A Public Health Announcement about Coronavirus

This was sent to me by a friend. I forwarded it to Worcester, whom as many of you know is a highly respected and accredited healthcare professional with a couple of geologic ages worth of experience, and he asked me to post this to the board.

This is NOT a political statement, viruses know nothing about such things. This is about helping our members aware of ways to protect their health.


THOUGHTS ON CORONAVIRUS FROM AN EXPERT
3/2/20

I like to share some useful and practical advice in an easy-to-digest summary format regarding Coronavirus, both in terms of best prevention practices as well as protection supplies. Equally important, please exercise common sense along with proper hygiene and minimize unnecessary hysteria or stress … this is Preventable and Survivable! Take good care of yourselves and family members (especially those who are young, elderly, or otherwise most vulnerable with underlying health issues). Phil Background: Dr. Robb is a recognized expert in biospecimen science with over 50 years of experience in molecular pathology, virology, and genetics. He is board certified in anatomic pathology, clinical pathology, cytopathology, and dermatopathology. Dr. Robb is a consulting pathologist to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Office of Biorepositories and Biospecimen Research (OBBR). He served as a member of the council on scientific affairs, the CSA Education Working Group, the Council on Education, the Personalized Health Care Committee, the Ad Hoc Committee on Pathology Report Standardization, and the CSA Working Group on Informed Consent for Biospecimens. He was the leader of the NCI's Cancer Human Biobank (caHUB) Biospecimens Subgroup, NCI's US-Latin America Cancer Research Network (US-LA CRN) Pathology Committee, and National Community Cancer Center Program (NCCCP). Dr. Robb was the governor of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Informatics committee, an organization comprising of over 18,000 board-certified pathologists. Attributed to James Robb, a pathologist formerly at UC San Diego.

Subject: What I am doing for the upcoming COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic 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!

What I have stocked in preparation for the pandemic spread to the US: 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. I hope these personal thoughts will be helpful during this potentially catastrophic pandemic. You are welcome to share this email. Good luck to all of us! Jim James Robb, MD FCAP

Bob

Thanks for sharing.  Many of the things mentioned here are things me and my wife already do.  However I do not have any masks.  So I need to stock up.  I heard there is a run on masks and both hoarding and price gauging is taking place.

Thanks Bob and Worcester. This is scary to me. I have a very low tolerance for infections and cannot fight alot off. This has alot to do with the fact that I have Lupus, an autoimmune disease. Back in 2015 I got a Bacterial Blood infection that I and doctors had no idea where it came from. I really had no strength in my body and was hospitalized for two months. So, believe me when I say that all of this is really troubling.
On top of all that, I am scheduled for a heart catherization Friday and aortic valve surgery soon after. Just walking into Mass General, looking around at all those people with masks on scares the heck out of me.
I hope that everyone reads this and pays attention. We certainly don't want anyone to get sick

Rosalie

Thanks Bob and Worcester.  This is scary to me.  I have a very low tolerance for infections and cannot fight alot off. This has alot to do with the fact that I have Lupus, an autoimmune disease. Back in 2015 I got a Bacterial Blood infection that I and doctors had no idea where it came from. I really had no strength in my body and was hospitalized for two months. So, believe me when I say that all of this is really troubling.  
On top of all that, I am scheduled for a heart catherization Friday and aortic valve surgery soon after. Just walking into Mass General, looking around at all those people with masks on scares the heck out of me.  
I hope that everyone reads this and pays attention. We certainly don't want anyone to get sick

Rosalie

One of the things that were mentioned that I didn't think of was touching the gas pumps.  I filled up yesterday, using my bare hands, and then went to visit a friend who was in the hospital.  I was stopped at the front door by hospital employees who were wearing masks and who asked me if I had been outside the country within the past 2 weeks.  I hadn't (I returned from South America 1/23, so about 5 weeks ago) and they gave me a sticker to put on my shirt so nurses could see I had been approved for entry.  HOWEVER, the whole "don't touch the gas pumps with your bare hands" wasn't thought of.

I guess the lesson to be learned here is "Touch nothing with your bare hands if you can help it and, if you do, wash them immediately with soap and water and/or alcohol wipes before you touch anything else, including your own clothes".


bob


.

Thanks Bob.

It is better to be prepared and not need things than it is to be unprepared and want.

I've gone out twice to stock up on some items and I'll be going out one more time today. Your post added a few new things to my list.

gyso

Asea Redox Molecules

A lot of people die from the flu every year in the US.

The CDC predicts that at least 12,000 Americans will die from the flu in any given year. As many as 61,000 people died in the 2017-2018 flu season, and 45 million were infected.Feb 7, 2020

good luck finding masks and gloves now. most places have been sold out for a few weeks at this point. I told the wife to order some from Amazon when I first read about the new Wuhan flue. She didn't...but I had some stashed, be prepared and all. question is should I let my wife use them if needed.....LOL.


on the upside, sounds like it might be on the downswing in the Wuhan area in china now. I read articles yesterday saying there are more "recovered" people than new infections there now. I would think that's a good thing and maybe give healthcare people an idea how long it's likely to take to run its course in a population.

Thank you for posting Bob. Like Rosalie I have an autoimmune disease and am always wary of any form of the flu. One of our band members had the flu and I stayed away from a gig and a rehearsal after he said he was over it, but I’m not taking any chances.

For years now I have taken extra precautions to reduce my exposure to flu viruses.

It is not difficult but does required discipline.

I literally will not touch door knobs, gas pumps, elevator buttons, ATM and other devices for using a credit or debit card.  It has to be at least 10 years now.  I never get the flu (knock on wood) and rarely get a severe cold.  Basically I avoid touching anything that the public touches like shopping carts or hand rails, etc.

I am at a more vulnerable age according to statistics and my wife has a higher risk due to her heart condition.

Went to get my car washed Saturday and here comes the sneezing coughing guy into the waiting room.  He coughs and sneezes on his hand and then grabs a chair to sit at the table.

I decided to wait outside.

Look, you cannot totally eliminate exposure to viruses but you have the ability to reduce those exposures.

Stay healthy everyone.

Bob, I am so glad you posted that highly informative message about preventing infections.

Rosalie,  For what it's worth I stayed in NZ in November with a good friend who had herself recovered from a severe case of lupus by tending to her gut biome. Then two weeks ago I had my first lupus patient since 1978; I recommended that she follow the protocol my NZ friend had discovered, that is to boost her intake of lactobacillus (several strains but especially L. reuteri) dramatically. Here's important research on the topic:

https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-017-0300-8

From my own research I also suggested my patient take humic/fulvic acids compounds, which are readily available on Amazon ($80 for 4 oz. will last a couple of months) - 6 drops in 6 oz. of what MUST be dechlorinated water, 3 x a day. After two weeks the patient came back saying she felt better, much better  than at anytime in the past ten years. She is a retired very high level executive who has zero tolerance for listening to or dishing out woo woo bs.

I've read many studies on the benefits of humic and fulvic acids, most positive, one negative. Here are two positive reports and a negative report about them as an aid for the treatment of lupus:
Positive:

http://fulvicacid.cn/docs/about.humic-fulvic.substances.2.pdfhttps://www.vitalo2.com/fulvic%20minerals%20info%20oxygen%20fulvic%20trace%20elements%20colloidal%20minerals%20magnesium%20nutrients%20supplements%201206.htm

https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/study-of-the-influence-of-humic-acid-macromolecules-on-the-structure-of-erythrocytes-of-some-animals


Negative: https://www.rxlist.com/humic_acid/supplements.htm

I personally take humic/fulvic acid to prevent lung infections and other viral attacks. It is quite effective yet almost totally unknown to the American public. I don't know if it works against corona virus, but I hope it does, since it is usually effective at stopping viral replication once infected.

So about a year ago at this time, I had a really bad left shoulder/rhomboid injury. I had already been taking CBD and turmeric. I tried everything, deep tissue massage, acupuncture, chiropractor, finally I saw an orthopedist who told me I had beginning stages of arthritis, and it seemed to be getting worse and worse. I thought Father Time got me, as I had already cancelled my class for 3 months. A friend of mine Ellen, a Reiki master told me this great product Asea cures arthritis, later I would find out it also does so much more and Asea healed my shoulder/rhomboid. There is a redox signaling molecule which we are all born with, as we age the signal gets clogged, the cells lose their ability to communicate and that is the root of all diseases and autoimmune diseases. Asea gives you back the Redox Molecules we had in our youth, allowing the body to function and communicate again, it’s great for inflammation, immune system, pro heart/circulation, anti cancer, anti diabetes. Since taking it all my other little aches and pains disappeared, I’ve never felt better, if anyone is interested in further information, please PM me....I swear by this stuff.

worcester wrote:Bob, I am so glad you posted that highly informative message about preventing infections.

Rosalie,  For what it's worth I stayed in NZ in November with a good friend who had herself recovered from a severe case of lupus by tending to her gut biome. Then two weeks ago I had my first lupus patient since 1978; I recommended that she follow the protocol my NZ friend had discovered, that is to boost her intake of lactobacillus (several strains but especially L. reuteri) dramatically. Here's important research on the topic:

https://microbiomejournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40168-017-0300-8

From my own research I also suggested my patient take humic/fulvic acids compounds, which are readily available on Amazon ($80 for 4 oz. will last a couple of months) - 6 drops in 6 oz. of what MUST be dechlorinated water, 3 x a day. After two weeks the patient came back saying she felt better, much better  than at anytime in the past ten years. She is a retired very high level executive who has zero tolerance for listening to or dishing out woo woo bs.

I've read many studies on the benefits of humic and fulvic acids, most positive, one negative. Here are two positive reports and a negative report about them as an aid for the treatment of lupus:
Positive:

http://fulvicacid.cn/docs/about.humic-fulvic.substances.2.pdfhttps://www.vitalo2.com/fulvic%20minerals%20info%20oxygen%20fulvic%20trace%20elements%20colloidal%20minerals%20magnesium%20nutrients%20supplements%201206.htm

https://www.intechopen.com/online-first/study-of-the-influence-of-humic-acid-macromolecules-on-the-structure-of-erythrocytes-of-some-animals


Negative: https://www.rxlist.com/humic_acid/supplements.htm

I personally take humic/fulvic acid to prevent lung infections and other viral attacks. It is quite effective yet almost totally unknown to the American public. I don't know if it works against corona virus, but I hope it does, since it is usually effective at stopping viral replication once infected.

great info thanks.

could you provide links to the right stuff to take as a preventive?

I goggle searched and came up with all kinds of stuff.

I've had to get further into this than I want due to market conditions which have partially been driven by this virus. Only partially, with a great deal of over-hype and over-reaction hiding causes that aren't sexy headlines like Coronavirus.

I've read more physician reports than I want to or care to. And believe me, I'm no doctor.

We've seen this before; sensationalism. The hype train rolls on. SARS, Ebola, Zica. Some cute names too; Bird Flu, Swine Flu. We're all going to get it. Run to the caves and don't come out. And, by the way, there have been previous Coronavirus outbreaks elsewhere, including in the Middle East in recent years. News agencies just didn't get to it in droves because they don't always get such great access there.

A friend who's a primary care physician has this advice; "Wash your hands, cover your cough, stay home if you're sick. Treat the risk like you would any flu season. More importantly, turn off your TV." He adds that those common masks being sold will in no way prevent the microbes associated with this virus from coming through and infecting you. The masks are better suited to those already infected to help prevent transmission outward.

That public opinion poll making the rounds showing 38% of New Yorkers thought there was a tie-in to Corona beer shows the mind-numbing over-production and under-education from a good story line. It's not that there's absolutely nothing to be concerned with, it's that it doesn't merit frightening half the planet into hiding.

In about a month, there will be a new disaster to worry about.

So be careful out there, but don't let this make you too crazy. And remember, I'm not a real doctor, nor do I play one on the web. I find I'm grateful for those like Worcester who are, and follow this stuff so we don't have to.

A real health concern? No Hayward or Walker tonight against Cleveland. Maybe no Tatum due to a previous illness and throw in a possible suspension for Smart for going after those refs post-game. There's a poor near-term health report.

" 38% of New Yorkers thought there was a tie-in to Corona beer"

Actually, it is Dos Equis (XX). Those double XXs get you every time.

I read that the reason to wear a mask is to remind yourself to stop touching your face!! We touch our face about 90 times a day. Your mouth and nose is the path to your lungs, where the virus actually does its work. The masks are just a reminder and not a physical means of preventing the microbe from entering your body. I do not plan on getting any.

More specifics on nutritional recommendations later, though I did read about Cowens Asea Redox, and it does look good as a general tonic - just not for coronavirus.

Here's promising news:

https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/this-coronavirus-hunter-is-racing-for-answers-in-a-locked-down-lab

worcester wrote:More specifics on nutritional recommendations later, though I did read about Cowens Asea Redox, and it does look good as a general tonic - just not for coronavirus.

Here's promising news:

https://www.bloombergquint.com/onweb/this-coronavirus-hunter-is-racing-for-answers-in-a-locked-down-lab

I would agree it may not be a cure, but no question it builds your immune system up significantly, and hundreds of health professionals and Dr’s using and recommending this for many reasons.

And please do not order from Amazon, those are knock offs, need to order thru a real distributor

gyso wrote:" 38% of New Yorkers thought there was a tie-in to Corona beer"

Actually, it is Dos Equis (XX).  Those double XXs get you every time.  

I read that the reason to wear a mask is to remind yourself to stop touching your face!!  We touch our face about 90 times a day.  Your mouth and nose is the path to your lungs, where the virus actually does its work.  The masks are just a reminder and not a physical means of preventing the microbe from entering your body.  I do not plan on getting any.

OK, now I've got it.
We should be referring to this as the Dos Equis Virus.
That's what's going to get us all.
Better still, you don't need a lime!



(So I can mention this is the latest wildly overblown panic and just have a beer.)

bobheckler wrote:  
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!

Some of this was good, but the above is patently false.

Viruses can live one to two days on nonporous surfaces like railings or door knobs, and 8 to 12 hours (not a week or more) on porous surfaces like clothing.

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/infections/how-long-do-bacteria-and-viruses-live-outside-the-body/?fbclid=IwAR3GN9pr54cqGvz_ditnRnsyhf3rS0M9VqcP8UvwPAfQuFbcDGdoVmGs8XU

mrkleen09 wrote:

bobheckler wrote:  
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!

Some of this was good, but the above is patently false.

Viruses can live one to two days on nonporous surfaces like railings or door knobs, and 8 to 12 hours (not a week or more) on porous surfaces like clothing.

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/infections/how-long-do-bacteria-and-viruses-live-outside-the-body/?fbclid=IwAR3GN9pr54cqGvz_ditnRnsyhf3rS0M9VqcP8UvwPAfQuFbcDGdoVmGs8XU

MrKleen,

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/coronaviruses-how-long-can-they-survive-on-surfaces#How-long-do-coronaviruses-persist?

“Human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces at room temperature for up to 9 days. At a temperature of 30°C [86°F] or more, the duration of persistence is shorter. Veterinary coronaviruses have been shown to persist even longer for 28 d[ays].”


bob


.

Bob

I will trust the uk national health service over medical news today. But believe what you like.

mrkleen09 wrote:Bob

I will trust the uk national health service over medical news today. But believe what you like.  

MrKleen,

I looked at our CDC for what they say about that. They say nothing, which is disturbing. We can get information from the UK's healthcare system but not from our own?


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-surfaces-explainer/explainer-how-long-can-coronavirus-survive-on-surfaces-idUSKCN20M3BK


An analysis of 22 earlier studies of similar coronaviruses, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) published online this month in the Journal of Hospital Infection, concluded that human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces for up to nine days at room temperature. However, they can quickly be rendered inactive using common disinfectants, and may also dissipate at higher temperatures, the authors wrote. It is not yet clear, however, whether the new coronavirus behaves in a similar way.


bob


.

I don't know guys...

I've always found a couple ounces of a real good single malt scotch can fix most anything.

Failing that, chicken soup.

Maybe we just go that route.

Sounds like something my Dad would say NYCelt!!!!!  A couple of good shots of whiskey will kept almost anything from growing!!!!!  He lived to be 80, longer than his entire family who passed on before any of them reached 50. He was a tough Italian!!!!   

Worcester, thanks for the information. I will read it all when I get home from MGH over the weekend.  My problems are many, so I have to be careful. I am on Coumadin for the rest of my life, so I watch everything I eat or drink.  I am having a heart catherization tomorrow, Aortic Valve replacement surgery after that. (Second time around) I have a seizure disorder (fortunately, with medication, I have not had one since 1985) and a few other things thrown in, so I have to be real careful.’
Thank God I have a great cardiologist, have been seeing the same Rheumatologist since 1985, and keep up with things.  
But......I am still here!!!!!!  Keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to go to Maine to see the Red Claws, one of my Christmas gifts. The other is a ticket to the Miami game in Boston on April 1. Don’t these doctors know I have things to do?????