Covid-19 Variants:
No doubt, it's been a year since...
Yet, with every unfortunate thing that happens in life is an opportunity to learn.
I always ask and someone with a chronic illness, "How did you know?" Looking back, were there any signs that we left because of stress, age, or something else?
How do these desirable variants arise?
First, let's take a quick course in virology. Viruses are the best example of our "to infinity and beyond" concept. They are the most abundant form of "life" on Earth and elsewhere! Exponential growth is an understatement. Omit trillions to the power of another few trillions.
A virus has an envelope, the capsid, which protects its viral material or genome.
Viral cases hate soap, soap is their kryptonite, so washing with soap is most important to kill the virus.
Covid-19 appears to be a viral superstar redefining how a virus can mutate. Bottom line, we don't know how many variants currently exist or how many there may be in the future.
Handwashing with soap, masks, distancing, testing for covid-19, subsequent lockdowns... all are vital to harnessing this virus from further mutations. A vaccine is NOT a get out of jail free card!!!
our vaccines will be able to keep up with these mutations. We know that every year actually less our flu vaccines need to be updated. The coronavirus vaccines will must constant updates - more than any software we've ever complained about!
Evolution in action...survival of the fittest: For most disease-causing viruses and bacteria, the use of treatments and vaccines challenges them to develop ways to escape them in order to continue to thrive... These viruses appear to have an evolutionary history. History. . advantage.
What can we do to strengthen ourselves against these many coronaviruses?
Yes, we ALL need to follow the rules to prevent transmission. But how can we strengthen ourselves to cut the risk of a fatal reaction if we come into contact with these viruses?
I have many articles here on the role of chronic inflammation in every one of our chronic diseases from heart disease, diabetes, vascular disease, arthritis, depression, cancer... Chronic inflammation is the main cause of our body's weakened ability. To shake off all the abomination that has hit us. AKA - defense is down.
In patients with a severe reaction to the virus, the lungs are damaged and patients need supplemental oxygen. The mortality risk of these cases is more than 40%.
March 2021 Journal of Immunity: Donna Farber, PhD, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Chief of Surgical Sciences, Columbia University: “Even when individuals are getting vaccinated, severe COVID-19 remains a significant risk for some individuals, and we need to find ways to treat people , who develop a serious illness."
"People talk about patients experiencing a cytokine storm in the blood, but what we see in the lungs is on a different level. The immune cells in the lungs have switched and released these cytokines."
A very complex science. Bottom line reducing the level of chronic inflammation is our best defense against a drastic response to the virus.
Research continues to support this need. My goal in chronic care management is to put reducing chronic inflammation at the top of our health to-do list. But be careful not to "pave your way to hell with good intentions." In other words, get the real science of reducing inflammation, not the pop science.
