Covid-19 is an elusive virus. The common symptoms of Covid-19 are dry cough, fever, sore throat, tiredness and respiratory difficulties. However, there is no consistency in the virus’ behavior. Unlike Cov19’s cousins SARS and MERS, Cov 19 patients may be symptoms-free, peddling the virus around. To identify asymptomatic patients, doctors notice a pink eye, sudden loss of smell or taste, and now Covid toes. Dermatologists in Italy found sudden surge in inflammation in toes in March. Dermatologists in Europe and America are discussing a new potential symptom to identify a Covid-19 patient, particularly if the novel coronavirus has infected kids and young adults. In March, some dermatologists in Italy found an inflammation of toes and feet, and discolouration of the organ of those suffering from Covid-19.
This condition is akin to frostbite or pernio, a condition found among people living in harsh winters in polar and sub-polar regions. There, blood vessels in the toes get aggravated inflammation and toes tend to have serious spasm.
The condition was nicknamed ‘ Covid Toes’ because dermatologists found it to be most prevalent in areas with a high concentration of Covid-19 patients in Italy. ‘Covid Toes’ have surfaced in the US, like Boston. As such, American Academy of Dermatology recommended coronavirus tests for kids visiting them with ‘Covid Toes’.
There is no conclusive evidence about origin of the deadly virus. Speculation that it was a biological weapon is uncorroborated. Pulitzer-winning cancer researcher Dr. Siddhartha shrugs off the canard.
Tentative cures and pseudo-medicines: A recent erroneous online message circulating around the world and purporting to be a UNICEF communication advised avoiding ice cream and other cold foods can help prevent the onset of the disease. Donald Trump threatened India of retaliation if it did not export requisite quantity of hydroxychloroquine to the USA. India had put the drug on licensed list. USA’s Food and Drug Authority however warned against side-effects of unsupervised use of the medicine. It increases heartbeat. Nevertheless, Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are FDA-approved to treat or prevent malaria treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
As yet, there is no proven retroviral drug. Germany and United States have tested some vaccines. A drug Tamiflu, effective against Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and Remdesivir (Gilead Sciences Inc.), originally tested on Ebola, is being experimented on COVID19, besides HIV medicine Kaletra / Aluvia (lopinavir / ritonavir (AbbVie). India has progressed into an indigenous synthesis of multiple promising anti-viral molecules such as Umifenovir, Favipiravir. Phytopharmaceuticals, and leads from traditional medical systems were also being explored in parallel. A Cov 19 patient recovered from convalescent plasma therapy. But, results elsewhere are not similar. Use of herbal medicines like kalonji (black seeds, kadha, and their ilk has doubtful efficacy.
Nicotine could protect people from contracting the coronavirus, according to new research in France
Findings come after researchers at a top Paris hospital examined 343 coronavirus patients along with 139 people infected with illness with milder symptoms
They found that a low number of them smoked, compared to smoking rates of around 35 percent in France’s general population.
Nicotine could protect people “Among these patients, only five percent were smokers,” said Zahir Amoura, the study’s co-author and a professor of internal medicine. The theory is that nicotine could adhere to cell receptors, therefore blocking the virus from entering cells and spreading in the body, according to renowned neurobiologist Jean-Pierre Changeux from France’s Pasteur Institut who also co-authored the study. Smoking kills 75,000 smokers every year.
The pseudo-`professsors’ and believers claim that the French apothecary, astrologer and seer Michel de Nostradamus wrote in the year 1551: “There will be a twin year (2020) from which will arise a queen (Corona) who will come from the east (China) and who will spread a plague (virus) in the darkness of night on a country with seven hills (Italy) and will transform the Twilight of men into dust (death), to destroy and ruin the world. It will be the end of the world economy as you know it.”
Astrologer Acharya Vinod Kumar in an Instagram post has predicted that coronavirus will end in India between September and November. For many the current position of the celestial objects is the reason for the global pandemic.
Inference: The world should cooperate to beat the epidemic.
