At this time the best treatment for swine flu is prevention. Doing everything possible to avoid the flu may be more effective than the drugs and vaccine that we have (or maybe don’t have). The vaccine for H1N1 is scheduled to arrive in mid October but there will only be about 45 million doses and those will have to be doled out according to priorities set by your local health department.

The fact that we don’t have enough vaccine to go around may or may not be a problem. This vaccine was rushed into production and has not undergone the extensive testing that other vaccines have. The first question is will it work. The second question is what are the side effects. We won’t know those answers until late October.

There are two antiviral drugs available for flu, Tamiflu and an older drug Relenza. These drugs can be used to treat the flu or be used to prevent the flu in high risk populations like nursing homes. The good news is that the U.S. has at least enough stockpiled to treat 25% of the population. The bad news is that H1N1 might be immune to Tamiflu. In tests done in New York City last January, 99% of the H1N1 cases were Tamiflu resistant.

The other bad news about the drugs is that they work best when administered within 48 hours of coming down with swine flu. They won’t be prescribed unless the person tests positive for the strain. Now that the World Health Organization has stopped asking for test results, tests may or may not be given as readily as they were.

There are basically three types of tests. One can be completed in your doctor’s office in about 30 minutes. The problem with this test is it misses the flu roughly 30% of the time and also has a reputation of giving false positives. The other two tests require a lab. The actual test takes three hours to complete but add in transportation time and backlog and you’ll be lucky to see results in four days, two days longer than the recommended time to administer antivirals.

So the best answer to what’s the best flu treatment is, don’t catch it. If that doesn’t work; then your back to traditional treatment like fever medicine, rest, plenty of fluids, nutritious diet and Mom’s chicken soup.

This is going to be a big one and something you can’t ignore. It will affect your life either directly or indirectly. You need a plan on how to deal with it much as you would for dealing with an earthquake or hurricane.

“But Are All The New Swine Flu Vaccines Safe”?

In the last week swine flu cases in the UK have almost doubled. A lot of this is down to the fact that children have returned to school and already 66 schools have been hit by the virus since returning after the summer break.

The infections, which were, originally around 5000 have suddenly soared to 9000 according to figures released by the Department of Health in the UK. Sir Liam Donaldson who is the U.K.’s Chief Medical Officer has said that although this number is still relatively low it is the sign that a second wave of the pandemic is on the way.

Pupils at schools throughout the UK are being shown how important it is that they wash their hands and use tissues if they have a cold or a cough or are sneezing. Once used the tissues should be thrown away. He has said that the reason why children must fully understand this is because it has been shown that this dramatically cuts the risk of infection. 

At present the two vaccines which have been approved for use in the UK appear to be causing concern regarding the fact that members of the public are worrying that suitable tests may not have been done to guarantee their safety using these drugs. The two vaccines are Pandemrix and Focentria. The first is made by a British company GlaxoSmithKline and the second by the Swiss company Novartis. Glaxo SmithKline is supplying the UK vaccines. 

The European Medicines Agency who are the regulatory authority have also mentioned Baxter who also have a vaccine which there are hoping to approve next week.

 You may by now be wondering what it means when we say that a drug has been licensed. What this means is that the European medicines agency have firstly satisfied themselves that the drug in question is safe and secondly that it is effective for the purpose for which it is meant. The agency will not get involved in discussing which of the vaccines may be better than the other. Even though these two vaccines have been approved at present it still has to be agreed by the European Commission but this is generally a rubber stamp job and is expected to be agreed next week.

 What worries a lot of people is the fact that these new vaccines have been fast tracked through the system. The reason for this is that medical authorities want urgently to get them to high-risk patients prior to the big surge in swine flu cases which is expected this winter. What actually happens is that the manufacturers of these drugs submit a mockup of the vaccine to the World Health Organization and their experts will have been already working to identify the exact strain which has been causing the swine flu. Once this strain has been recognized they will then be slotted into the model.

 Because it appears to have been rushed through this is the bit that seems to worry the general public but the European Medicines Agency have said that they do not think that a new strain added into the old model will firstly effect the safety of the vaccine or its efficiency. They have however requested the manufacturers of the vaccines to run extra trials. These trials will involve 9000 people per vaccine to ensure that no problems are thrown up.

 In case you are wondering when these vaccines will be available to patients in the UK the Chief Medical Officer has always indicated that this will be in October although health officials at the Department of Health will not confirm any particular date. The one thing that is known is that the first batches of vaccine will be given to vulnerable people such as ones with heart problems asthmatics and people working in the health field.

If you or worried in any way whatsoever for the safety of your family please go across to our main swine flu pages at http://askabouthealth.com/swine-flu.html

Graham Hodgson

We are all supposed to be students of history. Unfortunately, thought too many in government, the pharmaceutical industry and the medical community have been preoccupied. All have been preoccupied with developing newer technologies especially in the field of medicine while ignoring the rudimentary procedures in vaccine development. Remember “that the events of today are the fruits of past decisions and our options for responses to them can be found in our predecessors. “

If history is supposed to teach us one thing is that we should have learned from our mistakes and our successes from the past. This, in order to apply those lessons to the contingencies that are playing out today. The Pandemic of 1918 was the greatest medical crisis of the 20th century. We can only hope that this Covid-19 threat is the only real medical catastrophe of the 21st century. And, yet there are very concerning questions that remain as whether humanity will again be faced with a contagion as viral as this Covid-19.

We have to remember that with the advent of newer really untested medical technologies as in the case of this Covid-19 vaccine {which by the way really isn’t a vaccine} could pose a greater threat to humanity. Both Modera and Pitzer have introduced mRNA a synthetic compound which is supposed to provide a blueprint for your cells to build up immunity against SARS-CoV-2 the virus that causes Covid-19. Please note that neither Modera or Pitzer do not contain SARS-CoV-2 or any other virus just the blueprint to help fight against it.

Going back to the Pandemic of 1918 the medical community responded and developed a vaccine using biological remnants of the virus itself to inoculate the populace. And,by 1938 scientists have discovered there are two types of influenza viruses, type A which is far more deadly and contagious. This type caused the great pandemic of 1918. And type B which is less lethal. So by 1938 both type A and type B viruses were included in the influenza vaccine. When World War II broke out the rate of influenza was greatly reduced because of our development of a true vaccine to protect against the very virus that caused the great Pandemic of 1918. Today, vaccines in order to be really effective all include a small portion of the virus that we are providing protection against.

What we are already seeing today is just surfacing. Individuals who have already been inoculated with either this Modera or Pitzer so-called vaccine is that there is a reemergence of the very virus that this vaccine was supposed to suppress not to mention the debilitating side effects either. What may in all likelihood happen when governments have now pretty much mandated everyone to become inoculated with these so-called vaccines is this Covid-19 crisis will only continue. The protection that is supposed to occur has proven ineffective compared to vaccines that include a portion of the virus that does build up a person immunity to the very disease that one is exposed to.

The world was warned that a potential health catastrophe was imminent and yet the United States was totally unprepared for this Covid-19 disaster. What should have been done when this emergency first surfaced wasn’t and the responses to this humanitarian crisis have been totally repugnant. In the end what we are faced with is a government and agencies all across the world having to cover up their inadequacies in the form of mandates to populations all the while knowing that they have botched every response to this major health threat. We can only hope that if another major outbreak of an infectious disease occurs the scientific community will infarct develop a true vaccine, one that will have lasting immunity protection to the disease that threatens our health and livelihood.

(V.K. Singh, a respected Indian doctor and professor of organic chemistry, has been studying autoimmune disorders and autism and vaccines for the better part of 20 years. Byron Richards is a founding member of the International and American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists and the director of Wellness Resources, Inc. This article leans heavily on both of their bodies of work.)

Many people have been crying out that the autism-vaccines connection is patently false ever since the Democratic candidates brought up the issue in this American election cycle. The reasoning is simple: the best theory most people can find on the connection is the presence of Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, in many vaccine formulations. Everyone knows that mercury is toxic, and it makes sense that there was a causal link. But with a little more research, everyone learns that the FDA and CDC required the vaccine producers to remove thimerosal from most vaccines (but not the flu shot!) back in 2002, and autism rates continue to rise.

There is another, much more subtle connection between autism and vaccines, however. According to Byron Richards: “The rate of autism is directly time-associated with the increased vaccines given to our infants.” This should lead us to the conclusion that, if there is a connection, it is between autism and the amount — not the presence — of vaccines given to infants. The number of shots given to infants under 15 months of age has tripled in the last 15 years, from 7 to 21.

The point?

So, what about getting more shots could cause this increase in autism? Independently, Richards and Dr. V.K. Singh have come up with strikingly similar hypotheses.

According to Singh, autism shows many striking similarities to an autoimmune disease. The same kinds of tests that register autoimmune diseases also register autism; autism occurs four times more often in boys than girls (similar to the pathology of several common autoimmune disorders – girls may be genetically more resistant to this phenomenon because of the autoimmune dangers of bearing a child); autistic patients respond well to treatments for autoimmune diseases.

Singh said: “The linkage of vaccines to neurological disorders comes through the promotion of an auto-immune process, triggered by the virus present in the vaccine together with the adjuvant used to sensitize the body to this virus.” Simplified, this means that the adjuvants put into almost all vaccines trigger autoimmune reactions that can cause neurological disorders.

An adjuvant is a substance added to a vaccine to enhance the body’s immunological response to the vaccine’s primary ingredient. According to Richards, this “initiates an inflammatory reaction (the first step in any immune response). The idea is to get the immune system revved up so that it can see the weakened disease and learn what it looks like so that if it ever sees it again it will be more prepared to fight it.” So, adjuvants cause inflammation (which helps your body find and build immunity to the virus in the vaccine) – and also trigger autoimmune neurological disorders.

A side note

Singh also hypothesizes, rather narrowly in this author’s opinion, that “a measles virus-induced autoimmune response was a causal factor in autism…[which] may also explain why some children show autistic regression after the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) immunization.” (For those of you that are not aware, a huge MMR-vaccine scandal erupted in Europe about a decade ago, which is likely the source of Dr. Singh’s focus on this particular vaccine.)

Quoting another doctor’s work, Singh points out: “In several cases, electron microscopy has revealed live measles virus in the intestinal lining of children with the gastrointestinal abnormalities common in children with autism.” Translation: a significant number of kids have live measles in their guts – and a statistically-significant number of those kids have autism. If Singh’s measles-induced-autism theory is correct, it means that lots more children were almost autistic, but avoided that fate through some unrecognized mechanism.

Inflammation of the brain

Richards, in an article on naturalnews.com, said “It is clear that those with autism have an excessively inflamed brain…The multiple inflammatory insults from the adjuvant in vaccines, at a rate of 1 in 150 cases, sets the brain ‘on fire’ and causes autism. As an aside, and to a lesser extent (but just as important to society), a minor ‘brush fire’ causes ADHD and impaired intelligence.”

The brain has a lot of what are called ‘glial’ cells, which are cells that provide nutrition and create myelin, which form the outer layer of our neurons and keep them from short-circuiting. These glial cells serve a secondary anti-inflammatory function for the brain. A weak glial anti-inflammatory barrier could be the reason why 1 in 150 people fall victim to autism induced by vaccine adjuvants.

I don’t want my kid to go unvaccinated. What can I do?

Fully-developed children (2+ years of age) have significantly more time to develop a glial barrier than infants, whose nervous system is still developing. Also, the glial barrier regenerates with time, so vaccinating infants more slowly is safer (though not perfectly safe, of course).

Keep in mind that, according to Singh, “A small…proportion of children develop autism as a result of pre-or post-natal infections – for example, with rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, HIV, and so on.” There is no absolute guarantee that, by avoiding vaccinations altogether, your child will also avoid autism – but when you examine the autism rate today (1 in 150) with the autism rate 20 years ago (1 in 500), you can cut the chance of your child getting autism by more than two-thirds.

Having done the math myself, as a first-time father, I can tell you that my child isn’t getting vaccinated against anything until he is a year old, and after that, I am going to insist that at least a month pass between injections. (As a side benefit, there is a chance, however slim, that this will blow up in the pharmaceutical companies’ faces in the meantime, and they will be forced to reformulate the vaccines with less dangerous ingredients before I have to vaccinate my child.) That will still give plenty of time to get the necessary immunizations in time for him to go to school, and keep this whole autism and vaccines concern to a minimum.

The major flu shot ingredients are dead influenza viruses. There may be any number of different flu viruses circulating at any one time, but pharmaceutical companies only choose three as annual flu shot ingredients. Even if you take an annual flu shot, you could still contract another flu virus and still come down with the flu. So, it is still important to protect your immune system and practice good health habits. Common flu vaccine side effects include body aches, low grade fever and soreness at the point of injection. There are some rare, but serious flu vaccine side effects that concern many people.

In addition to the major flu shot ingredients, pharmaceutical companies add preservatives. Until recently there were no preservative free flu shots. The addition of the preservative thimerosal to flu shot ingredients has caused illness and injury. Thimerosal is mercury based and is believed to have been the cause of flu vaccine side effects in many people. Of major concern is the increase of autism in recent years and many researchers and doctors believe that thimerosal, a known neurotoxin, used as flu shot ingredients and in other childhood vaccines is the cause.

Some researchers and doctors believe that flu shot ingredients, including thimerosal and aluminum, increases the likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s disease. This, of course, is not one of the common flu vaccine side effects and since Alzheimer’s does not develop immediately after taking the shot, then the link can not be proven. A prominent physician and researcher showed that people who had five consecutive influenza vaccinations between the years 1970 and 1980 were ten times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s than were individuals who had none, one or two.

It is believed that some people cannot shed mercury from their systems and it builds up in their brains causing nerve and brain damage. In addition, some people are allergic to mercury and thimerosal and can experience serious allergic reaction as flu vaccine side effects. Some states have banned mercury from flu shot ingredients intended for use in children and pregnant women. But, while health advocates have petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to ban thimerosal from flu shot ingredients, nothing has been done at this time. Many manufacturers continue to add thimerosal to their flu shot ingredients.

The dead influenza viruses which are the major flu shot ingredients are grown in chicken eggs. So, people who are allergic to chicken eggs could have serious flu vaccine side effects. Some people blame the onset of chronic fatigue on flu vaccine side effects, but there is no scientific research supporting this belief.

The influenza nasal spray vaccine is chosen by some as an alternative to the flu shot. Ingredients in the nasal spray include weakened live influenza viruses. The common nasal spray flu vaccine side effects include runny nose, headache, sore throat and cough. The nasal spray flu vaccine is preservative free, but is only approved for use in healthy people between the ages of 5 and 49.

Concern over flu shot ingredients and flu vaccine side effects raise questions in the minds of some people as to whether or not healthy people, with a healthy immune system even need an annual influenza vaccine. Alternatives include the use of natural immunity boosting products. Some feel that these products may even reduce the likelihood of contracting the flu, the common cold and other viruses. Most natural immune system boosters have no unwanted side effects and carry none of the risks associated with flu vaccine side effects and flu shot ingredients. To learn more about immune system boosters and for more information about the common cold, influenza and other viruses, visit www.immune-system-booster-guide.com.

Medical experts recommend that everybody should get a flu shot before the peak flu season begins, which is from December to March. However, many people simply prefer not to take it because of the mistaken notion that taking the vaccine will actually give them the flu. There is a reason why people believe this.

It is a known fact that vaccines actually contain the virus that they are made to kill. This means, in the case of the flu vaccine, it actually contains the flu virus. This naturally triggers the question – won’t it then cause the symptoms in the person who gets the shot?

To understand how this works, take a look at how vaccines work.

How flu shots work

The influenza virus is first deactivated and then used to prepare the vaccine. About ten to fourteen days after you’ve received the flu shot, the deactivated viruses help to develop antibodies in your body. These new antibodies are strong and robust enough to prevent any new influenza viruses from invading the body. This keeps you safe from the symptoms of flu even during the peak season.

Are there any side effects of getting the flu shot?

Not everyone experiences any adverse effects after having received the vaccine. In some people, there may be some swelling in the area of the injection. Others may also get a mild fever or overall body ache. However all of these symptoms are very mild and easy to manage. Pain or fever medications or localized ice application are usually enough.

The side effects of the flu shot are far more bearable as compared to the symptoms of flu and the havoc it can cause to your personal and professional life as well as your finances.

Flu symptoms may include all or some of the following:

• Runny nose and sore throat

• Mild fever

• Weakness and fatigue

• Headache

• Severe muscle and joint ache

• Dry cough

In more severe cases, you may also experience sudden dizziness, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath and trouble breathing.

Flu related complications

One of the most important reasons why getting vaccinated is strongly advisable is because it can protect you from many complications that are related to this condition. Some of the more common complications may include sinus infections, bacterial or viral pneumonia, asthma, dehydration and ear infections. Some people also suffer from muscle inflammation. All of these conditions can be life-threatening if not treated in time. Getting the vaccination can help protect you against all of these complications.

Although, the vast majority of Americans, seemed to consider the possibility of a vaccination for the virus, which created this recent pandemic, a potential savior, in order to protect them, and let them resume, some semblance, of a return to a normal – type, life, it seems, too many, for a variety of reasons, refuse to get vaccinated! Some of these individuals, believe a conspiracy theory, or consider it, a political symbol, etc, we often hear, these people state, whether or not, they get a vaccines, is a personal choice, etc! If you, really, believe, that, you are ignoring several, significant realities/ facts/ factors, because, when it comes to public health, for the greater good, common sense should tell – you, your actions (whether you take some, or avoid them), often, affect others! With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, 5 examples, which indicate, those, proceeding with those assumptions, should, think again.

1. Impact on others who aren’t vaccinated: Public health experts tell us, the horrific pandemic, caused by a COVID – type virus, is now, being driven, by, a variety of variants, and, the only way, to avoid, we don’t revert – back, to health – threatening, conditions, is if, at least, 70% of the population, takes the shot! At present, the most threatening, variant, seems to be, something, referred to, as, Delta variant, which, has created a significant increase in cases, largely, affecting the unvaccinated. At present, experts tell us, 97% or more, of the hospitalizations (and deaths), are, among, those, who haven’t taken the injections! Unvaccinated people are infecting, predominantly, others, who, also, haven’t, helped themselves, by protecting them, by following the science!

2. Children under 12: At present, no shot, has been approved, for those, under 12. Therefore, adults, who decide, it is their right, to refuse, to take any vaccine, potentially, may harm these children, as well as each others!

3. People with immune deficiencies: Some people, are, more, at – risk, because they have certain, immune deficiencies, and/ or, related conditions! It is believed, that, while the vaccines, appear to be, over 90% effective for others, these compromised people, are, more, at – risk!

4. Others, who are vaccinated: There have been some cases, of people, being infected, even though, they are vaccinated! However, it is believed, they have been, largely, protected, against the most – serious effects!

5. Ending horrific pandemic: Experts claim, the only way, we will, return to normal, and end the horrific pandemic, is when, we reach, herd – immunity, or somewhere, close, to that! It is believed, this will require, at least 70% of the population, are effectively, treated! Therefore, anyone, who claims, it is their right, and freedom, to refuse any treatments, etc, is, ignoring how their behavior, affects the greater good!

We all, want to see the end of this horrific pandemic, and a return to a healthier, saner, more – normal, life! Whether, you like it or not, your behavior, has a significant effect, on others!

The warp speed development of an anti-Covid-19 vaccine disregards the non-immunological anti-virus defense mechanism mediated by the alternative cellular energy (ACE) pathway. This pathway was identified in studies on stealth adapted viruses. These viruses have deletions or mutations in the genes coding for the relatively few virus components that are normally targeted by the cellular immune system. Public Health authorities have denied the existence of these viruses because some were originally derived from the viruses that infect the monkeys used to produce polio vaccines. A novel feature of the stealth adaption process is that in addition to losing certain genes, there can be the incorporation of genetic sequences from infected cells. This has allowed the transmission to humans of monkey cellular genes.

Even though the immune system is restricted in its capacity to suppress stealth adapted viruses, these viruses and indeed potentially all viruses, can still be suppressed providing the infected cells have sufficient cellular energy. Symptomatic Covid-19 infection is, therefore, an indication that the person’s cells have insufficient cellular energy. Conversely, symptomatic infections can be prevented by enhancing the cellular energy of those exposed to the virus. Arguably, this can be achieved by the repeated inhalation of the mist generated by inhaling nebulizing water with a heightened level of a natural energy referred to as KLELEA, an abbreviation for Kinetic Energy limiting Electrostatic Attraction. A natural source of KELEA activated water has been identified in Southern California. It can also be generated using a number of simple procedures. The current investigative protocol is to inhale the mist from 5 ml of activated water, over a 5-minute period for 5 times a day for two days. The primary outcome is the conversion from a positive PCR or antigen test prior to the two-day inhalation to a negative test following the investigational procedure. A secondary outcome is self-reported assessments of changes in symptom severity. This study is registered at ww.clinicaltrials.gov identification number NCT04490824.

Stealth adapted virus-infected individuals are at a special risk from receiving a Covid-19 vaccine. First, the non-specific immune stimulation from the vaccine can enable immune reactivity against some of the residual components on the stealth adapted viruses. If these viruses reside in the central nervous system, the resulting inflammation can present as multiple sclerosis or transverse myelitis, as has been reported using the AstraZeneca vaccine. Second, stealth adapted viruses can incorporate and become carriers of foreign genes. Were preexisting stealth adapted viruses to incorporate the vaccine Covid-19 spike antigen-coding DNA or RNA sequence, they could readily disrupt the body’s angiotensin-mediated regulatory system. It is highly unlikely that these considerations are being addressed by either the Food and Drug administration (FDA) or vaccine manufacturers. Indeed as noted above, the FDA, and even the National Institutes of Health (NIH),have refused to even acknowledge the existence of monkey-derived stealth adapted viruses in spite of overwhelming DNA sequence data on these viruses.

For an illness that causes symptoms in only a small fraction of those infected, it is entirely inappropriate to vaccinate everyone. What is more sensible is to have the means of reducing the susceptibility of those who would otherwise develop symptomatic illness. In addition to direct inhalation of KELEA activated water, benefits appear to occur from the simple wearing of small pouches containing activated water. Activated water can similarly be used to humidify closed living spaces. These approaches are facilitated by the locating of sources of naturally activated water.

Chickenpox is a common, usually benign childhood disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a member of the herpes family. This virus causes two distinct diseases; varicella (chickenpox) is the primary infection, and later when VSV reactivates, herpes zoster (shingles).

Chickenpox is highly contagious and is spread by coughing and sneezing, by direct contact and by aerosolization of the virus from skin lesions. You can also get it by contact with the vesicle secretions from shingles.

The disease is characterized by fever and a red, itchy skin rash of that usually starts on the abdomen, back or face and then spreads to nearly all parts of the body. The rash begins as small red bumps that appear as pimples or insect bites. They then develop into thin-walled blisters that are filled with clear fluid which collapse on puncture. The blisters then breaks, crusts over, and leaves dry brown scabs.

The chickenpox lesions may be present in several stages of maturity and are more abundant on covered skin rather than exposed. Lesions may also be found in the mouth, upper respiratory tract and genitals.

Chickenpox is contagious from 1-2 days before the rash forms and continues until all the lesions are crusted over (usually about 5 days).

This disease is more serious in adults than in children. Complications of chickenpox are rare, but include pneumonia, encephalitis and secondary bacterial infections.

Infection with this virus usually gives lifelong immunity, though second attacks have been documented in immunocompromised people. The viral infection remains latent, and disease may recur years later as shingles.

To prevent this disease in children, a vaccine was licensed for use in 1995. Doctors recommend that children receive the chickenpox vaccine at 12 to 15 months and then a booster at 4 to 6 years old. The vaccine is effective at preventing mild infection in up to 85% of children and severe forms in up to 95% of children. Some kids who get immunized will still get chickenpox, though with much milder symptoms.

Some people should not get vaccinated for chickenpox; in particular pregnant women. They should wait to get the vaccine until after they give birth or women should not get pregnant until 1-3 months after vaccination.

For children older than 13 and those adults who have never had chickenpox, the chickenpox vaccine should be given in two doses at least 28 days apart.

In addition, those that have a suppressed immune system due to a disease (HIV/AIDS) or a treatment (cancer treatment or steroids) should check with their physician prior to getting immunized.

If your child does get chickenpox, you can help relieve the discomfort that comes with this illness by doing the following:

o Using cool wet compresses or giving baths in cool or lukewarm water every 3 to 4 hours for the first few days. Oatmeal baths, available at the supermarket or pharmacy, can help to relieve itching. (Baths do not spread chickenpox.)

o Patting (not rubbing) the body dry.

o Putting calamine lotion on itchy areas (but don’t use it on the face, especially near the eyes).

o Giving your child foods that are cold, soft, and bland because chickenpox in the mouth may make drinking or eating difficult. Avoid feeding your child anything highly acidic or especially salty, like orange juice or pretzels.

o Asking your doctor or pharmacist about pain-relieving creams to apply to sores in the genital area.

o Giving your child acetaminophen regularly to help relieve pain if your child has mouth blisters.

o Asking the doctor about using over-the-counter medication for itching.

Never use aspirin to reduce pain or fever in children with chickenpox because aspirin has been associated with the serious disease Reye’s syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and even death.

As much as possible, discourage kids from scratching. This can be difficult for them, so consider putting mittens or socks on your child’s hands to prevent scratching during sleep. In addition, trim fingernails and keep them clean to help lessen the effects of scratching, including broken blisters and infection.

In view of the worrying surge of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 or the new Coronavirus) the world over with the worst affected country USA having a second wave and in India, Brazil and others the infections going unabated desperation for treatment measures is growing all the time. Besides, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been consistently maintaining that possibility of having a vaccine is at least one and half years away. The WHO has also maintained that there is no proven cure for COVID-19 so far. The basic reason that justifies such kind of desperation is that this virus is far more dangerous than the recent viruses, its mortality rate almost 10 times higher than those. The virus has caused havoc on planet Earth before the humans came to understand and know much about it. Therefore, various issues concerning herd immunity, plasma therapy, development of vaccines and use of repurposed drugs are being discussed and experimented continuously all over the globe.

The term ‘herd immunity’ basically means that if most part of the population becomes immune to a particular infectious disease then they will get indirect protection than those who are not immune to it. For example, if 80% of the population gets immunity then four out of five people won’t get sick despite coming into contact with infected people. At least 70 to 90% immunity will be required for effective herd immunity that can keep the virus under control. The problems come when talking about how to achieve this herd immunity. There are two ways of achieving herd immunity: with precautions and social norms not being followed strictly a large portion of the population is likely to get infected and if it is at least 70%, the population can get herd immunity, and secondly, simply through the development of a vaccine. In the first case the cost of a large number of people getting infected will be very heavy and high in terms of loss of lives. In India and other populous countries large chunks of population are susceptible or exposed to the virus, and to achieve herd immunity through the first way is not advisable at all. Therefore, the only way to achieve this would be through a developed vaccine, and till it is ready for mass use the infections must be kept under control by enforcing strict social distancing and other norms.

Plasma Therapy has been emerging as a very positive development for treating serious COVID-19 patients where the blood plasma is collected from recovered Coronavirus patients is injected into them and the anti-bodies contained in that helps curing them. In India, this therapy is being practiced with good results; plasma banks are being established in Delhi, Haryana and Maharashtra among others with requests to recovered patients to donate plasma. In fact, the Health Minister of Delhi who got seriously ill with COVID-19 recovered finally with this therapy.

The WHO has stipulated very stringent procedures for development of COVID Vaccines: the produced vaccine has to go through three rigorous phases of clinical trials with increasing numbers of human volunteers given doses before being declared safe for use which would take several months apart from the months needed for mass manufacture and distribution. At the moment there are around 100 vaccine candidates the world over including seven firms in India with a few of them already approved for clinical human trials: the Oxford vaccine developed in the United Kingdom currently in the third phase of trial; CureVac from Germany approved for clinical trials; a Russian COVID vaccine claims to have successfully completed the three phases of human trial and now ready for mass production and at least two vaccines on trials in India with the first-ever Indian vaccine candidate Covaxin by Bharat Biotech getting approval from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for human trials. In fact, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the apex medical body, created a controversy recently by directing the stakeholders to fast-track Covaxin making it ready for mass use by 15th of August 2020 which was promptly rebuffed by the Government of India. It is to be emphasized here that even if a vaccine is finally approved for mass use its effectiveness will still be under scanner, because every vaccine mutates often and so, there is no guarantee that a vaccinated person won’t get COVID-19 in possibly a year or more.

As an integral part of the desperate search for COVID cures or treatments various repurposed drugs have been tried continuously for treating the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Hydroxychloroquine, a drug used successfully for treatment of malaria in India, was first tried on the infected medical fraternity leading to a spree of exports by India on demand from various countries including the US. However, finally, the WHO has discontinued its trials in July 2020 for reasons of side effects and safety. Antiviral drug Favipiravir, originally produced in Japan to fight influenza, under the name of Fabiflu distributed by Glenmark Pharma was officially approved in June 2020 to treat mild to moderate Corona patients in several countries. However, its side effects are under scanner and the DCGI has only approved emergency use with prescriptions.

The WHO has been very hopeful on the efficacy of a corticosteroid called Dexamethasone as a life-saving medicine for critically ill Corona patients based on the clinical trial in the United Kingdom. Since Dexamethasone is basically an anti-inflammatory drug its use is only to cut mortality rates in patients requiring oxygen or ventilator support. Another antiviral drug, Remdesivir (Covifor) produced by Gilead Sciences is so far the only accepted medicine for treatment of COVID-19 given approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and recently distributed in India too that led to a craze with reported black marketing. However, this medicine not for public purchase in chemists, and only for supply to hospitals for doctors to prescribe under discretion for serious COVID patients. The overall safety of the drug is yet to be proved though.

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And the quest for a possible cure for the killer virus goes on. In the meantime, humankind must adapt to the new normal following stringent social distancing norms and other precautions, for at least a year more, hopefully.