Keeping it simple
Full disclaimer, this is written for people whom are not trained in medicine. So everyone who has a Medical Doctor (MD or DO) degree, a PHD or Masters Degree, or think they are a doctor, this is too basic for you.
CoViD Variants
There are new CoViD variants being discovered weekly now. Do not be alarmed or surprised. It is very normal for this type of virus to shuffle it’s genes to try to improve. Sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. There most likely have been many variants that have come, gone, and are not discovered. What is more surprising is that the experts have been caught off guard by this. The cCorna Viruses have been known to do this for decades.
There are variants now that escape (or are not covered by) the current Pfiser and Moderna vaccine. That is because these two vaccines attack a single spot on the virus surface that has changed. The multitarget vaccines (some attack 5 or more places) are covering the changes. These vaccines will be in the market soon.
In the long run, we will be handling this just like the flu. Every year, the medical experts will be trying to figue out what cocktail of targets to put in the vaccine to try to match up for what is coming. Stay tuned…
The Vaccine
Every vaccine out there has two basic components:
1) A part that presents the new parts of the virus to the immune system; and
2) something that turns on the immune system.
I prefer to say there is something that pisses off and wakes up your immune system, and then parts of the virus for your body to make antibodies against.
The immune system only makes antibodies when it feels that the infection or threat is significant enough that a bunch of energy needs to be spent. That this what #2 does. It turns on the immune system enough to wake it up. Kind of like poking a sleeping bear with a big stick.
Once awake, that bear is going to be looking for something that woke it up. That is when those foreign virus parts will be picked up; then wham-o – immunity with antibodies.
The Bottom Line
So, keep doing what I have been saying, and the experts have been saying. First and foremost – ignore people speaking as experts who really are not. Wash those paws, keep it clean, don’t lick things you shouldn’t be. Masking helps. Fresh air helps. Breathing stale air with lots of people you don’t know is bad Juju. Not washing your hands before you eat or touch your face is also not a good idea.
Expect this to roll into a yearly vaccine. Expect some people to try to make noise about what is bad and how everyone needs to listen to them. In other words, expect hysteria and people to speak without fully understanding and thinking. Then ignore them. Focus on the current, future, and positive. It will keep you sane.
Until next week – be safe, be sane, call if you need us.
Dr. Dave
