One Pandemic...Two Pandemics?

Question

Flu strain with 'human pandemic potential' found in China
Scientists and health officials are concerned about a new strain of influenza recently discovered in pigs that has the potential to infect humans. According to researchers, a number of workers from Chinese abattoirs and the swine industry exhibited signs of infection.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53218704?xtor=...4&at_custom2=twitter

Answer 1

Let's hope the Chinese authorities are being honest and forthcoming this time.

Answer 2

Just read about that a bit ago. Some type of swine flu. What the hell are those Chinks doing over there???

Comments

Quite possibly trying to sow yet more doubt and confusion in the West.

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They are trying not to make their citizens panic. Maybe, the Chinese scientists make mistakes.

Answer 3

I have a few observations for your post, SFA...

* I am going to suggest a THIRD pandemic for your list, because I have been learning about the importance of nutrition for this one -- especially Vitamin D3. Some people say Vitamin D deficiency is currently a world pandemic, it's the sunshine vitamin and we are indoors so much. For example, one of the killers in this COVID pandemic is the massive inflammation that can follow infection. It's called a cytokine storm, and Vitamin D moderates that inflammation, potentially life-saving. Governments (or medical profession, or someone) need to look at the research on Vitamin D, and bring in programs to provide information and resources for the populace. Some caution in supplementation is needed, because Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and thus possible to overdose (contrast with Vitamin C, excess of which is flushed out in urine).

* I read that the number and frequency of epidemics/pandemics is increasing, over the last few decades (this one certainly more deadly than other recent ones). But I don't know if the reasons are totally understood...certainly to do with our increasing population.

* It IS important to understand the reasons, the source of the pandemics. One interview I saved for future reference suggested that with our increasing population, humankind is venturing deeper into wilderness. And those unprobed wildernesses are the repository of trillions of viruses. So I am concerned that to simply "blame the Chinese" is not the most fruitful path to follow, in prevention. 

* Conspiracy theories -- I don't know what to do about that, some of them could be accurate and we don't seem to have the problem-solvers now to get to the source. One well-touted theory holds that this coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was manufactured in Ft. Detrick, MD for the purpose of damaging the economy of China. I think an expert can tell if a virus is manufactured, but I have listened to 'experts' coming down on both sides of that question. I am afraid the only way for me to be certain would be to become a microbiologist myself, and I know from experience that I would understand then what is possible/probable. But we cannot all become experts on everything, how to obtain reliable information?

(Okay, lotsa writing now ima go make tea!)

Comments

"One well-touted theory holds that this coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 was manufactured in Ft. Detrick, MD for the purpose of damaging the economy of China."

This theory is utterly absurd on its face, unless it also claims that the virus escaped from Ft Detrick before a vaccine could be developed to protect Americans and their allies. As it is, the virus has done far more damage to the American economy than to the Chinese economy.

https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/continuing_coverage/coronavirus/as-trump-china-trade-barbs-a-fort-detrick-laboratory-finds-itself-in-the-middle/article_fdf4e5a6-82b8-5773-a8cd-a498e00fb5ef.html

Interesting point about vitamin D, Virginia.  How much supplementation is safe?

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Tink i am glad you asked, you are in a (fortunately thankfully resolving) hotspot...if you can, the best route for D supplementation is, of course, a lab test to determine one's status. That can be difficult right now, when medical systems are overstressed...

But the dental assistant where I go, her physician tested her some years ago, and prescribed specifically for her until her levels tested okay. This assistant is very interesting person herself, she feels that dental work exposes her to all kinds of pathogens (the human mouth), and that daily exposure has helped her build a strong immune system. Which she augments with excellent nutrition, exercise, and supplementation of scarcer nutrients like Vit D.

Here is my own plan -- considering that I am age 75 and that elderly skin (also dark skin) is not as efficient at producing the vitamin: I am almost certain to be deficient, so I am "front-loading" (build up vit D in body tissues, especially fat cells of course) for a couple of months, taking 4,000 International Units (= 100 micrograms) per day. 

Then at the end of July, I will drop back to 2,000 IU (50 mcg) per day, possibly even 1,000 IU, depending on how much time I can spend in the sunlight.

I chose 4,000 IU for this 'front-loading' because that seems to be the highest dosage for which there is a general consensus of safety -- although some physicians do advocate MUCH higher.

I remember you have a daughter, perhaps other dear ones you may be thinking of also...the good-sense source I use most for this question is a YouTube channel, Dr. John Campbell (not a physician, he is a Ph.D. nurse educator in the UK). He has 2 or 3 videos giving the research for Vitamin D (be sure you choose D3 not D2, it makes a difference) and if you are interested you could start with that channel. Campbell chooses his sources because they are usually peer-reviewed and high quality research.

He himself, I think he is early 60's age, I think he was taking 2000 IU daily, and maybe he has dropped back to 1000 daily for the summer, or maybe there are times when he takes none at all because he is able to be in the sunlight a great deal. It is from him I believe I obtained usable information of what is known about COVID-19. And then he goes on to strongly advocate Vitamin D3 supplementation to mitigate the effects of coronavirus infection.

So as you see, there is not a clear-cut answer, until one can access those lab tests!

Late addendum, couple hours on: Tink just today, I am watching this seminar John Campbell gave by Zoom at one of the universities in India, and I am posting it for you, just at the point he starts his summary of Vitamin D, which is 32:24. He begins by describing something I found interesting, which was in the 1918-19 flu pandemic, India lost a huge number of people -- but the deaths were fewer in the coastal areas. Campbell suggests that might be due to increased fish in their diet, and fish oil is rich in Vitamin D. Then he gives a brief summary of his own findings and speculations of how important Vitamin D is to both enhance and modulate the immune response, and how important it could be for India. They are starting their monsoon now, less sun, and many people especially in the south have skin dark in color. The dark skin may be a great factor for India, which has a younger population demographic than the USA or the UK, for example...old age skin less efficient in Vit D synthesis.

Here is the link, set to the Vitamin D discussion, nope I cannot get that to work, but you can just go to 32.24 to begin Vit D: 

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With no cricket to go to I am suffering from a lack sun..never looked so pale in years..

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Uh oh...you better go for a walk in the sunshine then, SFA! 

Answer 4

A new virus is discovered.