{"id":"HHS-OASH-2026-0397-1662","number":"1662","name":"Carol Stearns","organization":"","posted":"2026-10-06T04:00Z","received":"2026-10-06T04:00Z","body":"2. 4j.  I am a 68 year-old female individual.  Masters degree in Architecture, Registered Architect.  I speak simply from my own experience.  \n\n3. 3b.  My father was a HAM radio buff, so I grew up under those radio waves.  Born with a metabolic bone disease, I had more than the usual number of x-rays.  For the past 20 years, our family has driven hybrid cars.  These things may have contributed to my sensitivity. \n\n3c, e, 4h.  For quite some time I have experienced PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions), finally diagnosed by a Holter monitor worn several years ago after my Primary Care Physician ran several other tests and found nothing wrong with my heart.  These PVCs feel like I’m being “zapped,” and I instinctively cough, trying to regulate my heartbeat.  \n\n3a.  Recently, they’ve become much more frequent, and I see a strong link to high EMF.  Hospital equipment, airport communications, wifi, cell phone signals, high-powered electric lines, and Smart Meters cause the worst issues for me.  Solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections exacerbate the PVCs, but not much can be done about that.  EMFs have become ubiquitous, though, and are getting harder to avoid.  \n\n4k.  A classic, but memorable example:  When driving up I-95 around New York City last summer, the PVCs and the accompanying cough were constant for nearly an hour, until we were finally past the City and the density of those 5G transmitters.  Driving through Vermont was quite pleasant, by contrast.  Mountains, trees.  Not much traffic.  Then suddenly the “zapping” and coughing started again.  Sure enough, as the trees cleared, a huge cell tower came into view.  And as we left it behind, the zapping subsided.\n\n4k.  Eating out has become risky.  My husband keeps his phone in airplane mode when I’m near, but when new customers are seated at the next table, it’s not unusual for our pleasant evening to become a nightmare as I am overwhelmed with the “zapping” their smart phones and watches provoke.  Meanwhile, they look at me like I have the plague, wondering how I dare come out in public if I’m obviously so contagious.  (Sigh.) \n\n4m.  Do people REALLY need to have their smartphones on 24/7?  Could we encourage people to keep their phones in “airplane mode” unless they actually NEED them?  And then there are so many young people that walk around all day with Bluetooth earbuds.  I try to keep clear from them as much as I can, but I worry about what they are doing to their own health.  \n\n3f.  We recently bought a new car.  But not a hybrid this time.  When out son checked the EMFs for us on test drives, they were extremely high.  We settled for a gas-only vehicle… having finally found one that at least MOSTLY lets us turn off the on-board wifi.  Such is becoming rare.\n\n3f.  My new hearing aids give off three times the EMF of my previous pair, so I wear them only when necessary.  If they’re on, they’re searching for Bluetooth.  My audiologist has no other options for me.\n\n3f.  My only recourse is to avoid situations where I know there will be high levels of EMF.  I do like to socialize and be with people, but I find myself becoming a recluse.  Our son put a wire mesh over our Smart Meter to reduce its impact, and that helps a bit.  We always turn off wifi at night, my husband keeps his smartphone and iPad in airplane mode when not in use, and I turn my CPAP machine to airplane mode when I plug it in.  I avoid being online for long periods of time, and stop as I feel the PVCs approach.  I hide behind my reflective silver-woven curtains at home to reduce the EMF from the cell tower outside my window, and curl up under my silver-woven blanket and hood at night.   I sleep much better with them, as they block enough EMFs from said cell tower that I no longer wake up throughout the night with PVCs.  There ARE still occasional times when the silver isn't enough, and I wake up coughing.  Later I learn there were Solar Flares or CMEs that night.  My silver blanket and hood also help quiet the “buzz” (which eventually leads to PVCs when left unchecked) while waiting at airport gates or when the plane itself has on-board wifi and I’m completely surrounded, but it comes with its share of stares.  And the silver fabric only blocks so much.    \n\nOur culture has been encouraged to have “Smart” Everything.  It is expected.  And I fear for the long-term consequences that this increased exposure will bring to this next generation.\n","attachments":[],"attachment_inventory":true,"withheld":false,"source":"https://www.regulations.gov/comment/HHS-OASH-2026-0397-1662","tags":["health-experiences","sleep-cognition","biology-metabolism","exposure-places","policy-standards"],"source_hash":"2dabaddc5e783cbc3a062eedff645cbf733a96ec8efe8b64a7665e8b3652814c","slug":"health-experiences-comment-1662","classification":{"id":"HHS-OASH-2026-0397-1662","body_sha256":"3ecccf416444970c2d7ce7e75f519c6420823da24dfbf8c3b4a0b9b3a946cc3f","status":"ai_reviewed","primary_topic":"ehs","topics":[{"id":"ehs","evidence":" cars.  These things may have contributed to my sensitivity. \n\n3c, e, 4h.  For quite some time I have experienced "},{"id":"cardiac","evidence":"For quite some time I have experienced PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions), finally diagnosed by a Holter monitor worn several y"},{"id":"access","evidence":"ialize and be with people, but I find myself becoming a recluse.  Our son put a wire mesh over our Smart Meter to redu"},{"id":"wifi","evidence":" Hospital equipment, airport communications, wifi, cell phone signals, high-powered electric lines, and "},{"id":"smart-meters","evidence":"ne signals, high-powered electric lines, and Smart Meters cause the worst issues for me.  Solar flares and Coron"},{"id":"electricity","evidence":"rt communications, wifi, cell phone signals, high-powered electric lines, and Smart Meters cause the worst issues for me.  Sola"},{"id":"infrastructure","evidence":".  Sure enough, as the trees cleared, a huge cell tower came into view.  And as we left it behind, the zapping"}],"summary":"Reports sensitivity and diagnosed premature ventricular contractions associated with multiple exposure settings, describes increasing social and device-use restrictions, and advocates reducing wireless use.","reviewed_at":"2026-10-07T00:52:21Z","review_method":"Complete published comment-body review with exact supporting passages; attachments and external links not reviewed.","review_source_sha256":"4d531255c21be0913ea39d03d50991d8d9b8066cfd9a524a3cc35d8c956be62b","source_url":"https://rfsafe.net/hhs-comments/data/catalog.json","scope":"Original comment body; attachments excluded"},"forum_topics":["ehs","cardiac","access","wifi","smart-meters","electricity","infrastructure"],"primary_topic":"ehs","forum_title":"Reports sensitivity and diagnosed premature ventricular contractions associated with multiple exposure se…"}