Coronavirus: This is how you prevent yourself from dying from COVID-19

Oct 03, 2021 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Vanderbilt Medical Center

Kaieteur News – Ever so often, as the data changes, I would do updates on options that decrease one’s risk of dying from COVID-19. While some factors were obvious from the initial stages of the pandemic, others have become evident as the virus evolves. Deaths in Guyana are at its highest, and many could have been avoided if we had practiced the measures I will mention today.
Minimise the “dose” of the virus you’re exposed to-
It is obvious that if we avoid the virus altogether then we wouldn’t have to worry about getting sick or dying from it. However, this virus has evolved and is making it more difficult for us to avoid it while carrying out daily activities. Data has shown a correlation between severe disease or death and the amount of virus (viral load) an infected person was exposed to. We should therefore practice the following measures to ensure that we avoid the virus or decrease the load that we are exposed to in the event of us coming into contact with it:
● Proper mask wearing: Ensure you and those that you are interacting with, all wear your mask. Also, using two masks (cloth or surgical) or an N95 mask when you are in high risky settings.
● Avoid high risk settings: Choose spaces that are large and open, have good air circulation and are not crowded to carry out daily interactions. The best environment to carry out interactions is therefore the outdoors.
● Time spent around others: Limit the time you spend close to others, especially those that you do not have certainty of their status.
Get Vaccinated:
If you look at the data in Guyana, more than 95 percent of the COVID-19 deaths are persons that were unvaccinated. As a doctor that works in the frontlines, I can also tell you that the vaccinated persons are faring very well with the disease when compared with the unvaccinated who undergo long bouts of intense suffering. The evidence is in front of our eyes to see, vaccines are doing what they were designed to do; save lives and decrease hospitalisation. Do not let a post on social media drive fear in you and prevent you from being vaccinated. Following a post from a disreputable site can cost you your life like it has for so many others.
Begin early treatment:
While the treatment options I will mention below may be controversial in some parts, I am sticking by it because of my personal experience with close to 100 patients that have fared well with it, and because of the data in many countries that have shown its effectiveness. We are in a world where profitability often determines which treatments get more attention. Ivermectin and Azithromycin are drugs that have been around for decades and are no longer patented. They are therefore cheap and are likely not to get the attention that the more expensive, patented drugs get. However, when used within the first three days of COVID-19 infection, the disease did not progress to the severe form but rather regressed. I will therefore continue to advocate for their use EARLY in the disease along with vitamins C and D and zinc supplementation.
Ensure your immune system is primed:
The virus thrives on the weak and data has shown that it is more likely to kill those that have weakened immune systems than those that do not. We should therefore ensure that our body is ready for battle and ensure we practice the following to ensure that our immune system is primed in the event that we come into contact with the coronavirus:
● Eat healthy and ensure we meet our daily vitamin requirements’
● Minimise stress and ensure we get enough sleep
● Exercise and try to keep our weight in check
● Use food rich in antioxidants
● Avoid social activities that weaken our bodies (smoking, alcohol consumption, etc.)
I am optimistic that if we practice these measures, we can beat COVID-19 and be able to finally, turn the tide against this dreaded disease.

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