Intro and Disclaimer

QM would like to help you make sense of information being circulated by: 1. Translating data into digestible language, 2. Dispelling misconceptions and linking to evidence, and 3. Curating relevant data, and articles on a weekly basis. Our Round Up/ Mythbusting projects are intended to help our QM family make sense of information being circulated. Taking control of our health as a queer community includes making institutional knowledge accessible to the public. 

Disclaimer: Although this information has been evaluated and determined to be accurate by Queering Medicine (QM), we at QM do not want to give the impression that we are the sole gatekeepers of medical knowledge. As a collective, QM members bring professional and personal qualifications that allow us to research and share credible knowledge. Our goals for this weekly round up and myth busting is to translate data into digestible information, dispel misinformation, and curate relevant data for the Lansing queer community. We encourage the community to question knowledge found outside of reputable sources, however, Queering Medicine will gladly help facilitate this process. If evidence or recommendations change, or any inaccuracies are found, we will correct them and explain the changes. If you have any questions about our methodology and sources, or you would like to point out any inaccuracies, please let us know!

CLAIM: COVID-19 Was Created in a Lab. (FALSE)

Verdict: False

Helpful Links

“Plandemic” Conspiracy Theory Video

“Plandemic” is a widely discredited conspiracy theory video being shared on the Internet that makes a range of false and misleading claims about COVID-19. It is not a source of valid information about the virus. There are many excellent articles and posts on social media that debunk the video’s claims in detail that you can consult to learn more. Our recommendation continues to be that folks seek out factual information from credible sources. Always ask the questions: where is this coming from? Is the person/organization/ news source reliable? Is this backed by evidence?

Helpful Links

Women and People of Color are the Frontline 

We are continuously grateful to all our Frontline Heroes. Lansing and Ingham county continue to flatten the curve because of the dedicated and hardworking people of the community. “Essential” workers have been sustaining us well before the pandemic, and it is now even more clear just how critical workers in the grocery and healthcare sectors, building and cleaning services, social services, public transit, and delivery and warehouse roles are to our communities. According to the Associated Press (AP) women and minorities bear the brunt of the pandemic frontline as they comprise the majority of the “Essential” worker workforce.  The AP has created an interactive tool taken from census data that highlights the demographics of the “Essential” workforce. Here are some highlights from the article

People working in-person (and those that they live with) are at higher risk of contracting the virus that causes COVID-19, since they can't effectively isolate. As the AP has demonstrated, people of color and women are therefore at higher risk from the virus as they make up the majority of our frontline.

Duration and Long-Term Impacts of COVID-19 Infections

CLAIM: Viral infection and COVID-19 symptoms may be long-lasting and have long-term effects.

Verdict: MIXED. Long-term symptoms, infection, and effects are possible but require further investigation. Always follow guidelines for your individual case from your health care provider.

Helpful Links

No Evidence That People Can’t Get COVID-19 Multiple Times

World Health Organization (WHO): “There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.”

There is a very good chance that it does, but we just don’t have the evidence yet; current government plans to re-open assume it’s true, though, and this statement from the WHO reminds us that we don’t have evidence to support that yet. Even if it does confer immunity, we don’t know how strong the immunity is and how long it lasts.

Despite studies that patients in active COVID-19 infection are being treated with sera containing antibodies from people who recovered from COVID-19 illness, there is no clear evidence that previous infection with COVID-19 prevents a second infection in individuals. Health experts are widely advising that people who tested positive for COVID-19 not resume “normal” activities and continue to practice social distancing and other preventative precautions. According to a recent WHO report, reasons that such a sweeping statement cannot be made include uncertainty over potential false readings from antibody testing, in addition to the role that cellular versus antibody-mediated immunity could play in defending someone from COVID-19. There has been more positive evidence related to antibody protection helping prevent COVID-19 reinfection, including a recent published study showing that COVID-19 reinfection did not occur in a small study on rhesus monkeys. To that end, the WHO mentioned that scientific evidence will continue to be evaluated as more studies emerge on this issue. However, there’s not currently enough data or evidence to conclusively say that individuals who recovered from COVID-19 could not be reinfected. It is important to note that this does not mean that immunity is not developed, but rather that we cannot yet be certain that it does, and therefore should not make decisions based on the assumption that it does. 

Helpful Links

Michigan’s Stay-At-Home Order Extended; Manufacturing Reopening

On May 7, 2020, Governor Whitmer extended Michigan's stay-at-home order through May 28th. The order also allows many manufacturing workers to return to work starting May 11th, so long as the facilities they work at adopt certain measures to protect workers:

Helpful Links

Michigan Has the Highest COVID-19 Death Rate in the US

According to a recent article, Michigan has the highest COVID-19 death rate in the US. The article, published on May 1, 2020, stated that Michigan had a death rate of 9.13%. To clarify, based on the data used in this article, they are referring to the case fatality rate of COVID-19. This refers to the number of people who have died from causes associated with COVID-19 out of the total number of people with confirmed COVID-19 infections. The latest data from Michigan.gov states that the statewide case fatality rate is approximately 10%.  The numbers, however, vary by state and nationwide for a variety of reasons, a primary reason being that each state may count their COVID-19 related deaths differently. For example, based on the data out of New York state, the case fatality rate of deaths due to confirmed COVID-19 cases is approximately 8.16% as of May 9, 2020. Once you include probable deaths due to COVID-19, however, the case fatality rate is approximately 11.15%. Similarly, the CDC has data submitted by each jurisdiction of each state, and Michigan has reported 2,529 COVID-19 deaths from February 1, 2020 until May 2, 2020. When combining cases of pneumonia, influenza, and COVID-19, that number is reported to be 4,660, much closer to the reported number of COVID-19 related deaths that Michigan.gov reports. Depending on how the case fatality rate is counted and reported will affect where the state stands in terms of COVID-19 related deaths. Regardless, Michigan currently does have one of the highest COVID-19 related case fatality rates in the country.  Another critical factor is the amount of testing being conducted. If a significant number of non-fatal cases of COVID-19 are never verified by testing, the death rate will appear to be higher.

Several factors also contribute to the continued number of positive cases in Michigan. One is the increased capacity for testing in the state. Another factor is how the disease continues to spread. Anecdotally, it seems as though more rural areas are being hit, as well as nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and jails/prisons. Increased testing in shelters, nursing homes, and testing of essential workers has contributed to the consistent number of positive cases in conjunction with the increased capacity for testing. These positive cases have been related to primary risks including: household contact with a confirmed case, exposure to group settings such as being a resident in a long-term care facility or in jail/prison, as well as employment as a healthcare worker with consistent risk of exposure. Regions of the state that had initially seen very low numbers of cases are rising, unlike counties such as Wayne County and other areas hit harder earlier in the epidemic, which is seeing a small decline in the number of cases. To be clear, a region having a declining number of cases does not mean it's now safe to eliminate protective measures and end the stay-at-home order. QM believes it's even more critical that we stay vigilant, we stay committed to social distancing, and take protective measures as we begin to lift some restrictions and consider the best ways to phase out stay-at-home orders. 

Help Links & Additional Data

Pet Update

A cat that recently died in Barcelona, Spain is the 6th animal worldwide that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). There is consensus, however, that the cat did not die from the virus or issues related to it, as there was a more severe, underlying medical condition separate from COVID-19 (i.e., it had the virus when it died, but the virus did not cause its death). There is still no evidence that pets can transmit the virus to humans, but guidelines remain the same: Pets and pet owners should adhere to social distancing measures. Proper hygiene with regards to handling pets should still be practiced. If you have been exposed to the virus or know you have COVID-19, current recommendations state that you should refrain from interacting with your pets. While there is not currently evidence that the virus can kill pets, it may impact their health. We will continue to update on this topic as more evidence surfaces.

A Cat from Barcelona in Spain is only the Sixth in the world to die with Coronavirus :

Spain Records its First Case of a Cat with Coronavirus

CDC COVID-19 and Animals website:

Evaluation for SARS-CoV-2 Testing in Animals

CDC “If You Have Pets and COVID-19” Website (Updated as of April 30, 2020)

What to do if you own pets:

Protect your pets if you are sick with COVID-19

Stay healthy if you are around animals

What does this mean for the public, how should you use this new information: 

Helpful Link

Queer Suicide Prevention Support

QM Mythbusters (in no particular order):