What is most disturbing to me about Covid, is that hospitals have to get refrigeration trucks outside for all the dead bodies and the morgues are overwhelmed. It sounds more serious than the regular flu, and this doesn't happen with the regular flu, so I don't think the situation is being "overblown" in the media.
Im a COVID ICU nurse. Ask me (almost) anything.
- Thread starter AndrogenHacker
- Start date
-
- Tags
- covid
AndrogenHacker
Member
I'm still here. My wife recently had surgery so I've not been at work in a while so I can care for her and my two boys.
I do know that my state currently has the highest rates of covid since it's all started.
I can say this:
We have multiple covid floors and all of them are full to the brim currently.
GreenMachineX
Well-Known Member
Gotcha. Do you see the death rate lowering?
AndrogenHacker
Member
You know, it's hard to say for sure from the trenches looking up, but if I had to give a concert answer, I would say yes.
Those early days, it seemed like no one ever made it.
I am not sure if it's because of better treatment or because the severity of the virus after mutation has lessened or combination of both.
But I will say it seems like more people are recovering faster (albeit, still slow relatively speaking) and I've now been involved with several situations where people have been able to get off the ventilator and move on to recovery. Maybe it's just probability, but
☝I couldn't make that claim several months ago.
AndrogenHacker
Member
It's a calling for sure. The pay is good enough that I'm able to support my wife and 2 little boys as the sole breadwinner. That's all I need.
Your absolutely right it can be extremely hard mentally and physically and a lot of nurses get burnt out. It takes a very specific Unique mindset to be able to deal with death etc day in and day out while maintaining compassion. I've made my peace with it. I couldn't see myself doing anything else. I appreciate you sharing this.
Matthew1975
Member
Figured I'd cite sources in the beginning rather than the end of what I write.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
www.sciencedirect.com
www.microbiologyresearch.org
As an RN working in NJ, who first encountered Covid in the ER, then was pulled back to ICU for three months (have 10 years Trauma/Neuro ICU), I'll add to the conversation, in no particular order.
- The term "case" is misleading: it does not mean the person has any symptoms, it does not mean the person has an active infection. All it means is that the swab managed to get enough pieces of coronavirus RNA that when put in the machine and cycled 35-40 times, it shows coronavirus is present. Look up "cycle threshold" issues, and you'll see why this is a problem. If I swab a countertop that has bits of Covid RNA on it, I can get a positive result, doesn't mean the counter is infected.
- Swabs are not only highly inaccurate (leaning towards false positives), but so much depends on technique and cooperation of the patient, as well as possible stage of the infection. After 5-7 days, the infection is not as easily isolated in the nasopharynx, so someone could swab negative, but have multiple symptoms as a well as a very concerning chest x-ray or CT.
- For some time, yes, there were refrigerated trailers at hospitals, not because morgues and funeral homes were "overwhelmed" due to volume, but because the bodies were considered biohazards. There was not enough knowledge regarding how the virus is transmitted, nor enough PPE and precautions in place for those who normally care for the deceased. There were instances were funeral homes simply would not accept the remains for a period of time, and most hospital morgues are not that large.
- The Federal government was the only governmental agency, specifically DOD, who was prepared to help. The state of NJ was not, from Trenton down to the local level. We were initially asked to reuse disposable N95 masks for a week, which are only rated to be worn and effective for 8 hours. Fortunately, our ER Chief Attending was able to get all staff P100 respirators with replaceable filters.
- There is plenty of evidence that hydroxychloroquine, along with zinc and azithromycin or doxycycline, are effective in early Covid infections. HCQ serves as a zinc ionophore, helping push zinc into the RNA of the virus, disrupting replication. HCQ is not unique in this, quercetin and EgCg, from green tea, are also zinc ionophores. This combo, or something like ivermectin, must be taken BEFORE the ferritin release and cytokine storm.
- The reason this combo doesn't help someone in an advanced state of infection is that while the virus resembles ARDS, it is NOT ARDS. Much of the damage results from the cytokine storm, but also from the patient's red blood cells releasing large amounts of ferritin (iron). The iron causes oxidative and physical damage to the lungs and other organs, which is why someone with moderate and above Covid, their chest x-ray or chest CT shows bilateral ground glass opacities. This is a hallmark of Covid and is a result of the x-rays scattering due to the high ferritin (iron) levels.
The best way to understand this is if you get bitten by a rattlesnake, you cannot wait until your leg is black and about to fall off to receive antivenom, as by then, the damage is done.
- It is not easy to contract Covid, it definitely requires some level of sustained interaction with someone who has the virus and is infectious. Knowing what I know now, I would have absolutely no problem going to the grocery store without a mask.
- Furthermore, we (the staff of the ER), are positive we had Covid patients starting in mid-late December 2019. We kept getting patient after patient presenting with flu-like symptoms or respiratory complaints, and no one was testing positive for the flu. None of us working in the ER got sick. I helped intubate a patient who in the span of 20 minutes, went from short of breath but talking, to struggling to breathe and unable to speak, to being emergently intubated. I had on no mask (very early in the pandemic), and none of us in the room got sick from this patient, who unfortunately died the next day.
- I did contract an extremely mild case of Covid while working the ICU where the entire unit was filled with virus. There was some loss of smell and taste for about 3 days, some scattered, intermittent aches that would come and go, but the worst part was the fatigue. I had no energy for about 10-11 days. For those wondering, I have O+ blood, and I also have an excellent immune system, fortified with researched supplementation. After the first few days, I could have gone into work if they needed me, but the fatigue would have really slowed me down.
- I realized I had Covid when I developed a dry cough. People who take ACE inhibitors for hypertension often experience the side effect of a dry cough. Since Covid targets the body's ACE receptors, just like an ACE inhibitor, I correctly surmised that I must have Covid. (told the ER docs my rationale and, in a sickening example of self-praise, they were impressed with my logic, as they hadn't considered that)
- A mask will not filter out virus particles. Yes, it will catch droplets if someone coughs or sneezes, but the vast majority of people do not want to sneeze in their mask, so generally it comes off then they sneeze. I had to sneeze in a Covid patient's ICU room while wearing my Moldex P100 respirator...what an unpleasant mess that was.
- Unless you have been fit-tested for a respirator, don't bother with N95's. Without proper fit testing, you have no idea as to the effectiveness. We are overdoing the precautions as it is...like if you stop to get coffee or a drink and they put the drink in some sort of box and pass it to you.
- Anything rated at KN95 is not made in the USA. FDA has tested them, and many are not as effective as a standard, disposable surgical mask. There are also a lot of fake 3M N95's, made in China, which are far less protective than the real product.
- Remdesivir...nah.
- This virus has been made far too political by people who put politics before truth. A perfect example is hydroxychloroquine. Not only did people immediately deride the medication because they didn't like the person talking about it, the medication was immediately demonized. "It's not safe, it has so many side effects, it's more dangerous than Covid!" Hydroxychloroquine is taken by millions of people worldwide on a daily basis, and this has held true for decades. In many nations, hydroxychloroquine is sold without a prescription. So a drug safely used by millions of people on a daily basis is suddenly dangerous? Think about it.
- Looking at actual evidence, this virus has the hallmarks of "gain of function" studies, not a virus suddenly making the leap from a Horseshoe nose bat (that wasn't even sold at the Wuhan wet market, and isn't found within 500 miles of Wuhan, except at the BSL-4 at the Virology Institute).
Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread - PMC
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV). No effective prophylactic or post-exposure therapy is currently available. We report, however, that chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV ...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection
Approximately 9 months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavius-2 (SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19]) spreading across the globe has led to widespread …
www.sciencedirect.com
Treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and combination in patients hospitalized with COVID-19
As of May 27, 2020, there were over 1,678,843 confirmed cases of COVID-19 claiming more than 100,000 lives in the Unites States (CDC, 2020). Currently there is no known effective therapy or vaccine. The urgent need for therapeutic agents has resulted in repurposing and redeployment of...
www.ijidonline.com
Zinc sulfate in combination with a zinc ionophore may improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Introduction. COVID-19 has rapidly emerged as a pandemic infection that has caused significant mortality and economic losses. Potential therapies and prophylaxis against COVID-19 are urgently needed to combat this novel infection. As a result of in vitro evidence suggesting zinc sulphate may be...
www.microbiologyresearch.org
As an RN working in NJ, who first encountered Covid in the ER, then was pulled back to ICU for three months (have 10 years Trauma/Neuro ICU), I'll add to the conversation, in no particular order.
- The term "case" is misleading: it does not mean the person has any symptoms, it does not mean the person has an active infection. All it means is that the swab managed to get enough pieces of coronavirus RNA that when put in the machine and cycled 35-40 times, it shows coronavirus is present. Look up "cycle threshold" issues, and you'll see why this is a problem. If I swab a countertop that has bits of Covid RNA on it, I can get a positive result, doesn't mean the counter is infected.
- Swabs are not only highly inaccurate (leaning towards false positives), but so much depends on technique and cooperation of the patient, as well as possible stage of the infection. After 5-7 days, the infection is not as easily isolated in the nasopharynx, so someone could swab negative, but have multiple symptoms as a well as a very concerning chest x-ray or CT.
- For some time, yes, there were refrigerated trailers at hospitals, not because morgues and funeral homes were "overwhelmed" due to volume, but because the bodies were considered biohazards. There was not enough knowledge regarding how the virus is transmitted, nor enough PPE and precautions in place for those who normally care for the deceased. There were instances were funeral homes simply would not accept the remains for a period of time, and most hospital morgues are not that large.
- The Federal government was the only governmental agency, specifically DOD, who was prepared to help. The state of NJ was not, from Trenton down to the local level. We were initially asked to reuse disposable N95 masks for a week, which are only rated to be worn and effective for 8 hours. Fortunately, our ER Chief Attending was able to get all staff P100 respirators with replaceable filters.
- There is plenty of evidence that hydroxychloroquine, along with zinc and azithromycin or doxycycline, are effective in early Covid infections. HCQ serves as a zinc ionophore, helping push zinc into the RNA of the virus, disrupting replication. HCQ is not unique in this, quercetin and EgCg, from green tea, are also zinc ionophores. This combo, or something like ivermectin, must be taken BEFORE the ferritin release and cytokine storm.
- The reason this combo doesn't help someone in an advanced state of infection is that while the virus resembles ARDS, it is NOT ARDS. Much of the damage results from the cytokine storm, but also from the patient's red blood cells releasing large amounts of ferritin (iron). The iron causes oxidative and physical damage to the lungs and other organs, which is why someone with moderate and above Covid, their chest x-ray or chest CT shows bilateral ground glass opacities. This is a hallmark of Covid and is a result of the x-rays scattering due to the high ferritin (iron) levels.
The best way to understand this is if you get bitten by a rattlesnake, you cannot wait until your leg is black and about to fall off to receive antivenom, as by then, the damage is done.
- It is not easy to contract Covid, it definitely requires some level of sustained interaction with someone who has the virus and is infectious. Knowing what I know now, I would have absolutely no problem going to the grocery store without a mask.
- Furthermore, we (the staff of the ER), are positive we had Covid patients starting in mid-late December 2019. We kept getting patient after patient presenting with flu-like symptoms or respiratory complaints, and no one was testing positive for the flu. None of us working in the ER got sick. I helped intubate a patient who in the span of 20 minutes, went from short of breath but talking, to struggling to breathe and unable to speak, to being emergently intubated. I had on no mask (very early in the pandemic), and none of us in the room got sick from this patient, who unfortunately died the next day.
- I did contract an extremely mild case of Covid while working the ICU where the entire unit was filled with virus. There was some loss of smell and taste for about 3 days, some scattered, intermittent aches that would come and go, but the worst part was the fatigue. I had no energy for about 10-11 days. For those wondering, I have O+ blood, and I also have an excellent immune system, fortified with researched supplementation. After the first few days, I could have gone into work if they needed me, but the fatigue would have really slowed me down.
- I realized I had Covid when I developed a dry cough. People who take ACE inhibitors for hypertension often experience the side effect of a dry cough. Since Covid targets the body's ACE receptors, just like an ACE inhibitor, I correctly surmised that I must have Covid. (told the ER docs my rationale and, in a sickening example of self-praise, they were impressed with my logic, as they hadn't considered that)
- A mask will not filter out virus particles. Yes, it will catch droplets if someone coughs or sneezes, but the vast majority of people do not want to sneeze in their mask, so generally it comes off then they sneeze. I had to sneeze in a Covid patient's ICU room while wearing my Moldex P100 respirator...what an unpleasant mess that was.
- Unless you have been fit-tested for a respirator, don't bother with N95's. Without proper fit testing, you have no idea as to the effectiveness. We are overdoing the precautions as it is...like if you stop to get coffee or a drink and they put the drink in some sort of box and pass it to you.
- Anything rated at KN95 is not made in the USA. FDA has tested them, and many are not as effective as a standard, disposable surgical mask. There are also a lot of fake 3M N95's, made in China, which are far less protective than the real product.
- Remdesivir...nah.
- This virus has been made far too political by people who put politics before truth. A perfect example is hydroxychloroquine. Not only did people immediately deride the medication because they didn't like the person talking about it, the medication was immediately demonized. "It's not safe, it has so many side effects, it's more dangerous than Covid!" Hydroxychloroquine is taken by millions of people worldwide on a daily basis, and this has held true for decades. In many nations, hydroxychloroquine is sold without a prescription. So a drug safely used by millions of people on a daily basis is suddenly dangerous? Think about it.
- Looking at actual evidence, this virus has the hallmarks of "gain of function" studies, not a virus suddenly making the leap from a Horseshoe nose bat (that wasn't even sold at the Wuhan wet market, and isn't found within 500 miles of Wuhan, except at the BSL-4 at the Virology Institute).
Lots of interesting info here - thanks.
Have you had any experience dealing with people that have a compromised or suppressed immune system (ie. transplant patients)? Are they treated the same way - both preventative and when ill? I have a close friend in this category and I hesitate to offer my 10-cents because I'm concerned that what I would do for myself may not be good for her. Her doctors give her the typical advice . . . if you get a fever or have trouble breathing come to the ER.
AndrogenHacker,
I have a question about COVID-19 testing. How do they correlate finding COVID-19 present in your nasal cavity with an actual systemic infection? I assume there could be an obvious answer that I am unaware of, but to put things in 'silly' terms, if my son sticks a crayon up his nose, he does not have a systemic crayon infection. (yes ridiculous comparison but only to clarify my example).
Are there people who have COVID-19 present in their nasal passage who don't actually get infected?
Is it possible we are only testing exposure rather than infection?
(could explain asymptomatic people)
Is it possible that people who have tested positive a second time, are only testing positive for a second exposure and not a second infection?
I have a question about COVID-19 testing. How do they correlate finding COVID-19 present in your nasal cavity with an actual systemic infection? I assume there could be an obvious answer that I am unaware of, but to put things in 'silly' terms, if my son sticks a crayon up his nose, he does not have a systemic crayon infection. (yes ridiculous comparison but only to clarify my example).
Are there people who have COVID-19 present in their nasal passage who don't actually get infected?
Is it possible we are only testing exposure rather than infection?
(could explain asymptomatic people)
Is it possible that people who have tested positive a second time, are only testing positive for a second exposure and not a second infection?
Great summary! Thanks for posting it!Figured I'd cite sources in the beginning rather than the end of what I write.
Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread - PMC
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV). No effective prophylactic or post-exposure therapy is currently available. We report, however, that chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV ...
Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection
Approximately 9 months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavius-2 (SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19]) spreading across the globe has led to widespread …
Treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and combination in patients hospitalized with COVID-19
As of May 27, 2020, there were over 1,678,843 confirmed cases of COVID-19 claiming more than 100,000 lives in the Unites States (CDC, 2020). Currently there is no known effective therapy or vaccine. The urgent need for therapeutic agents has resulted in repurposing and redeployment of...www.ijidonline.com
Zinc sulfate in combination with a zinc ionophore may improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Introduction. COVID-19 has rapidly emerged as a pandemic infection that has caused significant mortality and economic losses. Potential therapies and prophylaxis against COVID-19 are urgently needed to combat this novel infection. As a result of in vitro evidence suggesting zinc sulphate may be...
As an RN working in NJ, who first encountered Covid in the ER, then was pulled back to ICU for three months (have 10 years Trauma/Neuro ICU), I'll add to the conversation, in no particular order.
- The term "case" is misleading: it does not mean the person has any symptoms, it does not mean the person has an active infection. All it means is that the swab managed to get enough pieces of coronavirus RNA that when put in the machine and cycled 35-40 times, it shows coronavirus is present. Look up "cycle threshold" issues, and you'll see why this is a problem. If I swab a countertop that has bits of Covid RNA on it, I can get a positive result, doesn't mean the counter is infected.
- Swabs are not only highly inaccurate (leaning towards false positives), but so much depends on technique and cooperation of the patient, as well as possible stage of the infection. After 5-7 days, the infection is not as easily isolated in the nasopharynx, so someone could swab negative, but have multiple symptoms as a well as a very concerning chest x-ray or CT.
- For some time, yes, there were refrigerated trailers at hospitals, not because morgues and funeral homes were "overwhelmed" due to volume, but because the bodies were considered biohazards. There was not enough knowledge regarding how the virus is transmitted, nor enough PPE and precautions in place for those who normally care for the deceased. There were instances were funeral homes simply would not accept the remains for a period of time, and most hospital morgues are not that large.
- The Federal government was the only governmental agency, specifically DOD, who was prepared to help. The state of NJ was not, from Trenton down to the local level. We were initially asked to reuse disposable N95 masks for a week, which are only rated to be worn and effective for 8 hours. Fortunately, our ER Chief Attending was able to get all staff P100 respirators with replaceable filters.
- There is plenty of evidence that hydroxychloroquine, along with zinc and azithromycin or doxycycline, are effective in early Covid infections. HCQ serves as a zinc ionophore, helping push zinc into the RNA of the virus, disrupting replication. HCQ is not unique in this, quercetin and EgCg, from green tea, are also zinc ionophores. This combo, or something like ivermectin, must be taken BEFORE the ferritin release and cytokine storm.
- The reason this combo doesn't help someone in an advanced state of infection is that while the virus resembles ARDS, it is NOT ARDS. Much of the damage results from the cytokine storm, but also from the patient's red blood cells releasing large amounts of ferritin (iron). The iron causes oxidative and physical damage to the lungs and other organs, which is why someone with moderate and above Covid, their chest x-ray or chest CT shows bilateral ground glass opacities. This is a hallmark of Covid and is a result of the x-rays scattering due to the high ferritin (iron) levels.
The best way to understand this is if you get bitten by a rattlesnake, you cannot wait until your leg is black and about to fall off to receive antivenom, as by then, the damage is done.
- It is not easy to contract Covid, it definitely requires some level of sustained interaction with someone who has the virus and is infectious. Knowing what I know now, I would have absolutely no problem going to the grocery store without a mask.
- Furthermore, we (the staff of the ER), are positive we had Covid patients starting in mid-late December 2019. We kept getting patient after patient presenting with flu-like symptoms or respiratory complaints, and no one was testing positive for the flu. None of us working in the ER got sick. I helped intubate a patient who in the span of 20 minutes, went from short of breath but talking, to struggling to breathe and unable to speak, to being emergently intubated. I had on no mask (very early in the pandemic), and none of us in the room got sick from this patient, who unfortunately died the next day.
- I did contract an extremely mild case of Covid while working the ICU where the entire unit was filled with virus. There was some loss of smell and taste for about 3 days, some scattered, intermittent aches that would come and go, but the worst part was the fatigue. I had no energy for about 10-11 days. For those wondering, I have O+ blood, and I also have an excellent immune system, fortified with researched supplementation. After the first few days, I could have gone into work if they needed me, but the fatigue would have really slowed me down.
- I realized I had Covid when I developed a dry cough. People who take ACE inhibitors for hypertension often experience the side effect of a dry cough. Since Covid targets the body's ACE receptors, just like an ACE inhibitor, I correctly surmised that I must have Covid. (told the ER docs my rationale and, in a sickening example of self-praise, they were impressed with my logic, as they hadn't considered that)
- A mask will not filter out virus particles. Yes, it will catch droplets if someone coughs or sneezes, but the vast majority of people do not want to sneeze in their mask, so generally it comes off then they sneeze. I had to sneeze in a Covid patient's ICU room while wearing my Moldex P100 respirator...what an unpleasant mess that was.
- Unless you have been fit-tested for a respirator, don't bother with N95's. Without proper fit testing, you have no idea as to the effectiveness. We are overdoing the precautions as it is...like if you stop to get coffee or a drink and they put the drink in some sort of box and pass it to you.
- Anything rated at KN95 is not made in the USA. FDA has tested them, and many are not as effective as a standard, disposable surgical mask. There are also a lot of fake 3M N95's, made in China, which are far less protective than the real product.
- Remdesivir...nah.
- This virus has been made far too political by people who put politics before truth. A perfect example is hydroxychloroquine. Not only did people immediately deride the medication because they didn't like the person talking about it, the medication was immediately demonized. "It's not safe, it has so many side effects, it's more dangerous than Covid!" Hydroxychloroquine is taken by millions of people worldwide on a daily basis, and this has held true for decades. In many nations, hydroxychloroquine is sold without a prescription. So a drug safely used by millions of people on a daily basis is suddenly dangerous? Think about it.
- Looking at actual evidence, this virus has the hallmarks of "gain of function" studies, not a virus suddenly making the leap from a Horseshoe nose bat (that wasn't even sold at the Wuhan wet market, and isn't found within 500 miles of Wuhan, except at the BSL-4 at the Virology Institute).
GreenMachineX
Well-Known Member
What Supplementation specifically?Figured I'd cite sources in the beginning rather than the end of what I write.
Chloroquine is a potent inhibitor of SARS coronavirus infection and spread - PMC
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a newly discovered coronavirus (SARS-CoV). No effective prophylactic or post-exposure therapy is currently available. We report, however, that chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV ...
Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection
Approximately 9 months of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavius-2 (SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19]) spreading across the globe has led to widespread …
Treatment with hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, and combination in patients hospitalized with COVID-19
As of May 27, 2020, there were over 1,678,843 confirmed cases of COVID-19 claiming more than 100,000 lives in the Unites States (CDC, 2020). Currently there is no known effective therapy or vaccine. The urgent need for therapeutic agents has resulted in repurposing and redeployment of...www.ijidonline.com
Zinc sulfate in combination with a zinc ionophore may improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Introduction. COVID-19 has rapidly emerged as a pandemic infection that has caused significant mortality and economic losses. Potential therapies and prophylaxis against COVID-19 are urgently needed to combat this novel infection. As a result of in vitro evidence suggesting zinc sulphate may be...
As an RN working in NJ, who first encountered Covid in the ER, then was pulled back to ICU for three months (have 10 years Trauma/Neuro ICU), I'll add to the conversation, in no particular order.
- The term "case" is misleading: it does not mean the person has any symptoms, it does not mean the person has an active infection. All it means is that the swab managed to get enough pieces of coronavirus RNA that when put in the machine and cycled 35-40 times, it shows coronavirus is present. Look up "cycle threshold" issues, and you'll see why this is a problem. If I swab a countertop that has bits of Covid RNA on it, I can get a positive result, doesn't mean the counter is infected.
- Swabs are not only highly inaccurate (leaning towards false positives), but so much depends on technique and cooperation of the patient, as well as possible stage of the infection. After 5-7 days, the infection is not as easily isolated in the nasopharynx, so someone could swab negative, but have multiple symptoms as a well as a very concerning chest x-ray or CT.
- For some time, yes, there were refrigerated trailers at hospitals, not because morgues and funeral homes were "overwhelmed" due to volume, but because the bodies were considered biohazards. There was not enough knowledge regarding how the virus is transmitted, nor enough PPE and precautions in place for those who normally care for the deceased. There were instances were funeral homes simply would not accept the remains for a period of time, and most hospital morgues are not that large.
- The Federal government was the only governmental agency, specifically DOD, who was prepared to help. The state of NJ was not, from Trenton down to the local level. We were initially asked to reuse disposable N95 masks for a week, which are only rated to be worn and effective for 8 hours. Fortunately, our ER Chief Attending was able to get all staff P100 respirators with replaceable filters.
- There is plenty of evidence that hydroxychloroquine, along with zinc and azithromycin or doxycycline, are effective in early Covid infections. HCQ serves as a zinc ionophore, helping push zinc into the RNA of the virus, disrupting replication. HCQ is not unique in this, quercetin and EgCg, from green tea, are also zinc ionophores. This combo, or something like ivermectin, must be taken BEFORE the ferritin release and cytokine storm.
- The reason this combo doesn't help someone in an advanced state of infection is that while the virus resembles ARDS, it is NOT ARDS. Much of the damage results from the cytokine storm, but also from the patient's red blood cells releasing large amounts of ferritin (iron). The iron causes oxidative and physical damage to the lungs and other organs, which is why someone with moderate and above Covid, their chest x-ray or chest CT shows bilateral ground glass opacities. This is a hallmark of Covid and is a result of the x-rays scattering due to the high ferritin (iron) levels.
The best way to understand this is if you get bitten by a rattlesnake, you cannot wait until your leg is black and about to fall off to receive antivenom, as by then, the damage is done.
- It is not easy to contract Covid, it definitely requires some level of sustained interaction with someone who has the virus and is infectious. Knowing what I know now, I would have absolutely no problem going to the grocery store without a mask.
- Furthermore, we (the staff of the ER), are positive we had Covid patients starting in mid-late December 2019. We kept getting patient after patient presenting with flu-like symptoms or respiratory complaints, and no one was testing positive for the flu. None of us working in the ER got sick. I helped intubate a patient who in the span of 20 minutes, went from short of breath but talking, to struggling to breathe and unable to speak, to being emergently intubated. I had on no mask (very early in the pandemic), and none of us in the room got sick from this patient, who unfortunately died the next day.
- I did contract an extremely mild case of Covid while working the ICU where the entire unit was filled with virus. There was some loss of smell and taste for about 3 days, some scattered, intermittent aches that would come and go, but the worst part was the fatigue. I had no energy for about 10-11 days. For those wondering, I have O+ blood, and I also have an excellent immune system, fortified with researched supplementation. After the first few days, I could have gone into work if they needed me, but the fatigue would have really slowed me down.
- I realized I had Covid when I developed a dry cough. People who take ACE inhibitors for hypertension often experience the side effect of a dry cough. Since Covid targets the body's ACE receptors, just like an ACE inhibitor, I correctly surmised that I must have Covid. (told the ER docs my rationale and, in a sickening example of self-praise, they were impressed with my logic, as they hadn't considered that)
- A mask will not filter out virus particles. Yes, it will catch droplets if someone coughs or sneezes, but the vast majority of people do not want to sneeze in their mask, so generally it comes off then they sneeze. I had to sneeze in a Covid patient's ICU room while wearing my Moldex P100 respirator...what an unpleasant mess that was.
- Unless you have been fit-tested for a respirator, don't bother with N95's. Without proper fit testing, you have no idea as to the effectiveness. We are overdoing the precautions as it is...like if you stop to get coffee or a drink and they put the drink in some sort of box and pass it to you.
- Anything rated at KN95 is not made in the USA. FDA has tested them, and many are not as effective as a standard, disposable surgical mask. There are also a lot of fake 3M N95's, made in China, which are far less protective than the real product.
- Remdesivir...nah.
- This virus has been made far too political by people who put politics before truth. A perfect example is hydroxychloroquine. Not only did people immediately deride the medication because they didn't like the person talking about it, the medication was immediately demonized. "It's not safe, it has so many side effects, it's more dangerous than Covid!" Hydroxychloroquine is taken by millions of people worldwide on a daily basis, and this has held true for decades. In many nations, hydroxychloroquine is sold without a prescription. So a drug safely used by millions of people on a daily basis is suddenly dangerous? Think about it.
- Looking at actual evidence, this virus has the hallmarks of "gain of function" studies, not a virus suddenly making the leap from a Horseshoe nose bat (that wasn't even sold at the Wuhan wet market, and isn't found within 500 miles of Wuhan, except at the BSL-4 at the Virology Institute).
BJE
Active Member
Fortunately for me it only lasted about 10-12 days. My main symptoms were headache, body aches, chills and fever. Cough and congestion were fairly minimal. Oddly, my wife did not get it from me despite sleeping with me and having sex every other day.
My brother who has many health problems was admitted to the hospital with blood clots in his lungs.
My brother who has many health problems was admitted to the hospital with blood clots in his lungs.
I can imagine it would be stressful. I have the highest respect for people like you who work on the front lines.
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