Sunday Pandemic Update

UK

ONS (16th October)

England, 2 to 8 October 2020, Cases

336,500 within the community infected

1 in 160 people

Highest in older teenagers and young adults

Cases, + 27,900 new cases per day

Estimated percentage of the population in England testing positive

England and Wales, Up to 2 October, Deaths

Deaths, 390, (4.1%) above average total deaths

Deaths 321 (3.2%) mentioned COVID-19

Deaths, 215 (2.2%) the week before

Infection control

Among those who have met up with people from outside their household either outdoors or indoors:

Said they always or often maintained social distancing, 82%

Those who said they did so sometimes, not very often, or never, 17%

This 17% has stayed much the same for the past 3 months

Self-reported face mask wearing while shopping, 99%

Observation of other shoppers, 87%

Anxiety levels

Very or somewhat worried, 74%

High anxiety levels, 33%

Ethnic background and death, England and Wales

Demographic, geographical, socio-economic characteristics, multi-generational households, occupational exposure

After adjustments for those factors:

Increased rates of death, Black African, Black Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi

Higher risk health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease

Did not have a significant effect in explaining ethnic group differences.

Black African x males 2.5 times higher than for those of White background, Black African females x 2.1

Eastern Virginia Medical School

While there is very limited data (and none specific for COVID-19), the following “cocktail” may have a role in the prevention/mitigation of COVID-19 disease.

Prophylaxis (EVMC)

Vitamin C 500 mg BID and Quercetin 250 mg daily

Zinc 75-100 mg/day

Melatonin (slow release): Begin with 0.3mg and increase as tolerated to 2 mg at night

Vitamin D3 1000-3000 u/day

Famotidine 20-40mg/day

Quercetin

Plant pigment

Flavonoid

Found in many plants and foods:

Red wine, onions, green tea, apples, berries

Buckwheat tea

Memil-cha in Korea

Soba-cha in Japan

Kuqiao-cha in China

Reinfection

Hong Kong, August 24th

Reinfections, + 23 by mid-October

Deaths, + 1

Netherlands, 89 year old woman

May have been more earlier cases

May continue to test positive for several months

Without being sick or infectious

Viral genetic makeup is different

Cannot be explained through in-vivo evolution.

Average interval, 73 days

Australia

Cases, + 12

Western Australia has now been Covid-19 community-spread free for over 6 months

Restrictions have been eased over months now, with almost no restrictions within the State

Pretty much no mask wearing, but still have hand disinfecting stations at the door of shops, and social distancing rules at shops, banks, etc. of 1.5m

The hard border controls are working well, with the strict hotel quarantine “14 day” period

Catching 1-2 handfuls of positive cases coming in from overseas and interstate weekly

Catching infected crews on bulk carrier ships coming into port, two recently from Manila

Victoria

Cases, + 2

Active, 137