Coronavirus...post your thoughts here...

[threecharacters]

Covid doesn't want to kill the host, it's main purpose is to spread. Killing the host is pointless to any virus. And yes, that comes from a doctor who is a viral specialist.

You've precisely hit on why Cov-Sars-2 is so dangerous, but totally missed the point somehow. Normally, viruses don't want to kill their host. This is why the common cold and the seasonal flu are so mild for so many people. However, when a virus jumps species unpredictable things can happen (think bird flu, MERS, ebola, HIV, rabies, etc.). Cov-Sars-2 evolved in bats and it evolved such that it wouldn't kill the bats. However, bats have extremely robust immune and respiratory systems, much more robust than our immune and respiratory systems. Flying is really hard aerobic work and animals that can fly have had to evolve the best respiratory systems nature can concoct. Interestingly, this is why the bird flu has such a high fatality rate in humans too.

Cov-Sars-2 evolved to survive in a host with much stronger immune and respiratory systems. In humans, Cov-Sars-2 adaptations are overkill, which is why it has resulted in so many deaths.

Maybe you should grow up and respect others opinions and stop calling them "tinfoil hats"? (I haven't aimed personal insults your way.) I call it lateral thinking. Try it.

Maybe you should grow up and respect others lives. If people had followed social distancing, mask wearing, and quarantining protocols correctly there wouldn't be any need for a lockdown. I guess you can take this lockdown as your own personal punishment. Schools are open because they're more necessary than gyms, bars, etc. (I can't believe I actually need to say this). Plus, there is already an expectation for rule-following at school, therefore, it's easier to enforce mask wearing and social distancing at school especially compared to a bar.

 

[madmark285]

Obviously it's OK for nature.com to do your homework?

Absolutely! Listen to the highly trained experts.

 

[Colin_T]

Today I have another relative in hospital. He went in for something unrelated and was diagnosed with covid-19. The only symptom he experienced was confusion / delirium. Thing is he is now unable to return home because he is displaying symptoms of advanced dementia. Sure he is 85 and may (but also may not) have had early signs but a month later he has completely lost touch with reality. This is widely reported as a common symptom in the elderly but nobody is able to answer the question about whether this is likely to be permanent or not (covid is now gone and there is no infection and no meds) and we have no idea if he will ever be able to return home or lead a normal life.

I for one will continue to take whatever precautions I can.

It will be permanent. The virus causes little blood clots throughout the body and these can cause blockages in the brain and other organs. When that happens parts of the brain or organ die and it doesn't get repaired.

Taking low dose aspirin (100mg) per day helps prevent blood clots forming in heart patients and would also help with covid 19 patients. However, patients would have to take the aspirin as soon as they were diagnosed and continue taking it daily for a month. For people who have already had the virus and no longer have the infection, aspirin won't help unless they suffered heart damage. Then they need to talk to a cardiologist and get an ECG stress test with ultrasound, then see if they need to be on aspirin and or blood pressure medication.

If your daughter is still having problems now, she should see her doctor and a cardiologist and get her heart checked. She might also need to see a lung specialist.

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There has been some research into dementia and dancing, music and things to stimulate the mind help reduce the progression of the disease. And regular daily exercise also helps. If you can get the person to walk, do weights or use an exercise bike for at least 30 minutes (preferably an hour or more) each day, then it can help. And get them to play cards, do word puzzles, etc while listening to music, and that can help.

Everyone needs to get at least one hour exercise every day, and preferably more. This is very important for older people because the exercise helps maintain muscle mass and bone density, and this helps reduce the chance of falling and reduces the injuries sustained if they fall. The exercise also helps medications work more effectively and reduces side effects from medications.

There was also something about diet and lots of red meat apparently speeds up the progression of dementia. Lots of plant matter, fish and chicken is meant to help reduce the speed that it progresses but they aren't sure how much it helps.

 

[ClownLurch]

My home test kit arrived this afternoon.
I’m in a weird situation in that the main indicators the U.K. govt advise to look for are a problem for me anyway. Taste and smell have been almost nonexistent since my second op for nasal polyps years ago. I’ve had a permanent small cough for decades that chest X-rays throw no light on other than to tell me Im asthmatic.
I’ve been a bit wheezy lately and short of breath especially while jogging but that may be to the extreme damp weather here at the moment plus the coughs gotten a lot worse so better safe than sorry.
Had a couple of nights away on the south coast last week. First time more than a couple of miles from home since March....we just had to get out somewhere. Hope that’s not the cause.
Personally I think I’m ok but MrsLurch wants proof.
Stay safe everyone and don’t let the covidiots grind you down.

 

[StevenF]

It will be permanent. The virus causes little blood clots throughout the body and these can cause blockages in the brain and other organs. When that happens parts of the brain or organ die and it doesn't get repaired.

Taking low dose aspirin (100mg) per day helps prevent blood clots forming in heart patients and would also help with covid 19 patients. However, patients would have to take the aspirin as soon as they were diagnosed and continue taking it daily for a month.

I have a genetic defect that makes me more likely to clot than most people. And since I was diagnosed with it I have learned a lot. Covid 19 blood clotting is so strong that aspirin will have little to no effect. Doctors are currently treating Covid 19 patents with TPA and Heprin. Some of the strongest anticoagulants on the market.

About the only thing that may be helpful in avoiding the worst effects of this virus is to take vitamin D. Examination of those the thave died shows most were deficient in Vitamin D. And lab research shows that it might be helpful. Unlike most vitamins, You typically don't get much vitamin D in the food you eat. Most of the vitamin D in the human body is made in the skin when a person is outside and exposed to UV light from the sun. In modern life most people are not outside enough to get sufficient Vitamin D. And in the winter when the days are shorter people typically have even less vitamin D.

Vitamin D might not work well after a person has developed Covid 19 symptoms. But it probably works best if a deficiency is correct before one gets sick. People should always consult their doctor before taking a new supplement.

These links explain what has been found about vitamin D:
https://www.endocrine.org/news-and-...of-covid19-patients-have-vitamin-d-deficiency

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...nswers/coronavirus-and-vitamin-d/faq-20493088

https://elemental.medium.com/a-supe...teresting-new-theory-has-emerged-31cb8eba9d63

 

[snailaquarium]

Can you spread this virus from one desk to the next if you use the same cloth or is that extremely unlikely?

 

[Colin_T]

Vitamin D has also been found useful for cancer patients, and many people that develop cancer have low levels of Vit D.

Can you spread this virus from one desk to the next if you use the same cloth or is that extremely unlikely?

If there is a virus on one desk and you wipe it off and use the same cloth on another desk, yes it can spread. If you have alcohol (70%) on the cloth, that will kill the virus in about 10-20 seconds.

 

[madmark285]

And perhaps you should view the other side of the coin rather than waiting for a website to do it for you?

On the issue of "view the other side of the coin"...

Here are two articles from nature.com, the first, dated 02 APRIL 2020, Is the coronavirus airborne? Experts can’t agree and the second one, dated 08 JULY 2020, Mounting evidence suggests coronavirus is airborne — but health advice has not caught up

Read them and you may discover, they talk about both sides of the issue. I am very grateful to the Brits for giving us Nature.com and CAMRA, I love English bitters!

Note: CAMRA = Campaign for Real Ale

 

[Spalders]

Well I see I'm in the minority here but that's fine. I can respect everyone's opinions without malice or holding a grudge. A thread like this will always cause debates, personally I found it quite interesting to see how others view the virus.

Funnily enough madmark285 I hate English bitter.
In fact I hate beer and lager full stop, cider is about my limit and considering my size, about two pints will have me on my backside.

 

[itiwhetu]

Go CAMRA

 

[snailaquarium]

Coronavirus: Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine found to be 90% effective in 'great day for science and humanity'

Only 94 people contracted COVID-19 out of the 43,538 involved in the trial.

news.sky.com

 

[Jan Cavalieri]

Kansas just became a "hot spot" in the nation - we've had relatively few cases until now. I have been a virtual hermit for months. I wear a mask when somebody knocks on the door. Schools are back open just in time for all those kids to get sick and bring it back home to Grandma. I'm super high risk. I have "end-stage" COPD with a FEV1 of 20% of that of a normal person of my size and age. I'm on oxygen 24/7 - my O2 stats fall into the 50% level if I leave my oxygen off. Last time my concentrator broke and I was at 60% before I knew what hit me - didn't have the air to go get one of my supplemental tanks and called 911. It took them so long to get there (I live in a strange address) I had suffered a mild heart attack due to lack of oxygen (they did a cardiac cath and my veins are all "beutiful", the electrocardiogram caught the minor damage to my left ventrical due to the hypoxia I went through. I tell you I have so much sympathy for fish because of this disease - I understand their panic if removed from the water even temporarily.

I lost most of my lung function after having H1N1 flu 5 yrs ago - prior to that I could walk a mile, I wasn't on O2. At 20% if I get a significant case of COVID I'm likely to be placed on a ventilator - which can also be terrifying. I will likely die as well - it's hard to compensate with only 20% lung function. I have my groceries and RX;s delivered - unless they need to do an exam, most of my Dr's are quite happy to discuss test results via teleconference so I don't have to go into their office - of course I still have lab tests (I'm immune deficient and have hyperthyroidism among other fun things).

Now that the pandemic has reached Kansas and all it's neighboring states I'm terrified of catching it. I have a living will but need to make out a regular will (my daughter is my sole heir so that makes it easy) but I do want some money to go to various friends and family members that could usse a slight boost up plus I want to give money to the bird sanctuary where my dear parrot now resides.

So what do do with my fish? Nobody in my family wants all the work and I admit i have some stunning fish I would hate to see "thrown out" - stunning or not they don't deserve death. . Craigslist is not safe here for women - too many robberies and rapes have occurred. I have invested several thousand dollars in these fish and tanks and now they area basically worthless.

 

[Guyb93]

Here in the uk a nhs nurse has taken photos of case numbers from 3 hospitals yeah they are not in major cities but the numbers do not reflect on what the government is saying , we have been put back in lockdown yet I can still go to work and my children can still go to school , we no longer live in a democracy, we are all living in a dictatorship made of fear , and I personally hve had enough , we keep being told follow the rules or you will be fined or prosecuted, all tht comes to mind is get a grip

 

[Gypsy Tart]

So what do do with my fish? Nobody in my family wants all the work and I admit i have some stunning fish I would hate to see "thrown out" - stunning or not they don't deserve death. . Craigslist is not safe here for women - too many robberies and rapes have occurred. I have invested several thousand dollars in these fish and tanks and now they area basically worthless.

I would contact the animal rescue/shelters in your town. I see that you have three of them. I'm sure that they would know how to help you to re home the fish if need be, as they have a huge network of people who care about animals.

No animal deserves to die or to suffer needlessly.

 

[Fishmanic]

Here in the US, cases are averaging over 100,000 per day with as many as 1000 deaths per day. And it looks to be getting worse before it gets any better.