How SARS-CoV-2 spreads: new science

[Capn Jimbo]

Long Term Consequences of Covid:

My friends: no infected person is immune from lasting consequences. According to emerging studies:

18-34: 20%

35-49: 32%

50+: 47%

Overall: 35% The point: the focus on death rates – while still important – should not be your sole concern. Long term, possibly lifelong consequences are VERY important and affect FAR more people, of ALL ages. It has been well said that many of those who did not die may wish that they had. These include:

1. Crippling fatigue

2. Breathlessness

3. Persistent cough

4. Joint pain

5. Muscle aches

6. Tachycardia with exercise

7. Changes in hearing and/or eyesight

8. Headaches

9. Damage to key organs: heart, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal system

10. Depression and anxiety

11. Foggy thinking

12. De-realization (feeling you are “not really here”)

13. Tissue invasion (lingering small pockets of infection), eg in nerves (numbness/tingling)

14. Vertigo

15. Increased saliva, runny nose

16. Continuing diarrhea

17. Some evidence of new Type I diabetes, changes in blood sugar

18. Long term damage to the immune system

19. Suspected involvement in new auto-immune diseases

20. Blood vessel damage (due to hypercoagulation)

21. Strokes, psychosis and dementia.

None of these are related to the severity of the Covid infection.



Any of these can and do occur with even mild(er) infection. Those who survive the ICU show continuing problems for up to a year (data still coming in), so far. An Italian study showed 87% of infected people had continuing issues even two months later. About 40% stated they were experiencing decreased quality of life, and issues affecting their ADL’s (activities of daily living).

A just released University of Maryland medical school study estimates that 30 to 50% of ALL infected people will suffer a degree of new and lasting/chronic mental illness, including PTSD. Students who survive are reporting lasting difficulties – academic, occupational and physical.

Friends, here’s the point. Covid is NOT the flu, and is immeasurably worse, more infective , with far more serious and long lasting damage. The focus on what some (mistakenly) consider “low” death rates is not the point.

To the contrary, not dying may well be the only good thing, as “surviving” may mean a permanent change – negative – in your quality of life. How bad? We don’t know, but the indications are not good. Unlike the flu, up to half of all survivors will NOT “recover” in the classic sense, but will suffer a lasting reduction in their quality of life and losses in their ability to perform what we call Activities of Daily Living. It’s no joke.

A PHOSP-COVID large scale study (10,000 people) is now underway. Regardless, you MUST protect yourself now. It’s like smoking – we all knew cigarettes were dangerous long before it was “proved”. As an advanced practice nurse I’ve seen quite enough in the hundreds of current reports and smaller studies that I can advise – without equivocation – that at best, Covid may leave you wishing you had died, as your life changes forever.

For example, a good friend (also a nurse) foolishly exposed himself, contracted Covid – did NOT die – but now, months later – has permanent lung damage and can now barely walk to his mailbox and back without stopping halfway – and this months later. He was not admitted, no ICU, a so-called milder case. He was an active sailor and performed all his own maintenance on his cruising sailboat and home.

No more. His once active life has been permanently changed. Worse yet, his damaged lungs et al mean – in his own professional words – that “my next lung infection, even of the flu, will probably kill me.”

Still feeling political?


CJ
Public Health, 30 years

[Eclectic Always]

Originally Posted by malcolmlj

From "The Spectator" magazine last week.
So far Covid 19 has killed 0.015% of 1% of the worlds population.

Helps with perspective.

I’ll let my wife’s dead mother know. She’ll be thrilled to hear how minor this disease really is.

[GordMay]

A study, published [1] in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, and led by experts at the USC Michelson Center's Convergent Science Institute in Cancer, discovered the order COVID symptoms usually presented themselves. "COVID-19 patients have symptoms similar to other common illnesses," wrote the authors.
• Fever
• Cough
• Muscle pain (myalgia)
• Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
• There Are Of Course Other Symptoms - and the Order May Vary
• The most unusual symptom is loss of smell and taste, which can precede the onset of respiratory symptoms
• Those with Post-COVID Syndrome may have gastrointestinal issues—or issues like fatigue, hair loss and neurological problems—for months, possibly years, possibly life.


“Modeling the Onset of Symptoms of COVID-19" ~ by Joseph R. Larsen et al

“... Our model predicts that influenza initiates with cough, whereas COVID-19 like other coronavirus-related diseases initiates with fever. However, COVID-19 differs from SARS and MERS in the order of gastrointestinal symptoms. Our results support the notion that fever should be used to screen for entry into facilities as regions begin to reopen after the outbreak of Spring 2020. Additionally, our findings suggest that good clinical practice should involve recording the order of symptom occurrence in COVID-19 and other diseases ...”
[1] More ➥ https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.00473/full


“COVID-19“Long Hauler” Symptoms Survey Report” ~ by Dr. Natalie Lambert and Survivor Corps

“... The results of the analysis suggest that Long Haulers’ COVID-19symptoms are far more numerous than what is currently listed on the CDC’s website. While the symptoms listed on the CDC’s website are, except for nausea or vomiting, some of the most common COVID-19 symptoms reported by Long Haulers, the mismatch between the health problems people are experiencing and the information that they can find from official health sources is noticeable and a potential cause for concern ...”
Summary of Survey Findings:
• Long Haulers’ COVID-19symptoms are far more numerous than what is currently listed on the CDC’s website
• While the impact of COVID-19 on the lungs and vascular system have received some media and medical attention, the results of this survey suggest that brain, whole body, eye, and skin symptoms are also frequent-occurring health problems for people recovering from COVID-19
• Survivor Corp group members frequently report reaching out to primary care doctors for help managing such lesser-known and painful symptoms, but find that some physicians are unable or unwilling to help patients manage these due to lack of research
• A reported 26.5% of symptoms experienced by Long Haulers are described as painful by the group members.
More ➥ https://dig.abclocal.go.com/wls/docu...-study-doc.pdf

[Franziska]

Thanks Gord, for your very good fact&sience based contributions, here and also in other discussions. Have a nice Xmas!

Originally Posted by GordMay

A study, published [1] in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, and led by experts at the USC Michelson Center's Convergent Science Institute in Cancer, discovered the order COVID symptoms usually presented themselves. "COVID-19 patients have symptoms similar to other common illnesses," wrote the authors.
• Fever
• Cough
• Muscle pain (myalgia)
• Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
• There Are Of Course Other Symptoms - and the Order May Vary
• The most unusual symptom is loss of smell and taste, which can precede the onset of respiratory symptoms
• Those with Post-COVID Syndrome may have gastrointestinal issues—or issues like fatigue, hair loss and neurological problems—for months, possibly years, possibly life.


“Modeling the Onset of Symptoms of COVID-19" ~ by Joseph R. Larsen et al

“... Our model predicts that influenza initiates with cough, whereas COVID-19 like other coronavirus-related diseases initiates with fever. However, COVID-19 differs from SARS and MERS in the order of gastrointestinal symptoms. Our results support the notion that fever should be used to screen for entry into facilities as regions begin to reopen after the outbreak of Spring 2020. Additionally, our findings suggest that good clinical practice should involve recording the order of symptom occurrence in COVID-19 and other diseases ...”
[1] More ➥ https://www.frontiersin.org/articles...020.00473/full


“COVID-19“Long Hauler” Symptoms Survey Report” ~ by Dr. Natalie Lambert and Survivor Corps

“... The results of the analysis suggest that Long Haulers’ COVID-19symptoms are far more numerous than what is currently listed on the CDC’s website. While the symptoms listed on the CDC’s website are, except for nausea or vomiting, some of the most common COVID-19 symptoms reported by Long Haulers, the mismatch between the health problems people are experiencing and the information that they can find from official health sources is noticeable and a potential cause for concern ...”
Summary of Survey Findings:
• Long Haulers’ COVID-19symptoms are far more numerous than what is currently listed on the CDC’s website
• While the impact of COVID-19on the lungs and vascular system have received some media and medical attention, the results of this survey suggest that brain, whole body, eye, and skin symptoms are also frequent-occurring health problems for people recovering from COVID-19
• Survivor Corp group members frequently report reaching out to primary care doctors for help managing such lesser-known and painful symptoms, but find that somephysicians are unable or unwilling to help patients manage these due to lack of research
• A reported 26.5% of symptoms experiencedby Long Haulers are described as painful by the group members.
More ➥ https://dig.abclocal.go.com/wls/docu...-study-doc.pdf

[GordMay]

***
“How much do people actually care about health workers?”

Doctors and nurses are spent, and not in a way that a few days off or a round of nightly applause can restore.

More ➥ https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2...health-workers

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by GordMay

***
“How much do people actually care about health workers?”

Doctors and nurses are spent, and not in a way that a few days off or a round of nightly applause can restore.

More ➥ https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2...health-workers

No foolin'. One of the downsides of having single-payer healthcare in Canada is that we too often take the system and its workers for granted. Even now.

[Hugh McCormack]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

What’s your point in posting this? There is nothing new here in a study dated 6 months ago. The revelation stated in your link is stating the obvious:
“Droplet transmission can occur at a distance greater than 2 m if there is direct air flow from an infected”

It's a convincing piece of clear-sited explanatory journalism, and its findings date from September, November - it's hardly dated. People need to hear things more than once before they change their behavior and/or beliefs.

[Hugh McCormack]

Originally Posted by Capn Jimbo

Long Term Consequences of Covid:

My friends: no infected person is immune from lasting consequences. According to emerging studies:

18-34: 20%

35-49: 32%

50+: 47%

Overall: 35% The point: the focus on death rates – while still important – should not be your sole concern. Long term, possibly lifelong consequences are VERY important and affect FAR more people, of ALL ages. It has been well said that many of those who did not die may wish that they had. These include:

1. Crippling fatigue

2. Breathlessness

3. Persistent cough

4. Joint pain

5. Muscle aches

6. Tachycardia with exercise

7. Changes in hearing and/or eyesight

8. Headaches

9. Damage to key organs: heart, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal system

10. Depression and anxiety

11. Foggy thinking

12. De-realization (feeling you are “not really here”)

13. Tissue invasion (lingering small pockets of infection), eg in nerves (numbness/tingling)

14. Vertigo

15. Increased saliva, runny nose

16. Continuing diarrhea

17. Some evidence of new Type I diabetes, changes in blood sugar

18. Long term damage to the immune system

19. Suspected involvement in new auto-immune diseases

20. Blood vessel damage (due to hypercoagulation)

21. Strokes, psychosis and dementia.

None of these are related to the severity of the Covid infection.



Any of these can and do occur with even mild(er) infection. Those who survive the ICU show continuing problems for up to a year (data still coming in), so far. An Italian study showed 87% of infected people had continuing issues even two months later. About 40% stated they were experiencing decreased quality of life, and issues affecting their ADL’s (activities of daily living).

A just released University of Maryland medical school study estimates that 30 to 50% of ALL infected people will suffer a degree of new and lasting/chronic mental illness, including PTSD. Students who survive are reporting lasting difficulties – academic, occupational and physical.

Friends, here’s the point. Covid is NOT the flu, and is immeasurably worse, more infective , with far more serious and long lasting damage. The focus on what some (mistakenly) consider “low” death rates is not the point.

To the contrary, not dying may well be the only good thing, as “surviving” may mean a permanent change – negative – in your quality of life. How bad? We don’t know, but the indications are not good. Unlike the flu, up to half of all survivors will NOT “recover” in the classic sense, but will suffer a lasting reduction in their quality of life and losses in their ability to perform what we call Activities of Daily Living. It’s no joke.

A PHOSP-COVID large scale study (10,000 people) is now underway. Regardless, you MUST protect yourself now. It’s like smoking – we all knew cigarettes were dangerous long before it was “proved”. As an advanced practice nurse I’ve seen quite enough in the hundreds of current reports and smaller studies that I can advise – without equivocation – that at best, Covid may leave you wishing you had died, as your life changes forever.

For example, a good friend (also a nurse) foolishly exposed himself, contracted Covid – did NOT die – but now, months later – has permanent lung damage and can now barely walk to his mailbox and back without stopping halfway – and this months later. He was not admitted, no ICU, a so-called milder case. He was an active sailor and performed all his own maintenance on his cruising sailboat and home.

No more. His once active life has been permanently changed. Worse yet, his damaged lungs et al mean – in his own professional words – that “my next lung infection, even of the flu, will probably kill me.”

Still feeling political?


CJ
Public Health, 30 years

Appropriately scary. I am sorry your friend is in such dire shape. Do you have a [source] for the symptom set and % affected among differing age groups?

[larsfforsberg]

Most people think that sailing offshore is crazy and dangerous. You have pirates, the boat could sink. What is someone robs you? You could lose a finger in a winch! Storms! aaahhh! We're all gonna die! These same people drive an hour to work every day, stare at a computer screen, surrounded by wifi, while eating factory farmed chicken and beef, and vegetables coated in bug killing sprays. Many Europeans believe that the US has school shootings every day, and people are shooting each other in the streets, due to the media blowing everything out of proportion. Maybe because I'm only 48, I have yet to know a single person who has died of covid, nor a single person who has become seriously ill. I don't know anyone who knows anyone who has been seriously ill....or died. I know people who have committed suicide, died in car wrecks, cancer, even skiing accidents, but not covid. I had covid, and know a few people who have had it, but nobody had it worse than I did - a fever and tired for 12 days. So, yeah, It's probably not a good thing to have, but I sure am glad I had it already....and I'm not shutting down my world for the small percentage of people who get ill or die from it, anymore than anyone else is quitting driving, eating food from restaurants, or skiing.

[NedX]

Originally Posted by larsfforsberg

I have yet to know a single person who has died of covid, nor a single person who has become seriously ill. I don't know anyone who knows anyone who has been seriously ill....or died.

Now you do.

[Cadence]

It's a craps shoot. I'm sure it is the very young and old that are at risk.

[El Pinguino]

Is 65 old?
One person's experience...
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/golf...28-p56qh2.html

[larsfforsberg]

The very young, or young period are pretty much not affected. It is certainly the older population that is affected.

[larsfforsberg]

Originally Posted by NedX

Now you do.

My point is that I don't "know" anyone personally. I have heard of people dying of all sorts of things, just no covid.

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by larsfforsberg

My point is that I don't "know" anyone personally. I have heard of people dying of all sorts of things, just no covid.

Here in Canada, many <50 year-olds have required hospitalization due to COVID-19. For example, in BC, 24% of COVID-19 hospitalizations were aged less than 50 yrs.

So NOT only the "aged"!