Here's the bigger picture: "What we know about this mess." [by NG]

The motivating idea: Real facts about epidemiology, viruses, and disinfectants.  Ok:

Rule number 1:  Don't drink bleach. It could kill you.

Rule number 2: Don't inject any cleaning product.  It could kill you.

Rule number 3: Don't take random unrelated drugs because someone has a "good feeling".  You wouldn't jump off a bridge because someone told you to, would you?  It could kill you.

Rule number 4: Don't cut open your abdomen or chest cavity to insert a UV light bulb.  It could kill you.  And it will probably give you cancer if you live that long.

People with a background in logistics intelligence are not medical doctors.  People with a background in commercial real estate are not medical doctors.

Basics on infections (I'll keep this simple):

What does wearing a mask get you?

1. N95 masks block a portal of entry. (Keeps you from getting it.)

2. Cloth masks block a mode of transmission.  (Protects other people.)

Washing your hands and sanitizing door knobs block a mode of transmission.  (Protects you and other people from getting it.)

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Maybe  that's as much science as people can handle.  If not, continue below. 

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What does testing do? 

Identifies the infected. 

What kinds of tests are there, and what do they do?

1.  Molecular tests - run on swabs and sputum samples.  

• These tests directly test for the genetic material of the virus.

2.  Serological tests - run on blood

• a) Antigen tests look for fragments of the virus/viral proteins
• b) Antibody test looking for fast acting immunological response (IgM) indicating recent infection.
• c) Antibody test looking for slow acting immunological response (IgG) indicating past infection and current protection. 

What can this information do?  

1. Who needs to be isolated.

2. Who is recovered.

3. Who has not been exposed. (negative tests)  And, they are still in danger.

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Still good with the science?

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What is a "co-morbidity"?  

  ~This is something that weakens a person.  This could be obesity, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.  Anything that compromises a person.

What does having a co-morbidity at the time of infection do?  

~When the virus starts damaging the lungs and filling them with fluid, reducing the body's ability breath, those co-morbidities can add to the problem by consuming more oxygen, piling on the damage.  By itself, diabetes wouldn't have killed the person.  With the virus, they die. 

Doctors count the thing that pushed the patient over the edge, not the thing that put them on the edge. 

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Anyway,   That's enough for now. 

I would hope this would be helpful for people. 

by: NG