Tag: SARS-CoV-2

bookmark_borderCOVID: The Natural Immunity Myth

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by Daniel Brouse
August 30, 2021

To date, there is zero (0) evidence that contracting the original strain of COVID gives you any immunity to re-infection — natural immunity. On the other hand, there are a multitude of examples of re-infection.

Natural immunity to the original strain lasts on average from 60 days to 6 months; however, there does not appear to be any natural immunity to the variants.

In India’s recent wave, 1 in 4 Delta cases were re-infections. “Antibodies against Sars-CoV-2 — the virus that causes Covid-19 — were found in about 27% of the 91 participants at a time when the second wave was raging in the country, researchers at the Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, National Centre for Disease Control and the Cambridge University, said.” — Hindustan Times

“During the Novavax vaccine trials in South Africa, the study found an overall primary efficacy of 49.4% in 4,400 participants, meaning about half of the patients vaccinated and later infected did not experience symptoms. Genomic analyses revealed that about a third of the 4,400 were previously positive for infection, meaning the South African variant was then and is now capable of reinfection, evading neutralizing antibodies in a similar capacity to the Brazilian variant.”

“The study also showed that prior infection with an earlier version of the virus did not reduce the risk of COVID-19 caused by the South African variant among people who got placebo shots.” — Reuters

Another variant (C.1.2) related to the original South Africa variant (C.1) was discovered in South Africa, China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, England, New Zealand, Portugal and Switzerland. A study by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) and the KwaZulu-Natal Research Innovation and Sequencing Platform (KRISP) in South Africa found the variant could be more transmissible and evade protection provided by vaccines and prior infection.

“Among Kentucky residents infected with SARS-CoV-2 in 2020, vaccination status of those reinfected during May–June 2021 was compared with that of residents who were not reinfected. In this case-control study, being unvaccinated was associated with 2.34 times the odds of reinfection compared with being fully vaccinated.” — CDC

“Our case series shows that reinfection with different strains is possible, and some cases may experience more severe infections with the second episode. The findings also suggest that COVID-19 may continue to circulate even after achieving herd immunity through natural infection or vaccination, suggesting the need for longer-term transmission mitigation efforts.” — Journal of Investigative Medicine

Vaccines do not appear to be much more effective against the Delta variant than natural immunity through infection. The increase of breakthrough cases has been increasing in lock-step with the increase spread of the Delta variant. “Fewer than 10% of new coronavirus infections occurred in fully vaccinated people in the weeks before June, but the rate increased this summer. In the first four weeks of August, roughly 30% of infections were in fully vaccinated individuals.” — The Star Tribune

A study by the CDC found vaccine efficacy dropped from roughly 90% to 66% as the Delta variant emerged. “This report updates vaccine effectiveness (VE) estimates including all COVID-19 vaccines available through August 14, 2021, and examines whether VE differs for adults with increasing time since completion of all recommended vaccine doses.” — CDC

Another CDC study that compared natural immunity to vaccination has found — “Among COVID-19–like illness hospitalizations among adults aged ≥18 years whose previous infection or vaccination occurred 90–179 days earlier, the adjusted odds of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 among unvaccinated adults with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection were 5.49-fold higher than the odds among fully vaccinated recipients of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine who had no previous documented infection.”

CONCLUSION PART I
There is a need for longer-term transmission mitigation efforts. Because reinfection is likely, vaccines efficacy is not high enough, and new variants are emerging, herd immunity is not achievable. Humans can not learn to live with the virus. Mitigation efforts must be made to stop community spread.

CONCLUSION PART II
COVID causes an immune dysfunction. When a person become infected, the SARS-CoV-2 virus alters your genes in order to infect you. “We identified EP300, MOV10, RELA, and TRIM25 as top candidates, and more than 60 additional proteins involved in the epigenetic response during viral infection that has therapeutic potential.” — Nature

When a person recovers from the virus, they are left with multiple gene alterations to there immune system. It is impossible for natural immunity to be feasible in an individual with an immune system that is compromised by a COVID-19 infection.

COVID survivors are left with a severe NAD+ deficiency, and an upregulation of IDO (which suppresses your T and NK cells.) Short term this makes your immune system dysfunctional. This means your antibodies can’t function properly and have little to no memory. Long term it makes you more likely to have heart, blood, respiratory, and neurological disorders. You are at high risk of developing dementia. In addition, you have reduced P53 genes (tumor suppression genes) putting you at higher risk of cancer. — The Membrane Domain

I strongly advise against contracting COVID.

OMICRON UPDATE
December 4, 2021

A study out of South Africa, “Increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection associated with emergence of the Omicron variant in South Africa,” found that individuals who recently recovered from the Delta variant were afforded little to no protection from the Omicron variant. “Population-level evidence suggests that the Omicron variant is associated with substantial ability to evade immunity from prior infection. This finding has important implications for public health planning, particularly in countries like South Africa with high rates of immunity from prior infection.”

As stated above, everybody is advised to:
* speak to your doctor
* get vaccinated
* wear an N95 mask
* stay socially distanced

UPDATE June 2022: No Immune Boost From Omicron
“If you were infected during the first wave, then you can’t boost your immune response if you have an Omicron infection,” said Prof Rosemary Boyton, of Imperial College London, a co-author of the study. “When Omicron started flying around the country, people kept saying that’s OK, that will improve people’s immunity,” said Boyton. “What we’re saying is it’s not a good booster of immunity.”

“It’s actually worse than that, because the adaptations that the spike [protein] has now are actually inducing a kind of regulation or shutdown of immune response,” Prof Danny Altmann, another author of the study, adding that while the study looked at responses to the BA.1, similar findings were likely for other subvariants of Omicron.

No Immunity Boost From Infection — view the PDF

COVID in Your Genes

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID Vaccine Breakthrough Cases

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by Daniel Brouse
August 23, 2021
help@membrane.com

Q: Why are there so many breakthrough cases of COVID in the vaccinated?

A: There are several reasons why there are breakthrough cases with any vaccine; however, COVID is different. Many of the vaccinated people getting COVID already had COVID prior to being vaccinated. This is the second time they have contracted the virus.

Once you have had COVID, your immune system is compromised. You should consider yourself immune compromised. The vaccine will not fully compensate for that fact. COVID damages your immune system. The virus makes your antibodies dysfunctional. The virus suppresses your memory T cells. The virus does a lot more to thwart an immune response. So though you may have the antibodies, maybe even lots and lots of antibodies, you’ve got Nobody’s At Home Syndrome. There is little to no immune response regulation nor coordination. This is also why natural immunity through infection is impossible. COVID erases the memory from your memory cells, so to speak. It can’t even remember itself.

Q: Is this a hallmark of the virus? I mean is this finding in all post COVID cases?

A: Yes. Severity of illness does not appear to be a factor (mild cases to severe all exhibit similar compromises to the immune system.) The exception is asymptomatic cases. We still don’t know about asymptomatic cases. The evidence is pointing to all cases that progress past the nasal passage result in immunocompromised individuals. There also is a small percentage (1 in 100,000) of people that appear to evade impact.

The scientific community is looking for ways to cure the problems. So far, there is only some success in treating the symptoms. There is nothing else to really compare to long-COVID. A similar condition happens to some measles survivors that bares a slight resemblance in T cell response, but it is not same. “Measles induces immune suppression through a process called immune amnesia. Studies in non-human primates revealed that MV actually replaces the old memory cells of its host with new, MV-specific lymphocytes. As a result, the patient emerges with both a strong MV-specific immunity and an increased vulnerability to all other pathogens.” COVID appears to use a different process that involves T cell suppression. There is also some similarity to HIV. “HIV attacks a specific type of immune system cell in the body. It’s known as the CD4 helper cell or T cell. When HIV destroys this cell, it becomes harder for the body to fight off other infections.” Again, COVID appears to use a different mechanism to suppress T cells.

Q: What do we know about the immune system post-COVID?

A: We know at least two important pieces of the puzzle:
1) The SARS-CoV-2 causes gene expressions in the host that result in dysfunctional NAD+. The virus makes it harder for the body to create NAD+ and also increases the breakdown in NAD+. “NAD regulates the inflammatory response in immune and non-immune cells through Sirtuins. Epigenetic regulation of histones and non-histone proteins is induced by sirtuins and is essential for the development, reprogramming, and differentiation of the immune system and its related pathologies. A deregulation of the NAD+ levels has been associated with metabolic diseases and aging-related diseases, including neurodegeneration, defective immune responses, and cancer.” — NAD-immune-system

2) The SARS-CoV-2 causes gene expressions in the host that result in upregulation of IDO (Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase). “IDO is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’ (Wikipedia)

Q: How long do these gene expressions (epigenetics) last? How long does long haulers syndrome last?

A: We don’t know how long post-COVID cases will suffer with a compromised immune system. Long-COVID patients from January of 2020 are still immune compromised. It is possible the genetic changes will never revert.

COVID in Your Genes

COVID-19 Delta Variant and Vaccines

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID-19 Delta Variant and Vaccines

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COVID
By Daniel Brouse

What do we know about the Delta variant and vaccines?

OVERVIEW
The efficacy of mRna vaccines is about 79% against contracting the Delta variant. Non-mRna vaccines are between 40-60% effective against Delta. Vaccines lose efficacy at about 3%/month after six months of being fully vaccinated. Vaccines appear to help contain the Delta variant to the nasal passage. You are less likely to develop the epigenetic changes to your genes (long-COVID). Previous infection of COVID offers no protection to the Delta variant. Get vaccinated.

THE BAD NEWS
The delta variant is much more contagious than any other COVID strain. Vaccines also appear to be less effective at preventing infection from the Delta variant. On July 30, 2021, the Delta variant was much more predominant in Louisiana than in Pennsylvania. In Louisiana, 15% of the deaths were in vaccinated individuals. In Pennsylvania, 1% of the deaths were in vaccinated individuals.

Recent studies also revealed that vaccinated people can transmit the virus both asymptomatically and symptomatically.

THE GOOD NEWS
The vaccines are still tremendously effective at preventing infection, hospitalization and death from Delta.

Vaccinated individuals that get infected with Delta overwhelmingly stop the virus in their nasal passage. The virus never infects the lungs nor spreads to other systems causing blood clots or other life threatening conditions.

Since Delta never reaches the lungs and other organs, vaccinated people that test positive for COVID are unlikely to develop long-COVID (Long Haulers Syndrome). Long-COVID is caused by the coronavirus making epigenetic and genetic changes to your genes. COVID partially disables the immune system. Some of the dismantling is temporary lasting only a few days. Some of the dismantling is chronic and may last a lifetime.

The most common long term side-effect from COVID-19 are:
* the disruption of the body’s ability to produce and retain NAD+. Without NAD+ your immune system can not metabolize most vitamins, can not regulate body temperature, nor properly activate an immune response. Lack of NAD+ will cause your body to hi-jack tryptophan and cause all sorts-of mental and neurological disorders. Lack of NAD+ has been associated with over one hundred post-COVID ailments.
* upregulation of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). “IDO is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’

In the vast majority of cases, vaccinated individuals do not suffer from alterations to the genes. Vaccination almost always prevents Delta from developing into long-COVID’s Long Haulers Syndrome.

PROTECT YOUR GENES FROM THE VIRUS
GET VACCINATED
WEAR A MEDICAL GRADE MASK (to prevent the virus from getting in your nasal passage in the first place)
TAKE A NIACIN SUPPLEMENT
AVOID ANTI-VAXXERS LIKE THE PLAGUE

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderLong-COVID and Environmental Aggravators

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by Daniel Brouse
help@membrane.com

Exercise aggravates long-COVID symptoms. COVID causes changes to your genes making it harder to create NAD+ and quicker to consume NAD+. Normally, exercise helps boost your NAD+. Not with long-COVID. The inflammation caused by exercise, anxiety, or exertion causes a rapid depletion of NAD+ aggravating long-COVID symptoms and perpetuating the downward cycle in NAD+ levels. So, Long Haulers should limit their activity until their NAD+ deficiency is under control.

What other factors can impact the severity of your long-COVID symptoms? We know anything that depletes NAD+ will cause problems. Aging, Hypertension, Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and other ailments result in suboptimal NAD+. But, what about your environment?

We know long term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of death from COVID-19 by 20 times. Another reason why wearing a mask in the out-of-doors is a good idea. Completely avoid outside exposure on air quality alert days.

I have been conducting research and development on two other environmental factors — elevation and temperature.

ELEVATION I — Change in Atmospheric Pressure
Elevation is the number of feet above sea level on which you stand. The bio-hacker experiment I’ve been conducting takes me from 400 feet above sea level to 1,400 feet above sea level. The more rapid the change from higher elevations to lower elevation, then the worse my long-COVID symptoms. All systems feel an impact; however, the middle ear takes the brunt of the punishment. Brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears are all amplified in their severity. I just did a 24 hour experiment and am beginning to think it has to do with pressure. Perhaps O2 (oxygen in the blood) as well, but more to do with “atmospheric pressure and sea level.” The symptoms seem to lag behind the increase in pressure.

Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “The epigenetic upregulation of IDO will determine the amount of quinolinic acid. Quinolinic acid comes from the kynurenine pathway. If the viscosity of the whole middle ear is increased then the ability to equalize will be less… same as having a cold. So, the ear isn’t equalizing correctly on increasing pressure. The same as when you land in a plane. If the viscosity in the semicircular canals is increased, the otoliths may well be lagging causing the vertigo. The otoliths usually “Float” in the semicircular canal and trigger tiny sensory hairs that allow you to detect position.”

“IDO (Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase) is an immune checkpoint molecule in the sense that it is an immunomodulatory enzyme produced by alternatively activated macrophages and other immunoregulatory cells. IDO is known to suppress T and NK cells, generate Tregs and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and also supports angiogenesis.’ (Wikipedia)

It is possible that changes in the weather that cause changes in atmospheric pressure (Lows and Highs) may result in the same problems. This happened to me with weather systems over the weekend (August 22, 2021.) A very low pressure system (hurricane Henri) passed by followed by a high pressure system. The following 2 days I suffered from brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, ear aches, vertigo, and pressure in the ears.

ELEVATION II — Oxygen Desaturation
People that go to higher elevations — above 4,900 feet — start to have more problems with High Altitude Oxygenation. “High altitudes can cause low oxygen saturation levels or desaturation of an individual’s blood.” Changing elevations at higher than 4,900 feet might cause both oxygen desaturation and atmospheric pressure problems.

COVID causes a decrease in the “rate of oxygen uptake into the lung to the oxygen gradient between the capillary blood and the alveoli.” Dr. Ade Wentzel said, “We know that the Lung Diffusion co-efficient is increased [by optimizing NAD+ levels].”

TEMPERATURE
The sweet spot is between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit. The further below 50 degrees the more severe the symptoms. Lower temperatures appear to be a linear relationship. On the other hand, temperatures above 70 degrees appear to have an exponential relationship. That is to say, if 80 degrees causes symptoms to be twice as bad, 90 degrees causes symptoms to be four times as severe.

CONCLUSION
Mountain hiking in 90 degree temperatures (exercise at higher elevations in the heat) causes unnecessary stress on your system and dramatically increases your chances of a negative outcome.

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderPost-Acute COVID-19 — COVID Long Haulers Syndrome

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Guy A. Richards1, Adrian Wentzel2, Robert Miller

Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae
Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae


 

COVID-19: NAD+ deficiency may predispose the aged, obese and type2 diabetics to mortality through its effect on SIRT1 activity Wentzel, Miller, Richards
COVID-19: NAD+ Deficiency by Wentzel, Miller, Richards (PDF)

Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 induced pneumonia with NAD+ in a mouse model Jiang, Deng, Ma, Pang, Hu, Qin, Xu
COVID-19 in Mice / NAD+ (PDF)

Post-Acute COVID-19 Sequelae

COVID Sequelae
COVID Sequelae
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid - Part 1: Prof. Guy Richards - Clinical perspective
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 1: Prof. Guy Richards – Clinical perspective

AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A

AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid - Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel - Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A
AIMMS seminar 23 June | Role of NAD+ in (long)Covid – Part 2: Dr. Ade Wentzel – Pathophysiology and Treatment of Long-Covid + Q&A

MORE ON COVID
The Vitamin Stack / Long Haulers Treatment

COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

 

bookmark_borderMore Than 900,000 People Have Died Of COVID-19 In U.S

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As of May 6, 2021, a new study estimates more than 900,000 have died from COVID in the USA (and more than 6.9 million globaly.)

The study, “COVID-19 has caused 6.9 million deaths globally, more than double what official reports show”, comes from scientists at the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. “As terrible as the COVID-19 pandemic appears, this analysis shows that the actual toll is significantly worse,” said Dr. Chris Murray, IHME’s director. “Understanding the true number of COVID-19 deaths not only helps us appreciate the magnitude of this global crisis, but also provides valuable information to policymakers developing response and recovery plans.”

The 20 countries with the highest number of total COVID-19 deaths, March 2020­–May 2021 

Country  Total COVID-19 deaths  Reported COVID-19 deaths 
United States of America 905,289 574,043
India 654,395 221,181
Mexico 617,127 217,694
Brazil 595,903 408,680
Russian Federation 593,610 109,334
United Kingdom 209,661 150,519
Italy 175,832 121,257
Iran 174,177 72,906
Egypt 170,041 13,529
South Africa 160,452 54,390
Poland 149,855 68,237
Peru 147,765 62,739
Ukraine 138,507 46,737
France 132,680 105,506
Spain 123,786 85,365
Germany 120,729 83,256
Indonesia 115,743 45,938
Japan 108,320 10,390
Romania 87,649 28,382
Kazakhstan 81,696 5,620

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderCOVID-19: A Survivor’s Story

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by Daniel Brouse

(Also see the update: 3 Years of Living With It)

I am a scientist and journalist publishing articles and papers since 1994. As part of a collective of scientists, we have been working on the greatest threat to humankind — humans. Much of my effort has been spent on Anthropogenic Climate Change. In addition, I have specialized in pollution, diseases, health and wellness.

In late December 2019 and early January 2020, I started studying a novel coronavirus discovered in Wuhan, China. My first paper on the subject was published in March 2020 entitled “COVID-19 and Air Pollution”.

In late January of 2020, I had been very ill with an upper respiratory illness. The same illness killed my father. At the time, COVID-19 had not been known in the USA. Since there was no test for COVID, the doctors could not diagnose the specific virus that caused my father’s death. It wasn’t until my recurring symptoms were diagnosed as “COVID Long Haulers” in May of 2020 that I knew I was suffering the aftermath of COVID-19.

The recurring symptoms were so concerning that I devoted all of my resources to studying COVID-long and searching for a cure. Every couple of weeks I went through a wave of symptoms. Though not as severe as the original illness, the symptoms still would render me useless. The symptoms did not come on all at the same time, rather they would cycle through over two weeks (not necessarily in the same order) and then repeat. Exercise and exertion would cause the symptoms to be more severe. The symptoms included:

* difficulty breathing (feeling like you’re not taking in enough oxygen)
* congestion / mild cough
* stomach issues / diarrhea
* loss of taste, smell, and appetite
* temperature regulation / night sweats
* nightmares / vivid dreams
* dizziness / the spins / foggy thinking
* headaches / body aches / soreness
* fatigue
* ear aches
* peripheral neuropathy (tingling of the hands and feet)

My concerns were several. Would the symptoms go away over time? As the months went on, the answer was no. Would the long term recurrence of systems cause a permanent disability? The answer is probably yes. My organs were sustaining progressive damage. Respiratory, circulatory, neurological, and renal damage, as well as, blood clots, thinning and leaky blood vessels in the brain tissue, and death have all been attributed to COVID and COVID-long.

In my pursuit of answers, I found another long hauler scientist, Dr. Ade Wentzel. Ade proved to me that my hypothesis of “COVID-19 Long Haulers: autoimmune response due to inactive particles of the virus” was incorrect. Rather, he demonstrated that sars-cov-2 causes COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra (CISP).

The main culprit is believed to be COVID’s genetic change to our production and utilization of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). NAD+ is involved in cell creation, maintenance, metabolism, and regulating cell processes. COVID can chronically increase the breakdown of NAD+ and simultaneously decrease the production of NAD+.

Ade added, “The biggest function of NAD+ is as a cofactor for energy(atp) production via the citric acid cycle. NAD+ is essential for carbohydrate metabolism. The brain being highly dependent on carbs.”

NAD+ and the Citric Acid Cycle
NAD+ and the Citric Acid Cycle

Ade introduced me to one of the co-authors of his research, Robert Miller. In October of 2020, Ade and Robert started me on “the stack”. The vitamin stack helps correct the NAD+ malady by treating COVID-19 Induced Secondary Pellagra. Finding the correct form and dosage of Niacin was the most challenging part.

Within days of starting the stack, my COVID-long symptoms dissipated. Since that time, I have remained relatively symptom free EXCEPT when I tried reducing the Niacin dosage. On three separate occasions, I experimented with reducing the dosage of Niacin. All three times my symptoms returned; therefore, I would call the stack a treatment not a cure.

Since that time, I have successfully helped thousands of other COVID-long victims with the stack.

At the end of April, I received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine. Loss of taste and muscle soreness symptoms returned for 24 hours and then disappeared. My overall wellness appears to have improved. Now, I’m experimenting with reducing my Niacin dosage again to see if the vaccine helped my body recover its ability to produce and retain NAD+.

After several days of reduced Niacin (nicotinic acid dosage was reduced from 300-500mg/day down to 0-30mg day), symptoms returned: neuropathy, fatigue, brain fog, muscle soreness, difficulty breathing, GI track / stomach issues, ear aches, and allergy-like symptoms. The most notable symptom to return — headaches. Prior to COVID, I did not experience headaches. Within days of decreasing the dosage, a chronic headache returned. I increased the Niacin dosage back to 500mg/day and supplemented the stack with resveratrol. Symptoms immediately dissipated.

After the second shot, side-effects were slightly worse. The metallic taste returned within a couple hours. For the 12-24 hours post-vaccination, there was dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. Then, all the side-effects disappeared. Three months after being fully vaccinated all of my presenting symptoms dissipated. Other “silent” post COVID conditions have persisted since the initial infection.

See the update: 3 Years of Living With It

CISP and The Stack

MORE ON COVID: COVID-19 / SARS-CoV-2 / Novel Coronavirus

bookmark_borderPost-COVID Can Cause the Body to Attack Itself

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In the study Musculoskeletal involvement of COVID-19, imaging showed evidence the body can attack itself. “There have been emerging reports, however, of an array of neuromuscular and rheumatologic complications related to COVID-19 infection and disease course including myositis, neuropathy, arthropathy, and soft tissue abnormalities. Multimodality imaging supports diagnosis and evaluation of musculoskeletal disorders in COVID-19 patients.”

“In some patients, the nerves are injured and in others, the problem is impaired blood flow,” said Dr. Swati Deshmukh of Northwestern University.

The severity of the COVID illness does not appear to determine these post-COVID conditions. Some of the subjects of the study did not even know they have had COVID-19.

“In some instances, musculoskeletal imaging may even suggest otherwise unrecognized SARS-CoV2 infection.”

“Musculoskeletal disorders can have dire short- and long-term consequences.”

Many post-COVID cases have really high levels of inflammation in their body. It is believed the inflammation is caused by the body’s autoimmune system attacking itself.

“I think it’s important to differentiate between what the virus causes directly and what it triggers the body to do,” Deshmukh said.

COVID-19 Scientific Based Information

bookmark_borderThe Recombination Event: SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

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When the COVID-19 genome changes, it is called a mutation. When the mutations combine, it is called a variant. When variants combine, it is called a recombination.

The general consensus is SARS-CoV-2 originated from a recombination event. An animal variant combines with a human variant and jumps to humans. When a virus jumps form animals to humans, it is called zoonotic. It is feared recombination events could make SARTS-CoV-2 endemic jumping back and forth between animals and humans.

“Two variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes covid-19 have combined their genomes to form a heavily mutated hybrid version of the virus. The “recombination” event was discovered in a virus sample in California, provoking warnings that we may be poised to enter a new phase of the pandemic.

The hybrid virus is the result of recombination of the highly transmissible B.1.1.7 variant discovered in the UK and the B.1.429 variant that originated in California and which may be responsible for a recent wave of cases in Los Angeles because it carries a mutation making it resistant to some antibodies,” as reported in NewScientist.

“We may be getting to the point when this is happening at appreciable rates,” says Sergei Pond at Temple University in Pennsylvania, who keeps an eye out for recombinants by comparing thousands of genome sequences uploaded to databases. He says there is still no evidence of widespread recombination, but that “coronaviruses all recombine, so it’s a question of when, not if”.

bookmark_borderCOVID Mortality Rate, Recovered, or Survived

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COVID
by Daniel Brouse
February 4, 2021

There have been discussions about how the COVID-19 mortality rate is declining.

I said:
The mortality rate is probably not declining. In fact, the new variants are likely increasing the mortality rate. The graphs that appear to show the mortality rate declining have more to do with how we are calculating the mortality rate. Compared to how we calculate the flu, the COVID mortality rate is actually around 10-15%. The published numbers are lower because we started including asymptomatic screenings instead of only symptomatic diagnostics.

You asked:
Are you saying the world CHANGED the way it calculates the mortality rate en masse and in a coordinated fashion? Or, are you saying it was and still is calculated wrong?

I replied:
It was not coordinated. It was/is because of the way COVID behaves, so we should not be talking about the mortality rate without making it clear. Traditionally, “a case” is a person showing up at their medical facility (doctor’s office or emergency room) WITH symptoms. “A case” is a doctor’s sick patient case. It has the doctor’s case number, etc. Flu screening tests are not counted in the flu’s mortality rate because they don’t screen for the flu. The more COVID testing of asymptomatic people, the lower the mortality rate will appear to be. It’s not that one way is right / wrong. It is that they are not the same formula.

You asked:
I guess what you’re saying is the flu does not report asymptomatic cases and therefore skews the comparison?

I replied:
Yes. Plus, since last March, screening tests have sky rocketed, so the appearance on the graphs is that the mortality rate is declining. It is not. In fact, the new variants appear to be more deadly. I agree we should identify all asymptomatic cases. I do not agree we should conclude the mortality rate is declining. It is not.

They are testing (screening) more and more people. The more people they test that are not symptomatic, the more it skews the mortality rate. Right now, it is believed the mortality rate is going up. UK, South Africa, Brazil, and California variants are causing more deaths.

You say:
The asymptomatic are just immune, so that certainly REDUCES the true mortality of the disease.

I replied:
No. Asymptomatic are not immune. And, the more asymptomatic people that are tested positive, the more the mortality rate will appear to fall — a false impression. If you want to look at the true mortality rate, it is about 10% in PA (and holding steady.) However, it is more important than ever to test for asymptomatic cases, because 1) asymptomatic cases are spreading the virus 2) asymptomatic cases often result in death or permanent disabilities as a result of COVID side-effects. For instance, many younger people develop multiple inflammatory syndrome, myocardial inflammation, or other deadly conditions.

You asked:
So how is it that asymptomatic cases are not immune?

I replied:
COVID is unlike any other virus we have ever seen… asymptomatic people appear to be just as contagious as symptomatic people. They also appear to develop heart, lung, and brain damage.

Another adds:
I don’t think we have Clarity regarding immunity from having had the disease. There are various studies about the amount of time the antibodies last as well as the variation in the number of antibodies that a person who suffered covid-19 has. Thinking that having the disease creates immunity to the disease is simply basing it on our previous experience of other viruses.

I added:
The original strain of COVID gave immunity on average: antibodies for 90 days and memory T-cells for 5 months. There does not appear to be any immunity to the new variants. And, the longer the virus remains out-of-control ANYWHERE in the world, the more variants will develop.

The worldwide mortality rate went from about 14% (last spring) down to 10% (last summer) and is now on the rise. The decline was likely do to “stay at home”, masking, and other mitigation efforts that helped slow the spread. The more the spread, the more the variants.

To put it another way: Last spring we needed immunity in about 60-75% of the population to reach herd immunity. Now, we need 90% of the world to have immunity to develop herd immunity. (And we have 30% of health care professionals refusing to get vaccinated. in the USA)

Asymptomatic cases should be identified, isolated, and all contacts traced. There currently is no good way to report a mortality rate. Let’s just say it’s way worse than anything we’ve ever seen…. and appears to be getting worse.

You asked:
My understanding regarding the r rate for measles is that it is 15. I thought that the r rate for the original strain of covid-19 is 2.4 and I read that the UK variant has a rate of 2.9. Why are you defining this is the worst we’ve ever seen?

I replied:
With all other viri (including the measles and the flu), the virus is obvious. If you get symptomatic, you are too sick to walk about. Also, knowing you have it, you probably feel it is your moral obligation not to spread it. However, with COVID, many people do not know they are shedding the virus. The result is it’s the worst ever seen. This can be observed in the real world. More drastic measures have been taken to control this virus than any other in history…. yet, more chronically ill victims have resulted. Another way to demonstrate it is: given the drastic change to our lifestyle and economics, this virus has caused more damage than any other… ever. It looks like COVID will have cost the USA 8 trillion dollars for the year. The cost of the flu for the year was $11.2 billion. I think the measles was about $10 million. No other illness, nor war, nor act of god has cost us as much as COVID.

You asked:
Do you have any other articles (perhaps the updated version of the one you attached above) that I might use?

I responded:
I don’t think I’ve written anything else about the problems with COVID mortality statistics. The mortality rate is the lessor of my concerns. My larger concern are people thinking surviving COVID means you recovered from COVID. Or inversely, comparing mortality to “recovered”. Though we don’t know the long term impact until the long term is over, it looks like many millions of Americans (and probably 80 million worldwide) will now have a preexisting condition (such as, Long Haulers Syndrome)… and the pandemic is far from over. Most of my articles o COVID are indexed here: http://membrane.com/COVID-19.html.

And another voice:
And one more thing. Thank you for pointing out that the people “recover“ from COVID-19 there is still so much morbidity out there post infection. We have people that are requiring pacemakers because of myocardial effects, as well as, extensive pulmonary damage due to this virus. I have several friends and colleagues who have had difficulty with their lungs post infection. What we don’t know is the long-term effects that will occur. I myself have no post infection sequelae, but I still don’t know how this could affect my body in the years to come.

I lament:
That is my fear. 1 year out, and I’m still treating my long haulers. My fear is… I could be killing myself over time.

COVID-19 Scientific Based Information