Clarity on how covid is transmitted - THROUGH 3 CS -- CROWDS, CLOSE PERSONAL CONTACT, ENCLOSED SPACES

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines

3.23.2021

Despite stringent measures, covid19 cases have surged and registered the highest increase this March 2021 of 8000 cases.

What has caused this surge?

      1.  Growing laxity because of the  on going vaccination

      2.  Too early opening of the economy?

      3.  Mix up on understanding of the mechanism of covid19 transmission

      4.  Politicalized and or militarized implementation of countermeasures vs covid 19

This post would like to touch on #3.   Many have been influenced by the movie ""Pandemic" where many are led to believe that the virus is transmitted via fomite.

In many literature available, covid19 is a drop infection and is spread by saliva or sputum coming from a sneezing, talking, coughing or singing individual  in an en closed  space, crowd and close personal contract.   And the virus attaches to mostly moist tissues of the throat and nose.  The virus being only made of molecules and not of living organism can not exist in an open atmosphere especially where there are elevated temperature.

      But what measures do we see:

      1.  Foot bath;

      2.  Disinfection

      3.  Lockdowns

      4.  Check points

      5.  Traffic control

In many parts most of the cases came from close personal contact with infected persons in hospitals (mostly that) or contact with persons in hospitals:  So we must be on guard always with first layer of infection or that of third (reinfection from the secondary contact)

All the above do not address the primary mode of infection.    3, 4, 5 are mere declaration and show of force and might by the government;  the disease transmission is minimally addressed by limiting and slowing the movement of persons.   

What the govt must watch are the family affairs:   parties, gatherings, baptism, funeral where people are carefree do not wear masks, talk freely, for hours, -  situations that are ripe for the covid19 transmission.

NO NEED TO WONDER

Discoveries that can help us remove anxieties and old practices in dealing with the pandemic

It is more fun criticizing

Rizal Philippines
June 13, 2020

We just learned of the death of a PNP doctor after inhaling misting of disinfectant in a misting tent
 after work.  NO less than DOH disapproved of such practices

Others that are being circulated:

     1.  When one goes home, he should take off his shoes and clothes lest he brings home virus
           to his home

     2.  One should take a bath;

     3.  Temperature scanning at checkpoints and check points

     4.  Blockades and barriers among barangays and between municipalities

  And yet liquor ban was lifted and barik, tagay were allowed. In total disregard of science with respect to the covid 19 spread.

Some clarifications and new knowledge:

1.  Covid 19 is spread via person to person, and via droplet infection (Fluggean theory) and in conditions where: (there are 3cs)

     1.  Crowd
     2.  Closed spaces
     3.  Personal contact

     thus schools, malls, religious masses, gymns are dangerous places where you can get the infection

 and via droplets.  If people meet and dont talk and meet briefly, there could be no transfer of infection.  We have seen this in queues at marketplace that happen daily

2.  And is spread when droplets  are emitted from person via coughing, sneezing,  (for symptomatic patients) and even via passive non symptomatic activities like talking, shouting, singing.

There are two types of droplets.:   (Fluggean droplets)

     1.  The big droplets -  drops about a meter away from the person who emitted
     2.  The microdroplets -  about 1 to 10 microns and joins others in  puff that floats about 4 to 5 hours and about 8 meters away from the  origin. How it infects others depend in the minimum infection dose and the longer people stay together

    Thus superspreader events took place in festivities, church and other religious gatherings, choir
practice.  And specially in parties that are fuelled by alchohol.  In this respect  the liquor ban was
cognizant of science but its lifting was ill timed.      The tagay especially if done in the house is a ripe place for spread:  sharing glasses, laughing, talking, and long personal contact.

    A returning seaman nearby who was positive infected 19 others in a mountain village.  He invited his neighbors in a drinking session.  He died of covid19

   The fomite theory (seen in movie Contagion) has been disproven because employees of courier  companies dont get infected but cashiers in supermarket are infected

3.  That a vaccine will be available soon gives us false hope;  coronavirus can be termed endemic

   1.  Since 1918 there was never a vaccine developed.  Flu comes and go anytime

   2.  The corona virus keeps on mutating on a monthly basis.  To develop an antidote would be difficult for the virologists and vaccine

  3.  It takes a  lot of time for clinical testing:   with animals, limited human testing, full scale human testing for tests of efficacy and safety  (See what happened to Dengvaxia vs dengue)

One of the best bets we have is to develop our immunity by:

    1.  Having plenty of rest and sleep

    2.  Taking supplements:    NaC, Vit C and D (soaking in sunshine)

    3.  Hot showers.

And of course, wearing face masks, avoiding 3c and prayers.