smonster, that is fucking ridiculous, and I would also be tempted to whistleblow.

My sister smoked for many years and is definitely at a BMI* that labels her as high risk.

So, the AMA has obviously published a lot of articles about Covid, and one study of almost 90,000 patients found that while high BMI (#TeamBigFatPanda) is a risk for getting Covid, it turns out to not be a risk for mortality from Covid. Neither is hypertension or (for real) COPD. Those are weird findings (especially the COPD one), but 90,000 people is a sample size large enough that the data do have statistical relevance.

Thank you for that info, Steph!

Neither is hypertension or (for real) COPD. Those are weird findings (especially the COPD one), but 90,000 people is a sample size large enough that the data do have statistical relevance.

My next door neighbor's uncle recovered from Covid despite having COPD (and a host of other disabilities and general problems). I was surprised, as a couple of people I knew have had COPD itself as either the sole or contributing cause of death .

Ok i grind my teeth at night. And sometimes I wear a guard but often I don’t because I just spit it out in the night. When I do, I usually use a small one that just goes over the front teeth because I’m less likely to spit it out. Today I felt like my teeth were weird and not fitting together right, like my bite was off? And I pulled out my old dentist-created night guard...and tried to put it on...and dang, my teeth have definitely moved. Wearing it feels like I’ve got braces on. Yikes.

Your teeth move as you get older. I have a gap to the left of my upper left front tooth that never used to be there before like 5 years ago. Also, I just got one of those small mouth guards and my dentist said it *could* change my bite and that would be something they'd check for at my next regular appointment. So, definitely talk to your dentist!

I have a night guard but often take it out part way through the night when it triggers my (oversensitive) gag reflex.

The division I'm part of at UW just announced that they were extending WFH flexibility through 6/30/21, with all the usual caveats about being able to get all necessary work done remotely. Which means tomorrow my department director is likely to announce that our 100% remote work will continue through that date. I'm relieved, but if you'd told me when we all left in March that it would be more than a year before we'd come back...I had to stop by the office in August to pick up a new laptop, and it was honestly creepy. There was a bulletin board that had been decorated with balloons for an office party, and it was still there, but with balloons 3/4 deflated. While I was there I straightened my own desk, just stupid things like putting all the pens away and stacking my post-its neatly, just to make it look less like I'd fled an earthquake or something and never came back.

I'm sad I missed the Zoom call, too!!

Volans - I am so sorry about the employment sitch and KB - I'm so sorry about your Pearlie. She had great humans to love her.

I'm done teaching for the day. Third grade is tackling nice, light hearted topics this week. Primarily, how what we're told about the first Thanksgiving has very little to do with what it was really like.

I usually use a small one that just goes over the front teeth because I’m less likely to spit it out.

Mine moved my teeth, too, and I had to stop using it. After stopping, they moved back into place somewhat, but not all the way. I may get myself Invisilign when my kid starts in the next 6 months or so.

I have a real pain in the neck person at work, who is in the mindset that he and his assistant work harder than anyone else. Which is not true. Do they have to be on campus more often? Yes. However, this is in part because he never wrote the necessary memo for them to be able to take full advantage of the WFH program despite my asking him for it several times. Now that we are in use-it-or-lose-it territory, he's telling me that his assistant is complaining (which I believe to be his complaints, not his assistant).

The supposed increased risk factor due to obesity is tied to the fact that larger people just get shittier health care overall. Which is nice and cheering.