Thursday, May 7, 2020

Coronavirus facts - so far. Not Truther-truth.

Good plain sense from Herbalist-Midwife, Dr Aviva Romm:


This collation of research (see link below) and reports is by Denise T. Plichta, who has a masters’ degree in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from UCLA, a bachelors’ degree from Wheaton College in biology with a certificate in International Community Development. Denise also has a masters’ degree in Greek and Hebrew Exegesis from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary - and she is usually posting about theology and Bible studies! However, her background in carefully parsing research, as well as her medical background, position her well to assist us in wading through the ping-pong games of information vs. disinformation during a global health crisis.

Covid-19 Information

Another good collation (see link below) of carefully checked info, from the people who have researched the evidence in support of natural childbirth extensively:

Coronavirus COVID-19 | Evidence Based Birth® Resource Page


From Claire Chapman:

"If you think that we are going to be saved by a vaccine, you might need to think again.

1. We are seeing some very rapid mutation, much faster than a flu https://www.abc.net.au/…/new-coronavirus-covid19-s…/12218834

2. It infects parts of the body that make it hard for the immune system to target appropriately: https://www.abc.net.au/…/coronavirus-vaccine-ian-…/12146616…

3. Acute Respiratory Distress cause by cytokine storm is likely to be increased with an increased immune response from exposure (aka the vaccine) and is possibly a reason why health workers are so at risk because of continued exposure. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3255794/

There aren't workarounds for these issues. Prevention of complications need to looked at (we already know T2DM, COPD and smoking are just some of the factors in the severity of the disease).

Nutritional support, so stuff that is not going to send your interferon sky rocketing (like high dose Vit. C). And treatment options that are actually effective."


Researchers find new coronavirus strain 'more contagious', potentially impacting COVID-19 vaccine search

Not Real News - a look at what didn't happen this week 


As a Registered Nurse, certified doula, qualified herbalist, and member of the National Herbalists Association of Australia, the statements from our allied natural health associations are relevant to my pratice and professional standing:

From the Naturopathic Alliance: Statement Regarding the COVID-19 Crisis – May 2020

Disinformation causes confusion and disorients people. That's to the advantage of political players, but doesn't help health authorities trying to look after populations.

With coronavirus and bushfires, Australia is in the perfect conditions for fake news to flourish. Here's how you tackle it

Zillions of research on masks. Which are only one part of normal infection control measures.

Unmasking the case for masks 

More plain commonsense for looking after yourself and humans you care about during a pandemic:

Beating the Dreaded Lurgy - give that virus the vamoose

The research on hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID19. And other therapeutics.

 

 

A closer look at the Bradykinin hypothesis
 
And another vote for the helpfulness of Vitamin D:
 
"Interestingly, Jacobson’s team also suggests vitamin D as a potentially useful Covid-19 drug. The vitamin is involved in the RAS system and could prove helpful by reducing levels of another compound, known as REN. Again, this could stop potentially deadly bradykinin storms from forming. The researchers note that vitamin D has already been shown to help those with Covid-19. The vitamin is readily available over the counter, and around 20% of the population is deficient. If indeed the vitamin proves effective at reducing the severity of bradykinin storms, it could be an easy, relatively safe way to reduce the severity of the virus."
 
Don't forget your Vitamin D
 
National Institute of Integrative Medicine claims vitamin D supplements can build COVID-19 immunity

An everyday supplement could be the key to COVID-19 immunity and saving “thousands of lives”, a respected Melbourne medical institute claims. 

 

A small but significant study out of Spain showed benefit from Vitamin D, keeping people with Coronavirus out of ICU. It can't hurt, right!?

 

 

Highlights:

The vitamin D endocrine system may have a variety of actions on cells and tissues involved in COVID-19 progression.

Administration of calcifediol or 25-hydroxyvitamin D to hospitalized COVID-19 patients significantly reduced their need for Intensive Care United admission.

Calcifediol seems to be able to reduce severity of the disease.


 

 
 
It's the infection rate that's scary, not the death rate.

We'll only know the true figures for this pandemic in retrospect. Equally so, early models were not necessarily wrong because the modellers were deceitful, but because they had insufficient data to work from.

Welcome to the world of data management, data cleaning and data modelling, which many armchair statisticians don't always appreciate. Until now.

 Here is an extremely comprehensive overview of Ivermection.

Ivermectin: Much More Than You Wanted To Know

You could say it "opens a can of worms". Because as you'll know, Ivermection has been used for decades to treat lice, scabies, and intestinal parasites.

Check out this snippet:

"As several doctors and researchers have pointed out (h/t especially Avi Bitterman and David Boulware), the most impressive studies come from places that are teeming with worms. Mahmud from Bangladesh, Ravakirti from East India, Lopez-Medina from Colombia, etc."

and:

"Here’s the prevalence of roundworm infections by country (source). But alongside roundworms, there are threadworms, hookworms, blood flukes, liver flukes, nematodes, trematodes, all sorts of worms. Add them all up and somewhere between half and a quarter of people in the developing world have at least one parasitic worm in their body."

Being full of worms may impact your ability to fight coronavirus ..."
 
In natural health circles, it's been long held that the gut is the seat of the immune system and that improving gut health is  useful in promoting optimal immunity.
 
The author continues:
 
 
"Treatment of worm infections might reduce the negative effect of COVID-19! And ivermectin is a deworming drug! You can see where this is going…"
 
In the end, he says in summary:
 
 
  • Ivermectin doesn’t reduce mortality in COVID a significant amount (let’s say d > 0.3) in the absence of co-morbid parasites

  • Parasitic worms are a significant confounder in some Ivermectin studies, such that they made them get a positive result even when honest and methodologically sound.

Interesting eh?

The only thing it doesn't mention is the Principle Trial, because results haven't been published yet - but it's good to know about it and keep an eye out:

What now for ivermectin?

July 2021

Professor Andrew McLachlan reviews the medication and its potential against COVID-19 in the wake of a major study being withdrawn.


"But the ivermectin story continues. Researchers at the University of Oxford announced in June they would be starting another ivermectin trial, called PRINCIPLE.
 
This high-quality trial will involve investigating treatments for people at more risk of serious COVID-19. So far, the trial has recruited more than 5000 volunteers from across the UK. Another part of the trial (into another potential COVID-19 therapy) has already reported results.
 
This new ivermectin trial is just starting and will compare a three-day treatment of ivermectin in people within the first 14 days of COVID-19 symptoms, or having a positive test, with those having usual care. The trial is expected to report its results in the coming months."

COVID THERAPEUTICS

HCQ Side Effects

COVID: 90% of patients treated with new Israeli drug discharged in 5 days - EXO-CD24

Have Australian researchers developed an effective COVID-19 treatment? Potentially, but we need to wait for human trials

Remdesivir

Dexamethasone

Monoclonal anti-bodies

Covid-19 Therapeutics Tracker

Coronavirus Drug and Treatment Tracker 

DE-RADICALIZATION RESOURCES

How to help loved ones avoid disinformation tactics and come back to reality.

Freedom of Mind - Steven Hassan

Tools That Fight Disinformation Online

Global Network on Extremism & Technology

Institute of Strategic Dialogue

Rabbit Hole Podcast

Qanon Anonymous Podcast

The Conspirituality Podcast 

The Brainwashing of My Dad

 

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