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Do not accuse me of scare-mongering or panicking. It won’t work because I have both science and logic on my side. And I’m fully prepared so I have no need to ‘panic’. But I digress…
Right now, we do not even understand this virus. The only thing we know for 100% certain is that it is highly transmissible and that it enters our body orally and/or nasally. That’s it! So you can feel free to explain to me how this will be contained.
Optimism or deceit?
Of course WHO and all governments want to contain the virus. And I praise their collective optimism (or deceit). But in my lifetime, I have yet to find the connection between wishful thinking and outcomes.
COVID-19 has the upper hand. It will hold that hand until we can trump it. (That’s card player talk, not the Mad Tweeter.) And the only way we will trump it is via a universally available vaccine or after there is no-one else left to infect.
The former is extremely unlikely – think Sub-Saharan countries, Haiti or even India. How will authorities in those poverty and corruption stricken nations ensure universal vaccination… even if it became available?
There is ‘good news’…
The good news is that most victims suffer no more than mild flu-like symptoms. The really good news is that, if you’re fit and healthy, the symptoms may be no more than a mild cold.
The bad news is that those who are already health compromised – diabetics, the elderly and those taking any medications that suppress immunity, are extremely vulnerable and most at risk of death by the virus.
The following section was sent by Dr. James Robb FCAP to his work colleagues and associates. Dr. Robb is a globally acknowledged expert in biospecimen science. He has more than 50 years of experience in molecular pathology, virology, and genetics. In other words, he understands the facts and lays them out in a no-nonsense manner:
Dear Colleagues,
As some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s).
I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained.
Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.
The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.
Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.:
1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.
2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.
3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.
4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.
5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.
6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home’s entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands.
7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!
This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average
James Robb MD FCAP
What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US:
1) Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas.
Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average – everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.
2) Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you – it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth – it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.
3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.
4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY “cold-like” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.
I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it. Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available.
I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share this email. Good luck to all of us!
Jim
Dr. Robb is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, cytopathology, and dermatopathology. Dr. Robb is a consulting pathologist to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR).
In an arm wrestle between the government and Dr. Robb, I’d be backing the good doctor. What about you?
Assuming the virus does become widespread, you may (and should) minimize contact with the outside world, especially if you are at higher risk (see above). To achieve that, you will need a cache of food and other essentials including basic medicines. If you need a head start working out what you need, the following video will help:
You’ll find more help here in this article…
Finally, exactly who is it that’s buying all the toilet paper? Why? Diarrhea is not, as far as I am aware, a symptom of COVID-19 coronavirus!
