Modern Vespa

I hope that's just a simple turn of the phrase you have used there, but its a dangerous thought. We have known that using masks during a pandemic saves lives by decreasing the transmission of airborne viruses - and that fact has been reasonably well documented for at least 100 years.

CDC calls on Americans to wear masks to prevent COVID-19 spread
JAMA editorial reviews latest science, while case study shows masks prevented COVID spread
https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/p0714-americans-to-wear-masks.html

When I add a chart of the Covid-19 incidence reports for Missouri compared to a few other states we can see that it's only recently that California, which is on a exponential growth curve right now, has passed that previously higher infection rate.

http://genepilot.com/covid19/covid19B.html

The last thing anyone there wants is to catch this virus which is now loose over here that has filled most of our ICU beds to capacity.

Are there people on Youtube reading peer reviewed scientific papers or is it people spouting anecdotes and conjectures?

Last edited by znomit on Fri Dec 25, 2020 4:33 pm; edited 1 time in total

They are giving at risk people vit D as part of their strategy here in UK. I haven’t read why.

Extra Vit D while sunshine is unavailable for a while is a good idea, especially if you're stuck indoors. It's all part of helping your immune system perform at the best it can.

Perhaps because of this paper published in Nature last month:

Vitamin D known to play key role in the maintenance of bone health and calcium–phosphorus metabolism, yet many other functions of this vitamin have been recently postulated, such as modulation of the immune response in both infectious and autoimmune diseases.

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 32.96% and 96.82% respectively in Group A and Group B. Out of total 154 patients, 90 patients were found to be deficient in vitamin D (Group A: 29; Group B: 61)

Analysis of vitamin D level among asymptomatic and critically ill COVID-19 patients and its correlation with inflammatory markers
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-77093-z

No need for vitamin D supplements with the summer soltice, but the virus has caused a surfboard shortage on Queensland's Gold Coast as the interest in solo activities increases. Sales of mid sized surfboards are up 150% on last year, and the waiting time for custom boards has increased from weeks to months.


Don't try this at home.

Surfers... you have to love their dedication in the face of adversity.

The South African Government closed beaches in a number of provinces as part of the COVID control measures. It was intended to eliminate the crowds of partygoers that congregate.

In most places along our coast, beaches are NOT crowded, with small bubble groups of family and friends socially distancing in the open air - a VERY low infection risk situation. Now the holidaymakers are prevented from going onto the sand, they are congregating far more densely on the grass verges above the sandy beaches...

A legal loophole is subsistence fishing. If you have a fishing permit, you may be on the beach. News sources report that cheap fishing rods and fishing permits have been sold at over twenty times the normal rate in restricted areas.

The surfers are different. Years back a declaratory court order on the definition of a beach was obtained in a different scenario. A beach was defined as a stretch of SAND between the sea and the land. So surfers are now crossing the rocky outcrops to get to the sea, or making use of concrete boat launching slipways, grinning at police who are deployed to keep the beaches clear.

South Africa has one of the highest murder and rape rates in the world, but policemen are being deployed to keep the normally law-abiding citizens off the sand.

However an excess of vitamin D can also be bad for your health ... All excesses.

Nah...I've always thought peer reviewing takes nowadays place in the social media?

Oh, wait - or is YouTube part of the social media too? Just a sec, I'll google this.. .

Darn, I found so many answers I got confused. One was this

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-53085640

Now, that relation with 5G and COVID19 though...

Dr John Campbell in the UK gives the published paper referenced during his videos. Plus the Vitamin D pathway has been known for quite a while. I think I've heard studies from the 80's?? but my memory is sketchy on those details. Easily researched on the internet.

I do not object to masks at all. I use them anytime I am in a store but not out in the fresh air and no people around. I take all information into consideration. I am working on a degree from YouTube U. Got a ways to go.

My husband used to ask me what I was thinking. Then one day he stopped. It was after I told him that I wondered how the mandarin orange segments got the little skin removed and into the cans so nicely. Inquiring mind.

vitamin D can impact cognitive function as well....just sayin'

Vit B12 is also a necessary supplement for some people - I choose to have Marmite on a regular basis! Cask conditioned beer is also a good source...

What I have been taking twice a day for more than thirty years is less beautiful than vitamins ... (Creon 10,000)
As a carrier of a disabling disease, I feel that even if taking additional vitamins (but under medical supervision) can bring benefits, nothing is better than trying to take them naturally through food.

Apparently nearly 1 in 1,000 Americans have now died from Covid-19. That is a number that just makes you numb and realize the extent of this.


https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/12/26/covid-news-new-strain-france-spain-california-crisis-global-cases/4044787001/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jemimamcevoy/2020/12/14/us-hits-300000-covid-deaths-nearly-1-in-every-1000-americans/?sh=456835fb5cb0

https://kvia.com/news/us-world/2020/12/26/how-quickly-the-us-lost-1-in-1000-americans-to-covid-19/

Yet you don't need to go far to find people who still think it is either being blown out of proportion or a simple hoax or what ever!

Nearly as many coronavirus deaths in the US as the death toll in 6 years of WW2. Or has it exceeded it by now?

Edit: Just googled it. 330k deaths due to coronavirus, 416k deaths due to WW2, Not far to go!

Still got two months to make it. Equivalent to 4 yrs wwii

I've read stories from nurses in COVID wards with sick patients insisting they don't have it. Unbelievable...

DENY, DENY, DENY...
even presidents from "shithole" countries (like Africa) do it.

Somebody said it was "just a 'flu ".
Here is an interesting document regarding combatting influenza.
You may find some common measures that are useful against C-19 as well.
The first page is enough.
The full document is here for those who want the science behind it.

PS - The denialists and refuseniks will just point out that it is a WHO document and what does the WHO know anyway...

Flu.pdf
Description:		Download
Filename:	Flu.pdf
Filesize:	168.64 KB

Influenza.pdf
Description:		Download
Filename:	Influenza.pdf
Filesize:	1.2 MB

Statistics ... Beware of them, they're like a double-edged sword.

Statistics. We used to call that 'massaging the data'.

I find this picture interestumg that I took this morning. A stark reminder of how long this has been going on.

We currently test people twice in quarantine, adding a third test next week for people who come from places with the English variant.

You will need to add the South African variant too.

Add the italian one too and maybe that won't be enough ...

I believe the standard test will pick up the new variant however testing is being done for the UK strain as it is more contagious. Good news is they are very sure the vaccines will still work.

... time is running out ...

For what? Oh it is REALLY bad in many places right now but has been for a while. I'm not happy about this and TBH really do not want to catch Covid-19 but the sun will still rise and there will still be a civilization after all this is over and it will be over. Will things be the same? No but humanity has survived worse and we will get past this. Hopefully lessons have been learnt but over time people seem to forget.

I very much hope so ...
I just learned that i will receive the vaccine in April.
It will be three long months.

Currently everyone who travels here is tested on day three and 12 of their isolation. From midnight on 31 December, all returnees from higher risk countries will be tested on their first day as well. Those testing positive get moved to a dedicated quarantine facility (still a nice hotel but better equipped to manage positive cases).

In the pipeline for mid January, those travelling from high risk countries will need a recent negative test too. This should help limit in transit exposure but is quite controversial (How effective are the tests? Who can afford them? How is this checked at point of departure? Will it bestow a false sense of security?)

You certainly have a lot going on there, stay positive and keep up posted.
Congrats on the weight loss. We all need to drop a few pounds so our scoots will be faster!!
Tony

We got shut down again from midnight last night.
After almost an hour of scolding 'fellow South Africans', Uncle Cyril wielded the stick...!

All beaches, parks and open air recreational areas closed.
Funerals restricted to 50 persons.
Marriages and family gatherings prohibited for 14 days.
All alcohol sales prohibited, both on-site (including restaurants) and off-sales.
Transport of alcohol prohibited as well, so if you have any booze with you on holiday, you cannot bring it home in the car.
Curfew introduced from 9PM to 6AM - all restaurants must close at 8PM.
(Flights departing in the early evening are being cancelled.)

Wearing of masks is now compulsory for everyone at all times and individuals who do not wear them can be arrested, fined and / or imprisoned for up to 6 months.
You may only remove your mask at home or if you are actually consuming food or liquids.

I guess New Year has been cancelled and 2020 extended until further notice...?

What?!

Wow those are some brutal lockdown rules. Can only remove the mask at home if eating or drinking? Oh a LOT of people are not going to follow that one, hell I wouldn't and I'm OK with wearing a mask. No alcohol? When we are in strict lockdown one of the only stores left open that is not groceries is the LCBO (provincial gov't run liquor store). Oh and cannabis shops allow curbside.

The black market must be giddy with the sales opportunity over there.

The Yarpie pox has reached Aussie already!

At home or eating. No mask required at home.