What you need to know about the virus in China "2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV)"

[sweetchaos]

Not so sure: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6121423/

There is some opinion that many benefits attributed to vitamin d supplements may apply only in individuals who have a deficiency from normal levels.

While this research paper doesn't draw conclusion one way or another whether Vitamin D helps against cold/influenza-virus, my person opinion is that getting enough Vitamin D is beneficial in general and certainly doesn't hurt you.

If anyone wants to dive deep into Vitamin D benefits, the paper I quoted above had the following conclusions:

Higher levels of vitamin D are strongly associated with prevention of falling and fractures from falling; lower incidence of cancer or cancer mortality; lower mortality from cardiovascular disease; fewer symptoms of colds or influenza; prevention of both types of diabetes, multiple sclerosis, chronic back pain, depression, and possibly autism.

Take a look at these Clinical Research & Epidemiological Studies as well:

• Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk:
  2007 - American Journal of Clinical Nutrition — 6 pages
  This 4-year, population-based, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that the relative risk (RR) of all forms of cancer was reduced to 0.232 in women receiving 1100 IU of daily Vitamin D plus calcium compared to the placebo control group. (Please see the study for all details.)
• Prospective Study of Predictors of Vitamin D Status and Cancer in Men:
  2006 - Journal of the National Cancer Institute — 9 pages
  This is a statistical study based upon a cohort of 51,529 medical professionals aged 40-75 in 1986. From their analysis, an increase of 25 nmol/L (which is 10 ng/ml, the more commonly used units) of predicted serum 25-hydroxy Vitamin D, resulted in a 17% reduction in total cancer incidence, a 29% reduction in total cancer mortality, and a 45% reduction in digestive-system cancer mortality. (Please see the study for all details.)
• Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors & Serum Vitamin D Levels in the U.S.:
  2007 - Archives of Internal Medicine / American Medical Association — 7 pages
  This study divided 7186 male and 7902 female adults, 20 years or older, into four equal-size groups based upon their measured serum Vitamin D levels. Comparing the lowest serum group (the lowest quartile) to the highest (the highest quartile), those with the lowest serum Vitamin D levels had 1.3 times the occurrence of hypertension (high blood pressure), 1.98 times the occurrence of diabetes mellitus, 2.29 times the occurrence of obesity, and 1.47 times the occurrence of high serum triglyceride levels. (Please see the study for all details.)
• 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Men:
  2008 - Archives of Internal Medicine / American Medical Association — 7 pages
  This prospective statistical study examined 18,225 male health professionals aged 40 to 75 years who were free of cardiovascular disease at the time of blood collection. During 10 years of follow-up, 454 men developed nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI, heart attack) or fatal coronary heart disease. Compared with twice the number of age- and smoking status-matched control subjects, men deficient in Vitamin D (≤15 ng/mL) were 2.42 times more at risk for heart attack than those with sufficient serum Vitamin D (≥30 ng/mL). (Please see the study for all details.)
• Predictors of Vitamin D Status and Cancer Incidence in Men:
  2006 - Journal of the National Cancer Institute — 9 pages
  This is a report on a “prospective statistical study” meaning that they took an existing medical database of information and analyzed it carefully for statistically significant relationships of a specific nature. In this case, they were examining the relationship, if any, between serum (blood) levels of Vitamin D and incidents of cancer and cancer mortality in men. What they found was that every increase of 25 nmol/L (that's 10 ug/mL on the scale most often used) of serum Vitamin D was associated with a 17% reduction in total cancer incidence, a 29% reduction in total cancer mortality, and a 45% reduction in digestive-system cancer mortality. The study concluded, in addition to the above, that the Vitamin D supplementation required to achieve a 25 nmol/L (10 mg/mL) increment in Vitamin D serum levels was approximately 1500 IU/day. (Please see the study for all details.)
• Low Vitamin D Status Despite Abundant Sun Exposure:
  2007 - The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism — 6 pages
  An odd thing that Vitamin D researchers occasionally encounter is surprisingly low serum Vitamin D levels in people having plenty of exposure to the sun. This study examined students of the University of Hawaii and patrons of a Hawaiian skateboard shop who are regularly in the sun. (Please see the study for all details.)

 

[digicidal]

Or get it from diet.

Gotta have mah shrooms! Best vitamin D supplement ever. Add a bit of cheese and sausage and stuff a pepper with them... MHMM.

 

[Doodski]

Gotta have mah shrooms! Best vitamin D supplement ever. Add a bit of cheese and sausage and stuff a pepper with them... MHMM.

"wild mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamin D2. In fact, some varieties pack up to 2,300 IU per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving — nearly three times the DV."
That's major high.

 

[digicidal]

To paraphrase Yogi Berra "You can get a lot of vitamins just by eating..."

 

[Doodski]

To paraphrase Yogi Berra "You can get a lot of vitamins just by eating..."

That's my mantra. I just toss another $30.00 worth of veggies in the shopping cart and call it a day rather than load up on supplements.

 

[Wombat]

1 tablespoon of cod-liver oil contains 3.4 times the normal Daily Value of vitamin D.

 

[sweetchaos]

Iran:

"The Iranian Ministry of Health calls on citizens to stay in their homes as much as possible and not to travel to other cities due to coronavirus"

Twitter

Did Iranian Ministry of Health just ask 83 million people to self-isolate?

 

[raistlin65]

FYI.. I have been taking 4000 IU vitamin D3 (oil based capsules) for quite a few years now.
It is known that older folks should take D3 anyway.
I use it to get through the winter fatigue and really helps.
The first year I took this I did not have the flu (rest of the family did) but the following years I still caught the flu. This year as well.
Consider that I take 2x the 2.000 IU dose.
Since 2 years the 4.000 IU is not sold over the counter anymore as it is seen as medication.
The solution is to take 2x 2000IU or the 3000 IU.

Highly skeptical it will prevent Covid but will improve winter fatigue.

The placebo effect is well-documented in medical research. Plus, there's the difficulty of eliminating and/or recognizing other contributing factors affecting anecdotal experience in relation to taking vitamin supplements.

Or are we only interested in objectivism as it applies to audio, not medical science?

 

[Putter]

Or get it from diet.

You don't get significant amounts from diet. It is added to milk, but is not adequate to maintain your levels. It also found in small fish. Also the only way to know whether you have adequate levels is to test your Vitamin D levels. They should be greater than 25 ng/mL.

I have to say that I don't feel the need to defend my statements. There is plenty of evidence available on the web from legitimate sources. You don't HAVE to do anything, but unless you want to wear your masks and goggles 24/7 (slight exaggeration), you may well be exposed before you have protection. This is one reasonable precaution (testing Vitamin D levels along with supplementation) along with regular hand-washing and other good sanitation.

 

[g29]

View attachment 51636

Vitamin D, not so much.

 

[Frank Dernie]

Iran:

Twitter

Did Iranian Ministry of Health just ask 83 million people to self-isolate?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51628484

 

[Thomas savage]

I'm supposed to be in Costa Adeje right about now enjoying a bit of winter sun in the south of Tenerife. Work was a bit busy so decided to stay put.

I was a bit relieved as it's been hit by a major sand storm oh and ..,

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/25/tenerife-coronavirus-guests-hotel-quarantined

 

[Frank Dernie]

I'm supposed to be in Costa Adeje right about now enjoying a bit of winter sun in the south of Tenerife. Work was a bit busy so decided to stay put.

I was a bit relieved as it's been hit by a major sand storm oh and ..,

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/25/tenerife-coronavirus-guests-hotel-quarantined

Yep, seems to be spreading fast now. Italy has some sort of religious sect who were keeping quiet about it and now there are a lot of cases.
The Ayatollahs in Iran say quarantine is an old fashioned thing to do and they aren't doing it.

 

[Thomas savage]

Yep, seems to be spreading fast now. Italy has some sort of religious sect who were keeping quiet about it and now there are a lot of cases.
The Ayatollahs in Iran say quarantine is an old fashioned thing to do and they aren't doing it.

It was a Italian tourist who bought it to Tenerife.

Yes I believe the Iranian health minister who says quarantine is old hat and not necessary is now infected with the virus himself.

You couldn't make it up .

 

[Frank Dernie]

Yes I believe the Iranian health minister who says quarantine is old hat and not necessary is now infected with the virus himself.

The guy in the picture in the BBC report looks most unwell, don't know if it was him claiming quarantine was old hat but if it was, karma.

 

[North_Sky]

In the next few days we might know if we are in a state of pandemic, or not.
Right now we're not ...

• https://www.sciencenews.org/article/what-coronavirus-pandemic-would-mean-outbreak-epidemic-who

 

[sweetchaos]

Public Health Response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak — United States, February 24, 2020
by CDC COVID-19 Response Team, posted 2 hours ago:
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6908e1.htm

As far as I know, this is a first report of this kind of breakdown, shown by US CDC.
Here's a few interesting points i picked up:

- 1,336 CDC staff members have been involved in the COVID-19 response, including clinicians (i.e., physicians, nurses, and pharmacists), epidemiologists, veterinarians, laboratorians, communicators, data scientists and modelers, and coordination staff members
- CDC teams are working with the Department of Homeland Security at 11 airports where all flights from China are being directed to screen travelers returning to the United States, and to refer them to U.S. health departments for oversight of self-monitoring.
- CDC is also working with other agencies of the U.S. government including the U.S. Department of Defense; multiple operational divisions with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response and the Administration for Children and Families; and the U.S. Department of State to safely evacuate U.S. citizens, residents, and their families to the United States from international locations where there is substantial, sustained transmission of COVID-19, and to house them and monitor their health during a 14-day quarantine period.
- As of February 23, a total of 46,016 air travelers had been screened at the 11 U.S. airports to which all flights from China are being directed.
- During January 18–February 23, CDC laboratories used real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to test 2,620 specimens from 1,007 persons for SARS-CoV-2.

 

[North_Sky]

 

[Wes]

somebody should go after the spike protein...

anyway:

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins

 

[sweetchaos]

somebody should go after the spike protein...

anyway:

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-clinical-trial-remdesivir-treat-covid-19-begins

Thanks for the link, here's the same trial from ClinicalTrials.gov:
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04280705?term=NCT04280705&draw=2&rank=1

Estimated Enrollment : 394 participants
Actual Study Start Date : February 21, 2020
Estimated Primary Completion Date : April 1, 2023 (really?)

They are testing drug: remdesivir

Drug Remdesivir is a single diastereomer monophosphoramidate prodrug designed for the intracellular delivery of a modified adenine nucleoside analog GS-441524. In addition to the active ingredient, the lyophilized formulation of Remdesivir contains the following inactive ingredients: water for injection, sulfobutylether beta-cyclodextrin sodium (SBECD), and hydrochloric acid and/or sodium hydroxide.