As we’ve been quarantined in our homes, with an abundance of time on our hands, we’ve no doubt been keeping a close eye on the daily statistics. A google search for covid19" or corona” produces a scorecard reminiscent of a world cup. The number of infected keeps rising. And the number of deaths. The number of recovered goes up too. At a glance, it’s scary.
Undiagnosed Cases
We haven’t been tested because we are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, not dissimilar to the common cold. The symptoms, if any, pass within a couple of days. We may have been under the weather sometime over the past couple of months, maybe even had the virus. he number of reported Covid-19 cases is higher than recorded. And so is the number of recoveries.
So far countries have simply not have the testing capacity, so it’s only the obviously sick people who are being tested once their condition has deteriorated.
Comorbidity
WHO regulations state:
Coronavirus disease deaths are identified using the ICD–10 code U07.1. Deaths are coded to U07.1 when coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 are reported as a cause that contributed to death on the death certificate.
Attribution of deaths appears to have shifted from all cause Pneumonia to Covid-19. See the weeks of 21/3/20 onwards.
Table 1 puts Covid-19 into context:. Furthermore, the risk of death posed is heavily skewed by age. See
Table 2.
If we take the face value figures and factor in the above two variables (undiagnosed cases and comorbidity) we start seeing mortality rates far lower than what is being widely reported. Covid-19 is the scapegoat hat’s not to say many people are not dying. They are, and in the 10s of thousands. People with families, friends and communities. Loved people. The loss of life is sudden. It’s tragic and we’ve all been concerned about our 70+ year old parents, aunts and uncles. Not only could they be affected, we may not be anywhere near them. We may never see them again. Who knows when we will be able to freely travel again.
Preventative healthcare, means keeping these immune compromising conditions out of you. We live in a world where there is endless health insurance backed medication to manage these conditions. We indulge in them while living lives not so different to the ones that contributed to the problem causing condition. We continue to listen to lowest common denominator rules and guidelines that inevitably get updated because of new research that debunks the basis of the old rules. Many continue to listen without question. Because it’s easier that way. Why think when you cope by believing the thinking is done for us? Continuing to live in that system is not your fate. It’s your choice. Preventative healthcare requires thinking for yourself and looking beyond the surface. Taking anything at face value is how scam artists make a living. You buy the pack of biscuits that says “gluten free” without actually reading the ingredients label. You buy the “organic” meat without questioning where it came from. You swallow the pill because the doctor prescribed it to you. WHO says this is a pandemic so we now refer to it with that label.
One thing our current circumstances shows us is that we’re all in this together. As a community, a global community, our best defence is our collective wellbeing.
Imagine a world where we as individuals, we can take care of ourselves and consciously lift up the people around us. Imagine if you were always around people like this. Always willing to lend a hand because you know that in doing so you’re having a far greater impact than just that one on one interaction. I’m not advocating a utopian ideal here, but rather, common human decency. Something we may have forgotten, perhaps never learned or gave up on because the world was too cruel to us.
People are complicated. They may act by listening to their instincts or they may be acting because they are listening to their trauma. We don’t know what accumulation of experiences is standing in front of us. It’s not our place to judge. It is our opportunity to offer a helping hand. To be kind. And they may not listen. They may not accept. But you can walk away knowing you planted a seed. They will remember the gesture. And one day, in their time of need, they may remember that they are not alone in the world.
For most of us the idea of Preventative Healthcare will bring up getting regular exercise, eating healthier, taking vitamins and sleeping enough. ight now everyone has become acutely aware of the potential value of Vitamin C and at the same time the detriments of ibuprofen. es. You’re right. But there’s so much more to it. I included the above paragraphs because your cognitive, spiritual and emotional health is just as important to strengthen as your physical health. The connections we have to each other are best and synergistic when they are symbiotic and fuelled by altruism. Again, not a utopian ideal, but common human decency. Granted not everyone is this way. Hidden agendas, narcissists and sociopaths abound who feed off altruism.
Liberty
Confined in cages, confined to the country you’re in, perhaps soon even to the state or island. Heads of state are saying liberation will come only in step with a vaccine (not expected to be ready and vetted until 2021). Bill Gates has suggested your liberties will be restricted unless you show proof of vaccination or recovery (you have the antibodies). This is not far fetched. any countries already require proof of a yellow fever vaccination before you’re allowed to board the plane. But imagine requiring proof of immunity to be able to cross state lines, or enter a restaurant, shopping mall or movie theatre? My favourite local restaurant takes your temperature before allowing entry. This is a stop-gap measure. Think it can’t happen? Well, no one thought we’d be under essentially, house arrest for this long.
Has this unnecessarily been elevated to the status of pandemic because the WHO is compromised by the vaccine industry? Or have certain governments simply bungled their response to the virus? Why don’t we hear about how most people recover? Conspiracy theories and conjecture aside, we as a global population, save for those who have experienced war zones, have never had our liberties encroached upon like this.
With a vaccine probably a year away, I think the road to regaining our freedoms looks more like widespread availability of rapid (15 minute) testing and seeing the availability of effective over the counter treatments.
South Korea set up drive through testing stations. Although results take 24h, the convenience and speed of testing the population is commendable. Aside from the efficient testing system, they have also taken a case-isolation and contact tracing focus rather than confining the entire population.
"South Korea’s experience shows that “diagnostic capacity at scale is key to epidemic control,” “Contact tracing is also very influential in epidemic control, as is case isolation"
- Raina MacIntyre, an emerging infectious disease scholar at the University of New South Wales, Sydney.
This begs the question: Have those in government simply lost control and turned to population confinement because they simply did not know what else to do?
We’re still waiting to hear more about effective treatments. I think this is a key development needed before governments will have the confidence to end social-distancing, isolation and lockdowns.
If you’re looking forward to lockdown ending and life going back to normal, then I have news for you: Nothing will ever be the same again. Nor should it. This is a reset. One that you can take full advantage of to truly live life on your own terms. Nothing will be the same again. How could it? Why would you want it to? This is our wake up call. That nothing should be taken for granted. And there’s no more snooze button. Why would you want to procrastinate any longer? 98% of people will go back to life as close they can have it before this happened. What will you do?
