@graydon@canada.masto.host Well, I'm certainly open to the idea that my experience is statistically unusual. I agree that there is strong evidence for cognitive damage from every infection, or at least every clinically noticeable infection. If an up-to-date-vaccinated person takes a 2 point hit to IQ from even a subclinical brush with the virus, we're f-cked as a species. (standard disclaimer re what does IQ really measure - it's still not good to take repeated hits to it)
I wonder if there is any statistically valid survey data in our industry on this topic. It's not like I can go on teams or slack and ask "Hey, do you think Covid has damaged your ability to do your job?" :-). I just don't get the impression that any of the few specific people I work with closely have really lost any skills. But that's a small sample.
There's been a lot of discussion/venting amongst educators about students since the pandemic, with some blaming the interruption in effective schooling during the pandemic, and others blaming AI usage more recently. If it's really mostly cognitive damage from Covid, that would be worse.
I do think the general public is trying to avoid thinking about the implications here. If every kid is going to get Covid say three times growing up, and that is going to cost about 7 points of IQ, that's a full half a std deviation. We can't just let that happen, generation after generation, but I don't see a plan. Obviously the current HHS isn't going to consider this.
On that last point, I have noticed I'm more frazzled in the last year, but I'm pretty sure it's not a cognitive deficit, but the cognitive load of watching a bunch of criminals and incompetents run the US into the ground.
