<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><div>I think the “it’ll either kill you, or you’ll live” mindset is overly simplistic. If that were actually the case, and hospitals were largely ineffectual, then we would not expect to see a spike in deaths when hospitals are overburdened. </div><div><br></div><div>In any case, mechanical ventilation may allow a patient who would otherwise die, to recover.</div><div><br></div><div>In conditions such as COVID-19, anorexia is a symptom. The lack of interest in eating or drinking can lead to imbalances of fluids and dehydration. IV fluids can be indicated here. I don’t trust the average person to run an IV line. This is even more indicated in someone suffering from gastrointestinal distress — which, by the way, is common in COVID-19 patients!</div><div><br></div><div>While you might say, “drink more water”, but when I was recently stricken with the flu, I lacked the strength to stand up to get a glass of water. I crawled to the bathroom on more than one occasion, and stumbled/fell my way to the bathroom for 2-3 days besides that. I went 7 days, where I only at 2 slices of toast the entire time. Likely COVID-19 patients experience the same.</div><div><br></div><div>When very, very ill, one lacks the strength to do basic things, and at that point the hospital is the correct answer. Also, if there is pronounced confusion as well.</div><div><br></div><div>But I feel you are overlooking an important point as well — patients in hospital do not visit relatives, have relatives care for them, go shopping, or attempt to go to work.</div><div><br></div><div>Viral Pneumonia </div><ul style="box-sizing: inherit;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0.75rem;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you have an <a href="https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-or-flu-quiz" data-metrics-link="" data-crosslink-type="tools" style="box-sizing: inherit; transition: color 150ms ease; text-decoration: none;">influenza</a> virus, your doctor may prescribe <a href="https://www.webmd.com/drugs/index-drugs.aspx" data-metrics-link="" data-crosslink-type="article" style="box-sizing: inherit; transition: color 150ms ease; text-decoration: none;">medications</a> such as oseltamivir (<a href="https://www.webmd.com/drugs/mono-5294-OSELTAMIVIR+-+ORAL.aspx?drugid=17765&drugname=tamiflu+oral" data-metrics-link="" style="box-sizing: inherit; transition: color 150ms ease; text-decoration: none;">Tamiflu</a>), zanamivir (Relenza), or peramivir (Rapivab). These drugs keep <a href="https://symptoms.webmd.com/cold-flu-map/rm-quiz-difference-cold-flu" data-metrics-link="" data-crosslink-type="tools" style="box-sizing: inherit; transition: color 150ms ease; text-decoration: none;">flu</a> viruses from spreading in your body.</span></li></ul></div><div><br></div>Source: <a href="https://www.webmd.com/lung/viral-pneumonia-lung-infection">https://www.webmd.com/lung/viral-pneumonia-lung-infection</a><br><br><br>Polio<div><br></div><div>- Difficultly swallowing can be deadly, as can difficultly breathing<br><div><br></div><div><p style="margin: 0px 0px 12px; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.3em;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Because no cure for polio exists, the focus is on increasing comfort, speeding recovery and preventing complications. Supportive treatments include:</span></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 36px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pain relievers</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Portable ventilators to assist breathing</span></li><li style="margin-bottom: 12px; line-height: 1.4em;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moderate exercise (physical therapy) to prevent deformity and loss of muscle function</span></li></ul></div><div>Source: <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/polio/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376517">https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/polio/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20376517</a><br><br>In fact, for the viral disease polio, the damage can be so severe that long term assistive equipment may be required, such as iron lung.</div><div><br></div><div>However, after a few weeks of assisted most patients regained the ability to breathe again. </div><div><br></div><div>Source: <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_lung">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_lung</a></div><div>See: </div><div><a href="https://youtu.be/gplA6pq9cOs">https://youtu.be/gplA6pq9cOs</a><br><br>SARS</div><div><br></div><div>Mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy are often needed. Drug intervention often required because of opportunistic infection.</div><div><br></div><div>Source: <a href="https://www.medsci.org/v01p0001.htm">https://www.medsci.org/v01p0001.htm</a><br><br><div dir="ltr">SR Ballard</div><div dir="ltr"><br>On Mar 19, 2020, at 9:04 AM, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <<a href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>> wrote:<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">It is my understanding that your body kills a virus or the virus kills your body. There is only symptomatic treatment, right?</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">So just how is corona going to overwhelm our health system? People will seek treatment but there isn't any - stay home and don't infect others.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">Plenty of fluids; aspirin for fever; supplemental oxygen for severe cases. What else? </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">Who knows?</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:#000000">bill w</div></div>
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