Coronavirus conversation: Joe Rogan's Vaccine-caution for children is not "anti-vaxx
Stray from dogma, get vilified. Will take a look back at some of the other previously vilified statements that have turned out to be true.
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Coronavirus conversation, Maggie Williams' fall finally changes the law.
How do laws get changed? When the failure is so obvious somebody collapses. Will that be the case for the vaccines?
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Pet scans, ... and other cancer technologies;
One of the more interesting diagnostic tools is a PET scan. (PS the photo is a visual pun)
there are three basic cancer therapy modalities. Radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy
What is proton beam radiation and how is it different?
What is immunotherapy? What is involved for the patient? Are there different side effects?
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Dodging Cancer: How does stress effect illness? Are alternative treatments really an alternative?
How does stress effect illness?
Which treatments work with your medical plan?
Will my doctor reject me if I try an alternative?
Will insurance help me with alternative medicine?
When should I be calling my insurance company?
How much should I be willing to spend on treatment?
Are alternatives ever worth it?
Cancer treatment always seems to require different opinions and multiple visits. Is it ok to push for getting into a doctor quickly?
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Zika was in the South Pacific before it was in Brazil
2016 New England Journal of medicine article states: "Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy has been linked to birth defects, yet the magnitude of risk remains uncertain. Investigators studying the 2013–2014 Zika outbreak in French Polynesia estimated that the risk of microcephaly due to ZIKV infection in the first trimester of pregnancy was 0.95% (95% confidence interval, 0.34 to 1.91), on the basis of eight microcephaly cases identified retrospectively in a population of approximately 270,000 people with an estimated rate of ZIKV infection of 66%."
N Engl J Med 2016; 375:1-4
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmp1605367
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Dodging Cancer; navigating your diagnosis
When we get a cancer diagnosis, our world is upended, we are confused and almost at sea. In such a situation sailors looked to the stars, not zodiac, but the fixed celestial positions to guide themselves home. How do we decide which are the true North Stars, the ones that will get us back to where we need to be most quickly and with the least damage.
We also look at some "snake oil" claims and some of the standard treatments.
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Dodging Cancer; genetic testing. Does "cancer run in the family"?
Do the benefits of genetic testing outweigh the costs and when should it be done?
How important is genetic history in determining cancer risk?
Discussing the relative rates of hereditary, versus replicative or environmental risk-factors for cancer.
Tomasetti, Vogelstein stochastic model of cancer incidence (cover photo).
We discuss the shock of getting a cancer diagnosis, the Kubler Ross phases between denial and ultimate acceptance. How does one navigate the diagnosis on the way to proper, efficient, efficacious, and timely therapy?
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Dodging cancer, episode one
Show, by show, what you need to know! (about cancer)
First episode, we will cover the basics: although there's been no "cure for cancer", in a sense already there may be.
Were going to give you perspective on what's been going on with cancer, what is the "best practice" to help minimize, avoid and (God forbid) treat.
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Zika, remembered
Zika/microcephaly; the world's previous (and now forgotten) great pandemic caused huge disruptions in travel, behaviors, pregnancies, business, and politics. In the five years since, Zika has effectively "disappeared". Let's look back and find why. Also, please connect to our Facebook page via: https://fb.watch/4maPQ4-Rbl/
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Coronavirus Conversation: What can 2003's SARS tell us today?
Einstein required a solar eclipse to prove General Relativity: the sun's incredibly bright light otherwise blots out the visual information behind it. So too with current SARS/Covid's obscuring the valid useful information from the prior (2003) SARS epidemic. A full locust-cycle of 17 years passed in the interim.
Did the Chinese make vaccines during that time? (yes)
Did they have success? (Well, no coronavirus until this last leak, so yes)
Were there side effects or problems? (Very likely)
Did they immunize the population? Did that play into China's low numbers outside of Wuhan? Was that hidden? (Unknown)
Everyone speaks about the "new normal" after THIS Coronavirus, but is that a valid worry if 17 years went by since the previous? (Probably not)
This is very much unlike influenza which has a natural zoonnotic (domestic animal proximity) reservoir with humans: Chinese farmers' pigs' being sheltered indoors in the winter. The same doesn't hold true with coronavirus' animal hosts: pangolins and bats. So why worry? (Well, there are interests built around worrying)
Using the same "solar eclipse" effect of blotting out current coronavirus barrage of information helps us look back at what went right and wrong (potentially) with the prior SARS-1 vaccines. Should this give us any concern and/or guidance in choosing from the potentially multiple different vaccines which will be presented to us.
The decision matrix for a 15-year-old, 35-year-old, 55-year-old, 85-year-old: between potential problems from a vaccine and potential problems from the illness itself differs vastly. It's not a "one-size-fits-all" approach, nor should it be treated that way. And on the other end the vaccines, especially when we consider the Indian and Chinese simpler but less effective (but potentially long-term safer) vaccine variants: which one is the right one for you?
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One Pill Two Pill, Red Pill Blue Pill
Never before has there been an mRNA-mediated vaccine, moreover with expedited, abbreviated phase III human safety trials. mRNA vaccines have YOU producing spike protein for (potentially) months. Can this overstimulation of the immune system bring longer-term problems? Nobody really can say. Understanding that there are inherent risks from ANY vaccine – and essentially nearly ZERO risk from Covid 19 for those healthy and young– there may be an age intersection-point at which below which the vaccine is MORE dangerous than the coronavirus itself. Let's try to figure that out.
Options:
Are two vaccines necessary for everybody?
No INFLUENZA this year! The same mitigation protocol that couldn't stop coronavirus stopped influenza? Or has been there been blurring of the lines?
Covid 19 numbers continue to drop.
Let's compare, once again, lockdown states versus non-lockdown states.
Should schools have closed? Should they stay closed?
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COVIDiocracy -- or -- The Tragedy of the "Commons"
With common sense and common language, we uncover common misconceptions of the (un)common-cold (commonly called Covid), we have in common.
Discussed: Cases down 77%. The lowest since October, 15% of the population vaccinated and other background herd immunity.
Best use case for Covid, active octogenarians who are free once again to socialize.
The worst thing since World War II?: Doubtful must consider the future age-possibilities, without seeming to utilitarian
The upcoming decline in economic possibility, diminished growth as a result of overspending, stimulus, cutting back the economy – stopping dating, sttopping marriage, declining birthrate.
Any reason to wear a mask after being vaccinated? Hint: no.
Was there a Tampa Bay super spreading event? After the Super Bowl? No. (Ditto, Sturgis)
If you had one year to live, would you spend it isolated from your family, even at risk of Covid?
Have we given people who might be making those type of choices the information correctly?
One mask, two masks, three masks! Unless you have a snorkel, you're going to be getting air from the surrounding "soup" of aerosol and microbes. If you can smell say "rotten fish" from across the room, what makes you think that a mask could stop a few micron sized virus?
We take a look around the world, Sweden versus Israel, lockdowns versus not.
Is herd immunity (despite Sweden success) getting a bad name?
Some recent deaths, young men in the neighborhood. Diseases of despair on the rise, suicides have doubled
Covid is a different issue for the very young versus very old. 1000 or 10,000 times difference in case totality rate
There should be an algorithm for figuring out your rationale for taking vaccine. Very different set of circumstances at age 25 versus 75 for instance. If the vaccine (like any vaccine) has some small chance of long-term illness or even death, the that should be weighed against the nearly 0 likelihood of Covid fatality at these younger age groups, the reverse obtains at older ages.
Taking one's mask off should be the appropriate reward and incentive for vaccination.
Do politicians revel in the power in controlling our lives, micromanaging? Have we let them?
Ultimately it's your responsibility to "do you". Learn up, make the best decisions.
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Tom Brady, smart guy, unmasked. Tampa Mayor goes wild.
Maybe you've heard, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl. Tom also is a smart guy, and in context did not wear a mask, going into the stadium and during the ceremonies. Apparently Tampa's mayor's more concerned about illegal hugs than illegal drugs. Although she goes around ignoring her own statutes, par for the course.
Sweden is the "winner" across the zero-threshold of coronavirus deaths, first in class, first in Europe.
Vaccine news, Israel's finding it harder to scare up "customers". You knew this was coming: The heavy hand of government's forcing people to do what theoretically should be voluntary: "Don’t want to vaccinate? Israel set to limit access to cafes, culture and more"
The kerfuffle at the New York Times. Chief Science Editor Donald McNeil was the right man to fire, but got fired for completely the wrong reasons. We go over his March 2020 importations importuning for United States ago all "medieval" of the virus, and duplicate communist Cuba, and the PRC's draconian lockdown stylings. This is how we got in this mess in part. False, exaggerated wailings and gnashing of teeth, either done out of fear or misdirection. After all it was very effective in the ultimate goal: mail-in ballots.
Hundreds of Thousands of Israelis Have Said No to the COVID-19 Vaccine: Why Are They Waiting?
A return to almost-normalcy relies on the vast majority of Israelis over age 50 getting vaccinated for COVID-19, but it isn't happening. New studies explain who isn't getting the shot, and why
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Coronavirus conversation; Cases dropping! Yet the hunt for a cloud in this silver lining.
Coronavirus case numbers and fatalities are down in the United States enormously. Are we ready to declare "victory" and get on with our business? Well if Sweden is an example, no. They done the best in Europe, yet "the beatings will continue until morale improves". There are few other jokes that come to mind unfortunately. But people who pursue power, once they get it well, they may enjoy it.
Italy has temperature sensitive drones pursuing people. Denmark wants a Corona passport. The United States wants to cut off Florida, yet open the border to Mexico. Florida's been doing a good job, Mexico, well will give them a pass, but if you worried about coronavirus contagion, you would probably do the opposite.
What is "herd immunity", how do we reach it? At what level? When did become a bad word? Why is it that every simple inexpensive choice has been thrown aside, for a time consuming more risky one?
Why do we air on the side of finding Covid deaths, and close things down for a disease which is only 1/3000 (0.03%) fatal– yet, downplay any vaccine or second vaccine reactions or deaths? No animal studies? No problem.
Why are people dissing the United States' vaccine creation and distribution? We led the world as we do with other illnesses in finding the answer: in this case in terms of treatment possibilities, medications, refinements and hospital care,, vaccine creation, innovation etc. Mr. Biden claims that there was no vaccine distribution before him, yet he got the vaccine before presidency.
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Coronavirus conversation: Antivirals ignored, vaccines pushed.
Other topics covered:
The perpetual emergency
stratified risk,
which vaccine is the best for you.
The N95 Catch-22
One mask, two masks, red mask, blue masks?
China's economy grew, G7's shrank. What's up with that?
Sweden versus the world! Catching up on Nigeria, Israel, France, UK.
Israel's second spike after vaccinations.
"Viruses gonna virus".
Masks after immunity?
Keeping our powder dry. Even stipulating Covid-19 was not human-engineered, there are lessons for future biowarriors, biowarfare, and our potential defense.
The hidden antimicrobials amongst us. Generic drugs' off label usage has been assiduously avoided and in fact pilloried: HCQ, Ivermectin. Safe but effective? Safe but ineffective? The "right to try" should not apply only to cancer patients.
What's the life expectancy of a nursing home resident? In general that is. Median is five months, averages 14 months. 53% die within six months. That's without coronavirus.
Joe Biden's mask? After immunity
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A medical moment: coronavirus conversation; Beginning of the end?
Double masks? Triple masks?
The vaccine is on the way out, numbers are going down.
image credit Copyright: ©ink drop - stock.adobe.com
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Coronavirus conversation: Vaccine rollout, Bureaucracy, Biden versus Trump, China after SARS 2003,
Will the vaccine work against mutant strains of Coronavirus?
We are closer to the beginning of the end than the end of the beginning. Numbers are dropping.
How much vaccination is necessary to lower the R factor? Probably lower than you think.
Outside of Wuhan) How did China avoid having coronavirus cases? Did they in actuality? Is this factitious? Does a top-down approach work? Did they operate at "warp speed?" Did China create and distribute vaccine after the original SARS, 2003?
Trump administration scorecard on coronavirus response, operation warp speed, applying federalism to public health. The New York Times view of Mr. Trump's handling of the virus.
What would a Biden administration have done differently?
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Coronavirus conversation; Vaccine deployment, game theory. Indonesia's different drummer
Vaccines have been deployed. What are the results so far? Would be the best and most efficacious pattern of dispersal? In the laboratory of ideas, Indonesia is taking a different approach, vaccinating, preferentially the busiest and most active individuals rather than the elderly (first).
Does everyone need two doses? Does everyone need a full dose? If shortage situations existed or persisted, what would be the best (game theory) strategy?
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A medical moment, Coronavirus conversation, new topics
Is there underlying coronavirus immunity in East Asia? For instance why did Peru do so much worse than Vietnam? All throughout East Asia there is very little in the way of coronavirus fatality versus other parts of the world. Has there been background coronavirus to which the population has gradually become immune?
Herd immunity has been downplayed, but it seems to be the real difference between different countries' different outcomes. Sweden and Italy are exiting the so-called quote second wave" of coronavirus while France and Germany, UK still struggle. Likely this is because Sweden and Italy had more penetration of coronavirus early on in the spring.
Also, what should I take the vaccine" people ask. Well the answer (as with many other questions) is, "IT DEPENDS!". Try to stratify and differentiate your own personal risk based on age and health factors. It is a 1000 fold difference between the younger age groups and the elderly in terms of coronavirus case fatality risk and likelihood.
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