Coronavirus COVID-19 News specific to South Africa

[biometrics]

CDC

Provisional Death Counts for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19):

National Center for Health Statistics

www.cdc.gov

 

[[)roi(]]

Just from following the news, I can dig it up if it's important.

Yes majority are older and have comorbidities, but it's not exclusively that group. I've even read of a baby that died.

No worries.
Babies can also have comorbidities, so too teenagers, young adults, etc. Also you can't believe everything you read e.g. a baby was recorded as having died from covid-19 and was reported as such by the state's governor; only for police to arrest the mother for suffocating her baby.

The mortality ratio in the USA was recently communicated by the White House to be as low as 218 per 1 million or 0.0218% which makes it no more deadly than the yearly flu and kids represent a very small fraction of that. Hence it doesn't make any sense to keep children locked up -- they should be in schools. the same goes for the majority of South Africans without comorbidities.

The ratio of 218 per 1 million means that an estimated 12,000 people could die from covid-19 in South Africa, or maybe more because our health services are awful. Still if you compare the fact that over 12,000 people died last year from the flu, then this doesn't look all that scary and certainly doesn't justify destroying the economy and people's livelihoods.

 

[biometrics]

Hence it doesn't make any sense to keep children locked up -- they should be in schools. the same goes for the majority of South Africans without comorbidities.

Problem is they then become spreaders of the disease.

Look, I don't know what the solution is. But as someone with three comorbidities I am obviously concerned for myself.

 

[[)roi(]]

Problem is they then become spreaders of the disease.

Why is that any different from the flu or measles, etc.

Look, I don't know what the solution is. But as someone with three comorbidities I am obviously concerned for myself.

As you should be.

I am certainly not calling for vulnerable people to be sacrificed; quite the contrary, the whole purpose of the shutdown was to better prepare hospitals and ensure that those most vulnerable were adequately protected. The compromise should be to keep those most vulnerable isolated from the general population and allow those to work remotely.

I'm sure e.g. most companies can afford to financially make special working provisions for their staff that are most vulnerable; if the majority of their business and the economy is not financially compromised and can trade as per normal.

You're a developer if I understand correctly; so like me you're in a better position than most to work remotely. I certainly have for well over a decade.

 

[Dave]

Babies can also have comorbidities, so too teenagers, young adults, etc.

Though I'd be surprised if that many medical staff had co-morbidities and a fair number of them had died.

Exclusive: deaths of NHS staff from covid-19 analysed

The deaths of 119 NHS staff have been analysed by three leading clinicians. We present their findings here.

www.hsj.co.uk

 

[biometrics]

 

[[)roi(]]

Though I'd be surprised if that many medical staff had co-morbidities and a fair number of them had died.

Exclusive: deaths of NHS staff from covid-19 analysed

The deaths of 119 NHS staff have been analysed by three leading clinicians. We present their findings here.

www.hsj.co.uk

Have you been around the hospitals in South Africa and the UK; many are considerably obese; hence even they could have had co-morbidities, and a lot go undiagnosed. What is missing from that report is how many of them had co-morbidities and also how many were obese; and therefore may have had undiagnosed co-morbidities.

Plus did you miss the fact that 18 of 119 are doctors, and that 26 of the 119 were older than 60; which certainly sounds like a group most of the world has classified as being more at risk.

Similar reports from the US e.g. in NY; have directly tied a greater propensity of mortality to unhealthy lifestyles; the more politically correct term for obesity. Plus in the case of NY the governor mandated that infected people go back to their old age homes and assisted living facilities; which alone explains why so many elderly died in NY in those facilities.

The statistical reality is still that the mortality ratio is proportionately similar to yearly flu, and those at most risk to bad outcomes are those who are older than 60; those with co-morbidities, and those who are already immune comprised.

 

[[)roi(]]

Problem is they then become spreaders of the disease.

As for kids being spreaders; many reports are disproving that.

• https://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2020/05/05/archdischild-2020-319474
• https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coron...us-super-spreaders-australian-study-1.4923748
• https://www.economist.com/internati...o-be-less-likely-to-catch-or-pass-on-covid-19

 

[biometrics]

As for kids being spreaders; many reports are disproving that.

• https://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2020/05/05/archdischild-2020-319474
• https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/coron...us-super-spreaders-australian-study-1.4923748
• https://www.economist.com/internati...o-be-less-likely-to-catch-or-pass-on-covid-19

I'm stating that anecdotally based on my business partner. Since he had kids he is sick often. Schools are breeding grounds for disease imo

Will read your links later.

 

[[)roi(]]

I'm stating that anecdotally based on my business partner. Since he had kids he is sick often. Schools are breeding grounds for disease imo

Will read your links later.

Probably the same reason why kids have historically not been allowed access to ICUs and critical care. Still those around kids would according to that reasoning also have stronger immune systems.

Plus considering that a 107 old woman who survived the Spanish flu also survived covid-19 should inform us that it's not age alone that determines who is more prone to worse outcomes.

 

[biometrics]

Comorbidities aren't a get out of jail card.

Hypertension

is one of the most potent risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), with over 1 billion people affected by it worldwide [2]. According to WHO data, approximately 27.4% of men and 26.1% of women in South Africa have hypertension [3], though prevalence of up to 60% has been reported [4].Mar 25, 2019

 

[[)roi(]]

Comorbidities aren't a get out of jail card.

Hypertension is over diagnosed, over prescribed and the most lucrative source of income for pharma.
I would bet a majority of those on hypertension meds don't need them.

Who Benefits from the New Blood Pressure Guidelines?

The American Heart Association lowered “healthy” blood pressure levels. But their financial ties to Big Pharma raise questions about their motives.

www.classaction.com

 

[[)roi(]]

The Worldwide Lockdown May Be the Greatest Mistake in History

The idea that the worldwide lockdown of virtually every country

townhall.com

 

[biometrics]

Hypertension is over diagnosed, over prescribed and the most lucrative source of income for pharma.
I would bet a majority of those on hypertension meds don't need them.

Who Benefits from the New Blood Pressure Guidelines?

The American Heart Association lowered “healthy” blood pressure levels. But their financial ties to Big Pharma raise questions about their motives.

www.classaction.com

Mine was at 160. Should I not be on meds?

 

[satanboy]

The City of Cape Town has published new amendments to its streets, public places, and the prevention of noise nuisances by-law for public comment.

The by-law allows for an authorised official to instruct a person to leave and remain out of an area, and without a warrant, to stop, enter and search any vessel, vehicle, premises or person.

Cape Town call for comment on by-law allowing search and enter without a warrant

The by-law allows for an authorised official to instruct a person who is in contravention of the by-law to leave and remain out of an area, and without a warrant, to stop, enter and search any vessel, vehicle, premises or person

dearsouthafrica.co.za

 

[bigAl-sa]

The City of Cape Town has published new amendments to its streets, public places, and the prevention of noise nuisances by-law for public comment.

The by-law allows for an authorised official to instruct a person to leave and remain out of an area, and without a warrant, to stop, enter and search any vessel, vehicle, premises or person.

Cape Town call for comment on by-law allowing search and enter without a warrant

The by-law allows for an authorised official to instruct a person who is in contravention of the by-law to leave and remain out of an area, and without a warrant, to stop, enter and search any vessel, vehicle, premises or person

dearsouthafrica.co.za

that means martial law if the source can be trusted???

 

[[)roi(]]

Mine was at 160. Should I not be on meds?

Sounds high.

Not a doctor, but from what I have read; it's is widely reported that many doctors over prescribe blood pressure and cholesterol meds because they're financially rewarding e.g.. they receive huge rebates from big pharma tied to the volume of prescriptions they secure for so called chronic meds.

As for treatment; there are always IMO three options;

• Take the meds
• Skip the meds because the side effects are worse than the perceived benefit.
• Skip the meds and adapt your lifestyle; diet and exercise

You would know best which option works and/or is healthwise ideal for you.

I can only say what I read and what works for me -- that certainly doesn't mean to insinuate that for others the situation would be the same as for me.

Personally I opted for lifestyle; because in my case and that of my mum; the side effects were far worse (painfully so) than the perceived benefit. This helped me to maintain my BP in the normal range; similarly cholesterol -- I play squash once a week and swim every week day, dietary side; I found that a carnivore style diet with fresh vegetables works best for me; gluten and carbohydrate foods are limited to once per week; my only culinary vices are typically beers, wine and ciders, but the exercise helps to burn that off. Bonus for me; was that I struggled in my thirties with a lot of weight gain; exacerbated probably by giving up smoking. Fortunately that hasn't been a problem since my 30s.

 

[biometrics]

they receive huge rebates from big pharma tied to the volume of prescriptions they secure for so called chronic meds

My doctor doesn't know where I take my script. So not true in my case.

Yes, a lifestyle change will likely reduce the need for high blood pressure and cholesterol meds, but until then I believe it's safer to take them than not.

I really really want to buy a treadmill, but can't

 

[satanboy]

My doctor doesn't know where I take my script. So not true in my case.

Yes, a lifestyle change will likely reduce the need for high blood pressure and cholesterol meds, but until then I believe it's safer to take them than not.

I really really want to buy a treadmill, but can't

and 9 times out of 10 the pharmacy gives you a generic....

 

[[)roi(]]

My doctor doesn't know where I take my script. So not true in my case.

That's not the way the pharma reps and rebates work. Look into it; even if its just for interest's sake.

Yes, a lifestyle change will likely reduce the need for high blood pressure and cholesterol meds, but until then I believe it's safer to take them than not.

That's what the studies that pharma sponsored say; but look into how these studies are conducted, and you'll soon become skeptic. As for being better; nope that's your opinion; certainly not grounded in science, and for me having to choose between chronic piercing leg pain; restless legs and chronic arthritic inflammation (I could barely clinch a fist) was hardly what I would consider "safer to take them than not". That's because pharma runs a pre trial study and everyone who has bad outcomes is excluded from the official study.

I really really want to buy a treadmill, but can't

You know that's just an empty excuse; ... in my thirties I was full of empty excuses. You also know you don't need fancy stuff to exercise... the easiest exercise is walking; if you have a dog; then that makes it more enjoyable. Plus you're in Cape Town aren't you? What could be more enjoyable than walking on a beach?