Hi everyone!

This is (at least for now) the last coronavirus blog that addresses all of your initial questions. 

I will do my best to continue to pass along updated information as it becomes available.

Here are today’s questions:

1) We are asked to isolate ourselves if we think we have got the virus. So what medicines and food do we need to take to deal with the virus and get rid of it please?

Now more than ever it is important to have a diet of nutritious real foods, like fresh vegetables and fruits, meats, poultry and wild-caught fish, eggs, bone broth, and healthy fats like olive oil, real butter and coconut oil.  Wholesome foods like these will help give your body the nutrients it needs to support good health and strong immune function.

At the same time, avoid sugars, refined grains and soda at all cost—these do nothing but nourish harmful yeasts and bacteria in your system and actually deplete your body of nutrients!

As far as supplements go, your best bet for strong immune function (to help prevent COVID-19, or help you recover if you’ve got it) includes probiotics, vitamin B12, vitamins C and D.

2a)  Every Saturday I make keys at a local flea market. If the customer has the virus and hands me their key and I put the key in my key machine did I pick up the germ and is it now on my key machine for all the rest of the keys I would make through the rest of the day? If so, is there a solution?

If an infected person hands you a key that has the virus on it, you may contract the virus if you, in turn, touch your eyes, nose or mouth. 

As far as the virus existing in a key duplication machine, knowing what I do about them, it is a grinding process that creates dust…as such, it would appear pretty difficult for a virus to have a nice comfortable home in there.  Coronavirus seems to like smooth, flat surfaces.

If you want peace of mind, wipe down your customers’ keys with a disinfectant wipe prior to duplicating them, or provide a container of wipes and ask them to do it.

2b) At the grocery store, the cashiers had on gloves. If they touch their face with the glove would they not still get it if the germ was on the glove?

The virus can exist on surfaces for a few hours up to a few days, so it is possible that if a latex glove has the virus on it, and the grocery store employee touched their face, they could contract it. 

But remember that the main mode of transmission is respiratory—droplets from coughing or sneezing.  So, while it is possible for the virus to exist on a glove, how did it get there to begin with?  We are not in a situation where the virus is lurking on surfaces everywhere around us—the biggest danger is if an infected person coughs or sneezes on YOU.

The best way to protect against the possibility of the virus being on a surface you touched is to wash your hands.

2c) If the germ is on the glove and on the money giving change to other people and handling their groceries are they not spreading it to others like when I get my change and put my groceries away when I get home?

Again, it is possible for the virus to exist on a surface such as money, but that is not how the vast majority of cases occur.  The best way to avoid that is to pay with your credit or debit card.    

COVID-19 can also live on food such as produce, but as long as you wash your fruits and vegetables, that will mitigate your risk.  Cooking will also destroy the virus.

And of course, wash your hands when you get home from the store. 

3a) On average how long are you ill for with coronavirus?

How long the symptoms last depend on the severity of the case. With more mild cases (meaning that symptoms are similar to the common cold or flu), people tend to get better on their own within a week or two.

In more severe cases, the virus may travel to the lungs and cause pneumonia, and the symptoms may last longer.

3b) If you catch it and self-isolate when would you know that your condition has deteriorated sufficiently to summons the medics?

The telltale signs are a dry cough that worsens, a fever that does not improve and shortness of breath.  In addition, developing weakness or lethargy on top of the typical symptoms is also a signal to see a doctor. 

4a) If an infected human hand touches a surface, how long is that surface a carrier of the disease? 

Generally speaking, most of the sources I have consulted report that the virus can live on surfaces from three hours to three days. 

In addition, a recent University of California study found that the virus can survive on hard surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours. 

Environmental factors can play a role in its survivability too.  Daniel Kuritzkes, an infectious disease expert at Brigham and Women's Hospital, has advised that direct sunlight can help rapidly diminish the infective potential of viruses on surfaces.  So, for instance, if the virus contaminated a sunny windowsill or countertop, it may not last very long.

Kuritzkes also stated that based on prior research, it seems that "flat surfaces and hard surfaces are more friendly to viruses than cloth or rough surfaces."

4b) Looking at it in another way: Is it true that parcels and mail sent by the post office are not carriers and why?

According to the World Health Organization, the likelihood of contracting the virus from a package or envelope that has been moved, travelled and exposed to various conditions and temperatures is extremely low.

If you have concerns, dispose of the boxes and envelopes after opening your mail, and wash your hands.

5) Hi.  I heard the virus is affecting children differently in Italy then China?  The death rate is higher.   Do you know why.   My 17 year old has asthma and I’m concerned for him.   Thanks.  Ann

I cannot find any reports that state that that the death rate of children in Italy is unusually high.  I’m not saying you are wrong, but I have not seen that information.  Italy’s overall death rate is higher than other countries, which is thought to be primarily the result of an elderly population, presence of underlying chronic disease and close proximity of living quarters. 

Since asthma can be an additional risk factor for coronavirus, it is important that your son avoid close contact with others (especially people who appear sick) and wash his hands often.

Also, here are seven smart way you and your son can boost your immune system function.  Note that probiotics (one of the immune boosters) have also been shown to be helpful with asthma and allergies! 

• Take a daily multi-strain probiotic formula like Super Shield.
• Nourish your gut with lots of fresh vegetables and fermented foods.
• Drink 8 glasses of filtered water per day.
• Get enough vitamin B12, vitamin C and vitamin D.
• Destress and get a good laugh every day.
• Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night.
• Avoid sugars and refined carbs, including soda.

 

6) How long before symptoms appear are you contagious?  How long after symptoms disappear are you still contagious? What are the reasons people are hoarding toilet paper??

The typical incubation period (span of time between infection and the emergence of symptoms) of coronavirus is one to 14 days.  The average incubation period is three to five days.  

According to the CDC, people are the most contagious AFTER symptoms have occurred.

Some people may spread the virus before they show symptoms (i.e.: during the incubation period); however, this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.

Regarding how long you can be contagious:  According to Dr. Eudene Harry, an ER physician in Florida, officially clearing someone from being contagious with coronavirus depends on the person and the severity of the case. They have to pass a number of tests first: Their symptoms must subside, their temperature must be normal without a fever reducer, and they must have COVID-19 tests done to show they have recovered from the virus.

However, generally speaking most people are no longer contagious after 14 days from when symptoms started, as long as symptoms are no longer present. 

Note that there was a small study out of China that suggested coronavirus can persist in the body for at least two weeks after symptoms clear up, but the patients are most likely not highly contagious in that post-symptom period.

Regarding the toilet paper hoarding:  I cannot fathom why someone would need several cases of TP.  Diarrhea is not a common symptom and certainly the virus is not gastrointestinal.  I myself have had trouble finding paper towels here in the Upstate NY area, so I have resorted to using napkins to wipe up my appliances and bathrooms.

Hey readers—let me know your thoughts.  Why are people hoarding toilet paper?  Comment down below.

7a) Now that the "Protocol" of officially ramping up public hysteria and declaring Covid19 an immediate threat to us , there-by getting the public leverage to demand monies for billions of tax dollars for questionable necessary  researchers/test kits/testing sites and a new vaccine etc. to protect world citizens from the disease...Will this vaccine be the savior it is purported to be? How much time will go into trials? How much time is needed to document the safety of said vaccine? How can long term trials possibly be conducted to ensure the efficacy of this new vaccine and know long-term benefits and as well as present and future negative side effects, unless we ourselves are the guinea pigs?

You raise some very valid points, and I will provide my comments. 

I agree that the fearmongering in the media surrounding the flu, measles, and other viruses has been ramped up incredibly over the last several years, as our civil liberties have been quietly challenged and revoked.  Fear is a very strong, effective motivator and so is money.

Regarding vaccines, no vaccine has ever been proven to prevent a virus.  For example, if a flu shot was tested on 10 people and only one got the flu, is it 90% effective?  How can we say for certain that the immune systems of the nine people who didn’t get the flu were not responsible for the outcomes, instead of the vaccine? 

Our history shows that most “vaccine preventable” viruses were relatively mild and causing VERY few deaths far before vaccines were introduced.  I suggest reading Dr. Suzanne Humphries’ book Dissolving Illusions to see this before your very eyes. 

As far as how long it will take to test a vaccine to prove its safety?  No vaccine has ever been tested against an inert placebo like all other drugs (only against other vaccines or vaccine ingredients), so in my professional opinion, we’d have to start there. 

Then we’d have to perform proper tests to prove that injecting each and every one of the ingredients is safe (especially into babies and pregnant women).  We could be talking about things like aluminum, mercury, polysorbate 80, DNA fragments from humans and animals, and who-knows-what-else.

Lastly, I would want health outcomes followed for YEARS—not just a few days or weeks. 

7b) Would you endorse a vaccine created with so little time and scientific background involved?

No—there are too many unanswered questions.

7c) Isn't proper hygiene, proper nutrition and cleanliness the important protocol already given, our answer?

Yes, and our history has proven this time and again.  Dr. Humphries’ book also illustrates this very well.

7d) Haven't we been living with this virus for some time now? Is it really so different from anything we've ever experienced or known? If so wouldn't we have built up some immunity?

There have been other coronaviruses, so it’s not something entirely new.  It is a different species if you will, so we probably don’t have prior immunity, but as I’ve mentioned before, viruses have been around since the dawn of time and our best defense against them is a strong functioning, God-given immune system.

8) Does a hand sanitizer made with 91% alcohol and aloe cause bacteria to be trapped on hands?

I will expand upon my previous comments regarding hand sanitizers. 

First and foremost, no hand sanitizer on the planet is as effective as washing your hands.  One of the biggest concerns about sanitizers that I have had all along is that people use them as a convenient alternative to washing their hands. 

Sanitizers can kill germs—that is true.  But they do NOT remove all of the residue that may be already on your hands like washing and rinsing would.  This is how you can trap dirt, germs, bacteria, food, etc. in your hands, and eventually end up creating additional problems.

All sanitizers are not created equal, and recent studies have found that those with an alcohol concentration between 60–95% (the higher the better) are more effective at killing germs than those with a lower alcohol concentration or non-alcohol-based sanitizers.  The down side is they can dry your skin out.

Moreover, hand sanitizers with less than 60% alcohol may not work well for many types of germs and merely reduce the growth of germs, rather than killing them outright.

Plus, bacteria can become resistant to antibacterial sanitizers, creating superbugs. 

So, to answer your question, yes, a sanitizer with 91% alcohol and aloe can be helpful, IF you are not able to wash your hands at a given time.  Avoid antibacterial types and choose sanitizers with at least a 60% alcohol content.  Other positive ingredients to look for include aloe, essential oils and colloidal silver.   

And of course, wash your hands as soon as you can.

9) How do you tell the difference between a regular cold and the coronavirus. And if you get the coronavirus, how long do the symptoms last and how long are you contagious?

Below is a chart I included in my March 20^th blog that shows the different symptoms of COVID-19,  the flu and a common cold. 

Also, see number 6 above regarding how long symptoms may last and when you are contagious. 

 

10a) Is there any way to know if someone has had the virus already? 

Testing may detect the presence of an active infection or antibodies, suggesting previous infection. 

10b) Do we really know how long this virus has been in the US other than the information we are hearing right now?

Your guess is as good as mine, and I can only suspect that there is a lot about this virus that we may never know. 

10c) Are there any individuals who have come forward and told about “their” experience after testing positive for the virus?

Yes—the actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have posted their experience and recovery progress on social media, and I’m sure there are many others.

Keep in mind that current estimates show that for 80% of the people who contract the virus, it is mild.  Moreover, as of this writing, 375,498 cases have been confirmed worldwide with 16,362 deaths.  That means the other 359,136 have survived.

11) They keep talking about washing your hands, which is fine and does help, but what about keeping your immune system up? What is best for that? Jo  Thanks.

See number 5 above.

12) Can you explain how bacteria gets trapped in your skin when using hand sanitizers?

See number 8 above.

13) I really appreciate how genuine you are. Always reaching out to us.

Always struggled with gut issues and weak immune. I do have psoriasis and I believe candida. Although traditional doctors won’t confirm. So, my question is... Are there any other precautions I can take against this virus other than my probiotics and a healthy diet & exercise?

Number 5 above shows my complete list of immune supporting suggestions.

Also, if you have Candida, our Optimal Yeast Support Blend can be very helpful in counteracting Candida overgrowth and helping to restore a more balanced gut microbiome.  It works very well in partnership with probiotics, because Yeast Support Blend fights the yeasts while probiotics repopulate the helpful microbes—a great one, two punch!

OK, my dear clients and readers, this is it for your initial questions.  I will continue to monitor our blog comments and emails and pass along as much information as I humanly can.

You are all in my thoughts and prayers, and this too shall pass.

To your health,

Sherry Brescia

The information in our articles are NOT intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and are not intended as medical advice.