Teresa Gryder's Naturopathic Notes: How to get healthy and stay that way without taking handfulls of meds for the rest of your days.

C19 Links and Thoughts September 9, 2020

9/9/2020

STURGIS WAS A MISTAKE
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/515453-sturgis-motorcycle-rally-was-superspreading-event-that-cost-public
I understand that riding motorcycles is all about freedom. We all want freedom. But freedom involves being alive. The people who traveled to Sturgis made a mistake. The people who didn't wear masks when they were going to bars and concerts made a mistake. The mistake causes innocent people to die. I've been in Flagstaff AZ where a spike is happening, like many places, due to the mixing of college students. One young man visited his father without realizing that he had the virus, and his father died. This really does happen and it is a tragedy every time.

AGE IS STILL THE BIGGEST RISK FACTOR FOR COVID DEATH
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02483-2
Of course there are the 100 year olds that survive the virus but they are outliers. Basically the risk of mortality is near zero until age 50 and then it skyrockets. This has been shown in lots of different human populations. Protect your elders.

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COVID-19 Links and Thoughts AUG 11

8/11/2020

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"MILD" WRONGLY DEFINED AS NOT NEEDING HOSPITALIZATION
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02335-z
People who don't get hospitalized don't get medical follow-up either. We all know that some seek hospital care more willingly than others. Some of us refuse to go to the hospital; we know it is full of antibiotic-resistant infections and stressed-out doctors and staff. I had a pneumonia that could have been Covid but I did not go to the hospital; I self-treated at home. My pneumonia was not "mild". I thought about going in. Many people who've survived the virus at home are having longterm after-effects. This author is absolutely right that we need a better way of categorizing and tracking the cases that did not result in hospitalization.

THE KIND OF MASK YOU USE MATTERS
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Does-your-coronavirus-mask-work-New-study-15473251.php
I've noticed that many police, highway patrol and fire department personnel are using what I would call "neck gaiters" for masks. These are a single thin layer of polyester with some lycra for stretch. They drag the thing up over their mouths and noses when in close proximity with others. This kind of" mask" doesn't stay up well. Thin layers of fabric may stop large droplets but they are definitely not catching the aerosols which have turned out to be a major route of infection. Public servants who are in direct contact with the public should be wearing quality masks. Well, everybody should, but "should" doesn't get very far in America.

OVER 900 HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE DIED OF COVID
https://khn.org/news/exclusive-over-900-health-workers-have-died-of-covid-19-and-the-toll-is-rising/
POC's dominate the count and you can see from the photos that many victims of all colors are obese. To reduce this grim outcome perhaps we should use front line workers who have fewer risk factors. Smokers shouldn't be on the front lines. People with hypertension, obesity, diabetes or a heart condition could (and should) be exempted from front line work. There's a great emphasis on PPE (personal protective equipment) and it is important, but the healthcare worker's baseline level of health and resilience is just as important. People with immune compromise of any origin should not be expected to work with COVID patients. Period. There are so many obese nurses! They should not be put in this position. I heard on a podcast yesterday that 70% of our BMI is due to genetics: no point in punishing people for being heavy. We should evaluate the immune sufficiency of healthcare providers and place them accordingly. Those on the front lines of the pandemic should have top notch immune systems--and be most likely to survive the virus with minimal negative effects. Yes, I know there's a shortage, but seriously sending all these fine people to their deaths trying to help others? This is murder.

ABOUT 10% OF COVID VICTIMS HAVE PROBLEMS AFTER 3 WEEKS
https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3026
We're just starting to collect information about the after-effects of this virus but for a lot of people recovery is extremely slow. This report has some excellent resources (links) for patients who are having trouble after they are supposed to have "recovered". The list of possible lingering symptoms is long, and you are not malingering if you have chest pain or "lung burn" and would like to get some help.

A GREAT TIME TO QUIT SMOKING: EVEN YOUTH HIGH RISK IF SMOKE
https://www.jahonline.org/article/S1054-139X(20)30399-2/fulltext
Vaping is not protective. Using it just once in a while is not protective. Inhaling smoke at all increases your risk, even if you're young. There has never been a better time to quit and quit for good.

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