SINS OF OUR YOUTH and the IMPROBABILITY OF HERD IMMUNITY
Florida is seeing a major rise in Covid-19 numbers and about 60% of hospital admissions are in people under 50.
Why are more young people getting significantly sick? Because they are dumb-asses who think they are invincible. This is the nature of youth, thinking short-term rather than long term. They are all getting together, in public and in private, with little physical distancing and little PPE. Again, short term social gain outweighs the risks of the disease. Although there is a notion that younger people are for the most part healthier than older people and can weather the infection better, this is simply not true anymore. When a significant number of even teenagers have diabetes, hypertension and 20% of people under 20 are obese, chronic disease affects everyone.
Recent information about Covid-related lung damage should really make them think more carefully about their choices. A study of asymptomatic covid positive people, including young people, showed that even without any lung symptoms, almost 60% of them showed scarring on their lungs. “Ground glass opacities”, which are usually seen with inflammation and infections, were visible on imaging. Other organs which likely are suffering some micro-damage are the kidneys. Both organs have higher amounts of ACE-2 receptors, the ones to which Covid-19 binds, on their cell membranes.
Although our bodies have an amazing capacity to heal and regenerate, scar tissue and fibrosis is for the most part permanent. This small amount of damage probably will come back to haunt them later on in life.
So the next question is that if asymptomatic people are having tissue damage, how do you protect yourself? The key is limiting the inflammation. The “cytokine storm” you hear about in severely affected people, is one extreme of inflammation but you want to limit as much inflammation as possible. How do you do that? STAY HEALTHY OR GET HEALTHIER.
You know my mantra:
- Eat a whole food, plant based diet.
- Eliminate dairy and limit animal products.
- Eliminate added sugars and processed foods.
- Exercise.
- Sleep better.
- Manage stress.
- Socialize, but physically distance, wear your mask and wash your hands…..
As far as immunization, reaching herd immunity and getting past all this? When you look at the history of previous coronavirus infections like SARS-1 or MERS, and vaccine development in general, it doesn’t look good. The coronaviruses which caused those other two coronavirus infections were much less infectious and much more lethal, birth qualities which lend themselves to a quick hit and a quick burnout. Covid-19 on the other hand, is very infectious and is much less lethal. This is the worst combination because it allows the virus to spread far and wide in a population. Although short term lethality is important, long term health consequences are still important and this is where this virus may have us by the you-know-what.
The same 4 coronaviruses which cause the common cold keep coming back year after year. We do not develop immunity to these viruses. There is no vaccine. We do not develop the sought-after “herd immunity” which happens with other viruses. Although we do develop antibodies to these viruses, they wane very quickly so by the next season, you are just as vulnerable. There are many viruses to which we never develop immunity or vaccines for that matter. HIV, Hepatitis C and the annual Influenza virus are examples. With the Flu, getting an annual vaccine does not guarantee you won’t get sick but it probably will shorten the course or lessen the symptoms if you do get it. The same is probably true with Covid-19.
Although there are some unique characteristics about Covid-19 which make developing a vaccine more likely, we still just don’t know. Unlike other infections however, this one has really brought the most brilliant genetic and vaccine developing minds together. MANY people are working on it all around the world, even sharing and collaborating. Kind of like the Republicans and the Democrats 😜🤯
Despite some of the negative things I have brought up, I think it’s extremely important to be positive about the future. We need to accept that there will be a new normal. How exactly that will look like is not clear, but in the short term, get heathy, practice socially responsible PPE and physical distancing but DO socialize in a safe way. We are by nature social creatures. We evolved depending on each other and that has never been more important.
Stay safe and be well.
AC 😎✌️🌱❤🐖🏃🏻🧘🏻♂️🌎😷