Posts baselessly link influenza symptoms to 'toxic' fog
The claims first gained traction at the end of 2024 under the hashtag "fogvid" (archived here) -- and resurfaced in February.
Recent posts went as far as claiming a lab in Florida tested air samples and found traces of Serratia marcescens, a bacteria reportedly tested during a US Navy experiment (archived here) on the San Francisco coast in 1950.
But no evidence has been provided to support the claims.
"Florida has one of the nation's most comprehensive air quality monitoring networks, designed to provide the public with accurate data on air pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act," said Alexandra Kucht, communications director for the state's Department of Environmental Protection, on February 27.
"We are not aware of any air quality data supporting" claims shared on social media, she told AFP.
Fog most often forms (archived here) when the air is stagnant and cold.
"Fog is simply a shallow cloud made up of condensed water vapor," UCLA climate scientist, Daniel Swain told AFP on February 27 (archived here).
It regularly forms in Florida and other parts of the United States.
Some posts suggested the fog was not natural and bore signs of weather manipulation. But Swain said that much of the dense fogs seen recently are formed under "exactly the kinds of ambient atmospheric conditions that would be most likely to produce them."
For people with conditions such as asthma or heart disease, additional particles trapped in the air by fog can have health impacts, but Swain said: "There is no biological/physiological mechanism by which ordinary fog could cause flu-like illness."
In contrast, the United States did see high flu case counts in February (archived here). The current flu season has been classified as "high severity" -- the first since 2017-2018 -- by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), impacting all age groups (archived here).
Most patients show symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches, mirroring what the social media posts describe (archived here).
The rise in seasonal flu cases is "likely due to the circulation of common influenza viruses, which tend to vary in prevalence and severity each year," Edwin Michael (archived here), professor at the Center for Global Health Infectious Disease Research for the University of South Florida, told AFP on February 27.
Florida has seen a notable increase in flu cases compared to previous seasons, he said.
Additionally, five states reported a growing number of Covid-19 infections in February (archived here) and reports of respiratory syncytial virus, which also leads to congestion, peaked in February (archived here).
The posts further complain about the smell of the fog (archived here). Experts AFP talked to said that while fog itself does not have a noticeable scent, it can carry airborne particles -- sometimes visible to the naked eye -- such as sea salt, pollen, pollution, or industrial emissions, which in turn give the air an odor.
The high humidity and condensed water droplets within the fog can also intensify other ambient smells, such as smoke.
There are other situations where fog can trap pollutants, said Amy Stuart, an environmental health and science professor at the University of South Florida (archived here).
A historical example of this phenomenon is the Great Smog of London in 1952 (archived here), when an extended period of cold, stable weather combined with very high pollution from factories, homes, and vehicles yielded what was described as a "toxic fog."
In this case, a normal fog turned deadly due to the pollution of millions of coal heaters, which produced acidic water droplets in the air and impacted people with already compromised respiratory systems, resulting in thousands of deaths and illnesses in the span of a few days.
"The combination of coal smoke and fog in that event gave rise to the word 'smog,'" said Jon Martin (archived here) as atmospheric and oceanic sciences professor from University of Wisconsin-Madison told AFP on January 2. However, the recent claims of a "heavy metal" fog are "ludicrous," he said.
In 2024, a fire at a chemical plant in the state of Georgia caused the release of a toxic plume that, when mixed with high humidity in the air, created a fog that affected the health of local residents for months (archived here).
However, there is no evidence of any similar industrial accidents occurring recently.
AFP has debunked other social media posts baselessly alleging that toxic chemicals and biological weapons are released in US skies.
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Yahoo
a few seconds ago
- Yahoo
More than 80% of Americans drink caffeine. These people tried to quit.
Giving up caffeine isn't easy. Brigette Muller wasn't a big fan of caffeine for most of her life. Just a few sips just made her jittery and never seemed to have any upsides. But, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Muller started drinking Olipop's 'healthy soda,' she tells Yahoo. She especially loved the Vintage Cola flavor with prebiotics. 'I became addicted to Olipop, and I loved it, and I was like, 'I feel so good and energized!'' On a whim, Muller checked the ingredients and found a surprising explanation for her love of the soda: 50 milligrams of caffeine. 'I accidentally started drinking caffeine," she says. By then, Muller was drinking about three cans a day. Though consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is considered safe, and Muller still thinks of Olipop as 'healthy' soda, she figured 150 milligrams of caffeine was probably more than she should be drinking. So she tried to cut back. But giving up Olipop just 'got me deeper into coffee,' she says. Iced lattes and teas took the soda's place in her routine. Then, one day this year, Muller got what she calls 'an intuitive hit,' which told her 'caffeine is keeping you in fight-or-flight,' she says. After going down to one kombucha (typically around 15 milligrams of caffeine per 8-ounce serving) a day, Muller got off caffeine entirely and says she realized 'how it truly feels to be calm.' Still, after three weeks of zero caffeine, she's back to allowing herself an occasional Olipop or other soda — never more than one a day. She insists that 'this time is different' and that she won't slip back into her old caffeine habits. It's hard to give up caffeine — though many people try. According to a June 2025 Yahoo/YouGov poll of nearly 1,600 U.S. adults, 81% of Americans drink caffeine. And of that large majority, 30% have tried to give it up. But when we asked readers if they had ever given up caffeine successfully, only 6% of regular caffeine drinkers said, "yes." So, just what happens when you do, and why do we keep coming back for more? Here's what we learned from people who've tried to quit caffeine and experts who know all too well how the buzzy ingredient works. Dunkin' or otherwise, much of America runs on caffeine Only 19% of people we surveyed said they don't drink caffeine. And among the 81% who do, many aren't having just one morning cup of joe. While 32% said they have caffeine once daily, nearly as many (29%) reported reaching for a caffeinated beverage several times a day. Grocery stores and gas stations are stocked with countless caffeinated options, but coffee is still king. Nearly half (48%) of survey respondents who consume caffeine said that coffee is their primary source, compared to 20% who are mainly soda drinkers. Tea generally has a lower concentration of caffeine than coffee and is the go-to for just 7% of caffeine drinkers, according to our survey. A few people cite energy drinks as their main caffeine source, with 4% consuming beverages like Monster, Red Bull and Celsius. Some of these drinks are promoted as better-for-you beverages because they contain zero sugar or are free from artificial flavors and high-fructose corn syrup. That convinced 32-year-old Adorian Deck to give Celsius a try. The content creator thought it was 'healthier the way it was marketed,' he tells Yahoo. 'It tastes great and gets at my craving for soda because it's basically just a sugar-free soda, but it's ultimately the same trap I fell into with Diet Coke.' In reality, energy drinks are often high in caffeine. Celsius drinks, in particular, contain between 200 and 300 milligrams of caffeine per can. While one energy drink is unlikely to cause severe health consequences, more than 30 deaths in the U.S. have been linked to various energy drinks, including Red Bull, Monster and the alcoholic energy beverage Four Loko. Is caffeine good or bad for you? Like many things, caffeine is fine in moderation. Some research even suggests that people who drink some caffeine, especially from coffee, tend to be in better health than those who either don't consume it or drink a lot of it. Coffee's antioxidants may also offer protective effects against conditions including heart disease, diabetes and cancer. But, because it's a stimulant, caffeine can also cause 'the body to go into a stress response,' raising the heart rate and blood pressure and leading to jitteriness and the feeling of an energy crash once its effects wear off, Lina Begdache, a Binghamton University nutritional neuroscientist, tells Yahoo. Some people are especially sensitive to those effects, while others hardly notice them, she adds. Jordan Tarver, an American writer living in Spain, found out firsthand that he's someone who's very sensitive to caffeine. His wife gave up caffeine while addressing some health issues, but she never was particularly affected by it, Tarver says. 'That was so interesting to me, because I have one sip of coffee and I'm like, buzzing,' he tells Yahoo. Tarver first realized that his two to three cups of coffee a day might be the reason he felt jittery and anxious. 'On a day when I had nothing to do, drinking coffee made me feel like I had a thousand things on my plate,' he says. He cut back and tried to substitute in matcha. But 'the jitteriness and anxiousness were still blocking my creative channel and keeping me from the calm space you need to be in to make art,' he says. Tarver finally went cold turkey in September 2024 and hasn't looked back. 'I love to just not be dependent on things,' he says. But, Tarver admits, 'I miss that routine, and I'm still a coffee lover — we just don't have the greatest relationship.' What makes caffeine so hard to quit? After developing a dependence on energy drinks, as well as coffee and soda, Deck finally gave up caffeine cold turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic. It took him nearly a month to stop having withdrawal symptoms like headaches and fatigue. But, ultimately, he loved getting off caffeine and discovered that he had more consistent energy throughout the day (though, since becoming a new dad last year, he does allow himself an occasional morning cup of coffee). He eventually took to TikTok to make a video about his experience, not to try to evangelize against coffee, soda or energy drinks, but because 'a lot of people don't know what caffeine really is, how it affects your body and that it's a normalized drug,' he says. While these beverages aren't classified as drugs by the U.S. government, biologically speaking, they very much are, explains Begdache. 'Caffeine is a brain stimulant, meaning it makes the brain more focused and energized,' she says. But it also has 'addictive properties and dependency properties.' These addictive substances activate the brain's reward systems, so you feel extra good when you have them and bad when those substances are taken away. Withdrawals happen when you become dependent on a substance, meaning you won't feel like you're functioning normally if you don't have it. How addicted and dependent you become on caffeine depends on your pattern of use (one cup of coffee vs. three or four with sodas or energy drinks in between, for example) and your genetics, says Begdache. But, in general, people who regularly consume caffeine can become dependent on it in a matter of weeks. The good news is that 'you can be on caffeine for years and reverse the addiction within a very short period,' says Begdache. The worst of caffeine withdrawals — marked by headaches, irritability, fatigue and trouble focusing — are usually over within about nine days. The benefits of quitting caffeine — and how to do it successfully Allie Williams, a 33-year-old pediatric occupational therapist, knows a thing or two about quitting. She quit drinking alcohol at the end of 2024. She'd never been a heavy drinker, but her social drinking started catching up with her in her 30s, so Williams decided "it wasn't a good look for me,' she tells Yahoo. 'When you quit an addictive habit, you have to face everything underneath it.' Williams had reached for alcohol to provide a sense of excitement in her life. Caffeine, she realized, was another thing she was reaching for 'so I didn't have to ride a low' in her mood or energy, she explains. Her experience quitting alcohol helped Williams get through her caffeine withdrawals, and vice versa. 'They were hard in different ways. Caffeine was harder in that I drank it and depended on it every day,' while giving up alcohol changed her social life more, she says. 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Once Williams kicked her caffeine habit, she was amazed at how much better she felt. 'I feel so much more balanced. I'm not so up and down, reaching for something to make me feel OK,' she says. Quitting caffeine, she says, 'can totally change your life.' She's sleeping better, her skin has improved and she has plenty of energy, spread evenly throughout her day. 'As a kid, I had so much energy, and I was excited about everything,' she says. 'As I got older, I thought I had to have alcohol and go out to feel excited or have coffee to be energetic, but I still had the energy — it was just covered up by other things,' Williams says. Solve the daily Crossword
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More Data Cement COVID's Impact on Patients With Cancer
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Yahoo
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A New COVID Variant Is Here, And It's More Transmissible — Here Are The Signs And Symptoms
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'Currently it appears that NB.1.8.1 would have similar symptoms to other COVID variants that have recently been circulating,' Dr. Zachary Hoy, a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Pediatrix Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee, told HuffPost. Here's what to know about the newest COVID variant that's gaining traction around the world. NB.1.8.1's mutations likely make it more transmissible. Compared to the currently dominant variant in the U.S. (LP.8.1), NB.1.8.1 has a handful of new mutations on the spike protein that may enhance its ability to bind to our cells, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The agency suspects these mutations will increase the virus's transmissibility and, potentially, diminish the effectiveness of neutralizing antibodies that prevent pathogens from latching to our cells. In other words, the variant may be skilled at dodging some of our immune defenses, research suggests. Here are the signs and symptoms doctors are seeing with NB.1.8.1. According to Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious diseases expert and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security, NB.1.8.1's symptoms are pretty much the same as those seen with other SARS-CoV-2 variants. Two of COVID's hallmark symptoms are a mild but persistent dry cough and nasal congestion, Hoy said. Many people who come down with COVID are also hit with fatigue and tiredness. 'An infected person can still make it through the day, but they are resting more and feel more tired throughout the day,' Hoy said. Other common symptoms include a fever, chills, a sore throat and muscle aches. 'Some have described recent variants as less intense symptoms as compared to wintertime influenza viruses, but both can have severe symptoms,' Hoy said. There's no evidence suggesting the variant causes more severe disease or an uptick in hospitalizations or deaths, the WHO states. The only noticeable aspect, as of now, is that it's rising in prevalence, Adalja said. How effective are the vaccines against NB.1.8.1? It's too early to know exactly how effective the shots are — as the research on NB.1.8.1 is limited since it's so new — but scientists expect the shots to hold up well. NB.1.8.1 broke off from the Omicron JN.1 lineage, which the 2024-2025 vaccines target. 'The ability of the vaccines to prevent severe illness is intact though protection versus infection is limited and transient,' Adalja said. Anyone who is at risk of severe disease should stay up-to-date with the shots. 'Those in older populations or with underlying immune disorders or on immune-decreasing medications would benefit more from vaccination or those with increased exposure such as healthcare workers,' Hoy added. So if you have a condition that puts you at risk, it's worth getting vaccinated if it's been more than six months since your last vaccine or bout of COVID, Adalja advises. He also added that those who are low-risk likely do not need to go out and get another shot. Know when to treat NB.1.8.1 at home and when to go visit a doctor. Most people will be able to recover at home by resting and staying hydrated. While you're sick, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help alleviate muscle aches and fevers, Hoy said. And, in most cases, symptoms should clear up within a week. For those who are at risk for severe disease, including older adults and people who are immune-compromised, it's worth contacting a physician as they can prescribe antivirals — Paxlovid and Molnupiravir — that can significantly lower the risk of severe complications and death. As was the case with previous variants, these antivirals work best when started within five days of symptom onset. As for when you should go to an urgent care or emergency room? When you have chest pain, have a hard time waking up or staying awake, or feel confused and disoriented, the CDC advises. Hoy says the most concerning symptom he warns patients about is difficulty breathing. 'If you have COVID or COVID-like illness and have worsening trouble breathing or chest pain, you should be evaluated at your doctor's office, urgent care or the ER,' he said. Related... RFK Jr. Says COVID Shot Will No Longer Be Advised For Healthy Kids, Pregnant Women COVID Cases Are Rising This Summer, But Not All The Data Shows It — Here's Why People Are Reporting A Frightening COVID Symptom Right Now — Here's What To Know
