COVID Upate October 26: There's a dangerous new disease I've been reading about that's a dangerous off-shoot of COVID.

Its highly seasonal and potentially lethal. It strikes the temporal lobe and is called COVID Fatigue. 1/

The way it works is you don't actually FEEL sick. There is no fever or chills. Your bones or body doesn't ache. And you don't need to be ventilated. But it lulls the unsuspecting person into a kind of whiny sense of entitlement out of boredom. 2/

You can tell when someone is coming down with COVID Fatigue because early signs are statements like: "This isn't so bad." "How long do I need to keep this up." "I want to go to the movies." And "Netflix ain't all that great."

Wait you might be worried this sounds too familiar.3/

You might think-- I think those thoughts! I too don't like this. I assure you. You don't have it. You are becoming a COVID Fatigue Hypochondriac.

We ALL have those thoughts. But please, don't amputate your foot because you have an occasional hangnail! 4/

Those thoughts pass quickly for people who don't have the "CF." Because we think about being on an ACTUAL respirator and taking up the time of nurses and doctors who have better things to do than listen to you say: "It was only one party! I had COVID fatigue." 5/

So, @SandraJoyStein1 doesn't have COVID fatigue. She has ACTUAL fatigue. Since her son was 2, he hasn't been able to walk, talk & swallow because of an auto-immune disorder he was stricken with. He's 11 now. 6/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/14/well/family/special-needs-parenting-physical-therapy-coronavirus.html

She's an incredible person and I'm not. I admit I get fatigued at things that Sandra would consider worthy of an adrenaline rush.

She's not "annoyed" at schools being closed because her son gets in the way. It presents physical impossibilities, 7/

She's not irritated she can't go to the mall. She has to deal with that fact that her son's physical therapist is unavailable. 8/

Of course you can be annoyed at your kids. And be irritated that you can't go to the mall. And miss your friends and find things an inconvenience and have to make due with less. And be just plain irritable.

People with disabilities tell me its a full time part of life. 9/

Parents as well. Although parents are the first to tell me its not the same thing even for them. 10/

Adjustments are hard. But people with CF sometimes lose the difference between what is temporary and what is permanent.

That being inconvenienced for months versus sicker or worse for years are different. 11/

Part of the treatment for CF is to remind people of the so many things you can do. Vote. Go to an outdoor rally with a contagious VP. Run in the park. Go to a shop. Sit outside. See and talk to people. Help out. Go to work. Travel. Eat. (I could go on, but here's my point..)12/

We can't think with a deprivation mentality or we will feel deprived. About what we're missing. I remind myself what I', lucky enough to do. And enjoy doing. 13.

The problem with CF is even a little of it can go a long way at the wrong moment. Its not like people can't take risks. We take them every day. But with an infections disease, with CF, we can't take risks for others.14/

If someone tells me, my roommate has CF, I'm like "well then you have CF too." Or "my-co-worker has CF," well then you may have it too! 15/

But I can't miss that night at the bar/Thanksgiving/that fun wedding/that dinner party at the Breathers' house down the street.

Yes. Yes you can. You can miss it. When the prevelance rate goes back down (& it will!) you will go (besides the Breathers' can't cook). 16/

Severe cases of CF can turn nasty. Some can become CD, CT, or CHMs.

That's COVID deniers, truthers, or worse herd immunity-ers

It starts with, after the bar, you're like "I didn't get it! It must be fake. And it leads to "that guy Scott Atlas makes a lot of sense." 17/

Important Q&A about CF.

Q: Can I die from CF?

A: Worse. The people can die from catching it from you and might never know it. 80% of cases people don't know who they caught it from. 18/

Q: What's the best treatment for CF?

A: Hydroxychloroquine. Shocking, but true. No @morethanmySLE would say , stupid joke, Andy. It's actually bleach (Don't let him tell you he was joking.) 19/

Q: Are there any clinical trials?

A: Yes. There is a new biotech called ClusterCF. They have raised $8 billion and announced a clinical trial. Phase 3 has seen 6 patients enroll & it is now worth $50 billion. 20/

Update on that. The CEO of ClusterCF sold his stock and moved to Asia where there has never been a case of CF. 21/

I will keep you posted as I learn more about this challenging new condition but please be safe. We don't have a vaccine for CF and until we do, or until there's a blockbuster drug, people will be reckless. /end