Health
Protest of CDC’s new COVID guidance planned for this month in Washington, DC: ‘Urgent need’
A community of “long COVID“ patients and activists are planning a march in Washington, D.C., to protest a recent announcement from the CDC.
On March 1, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially dropped its recommendation for people to isolate for five days after a positive COVID test.
The agency’s new guidance tells people to stay home if they are sick — but when they’re feeling better and have been fever-free for 24 hours, they can return to school or work.
CDC DROPS ITS 5-DAY COVID ISOLATION GUIDELINES
In response, a community called LC/DC, which describes itself as non-partisan, is planning a protest at the Lincoln Memorial on March 15.
“LC/DC is fighting to raise awareness about long COVID, and we recognize that reducing the isolation policy will result in more infections, long-term illnesses and disability,” said Paul Hennessy, one of the three main organizers of the planned event.
A community of “long COVID” patients and activists (not pictured) have planned a march in Washington, D.C., to protest a recent announcement from the CDC about dropping isolation requirements. (iStock)
“Our main objection is that it’s not based on a period of infectiousness, but false assumptions,” Hennessy, who is based in Los Angeles, told Fox News Digital.
“The CDC has admitted that COVID can be contagious for over 10 days.”
Hennessey added, “The CDC’s job should not be to negotiate with a deadly airborne pathogen, but to give the best proper guidance.”
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Prior to this most recent update, the CDC called for people who test positive for the virus to “stay home for at least five days and isolate from others in your home,” a recommendation that was implemented in late 2021.
On March 1, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially dropped its recommendation for people to isolate for five days after a positive COVID test. (REUTERS/Tami Chappell)
At the start of the pandemic, the agency recommended a 10-day isolation period for people with COVID.
Hennessy said the group believes the CDC’s decision could be political.
“The CDC’s job should not be to negotiate with a deadly airborne pathogen, but to give the best proper guidance.”
“It’s not lost on us that the CDC has made this decision during an election year,” he said. “We’re not sure if this decision is political, but we do know from our research and standpoint that this was done arbitrarily and is more grounded in connivance than fact.”
Dara York, a San Francisco-based nurse who has long COVID and is one of the event’s organizers, told Fox News Digital that she believes the CDC is “abandoning” the problems related to COVID.
At the start of the pandemic, the CDC recommended a 10-day isolation period for people with COVID. (iStock)
“Reinfections are dangerous,” she said. “There is silent damage in many people. Most don’t even know their symptoms could be long COVID. Doctors and medical staff need training for [the condition].”
The LC/DC group is calling for a 10-day isolation and two negative tests as “best for the health of society.”
Said Hennessey, “Unfortunately, vaccinated and unvaccinated people can still get COVID and long COVID or post-COVID complications. Or they can spread it to someone more vulnerable.”
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In addition to protesting the CDC dropping the five-day isolation guidance, the group is also demanding more government funding for COVID and long COVID treatments.
“Our ultimate goals are to raise awareness for long COVID and stress the urgent need for prevention, education and treatments,” said Hennessy.
“There are no approved treatments for long COVID.”
Doctor reacts to CDC’s decision
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, voiced his support of the dropped five-day isolation.
Siegel spoke to Mandy Cohen, CDC director, the day before the announcement.
In addition to protesting the CDC dropping the five-day isolation guidance, the group (not pictured) is also demanding more government funding for COVID and long COVID treatments. (iStock)
“The change is based on the fact that, according to Dr. Cohen, though wastewater analysis for COVID is very high, at the same time, case counts and hospitalizations are MUCH lower,” he told Fox News Digital.
“The goal is to have one set of guidelines for all respiratory viruses — flu, RSV, COVID, etc.,” Siegel noted.
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By the time someone tests positive for COVID, they are most likely at least two days into the illness, according to Cohen — and emerging data shows that the times of greatest transmission are right before symptoms begin and in the first few days of illness.
“The goal is to have one set of guidelines for all respiratory viruses.”
“The pandemic has been over for several months, and though there was an uptick this winter, with over 20,000 hospitalizations and 1,500 deaths per week at one point, it is now diminishing,” said Siegel.
As of the most recently reported week ending Feb. 24, the share of administered COVID tests with positive results was 7.4%, a 0.6% decrease from the prior week, per CDC data.
What is long COVID?
Long COVID is a condition in which symptoms of the virus persist for an extended period of time, generally three months or more.
Those symptoms can include fatigue, respiratory issues, cough, rapid heart rate and neurologic symptoms (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”).
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, voiced his support of the dropped five-day isolation. (Fox News)
Approximately 18 million Americans reported ever having long COVID and 8.8 million reported having it currently, according to the CDC’s 2022 National Health Interview Survey, which was released in Sept. 2023.
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“We continue to see long-term effects from COVID, including viral persistence, damaged immune systems, organ damage, neurological complications such as dementia progression and Parkinson’s, and cardiovascular issues such as blood clots,” Hennessy said.
Symptoms can include fatigue, respiratory issues, cough, rapid heart rate and neurologic symptoms (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”). (iStock)
“Someone I love who was otherwise fit and healthy now has microclots after a recent infection.”
“Those in our group who have long COVID are desperate to get back to work and contribute to society, but don’t have the support they need to do so.”
The demonstration at Lincoln Memorial will take place on March 15 from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Fox News Digital reached out to the CDC and to National Mall and Memorial Parks, which manages the Lincoln Memorial, requesting comment on the planned protest.
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Bryan Johnson, a biohacker and longevity guru who has claimed “we may be the first generation who won’t die,” revealed he has an autoimmune condition causing his stomach to “eat itself.”
The Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, 48, has previously shared publicly that he is hoping to live until the year 2140, when he would in theory be 160 years old.
Now, Johnson says he has been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis (AIG), a chronic autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the stomach’s acid-producing parietal cells, reducing stomach acid and impairing vitamin B12 absorption, according to Nature Reviews Disease Primers.
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“My stomach is eating itself,” he wrote in an Instagram post. Johnson also shared that anywhere from 2% to 5% of people likely have this disease.
“I’m going to try to solve it,” Johnson went on. “Will share all.”
Bryan Johnson, a biohacker and longevity guru who has claimed “we may be the first generation who won’t die,” revealed he has an autoimmune condition causing his stomach to “eat itself.” (Getty Images)
The biohacker shared that as a child, he ate sugary cereal, drank sugary soda and “gobbled down fast food.”
“I became a young father of three and began building a business,” Johnson went on. “Juggling that stress and grind, I let my health slip and gained 40 lbs. Within a few years I’d fallen into a deep, chronic depression.”
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“Somewhere in that timeline, my body began developing an autoimmune process affecting my thyroid and then my stomach lining,” he added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Johnson for comment.
AIG can remain hidden and can be challenging to diagnose, Johnson noted, often surfacing years after damage has already occurred to the stomach. It can cause iron deficiency, B12 deficiency and anemia, and can also increase the risk of stomach cancer, the expert warned.
“Low iron stores get normalized and rarely investigated at all when anemia hasn’t shown up yet,” Johnson wrote. “That blind spot is what hid mine for a decade.”
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He also shared that for 11 years, he has had low levels of ferritin, a protein that stores iron inside the body’s cells. Ferritin releases iron when the body needs it, supports muscle function and carries out other essential processes.
“We continually tried to raise my iron levels with food and supplementation, but nothing would work,” he said.
The Los Angeles-based tech entrepreneur, 48, has previously shared publicly that he is hoping to live until the year 2140. (Getty Images)
Johnson acknowledged that some common biohacking techniques — including hard training, sauna and hyperbaric oxygen — all raise the body’s demand for iron.
“But none of them explained the core failure: Despite me taking iron orally, trailing every formulation and using every timing trick, none of the iron would stick.”
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Johnson underwent a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy, which examined his entire intestinal tract. Five biopsies were also taken from his stomach, which found “clear signs of early autoimmune gastritis: early atrophy confined to the acid-producing lining.”
In January 2026, the biohacker stated in a post on his website that “by 2039, my goal is immortality.”
“In the age of AI, multiomics, and custom-built DNA, proteins and cells, no condition should be presumed incurable simply because no one has yet tried to cure it with today’s stack,” Johnson said in his post. (Getty Images)
He detailed his strategy for defying aging, which includes embracing a strict regimen to slow or stop biological aging, using AI to accelerate longevity research, testing new treatments in lab-grown cells and organs, and reaching “longevity escape velocity” — in which medical advances would eventually extend lifespan faster than he ages.
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“I may fail at this task, but my team and I will try our best,” he wrote at the time.
There is currently no cure for AIG, which Johnson said he wants to change.
Johnson acknowledged that some common biohacking techniques — including hard training, sauna and hyperbaric oxygen — all raise the body’s demand for iron. (iStock)
“In the age of AI, multiomics, and custom-built DNA, proteins and cells, no condition should be presumed incurable simply because no one has yet tried to cure it with today’s stack.”
Johnson ended his post by urging others to prioritize their health.
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“Care for yourself, care for others, care for the planet and care for our animal friends. Care for life, as it’s the most precious gift there is.”
The longevity guru also shared an image showing the detailed findings of his five stomach biopsies.
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At 93, sprightly referee Frank Foster is still brandishing red and yellow cards and running the field three times a week for his local soccer association.
Having taken charge of around 5,500 matches over a 46-year officiating career, the great-grandfather credits his longevity and match-day stamina to a lifetime of healthy habits and a foundational diet, news agency SWNS reported.
Foster puts his remarkable fitness down to the strict wartime rations he was fed as a teenager, noting that it ensured he grew up eating “healthy food” rather than “sweets and cakes.”
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Decades later, his game-day preparation is still fueled by wholesome nutrition, always starting with a morning bowl of oatmeal, cereal or marmalade on toast to give him the energy to last the full 90 minutes.
The meal keeps him active enough to referee men’s, women’s and children’s games, a hobby he jokes he will never blow the final whistle on.
Frank Foster started refereeing in 1980. Today, he still officiates men’s, women’s and children’s games around three times a week. (SWNS)
His sharp mind and authoritative presence on the field are just as strong as his physical endurance.
A military veteran who aced his referee exam in 1980 with a 98% score, Foster relies on old-school discipline to keep matches under control, SWNS reported.
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He believes modern elite officials are too “soft” and allow player antics to ruin the sport. To maintain order and keep players from acting out, he lays down strict ground rules before kickoff. He has no patience for intimidation or theatrical diving. “Those who go down like they have been shot, well, I would just book them,” he said.
He is equally uncompromising when squads try to crowd him on the field.
Frank Foster is pictured before he became a referee. (Frank Foster/SWNS)
“I wouldn’t let them surround me at all,” Foster told SWNS.
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“I would say to the players, ‘Stay where you are,’ and ‘If you move one more inch, I will give you a yellow card.’ You need to stamp your authority and let them know who is in control.”
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He also avoids the modern stress of video-reviewing plays, which he believes creates unnecessary “aggression and disappointment” over microscopic offside calls, adding, “I think it spoils the game.”
Foster credits his longevity to wartime rations, adding that he avoided sweets. (SWNS)
“Sometimes it is only the player’s toe that is offside — it is ridiculous.”
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Foster says he “never thought” he’d still be doing this at age 93, but he makes the most of that gift.
He keeps his kit freshly washed, making sure it is “neat and tidy” for when he gets on that field.
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Foster, of South Yorkshire, England, also scrubs his black Adidas boots after every game, making sure they are “nice and clean” for his next match.
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Summer fun in the sun is being taken to a new extreme.
“Tanmaxxing” is a social media trend that involves maximizing sun exposure and tanning the skin more intensely.
Popular among Gen Z, the practice combines time spent in direct sunlight with a variety of tanning products like oils, bronzers and gels.
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Creators on social media are showing off their dramatic tan lines and outdoor set-ups — some even forgoing sun protection or adding tanning bed sessions.
“Tanmaxxing” is trending on social media as a way of maximizing sun exposure. (iStock)
While spending time outdoors can help boost mood, support the body’s production of vitamin D and reduce screen time, dermatologists warn that excessive sun exposure — especially as promoted by the tanmaxxing trend — can be dangerous.
New York-based board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michael Tassavor, MD, emphasized that there is “no such thing as a safe, natural tan.”
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“Tanning is damage,” he said in an interview with Fox News Digital. “Tanfluencers sell a deep tan as a ‘wellness upgrade,’ but a tan isn’t a glow-up — it’s your skin’s visible distress signal that DNA damage has already happened.”
“As a skin cancer specialist, I’ve taken care of thousands of skin cancers on patients who ‘tanmaxxed’ before it had a name. Most regret it.”
Using a tanning bed before 35 years old can raise melanoma risk by about 75%, an expert warned. (iStock)
The World Health Organization classifies UV radiation and tanning beds as Group 1 carcinogens, which is the same category as tobacco and asbestos.
Using a tanning bed before age 35 can raise melanoma risk by about 75%, Tassavor noted.
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“The damage compounds silently and shows up years later, once the easy window to intervene has closed,” he said.
According to Tassavor, two common beliefs behind tanmaxxing are false: Skipping sunscreen does not produce a “better” tan, and a base tan does not protect the skin from future sunburns.
“Most of your vitamin D can come from diet and supplements, and your skin is efficient enough to top up what it needs from ordinary incidental exposure,” a dermatologist said. (iStock)
Sunlight “isn’t the enemy,” the dermatologist noted, but there’s no need to chase it.
“Most of your vitamin D can come from diet and supplements, and your skin is efficient enough to [get] what it needs from ordinary incidental exposure,” he said.
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“Vitamin D matters for bone density, and sun does give some people a genuine mood lift, but there’s no evidence that anyone has to go out of their way to sunbathe for it, and no evidence that diligent sunscreen use harms bone health.”
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To safely expose yourself to the sun, Tassavor recommends using SPF 30 sunscreen and reapplying every two hours. Tanning beds should be avoided “entirely,” he cautioned, because there is “no safe dose” of UV exposure and using them accelerates skin aging.
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