Health
Hello Future — Facemasks, Gloves, Surveillance.
Why we should only listen to experts now
Every morning I wake up, I fantasize about rushing out to get an espresso coffee at my favorite bar. Then, I could have a walk on a beautiful beach which is actually only 10 minutes away by car.
From today, the restrictions on living in a “red zone” have been lifted in the town where I live in Italy which was a “cluster.” The levels of infection are now practically zero so the health authorities have removed the awful “red zone” label. That meant nobody could enter or leave the town.
However, the all Italy regulations about movements and non-essential travel still remain so nothing much has changed at all. Bars and restaurants are still closed and no walks on the beach. Dream on!
Is the return to normality a mirage?
We just don’t know enough about this virus to make any reliable predictions about how soon we can go about our normal lives again. Mysteries still abound.
Cures and treatment for COVID-19
A vaccine may take a year or longer. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine are offering us some hope in developing a plaster vaccine. This will use 400 microneedles which contain a protein version of the virus that can be mass-produced in a lab. The patient will then hopefully be able to develop immunity.
There is no known cure as yet although President Trump has boasted that hydroxychloroquine can work. No clinical trials have been done and there are risky side effects. There is also some speculation that Remdesivir which is used to treat AIDS could be a solution. But it is too soon to say with any certainty whether these drugs are safe to use.
“We’ve got to be patient and wait for the results of the randomized clinical trials,” Matthias Götte, University of Alberta.
Surveillance will haunt us from now on.
We have always been tracked ever since we agreed to let Google Maps use our location history. We can easily switch this off as outlined in the article here. Fortunately, police investigating crimes are able to use this location history.
Google and Apple are now working on an app that will make contact tracing much easier on a massive scale. That is so important in tracking our movements so it anonymously informs us and our contacts of potential infection. It is supposed to be privacy-focused but there are so many potential flaws that privacy regarding our sensitive health data is a real concern.
Technicians are still trying to solve the problem of getting an alert if you are not actually in the same room as the person infected, but your phone still beeps. Then there is the problem of the viral load which varies enormously whether you passed a person in the street or you were actually working together in the same office for a whole day.
Similar apps are already in use in South Korea where there are more phones than people. The population is about 51 million and there are also 8 million CCTV cameras in use so that means a camera for about every 6 persons!
The key element to make this work is to have a very efficient oversight by public health systems and there are not many countries that have these in place.
The South Koreans are not boasting too much about their success. However, if you look at any chart on the exponential growth of COVID there compared to the USA and the UK, then you cannot fail to be impressed.
Facemasks and gloves
I hate wearing a facemask and I bet millions do too. But they are really important in helping to stop the virus spreading. According to most experts, we will have to go on wearing them for several months until a vaccine is ready and is widely distributed.
“There should be a nationwide mandate to wear facial coverings.” — Dr. Joseph Fair, virologist.
If you are fed up with wearing gloves, then there is some good news in that they are not really useful. The COVID-19 virus does not transmit through the skin of your hand. So, wearing gloves does not make any difference here.
Doctors and scientists all agree on one thing and that is the virus enters through the mucous membranes or through your breathing which is why facemasks can offer you protection.
Gloves are likely to pick up lots of COVID-19 samples and they should be disposed of straight away or washed. Basically, it is much easier to wash your hands immediately after touching any suspicious surfaces.
“The glove itself is only as good as not touching your face with the glove. So, you know, you can touch things with your hands, and as long as you’ve washed your hands or use hand sanitizer afterwards, you’ve accomplished the same thing.” Robert Amler, M.D and ex CDC chief medical officer.
Final Thoughts
As we face an uncertain future, let us keep one thing in mind. There is a dim and flickering light at the end of the tunnel.
Let me ask you one question. You wouldn’t turn back and leave the tunnel now, would you?
If your answer is no, then ignore “Christian” pastors who want in-person church services at all costs to spread the word and the virus. Try to ignore President Trump and any other politician who is spreading misinformation to gain credit, praise and political advantage.
We are talking about our own lives and our loved ones’ lives.
Listen to the experts, stay safe and well.
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