The Pandemic

Last night, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (who, we should not forget, stole the election from Stacey Abrams through voter suppression) appeared on t.v. and announced that two people here in Georgia have tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, the first two cases in the state. And of course, they live here in Fulton County.  Right here in Atlanta.  The pandemic is no longer something "over there" - it's right here, right now.  

According to Dr. James Robb, MD FCAP, a renowned pathologist and one of the first molecular virologists in the world to work on coronaviruses back in the 1970s, the current pandemic is likely to be most widespread by mid to late March and April.  Dr. Robb offers the following precautions to help protect yourself and others.

1) NO HANDSHAKING! Use a fist bump, slight bow, elbow bump, etc. 

2) WASH YOUR HANDS!  Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return home from any activity that involves locations where other people have been.  

3) Use only your knuckle to touch light switches. elevator buttons, etc.. Lift the gasoline dispenser with a paper towel or use a disposable glove. 

4) Open doors with your closed fist or hip - do not grasp the handle with your hand, unless there is no other way to open the door. Especially important on bathroom and post office/commercial doors. 

5) Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when they are available, including wiping the handle and child seat in grocery carts.

6) Keep a bottle of sanitizer available at each of your home's entrances and in your car for use after getting gas or touching other contaminated objects when you can't immediately wash your hands. 

7) If possible, cough or sneeze into a disposable tissue and discard. Use your elbow only if you have to. The clothing on your elbow will contain infectious virus that can be passed on for up to a week or more!

The virus is spread in large droplets by coughing and sneezing. This means that the air will not infect you but all the surfaces where these droplets land are infectious for about a week on average. Everything that is associated with infected people will be contaminated and potentially infectious. The virus is on surfaces and you will not be infected unless your unprotected face is directly coughed or sneezed upon. 

This virus only has cell receptors for lung cells (it only infects your lungs). The only way for the virus to infect you is through your nose or mouth via your hands or an infected cough or sneeze onto or into your nose or mouth. We touch our faces 90 times/day without knowing it. Disposable surgical masks help you minimize touching your nose and/or mouth. The mask will not prevent the virus in a direct sneeze from getting into your nose or mouth, it will only keep you from touching your nose or mouth.

Also, zinc lozenges are effective in blocking coronavirus and most other viruses from multiplying in the throat and nasopharynx. Use as directed several times each day when you begin to feel any "cold-like" symptoms beginning. It is best to lie down and let the lozenge dissolve in the back of your throat and nasopharynx. 

As noted above, the pandemic will likely be most widespread from mid to late March through April. This has me wondering if Atlanta should still host the planned Final Four tournament and invite tens of thousands of potentially infected basketball fans from all over the country here to town (what could go wrong with that?).  The National College Players Association, a nonprofit advocacy group for college athletes, suggested Saturday that the NCAA consider playing the March Madness games in empty arenas.

This has me wondering if it's wise to go to the Big Ears Festival in Knoxville in late March and mingle among the hundreds of other participants in the confined spaces of music venues.  Should the performances be played to empty rooms and simulcast over the internet to remote fans?