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Factbox-Who Is Still Working and Who Has Been Furloughed in the US Government Shutdown?

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Tuesday, October 7, 2025

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hundreds of thousands of U.S. federal workers have been ordered not to report to work, while others have been told to stay on the job during the U.S. government shutdown, which started on October 1.Here is an overview of who has been furloughed at major government agencies, based on their shutdown plans.The 2 million active-duty members of the military remain on duty.Roughly 55% of the Defense Department's 740,000 civilian employees have been furloughed, including those involved in training, procurement and administrative support. Civilians working on cybersecurity, medical care, weapons systems maintenance, intelligence and logistics are still working.DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITYOnly 5% of the Department of Homeland Security's 271,000 workers have been furloughed, including those involved in research, planning, training, and auditing.Secret Service agents, immigration and border officers, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel, and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency workers remain on the job.About 10% of the Justice Department's 115,000 employees are furloughed, mainly in administrative and policy roles.Prison guards, FBI agents, criminal prosecutors and other front-line law enforcement are required to work.The State Department has furloughed 62% of its 27,000 employees, including those awarding new grants and contracts.All U.S. embassies remain open, and those working on visas and passports will continue to do their jobs. All 74,000 employees of the tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service remain on the job through Tuesday, October 7. It is not clear how many would be furloughed after that.Outside of the IRS, Treasury would continue to distribute Social Security checks and tax refunds and service the nation's $37.5 trillion debt, while it would cease other duties, such as audits and government-wide accounting. Treasury does not specify how many non-IRS employees would be furloughed. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICESRoughly 41% of HHS's 78,000 employees are furloughed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where 2 out of 3 workers have been furloughed, is continuing its core outbreak response, but is not providing guidance to states and has paused much of its research and surveillance work.The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has furloughed half of its employees and has paused much of its oversight work.The Food and Drug Administration, where 14% of employees are furloughed, continues safety-critical work like product recalls and import screening, but has paused research and is not accepting most new drug and medical device submissions.The National Institutes of Health, which has furloughed 3 out of 4 of its workers, has paused its research activity and is not issuing new grants, but continues patient care. The Commerce Department has furloughed 81% of its 43,000 employees.Employees of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration will continue weather forecasting, fisheries enforcement and other safety-critical activities, but 9 out of 10 NOAA employees will be furloughed, including those involved in research, grants and contracts and animal/laboratory maintenance.Most employees at the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis have been furloughed, which halts surveys, statistical releases and economic data publication.The 14,000 employees of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will remain on the job until funding from reserves and fees runs out.SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATIONMost Social Security workers are still on the job, with only 12% of the agency's 52,000 employees furloughed. That could change if the shutdown drags on, the agency says.Some workers at field offices and those handling benefit applications and appeals have been furloughed, while those who handle benefit payments are still working.DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONRoughly 23% of the Transportation Department's 54,000 workers are furloughed, including those involved in research, policy and regulations.Air traffic controllers, safety inspectors and those overseeing highway and transit funds continue to work.NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATIONNASA has furloughed 83% of its 18,000 employees, including those involved in research, public affairs, grants and contracts. Those involved with the International Space Station and satellites remain on the job.DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURESome 49% of USDA's 86,000 employees have been furloughed, including those handling grants and loans and those producing statistical reports.Food safety inspectors, Forest Service firefighters, workers responding to disease or pest outbreaks, and workers overseeing nutrition programs are still working.ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCYThe EPA has been hit hard by the shutdown, with 89% of the agency's 15,000 workers on furlough, including those involved in permitting, research and civil enforcement.Security guards, criminal investigators, and those involved in emergency response are still working.Roughly 87% of the Department of Education's 2,450 employees have been furloughed, including those involved in regulations, new grants, and civil rights investigations.Workers who distribute student aid and grants to low-income schools are still working.All but 5% of the FTC's workers have been furloughed, including those working on consumer protection investigations and antitrust review. Attorneys and investigators involved in ongoing litigation will keep working.SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONLikewise, 91% of the SEC's 4,300 employees have been furloughed, including those reviewing corporate filings, oversight of investment advisers, and routine enforcement.Market monitoring teams and those handling urgent fraud matters will continue to work.SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATIONRoughly 24% of SBA's 6,200 employees have been furloughed, including those who approve new loans and work on entrepreneurial development. Workers who handle existing loans and disaster loans continue to work.FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSIONSome 81% of the FCC's 1,300 workers would be furloughed, including those handling consumer protection and complaints, licensing services, equipment authorization and spectrum management. Those involved in spectrum auctions and critical security and technology would remain on the job. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRSThe VA is largely insulated from a shutdown as most of its budget does not come from annual appropriations. Only 3.2% of the agency's 462,000 workers have been furloughed, including those involved in research, communications, and oversight. Medical workers and benefits administrators remain on the job. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENTRoughly 67% of HUD's 6,100 employees are furloughed, including those issuing new grants and those involved in fair-housing investigations.Those handling Federal Housing Administration insurance and ongoing rental-assistance payments continue to work.Roughly 75% of the Labor Department's 13,000 workers are furloughed, including those involved in economic data reports and civil rights enforcement.Those involved in workplace safety, workers' compensation payments and unemployment insurance continue to work.Some 63% of the Energy Department's 15,500 employees are furloughed, including those involved in grant and research work. Those working on nuclear security, cybersecurity, and power safety continue to work.DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORThe Interior Department has furloughed 50% of its 58,000 employees, including maintenance and customer service workers at the National Park Service, fish biologists, and those handling new energy or land use permits.Teachers and other workers at the 55 schools run by the Bureau of Indian Education are still on the job. Law enforcement officers at national parks, wildlife refuge rangers, firefighters, and dam and power operators continue working(Reporting by Andy SullivanEditing by Bill Berkrot)Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

By Andy SullivanWASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hundreds of thousands of U.S. federal workers have been ordered not to report to work, while others have been...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hundreds of thousands of U.S. federal workers have been ordered not to report to work, while others have been told to stay on the job during the U.S. government shutdown, which started on October 1.

Here is an overview of who has been furloughed at major government agencies, based on their shutdown plans.

The 2 million active-duty members of the military remain on duty.

Roughly 55% of the Defense Department's 740,000 civilian employees have been furloughed, including those involved in training, procurement and administrative support. Civilians working on cybersecurity, medical care, weapons systems maintenance, intelligence and logistics are still working.

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security's 271,000 workers have been furloughed, including those involved in research, planning, training, and auditing.

Secret Service agents, immigration and border officers, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel, and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency workers remain on the job.

About 10% of the Justice Department's 115,000 employees are furloughed, mainly in administrative and policy roles.

Prison guards, FBI agents, criminal prosecutors and other front-line law enforcement are required to work.

The State Department has furloughed 62% of its 27,000 employees, including those awarding new grants and contracts.

All U.S. embassies remain open, and those working on visas and passports will continue to do their jobs. 

All 74,000 employees of the tax-collecting Internal Revenue Service remain on the job through Tuesday, October 7. It is not clear how many would be furloughed after that.

Outside of the IRS, Treasury would continue to distribute Social Security checks and tax refunds and service the nation's $37.5 trillion debt, while it would cease other duties, such as audits and government-wide accounting. Treasury does not specify how many non-IRS employees would be furloughed. 

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Roughly 41% of HHS's 78,000 employees are furloughed. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where 2 out of 3 workers have been furloughed, is continuing its core outbreak response, but is not providing guidance to states and has paused much of its research and surveillance work.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has furloughed half of its employees and has paused much of its oversight work.

The Food and Drug Administration, where 14% of employees are furloughed, continues safety-critical work like product recalls and import screening, but has paused research and is not accepting most new drug and medical device submissions.

The National Institutes of Health, which has furloughed 3 out of 4 of its workers, has paused its research activity and is not issuing new grants, but continues patient care. 

The Commerce Department has furloughed 81% of its 43,000 employees.

Employees of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration will continue weather forecasting, fisheries enforcement and other safety-critical activities, but 9 out of 10 NOAA employees will be furloughed, including those involved in research, grants and contracts and animal/laboratory maintenance.

Most employees at the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis have been furloughed, which halts surveys, statistical releases and economic data publication.

The 14,000 employees of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will remain on the job until funding from reserves and fees runs out.

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Most Social Security workers are still on the job, with only 12% of the agency's 52,000 employees furloughed. That could change if the shutdown drags on, the agency says.

Some workers at field offices and those handling benefit applications and appeals have been furloughed, while those who handle benefit payments are still working.

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Roughly 23% of the Transportation Department's 54,000 workers are furloughed, including those involved in research, policy and regulations.

Air traffic controllers, safety inspectors and those overseeing highway and transit funds continue to work.

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

NASA has furloughed 83% of its 18,000 employees, including those involved in research, public affairs, grants and contracts. 

Those involved with the International Space Station and satellites remain on the job.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Some 49% of USDA's 86,000 employees have been furloughed, including those handling grants and loans and those producing statistical reports.

Food safety inspectors, Forest Service firefighters, workers responding to disease or pest outbreaks, and workers overseeing nutrition programs are still working.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

The EPA has been hit hard by the shutdown, with 89% of the agency's 15,000 workers on furlough, including those involved in permitting, research and civil enforcement.

Security guards, criminal investigators, and those involved in emergency response are still working.

Roughly 87% of the Department of Education's 2,450 employees have been furloughed, including those involved in regulations, new grants, and civil rights investigations.

Workers who distribute student aid and grants to low-income schools are still working.

All but 5% of the FTC's workers have been furloughed, including those working on consumer protection investigations and antitrust review. Attorneys and investigators involved in ongoing litigation will keep working.

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Likewise, 91% of the SEC's 4,300 employees have been furloughed, including those reviewing corporate filings, oversight of investment advisers, and routine enforcement.

Market monitoring teams and those handling urgent fraud matters will continue to work.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Roughly 24% of SBA's 6,200 employees have been furloughed, including those who approve new loans and work on entrepreneurial development. 

Workers who handle existing loans and disaster loans continue to work.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Some 81% of the FCC's 1,300 workers would be furloughed, including those handling consumer protection and complaints, licensing services, equipment authorization and spectrum management. Those involved in spectrum auctions and critical security and technology would remain on the job. 

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

The VA is largely insulated from a shutdown as most of its budget does not come from annual appropriations. Only 3.2% of the agency's 462,000 workers have been furloughed, including those involved in research, communications, and oversight. Medical workers and benefits administrators remain on the job. 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Roughly 67% of HUD's 6,100 employees are furloughed, including those issuing new grants and those involved in fair-housing investigations.

Those handling Federal Housing Administration insurance and ongoing rental-assistance payments continue to work.

Roughly 75% of the Labor Department's 13,000 workers are furloughed, including those involved in economic data reports and civil rights enforcement.

Those involved in workplace safety, workers' compensation payments and unemployment insurance continue to work.

Some 63% of the Energy Department's 15,500 employees are furloughed, including those involved in grant and research work. 

Those working on nuclear security, cybersecurity, and power safety continue to work.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

The Interior Department has furloughed 50% of its 58,000 employees, including maintenance and customer service workers at the National Park Service, fish biologists, and those handling new energy or land use permits.

Teachers and other workers at the 55 schools run by the Bureau of Indian Education are still on the job. Law enforcement officers at national parks, wildlife refuge rangers, firefighters, and dam and power operators continue working

(Reporting by Andy SullivanEditing by Bill Berkrot)

Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

West Virginia Program That Helped Communities Tackle Abandoned Buildings Is Running Out of Money

A West Virginia program that helped communities demolish abandoned buildings is running out of money, and state lawmakers haven't proposed any new solutions

From their home on Charleston’s, West Virginia's West Side, Tina and Matt Glaspey watched the house on the corner of First Avenue and Fitzgerald Street go downhill fast. A family with a young daughter left because they didn’t feel safe. The next owner died. After that, the police were responding regularly as people broke into the vacant home. The Glaspeys say that in just two years, the small brick house went from occupied to condemned, left without power or water, repeatedly entered by squatters. “One day, we noticed a bright orange sticker on the door saying the building was not safe for habitation,” Tina said. “It shows how quickly things can turn, in just two years, when nothing is done to deal with these properties.” City officials say the house is following the same path as hundreds of other vacant properties across Charleston, which slowly deteriorate until they become unsafe and are added to the city’s priority demolition list, typically including about 30 buildings at a time. Until this year, a state program helped communities tear these buildings down, preventing them from becoming safety hazards for neighborhoods and harming property values. But that money is now depleted. There is no statewide demolition program left, no replacement funding, and no legislation to keep it running, leaving municipalities on their own to absorb the costs or leave vacant buildings standing. Across West Virginia, vacant properties increase while a state program designed to help runs out of money The state’s Demolition Landfill Assistance Program was established in 2021 and was funded a year later with federal COVID-19 recovery funds. Administered through the Department of Environmental Protection, the fund reimbursed local governments for the demolition of abandoned buildings that they couldn’t afford on their own. The state survey was the first step in the program to determine the scope of the need and assess local government capacity to address it. It was distributed to all 55 counties and more than 180 municipalities. However, the need is far greater. Carrie Staton, director of the West Virginia Brownfields Assistance Center, has worked with communities on abandoned buildings for about 14 years. She said most counties don’t have the resources, funding or staffing to manage dilapidated housing on their own. “We’re just so rural and so universally rural. Other states have at least a couple of major metro areas that can support this work,” she said. “We don’t. It just takes longer to do everything.” Charleston has spent millions demolishing hundreds of vacant buildings As the state’s largest city, Charleston has more tools than most local governments, including access to federal funds that smaller communities don’t have. That has allowed the city to spend more than $12 million over the past seven years demolishing over 700 unsafe and dilapidated structures.But John Butterworth, a planner for the city, said Charleston still relied on state demolition funding to help cover those costs, which averaged about $10,000 per property, including any environmental cleanup. “It’s a real cost,” he said. “It’s a necessary one to keep neighbors safe, but it is very expensive.”He said the city received $500,000 from the state program during its last round of funding to help tear down properties that drew repeated complaints from neighbors. “I think people are really relieved when we can say that the house that’s been boarded up for a year or more is coming down,” he said. “Where the concern often comes from neighbors is, what comes next?”One vacant home on Grant Street had fallen into disrepair before being demolished in May of last year. Cracks filled the walls. Dirt and moldy debris were caked on the floors. Broken glass and boarded-up windows littered the property as plants overtook the roof and yard. Eventually, the city was able to get the owner to donate the property, which was then given to Habitat for Humanity as part of its home-building program. Now, the property is being rebuilt from scratch. Construction crews have already built the foundation, porch and frame, and it is expected to be finished within the year after its groundbreaking last October. Andrew Blackwood, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Kanawha and Putnam counties, said the property stood for at least five years, deteriorating. The home had signs of vandalism and water damage and was completely unsalvageable. He said that of the 190 homes the organization has built in both counties, nearly 90% of them have been complete rebuilds after the previous structure was demolished. A statewide problem without a statewide plan Lawmakers have said they recognize the scale of the problem, but none have proposed other ways for tearing down dangerous structures. Fayette County used state demolition money as it was intended, which was to tear down unsafe buildings that had become public safety hazards to nearby residents. With help from the state program, the county tore down 75 dilapidated structures, officials said, removing some of the most dangerous properties while continuing to track the progress of others through a countywide system. County leaders hoped to expand their demolition efforts on their own this year, but those plans have been put on hold. The county had to take over operations of a local humane society after it faced closure and will need to fundraise, said John Breneman, president of the Fayette County Commission. Former Sen. Chandler Swope, R-Mercer, said that kind of budget pressure is exactly why he pushed for state involvement in demolition funding. Swope, who helped create the state fund for the demolition of dilapidated buildings in 2021, said the idea grew from what he saw in places where population loss left empty homes, which local governments had no way to tear down.“They didn’t have any money to tear down the dilapidated properties, so I decided that that should be a state obligation because the state has more flexibility and more access to funding,” he said.Swope said he’d always viewed the need as ongoing, even as state budgets shift from year to year.“I visualized it as a permanent need. I didn’t think you would ever get to the point where it was done,” he said. “I felt like the success of the program would carry its own priority.” But four years later, that funding is gone, and lawmakers haven’t found a replacement. Other states, meanwhile, have created long-term funding for demolition and redevelopment.Ohio, for example, operates a statewide program that provides counties with annual demolition funding. Funds are appropriated from the state budget by lawmakers. Staton said West Virginia’s lack of a plan leaves communities stuck.“Abandoned buildings are in every community, and every legislator has constituents who are dealing with this,” she said. “They know it’s just a matter of finding the funding.”And back on the West Side, the Glaspeys are left staring at boarded windows and an overgrown yard across the street. Matt said, “Sometimes you think, what’s the point of fixing up your own place if everything around you is collapsing?” This story was originally published by Mountain State Spotlight and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See – December 2025

Webinar: Cell Tower Risks 101 - What You Need To Know To Protect Your Community

Featuring Theodora Scarato, MSW, Director of the Wireless & EMF Program at Environmental Health SciencesCell towers near homes and schools bring many health, safety and liability risks. From fire, to the fall zone, property value drops and increased RF radiation exposure, Theodora Scarato will cover the key issues that communities need to understand when a cell tower is proposed in their neighborhood.With the federal government proposing unprecedented rulemakings that would dismantle existing local government safeguards, it’s more critical than ever to understand what’s at stake for local communities and families.Webinar Date: January 7th, 2026 at 3 pm ET // 12 pm PTRegister to join this webinar HERETheodora Scarato is a leading expert in environmental health policy related to cell towers and non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. She has co-authored several scientific papers, including a foundational paper in Frontiers in Public Health entitled “U.S. policy on wireless technologies and public health protection: regulatory gaps and proposed reforms.” She will highlight key findings and policy recommendations from this publication during the webinar.To learn more about the health and safety risks of cell towers, visit the EHS Wireless & EMF Program website: Top 10 Health, Safety, and Liability Risks of Cell Towers Near Schools and HomesCell Towers Drop Property ValuesThe FCC’s Plan to Fast Track Cell TowersOfficial Letters Opposing FCC Cell Tower Fast-Track RulesWatch our previous webinar: FCC and Congressional Proposals To Strip Local Control Over Cell Towers Webinar - YouTube youtu.be

Featuring Theodora Scarato, MSW, Director of the Wireless & EMF Program at Environmental Health SciencesCell towers near homes and schools bring many health, safety and liability risks. From fire, to the fall zone, property value drops and increased RF radiation exposure, Theodora Scarato will cover the key issues that communities need to understand when a cell tower is proposed in their neighborhood.With the federal government proposing unprecedented rulemakings that would dismantle existing local government safeguards, it’s more critical than ever to understand what’s at stake for local communities and families.Webinar Date: January 7th, 2026 at 3 pm ET // 12 pm PTRegister to join this webinar HERETheodora Scarato is a leading expert in environmental health policy related to cell towers and non-ionizing electromagnetic fields. She has co-authored several scientific papers, including a foundational paper in Frontiers in Public Health entitled “U.S. policy on wireless technologies and public health protection: regulatory gaps and proposed reforms.” She will highlight key findings and policy recommendations from this publication during the webinar.To learn more about the health and safety risks of cell towers, visit the EHS Wireless & EMF Program website: Top 10 Health, Safety, and Liability Risks of Cell Towers Near Schools and HomesCell Towers Drop Property ValuesThe FCC’s Plan to Fast Track Cell TowersOfficial Letters Opposing FCC Cell Tower Fast-Track RulesWatch our previous webinar: FCC and Congressional Proposals To Strip Local Control Over Cell Towers Webinar - YouTube youtu.be

Funding bill excludes controversial pesticide provision hated by MAHA

A government funding bill released Monday excludes a controversial pesticides provision, marking a win for the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement for at least the time being. The provision in question is a wonky one: It would seek to prevent pesticides from carrying warnings on their label of health effects beyond those recognized by the Environmental...

A government funding bill released Monday excludes a controversial pesticides provision, marking a win for the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement for at least the time being. The provision in question is a wonky one: It would seek to prevent pesticides from carrying warnings on their label of health effects beyond those recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Known as Section 453 for its position in a House bill released earlier this year, it has drawn significant ire from MAHA-aligned activists. Opponents of the provision argue that it can be a liability shield for major chemical corporations, preventing them from facing failure-to-warn lawsuits by not disclosing health effects of their products. MAHA figures celebrated the provision’s exclusion from the legislation. “MAHA WE DID IT! Section 453 granting pesticide companies immunity from harm has been removed from the upcoming House spending bill!” MAHA Action, a political action committee affiliated with the movement, wrote on X. The issue is one that has divided Republicans, a party that has traditionally allied itself with big business.  “The language ensures that we do not have a patchwork of state labeling requirements. It ensures that one state is not establishing the label for the rest of the states,” Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) said earlier this year.  However, the growing MAHA movement has been critical of the chemical industry. The legislation is part of a bicameral deal reached to fund the departments of the Interior, Justice, Commerce, and Energy, as well as the EPA. And while the provision’s exclusion represents a win for the MAHA movement for the moment, the issue is far from settled. Alexandra Muñoz, a toxicologist and activist who is working with the MAHA movement said she’s “happy to see” that the provision was not included in the funding bill. However, she said, “we still have fronts that we’re fighting on because it’s still potentially going to be added in the Farm Bill.” She also noted that similar fights are ongoing at the Supreme Court and state level. The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether to take up a case about whether federal law preempts state pesticide labeling requirements and failure-to-warn lawsuits. The Trump administration said the court should side with the chemical industry. Meanwhile, a similar measure also appeared in a 2024 version of the Farm Bill. —Emily Brooks contributed. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Hey Jon Stewart, Jokes About Wearing Masks Aren’t Funny

Over the weekend, Covid cautious individuals shared clips on social media of Jon Stewart punching down on people who are masking, who are presumably doing so to protect themselves from Covid, the flu, and other infectious diseases that are spreading across the United States. On the December 11 episode of the podcast The Weekly Show […]

Over the weekend, Covid cautious individuals shared clips on social media of Jon Stewart punching down on people who are masking, who are presumably doing so to protect themselves from Covid, the flu, and other infectious diseases that are spreading across the United States. On the December 11 episode of the podcast The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart, guest Tim Miller of The Bulwark said there have to be at least two people at fellow guest Jon Favreau’s workplace wearing masks because it’s a progressive organization. Stewart responded, “There’s always two, and you always say, ‘Oh, are you sick?’ And they go, ‘Uh, I don’t want to talk about it.'” Disappointed to see Jon Stewart & co joke about masking in public. I do it for my medically fragile daughter (Batten Disease). People not masking properly led to her getting pneumonia, which led to her being on life support, which led to me getting price quotes on her cremation just in case.[image or embed]— Philip Palermo (@palermo.bsky.social) December 28, 2025 at 7:31 PM First of all, asking people why they are masking is invasive behavior. No one randomly owes you information about their health, their loved one’s health, or, understandably, just wanting to avoid Covid, which is the only way to prevent Long Covid. As I’ve also previously reported, disabled people in New York’s Nassau County have reported being harassed after the county passed a mask ban. Cancer patients have also told their stories of being questioned about why they’re masking. Even before the start of the Covid pandemic, populations including cancer patients and organ transplant recipients have been encouraged to mask by healthcare professionals. “Sad that Jon Stewart and friends have become just more white liberals who enjoy punching down at marginalized people who are just doing our best to survive,” Karistina Lafae, a disabled author and essayist, told me. “Those of us who have Long COVID, who have watched family and friends die of COVID, we are being mocked for taking common-sense precautions against illness and further disability.” Research also shows that Long Covid is very much a working-class problem. A study looking at people in Spain found that workers who had close contact with colleagues at their job, did not mask, and took public transit to and from work are more likely to have Long Covid, thus also highlighting Covid as an occupational problem. The United States Census Bureau also reported in 2023 that Black and Latino adults were more likely to report experiencing Long Covid symptoms than white people. Some people have also pointed out the hypocrisy of his work supporting 9/11 first responders and how he is talking about masking now. Epidemiologist Gabrielle A. Perry posted on BlueSky that Stewart has “some absolute fucking NERVE to be making fun of Long COVID survivors and people still masking” when “he’s seen UP CLOSE the government deny healthcare and resources for 9/11 survivors who breathed in toxic air and are suffering decades later.” Jon Stewart has some absolute fucking NERVE to be making fun of Long COVID survivors and people still masking on his piece of shit podcast when he’s seen UP CLOSE the government deny healthcare and resources for 9/11 survivors who breathed in toxic air and are suffering decades later. What a psycho— Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH (@geauxgabrielle.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 5:29 AM Justine Barron worked a few blocks from the World Trade Center in 2001. “On top of exposure that day, I was exposed for a year and developed extremely severe breathing and skin issues, as well as immune dysfunction,” Barron told me. Barron acquired Long Covid in 2020, and her doctors believe that her 9/11 related conditions made her more susceptible to developing Long Covid. Barron is part of a 25-year World Trade Center Health Commission study, including hundreds of thousands of participants. “More recently, there have been questions related to Covid and Long Covid indicating that the commission is also aware of this connection,” Barron said. “My point is that you can’t be supportive of the 9/11 responders without also being supportive of Long Covid. Both environmental harms cause similar issues in people, and there are many of us that are double victims.”

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