(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)
It could be argued that investing in some form of telehealth communication device is now a valuable part of a family’s medical preps, especially if a member of your family suffers from chronic serious medical conditions. iPad/iPhones seem to be the most used platforms in telehealth, but often any computer or tablet/phone can also work. Reliable internet or data plan access may be required to make the video component of this work. So that you may be prepared to stay on top of your chronic diseases if in-person visits are restricted again, I would advise querying your doctor’s office now as to what platforms they use for telehealth, and downloading the apps ahead of time. Many hospital systems offer patients the option of enrolling in services such as “MyChart” which is a portal by which a patient can communicate with their Primary Care Physician (PCP)’s office and also view test results. I suggest patients enroll in this service so that the patient has access to their own medical records. Printing backup copies of test results to keep at home would be helpful if you were forced to relocate suddenly or if the computer system housing the EMR’s goes down for any reason.
Did Any Good Come Out of the Pandemic?
I would argue that there were some positive things that have come out of the pandemic and helped offset some of the very negative aspects of it:
- First, this disease should remind us all that life “is but a vapor” and we need to be prepared for the fact that any day could be our last. As a Christian, it gave me pause to consider the strength of my relationship with God should I be meeting Him sooner rather than later.
- Because we were given this reminder of the fragility of life, this served as a good aide-mémoire to have one’s personal and business affairs updated and in order (including life insurance, wills, guardianships, etc.).
- Having been given a glimpse into how quickly an economic collapse can occur, we were given a wakeup call to prepare for a sudden job loss.
- Many of us spent more of our time working from home than before. It became apparent that many meetings could be accomplished more efficiently over Zoom or GoToMeeting than in a traditional manner. This efficiency has saved many people hours of “windshield time” and fuel expenses that were wasted in their week prior to COVID.
- While we were stressed about the future, one hidden blessing that many of us received was more family time at home. Extracurricular activities and entertainment events were canceled and families had little to do except for being home alone together. I know I enjoyed the days I needed to work from home and was able to see my family more than in a typical busy workweek.
- The fear that a pandemic could wipe out a major portion of our friends and family helped us frame a better perspective about what was important and what was not in life.
- For those who were “preppers” prior to this pandemic, it was a good practice run for a larger event that may occur in the future. I’m sure many readers took this experience and adjusted their plans for the future based on having gone through a real-world dry run of a crisis event.
- For those who were not preppers before, this crisis has awakened many to the need to be personally prepared. There is nothing like not being able to buy toilet paper at will to make folks start thinking about what they would do if this crisis were to result in longer-term supply chain disruptions of food and other critical items. As seasoned preppers, we should welcome their newfound interest and help mentor them as they join us in preparing for uncertain times.
What Good Did “Prepping” Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
For many who were already involved in some degree of personal and family preparedness, this crisis was not as emotionally taxing as it was for many of the unprepared. For many of the previously unprepared (some of whom may be new readers of SurvivalBlog) it was a wakeup call to begin preparing. It was interesting to hear reports of the number of family, friends, and co-workers who suddenly began consulting the prepper in their lives about what type of gun, food, rural land et cetera to buy; unfortunately many of these queries came as the shelves were starting to empty.
As the first wave of the pandemic was not as bad as predicted, we have providentially been granted a second chance to reassess and modify our preps. Let’s consider some of the benefits that being prepared had in the recent pandemic:
- Supplies became very limited in stores. Fights between shoppers erupted over essential goods. Even Amazon and other direct-to-home businesses saw their inventories wiped out and “2-day Prime” deliveries delayed for weeks.
- Preppers didn’t have to panic buy at inflated prices. They also didn’t worry about whether they had enough food, toilet paper, or any other supply to survive if the stores were closed for a month. They could truly shelter in place in their homes while the worst of the infectious risk and social chaos was occurring.
- During a time when a potentially lethal virus could be lurking in the body of any shopper in a store, being able to avoid the stores that were open and had goods on their shelves is a huge benefit to having preparations at home.
- For those who were prepared on the technology side, they were often able to avail themselves of the option to work from home. This helped them avoid exposure at the workplace, and also allowed them to be home with their families more than a usual workweek affords. Having a home office area with a reliable computer, office supplies, web camera, and internet service are all helpful at making the work-from-home option successful.
Many churches and other civic groups were forced to move to virtual services and those members who had the ability to join a Zoom or other broadcast were still able to have some element of collective meeting and worship, even if it was temporarily via electronic means. This likely helped combat some of the mental health issues that can occur with social isolation in a quarantine.
- For those families who had previously chosen to homeschool their children, the thoughts of canceled schools and e-learning were not the stressful experiences many parents encountered. News outlets are now reporting that many parents are considering homeschooling their children rather than sending them back to school this Fall.
- For those who were already preppers, having a larter of basic food and supplies previously gathered allowed them to focus on making targeted pandemic-specific preps at the last minute, rather than panic-buying without an organized game plan.
- For families that had members living or working elsewhere that did come back to the family home to ride out the pandemic, those with a way to quarantine them in a separate area until they were determined to be virus-free helped protect all parties involved.
Other Thoughts About the COVID-19 Crisis:
This will most likely not be last pandemic threat we encounter in our lifetime. We live in a global society where mass migration and air travel help fuel the spread of infectious diseases at lightning-fast pace to all corners of the world. I believe that making preparations and plans for a future pandemic is a wise component of an overall family preparedness plan. If this was a lab-created virus, there is always a possibility that a more terrifying strain can be created as well, the survival rate of which may be much lower.
Stockpiling supplies such as regular masks, N95 masks, nitrile medical gloves, disposable gowns, and hand sanitizer is a wise addition to one’s medical preps. For those who have the space to do so, having a plan for safely quarantining a family member who is possibly exposed, or has returned home from travel to a danger area, is important…maybe that is an RV, cabin, or basement bedroom that allows isolation from the other members of the group.
Some governments went a few steps too far in closing down businesses, churches, etc. Some did so out of good intentions (protecting the public), even if the fear of the disease led to over-reacting. Others likely had more nefarious intentions and wouldn’t want to see this crisis go to waste as they are determined to prolong the shutdown longer than needed to try to crumble a strong economy until November, and also test just how compliant the “sheeple” would be when given social engineering instructions. Reports of local unelected health department officials placing people on house arrest with ankle bracelet tracking devices for not signing their quarantine agreements were especially troubling. Regardless of the cause, I believe a prudent man sees the danger ahead and does his best to protect himself and his family from them. Stockpiling food and medical supplies, being able to shelter in place for a prolonged period without many/any trips to the store, and planning ahead for the next pandemic are critical components in this scheme.
As citizens, we need to push our elected officials to focus on better preparations for a future pandemic. Had we possessed proper quantities of medical equipment (such as medications and ventilators) and PPE, we could have kept many areas of the country open to business, with some minimally inconvenient modifications such as wearing masks and using hand sanitizer in public. The cost of the PPE and adequate medical resources would have been far cheaper than the cost of shutting down the world’s largest economy for months. As a nation, we need to invest heavily in strategic stockpiles of these items just as we have for oil reserves. And a large portion of these critical lifesaving products should be manufactured in the USA, not in China or any other foreign nation that may prove unreliable at a moment of greatest need; tax incentives need to be restructured to encourage domestic production of these items. Ultimately, we dodged a bullet this round which could have been much worse. Elected officials need to gain a sense of urgency to prepare before a more virulent strain hits us.
The COVID-19 pandemic should be a wakeup call for all of us. For those of us who prepped before, I believe this made us thankful that we did, and also helped us determine what areas of our preps we need to improve upon. For those who didn’t prep before, but are interested in doing so now, we welcome you.
Doctor Dan
Without prescribing to anyone reading this blog, what have you been able to learn about hydroxychloroquine, zinc, zpak, vitamin d, vitamin c? I have heard of a few physicians who are using hydroxychloroquine etc for prophylaxis so they can see patients more safely. I have heard about physicians who have had success treating their patients with it. Unfortunately this became a political issue as soon Pres. Trump spoke highly about it.
No hospital could have been prepared for this pandemic. Hospitals all deal with next day delivery. At best, any hospital, might have enough supplies to take care of their ROUTINE needs for a week. Just like the major supermarkets there is always a truck coming in tomorrow, until there is not. They are not able to predict a rare event. When demand goes off the charts no system can react fast enough. Intensive Care Unit beds are a very limited commodity. Respirators, positive pressure enviroment, and PPE by the thousands of units all over the country needed immediately, especially when the supply chain goes all the way to China, who has just cut off the supply for their own use. Be aware not all nurses are trained to work in an ICU on respirators, IV pumps, with critical care patients on deaths door. Neither are all physicians. Dr Dan has told us he is an anesthesiologist and critical care physician which is a very unique specialty, needed for critical care patients, of which there are very few in any BIG hospital. Most physicians are not trained to be managing these patients. They may consult on them, but not manage them. Keep in mind that the doctors and nurses and other hospital personnel must sleep, have time off to not burn out. God help us if they should get sick and die. How can they go home and possibly take this plague home to their loved ones. Hospital personnel have literally gone through hell for the past 6 months. One New York City ER ICU physician took her own life due to the pressure of dealing with the incredible emotional drain of constant stress and the inability to keep her patients from dying, inspite of her best efforts.
Dan thank you for what you do. From someone who knows. You all deserve our respect and gratitude.
This time the nation avoided a meltdown in the health care system and supply lines held, but only with great national effort and personal sacrifice by doctors, nurses, and all hospital personnel. We may not be so lucky next time.
In my study, I have concluded the Hdroxcolorquine (HCQ) cocktail is very effective if administered in the first 5 to 7 days but once the virus hits the lungs if is not. Fauci actually recommended HCQ for coronavirus SARS 15 years ago. I also have been reading reports of Doctors success in using HCQ with their patients.
I believe if Trump had not mentioned HCQ it would have become the initial treatment near-universally. Because he did, the media and Democrats were ideologically bound to take the opposite view. That has resulted in widespread attempts to lomit its use and even lies that the drug is dangerous. It has been in wide use and off label for many years since first approved by FDA 65 years ago. It went so far as some governors banning doctors from prescribing it on zero scientic basis.
Did we have an increased death count because of this? It is my opinion we did. Can i prove that no. I know I got push back from my primary care physician when I asked what his protocol was fro HCQ and apparently the local hospital is the same.
I have zero medical training and these are my opinions so do your own due diligence.
Bob,
What method did you use in your study?
Bob,
Do you think the whole world has stopped using hydroxycholoquine, because of the politics in the USA? Do you believe they are sacrificing their own citizens because of our politics? Or maybe, just maybe, they have read the medical studies done in several countries that have shown This drug Not to be helpful? Maybe they believe the science.
When I first heard of hydroxychlorquine I was very hopeful, I even got some, but having read numerous scientific journal studies (not just from the US) I became not so impressed.
I think a lot of Americans seem to think we are the biggest, greatest, richest country in the world, but we have not contained this virus the way the EU and other Asian countries have. We also have a much higher death rate. I really don’t believe we are even half way through this and still have a lot to learn. This virus is here to stay, and we all have a lot of work to do to contain it and find medical therapies that work. I want us all to be able to get back to our normal routines and jobs, so I will continue to wear a mask in public and keep educating myself on best practices to not bring this home to my family. Please do not call me a “sheep”, I am the farthest thing from that!
TXnurse… From your post: “Please do not call me a “sheep”, I am the farthest thing from that!”
DITTO TO THAT!
Telesilla of Argos
LOL, I just think we can all have our own opinions…….without being sheep!
Bob,
I was able to interview a young women (local EMT) who had spent four weeks working in a field hospital in Italy. The field hospital was an 80 bed unit that was flown in from the USA and staffed by volunteers. It was set up on the opposite side of the parking lot of a 600 bed Italian hospital that had been cleared as a “COVID only” hospital. She was smack dab in the middle of the “HOT ZONE” outside Milan when so many were dying there. Some of her information from the interview is below.
1) Only about 30% of their patients ever manifest fever so she considered temperature screen to be useless for COVID screening.
2) 100% of their patients had serious comorbidity issues. The majority were also heavy smokers.
3) Treatment was hydroxychlorquine. They only lost two patients in four weeks to COVID.
4) All of the patients were older than 40. All but 2 were 50-60 years of age. Nobody older than 60 because hospitals in Italy would not treat COVID patients older than 60. Those patients were sent home to live or die.
5) Zero transmission of COVID to the 100 Americans staffing the field hospital. PPE consisted of N95 respirator, goggles or face shield, disposable gowns and booties, gloves.
6) They treated one Italian doctor and two nurses. When they first arrived 100 Italian health care workers had contracted COVID. Initially the Italians had used NO PPE treating COVID patients. After the Italians started using PPE like their American friends there were no more cases transmitted to Italian health care workers.
7) Neither hospital treated any patients who were less than 30 years of age.
You didn´t mean after the italian getting PPE they could use it?
I have read studies showing the merits of some/all of the medications you mentioned. However there are some cautions one must take with hydroxchloroquine for instance (it can cause fatal heart rhythms in certain select patients with prolonged QT intervals).
I’m open-minded to these strategies, but unfortunately for political reasons,
I’m not sure we will ever see truly objective scientific studies that help us determine the best way to treat our patients. (Which has been one of the most frustrating parts of this entire pandemic from a healthcare worker’s perspective…we want to do what’s right for our patients, but getting to the bottom line of “what is truth?” is sometimes difficult.)
And yes, your point about limitations of hospital resources is valid. Unfortunately to hospital administrators, it isn’t cost-effective to have massive amounts of unusued ICU/negative pressure rooms or ventilators, Rotaprone beds, and PPE just hanging out waiting on the next pandemic that may not come for years. That is where an ability to produce these items domestically (and ramp up output very quickly) is critical. I think it’s foolhearty to depend on a hostile nation across the Pacific (who likely created this virus in the first place) to provide critical supplies in a timely fashion.
Well written. Thank you!
I appreciated your two-part article very much. It’s very well written. Perhaps if you have time in the future, you could comment on anything you deem worthy of bringing to our collective attention?
Thank you Prepper Doc and Colleen!
What I would have liked to say if I’d gotten off my duff and attempted it; but much better articulated.
I just finished reading Spanish Influenza by Rossignol, a collection of newspaper articles spanning mid 1918 – mid 1919. Seems most of the country wore masks. Most public gathering places, including churches, were shut down for months. This was determined on a county by county basis then. And none of it seemed politically motivated. Of course, the number of articles included were limited; but only 2 critical ones were printed. Both believed that smallpox vaccinations at army camps caused the epidemic. No one seemed to object to the other restrictions.
well written, please follow up with monthly update, thanks
Thank you again, Doctor Dan, for an excellent article.
Thank you!
Doctor Dan, do you have any thoughts on any alternative medical aids that may be helpful in reducing the effects of COVID 19. I am personally very leary of any vaccine that magically appears in a few months when most vaccines for viruses take years upon years to prefect. I understand there is a drug used on Malaria that is effective but is being down played by the majority of the medical profession, CDC, WHO etc.
Are you referring to Hydroxchloroquine? If so, you might see my comments above.
I share your concerns about a vaccine that was rushed into production. I will approach it with a caution when it is available and make decisions accordingly.
I suggest you watch Dr Seheult’s MEDCRAM Coronavirus Update#59. It’s also on YouTube. I really appreciate this Professor of Medicine’s presentations which include hundreds of research articles related to SARS-CoV2 series he’s done covering the harms of stress, lack of sleep, use of High Fructose Corn Syrup rendering critical vitamin D unavailable for immune systems, and an understanding of the processes.
Thank you Dr Dan for taking the time to share with us. It is extremely frustrating to have mindless media drones recite numbers but never focus on improving immune system functions.
God Bless
Dr Dan
Well written, good information.
Take care and God Bless you!
Thank you Francis!
The medical community was aware, or should have been aware, that the logistical system wasn’t prepared for a Pandemic. The Department of Health and Human Services ran an exercise called Crimson Contagion 2019 last year. Among the conclusions was this tidbit:
“The current medical countermeasure supply chain and production capacity cannot meet the demands imposed by nations during a global influenza pandemic.”
Nicely written Doc,
But according to my Governor, it aint over yet. According to his politics, it wont be over until Trump is voted out of office, And according to the head communists, that happens no matter what the ballot count is…
Almost all of our drugs are still manufactured in China and India. This reliance must end but I see no plans to relocate.
Agreed Alan. We need to move production of all critical items/infrastructure to the USA. This includes pharmaceuticals.
Doctor Dan,
I found your article very well written and a voice of reason and experience. It is very sad that everything seems to be politicized these days. People need to understand that scientists, healthcare workers, and others in the medical field are not perfect, nor have immediate answers to novel viruses that have come along throughout history. As we learn more, advice changes and treatments change. This comes with dealing with novel diseases and figuring out what works and doesn’t work, this takes time. It is to most people’s disadvantage to not trust the science.
I have been researching epidemiology for 25 years and worked with a consulting company for best practices for supply chain companies. I have published reports on Pandemic Preparedness, given lectures and webinars. I gave a presentation to a large supply chain conventional a number of years ago, and after I was finished I was approached by an Army Colonel from Washington DC. She asked if she could have my slide show and written material, she was involved in Pandemic Planning for the Government. I will tell you at first I felt very complimented, but my second thought was disbelief (and scary), I asked her flat out, wasn’t the Government way ahead of me?? Her answer was “we are working on it”. The scary thought is the one that still sticks with me! That was 16 years ago, we have not made any progress no matter who has been in office. Our government has not made much progress on many threats that could tear this country apart, not pandemics, EMP’s, CME’s or terrorism.
We do need to bring home many of industries that are important for securing the safety and economy of our country. But in order to do that it cannot always be about MONEY and big business. We need to bring those jobs home.
Again, Doctor Dan, your article was very well written.
Thank You
TXnurse… From your post: “I will tell you at first I felt very complimented, but my second thought was disbelief (and scary), I asked her flat out, wasn’t the Government way ahead of me?? Her answer was “we are working on it”. The scary thought is the one that still sticks with me! That was 16 years ago, we have not made any progress no matter who has been in office.”
You make an excellent point, and this is a critical realization. Many might like to believe that there is an authority or expert at-the-ready to respond to a crisis with population level implications, but it’s simply not true. There is a lot of “talk” and very little “do” when it comes to government and true preparedness. President Trump is working on earnest (and harder than any President before him) to refill those bare cupboards, but the task is daunting indeed.
Understanding this, it’s a wake-up call for every one of us. Work in earnest to be ever more prepared. When you need it most, help may not be coming.
There is also the push for contractors on military bases (A Reagan policy, I believe) that has in my opinion weakened the country terribly. I once had to explain to an incredulous Army lieutenant that myself being a contractor, if the balloon went up, I would not be at my post. For one, my company policy forbid being present for festivities, shall we say. This was also present in the contract. Lastly, my health insurance also explicitly forbids festivities. So if it did come in to work, it would be on my own dime, my company would likely further terminate me, and I got hurt my insurance wouldn’t cover it. All of these things are likely just as true for a pandemic, so expect operations to quickly grind to a halt should a mass-casualty event happen.
These are good and important points, Vegas! Beyond the headlines is the rest of the story… Understanding the details is absolutely critical. With all the facts in hand, we are better able to employ better strategies, correct for problems (and even unintended or unforeseen consequences), and make ever more effective decisions going forward.
Thank you TXnurse.
And I agree Telesilla…this should be a wake up call for all of us.
Many thanks, Dr. Dan, for your thoughtful article and sound perspective on the subject of COVID-19.
A supplemental on the subject comes from Chris Martenson. He encourages us to fight “COVID burn-out” which is an important subject related to preparedness and perseverence. Battling this virus is complicated by psychology surrounding how people respond to a crisis event across time. Too many become fatalistic, and simply give-in or give-up.
Check Chris Martenson’s channel at YouTube. The video is titled: “It’s Confirmed: You CAN Get Re-Infected By Covid-19”
It would be wise for all of us to look closely at our own responses to the pandemic in this regard and context. Other crisis points will come. This one may turn out to have been relatively limited in its implications in contrast to some other disaster. Consider this an opportunity to learn about yourself and others, and to build on your capacity to cope.
Remain steady. Be safe. Stay well everyone!
“Consider this an opportunity to learn about yourself and others, and to build on your capacity to cope.”
Well said! That’s what we’ve been trying to do, for sure. I know I may have gaping holes in most every area, but this “trial run” has at least catalyzed discussions and prioritizing and some actions. Every little bit helps.
Questions that doctors really should be answering:
Why did so many healthcare professionals over-react to this pandemic? Why were they so wrong about the numbers of dead? Why did they encourage lock-downs, shut-downs of businesses and schools, public panic, and mandatory mask wearing? Why is the healthcare system in this country so willing to sacrifice the healthy on the altar of the sick? And why did you act differently this time vs. the Swine Flu epidemic less than a decade ago?
I suspect the answers to ALL of those questions are political in nature.
If people will wear these silly cloth underwear masks if doctors tell them to do so, what will be the next round of “science says so”? will they turn in their neighbors if doctors deem preppers to be “mentally ill”? I can’t even imagine what will be next; I was surprised by the irrationality of what people have done in the last 4 months, but I guess I expect the best in people. Should curb that.
God’s Blessing to you for writing these articles.
Thanks EW
To SB community… read and muse over this in light of where we are today https://www.globalresearch.ca/collective-narcissism-and-the-dark-triad-those-who-protest-against-the-official-covid-19-narrative-are-categorized-as-psychopaths-is-it-a-witch-hunt/5722151
So many trials that mankind is challenged with such as Covid 19, hurricanes, fires, civil unrest and more. You would think that people would learn from them. Many do but so many more do not. They get back into their comfort zone and just go on as if nothing really happened. For the dedicated prepping community this is a wake up call in areas that we were weak in. Educate yourselves in what you need to do, make a plan. Pray earnestly about it and execute your plan. You will sleep much better at night.
Excellent level-headed article Dr. Dan.
St. Funogas has been doing a better job lately so I won’t post the rest of my comments. I’ve been burning the higher-quality beeswax candles instead of the dollar-store paraffin ones. Must be making a difference.
“St. Funogas don’t be a tease,
Help me keep my mouth shut please.
Give me strength to overcome,
The urge to flap my teeth and gums.”
Thank you.
The definition of NOVEL CORONA VIRUS means that we have never been exposed to this virus. That means no herd immunity. That means we do not know how this virus will behave. How many will be infected? Who will be infected? That is a very very steep learning curve. Nobody had a crystal ball that told us how this virus would behave. That means that untold numbers of people could die while we were learning about it.
I am not sorry to disappoint that we have not had more dead. The fact that we did not have more dead was because Hospitals and doctors and medical personnel
and countless first responders worked their tails off. In many cases they sacrificed their families and even their own lives. If it were not for President Trump and American corporations coming alongside and thinking out of the box we would have had that high death rate.
I can tell you that hospitals had to be flexible in order to care for patients with a lack of PPE and other resources. Everyone worked hard to flatten the curve. If more people had been infected and come to the hospitals the system could have collapsed. It almost did.
The medical system has been harmed by this pandemic. 8% of doctors offices have closed never to open again. 72% of medical practices have lost revenue. Elective surgery was suspended so that hospital resources would be available for COVID patients. Some hospitals are facing bankruptcy. Nurses and other health professionals were laid off.
How dare anyone disparage of any of these first responders? Anyone doing that should be ashamed! How can anyone who had no skin in the game complain when those who have sacrificed so much have given so selflessly? Don’t like how the crisis was handled? Tough! How would anyone who is critical have done any better?
If anyone thinks that this virus is not deadly serious tell that to the father and son, both MDs who recently died of COVID that they got from their patients. Today I was told that a patriot I have known and fought beside for almost 30 years died this morning from COVID 19.
Don’t like the idea of lock downs ? Then don’t lock down. Panic? I did not panic. I have been reading Survival blog and Modern Survival so I saw this coming in December and January by reading the posts in these very pages.. I used my intellect to see what was coming. I was not hampered by the normalcy bias. I prepared, all the time wondering when the rest of the community was going to get onboard. NO PANIC.
Just can not win with some people no matter how much you try.
Some people just feel that a doctor is someone you run to in your time of need and sic the dog on when it is time to pay the bill. Some people just do not believe in “hope for the best, but prepare for the worst”.
I believe General George Patton said, “A good solution applied with vigor now is better than a perfect solution one week later”.
Make no mistake, we are at war with a ruthless enemy, COVID 19. You go to battle with what you have, not what you need or want.
This is a life and death fight for many. That is how the health care workers view it.
I wish you all well.
Agreed, Crooked Frog! Your post was well written — filled with both reason and heartfelt emotion. It should be a call to attention for all of us. I am very sorry for every loss, and as I read your message especially for the loss of the father and son physicians — and for your friend of so many years. Prayers are lifted up for all.
From your post: “Make no mistake, we are at war with a ruthless enemy, COVID 19. You go to battle with what you have, not what you need or want.”
There was so much about your post that could have been re-posted in this reply, but I have chosen the words above because the message is critically important.
Making this war especially difficult are the facts that we cannot see the virus itself, and can only see the effects of it. …but these effects are often hidden. It is not as if many of us pass by the remnants of a buildings struck by bombs or streets riddled with the bodies of the dead ravaged by war. Our sickest die in their homes or in hospitals where only the medical personnel attend them. In some ways, we are fighting a war that has been sanitized, and so to some it hardly seems like war. …and yet it is a war, and our enemy is a savage creation without any conscience created by the CCP which has no regard for any life.
Thank you for your reply. It means more to me than you know.
@cooked frog “How dare anyone disparage of any of these first responders?”
You simpering, idolatrous, state-worshiping sheep, ANYBODY in positions of power MUST be answerable to the people, or they are just tyrants in sheepdog clothing.
I did not “disparage” them, but I will ALWAYS question the actions, reactions, and motives of so-called “first responders,” or anyone else in positions of power. (I am my own first responder, actually, and you should be, too.)
If the medical bureaucracy is not answerable, as WRONG WRONG WRONG as they have been, then what we have is a dictatorship of doctors, who can tell us to close our businesses, churches, and civic organizations anytime they want to generate a societal panic or overthrow an election. I QUESTION THE DOCTORS. I QUESTION Fauci, Birx, and the whole lot of health officers nationwide. They FAILED us.
Shake off your normalcy bias. These are NOT times to just accept everything at face value. Listen to Rawles and Avalanche Lilly. They’ve been telling you that.
Backwoods Engineer, I’d like to respectfully disagree.
As a physician, the models we were initially being provided based on Italy, etc were that 10-30% of people infected would die. I consider it a blessing from God that He has spared us to a significantly greater extent…I’m not sure our nation deserves this, but maybe He’s giving us a second chance to find Him again.
Healthcare workers had to act on the models that we were being given and to brace for impact. I don’t disagree that now this virus is being used for political division. The Left wants to ride it into Election Day for sure and they aren’t even trying to disguise that fact now.
As a physician I don’t agree with much of what Dr Fauci has said either, I believe that he overly politicizes the disease and also would have us in lockdown for the next 2 years if he could. There are many of us in healthcare who try to think for ourselves. Some of what these authorities have told us is correct, but they have also issued a lot of incorrect statements that have hurt their credibility as well, and many of us see that and don’t “drink the koolaid”.
As for your broad criticism of first responders, I believe this was very unfair. Many of them are working as EMT’s for $8/hr, given poor PPE options by their employer, and asked to transport multiple COVID patients per day in towns that had nursing home outbreaks.
My whole point…You can blame the politicians…You can be critical of the doctors at the heads of some of these agencies (eg- Birx and Fauci)…But sir, I believe your broad criticism of first responders was no better than BLM wanting all cops fired. I would ask you to reconsider your opinion on this matter.
Many of us in healthcare, myself included, have been advocating for people to not be sheeple yet stay safe. It’s often a difficult balance to strike when we haven’t been given the facts by those in authority. For instance, I was consulted by the leadership of our church for developing the plan for safe reopening as quickly as possible. Many of us stand behind reopening plans as necessary and good.
Dear Dr Dan
Thank you so much for your comments defending all front line workers. You are so much more articulate than I am. I can tell you that medical workers often feel that their efforts and sacrifices are unappreciated.
Health care workers do what they do out of a feeling of wanting to help people. It is not about getting rich. If you are bright enough to become a doctor or nurse you can make far more money with less stress and risk in the business world. I know of many doctors who have gone bankrupt giving away free care.
This pandemic has brought this to the fore.
Again thank you for your spot on rebuttal.
CF,
I am thankful for all healthcare providers, Emergency personnel, fire and police personnel!
I realize there are major unknowns with this
virus.
But, I also know that people are receiving positive results that haven’t even had a test!
When the medical examiner puts on a death certificate that a man that died when involved in a motorcycle accident died of covid 19….I have my doubts on the number of positive cases really out there.
I wear the mask when in a public setting so as to protect myself from germs and hysterical people.
All the males of my family have continued to work except one. He is working shift work now. No covid.
The females in my family stayed home for quite a few weeks. One is still teleworking, the other in a closed to the public job. No covid.
I have teleworked and gone into my office for essential work for 3 months. Now I am at my office with 2 others daily. No covid.
Prepare for war in time of peace! War can describe this situation. The battle is good verses evil.
Be prepared to meet your maker! Know Jesus!
Thanks Doc for an informative article!
Wonderful article on how this pandemic has affected us socially, spiritually and hope reshaped our life perspectives. I enjoyed it thoroughly and agree with you in many ways on this.
Backwoods Engineer, I’d like to respectfully disagree.
As a physician, the models we were initially being provided based on Italy, etc were that 10-30% of people infected would die. I consider it a blessing from God that He has spared us to a significantly greater extent…I’m not sure our nation deserves this, but maybe He’s giving us a second chance to find Him again.
Healthcare workers had to act on the models that we were being given and to brace for impact. I don’t disagree that now this virus is being used for political division. The Left wants to ride it into Election Day for sure and they aren’t even trying to disguise that fact now.
As a physician I don’t agree with much of what Dr Fauci has said either, I believe that he overly politicizes the disease and also would have us in lockdown for the next 2 years if he could. There are many of us in healthcare who try to think for ourselves. Some of what these “authorities” have told us is correct, but they have also issued a lot of incorrect statements that have hurt their credibility as well, and many of us see that and don’t “drink the koolaid”.
As for your broad criticism of first responders, I believe this was very unfair. Many of them are working as EMT’s for $8/hr, given poor PPE options by their employer, and asked to transport multiple COVID patients per day in towns that had nursing home outbreaks.
My whole point…You can blame the politicians…You can be critical of the doctors at the heads of some of these agencies (eg- Birx and Fauci)…But sir, I believe your broad criticism of first responders was no better than BLM demanding all cops fired because of a few bad incidents.
Many of us in healthcare, myself included, have been advocating for people to not be sheeple, yet stay safe. It’s often a difficult balance to strike when we haven’t been given the accurate facts by those in authority. For instance, I was consulted by the leadership of our church for developing the plan for safe reopening as quickly as possible. We had to make educated and prayerful decisions but certainly did not feel that we had all the facts we would have really liked to have.
Thank you Dr Neville!
By Feb, 2020 I knew for certain that we were all going to be in a world of hurt.
I prepared. I spent considerable amounts of money setting up my home office to care for my neighbors, to help them with shelf stable food, to provide them with PPE, to augment their medication supplies, etc. I increased the capacity of my very small farm to provide fresh meat and eggs for neighbors I knew could not help themselves due to age, knowledge, etc. I educated my patients on what was coming and how they could best prepare. It was coming and few were sufficiently prepared for the damage to be wrought by the oncoming scourge. A number of my colleagues began preparing as well. Then it hit.
My colleagues and I comprise a wide range of specialties, a broad enough range to not comprise a tunnel-visioned sample, IMO. We continue to hear accounts of the pandemic’s devastating effects.
Here is what my colleagues and I are seeing from COVID:
-A medical examiner in a service area of one million plus has had 4 confirmed fatalities from SARSCOV2. (He worked 6 more cases brought in from outside his region.) This provider told me in March that we should NOT believe anything that is coming from the media or the government. He reported significant pressure from his State to direct his pathologists to classify any cases with any of the listed symptoms AS A CONFIRMED COVID death. BTW, he was not allowed to perform COVID tests on the decedents. Having the requisite integrity, he refused to commit fraud and continues to this day to battle with this agenda from above. As a result, his factual body count from within his district is 4. 4/1,000,000 = 0.000004
-A provider in a major Southern city who has no direct knowledge of any fatalities from SARSCOV2.
-A provider who works in three states has seen 1 case of SARSCOV2 with moderate symptoms. No deaths. 0
-A nationally significant tourist destination with virtually uninterrupted traffic from around the country. This region has a permanent population of 100,000. A visiting population in the millions. The area has had 7 fatalities. 7 out of 100,000 (transiently 1,000,000). 7/100,000=0.00007
-Pharmacy supply levels in my region would allow me to treat several thousand patients with the Hydroxy/Azith combo. In 8 months I have written zero prescriptions.
-A pharmacist nearby has dispensed just under 50 prescriptions of the hydroxy/azith combo, all for prophylaxis, not for patients diagnosed or symptomatic.
-I possess a number of COVID19 antibody test kits. Haven’t needed to use any of them. And if I did, the accompanying documentation tells the provider that the test can not distinguish between SARSCOV2 or other members of the Corona family. So, the provider should “use clinical judgment”. Only one patient loosely fits criteria for testing and they don’t want it.
Here is what my various colleagues and I are NOT directly seeing from COVID:
-A pandemic.
(Your results may vary.)
Your New Normal Healthcare fulfills this prediction, “….the time will come when medicine will organize into an undercover dictatorship…”
I am now taking steps to retire.
@just another doctor: your fact-based comments line up with my observations. The virus may be real, but this is NO WORSE than a bad flu year, and certainly no worse than the Swine Flu epidemic, during which there were NO lockdowns of businesses and churches. The government/healthcare complex, all the way up to Fauci, has lied to the American people, and will NEVER be held accountable.
Blessings on your retirement, but I wish you could be my physician.
I would love to know where I could find hydroxychloroquine. The pharmacy that I use said that their corporate policy is to only dispense hydroxy if presented with a prescription with covid 19 lab test confirmation. They cite concern for shortage for rheumatoid arthritis patients.
The medical board for the state of Ohio issued a ruling that prescription of hydroxy for covid would be an ethical violation of the physicians medical license. This was later retracted due to pressure from the governor of Ohio pending “further study”.
Attempt #2, more charitably:
@cooked frog “How dare anyone disparage of any of these first responders?”
Anybody in a position of power MUST be answerable to the people, or they are just tyrants in sheepdog clothing.
I did not “disparage” them, as you implied. But, I will ALWAYS question the actions, reactions, and motives of so-called “first responders,” or anyone else in positions of power. (I am my own first responder, actually, and you should be, too.)
If the medical bureaucracy is not answerable, as WRONG WRONG WRONG as they have been, then what we have is a dictatorship of doctors, who can tell us to close our businesses, churches, and civic organizations anytime they want to generate a societal panic or overthrow an election. I DO QUESTION THE DOCTORS. I QUESTION Fauci, Birx, and the whole lot of health officers nationwide. They FAILED us.
Thanks for the articles.
In many cases I get as much from the comments as the articles.
That shows that we (you?) have some very smart people commenting here on SB.
Dear Dr. Dan,
Thank you for your courage in this. What can we do as citizens to get governors to remove the pharmacy board and medical board restrictions on hydroxychloroquine. I had a prescription for chloroquine but the pharmacy would not or could not fill it for me. I have not been able to get it filled anywhere. So it appears a pharmacist can over ride a licensed physician and not fill the prescribed medicine. Why aren’t more doctors speaking out against this process as Frontline Doctors did? I realize how they were attacked for speaking out. Surely physicians in great numbers could protest this lockdown on this medicine. I did write my governor and ask him to remove restrictions on hydroxychloroquine. No response. What would you suggest we do just to have access to hydroxychloroquine in case we are stricken with this viral epidemic? Would a professionally written petition for the public to sign make a difference. If so, then would someone provide this petition for us. I am only one person, but surely tens of thousands of signatures, especially in states with Republican governors, would help convince each state’s governor to remove these restrictions. We need help with this. I recently heard the NAC was being removed from public use due to research that it could help with Cov 19. For those of us who are older with other medical problems need help with either prevention or treatment early on. Please advise.
@backwoods engineer.
A phenomenon of psychology I was taught in Med School is that sociopaths/psychopaths breed around 6 to 1 over a normal person. This has been going on for a very, very long time and explains much of what you see around you.
This “pandemic” didn’t cause this psycopathy, it revealed it…surprisingly quickly. Statistically, the high reproductive rate I spoke of made this inevitable.
I have given up hope on man as a species.
The geometric increase I mentioned has caught up to us, ironically much like the virus in World War Z.
I can not believe this is the civilization my children are inheriting.
God bless.
just another doctor and backwoods engineer, I am a retired nurse of thirty years. I was involved with the Swine Flu and the H1N1 Bird flu and outside of wearing PPE gear in patients room and ER we didn’t mask or any other quarantine measures. There was not the blatant cover up, numbers folly and downright fraud being committed today. Not only having a Masters in Nursing, a Master in Behavioral Science and I agree with you just another doc. I am glad I have retired and not have to deal with the narcissistic health care workers of today. I wasn’t puzzled with the psychopathy being presented, I saw the symptoms back then, a medical tyranny in it’s birth pangs, but a tyranny nevertheless. I always joked about the sociopaths, psychopaths, schizoids and bi-polarisms and narcissists then there was the patients.
Cederq, thank you for the response. People should open their eyes and see the difference between this plandemic and SARS/H1N1/Swine Flu. The responses of politicians, society, and the medical establishment was 100% different. You called it “medical tyranny”– I think you are spot on. Blessings, and I pray you and your family make it though what’s coming.
Dr Dan, a question. I understand that the HCQ works well if given with zinc, C D3 and Zpak. The HCQ is very hard to get. From what I understand the HCQ helps the zinc get into cells to prevent the covid from replicating. I have also read that another chemical Quercetin can be used instead of HCQ. Have you heard of this? Thank you
https://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Quercetin-or-Quarantine-O-by-David-Moskowitz-Acid_Confrontation_Covid19_Death-200818-536.html