vick330

For context I have a Master's degree in Science (MsC), with focus on Microbiology, and my thesis was on atypical viruses of the Herspesviridae family. I have worked most of my life as a research assistant and have extensive training in laboratory safety. I was in charge of Biohazardous material, Radioactive safety, and Hazardous chemicals before being assigned to a support position (way more chill work!).

I am neither a Medical Doctor, nor an Epidemiologist, nor a Virologist, and I don't claim to know all there is to know about Lab Safety, much less claim I am a COVID-19 pundit. However I think I have learned a few things from my studies, training, and experience. And yet my relatives, who have no scientific training, are convinced they are specialists regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus.

As an example, our house has a second small bathroom in the basement, which is accessible from a basement door. It is easy to disinfect and we change the towels after guests from a same house use it. Coworkers I have invited are quite satisfied with the safety measures I have implemented.

And then there's one of the relatives I mentioned earlier...

They think the Pandemic is almost over, that things are pretty much back to normal, and that I am being paranoid, unreasonable, and misinformed. When we asked them to use the basement's bathroom, as a containment measure, their reaction was to be offended and blurt out, and I quote, "What, you think we're dirty?"

They also stated that if we visited them, they would let us use their main bathroom. I can't but feel they are missing the whole point and then some.

This past weekend at the grocery store a lady, well in her 70s and not wearing a mask, bumped into me to get a tomato. Later a guy, again no mask, in his 30s brushed against me in the catfood section. I said to both to respect social distancing. The lady gave me a 'does not compute' look, and the guy told me, "It doesn't matter."

My friend, I hope you get testis inflammation because of the COVID-19, and then we will see if it matters or not.

There was also a bar that organized a big party a few miles from here. A group of people were COVID-19 carriers, a few days after the party they showed alarming symptoms, went to a hospital, and got tested positive. The authorities then found other people who were there and who tested -you guessed it- positive! Now they are asking all who were there to get tested.

Also shown on the news, and not that far from my house, there were huge groups of people who congregated during the weekend. No masks, no distancing, no safety measures - it's like they were doing all that was humanly feasible to get infected.

Nearby neighbors pretty much acted as if the virus was a made-up boogeyman. Last Friday they received news a relative, a woman in her mid-40s, had died after contracting the COVID-19 virus. They have radically changed their minds because it hit so close to home.

Just when I thought things couldn't get more out of hand, conspiracy theorists, radio/TV/internet celebrities, televangelists, preachers, and a certain president of a powerful country for good measure, are vomiting misinformation, don't know what they are talking about, and basically encouraging people to do all they can to fan the flames of this Pandemic.

For those who think that I am in the Alarmists' Faction, here are some facts:

- COVID-19 is proven to be a highly contagious and aggressive virus.

- COVID-19 causes inflammation in blood-vessels and other organs, and the mechanism is as yet unknown.

- That inflammation has been reported to cause permanent damage to kidneys, heart, brain, and lately testis. Covid-toes are reported to be extremely painful.

- It does not only kill the elderly. More cases of middle-aged, young-adults, and even children are popping up.

- Even if it does not kill you, there is a lot we don't know about COVID-19, like the long-term effects on the Human body or which organs it can infect (e.g. testis, Ouch!).

- Coronaviridae is a poorly studied group compared to Influenza and Parainfluenza viruses, so don't expect a vaccine or cure anytime soon.

- Miracle drugs and cures do not exist! Remdesivir is all the hype right now, just like Hydrochloroquine was a while back, but its efficiency against COVID-19, or the other RNA viruses it was tested on for that matter, is not proven.

- Deconfinement and relaxing of confinement rules by authorities does not mean the Pandemic is over or even abating. Governments have to take into consideration issues that are not only medical and scientific, but also the economy, social needs, psychological effects, and politics. It is a complex situation with no easy solution.

For all those reasons I think that what is coming is not a second wave of infections.

What is coming is a freaking Tsunami of biblical proportions.

I don't remember much from my Epidemiology lectures, as they took place early in the morning when my brain was barely getting in gear, but I do remember the teacher saying the following (that I also heard on TV recently, so it's not an isolated opinion):

"During an epidemic fear and ignorance kill more people than the pathogen would have done by itself."

Stay safe!

Vic

I was asked why I am uploading drawings made with pencil the traditional way, and not polishing them digitally. There are many reasons, but mainly I have been doing my best to cut on time spent on the computer, as staying inactive for hours on end is bad for both body and mind.

I made my vegetable garden bigger and it needs daily care like watering, weeding, fertilizing, and keeping the cat from using it as a toilet. Plus I sit outside when I draw to get some fresh air, and keep and eye out on the garden, lest the cat uses it as a toilet.

I am working two days a week at the lab, doing support work like making sure equipment is clean and running properly, glassware is clean and in good condition, there is no piling up of biohazardous waste (retrieval, sterilization, and discarding), and helping out with deliveries since the delivery guys can't enter the premises.

So basically I am doing housework, washing the dishes, taking the garbage out, and carrying stuff around. I think the previous paragraph sounded more impressive...

I also go grocery shopping for my family and neighbors who are at risk of being infected by the COVID-19 virus. And I take care of the cat who needs her petting sessions each day to stay emotionally sane.

So scanned drawings for me during all this pandemic.

Stay safe and active!

Vic