Respiratory disease mainly in dry indoor spaces | German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (Jun 2020)

German Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach said in June of 2020 that he expected a new COVID wave in the following fall, since there is little naturally acquired immunity.Show more

This has been the criticism of myself and countless others (such as the experts of the Great Barrington Declaration) since before the summer of 2020: not only are the measures of mass destruction (such as lockdowns) enormously harmful and unlikely to be effective against airborne respiratory infections, but even if they work, the only exit strategy is the availability of proven safe and effective vaccines (or therapeutics).

If the vaccines are delayed, you have to keep the measures of mass destruction in place for longer, causing even more harm.

In the best case scenario where vaccines seem to be safe and effective based on short term data and are also available in sufficient supply, you still have no medium and long term data. It's reckless to start a mass injection campaign without these data.

You also have to trust the pharmaceutical companies. History has proven this to be very unwise. 'Pharmafia' is a well-deserved term.

Dr. David Katz defines success as a high infection rate (because this leads to naturally acquired immunity, thereby protecting everyone) combined with a low rate severe disease (bad for patient, bad for sick care system capacity) and death.

Exposure to low doses of a pathogen is GOOD, because it's like a natural vaccine or booster. It protects both yourself and others from severe disease.

The summer period is a fantastic time to build up natural immunity, since the conditions for spread are disadvantageous, thereby lowering the likelihood of severe illness causing high infectious doses.

The natural herd immunity route is dangerous if it's unpredictable who will get severe and/or long-lasting illness (long COVID). Luckily, the risk groups have been very clear from the start: obese old men with low vitamin D blood levels and co-morbidities, form the highest risk group.

These people should first of all voluntarily reduce their risk factors (increase vitamin D, lose weight) and be offered voluntary protection. Also, there are many harmless, highly effective interventions to prevent and treat disease for anyone regardless of risk group.

Lauterbach also says that respiratory infections are mainly a problem in indoor areas in colder, dry climates. This is absolutely true. Cold air is by definition dry air, because the colder the air, the lower its moisture carrying capacity. If the outside air is dry, the inside air will also become dry (unless you take measures). Air conditioners not only cool, but also dry air.

The most important mechanisms connecting temperature/humidity with respiratory disease seem to be the following:

1. Our mucosal immune system is a crucial part of our total immune system, especially for respiratory infections. The mucosa catch pathogens (and other undesirable particles like as pollen and dust).

These are 'flushed' with the mucus (mucosal clearing) to the stomach by tiny waving hair-like structures called cilia, where they're destroyed by the stomach acid. They can also be transported out through the nose (blowing your nose) or mouth (spitting).

Dry air causes the mucosa to become dry and viscous, which hampers mucosal clearing.

2. In dry air, exhaled bigger droplets (that would normally fall to the floor) evaporate quickly into micro-droplets (aerosols). These remain suspended in the air for hours, just like cigarette smoke. Infected micro-droplets can be inhaled by others or yourself (airborne spread).

In crowded indoor areas with low ventilation where people remain for extended periods of time, there is significantly increased infection risk over superspreading.

3. When the evaporation described above occurs, the salt concentration of the microdroplets increases, because the water evaporates but the salt does not. The salt could form a protective crust around the pathogens, protecting them from harsh environmental conditions such as UV-light.

4. In environments where the outside air is significantly colder or hotter than the inside air, the risk of toxic mold increases. Mold will cause disease directly and also make one more susceptible to (respiratory) infections.

Note that the airborne spread has very little to do with the specific respiratory pathogen and everything to do with the environmental conditions, such as ventilation, humidity, UV-light, and temperature. The spread of respiratory infections is ALWAYS at least 99% airborne. If airborne spread is not possible, then there will be almost no spread.

If you understand these basic insights, harmless and highly effective solutions become obvious:

1. Fresh, clean air. Adequate ventilation is required: CO2 levels should not exceed 1000 parts per million (ppm). Fresh, clean air is required for wellbeing, regardless of respiratory infections.

A drawback of ventilation is that it may lead to increased heating and cooling costs. Also it may lead to problems with humidity (see below). Therefore we want optimal/adequate ventilation, not maximal ventilation. Air filtration with HEPA filters and/or disinfection (plasma, UV-PEG) are additional options.

2. Optimal humidity: 40-60%. Humidifying the air may be required. Indoor plants are one way to achieve this. The extremes in humidity are beneficial to pathogens and detrimental to humans, and vice versa.

3. The insulation or water management of the building should be well designed and implemented, such that mold is no issue. If this is not the case, it's critical that this be fixed.

4. The safest place to be is outside, where ventilation is ideal. Sunlight is an excellent disinfectant: it kills pathogens through both its UV-component and the higher temperature in summer.

Sunlight is also very beneficial to health: it leads to optimal vitamin D blood levels, causes melatonin (a fantastic anti-oxidant) production in the mitochondria. It leads to the formation of nitric oxide, which is also a fantastic anti-oxidant and leads to the relaxation of muscles in the blood vessel walls (thereby improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure). Increased body temperature (hyperthermia) due to sunlight is great for immune function, just like fever.

5. Drinking enough water helps to keep mucosa moist. It also helps to body to control its temperature, which is especially important when you have a fever.

SOURCE: https://youtu.be/ZkBKpv63wCw
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