This week my dog Biscuit and I saw a number of questionable ideas that have gained attention in the press and social media. He says it is time to call out the eight worst ideas about the coronavirus this week. 1. Using Navy hospital ships for coronavirus support. The US Comfort has been barely utilizedContinue reading “Biscuit’s Eight Worst Coronavirus Ideas of the Week!”
Author Archives: jbakerjrblog
A single breath can transmit COVID-19
Simple breathing can spread COVID-19 from individuals who appear well. The easy transmission of this virus changes how we will try to limit the pandemic. Reports are emerging that even regular breathing can transmit COVID-19. The virus appears to be in expired air from people who are just breathing normally. This is very different fromContinue reading “A single breath can transmit COVID-19”
Sorry NYT: A Virus is NOT a Poison!
Today I have been bombarded with questions about a New York Times opinion piece concerning coronavirus infections. This piece, written by a chemistry and genomics professor and grad student at Princeton, states that, “As with any other poison, viruses are usually deadlier in larger amounts.” The piece makes a number of statements about exposure toContinue reading “Sorry NYT: A Virus is NOT a Poison!”
The WSJ on board with antibody testing.
Happy that WSJ has supported antibody testing for COVID-19. Important to moving forward. Look to Germany for a way forward. JB
New publications give disturbing findings about COVID-19 but also some good news.
One of the most important things we need to understand is how the COVID-19 (also called SARS-CoV-2) binds to and infects human cells (Figure 1). Two recent research papers provide a number of disturbing pieces of information about this process. A new paper in the journal Nature by investigators from University of Minnesota shows thatContinue reading “New publications give disturbing findings about COVID-19 but also some good news.”
Hot off the wire… New pandemic projections
There have just been new projections on the course in the pandemic in the entire US and each state. These are the best projections I have seen and contain both optimistic and concerning information. Please take a look and let me know what you think and how good a job your state is doing! JimContinue reading “Hot off the wire… New pandemic projections”
Why totally healthy people die from coronavirus.
One of the most frightening aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections is that people in the prime of their lives are dying acutely without any definable medical problem. While these deaths are infrequent compared to the number of elderly people with heart and lung disease who are dying from COVID-19, they appear to be fundamentally differentContinue reading “Why totally healthy people die from coronavirus.”
Emergency Donation of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine phosphate; what does compassionate use mean?
Last night the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was given 30 million doses of hydroxychloroquine by Sandoz pharmaceuticals (Novartis) and 1 million doses of chloroquine phosphate by Bayer pharmaceuticals. These were donated to the US Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) for potential use in treating patients hospitalized with COVID-19, and for use in clinicalContinue reading “Emergency Donation of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine phosphate; what does compassionate use mean?”
Important Updates on Antibody testing and How COVID-19 Came to the USA.
Updates on topics this blog’s author thinks are important Antibody testing for COVID-19. Antibodies are proteins in the blood that document that someone has been exposed to the COVID–19 virus and has developed immunity. This is important because tests for COVID-19 antibodies identify all people who been exposed to the virus, not just people whoContinue reading “Important Updates on Antibody testing and How COVID-19 Came to the USA.”
Bad medical ideas on COVID-19
Anyone reading this blog is smart enough to avoid most of the bad medical ideas being touted around coronavirus. Today I present 10 of the most concerning ideas on coronavirus, partly for entertainment and partly to give you substance on how to caution your friends, 1. Sex will cause you to get infected with theContinue reading “Bad medical ideas on COVID-19”
Pandemic Pondering 