COVID-19 is still among us. Be sure to stay abreast of the latest variants and booster shots that are available in your area on a continuous basis.
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Mutation Overview
A mutation refers to a change in a virus’s genome (genetic code). For the sars-cov-2 family of viruses, it is a change in the virus’s RNA code that results in the different variants we have heard about, and many have been infected with.
Why are the Mutations in the New Variant a Cause of Concern?
With the sudden surge in the number of new cases in Europe followed by the emergence of the new variant, Omicron, there is a rising concern about when the pandemic will end and for how long people have to live in fear with COVID-19.
The new variant, Omicron, is the first variant of concern that was added to the list by the World Health Organization based on the presence of several mutations, including the mutations with the spike protein. Due to its heavily mutated spike protein, it is believed that the new variant likely has increased transmissibility, causes more severe infection, and may be more challenging to diagnose and/or treat.
However, since there is limited information, one cannot predict how the new variant will behave in the future. Until we figure out more about the spike protein of Omicron, it is best to get complete immunization and booster doses if you are eligible. Moreover, with the holiday season right around the corner, don’t forget to take care of the COVID-19 safety protocols and keep yourself and your loved ones safe and healthy.
Beyond Omicron
As the world was struggling with the pandemic in early 2020, several evolutionary biologists predict that the SARS-CoV-2 is there to stay like several other coronaviruses that cause mild cold and flu and have been circulating in humans for decades.
The rapid increase in cases of Omicron in South Africa suggests that the new variant may have the edge over the previous variants, including the Delta variant. The spread of the new variant may be primarily related to its enhanced ability to infect people who have been previously infected by the coronavirus or have received immunization.
Keeping your hands clean with soap or sanitizer is one of the best protections against spreading the COVID-19 virus.
While what we know about Omicron is still blurry, and it will take some time before we learn more about its properties, it is critical to follow the COVID-19 safety protocols. This includes getting booster shots if you are eligible in order to stay safe and protect against the new coronavirus variant, as well as washing your hands frequently.
Conclusion
Mutations are changes in the RNA or DNA sequence of a cell. When the number of mutations reaches a certain level, the virus is designated as a new ‘species’ of the virus and is labeled as a new variant. In this case, the Omicron variant is the latest strain discovered. The spike protein in this variant (as well as all variants) is where the mutations reside. The more mutations, the more concern there is over how well the antibodies can block the protein’s S1 subunit’s ability to attach to the healthy cells.
Rendering of the coronavirus with spike proteins showing. Photo by CDC from Pexels
At this point, why should we discuss the coronavirus if we don’t know what it is or more generally, what a virus is, so let’s dive right in and get the answer to this!
What is a Virus?
A virus is not a cell. Cells refer to living organisms, but viruses are not alive. And since they are not living entities, they are parasites that must live within a host to perform their functions. So when we refer to these entities, we will always refer to them as a virus and not as a cell. Now, let’s break down the structure of a virus.
A virus contains a genetic code, called RNA (Ribonucleic acid). RNA is similar to DNA but it contains only one single strand, and it is this code that contains the message to produce proteins that creates the virus. These proteins are called nucleoproteins, which give the virus their structure as well as enable them to replicate.
The RNA contains a blueprint for developing nucleoproteins. When it attacks a healthy cell, it will send in information to that cell to mutate it.
Surrounding the virus is the viral envelope. It protects the genetic code that is within the virus and sets an anchor for its proteins to infect the healthy cells.
Specifics of the COVID-19 Virus
For the coronavirus, spike proteins protrude out from the envelope’s anchor and act as grappling hooks that grab onto the healthy cells and inject the virus’s proteins. The spikes closely resemble a crown, which gives the virus its name “corona” and means “crown” in Latin.
Given the insights so far, researchers have identified hundreds of coronaviruses. However, only seven of them can infect humans and cause disease.
For decades, coronaviruses have continued to infect humans, such as SARS, and MERS, which infect and damage the lungs. On the other hand, there are four coronaviruses that remain highly contagious -causing infections that lead to common cold symptoms and worse.
The seventh coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes the COVID-19 disease is slightly different as it contains the features of all six coronaviruses. It is highly contagious, fast-spreading, and causes symptoms like the common cold; however, this same virus can infect and damage the lungs. Hence, the seventh coronavirus that has infected humans is of the utmost concern to researchers and healthcare practitioners worldwide.
Given its nature and that the viruses are constantly changing, the mutations in SARS-CoV-2 are critical to researchers. Here we take a closer look at how and why viruses mutate and why the mutation of SARS-CoV-2 is a major concern for global authorities.
The Evolution of Viruses
As a rule, viruses are constantly changing. They replicate and evolve within the host. However, it is important to understand how RNA viruses behave for a better understanding of how viral mutations work.
How do RNA Viruses Behave?
There are two types of viruses:
RNA viruses, and
DNA viruses.
RNA viruses tend to be smaller and have fewer genes, making it easier for them to affect several hosts and replicate quickly within their host. On the other hand, DNA viruses are larger than RNA viruses and have a complicated replication mechanism. At the same time, RNA viruses can replicate easily and quickly. Given its speed and nature of replication, when RNA viruses replicate, there is always a potential mistake that can cause changes in the structure of the virus. These mistakes, also known as mutations, lead to variations in the structure and features of the virus compared to the original virus.
Many of these mutations may not affect the properties, structures, and features of the virus, while many mutations can be harmful to the virus. However, a few mutations may make the virus better suited for certain environments, including a new host species. Hence, when an RNA virus enters a new host species and replicates itself, it is more likely to have more mutations to make the virus stronger. It is precisely due to this feature that epidemics like SARS and MERS and pandemics like COVID-19 resulted when the RNA coronavirus spread from animals to humans.
However, the process of mutation doesn’t stop here. Since RNA viruses continue to replicate within humans, they make a variation. While these variations are not robust enough to create a completely new virus, they are certainly strong enough to create new variations, also known as strains. Given these variations during the replication process, we have four variants of concern for COVID-19.
The coronavirus is an RNA virus. However, it is different from other RNA viruses due to its size. It is larger than most of the other RNA viruses, which creates more opportunities for dangerous mutations and the creation of new variations.
The mutation of SARS-CoV-2 is a concern for global authorities as the persistent changes in the virus are leading to the emergence of new variants. So far, the world has witnessed the emergence of new variants, including Alpha, Beta, Delta, and now Omicron, some of which lead to more severe infections and a higher need for hospitalization. Given the virus’s changes in structure and features, some of these variants have been more successful in transmitting the disease and replicating within the host than the original virus strain.
While words such as mutation can seem terrifying and make you believe that something dramatically different will happen with the emergence of the new variant, that’s not always the case. In most cases, mutations of the RNA virus have little or no immediate effect on its ability to cause disease or more severe disease. However, certain mutations that are strong enough to create new variations can be a threat primarily because the mutations in the virus can make it less recognizable for our immune system. As a result, it is more difficult to fight off the infection.
Another concerning aspect of mutations is that the new variants can make anti-viral drugs and vaccines less effective, leaving individuals more prone to the virus and more severe diseases. After all, vaccines and anti-viral drugs are specifically tailored to target the specific virus. Due to this reason, we need a flu vaccine each year that targets its mutations.
However, compared to the influenza virus mutation, the SARS-CoV-2 mutates relatively slowly, which is a positive aspect for researchers and vaccine developers. The slower rate of mutation may allow vaccines and anti-viral drugs to remain effective in controlling the severity of infection even with the emergence of new variants.
Still, we are not sure how long our bodies will remain immune to coronaviruses or vaccines. While scientists and researchers are closely studying the coronaviruses, their mutation, and the emergence of new variants, we must continue to follow COVID-19 safety protocols. Continue to wear a face mask and maintain social distance till researchers are confident that the seventh coronavirus is no longer dangerous for humanity.
If you don’t have cells in your body then you are dead. Sorry for this unexpected scare but that is the plain and simple truth. However, not to worry. You do have cells, and so does every living thing on this planet!
With that said, let’s talk about what makes cells turn us into living, breathing organisms. Additionally, we will discuss how our cells can be altered when attacked by foreign entities (viruses) and subsequently cause them to act differently, resulting in a danger to the host (you). Let’s start from the beginning.
What is a Cell?
Each cell has its own sets of components that contain the materials that sustain life, and each cell has a specific job to do, which, in turn, keeps us healthy. The structure of an animal cell. Eukaryotic cell structures show the nucleus, cytoplasm, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, membrane, centrosome, and ribosome.
The two components that many of us are familiar with are the cell membrane, which is the separation between the interior and exterior of the cell, and the nucleus, which is referred to as the control room of the cell. You can learn more about the parts of a cell here.
Inside a cell, there are many different types of organelles (parts within the cell). For example, they have proteins that help you digest food, while others keep your heart pumping blood. Some cells produce new cells for growth, and some replace dead or injured cells. There are also cells designed to assist in muscle movement, respiration, and reproduction.
Types of Cells
Since cells are classified by their function, let’s take a look at what each category is designed to do.
Nerve Cells
Active nerve cells in the human neural system. Bigstock.
Nerve cells are the brain’s messengers that send signals to other parts of the body. They also form new thoughts in our brains and produce memories. Damaged nerve cells cause cell deterioration, which can result in a wide range of symptoms.
For example, you can be subjected to dementia, neurological issues, tremors, seizures, and to name a few. Sufficient nerve cell damage in any part of the body is one of the leading causes of disability in adults.
Red blood cells and White blood cells, leukocytes inside an artery, or vein. Arterial cross-section blood flow, 3D illustration. Bigstock.
Blood cells are part of the circulatory system and carry oxygen and nutrients, like sugars and proteins to different parts of your body. These cells fight off infection by destroying bacteria and viruses.
Erythrocytes carry oxygen throughout the body, while leukocytes play an important role in fighting infection. Platelets help your blood clot to stop bleeding when you get injured or cut.
Muscle Cells
Muscle cells produce and store energy for the body. They’re called muscle cells because they provide muscle strength and power.
Cells that Produce New Cells
These are also called stem cells because they can change into other types of cells. One example is a skin stem cell, which can create red blood cells, white blood cells, and other types of skin cells.
Cells that Fight Infections and Regulate Metabolism
The immune system is made up of several different types of cells. White blood cells (leukocytes) are the most important type of cell involved in fighting infections (mutated cells that can cause damage).
The white blood cells live in a network that surrounds your body and then move to where they’re needed to fight invaders, but sometimes they need help, as you need to have a sufficient amount of antibodies to fight off infections. Viruses are, quite simply, infections in your body.
External Help to the Rescue
Vaccines such as the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine inject antibodies into your body to help fight off these mutations. In the case of the Covid virusspike proteins – are defective cells that try to attack your healthy cells and mutate them. As more and more healthy cells become defective, you may begin to feel ill. The other type of cell that fights infections is the neutrophil. Neutrophils are larger than white blood cells and can kill more invaders than antibody-producing cells can.
There are cells called a macrophage, which helps regulate metabolism by removing waste from your bloodstream. These cells also help produce antibodies to fight invaders, such as keratinocytes that protect us from injury.
Cell Summary
Cells are microscopic entities that are made up of proteins. They are the lifeline of all living organisms and are categorized by the functions they perform. There are many types of cells, grouped by their function. Muscle cells, blood cells, and nerve cells to name a few.
The COVID-19 virus contains a series of defective cells that contain spike proteins that attack healthy cells and cause them to mutate. This action diminishes the healthy cell’s function and subsequently causes your body’s health to deteriorate.
To keep these healthy cells from being mutated, white blood cells send antibodies to block the viral cells from attacking them, but sometimes, more antibodies need to be injected into your body (via a vaccine) to fight off these mutations, such as for the flu or Covid.
Microscopic view of the COVID virus showing the spike proteins. Photo: Pexels
Are You Spike Protein Savvy?
We hear this term a lot, and they were mentioned in our previous article about cells, but what are spike proteins exactly? When we see doctors talking about Covid on TV, how can we follow along with what they are saying?
Here, we will break spike proteins down for you, step by step. With this knowledge article, you can then walk away knowing what spike proteins are and how the COVID-19 virus is associated with them. So let’s begin!
A Brief History of the Spike Protein
pixabay.com/images/id-5913527/
Before we go any further, let’s define variants. “A variant is a viral genetic code that may contain one or more mutations” – CDC.gov. In other words, a variant is a cell that may be defective.
With that said, a new coronavirus variant, officially called B.1.1.529 or Omicron, was detected in Botswana on November 11, 2021. On November 26, 2021, this new strain was designated a concern by the World Health Organization because of its high number of mutations in the spike protein.
This Omicron strain contains 32 mutations, compared to 18 for the previous Delta variant, and it is this high number of mutations in the Omicron spike protein has become a concern.
The more mutations in the spike protein, the more concern there is about the virus’s increase in transmissibility and a significant reduction in neutralization by antibodies. (See below about antibody neutralization)
Let us proceed in more detail about why a higher number of mutations in a spike protein is a concern for medical practitioners.
The Structure of the Coronavirus
Images combined from a 3D medical animation, depicting the shape of coronavirus as well as a cross-sectional view. The image shows the major elements including the Spike S protein, HE protein, viral envelope, and helical RNA. Wikipedia Commons.
If you closely examine the structure of the novel coronavirus, you will notice that the virus is spherical and enveloped. A viral envelope is the outermost layer of a virus. It protects the genetic material when traveling between host cells, but there are a few more features associated with this structure. Upon closer examination of the viral envelope, you will notice that it comprises three proteins:
The membrane protein (M),
The envelope protein (E), and
The spike protein (S)
The Coronavirus Spike Protein
The spike protein plays a critical role in getting through to the host cells and subsequently starting an infection in the host’s body. In the case of the novel coronavirus, the presence of spike proteins is responsible for the spike-shaped protrusions and that is what you see on the virus’s surface that allows the virus to enter into the host’s body.
Researchers have divided the coronavirus spike proteins into two critical subunits:
The S1 subunit, and
The S2 subunit
The S1 subunit, also known as the N-terminal, forms the head of the spike protein, whereas the S2 subunit, also known as the C-terminal, forms the stalk of the protein, which is directly rooted in the viral envelope.
As soon as the virus interacts with ‘sees’ a healthy host cell, the S1 subunit binds to the receptors. The receptor is a structure on the host cell’s surface. Antibodies are designed to stop the S1 subunit from binding to the cell.
Spike protein’s S1 subunit’s receptor can bind to the human cell, infecting that cell. When antibodies are introduced into the body, they have the effect to neutralize the S1 subunit’s binding capacity. We suggest watching this video more than once to completely understand what the researcher is saying. For closed captioning, start the video and click the CC button.
Controlling COVID-19 by Targeting Coronavirus’s Spike Protein
Given the primary understanding of the role of the spike protein in the spread of a viral disease, it is now clear that without the spike proteins, no viruses, including the coronaviruses, will be able to interact with the host cells and cause infection.
It is precisely due to this reason that researchers are preliminarily interested in better understanding spike proteins and coming up with vaccines that target their function. So far, the vaccine developers currently use antibodies directed against them to control the spread of the disease.
As researchers gain more details, they are likely to figure out better ways to control the spread.
October 10, 2022 Update: Hospitals and medical providers have begun to use monoclonal antibodies to fight off the disease. These are lab-created antibodies and have proven to be fairly effective in helping patients to fight off Covid at an accelerated rate.
The (American Disabilities Association (ADA) defines a person with a disability as having a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities”.
The American Disabilities Act is a broad set of rules and has been put into place for American businesses to follow so that proper access can be available for disabled persons. These rules apply to anything that a disabled person might need access to, from fair housing to voting to access the World Wide Web. Under the Act of 1990, businesses and governments are required to make accommodations for persons who are legally disabled.
Providing wheelchair access, reserved parking, improving accessibility in work areas, and websites providing accommodations for the vision and hearing disabled are just a few of the examples that corporations need to be ADA compliant.
In this article, we will be focusing on what business websites need to provide on their websites for the disabled.
What Can Happen if My Website is Not ADA Compliant?
The concern here is – how to determine if your website is ADA compliant and what can be done if it is not? Those that do not adhere to the ADA rules could be subjected to legal action and lawsuits. Believe it or not, there are lawyers that surf the web looking for non ADA compliant websites and notify the business of their noncompliance.
In the end, there usually is a settlement, but in actuality, it amounts to nothing more than a shakedown for cash. With that said, there are of course legitimate cases where a handicapped person or group of people run into a frustrating situation because they cannot retrieve the information they are looking for on a website and consequently, a lawsuit may materialize. The monetary damages can run from $25,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars. More information about ADA compliant lawsuits can be found here.
How Do We Begin to Make Sure a Website is ADA Compliant?
Photo by SHVETS production from Pexels
For starters, a compliant website would need to address the issue of font sizes and color variances for those that are partially blind and access to an audio screen reader for those that are legally blind. But it doesn’t stop there. There are changes in the HTML code that are needed; such as, providing code that ensures images are audio compliant, meaning that the picture that cannot see or cannot see correctly is being read back to them in a descriptive format. For a more elaborate description of the software technologies needed to ADA compliance can be found here.
Regardless of the legal aspect, it is surely beneficial for businesses to provide accommodations for those that are disabled in any manner required.
How Can I Help?
There are many organizations that provide monetary and other assistance for the disabled.
Family to Family Network is for children with disabilities and their families and provides information, referrals, training, and support in areas of education, health care, and social services.
Tunnel to Towers is a phenomenal organization that offers assistance to first responders, law enforcement officers, and veterans who have become physically disabled while in the line of duty. Tunnel to Towers is currently providing mortgage-free homes for these heroes.
These are just three of a wide range of charitable assistance that you can donate to help the disabled. You can Google “Charities for the disabled” for information on more of these organizations.
In this post, we share five things you need to know about this new coronavirus variant, officially labeled as B.1.1.529, but before we get started, let’s look at what the new variant is all about and why it is a concern for the global authorities.
B.1.1.529 – The Latest Coronavirus Variant
The new COVID-19 mutant is considered one of the most dangerous variants to date. It has a high number of mutations (a total of 50), including over 30 mutations on the spike protein. As a result, this new variant is likely to be more resistant to the current vaccines, will have a high risk of transmissibility, and will also lead to more severe symptoms for those that are not vaccinated, which may include an increased need for hospitalization.
Let’s look at some of the critical things you need to know about this latest variant.
5 Things You Need to Know About the Latest COVID-19 Variant
#1. The Variant is the Most Heavily Mutated in the COVID Family
As of July 2021, there were four dominant variants of COVID-19, which included:
The Alpha variant ( the U.K. Variant – B.1.1.7)
The Beta variant (the South Africa Variant – B.1.351)
The Gamma variant (the Brazilian variant, – P.1) and
The Delta variant (known as the Indian variant – B.1.617.2)
Each one of these has become a concern because every time a virus mutates, it changes its form and nature. As a result, they have a different risk of transmissibility and severity of infection, which depends on the mutation. The latest variant has 50 mutations, more than 30 mutations on the spike protein, which is what the virus used to get access to the human body cells.
It is a particular concern because most of the vaccines for COVID-19 target the spike protein. However, as the spike protein mutates, it raises concern among the authorities about the possible effects of the vaccines against this latest variant.
#2. More Mutations on the Receptor Binding Domain
Microscopic view of the COVID virus
Another feature that’s gaining the attention of researchers is the mutations of this variant on the receptor-binding domain strain was the Delta variant that had two mutations on the receptor-binding domain. However, the new variant – B.1.1.529 has ten mutations on the receptor-binding domain, raising concern about whether it is linked to immune escape.
#3. There’s Concern About the Evolution of This Variant
A virus mutates every time it reproduces. However, the mutations are minor when the virus reproduces in a healthy human body. But the concern with viruses is that you cannot predict the mutation, especially when it mutates in an immune-compromised patient.
For the emergence of this new variant, there is speculation that it evolved in the body of a single patient. There are suggestions that the new variant emerged in the body of an immuno-compromised person, who HIV may infect.
#4. The New Variant Spread to Nearby Countries
Omicron was first identified in South Africa; however, within seven days, there were over 100 specimens of the same variant reported in South Africa. But that’s not it. The strain continued to spread to nearby countries, including Botswana, where the variant-infected individuals had been fully immunized. Moreover, two cases were detected in Hong Kong among travelers from African countries.
As a result, the U.K. banned flights from six African countries, including Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. Moreover, the British government has placed strict measures related to quarantine and PCR testing of recent travelers from the African states.
Moreover, other countries, such as India, have also called for rigorous screening of African countries and Hong Kong passengers. Similarly, Australia is also planning to tighten rules for incoming passengers.
#5. The World Health Organization Should Call for Caution
The global authorities, including the World Health Organization, must take measures to contain the spread. Since the holiday season is here, there is an expected influx of passengers and travelers, and there are continued strict measures to contain the virus moving forward.
Final Words
Keeping your hands clean with soap or sanitizer on a frequent basis is one of the best protections against spreading the COVID virus
When the global authorities were relieved and assumed that the pandemic was under control, the emergence of a new variant is definitely a concern. We have limited information about how the new coronavirus variant behaves, and until the researchers find out the answers, it is best to get complete immunization and booster doses. Moreover, as the holiday season is here, don’t forget to take care of the COVID-19 safety protocols so you and your loved ones can stay safe and healthy!
Since March 2020, the news has been loaded with stories about COVID-19. It has been a year like no other since the Spanish flu. You may think that all medical research had stopped in order to confront this virus. This may be so in part, but not entirely, as studies of other diseases have continued throughout 2020 and through this year.
In this post, you will learn about the five most impactful medical advancements that have occurred during these COVID-19 times. Let’s take a look.
#1. Eradicating Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Mosquitos are one of the deadliest insects known to humanity. From malaria to dengue, Zika, and yellow fever, mosquito bites are causing millions of deaths every year. However, a groundbreaking discovery led to the introduction of anew mosquito control method that effectively reduces dengue infections by 77 %.
Dengue, which can cause vomiting, bleeding, headaches, body pain, and possible death is spreading at an exponential rate around the world, with around 50 million cases every year. Moreover, Indonesia is reporting 7 million cases of the disease annually. Part of the spread of this mosquito-borne infection is a result of global warming. Furthermore, no vaccine provides a considerable cure to the condition. Similarly, other mosquito-borne diseases, including Zika, are spreading globally and are even making their way into the U.S.
The groundbreaking innovation followed by a 27-month trial in Indonesia led to exciting results where mosquitos infected by a bacteria named Wolbachia were unable to pass dengue on to people. The breakthrough can scale to metropolitan cities worldwide where mosquitos infected by bacteria will be unable to spread virus-borne diseases like Zika and yellow fever.
#2. Breakthroughs in Heart Diseases and Stroke Research
Heart Rate Vector Design
Another groundbreaking achievement is a new study that can change the treatment of a medical condition known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a thickening of the heart muscles. The highlights of this study include a minimally invasive procedure to prevent stroke. Moreover, the other interesting aspect of the research is that you don’t need more treatment to improve coronary heart conditions. Instead, you need to look for an interconnected and comprehensive approach to treatment.
The idea was supported by evidence that showed that the medication for controlling diabetes might also improve heart conditions among individuals without diabetes. The research is particularly interesting because it is likely to offer a road map to a future where a comprehensive treatment plan will be recommended to patients to improve overall health and well-being instead of treating a specific condition.
#3. A Better Approach to Gene Therapy
Gene therapy is the next big thing for treating individuals with cancer, genetic disorders, and blood diseases. And this latest approach to gene therapy is going to be a game-changer.
A research team led by UCLA reported the development of a new method of delivering DNA into the stem and immune cells quickly and economically. The current genetic therapies are expensive and can cost up to thousands of dollars for a single treatment. Moreover, current therapies can take months to produce.
However, with this latest approach to gene therapy, it is possible to get quicker and more effective results with only a fraction of the cost.
Moreover, researchers hope this research is an integral step forward in treating several health conditions, including cancer. With this therapy taking a new approach, the treatment plan for cancer that traditionally involved painful procedures, including bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, and radiation, will now shift to a new form of gene therapy.
Note that this new therapy is still not available for treating patients; however, it will be the future of treatment of several genetic diseases in this decade.
#4. Saving Lives of Mothers
Next on the list of medical advances is the latest research on how to prevent the loss of a mother’s life resulting from uncontrolled blood loss following childbirth. When a woman gives birth and her uterus fails to contract, it can lead to a severe loss of blood that results in an emergency hysterectomy and even death. Postpartum blood-related death results in almost 1/3rd of all childbirth-related death.
The current treatment options include medications (which seldom work) and inserting a balloon that puts pressure on the uterus. This existing treatment comes with associated risks.
However, researchers have figured out a new and improved way to control the situation. The groundbreaking innovation is a vacuum device that aids in facilitating natural contractions following childbirth. The vacuum puts pressure on the leaking blood vessels, which in turn helps control bleeding. The trial results revealed that this vacuum device could control bleeding in around three minutes and successfully treated around 94% of the participants.
#5. Changing Paradigm to Alzheimer’s
Around 2/3rd of the individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are women, but as opposed to the longstanding view of the disease, women are less vulnerable to the condition than men. According to this research, the double X chromosome in the female body protects against it. It is due to the presence of the extra X in the chromosome that allows women with Alzheimer’s to live longer and experience less severe symptoms compared to men.
This groundbreaking discovery is just one of the several similar discoveries that are yet to come, which will help figure out how having a double X chromosome makes female bodies and minds different from a single X and Y chromosome among men.
Summary
Medical research may have slowed a bit due to the coronavirus, but never halted. Studies have continued regarding research into other medical fields while we live through this pandemic. Additionally, by putting so much time and effort into finding a cure for COVID, new life-saving medical technology may materialize in the fight against SARS related illnesses.
In one of our previous articles, we discussed the role of nurses in elder care facilities. Now let’s take a look at the role of nurses in general and how they employ their expertise towards helping their patients in a hospital setting, specifically, how to help patients when it comes to physical employment.
If you have ever tried lifting up a grown adult who is heavy who simply cannot move on their own, then you will understand how difficult it is to achieve this task without dropping the patient or falling yourself. There is a high chance of patients falling and probably suffering from a major injury, if not for the professional nurses handling the task like a pro.
So, what is it that these nurses do that makes them such an expert at handling the patients with care and moving them from one bed to another, without so much as a jostle felt by the patients? For starters, they use the following techniques:
Training
There is an art to all that lifting and repositioning that nurses have to master. It is important to get to know about the workings of all the equipment, how to lift the bed, how to change the setting slowly, how to prevent too much pressure on patient’s weak spots, and so on. It is only after they know every aspect of the equipment in question that they become confident of their skills are given the responsibility to handle the patients.
Give the Details
More often than not, it helps the patient’s relatives to know what is actually happening. In order to prepare the patients for the move or help them in repositioning, it helps greatly if they are given step-by-step details of everything. Most of the time, people expect much worse than it actually is, and then, of course, there is the fear of the unknown. Once the patients learn what is going to happen, they relax considerably which makes the whole process easier and quicker.
Stay Active and Strong
In order to perform these risky tasks, nurses actually have to stay fit themselves. For instance, nurses need to have good upper body strength to lift up patients who have more weight. They cannot afford the risk of their strength giving out at the last second, which might not only bring pain to the patient but might also result in the nurse suffering from an injury themselves.
Take Preventive Measures
Nurses are friendly with their patients so that they do not feel any hesitancy when asking for help. These nurses also make sure that there is no obstacle in the room or anything else that might trip the patient.
A good nurse is one who doesn’t give any chance for their patients to press the nurse-calling button and do the tasks that could be achieved through their punctual hourly rounds. It has also been noted that the more frequent these rounds are, the fewer incidents there are of the patients falling. In many cases, patients feel like they are completely capable of getting off the bed themselves and end up falling. These visits by the nurses lower the frequency of such accidents.
Now that you know about the preventive measures and thoughtful considerations nurses implement to prevent people from falling and suffering from major injuries, you know what to expect when going through a similar experience.
When it is time to dispose of old medicines, there are recommended guidelines to prevent drug abuse, protect your identity and personal health information (PHI).
Although it may seem like an easy solution, flushing medicines down the sink or toilet is actually not recommended, unless the disposal instructions on the prescription label specifically direct you to do so, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
How to Safely Dispose of Medications
Your neighborhood may have a drug take-back program, which will allow you to bring unused drugs to a location for proper disposal. However, if this is not available to you and the label does not instruct how to dispose of the medication, the CDC recommends mixing the meds with coffee grounds or kitty litter so that they are not easily recognizable. Then, place the mixture in a sealed bag or empty container and throw it out with the household trash.
The American Pharmacists Association also recommends crushing solid medications or dissolving them in water (which also applies for liquid medications) before mixing them in with the undesirable substances mentioned above.
When in doubt, speak with your pharmacist. Typically, pharmacists are easily accessible and can guide you on how to properly dispose of your unused meds.
They also recommend protecting your personal information by scratching out any content presented on the prescription label before throwing away the bottle.
It is very important to dispose of unused prescription drugs in the appropriate way. If the proper precautions are not taken, children, pets, or people who intentionally go through the trash may get their hands on your unused medications.
Consequences of Taking the Wrong Drug
There are some prescription medicines that can be harmful if taken by someone other than who the prescription was meant for, the CDC indicates, so it is also not recommended to give your unused medications to family or friends.
Keep in mind: disposal of medications is not the only thing that is important when trying to keep members of the household safe. You should ensure that medicines are also being stored safely.
In one case scenario, a three-year-old child happened to wander into his grandmother’s bedroom while the parents were visiting and conversing in the living room with the grandparents. The grandmother had her pills on a table next to her bed. The child found the pills. Opened the containers and started putting them in his mouth, thinking they were candy. Fortunately, the boy was not harmed as those particular meds were not controlled substances nor habit forming. They were mild sleep inducers. They didn’t know how many he had swallowed, but apparently, it wasn’t a lot. This situation could have been much worse though, since the grandmother did have controlled medications in containers right next to the sleep inducers.
This is why, even if you are visiting someone, make sure they have their meds safely stored away. Either keep prescriptions locked up, or stored somewhere high and out of the reach of children.
Teenage Curiosities
When it comes to teens, we head into a new arena. Many teenagers, especially adolescents are curious individuals, sometimes foolishly curious. If you have meds, especially controlled substances, and have teenagers living with you, hide the medications!
As per prp.jasonfoundation.com, “More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, COMBINED.”
Indeed with statistics such as this, being vigilant about teenagers would be an understatement.
In Closing
If you have small children or teens, or even pets, make sure you have your medications stored away properly where they cannot get to them!
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that another pandemic is not expected to occur as a result of the coronavirus. The WHO continues to monitor the SARS-like virus, but it does not expect that this virus will cause a new epidemic. This declaration comes after many months of investigating the virus and its impact on those who have been infected.
Many people had once feared that the virus might continue to cause new epidemics since so many people in China are infected with it. However, the last one occurred nearly 14 years ago, and many experts now believe that the virus is no longer a major concern for global health. The coronavirus may have reached the end of the road of being a global epidemic, and now health officials are focused on monitoring those who have been infected and the potential for future cases.
But What About COVID-19? Is It Still a Danger?
Microscopic view of the COVID virus. Photo: Pixaby
As the expression goes, “now that’s a loaded question”, as it depends upon who you talk to and the area of the world in which you live; however, there are some general facts that cannot be disputed. Let’s take a look at these facts and see how we now stand against the pandemic.
Resultant Deaths Diminish the Outbreak
It is an unfortunate circumstance, but those that have perished from COVID-19 greatly reduce those that will perish in the future, resulting in healthier individuals whose natural immune system limits or eliminates hospital stays over those who had a very weak immune system and succumbed to it earlier on. Unfortunate and tragic, but those are the facts.
From a medical perspective, the vaccines are showing that they do help build more antibodies in your body, which are the primary entities that kill the virus.
That doesn’t mean that if you are vaccinated, you will not catch it, but if you do, you will most likely feel only cold systems and not major issues such as fever or inability to breathe. In other words, you are at a substantially lower risk of getting a severe illness and death. With that said, there are circumstances where some folks have had medical issues after getting the shot. They may feel chills or headaches within 24 hours of receiving the vaccine, but then it goes away.
The Natural Immunity Factor
As previously mentioned, there are many people who have a natural immunity towards the virus, and these folks either don’t get sick or simply have the cold symptoms discussed, but some do not want to get the vaccine. This may be attributed to people who are just fearful, regardless of the statistics, religious reasons, or political reasons; however, Howard Fensterman (as well as many major researchers and scientists throughout the world) believe that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe to take!
Conclusion
Keeping your hands clean with soap or sanitizer is one of the best protection against spreading the COVID virus. Photo: Unsplash
The coronavirus has not been seen as having any serious consequences for the health of the world at large, with its deaths being limited to a lesser number of individuals each week in the US.
There is still research going on and will probably go on for the next 20 years. As for now, the threat to the world’s population seems less severe, and new research will focus on using these studies to improve human health in the future. With that said, let us not fall into the false premise that COVID-19 has totally left us. We still need to maintain our guard, and practice social distancing, cover our faces with a mask and wash our hands regularly!
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