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“With my parents' support, I created a youth group for teenagers (13–17 y/o) and named it COVID Cautious Comrades, shortened to C³ for the sake of the math pun :].”— Josh Potts shares his story to inspire others. 

Photo courtesy Mask Together America.

Weekly Newsletter, August 28, 2026

Greetings, public health PHANs! We hope you're having a healthy and safe August so far.  Happy Immunization Awareness Month!

 

If you're new to PHAN, our mission is to reduce indoor airborne pathogens and to establish the right to clean indoor air as a human right. We promote evidence-based research on COVID, other airborne pathogens, and clean-air devices, we build bridges with other organizations that are working for clean indoor air, and we develop and promote technologies that will help those in the air-aware community keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe.

 

In this week's issue:

If you have news or events that would be pertinent to our newsletter, or feedback on the newsletter or PHAN's work, email us at info@phan.global. We would love to hear your thoughts!

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We're intrigued by the proposed new standard in Canada that would require healthcare workers to wear N95+ masks in healthcare settings, so we wanted to learn more about the Canadian COVID response. On Thursday, September 10, we'll host a Zoom discussion along with our allies from Air Support Project and guests:

The Canadian COVID response has varied from province to province, and now Canada is poised to adopt a new unified standard for healthcare workers that would require N95+ respirators in healthcare settings. Learn about the Canadian COVID response and what the future holds for masking in healthcare settings in Canada. Register in advance.

 

Do you have ideas for other guests for our Zoom discussions? Pop us an email at info@publichealthactionnetwork.org.

We have a new podcast episode for you! We chatted with Amanda Finley, a former archaelogist and opera singer who contracted COVID then became disabled with Long COVID. She's now a fierce advocate for everyone with Long COVID and has built a Long COVID survivor community on Facebook that has over seventeen thousand participants. The podcast episode with Amanda is now available for you to watch on YouTube or listen on Spotify or your favorite podcast source.

On October 28 (Australia and Asia) / October 27 (Americas, Europe, and Africa), Safer Air Project will host Safer Shared Air: Indoor Air, Health & Productivity Conference, in Canberra, Australia, and online. The full-day conference will explore indoor air quality as a silent driver of chronic disease; the economic opportunities that exist; and how we can translate the evidence into world-leading, national reform. In-person registration closes October 20, 2026. Online registration is free (with donations requested to fund this conference and future events) and closes at the conclusion of the conference. 

Speakers will include:

PHAN is a supporter of Safer Air Project and a gold sponsor for this conference. We're excited to see their campaign to make indoor air quality data more accessible gaining momentum.

The Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative (PMC) creates a weekly COVID-19 “heatmap” based on CDC wastewater data and levels (U.S.). The PMC is led by Michael Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, MBA.

Last week's map for comparison:

August 24, 2026: From the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative: “The US has at least 23 states/territories with COVlD outbreaks. These include much of California, Texas, Alaska, and Hawai’i, as well as the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Outbreaks are also present in Washington state, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and New Hampshire.

 

"There are likely outbreaks in additional states. The summary statistic of 23 only includes counties with observed data, rather than estimated data. Levels in some Texas counties are so high – on par with the national peak of BA.1 Omicron – that it drives up estimates for counties in neighboring states that lack CDC wastewater monitoring systems.”

 

Michael Hoerger, PhD, who runs the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative, also highlighted on social media and the PMC website that the CDC has shifted higher COVID levels into lower categories and has started depicting them with cooler colors, in an apparent attempt to downplay the current surge seen in wastewater data. 

 

August 18, 2026: From The John Snow Project: How COVID-19 and Long COVID Prevention Guidance Has Changed Since 2023. 

 

August 24, 2026: From the Los Angeles Times: Dr. Amy Proal, microbiologist and co-founder of PolyBio Research Foundation, joins Dr. Timothy Henrich, Professor in Residence at the University of California San Francisco, to discuss cutting-edge research into Long COVID and whether it may be an oncogenic virus. 

 

August 26, 2026: From ABC News: Two people in Pennsylvania have died from measles. Both were unvaccinated, one was an infant. These are the first deaths from measles in the state in 35 years.

 

August 26, 2026: From Reddit's Zero COVID Community: A mask-required school in Minnesota is hiring teachers. 

 

August 27, 2026: From Forbes Magazine: Covid-19 Cases Surge—Here’s What’s Different This Summer That Will Help. 

 

 

August 31-September 4, 2026: IAQ26 Indoor Air Quality Conference in Cairns, Australia, hosted by AIRAH (Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning and Heating). 

 

Sept 2, 2026: Mask Together America presents Long COVID Defense Series IV, 3:40pm–6:40pm ET, with six Q&A sessions. Register to Join,

NOTE: Dr. David Putrino will record his session
 

September 7, 2026: International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, sponsored by the United Nations Environment Programme. This day is intended as a call for accelerating action for clean air, from governments to businesses to civil society and individuals.

 

September 8, 2026: Clean Air Pledge session from the EPIC Air Quality Fund at University of Chicago. This session is intended to follow-up on the UN International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies on the 7th. More information about the Clean Air Pledge session.

September 10, 2026: Webinar on “Advancing Healthy Indoor Air: Lessons from Five Leading Policy Models”. A new report by the International WELL Building Institute, the Brown University Pandemic Center, and Air Club highlights a rapidly expanding wave of indoor air quality (IAQ) policy innovation across the globe. Drawing lessons from nearly 160 policies spanning 40 countries, the report identifies five leading policy models that governments are using to improve indoor air quality: (1) high-priority sectors, (2) transparency, (3) integrating health into building performance, (4) national coordination, and (5) dedicated IAQ law with enforcement. 

 

September 17, 2026 in Sydney, Australia: WELL 2026 Summit Sydney, from the International Well Building Institute.

 

September 19, September 26, October 3, and (optional) October 10, 2026: #MEAction is partnering with the Writers Guild Initiative (WGI) to offer a virtual creative writing workshop series for people living with ME or Long COVID. These workshops are designed to give participants space to explore their creativity, strengthen their writing skills, and discover new ways to tell their stories. Participants will work in small groups of 4–6 people with two WGI writing mentors for three two-hour virtual sessions. Apply by September 8. There are only 30 spaces available, so they encourage you to apply early.

 

September 29, 2026: IWBI Healthy Building Policy Summit 2026. The Summit will explore how policy is increasingly driving outcomes at the intersection of health, sustainability and performance. From advancing a health-first agenda for schools to unlocking the role of buildings in supporting brain health, human performance and long-term resilience, this year’s program reflects a field entering a new phase of maturity and impact. 

 

November 5, 2026 in Austin, Texas: WELL 2026 Summit Austin from the International Well Building Institute. 

 

October 7, 2026: California Clean Air Day. This is the state’s largest clean air event, organized by the Coalition for Clean Air. Every year, tens of thousands of Californians pledge to take individual actions that reduce air pollution and protect public health. 

 

October 12-15, 2026: Global Tipping Points Conference 2026, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Global Tipping Points initiative, led by Prof. Tim Lenton, is a global research and policy effort focused on understanding critical thresholds in the Earth system where small changes can trigger large, irreversible shifts in climate, ecosystems, and human societies. 

 

October 28, 2026: Safer Shared Air: Indoor Air, Health & Productivity Conference, in Canberra, Australia, and online. See item above.

August 28-August 30, 2026: HystericalFest: Women+ Act Out: a comedy festival of short plays on women (and those of traditionally marginalized genders) and invisible disability in Evanston, IL. Estimated run time: 2 hours with intermission. They'll have four live performances, tonight through August 30, with one performance designated as mask-encouraged and another designated as mask-required. Performances are at the Piven Theatre Workshop (first floor), 927 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL (ADA-compliant with a chair lift and two ramps).

They're also offering a virtual option: purchase a streaming ticket and they'll email you a link to a recording of the performance available by August 31 at 2 pm through November 28, 2026. 

 

COVID-safe events in the San Francisco Bay Area: Every week theater journalist Charles Lewis III publishes a list of COVID-safe events and performances in the San Francisco Bay Area on his Patreon.

 

COVID-safer events in the Chicago area: The Clean Air Club of Chicago posts items to their Instagram page every week about COVID-safer events in Chicago and the surrounding area. All of these shows will have at least one large air purifier cleaning the air or Far UVC. 

 

COVID-safer events in the Chicago area: Save the Night posts lists of mask-required events in the Chicago area to their Instagram page. 

 

Weekly online open-mic events with Nina Wildflower: Ben Collins, who performs as Nina Wildflower, hosts a weekly online open mic for COVID-informed performers, via the Facebook group "Still Coviding - Virtual Meetups" (private group, apply for membership). Sign up for weekly emails at ninawildflower@yahoo.com.

 

Last Saturday of every month in the SF Bay Area: Masked Hangout. Once a month, airborne-aware folks in the South Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area meet at 15980 Blossom Hill Rd in Los Gatos for games, puzzles, coloring, and socializing. Email SouthBayMaskedEvents@gmail.com for details and to be added to the mailing list.

 

Monthly in San Francisco: Infinite Wrench. SF Neo-Futurists hosts Infinite Wrench mask-required performances on the first Saturday of each month. Infinite Wrench is a set of 30 plays in 60 minutes, new plays every week. While audience members will be required to stay masked throughout the show, performers may invite select audience members to unmask for plays that involve audience participation. All performers test weekly for COVID-19 and extra masks will be available for those who need them. Upcoming masked shows: Sept 5, Oct 3, Nov 7.

 

COVID Safe Art Collective meets online every Sunday for pro-mask adults who want to make art together.

The World Health Network hosts COVID-aware community meetings every day. Community care starts with conversation! Their Welcome page explains how to connect with their meeting groups.

 

Every Monday & Sunday: Rising Hope meetings on Zoom

Rising Hope is a community of COVID-conscious supporters that meet Monday evenings, plus Sunday mornings for church services. Contact them via Reddit.

 

WHN hosts weekly Zoom “Kids' Connect Zone” meetings on Tuesdays and Sundays for kids, teens, and families who want to connect through COVID-conscious activities, games, and discussions. Find out more at the WHN website.
 

Join Celebrate845 on Zoom for COVID Creative Coalition community meetings on Saturdays at 11AM ET. No artistic experience required. More info at Celebrate845.com/COVIDCreativeCoalition. 

 

Every Saturday: Pandemic Pals meetings on Zoom

Every Saturday at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET, the Pandemic Collaborative hosts a Zoom call with several breakout rooms based on age groups, life situations, and special interests. Check their Google Document the day of the call for that week's Zoom link.

 

The organizers at The Little Zoom Writers Room host a weekly co-writing space open to all COVID realists. Check their welcome page for more info or their account on Instagram.

 

The COVID-Safe Art Collective holds an online gathering every Sunday at 2:30pm PT / 4:30pm CT / 5:30pm ET until 4pm PT / 6pm CT / 8pm ET for COVID-safe adults to create art or just chat and be with other aware people. Check their Linktree for the current Zoom link.

 

Molly was a professional actor and clown for 30 years in Chicago, and has had fellowships as well as guest lecture and teaching artist positions all over the country. She hosts an in-person and remote class once a month about how to create theatrical performances in a respirator. Sign up for her mailing list to get the remote link.

on the lighter side…

Credit: The Vertlartnic

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