Preventing COVID-19 Infection
Of necessity, the introduction is somewhat wordy, simply because it’s necessary for the purposes of clarification, and understanding the topic, which can be complex to the average layperson. While it is outside the scope of this blog to treat patients, per se, the purpose in sharing this and other information, is to inform of the latest valid scientific findings. Those who read are free to treat themselves as they see fit, as is everyone. Again, the purpose in sharing these findings is to inform. –Ed.
Among professional scientific, medical, and research cadre the novel coronavirus is properly known as, and is called SARS-CoV-2. Colloquially, it’s known as COVID-19. SARS is the abbreviation for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, while CoV is the abbreviation for coronavirus, thus COVID is shorthand for COronaVIrus Disease, while the number 19 refers to the year in which is was first discovered. If you’re froggy enough, here’s a great read on the nomenclature.
But the point of this entry is not about the name, but about the disease, and more specifically, about preventing the disease.
And suffice it to say, that while there are naysayers who (in some cases) loudly proclaim that COVID-19 is no worse than the flu or (insert your choice of disease here _X_), or that it doesn’t affect (_X_ – insert your choice of category people group(s), young, old, middle-aged, people who live in the tropics, in Scandinavia, etc.), none of the bizarre comments or nonsensical off-the-wall “justifications” such naysayers use, none of it’s true.
Remember: Despite the unambiguously incontrovertible and overwhelming evidence that the Earth is shaped like a ball, there are some who insist that the Earth is flat.
Point being, is that there will likely always be nut cases in the world, and practically nothing that anyone says or does will change their warped, demented minds… which are like concrete – thoroughly mixed, and permanently set.
When used in the scientific medical sense, the word “novel” means new. So this coronavirus is a new type of coronavirus, meaning one which has never been seen before.
Again, not to go off the deep end (for there are plenty of people who do), but simply because a virus is new, doesn’t mean that it was “man-made” or that it was an existing virus which became “weaponized.” To make such preposterously absurd claims is not only ignorantly stupid, it is false, simply because humanity does not know everything about anything, much less everything about everything. There are plenty of things in the world that we do not know about, and there are principles in the world about which we do not now know. And in fact, there are more things about which we know little, or nothing, than there are things about which we do know.
Again, point being, is that humans aren’t “know-it-alls,” and to claim that we know practically anything the novel coronavirus is false, because we do not. Hell… we don’t even know how to treat it! The only thing we’re doing now is treating symptoms. We do the exact same thing with the common cold, for which we also have no cure, and no vaccine to prevent it.
And as regarding prevention – an ounce of which is worth a pound of cure (as the saying goes) – the only thing we can do now with the coronavirus is to MECHANICALLY prevent its spread, simply because (that we now know of) we have no ability to prevent it with a vaccine. And to be certain, when we say “mechanically” prevent its spread, we mean by physical means, by actions, not by medicine.
And that is precisely why the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other public health groups have recommended maintaining a distance of 6 feet from others while in public (aka “social distancing”), wearing a face & nose covering (mask), disposable gloves, avoiding groups of people, minimizing public outings to as great an extent as possible, along with increased hand-washing, surface cleanings (disinfecting), etc.
Because we have learned that people infected with the novel coronavirus are at least 30-50% asymptomatic (meaning that they show NO signs or symptoms of infection, not even one – which also means temperature checks at certain public places are therefore effectively USELESS at preventing spread), it is critically important to maintain the physical (mechanical) precautions (preventions) at all times when out in public.
And, because 30-50% of all persons infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic (they do NOT show even one sign or symptom of infection), that is why 100% testing of ALL people (aka “universal testing”) is critically important.
Again, EVERYONE is on a “learning curve” with the novel coronavirus, and that means EVERYONE – all scientists, all physicians, all nurses, all researchers… EVERYONE. So no one knows it all.
Now, let’s move along toward treatment.
We’re working our way toward the topic – unlike some, or even many articles, which say nothing of any value about anything. Such articles are like saying “how to lower the death rate – prevent drowning in bath tubs,” and then talking about building and installing tubs, why you should take a shower, and how expensive it is to operate swimming pools. Utter nonsense.
So, as we know, the only thing that we can do now is treat the symptoms of COVID-19 infection. And when it comes to treating the symptoms, if the symptoms are severe enough, someone will likely be in hospital, rather than at home. Thus, they’re pretty sick. And if they’re in an ICU (Intensive Care Unit), they’re really sick. And if they’re on a ventilator, they’re seriously critically sick. So there are levels of sickness with this, and other diseases, and the severity of sickness is determined by several factors, including how many signs and symptoms are being experienced (exhibited), and how much those symptoms are interfering with their ability to maintain homeostasis – our bodies’ innate ability to maintain proper function (circulate oxygenated blood, maintain proper operating temperature, utilize nutrients in food, and excrete waste by-products from digestion).
The human body is a series of complex mechanisms, all of which work together in harmony with other body systems to continue and maintain life (homeostasis).
What we do know about the more severe cases of COVID-19, is that it affects the lungs. We’re learning also that it quite likely affects other body systems, and may also have long-term implications, but the most notable, and most immediately life-threatening, is the damage done to the lungs.
We know also that COVID-19 is characterized by inflammation of the lungs, which is, in effect, a proper response mechanism of the body gone haywire. Imagine, if you will, a huge firetruck – even the whole Fire Department – responding to a small backyard barbecue fire which is nothing more than a flare-up, and easily (and most often) extinguished by you, the cook, or someone else. No drastic measures are required.
But, imagine if, in response to Read the rest of this entry »
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