Looking back on the past 14- 15 months, we have learned quite a bit about coronavirus and ourselves. We have learned that a tiny particle that exhibits characteristics of life and non-life can bring us to our knees. We now know that we as an inhabited world was not prepared for such an onslaught and may not be ready for the next catastrophe if we don’t prepare for it and not as a whole accept the cruel truth that we are not invincible. We need to accept that the experts in their respective fields know more than we do and that science and faith in a Supreme Being can be our guideposts for they do not lie and this is a preview sentence for the transition back to climate change. I understand that people are tired of masking up, of practicing social distancing, of small group limitations, of curbside pickup, online learning, and all the rest of it. I also know that here in the United States, vaccines, wearing masks, and social distancing have become a political football. Generally speaking, they have become a sign of party affiliation, not a medical issue. With exceptions, if you are a Democrat you will “follow the rules” and if a Republican you won’t. According to Dr. Deborah Birx when interviewed on CBS’s 60 Minutes, the lack of leadership set us back at Least a month in the late winter of 2020 in terms of recognition of the seriousness of the virus and not listening to the science experts. Watching Republican rallies reminded me of Nazi propaganda in the early and mid 1930’s and we saw the horribly disturbing results on January 6. 2021 and these words coming from a “registered” Republican.
This may be passé now but it was reported near the end of March that the AstraZeneca vaccine provided strong protection for adults of all ages. The study concluded that that the shot was effective 79% of the time at preventing asymptomatic cases of the virus in trials involving 30,000 people. No severe illnesses or hospitalizations were reported among volunteers who received the vaccine compared to five such cases among those who received a placebo. Additionally, there were no side effects or increased risk of blood clots. It was suggested that emergency use could be granted by mid- April (now), a boost to U.S. and world supply. The study reportedly included different age groups, racial and ethnic groups, and people with underlying health conditions. The vaccine, a viral vector contains a harmless cold virus to carry genetic material from the COVID virus spike protein into the body which primes the immune system to fight the real viral threat. (Cheng, M., L. Neergard
Then just a few days later came news that Astra-Zeneca may have included “out-dated information” in touting the effectiveness of the vaccine to which the company was urged by NIH (National Institute of Health) to provide the most accurate up-to-date data. (Neergard, L,)
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April 13, 2021 9:30 am CDT My wife just informed me that the government has just halted use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine after several people have developed blood clots.
COVID-19 may be the beginning of global pandemics according to Doyle Rice, a USA Today writer in a September, 2020 article. In the journal ” Cell”. Dr Anthony Fouci and Dr David Morens, a medical historian say that “We have entered a pandemic era in which climate change may also play a role. Deforestation and urban crowding were listed as causes. To be more specific the virus (perhaps most pathogenic viruses) thrive in warmer temperatures. Even though the viruses tend to live longer in colder climates which suggests that global warming would favor a lesser threat, higher temperatures usually force people inside into air conditioning which would help to control the spread the disease. However, seeking cooler temperatures would simulate isolation which, according to meteorologist Jeff Masters could increase the spread of the disease. So much for isolation as a means of regulating disease spread. However, that goes contrary.to current thought, in my opinion. We do know that climate change alters how we relate to other species on Earth and that matters to our health and our risk for infections” that from Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Harvard University’s T. H. CHANGE program director.
As the earth heats, animals, both terrestrial and aquatic, migrate north (or south) to escape the heat. As a result there is an overlapping of habitats which results in new ecological relationships (predator-prey, symbiotic, and pathogenic). Many of the worst viral diseases are the ones whose vectors are mosquitoes which thrive in hot humid conditions. Malaria, Zika, and West Nile virus are some diseases that will probably spread into new areas in the future. Some scientists believe that pandemics like COVID-19 are exacerbated by global warming. (Rice., D.)
Dr. Ross Powell, a distinguished research professor in the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences at Northern Illinois University asks “Can we learn anything from facing a global pandemic to help understand how to deal with climate change”? Medical scientists have pretty well convinced politicians that COVID-19 will require a massive change in lifestyle and mobilization to combat it. Comparing graphs of exponential increases in COVID-19 cases and deaths- and increasing greenhouse gasses and global warming are similar. Nature greatly impacts humans just as humans impacts nature and COVID-19 illustrates that natural crises are best dealt with by taking swift action. We have been so slow to take action against greenhouse gas emissions that they must be cut in half in the next decade to avoid catastrophic effects. The biggest polluting countries are not living up to even their minimum commitments of the 2010 Paris Agreement and 2019 will go on record as the highest year for greenhouse gas production. The point here is we should approach the climate crisis with the same zeal with which we have fought COVID-19. Even though it may be here for a long time climate change is still more of a threat to mankind and assuredly more permanent. COVID-19 has shown nearly total world agreement with masking, social distancing, and quarantine. But how long will that last? That question is important because that sense of unity will become even more important in solving the warming problem. (Powell, R.)
In a column written by Dr. Allen Williams, MD and Joan Letourneau it’s common knowledge that breathing dirty air leads to a greater risk of heart attacks, lung disease, cancer, and to become seriously ill from COVID-19. More than 100, 000 Americans die each year from diseases related to overexposure to air pollution and minorities (African American and Latino neighborhoods) are at greater risk. A longtime study by a Harvard research team found that minorities and low income families have a significantly higher risk of premature death linked to exposure to particulate pollution (PM 2.5). The main source of this fine matter– you guessed it–the burning of fossil fuels. So people living near high traffic areas, train yards, warehouses, and manufacturing plants, etc., lack access to quality health care and are a living time bomb waiting to explode. It’s no wonder that people of color are experiencing significantly higher infection rates as well as deaths rates from COVID-19. There is legislation in Congress to keep fossil fuels in the ground. It is the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (HR 763) and if passed would place a rising fee on carbon from coal, oil, and gas.
Let me summarize this essay by selecting an article that I almost misplaced because it ended up at the bottom of a pile I had clipped and saved. (I know I rely heavily on newspapers but remember there aren’t many books written and published yet on COVID-19. . I have used some internet articles in the past.) This article was written by Mr. J. Maichie “Mike” Brown, a member of the Climate Reality Project Northern Illinois Chapter, a group I was invited to join but just never did. Titled “Climate crisis jeopardizes long term pandemic recovery” let me summarize it. The pandemic is a painful reminder of the interdependence of individual and population health to the overall well-being of society. Many individuals think that we can reopen society and pick up where we left off but this is not practical where public health is concerned. The complicity of effectively responding to the pandemic is jeopardized by the exponentially larger global climate crisis. The complexity and frequency of climate-related extremes lead to displacement infection control and disrupts health care and other critical services. The need to address both crises must acknowledge the fragility of both systems. Then Mr. Brown lists several facets that support society such as manufacturing and commerce, emergency response, health care, public health, climate change, energy, transportation, and education. He makes the point that the current system is inadequate to meet basic needs especially impacting low income communities of color. “There is unanimity for a robust recovery that benefits everyone, ideally by solutions that reflect care of each other by:
- preventing or minimizing future emergencies and
- developing personal and community resilience to rebound from adversity.
Specifically he cites access to quality health care, fair wages, and climate change solutions as critical areas to address.
References
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Bacon, M.January 20, 2021, Climate crisis jeopardizes long term pandemic recovery, Rockford Register Star, printed in Milwaukee, WI
Cheng. M. l. Neergard, March 23, 2021 Data shows vaccine effective for all adults, Rockford Register Star, printed in Milwaukee, WI
Neergard, L., March 25, 2021, US: AstraZeneca results may have included outdated info, Rockford Register Star, printed in Milwaukee, WI
Powell, R, Dec. 10, 2020, COVID19 response needed for climate change, Rockford Register Star, printed in Milwaukee, WI
Rice., D., September 11, 2020, Climate change and COVID-19, Rockford Register Star, printed in Milwaukee, WI
Wialliams, A, J. Letourneau, COVID-19, air pollution and social justice, Rockford Register Star, printed in Milwaukee, WI