Testing, testing and more testing. That is the mantra health experts are telling the American people is the best way to contain the coronavirus pandemic. And they are right, up to a point. But these tests have limitations and those who expect clear-cut advice or a risk-free future are going to be disappointed. Before understanding coronavirus testing, let’s take a simplified look at how the immune system works. When our bodies are invaded by a virus, the affected cells secrete messenger proteins that signal our white blood cells to attack the virus to prevent further spread. Often this is enough. But then our body comes up with a secondary response. It manufactures specific proteins called antibodies and killer white blood cells that can recognize the invading virus and destroy it if it reinvades. This is called immunity. Thus, there are two types of tests to check for coronavirus – one identifies the actual virus in a patient; the other identifies the antibodies. … [Read more...]
Is the Cure Worse than the Disease? – A Tough Call
Americans are being forced into seclusion as our leaders try to contain the coronavirus. Time will tell if this is the best policy. There are many unknowns here. But there is one thing for sure. In the process, they are crashing the economy. The stock market has lost one third of its value. The bond markets are gyrating. Corporate debt is teetering. Businesses are being forced to close. Our Federal Reserve is printing money on a massive scale, leaving even more debt for our children and grandchildren. And our political class is squabbling who should be the biggest winners in the upcoming bail outs. These actions will have huge consequences of the health of Americans. Thus far, the coronavirus has not caused a great deal on death and illness in the United States when compared to other recent infections. At the time of this writing, there have been about 45,000 cases and close to 550 deaths. In 2009, the Swine Flu pandemic resulted in 61,000,000 infections and 12,500 deaths. Meanwhile, the 2019-2020 seasonal flu – which is upon us now - has resulted in 10,000,000 cases, 280,000 … [Read more...]
The Coronavirus Epidemic Explained
The world is in a panic over a coronavirus, specifically COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019). The stock market has dropped precipitously, airport travel has plummeted, vacations are being cancelled and students are returning early from foreign countries. There is a lot of misinformation about COVID-19, and perhaps reviewing some basic concepts will allay readers’ fears or at least enhance an understanding of the situation. 1. What is a virus? Viruses are microscopic organisms that do not have the ability to reproduce. Thus, they survive by becoming parasites, invading the cells of host organisms, hijacking the cells’ functions, replicating, and then invading other cells. 2. How are viruses classified? Viruses may be classified according to their microscopic appearance, how they reproduce or what diseases they cause. For example, the AIDS virus (also called HIV), rabies virus and polio virus are named after their respective diseases. The coronavirus, on the other hand, is named after its microscopic appearance, … [Read more...]
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