rads, “Change the future. Get free stickers.” A chartreuse button reads, “Donate today.”

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 4

As one of the only newsrooms still reporting on the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we often hear from readers about how much our work matters to them. If it matters to you too, please help us reach our goal of 200 new monthly Supporters. the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

ID: Text bubbles on cartoon Solarpunk backgrounds. One is green-themed and one is orange-themed. The Comments reads, “I’m a scientist and want to support sharing factual research with the public.” “Thank you for not giving up. Thank you for your critical role in covering this ongoing pandemic.” “Long COVID is barely covered in mainstream media. You cover it from a disability-affirming perspective.” “If the medical establishment won’t care about ME, someone needs to compel them, and your work does that.” “

Text bubbles on cartoon Solarpunk backgrounds. One is green-themed and one is orange-themed. The Comments read “This work is so critical, whether people want to admit it or not.” “The Sick Times provides solidarity and essential information for collective survival in the pandemic.” “Your great reporting = hope & support.” “You do such
important journalism on public health information & advocacy, centering Disabled voices, and you pay your workers fairly!”

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 3

"Before I started working at The Sick Times as your friendly neighborhood engagement editor, I let every medical professional I met bulldoze me." Read more from our engagement editor @heatherhogan.bsky.social about fighting Long COVID denial at work and in her personal life. shorturl.at/ZCoBe

A photo of a butch lesbian in glasses, a baseball cap, a flannel shirt, and a black respirator. A quote box to her right reads, I have adopted The Sick Times motto as my own personal healthcare mantra: No denial.
No minimizing.
No gaslighting.

We apply it, every day, to the way we cover the Long COVID crisis; and now, I apply it to the way I walk through the world.

Heather Hogan
Engagement Editor

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 3

Imaging study: identified metabolic dysfunction in the brains of people with Long COVID who experience PEM Study: found people who have Long COVID are more likely to exit the workforce Clinical trial: will assess the HIV drug Maraviroc + the cholesterol drug Atorvastatin tinyurl.com/ej2jtzw8

An image from a Long COVID study shows cerebral "F-FDG PET-CT" scans. Brain images appear in yellow and blue. Figure text from the article: "Representative 18F-FDG PET scan for a patient with Long COVID showing cerebral hypometabolism. The scan above shows the unprocessed 18F-FDG PET scan of the brain, and the below image has been processed to demonstrate the comparison to the age- and gender-matched normal database using the pons to normalize the comparison. This scan shows near global hypometabolism particularly pronounced in the occipital lobes, correlating with the participant’s symptoms of cognitive dysfunction and fatigue with post exertional malaise"

The text reads, “The Sick Times. Long COVID research updates. A new imaging study identified metabolic dysfunction in the brains of people with Long COVID who experience PEM. A new study found people who have Long COVID are more likely to exit the workforce. A new clinical trial will assess the HIV drug Maraviroc in combination with the cholesterol drug Atorvastatin.”

A recent imaging study in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health identified metabolic dysfunction in the brains of people with Long COVID who experience PEM. The study assessed 40 people with the disease from a Long COVID clinic with an advanced imaging technique that can detect various cancers and neurologic conditions. Researchers found that people who experienced fatigue and post-exertional malaise had significant cerebral hypometabolism, or a reduction of the brain’s glucose consumption, in two parts of the brain. Similar cerebral changes have been found in myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), the researchers wrote, and stated that with more research, the technique could serve as a biomarker for Long COVID.

People who have Long COVID are more likely to exit the workforce, a new study in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases found. Dutch researchers assessed over 3,000 people who had a SARS-CoV-2 infection earlier in the pandemic, following up two years after their infections. They found people with Long COVID were twice as likely to leave the workforce, compared to those who never developed the disease. They also found that 46% of those with Long COVID were unable to work. “These results highlight the substantial personal, societal, and economic burden of [Long COVID] and the urgent need for long-term support, workplace accommodations, and targeted interventions,” the authors concluded.

A new clinical trial will assess the HIV drug Maraviroc in combination with the cholesterol drug Atorvastatin. The combined phase 2/3 trial, called IMPACT-LC, aims to recruit 252 participants; half will take a combination of the two drugs, while the other half will receive two placebo pills. The study is the second clinical trial in the U.S. to evaluate the drug Maraviroc — a separate trial is assessing the drug on its own alongside the HIV drug Truvada. The Maraviroc/Atorvastatin combination was discussed at the federal government’s Long COVID Roundtable last year by HealthBio Inc. founder Bruce Patterson. This study is located in Tucson, Arizona, and may add more sites in the U.S. Read more about the trial on HealthBio Inc.’s website.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 2

🌱 20 new Sick Times Supporters signed up yesterday to help our nonprofit newsroom become more sustainable! ☀️ Can you help us sign up 20 more today? 🌷 Monthly donations at any amount make a huge difference in our ability to grow our Long COVID journalism! the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

White and chartreuse text on a solarpunk background reads, "The Sick Times. No denial. No minimizing. No gaslighting. No AI. No paywalls. No corporate influence.

2. Thermometer graphic in which The Sick Times' fundraising goal is represented by a row of pixelated hearts, as you might see in an old-school video game. The hearts are all black outlines, and the first one on the left is filled, the second one shows a little bit of red. Text above the hearts reads: "The Sick Times - Goal: 200 new monthly supporters." Underneath the hearts, there is a cartoon drawing of a field with flowers.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jul 1

☀️ As The Sick Times approaches our 3-year anniversary, we’re shifting from a startup to a more sustainable newsroom, in it for the long haul. And we’re marking that shift with a summer sustainability fundraiser. 🌱 2 weeks, 200 new Supporters? Help us grow? the-sick-times.fundjournalism.org/donate/

Black and chartreuse text over a cartoon fam background reads, “The Sick Times. Help us create, grow, and sustain our Long COVID journalism.”

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jun 30

Public health organizations are calling for Congress to fund the CDC’s wastewater surveillance program—which tracks COVID-19 and other diseases—in its 2027 budget, while state health departments plan ahead for potential gaps in grants. Read more from @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social: tinyurl.com/3xb62e57

An engineer wearing a high-vis vest and hard hat inputs water quality data into a laptop at a wastewater treatment facility. Yellow safety railing is visible throughout the photo. The text reads, “The Sick Times. Wastewater testing is vital for public health. It needs sustained funding to continue beyond fall 2026. By Betsy Ladyzhets.”

Key points you should know:

The CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System, a federal program that supports testing across the U.S. for COVID-19 and other diseases, is set to run out of funding this fall.

Testing is carried out mostly by state health departments, some of which have planned ahead to continue surveillance into 2027. Still, new funding is needed to make the program more permanent.

A contract between the CDC and health tech company Verily to test sewage at some sites is set to conclude in August. The CDC intends to extend the contract to September and start a new one after that.

Science and health organizations are lobbying Congress to fund NWSS in the CDC’s fiscal year 2027 budget. The request has been acknowledged but more pressure is needed to get it into the final budget.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jun 30

As of mid-June, a summer COVID-19 wave appears to be slowly starting in parts of the Southern U.S. Disease levels are still low across most of the country, though, and it may be a few weeks before we see recent increases grow into a broader surge. thesicktimes.org/2026/06/30/n...

Graphic from The Sick Times sharing the latest COVID-19 trends for June 30, 2026. The graphic presents trends for three metrics: WastewaterSCAN category for SARS-CoV-2, which is "low" (represented with a light yellow color) and slightly increasing (represented with a diagonal up arrow); CDC wastewater viral activity level for SARS-Cov-2, which is "very low*" (light yellow) and stable (side to side arrow); and CDC COVID-19 test positivity, which is low (light yellow) and stable. Text below these metrics reads: "*CDC wastewater viral activity levels are calculated based on measurements in the last two years only. They do not account for the lower spread that could be possible with more widespread precautions."

In addition, the CDC’s infectious disease forecasting center estimates that cases are “growing” in Louisiana and “likely growing” in Mississippi and Florida as of June 23.
Meanwhile, the center estimates that cases are “declining or likely declining” in 34 states as of June 23. It’s worth emphasizing that, while the outbreaks in the South merit concern, disease levels are still low across most of the U.S. compared to the last several years of available data.

In other public health news: a recent Ebola outbreak in Africa is growing at a concerning rate. Health officials have confirmed over 1,000 cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the highest number recorded in the first month of an outbreak on this continent. The outbreak is posing many challenges for responders, including a lack of vaccines and treatments for the strain causing cases, violent conflict in the region, and health misinformation.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jun 30

Will the new COVID-19 antiviral be accessible? In this episode of Still Here (produced by @melaniemarich.bsky.social), @betsyladyzhets.bsky.social talks to @mileswgriffis.bsky.social about his reporting on Xocova (ensitrelvir). thesicktimes.org/2026/06/29/w...

A screenshot of the June 29 episode of Still Here on the Spotify widget features a pink stylized image of pills with the text, "Still Here" on top of it.

The Sick Times@thesicktimes· Jun 30

"A 2024 study estimated that nearly one-fourth of people with disabilities in the U.S. live in inaccessible buildings with no elevator and at least one flight of stairs, making it much more difficult — if not impossible — to participate in the community." - @racheldl.bsky.social shorturl.at/MMTZC