The COVID-19 epidemic has taken front stage. Health experts have filled print, TV and internet with advice on travel, masks, personal hygiene.
Consensus is that this virus is highly contagious; some have said that virtually everyone will get it. There are probably many asymptomatic cases, but these people might still pass the virus to others. Estimates of mortality vary from less than 1% to almost 3%. So far mortality seems less than the average flu epidemic. It also differs from the flu in that infants are less likely to die. The flu pandemic of a little more than 100 years ago disproportionately killed healthy young adults; this is not so for COVID-19 which is most serious for the elderly and those with chronic disease.
Lifestyle will be critical to avoid serious illness or death in this epidemic since the immune system determines disease outcome in infections like COVID-19. The immune system is dependent on a high nutrient diet- lots of whole plant foods- and sufficient rest. Many parents who raise their children on a whole food plant based diet report no childhood colds or flus. Eating processed foods and lots of animal products are proven ways to depress the immune system. Lack of sleep will also do it.
If estimates that most or all will be infected are correct the only recourse is healthy lifestyle to minimize severity of the disease. Amazing how all roads lead back to the same answer for health.
Jack's What Really Matters Blog 
Thank you, Jack. Lots of common sense here, which seems to be in short supply in many venues.
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Hi Jack,
Thank you for the post. I hope you and Deb are doing well. We are all fine. Jing and I went to an SDSU basketball game a few weeks back and jinxed the team and they lost their first game of the season😊.
When are you and Deb planning on returning?
Say hi to Deb and I hope this email finds you both well.
Jim
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Thanks, Jack
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Hi Jack,
Iâm sharing with others here at Father Joeâs Villages, as our medical staff are leading preparations to protect ourselves, those we serve, and the wider community.
Warmly,
Wendy
Wendy Endsley
Associate Director of Development
p. 619-446-2112
neighbor.org
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CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This communication and any accompanying document(s) are privileged and confidential, and are intended for the sole use of the addressee(s). If you have received this transmission in error, you are advised that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or the taking of any action in reliance upon it is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please return the message via email reply and immediately delete it from your system.
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Hi Jack,
I’m sharing with others here at Father Joe’s Villages, as our medical staff are leading preparations to protect ourselves, those we serve, and the wider community.
It’s helpful to know a bit more about what we’re dealing with from another medical professional.
Warmly,
Wendy
PS: I apologize if you get this message twice.
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Thanks for the comment and support, Wendy.
For organizations like Father Joe’s this detailed message from a retired UCSD pathologist may help:
👉The author of this coronavirus precautionary measures is James Robb, MD UC San Diego.
Dear Colleagues, as some of you may recall, when I was a professor of pathology at the University of California San Diego, I was one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses (the 1970s). I was the first to demonstrate the number of genes the virus contained. Since then, I have kept up with the coronavirus field and its multiple clinical transfers into the human population (e.g., SARS, MERS), from different animal sources.
The current projections for its expansion in the US are only probable, due to continued insufficient worldwide data, but it is most likely to be widespread in the US by mid to late March and April.Here is what I have done and the precautions that I take and will take. These are the same precautions I currently use during our influenza seasons, except for the mask and gloves.:
1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc.
2) Use ONLY your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove.
3) Open doors with your closed fist or hip – do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors.
4) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.
5) Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involves locations where other people have been.
6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home’s entrances. AND in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can’t immediately wash your hands.
7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!
1) Latex or nitrile latex disposable gloves for use when going shopping, using the gasoline pump, and all other outside activity when you come in contact with contaminated areas .Note: This virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you! BUT all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average – everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs) The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth.
2) Stock up now with disposable surgical masks and use them to prevent you from touching your nose and/or mouth (We touch our nose/mouth 90X/day without knowing it!). This is the only way this virus can infect you – it is lung-specific. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth – it is only to keep you from touching your nose or mouth.
3) Stock up now with hand sanitizers and latex/nitrile gloves (get the appropriate sizes for your family). The hand sanitizers must be alcohol-based and greater than 60% alcohol to be effective.
4) Stock up now with zinc lozenges. These lozenges have been proven to be effective in blocking coronavirus (and most other viruses) from multiplying in your throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel ANY “cold-like” symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. Cold-Eeze lozenges is one brand available, but there are other brands available.
I, as many others do, hope that this pandemic will be reasonably contained, BUT I personally do not think it will be. Humans have never seen this snake-associated virus before and have no internal defense against it. Tremendous worldwide efforts are being made to understand the molecular and clinical virology of this virus. Unbelievable molecular knowledge about the genomics, structure, and virulence of this virus has already been achieved. BUT, there will be NO drugs or vaccines available this year to protect us or limit the infection within us. Only symptomatic support is available.
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My granddaughter is a plant based and breastfed baby and toddler but unfortunately she still gets all kind of colds in daycare which she then proceeds to transmit to her plant-based mother…
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