Unfortunately, waiting for a vaccine to be developed before we return to our lives simply doesn’t make sense although several companies are currently working on developing a vaccine for COVID-19, there is certainly no guarantee that they will be successful or that it will be available anytime soon. there are many many viruses that have been around for a lot longer than COVID-19 for which scientists have never been able to develop an effective vaccine: HIV, Ebola norovirus, herpes coxsackievirus just to name a few. so waiting for a vaccine although it may come for COVID-19 just isn’t
realistic.
What about other medications or treatments for those who become significantly ill from COVID-19?
There are several medications currently being studied for the treatment of Covid-19 infection one of which has been around and used safely for more than 60 years for the treatment of malaria as well as for rheumatoid, arthritis and an autoimmune disease called lupus. Fortunately, more and more doctors around the world have been using this drug for patients with Covid-19 and treating those patients early on in their illnesses.
So we are gathering our tremendous amount of data that will allow us to say with certainty that it is effective. One of the greatest tragedies of the Covid-19 pandemic is that through it all fueled by the constant fear and panic sewed by the 24/7 news cycle, by politicians social media and by people who are perhaps well-meaning but are simply misinformed. People have failed to trust their own immune systems and common sense. We know the things that are most useful in assuring that our immune systems are able to operate at peak efficiency, healthy diet, adequate sleep, regular exercise, exposure to the sun, taking extra vitamin D and vitamin C and zinc particularly during cold and flu season.
Managing stress is critically important including maintaining school routines for children, social support, gathering with friends and family, the ability to worship and to join in the fellowship of your congregation. It always makes sense to follow reasonable hygiene guidelines for washing hands particularly after using the bathroom and before meals, using a tissue when coughing or sneezing and cleaning common household surfaces. But healthy people wearing masks, avoiding social gatherings and disinfecting the legs of chairs and doorknobs and window still wasn’t necessary before Covid-19 and it’s not necessary now.
the Covid-19 response and everything that went with it, the shutdown social distancing, masks for the healthy, continuous disinfecting was unfounded. it wasn’t based on scientific evidence and frankly it was profoundly damaging the lives of millions of people around the globe.
The good news is, is that there’s no need for a new normal. the old normal was perfectly safe. it’s time to take our lives back, to return to school, to church, to our families and our friends, to get businesses up and running at full capacity and to trust our immune systems to do their jobs.
