Coronavirus Update

 Back in March was living 13 miles from 1^st breakout in Kirkland WA, and wrote about early Covid-19 info and research last May “Making Sense from Noise”. Unfortunately became political which is not the way to solve contagious diseases. Updating known facts below:

• Covid-19 is not a flu. Attacks nasal passages, lungs, blood circulation, organs, brain and more. 
• New and novel, no one has resistance. Everyone can catch Covid-19. Friends from teenagers to 84 (being careful) still caught it. Paraphrasing Matthew, rain falls on the just and the unjust. 
• Highly contagious causing local breakouts.  If you haven’t caught it, you are just lucky. Everyone in your circle has their circle and on. All it takes is one infection to spread through groups. 
• Transmission mostly aerosols in air. Less likely to get from touching surfaces.
• New variations are being discovered. These mutations are normal since another corona virus, the common cold has been around for centuries overcoming immunity.
• More contagious variations have been found in Brittan, South Africa, South America, and California. By summer these will be dominant strains. Local breakouts hit R3 which is very dangerous. R3 = each infected person infects 3 others.
• Wide ranges how people are affected by Covid-19. Possibly 2 of 3 don’t realize they have it. Others wind up hospitalized or on ventilators. Of known cases, the death rate has been ~3%.
• Recovered does not mean healthy. ~10% of serious cases have extend symptoms including reduced breathing ability, weakened physical shape, brain fog, and painful symptoms.
• 6 feet and 10 minutes are not magical protections. You can get infected further and faster.

 

Staying healthy

• Mask up, they work. Flu rates have fallen worldwide this year. Must cover your nose! 3 layers of cloth or disposables help reduce infections. KN-95 and fitted N-95 are gold standards.
• Try to keep your hands off your face. (My weakness) Can transfer aerosols to yourself.
• Frequent hand washing, especially before eating.
• Treatments are improving, and early intervention is helpful.
• Vaccines are effective, and people who said they weren’t going to take them are signing up.
• Even if you had Covid-19 you need a vaccine to resist other variations.
• Social interactions, phone and video calls help mental health. 
• Get treatment if you are suffering from depression or other symptoms. Earlier the better.
• Avoid eating indoors, avoid large groups, avoid group singing, and limit being unmasked even if vaccinated. Anyone can be a carrier.

 

Rates have been falling lately. New cures are coming for the infected. The rollout of vaccines has been slower than desired. Seeing improvements, up to ~100,000 vaccinations per week here in Louisiana. 

 

The biggest issue is corona fatigue. Exercise, meditate, pray, express yourself, avoid inundating yourself, and stay social despite physically distances. “This too shall pass” has gotten me through other crises.

 

Stats from Worldometers.info very informative worldwide.