BCG (the TB inoculation) could be an answer
Most of us were inoculated against TB at birth - the BCG shot gave us a very mild and modified version of tuberculosis which our immune systems cured pretty promptly, leaving us with up to 15 years of protection.In some countries TB remains a recurring problem and booster shots are required to top up that immunity. Africa, very much so, where it remains the leading cause of death. Countries like India, China, Portugal, Greenland, have higher incidences of it. Because BCG is a deliberate infection, it carries a slight risk in itself and also quite a painful jab to have, so since the 70s most countries have chosen only the birth shot, to protect children. The US, at very low risk of TB, chose a good while back to not inoculate at all.
The WHO is currently investigating the link between inoculation and the spread of the virus. It looks as though BCG - an inoculation which is cheap, plentiful and has been in use for 100 years - may be a key player in this war. Look at their TB map compared to the virus map I downloaded yesterday. You can see why they'd be interested.
Fingers crossed.
Comments (53)
I do get the strong feeling most would prefer the drama to carry on racking up. If it's any consolation it's no quick fix. This at best is more long-term solution than a wave-wand. Better now?
The maps are too small for me to see properly.
But I think the experts should consider anything credible, which I'm sure they do already.
Countries which inoculate quite often, including India with its population of over a billion, have tiny percentages of virus infection. The UK, Ireland, Spain, France, Germany, only inoculate at birth - children seem to be untouched by the virus, but adults are getting it wholesale and the US, which doesn't inoculate at all, has the highest number of virus cases in the world at the moment. I don't know yet if children are being affected there, though. I hope not.
China re-inoculates when there are TB outbreaks and despite also having over a billion people, got off more lightly than the European countries being hammered now. India, also over a billion people, is way down on the list of cases. The WHO are taking it seriously and testing thousands of cases in South African townships, coming up empty handed, so it really could be good news.
Anyway, I hedged my whole post about with maybe and possibly and if
I'm personally planning on getting my TB shots redone, put it that way, but personal safety is one thing, facing lockdown again is another. A vaccine must be found and maybe, just maybe, it's already there, needing at most a tweak or two.
Please see the link that I inserted (for the "vaccine which must be found") - if indeed, it is possible, that a vaccine can ever be found.....
How ironic if poverty was the key and we'd all be safest in crowded conditions with poor hygiene and water shortages - STOP WASHING HANDS THIS MINUTE
Being able to explore patterns is another good reason for open and honest dialogue.
The infamous 1918 Spanish flu a century ago died back in summer, roared back in winter and killed more millions.
I'm frankly not enjoying lockdown - the gilt wore off the gingerbread after about a week. We're doing the full deal in Spain, second only to China in how strictly it is enforced. It is bloody horrible. Maybe summer will subdue the virus in the northern hemisphere and maybe incoming winter will cause devastation in the southern hemisphere, in which case we in the north can all expect to be slapped back into strict lockdown come the end of the year. I can't imagine anyone is enjoying it so much they want to do it again, stricter.
I'm banking a lot of hope in this and the maps should be doing their own support of that.
We passed 10,000 yesterday and will likely be past 11,000 when today's figures are publicised any time now. We haven't peaked yet.
Beijing claims 3,336 losses, all done and dusted.
I remember being warned before I had I but nothing happened other than the scar on my shoulder.
I think this is a very interesting blog, on more than one level.
I've lost even dog-walking as a legitimate reason to go outside and now have the thrill of shopping once a week, and the dizzying excitement of taking my rubbish / recycling to the town's bins, which I eke out as much as I can. I ration myself to a single thrill every couple of days.
We are heading towards some slacking of the rules but the rumbles still say social distancing will continue, borders will remain closed, planes will continue grounded, for some while to come. We'll survive. But if this BCG or some other as yet unnoticed link doesn't pan out, this could all start up again when it gets colder.
I
can't
face
a
whole
winter
in
lockdown
Very much hoping you guys, being reasonably isolated geographically anyway, get off lightly. Got a sister and a couple of old friends living in Oz
I have had the jab but it only lasts 5 years so when this is all over i will ask for another, as my 5 years is well past.
Stay Safe
Stay Safe
Red, we do need that picture ASAP, April already and if this is triggered again by cold weather we've really only got 8 months to get the vaccine approved and applied to several billion people to avoid a winter lockdown
You stay safe too ladies
The infective agent with Covid-19 is a virus.
It's like comparing apples to watermelons.
Any comparisons in maps is likely coincidental, and not immunological.
Even vaccines to other unrelated viruses will not be effective against Covid-19
Took me a while to get used to reading with one and that ARRGGHHH moment when you've reached a good bit and it suddenly says YOUR BATTERY IS RUNNING LOW but I like that I can change the font size if my eyes are tired and I really like knowing I have 20 or 30 books to choose from depending on my mood. If one turns out to be a bust (and I am downloading free books, so many are turning out to be a bust
Do NOT snip off your ears with the clippers when they arrive
Most will probably come to nothing, but all we need is one that does
Airlines like Easyjet aren't planning to resume normal service before September.
We've been warned tourists are unlikely to be permitted from other countries this summer
Social distancing is being talked about as an 18 month thing - at least
Lockdown is financially crippling whole areas here which have few cases and empty hospitals which are under no pressure at all. It is devastating to have 10 thousand, 20 thousand, deaths in the country, yes of course. But it is also devastating that millions of us will be more damaged by the lockdown than the virus.
If this theory has any legs at all it could change some of that gloom and doom. So yes let's continue to hope this (or some other reason that explains those maps) pans out really soon.
I'm the same. There's too many conflicting stories out there on the internet. So how do we "actually" know which is correct? I must admit that I do look at the "worldometer" each day to see how Spain/ Uk and US are doing. Whether it's up or down. It's looking like Spain is now on the decline but how do we actually know? We can only look at the statistics on the internet.
I talk to my friend most nights via viber, he lives in a small town in South NJ. When we (Spain) went in strict lock down on 14th March, they hadn't gone on lock down then and hardly any cases. Now look what's happened in the US.
I just hope that the scientists/researchers will carry on and try and find a vaccine for this deadly virus, even if or when it dies away.
I have my flu jab every year after suffering with it for 3yrs on a trot. I've never had flu since. I just buy it every year from my local pharmacy and my friend "who is a Nurse" doe's it for me, as she knows how I hate injections. She did my daily injections in my stomach (for 32 days) after my hip replacement.
Hoping that this horrendous virus will or can be stamped out. I want,need to get back to the Uk to be with my family like a lot of us do..........
I think tourism all over the world will just a non-entity this year.
The best most countries can hope for is that their own citizens will be able to staycation so at least money will be circulating.
I would never, ever be so cynical as to suggest the pharmaceuticals companies of the world, or even one country, would prefer to hold the patent on a new vaccine, to one which is already available
That made me realize how cynical I'm thinking when it comes to pharmacutical companies, worse than the anti-christ.
Very interesting observation on your part. I believe in vaccines as I think most nurses do too.
I think early action and listening to the medical experts made a big difference.
We are doing things a bit different here to Spain.
We introduced social distancing earlier, closed down schools and businesses earlier, but do not have as strict rules regarding movement.
Only time will tell which system works better.
Not sure there will be many family holidays, at least one country is saying that school holidays will be reduced to the minimum once school can start again, to get students back up to speed as fast as possible. Anyway, so many are self-employed or on no-work-no-pay contracts, or on unpaid leave now, that there won't be a lot of money to circulate.
€350 may not be huge money, but food is the only thing people need to buy so it is enough.
If it doesn't drag out too long, and there is done semblance of returning to normality, I think people will start spending again.
Here, yes, there's some help. Self-employed who can prove they are directly affected and unable to earn can put in a claim for 700 euros a month. Too bad for anyone whose income has merely halved. Anyone who earns cash - casual income, markets, undeclared cash income - is out in the cold. That's an awful lot of people, especially those on the breadline.
Many employed have been told to enjoy their unpaid leave (and don't expect any more this year). Richard Branson is one who put his staff on 8 weeks unpaid leave weeks ago - what did he know that we didn't
I'm really happy for those on CS who are quite enjoying a little down time. Lockdown is tough on others.