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New Zealand Doctors Speaking Out With Science
What is in the pipeline? Yet another scary variant by the looks. XE (does it rhyme with sexy?) is making ripples in the mainstream media. There’s an XD and XF as well, but they don’t sound as good. It’s a recombinant variant, a mixture of viral bits, apparently 10% more transmissible. How do they work that out?
Does it matter if it’s more transmissible? That’s what generally happens to viruses over time, they infect more people but with milder symptoms. No point in killing your host if you want to be passed on.
Our venerable Dr (or is it to be Sir) Bloomfield is sounding a note of caution. He’s keeping a watching brief. It would be “likely that tougher restrictions would be needed if it landed”. Is it coming by plane? Of course, it is going to land. We are arrogant if we think we can keep viruses out.
Viruses are EVERYWHERE, in the air, in the water, in our bodies, on our food, in the soil. We have evolved with them, some might say evolved because of them, as bits of viral genetic material have added to our genome over time. We have amazing, intricate immune systems designed to resist the organisms that harm us. It might be worth acknowledging and looking after yours.
The Prime Minister is telling us that we’ve only seen the first wave of Omicron and there will be more variants, more mutants, more recombinants, more scary terms to frighten us and keep us obedient.
Our Director General also says we must increase the surveillance, test and monitor everything and everyone. “We’ve got plans for wider surveillance.” “We will be ramping up that surveillance testing as we head into winter.” At what cost and is that money well spent? Imagine what would happen if we let doctors be doctors and we only tested those for whom the test result would make a difference to the treatment. We could all get on with our lives and the pandemic would disappear like a mist in the morning sun.
They’re all cogitating over the 4th booster. Will we, won’t we? Maybe just the elderly and vulnerable (to start with anyway).
Our favourite epidemiologist (a type of doctor that doesn’t interact with real patients) Dr Michael Baker is advising us to ‘plan for the unexpected’. We’ve used some great tools (yes, those dehumanising masks, the tracer apps, the social isolation, the vaccine passports), best not to throw any of them away. Let’s just keep them in our back pocket ready to whip out again at a moment’s notice.
Dr McElnay agrees ‘masks are a critical aspect of the public health response’. Let’s hide those smiles, let’s rebreathe that carbon dioxide destined for the trees.
At least Dr David Welch of Auckland University is dialling down the scare tactics. “We shouldn’t be too concerned about XE at this time.”
But wait there’s more. Flu is going to make a comeback. Be prepared. This year’s vaccines have 4 strains in them, and no thiomersal (mercury). Your dose will be recorded on the new National Immunisation Solution. “Solution to what?” you may ask.
Don’t worry about Vitamin D, fresh veggies and fruit, keeping hydrated and warm, sleep, sunshine or fresh air. They’re irrelevant and not worth mentioning.
You can even have your Covid vaccine and your flu vaccine together at the same time and at any stage of pregnancy*!!! Did they do the studies on that while we were looking the other way?
At this point, we have to ask, “What has happened to the Medical Profession?”
Turn off the news. Share your smile with passers-by. Live dangerously. Look around you. What is really making people sick??
*From IMAC Flu Kit 2022:
Can influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations be given to pregnant people at the same visit? Yes. Pregnant individuals are recommended the influenza vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech) at any stage of pregnancy. They can be given at the same time or separately.
