#how coronavirus causes heart problems

[kghospital]

Not long ago, heart attacks were primarily a problem faced by the elderly. Heart attacks are rare in people under the age of 40. Now 1 in 5 heart attack patients are under the age of 40. Many people in their 30s and 40s are at increased risk of life-threatening heart disease and sudden heart attacks. It is important to understand the cause of heart attacks in young adults. When sudden death occurs in adolescents and young adults, it is sometimes caused by undiagnosed heart disease, such as genetic heart disease. An undiagnosed heart problem can cause sudden death in a young person during physical exertion. However, sometimes sudden cardiac death can occur without exertion. Coronavirus, now the leading cause of heart problems, can directly affect and damage the muscle tissue of the heart, as can other viral infections, including some strains of influenza. The heart can be damaged and indirectly inflamed by the reaction of the body's own immune system. Dr.Nitthiyan MD, DNB Interventional Cardiologist, KG Hospital, Coimbatore, explains heart attack at a young age: how to avoid it, common risk factors, how coronavirus causes heart problems, and how to prevent it.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Beyond breathing: How COVID-19 affects your heart, brain and other organs - Published Jan 16, 2024

It's easy to be complacent about COVID-19. Most people experience only mild issues – fever and coughing, maybe congestion and shortness of breath.

But the coronavirus is capable of causing much more than a simple respiratory illness, affecting organs throughout the body, experts say.

"We see people have symptoms from almost head to toe in terms of how they feel, how they function and what they can do," said Dr. Adrian Hernandez, a cardiologist who is director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute in Durham, North Carolina.

The new year started with an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the U.S., prompting Hernandez and other experts to advise caution, especially for those at high risk.

While the short-term effects of COVID-19 can be flu-like, even mild cases can lead to long COVID – a constellation of problems that can persist for weeks or months. More than 200 symptoms have been linked to long COVID, said Hernandez, who has overseen many COVID-19 studies.

Because COVID-19 typically affects breathing and can lead to problems such as pneumonia, many people may think it's primarily a lung disease. It's not that simple, said Dr. Nisha Viswanathan, director of the long COVID program at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

"I would argue that COVID-19 is not a disease of the lungs at all," she said. "It seems most likely that it is what we call a vascular and neurologic infection, affecting both nerve endings and our cardiovascular system."

It's no surprise that experts say SARS-CoV-2 – the name of the virus that causes COVID-19 – is complex, with many of its pathways just beginning to be understood. But some things are becoming clear. One of the best reviews of long COVID symptoms, Viswanathan said, appeared last January in Nature Reviews Microbiology. It detailed the disease's effects throughout the body, including the pancreas, blood vessels and reproductive system.

"SARS-CoV-2 is excellent at triggering your immune system to go from zero to 100," said Dr. Lindsay McAlpine, a neurologist who is director of the Yale NeuroCovid Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut. That revving of the immune response leads to both a "wide swath of inflammation" and excessive blood clotting, she said.

"Perhaps the viral replication is going on in the lungs and nasopharynx (the area at the top of the throat that connects the nose to the respiratory system). But the inflammation that the virus triggers is systemic," McAlpine said.

Here are some parts of the body significantly affected by COVID-19...

Full text, Spanish translation, and more avaliable at our archive

[brostateexam]

Three years since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in the US, the syndrome known as “long Covid” remains one of its chief mysteries.

Those mysteries include what the syndrome even is. The long-term fatigue and brain fog some people report after recovering from an acute infection are the symptoms most commonly associated with long Covid, but more than 200 distinct symptoms have been reported. The novel coronavirus may also change people’s cardiovascular systems permanently in ways that could lead to long-term health problems, even strokes and heart attacks. Is it all long Covid?

There are other elusive questions: How frequently do people get long Covid? Who is at the highest risk of developing it? And what is causing these long-term symptoms in the first place?

The remaining uncertainties can mask the scientific progress of the past few years. Scientists have a better idea of how long Covid works, and why it might cause a wide array of seemingly unconnected symptoms.

But — and this is more important than it might seem — we know what we don’t know. We have a stronger sense of what the most important unanswered questions are and where there is genuine debate among even the experts about this bedeviling condition.

The highly charged public discourse over long Covid can be overwhelming. There is a plethora of research being released at all times, some of it well-vetted, but some of it not. If you or someone you love has long Covid — or you’re worried that you might get it — it can be hard to get even basic answers.

One of the clearest takeaways of the past three years is this: Long Covid does not look the same in every patient.

”I think that consensus exists at this point to say, there is no one underlying cause of long Covid,” said David Putrino, who is leading research efforts at Mount Sinai. “Because there are many types of long Covid.”

[c19library]

Known COVID-19 Health Complications

Last Updated September 8, 2023

Repeat Infections

Summary: Repeat infections, even if mild during the acute phase, cause cumulative damage to the body and increase your risk of developing health complications or Long COVID. You should aim to limit the number of times you are infected as much as possible, even if you are not currently high risk (Note: Health complications post-COVID-19 infection can make you high risk) and have been vaccinated.

Published Research

Acute and postacute sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection | Nature Medicine Bowe, B., Xie, Y, & Al-Aly, Z. (2022).

Articles & Reports

Repeat COVID-19 infections increase risk of organ failure, death – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (wustl.edu) Sauerwein, K. (2022).

Why Getting COVID-19 Multiple Times Is Risky For Your Health | Time Park, A. (2022).

Heart & Cardiovascular Damage

Summary: COVID-19 increases your risk of heart failure, heart attacks, strokes, pulmonary embolism, palpitations, arrhythmia, myocarditis, blood clots (thrombosis), etc. post-infection. Inflammation during the acute phase of a COVID-19 infection can damage the heart and blood vessels.

“Risks and 12-month burdens of incident post-acute COVID-19 cardiovascular outcomes in participants without any history of cardiovascular outcomes prior to COVID-19 exposure compared to the contemporary control cohort.” (Xie et al., 2022)

Published Research

Core mitochondrial genes are down-regulated during SARS-CoV-2 infection of rodent and human hosts | Science Translational Medicine Guarnieri, J. W., Dybas, J. M., ... Wallace, D. C. (2023).

Long-term cardiovascular outcomes of COVID-19 - PMC (nih.gov) Xie, Y., Xu, E., Bowe, B., & Al-Aly, Z. (2022).

Articles & Reports

Blood Clotting Proteins Might Help Predict Long COVID Brain Fog - Scientific American Reardon, S. (2023, September 1).

SARS-CoV-2 can damage mitochondrion in heart, other organs, study finds | CIDRAP (umn.edu) Van Beusekom, M. (2023, August 9).

Your vascular system and COVID | Heart and Stroke Foundation Heart and Stroke Foundation. (2023).

COVID, heart disease and stroke | Heart and Stroke Foundation Heart and Stroke Foundation. (2023, April 17).

How does coronavirus affect your heart? - BHF British Heart Foundation. (2023, March 21).

COVID-19 and Heart Damage: What You Should Know (clevelandclinic.org) Cleveland Clinic. (2022, May 10).

Heart Problems after COVID-19 | Johns Hopkins Medicine Post, W. S., & Gilotra, N. A. (2022).

COVID and the Heart: It Spares No One | Johns Hopkins | Bloomberg School of Public Health (jhu.edu) Desmon, S., & Al-Aly, Z. (2022, March 14).

COVID-19 takes serious toll on heart health—a full year after recovery | Science | AAAS Wadman, M. (2022, February 9).

Brain & Neurological Damage

Summary: COVID-19 infection increases your risk of developing cognitive impairments, mental health issues, poor memory, early onset dementia, and permanent loss of smell due to brain damage and the atrophy of brain matter. "Brain fog" and problems concentrating are common complaints post-infection that have also been linked to brain damage. Damage to blood vessels due to inflammation during the infection may be responsible for this by restricting oxygen flow to the brain. COVID-19 may also directly infect the brain.

Published Research

Biology | Free Full-Text | Vascular Dysfunctions Contribute to the Long-Term Cognitive Deficits Following COVID-19 (mdpi.com) Shabani, Z., Liu, J., & Su, H. (2023).

Frontiers | COVCOG 2: Cognitive and Memory Deficits in Long COVID: A Second Publication From the COVID and Cognition Study (frontiersin.org) Guo, P., Ballesteros, B. A., Yeung, S. P., Liu, R., Saha, A., Curtis, L., Kaser, M., Haggard, M. P., & Cheke, L. G. (2022).

COVID-19 and cognitive impairment: neuroinvasive and blood‒brain barrier dysfunction - PMC (nih.gov) Chen, Y., Yang, W., Chen, F., & Cui, L. (2022).

Comparison of post-COVID depression and major depressive disorder | medRxiv Perlis, R. H., Santillana, M., Ognyanova, K., Green, J., Druckman, J., Lazer, D., & Baum, M. A. (2021).

Articles & Reports

Long COVID May Impair Memory, Cognition for Months (healthline.com) Rossiaky, D. (2022).

COVID Variants Can Affect the Brain in Different Ways - Neuroscience News (2023).

The hidden long-term cognitive effects of COVID-19 - Harvard Health Budson, A. E. (2021). Harvard Medical School.

Long Covid: Even mild Covid is linked to damage to the brain months after infection (nbcnews.com) Ryan, B. (2022). NBC News.

COVID-19 Can Affect the Brain Even Long After an Infection | Time Ducharme, J. (2023). Time.

Lung Damage

Summary: COVID-19 infections can cause lung damage or scarring, and can trigger pneumonia, bronchitis, ARDS, and sepsis. Additionally, some people experience shortness of breath (dyspnea) and difficulty exercising as a post-acute sequela after infection, or multiple infections.

Published Research

At a crossroads: COVID-19 recovery and the risk of pulmonary vascular disease - PMC (nih.gov) Cascino, T. M., Desai, A. A., & Kanthi, Y. (2021).

[Pulmonary manifestations in long COVID] - PubMed (nih.gov) Sommer, N., & Schmeck, B. (2022).

Residual Lung Abnormalities after COVID-19 Hospitalization: Interim Analysis of the UKILD Post-COVID-19 Study - PubMed (nih.gov) Stewart, I., Jacob, J., George, P. M., Molyneaux, P. L., Porter, J. C., Allen, R. J., Aslani, S., Baillie, J. K., Barratt, S. L., Beirne, P., Bianchi, S. M., Blaikley, J. F., ...Jenkins, G. R. (2023).

Articles & Reports

Even mild cases of COVID-19 may cause long-term lung damage - UPI.com HealthDay News. (2022). United Press International.

COVID-19 Lung Damage | Johns Hopkins Medicine Galiatsatos, P. (2022).

Immune System & Autoimmune Diseases

Summary: COVID-19 infection can impair the functioning of your immune system. This means that those who have previously been infected are potentially immunocompromised (higher risk). For some people, the way COVID-19 impairs their immune system results in the onset of autoimmune diseases.

“Elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines that persist more than 8 months following convalescence.” (Phetsouphanh et al., 2022)

“Crude incidence of each autoimmune disease by COVID-19 and non-COVID groups.” (Peng et al., 2023)

Published Research

Immunological dysfunction persists for 8 months following initial mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection | Nature Immunology Phetsouphanh, C., Darley, D. R., Wilson, D. B., Howe, A., Munier, M. L., Patel, S. K., Juno, J. A., Burrell, L. M., Kent, S. J., Dore, G. J., ... & Matthews, G. V. (2022).

Long-term perturbation of the peripheral immune system months after SARS-CoV-2 infection | BMC Medicine | Full Text (biomedcentral.com) Ryan, F. J., Hope, C. M., Masavuli, M. G., Lynn, M. A., Mekonnen, Z. A., Yeow, A. E. L., Garcia-Valtanen, P., Al-Delfi, Z., Gummow, J., Furguson, C., ... Lynn, D. J. (2022).

Risk of autoimmune diseases following COVID-19 and the potential protective effect from vaccination: a population-based cohort study - eClinicalMedicine (thelancet.com) Peng, K., Li, X., Yang, D., Chan, S. C. W., Zhou, J., & Wan, E. Y. F. (2023).

Long-term perturbation of the peripheral immune system months after SARS-CoV-2 infection | BMC Medicine | Full Text (biomedcentral.com) Winheim, E., Rinke, L., Lutz, K., Reischer, A., Leutbecher, A., Wolfram, L., Rausch, L., Kranich, J., Wratil, P. R., Huber, J. E., Baumjohann, D., ... Krug, A. B. (2021).

Articles & Reports

How COVID-19 Changes the Immune System | Time Park, A. (2023, August 18).

How COVID-19 alters the immune system -- ScienceDaily ScienceDaily. (2021, October 28).

Impacts of COVID on the immune system (medicalxpress.com) Herrero, L. (2022, September 19).

COVID-19's impact on the immune system, and how this may affect subsequent infections - ABC News Smith, B. (2022, December 1).

COVID-19 can derange immune system; survivors have autoimmune diseases (usatoday.com) Szabo, L. (2021, March 2).

Long COVID & PASC

Summary: Long COVID is an umbrella term that refers to the onset of disabling symptoms/conditions resulting from any of the previously mentioned organ, immune system, and vascular damage sustained during infection. These conditions are also referred to as "post-acute sequelae of COVID-19" (PASC). Vaccination can reduce the damage experienced by decreasing inflammation during an infection, but Long COVID/PASC can affect anyone. This is especially true in the case of multiple infections. Your risk of developing Long COVID, or worse/new symptoms, increases with each additional infection.

“Cumulative incidence and DALYs of postacute sequelae overall and by organ system at 2 years after infection.” (Bowe et al., 2023)

Published Research

T cell apoptosis characterizes severe Covid-19 disease - PubMed (nih.gov) André, S., Picard, M., Cezar, R., Roux-Dalvai, F., Alleaume-Butaux, A., Soundaramourty, C., Cruz, A. S., Mendes-Frias, A., Gotti, C., … Estaquier, J. (2022).

SARS-CoV-2 reservoir in post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) | Nature Immunology Proal, A. D., VanElzakker, M. B., Aleman, S., Bach, K., Boribong, B. P., Buggert, M., Cherry, S., Chertow, D. S., Davies, H. E., Dupont, C. L., ... Wherry, E. J. (2023).

The immunology of long COVID | Nature Reviews Immunology Altmann, D. M., Whettlock, E. M., Liu, S., Arachchillage, D. J., & Boyton, R. J. (2023).

Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations | Nature Reviews Microbiology Davis, H. E., McCorkell, L., Vogel, J. M., & Topol, E. J. (2023).

Long COVID prevalence and impact on quality of life 2 years after acute COVID-19 | Scientific Reports (nature.com) Kim, Y., Bae, S., Chang, H., & Kim, S. (2023).

Postacute sequelae of COVID-19 at 2 years | Nature Medicine Bowe, B., Xie, Y., & Al-Aly, Z. (2023).

Articles & Reports

Long COVID | NIH COVID-19 Research National Institutes of Health. (2023, June 8).

Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions | CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, July 20).

The Most Important Question About Long COVID | Harvard Medical School Pesheva, K. (2023, August 9).

Nearly One in Five American Adults Who Have Had COVID-19 Still Have "Long COVID" (cdc.gov) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 22).

[beardedmrbean]

Ilta-Sanomat writes (siirryt toiseen palveluun) that Turkey's change of heart concerning Finland's application to join the western alliance is the result of a tough behind-the-scenes game in which the United States has offered both a carrot and a stick.

Finland's President Sauli Niinistö begins a two-day visit to Turkey on Thursday. It is widely expected that on Friday Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will announce the country's approval of Finland's Nato membership bid.

Risto E. J. Penttilä, the director of the think tank Nordic West Office, told Ilta-Sanomat that he believes that the US has been the driving force in recent developments concerning Finnish Nato membership, having made it clear to Turkey that the delay must end.

Penttilä says that US President Joe Biden and his administration have worked behind the scenes to promote the membership of both Finland and Sweden.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we hear news about F-16 fighter jet purchases [by Turkey] soon," he told Ilta-Sanomat.

President Niinistö visited the US last week where he met President Biden in Washington, even though the original programme did not include talks between the two. Penttilä took this as a sign that matters had moved forward significantly.

According to Penttilä, Turkey is ultimately dependent on the United States. It needs both military and economic cooperation with the US.

He noted, though, that Finland itself has done well in handling negotiations with Ankara. At no point, he said, has Turkey been able to say that Finland is a problem.

Just three years ago

Although it may already seem like the distant past, it was only three years ago as of Thursday that a state of emergency was declared in Finland in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, Iltalehti reminds readers (siirryt toiseen palveluun).

Because of the Covid pandemic, Finland was in state of emergency from 16 March to 16 June 2020, and again from 1 March to 27 April 2021.

The paper recalls how initially people rushed to stockpile dairy products and toilet paper.

As the state of emergency was announced, Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) and Minister of Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kiuru (SDP) held a press conference to reassure people that they could still safely go outdoors.

The capital and surrounding province of Uusimaa were cordoned off from the rest of the country on 28 March of 2020. The police and defense forces cut off all major roads, restricting travel in and out of the province.

Face masks caused public debate from the very beginning. At first, stocks were distributed only to healthcare staff. It was not until August 2020, that the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL issued a recommendation on the use of masks by the general public.

The paper notes that in the early stages the Covid pandemic also sparked measures that now seem excessive, such as an order for all people over the age of 70 to quarantine.

Cleaners' strike

Most papers, including Hufvudstadsbladet (siirryt toiseen palveluun), report the Thursday start of a strike by cleaning and real estate maintenance personal after the service union PAM rejected a mediation offer in a contract dispute Wednesday.

The strike includes 2,500 employees who work in cleaning services at around a hundred companies. These include VR's trains, Helsinki's Olympic and Katajanokka terminals, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, several hotels and a long list of industrial properties around the country, all of which will be without cleaning services for three days.

This strike ends on 18 March, but the union has issued warnings of two more strike actions if no settlement is reached. Up to 25,000 union members could walk off the job later this month.

Cold keeping birds at bay

Very few spring migratory birds have returned to Finland over the past few weeks, according to the group BirdLife Finland.

The farmers' union paper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (siirryt toiseen palveluun) points out that freezing temperatures and cold northerly winds have largely delayed migrations.

However, the forest soundscape already does include the songs of titmice, Eurasian treecreepers and greenfinches, as well as the drumming of woodpeckers.

According to BirdLife Finland, there are a few early returnees. More than 20 skylarks were seen in Turku last week, and in the past couple of weeks more than 70 skylark sightings were reported in the coastal municipalities between Pori and Porvoo.

The most unusual sighting of March so far was made on Monday of last week, when two little auk (Alle alle) were seen in Imatra.

[baylonjuliana]

Advertisement Journals

Globe: Sama-sama sa Distansiya

Globe’s 2020 released advertisement fantastically portrays the situation of people’s relationships with their special ones, be it their friends, family, or spouses in the time of the pandemic. “Lumayo ka sa’kin, kasi malapit ka sa’kin” (get away from me because you’re close to me) is a line that probably hits most of our hearts. We understand how it feels to stay away or quarantine ourselves, especially from close people, not just to protect ourselves but also to protect them. 

The only way we could communicate or merely get in touch with each other was through online social media platforms. Dinner hangouts became group video calls, professional and educational meetings were held on online platforms, and even romantic dates became late-night calls.

Now Globe, being one of the top telecommunication services providers in the Philippines, has not done this without a reason. It was called an advertisement, after all. It shows a situation close to our hearts, but it also benefits their company by implying that they are with all of us who are struggling at these challenging times. 

However, the service advertised is actually beneficial for most of us. All online services using the internet are inaccessible without Globe and its close competitors, which sometimes fail and have much room for improvement but work fine enough most of the time to supply our necessities. 

In my view, this commercial has not used any sort of media manipulation, at least within the small number of manipulation kinds in my knowledge. Even without apparently using inappropriate techniques, Globe has still managed to capture our attention throughout the whole almost-3-minute-video. They did so by portraying a situation all familiar to each of us. According to B2B Partners (2014), relatable content increases customers’ attention spans. Moreover, it was interesting since it might have served as a means of comfort.

CIMB Bank PH: Breadwinner

A Philippine bank, CIMB, which stands for Commerce International Merchant Bankers Berhad, published this advertisement during the most challenging time of the pandemic in 2020. It was when the newly-found virus shocked everyone mentally, physically, and financially. The emergence of the pandemic (COVID-19) has brought an international financial, social, and general health concern that has resulted in the loss of 90 trillion USD to worldwide economies (Frontiers, 2020). 

The commercial's content showed a breadwinner child's situation in a communication with his mother. They seem to have made plans for the upcoming Christmas celebration, but a problem ruined everything. Due to the unemployment issues brought upon by the virus, he has been fired from his previous job, causing them to be short on funds.

In the next scene, however, the mother showed her bank application that contains savings from CIMB Bank PH. This commercial targets every Filipino that has been affected by the pandemic to help them in terms of finances. The mentioned bank provides storage for your income or savings and increases the rate over time. It is helpful for people who need extra income in complicated situations like this. 

Just like the previous advertisement from Globe, I do think that this does not include any sort of media manipulation. It captured our attention by showing a pure but heartbreaking scene. It emphasizes how Filipino breadwinners do their best to feed and make their families happy. Many Filipinos may sympathize with the commercial since it has content that practically touches the viewer's feelings. It shows how Filipinos care about those who are around them. Overall, the company did an excellent job on this one. It can be seen that it was done with quality and purpose. Hopefully, we could all get through everything the coronavirus inflicted on us.

References:

B2B Partners. (2014). Make Your Content Relatable and Actionable. https://b2bpartners.nz/make-content-relatable-actionable/

CIMB Bank PH. (2020). Breadwinner | CIMB Bank PH. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtgpUjHg0-s&t=7s

globeph. (2020). Sama-sama sa Distansya | #SafeAtHome. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZNnrEKbyJ4&t=1s

Wang, C., Wang, D., Abbas, J., Duan, K., & Riaqa M. (2021). Global Financial Crisis, Smart Lockdown Strategies, and the COVID-19 Spillover Impacts: A Global Perspective Implications From Southeast Asia. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.643783

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[azeez-unv]

Mathematics Homework Can End Up Doing More Harm Than Good

Giving pupils math homework can sometimes do more harm than good, according to a new study – particularly when the tasks involved in the work are too complex for kids to complete even with the help of their parents.

The researchers, from the University of South Australia and St Francis Xavier University in Canada, interviewed eight Canadian families, asking questions about their experiences with mathematics homework and its effects on the family.

All the families had a child in grade 3, typically aged 8 or 9, the age at which the first standardized math tests are introduced in the area where the survey was conducted. Overall, math was talked about as a subject that wasn't liked, and that involved too much extra work.

"Homework has long been accepted as a practice that reinforces children's learning and improves academic success," says Lisa O'Keeffe, a senior lecturer in mathematics education at the University of South Australia.

"But when it is too complex for a student to complete even with parent support, it raises the question as to why it was set as a homework task in the first place."

The issues identified by the study included homework being too difficult – even with parental help – as well as the work pushing back bedtimes, crossing over into family time, and causing feelings of inadequacy and frustration.

As with many subjects, approaches to teaching and learning mathematics can change over time. Parents who, as children, had been taught how to tackle problems in a different way to their kids was another frustration noted by the researchers.

"Like many things, mathematics teaching has evolved over time," says O'Keeffe. "But when parents realize that their tried-and-true methods are different to those which their children are learning, it can be hard to adapt, and this can add undue pressure."

This can lead to "negativity across generations", the researchers say. Mothers in the study tended to be mostly responsible for helping with the homework – and when they also find the assignments tough, that can reinforce negative stereotypes about mathematics not being a subject in which girls "naturally excel", according to the study authors.

These negative stereotypes can have lasting impacts on their grades and career aspirations, other studies show.

Of course, the coronavirus pandemic is still fresh in everyone's minds – a time when children were often asked to study at home, and parents often had to help out when it came to completing assignments.

While this study uses a small sample of participants, the researchers say its findings match common narratives in education. They want to see more done to make sure math homework is set in an appropriate way, and that it doesn't end up putting youngsters off the subject at an early age.

"The last thing teachers want to do is disadvantage girls in developing potentially strong mathematical identities," says study author Sarah McDonald, an education lecturer at the University of South Australia. So "we need a greater understanding of homework policies and expectations."

Homework is often thought to have non-academic benefits, such as fostering independence and developing organisational skills and self-discipline, McDonald adds, although the family experiences captured in their study don't necessarily back that up.

The research has been published in the British Journal of Sociology of Education.

The best teachers teach from the heart and not from the book. Ensure you update you skills and knowledge through research work and workshops.Training session without workshop for teachers is all round failure and setback as far as innovative education is concerned.

[gsuniversityofficial]

Why are heart attacks more common after Covid-19?

Did you know that heart attacks have been on high rise after COVID-19? Yes, it's true! Many celebrities right from Siddarth Shukla to Sushmita Sen have suffered from heart attacks post-covid. Some have lost their lives while some have battled it out. Here, it is important to understand the reasons behind the spike in heart attack cases after COVID-19 and treat the problem for a better solution.

GS Hospital, the best heart care center in Ghaziabad aims to spread awareness about post-covid heart attacks which are on high rise. Being the best hospital in Hapur, the hospital has taken the initiative to promote cardiac well-being post covid after the continuing rise of heart attack cases in young adults. GS Hospital, thetop heart care hospital in Ghaziabad, has witnessed many cases of heart attacks post-covid in the emergency which has raised concern. In this context, the hospital has come to the forefront to bring about awareness about cardiac well-being. 

In this blog, we shall explore the main causes, symptoms, treatment, and solutions for heart attacks which are more common after COVID-19.

Covid-19 and Heart attack

COVID-19 has been a triggering factor for heart attack cases which have been on high rise in 2023-2024. The cardiac health statistics have changed drastically after the pandemic of covid-19. Now, you may be wondering why COVID cases are related to lung issues and why heart attack or cardiac cases are on high rise.

In this article, we shall tell you the in-depth connection between the coronavirus and heart attack problems.

A heart attack is medically termed a myocardial infarction which means a reduced supply of oxygen to the heart. This reduces the inability of the heart to function properly causing defects in the supply of oxygen and blood to the heart causing heart damage.

Covid-19 and cardiac problems of heart attacks are connected with reduced oxygen supply to the heart due to post-covid damage to the lungs or the respiratory system. Moreover, if you have been suffering from comorbidities such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, positive COVID-19 cases are at higher risk of heart attacks.

Let us know why heart attacks are more common after COVID-19? in the next part of the article.

 

Why are heart attacks more common after Covid-19?

Covid-19 has been a difficult time for everyone. Moreover, the after-effects of the Covid-19 have been long-lasting. Right from mental health issues to respiratory issues, post-covid effects have affected every system of the body. One such issue is cardiac-related problems leading to heart attack post-covid which have been on high rise in the year 2022-2023. The reasons behind post-covid heart attacks are as follows-

Reduced blood supply and oxygen supply to the heart

Increased post-inflammatory changes

Increased stress levels

Multi-system inflammatory syndrome

Elevated levels of troponin after being covid positive

Pre-existing respiratory or cardiac problems

Symptoms of heart attack

It is time to consult your doctor on an immediate basis if you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms mentioned below-

Rapid heartbeat or palpitations

Temporary increase in heart rate with sudden onset

Irregular heartbeat, heart rate, and rhythm

Pain or uneasiness in left arm, neck, jaw, and back

Feeling lightheadedness

Dizziness and vertigo especially on standing from a sitting position

Chest congestion, discomfort, or chest pain

Shortness of breath

Profuse sweating

Numbness of extremities

Bluish and cyanosed lips

Ankle swelling or bilateral leg swelling

Sudden weakness or tiredness with a sinking sensation

Nausea and vomiting

How can I improve my cardiac health post-covid-19?

Prevention is better than cure! It is important to take preventive measures to keep heart issues at bay. Management of cardiac health is very important. Get connected with one of our best cardiologists at GS Hospital, the best hospital in Meerut, who will craft a preventive plan for your heart health. Here are some preventive measures that you can take for a healthy heart post-covid.

Maintain a healthy diet with fruits and vegetables

Maintain a healthy BMI to stay fit

Exercise regularly to burn calories

Drink water and stay hydrated

Avoid oily and spicy food

Ensure to visit your doctor regularly

Quit smoking and alcohol

Practice yoga and medication to keep stress at bay

Practice breathing exercises for healthy lungs to maintain oxygen flow

Maintain a healthy sleep cycle for sound sleep

Lower the salt content

Get plenty of rest

Remember, a heart attack can occur at any age. It is important to monitor your symptoms and get your routine blood tests done to ensure you maintain a healthy heart. Along with this, consult your physician regularly who will guide you towards your medication management in the right way for good cardiac health.

 

Conclusion

GS Hospital, the top heart care hospital in Ghaziabad, aims to provide excellent cardiac care to all to prevent heart attacks. The team of cardiologists at GS Hospital is dedicated to providing exceptional solutions to patients battling post-covid effects for heart-related issues. This makes GS Hospital the top heart care hospital in Hapur to provide high-end cardiac solutions.

GS Hospital aims to bring about awareness about heart attacks cropping up post covid. So, if you have seen an exacerbation of heart issues such as hypertension, diabetes, or cholesterol issues post-covid, it's time to get connected with one of our cardiac specialists who will help prevent any cardiac complications in the future.

Still, having some questions cropping up in your mind about covid-19 and heart attacks? Let us resolve it for you!

[comfymommy]

Can Pragnant Women Wear Mask ? - COMFY MOMMY – ComfyMommyShop

Pregnant women with COVID-19, who have pre-existing medical conditions, like diabetes or chronic high vital sign, or those that are older or overweight, also are more likely to suffer severe health complications thanks to COVID-19. The research says all people, including pregnant women, can wear masks once they are public to slow the spread of COVID-19. Wearing of the mask is recommended because studies have shown that folks can spread the virus before showing any symptoms.

ARE FACE MASKS SAFE DURING PREGNANCY?

Worldwide, many pregnant women wear masks at work, including the widely used N95 respirator with a filtering mask. The N95 respirator restricts normal airflow, so a lady may need to breathe harder while wearing it. A question that arises in our mind, does an N95 filtering mask put more physical stress on a pregnant woman who wears it?

But the research says whether pregnant women who wear an N95 respirator have different health effects than women who are not pregnant. Researchers took steps to make sure that the tests did not themselves create a risk for harm. They monitored 16 pregnant and 16 non-pregnant voluntary participants for pulse rate, pressure level, fetal pulse, and other indicators of heart and lung function. The research includes an hour of alternating sitting, standing, and moderate exercise on a stationary bicycle, both with and without a filtering mask.

However, both pregnant and non-pregnant women wearing the respirator mask had a mild—but significant—increase within the heart resting or pressure. The provisional increase did not affect heart and lung function, so it is unlikely to cause health problems in healthy women.

HOW CAN PREGNANT WOMEN SAVE THEMSELVES FROM GETTING COVID-19?

Pregnant women should do similar things in the general public to avoid infection. You will help stop the spread of COVID-19 by taking these actions-

Cover your cough (using your elbow may be a useful technique).

Avoid people that are sick.

Clean your hands often using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water.

Stay at home or a minimum of six feet faraway from people who do not sleep in your home.

Avoid public gatherings and individuals with symptoms.

Maintain an appropriate social distance (6 feet) and wear a mask if you will not maintain distance.

What if I am a pregnant health care worker exposed to Coronavirus?

Ans- At present, pregnant patients should observe similar precautions and procedures. All other healthcare workers are instructed to look after their employee health or infection prevention and control departments for guidance on PPE.

CAN COVID-19 CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR A PREGNANCY?

Ans- We do not know at this point if COVID-19 would cause problems during pregnancy or affect the health of the baby after birth. It is essential to possess an idea in place and brace oneself for you and your family's best health. Do not panic, but know enough and stay informed to understand when the time is right, if necessary, to take proper action.

[dramantedrinks]

Alcohol Awareness Week 3-9 July 2023

Alcohol Awareness

Hey and welcome to another blog post from Dramante, in this edition we take a closer look at how alcohol affects our everyday lives and where to get support. 

Alcohol Awareness Week  

This year alcohol awareness week takes place from 3-9th July in the UK which is a week of raising awareness, campaigning for change and more. It is a chance for people in the UK to get thinking about drinking. This year’s theme is ‘Alcohol and Cost’. 

The harm caused by alcohol affects millions of people every year in the form of health problems, financial worries, relationship breakdown and family difficulties. It brings with it huge social costs too with the significant pressure it places on the NHS, the emergency services, police and workplaces.

The total social cost of alcohol to society is estimated to be at least £21 billion each year. We as individuals also spend tens of thousands of pounds on average on alcohol over the course of a lifetime. But the personal costs are much starker with alcohol death rates increasing to the highest rate since records began since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, and millions more people suffering from worsened mental and physical health every day as a result of harmful drinking.

The cost of living crisis has also played a key role in causing some people to drink more than they’d like in order to cope with worries around the financial crisis. However the cost of alcohol to individuals, our relationships, our families, and our stretched vital public services doesn’t have to be so high.

The effects of alcohol 

The short and long-term effects of alcohol can affect your body, lifestyle and mental health.

Increased blood pressure - Alcohol consumption is an entirely preventable cause of severe hypertension (the medical name for sustained high blood pressure) in both men and women. Untreated high blood pressure greatly increases your risk of stroke and heart attack.

Weight gain - Drinking alcohol will add to the overall calories we consume each day. Calories from alcohol are 'empty calories', meaning they have little nutritional benefit. So consuming extra calories through drinking can lead to weight gain.

Chemical imbalance in the brain - A healthy brain relies on a delicate balance of chemicals and processes. Alcohol is a depressant, which means it disrupts that balance.

Affects sleep patterns - The alcohol in your system will mean you spend less time in the important Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep, with the end result that you wake up feeling less refreshed.

Summary 

Alcohol affects so many lives, sometimes for better in most parts but sometimes for worse. We can all take steps to make a change, with improved support and prevention, we can save money and save lives.

In England there are an estimated 602,391 dependent drinkers. Only 18% are receiving treatment. Always remember if you are worried about yourself or someone you care about you can get help from www.drinkaware.co.uk 

We are big advocates for drinking responsibly, so when drinking remember to only consume within your limits and enjoy yourselves. Government guidance says that men and women shouldn’t regularly drink more than 14 units a week. It's worth noting that you can have a nice tasting non-alcoholic alternative for most drink types and something Dramante will look to add to our range in the future. 

After all, no one enjoys a hangover!

Don’t forget to follow us on social media:

@dramantedrinks

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[covid-safer-hotties]

Long COVID: Lasting effects of COVID-19 - Mayo Clinic - Published Aug 25, 2024

After any coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) illness, no matter how serious, some people report that symptoms stay for months. This lingering illness has often been called long COVID or post-COVID-19 syndrome. You might hear it called long-haul COVID or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC).

There is no universal definition of long COVID right now.

In the U.S., some experts have defined long COVID as a long-lasting, called chronic, condition triggered by the virus that causes COVID-19. (1p31) The medical term for this is an infection-associated chronic condition.

As researchers learn more about long COVID, this definition may change.

What are the most common symptoms of long COVID? In research studies, more than 200 symptoms have been linked to long COVID. Symptoms may stay the same over time, get worse, or go away and come back.

Common symptoms of long COVID include:

Extreme tiredness, especially after activity. Problems with memory, often called brain fog. A feeling of being lightheaded or dizzy. Problems with taste or smell. Other symptoms of long COVID include:

Sleep problems. Shortness of breath. Cough. Headache. Fast or irregular heartbeat. Digestion problems, such as loose stools, constipation or bloating. Some people with long COVID may have other illnesses. Diseases caused or made worse by long COVID include migraine, lung disease, autoimmune disease and chronic kidney disease.

Diseases that people may be diagnosed with due to long COVID include:

Heart disease. Mood disorders. Anxiety. Stroke or blood clots. Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, also called POTS. Myalgic encephalomyelitis-chronic fatigue syndrome, also called ME-CFS. Mast cell activation syndrome. Fibromyalgia. Diabetes. Hyperlipidemia. People can get long COVID symptoms after catching the COVID-19 virus even if they never had COVID-19 symptoms. Also, long COVID symptoms can show up weeks or months after a person seems to have recovered.

And while the COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person, long COVID is not contagious and doesn't spread between people.

Why does COVID-19 cause ongoing health problems? Current research has found that long COVID is a chronic condition triggered by the virus that causes COVID-19. The medical term for this is an infection-associated chronic condition.

Researchers don't know exactly how COVID-19 causes long-term illness, but they have some ideas. Theories include:

The virus that causes COVID-19 upsets immune system communication. This could lead immune cells to mistake the body's own cells as a threat and react to them, called an autoimmune reaction. Having COVID-19 awakens viruses that haven't been cleared out of the body. The coronavirus infection upsets the gut's ecosystem. The virus may be able to survive in the gut and spread from there. The virus affects the cells that line blood vessels. The virus damages communication in the brain stem or a nerve that controls automatic functions in the body, called the vagus nerve. Because the virus that causes COVID-19 continues to change, researchers can't say how many people have been affected by long COVID. Some researchers have estimated that 10% to 35% of people who have had COVID-19 went on to have long COVID.

What are the risk factors for long COVID? Risk factors for long COVID are just starting to be known. In general, most research finds that long COVID is diagnosed more often in females of any age than in males. The long COVID risk also may be higher for people who have cardiovascular disease before getting sick.

Some research also shows that getting a COVID-19 vaccine may help prevent long COVID.

Many other factors may raise or lower your risk of long COVID, but research is still ongoing.

What should I do if I have long COVID symptoms? See a healthcare professional if you have long COVID symptoms. Part of long COVID's definition is symptoms that last for three months.

But at this time, no test can say whether you have long COVID. Since you may not have symptoms if you have an infection with the COVID-19 virus, you may not know you had it. Some people have mild symptoms and don't take a COVID-19 test. Others may have had COVID-19 before testing was common.

Long COVID symptoms may come and go or be constant. They also can start any time after you had COVID-19. But symptoms still need to be documented for at least three months in order for a health care professional to diagnose long COVID.

Healthcare professionals may treat your symptoms or conditions before a long COVID-19 diagnosis. And they may work to rule out other conditions over the time you start having symptoms.

Your healthcare team might do lab tests, such as a complete blood count or liver function test. You might have other tests or procedures, such as chest X-rays, based on your symptoms.

The information you give and any test results can help your healthcare professional come up with a treatment plan.

Care for long COVID It can be hard to get care for long COVID. Treatment may be delayed while you work with healthcare professionals. And people with long COVID may have their health problems dismissed by others, including healthcare professionals, family members or employers.

For people with cultural or language barriers, getting a long COVID diagnosis can be even harder. Pulling together information about symptoms and timing can be a challenge too. This is especially true when medical history is fragmented or when someone is managing symptoms related to memory or that affect the thought process.

Underdiagnosis may be more common among people who have less access to healthcare or who have limited financial resources.

If you're having long COVID symptoms, talk with your healthcare professional. It can help to have your medical records available before the appointment if you are starting to get care at a new medical office.

To prepare for your appointment, write down:

When your symptoms started and if they come and go. What makes your symptoms worse. How your symptoms affect your activities. Questions you have about your illness. List medicines and anything else you take, including nutrition supplements and pain medicine that you can get without a prescription. Some people find it helpful to bring a trusted person to the appointment to take notes.

Keep visit summaries and your notes in one place. That can help you track what actions you need to take or what you've already tried to treat your symptoms.

Also, you might find it helpful to connect with others in a support group and share resources.

How long can long COVID last? The conditions linked as part of long COVID may get better over months or may last for years.

What treatment is available for long COVID? Healthcare professionals treat long COVID based on the symptoms. For tiredness, your healthcare professional may suggest that you be active only as long as your symptoms stay stable. If you start to feel worse, rest and don't push through your tiredness.

For symptoms of pain, breathlessness or brain fog, work with your healthcare professional to find a treatment plan that works for you. That may include medicine you can get without a prescription for pain, prescription medicine, supplements and referrals to other healthcare team members.

For loss of taste or smell, a process to retrain the nerves involved in those processes may help some people. The process is called olfactory training. For people with POTS or a fast heartbeat, the healthcare professional may suggest prescription medicine as well as a plan to stay hydrated.

Treatment for other long COVID symptoms may be available so contact your healthcare professional for options.

Next steps for Long COVID Long COVID makes life more difficult for many people. To provide better options for care, research is going on to better understand this illness. In the meantime, adults or children with long COVID may be able to get support for daily activities affected by the illness.

[ledenews]

Sherrie McCutcheon: 'Every Life Can Make An Impact'

Her voice stops us still because, for three decades, it was Sherrie McCutcheon’s speech tones that made us halt and listen because, after all, it had to be important. Had to be. Good news, bad news, if it was Sherrie, something was up and you needed to know. Whether it was fatal flooding, a traffic-screeching winter storm, cold-blooded murder, or a schedule change at Jamboree in the Hills, there she was, Sherrie McCutcheon. Or Sherrie Dunlevy, actually, the wife of Rob and mom to Trey who left television and re-invented to radio more than 15 years ago. When that gig no longer suited her and her goals, she turned the dial to her current career as a motivational speaker, an author, and a public figure who lends her persona to causes good for her community. In fact, since the beginning of February, she’s joined Katie Everson in the Women of Impact Campaign for the American Heart Association to raise funds and awareness about the imperative research on the prevention of strokes and heart disease. Both issues, by the way, have hit smack-dab in the middle of home for Dunlevy and that’s why she’s worn red, attended a plethora of events, and is set to host the SELF CARE SATURDAY event (9 a.m. – Noon) in two days at The Highlands Events Center. Sherrie has attended several events for the American Heart Association the past two months. You agreed to be a part of the Woman of Impact campaign to help others in need of heart awareness, but what have you learned along the way? When I was asked to accept the nomination by the American Heart Association, I truly believed I did not have the resources or support necessary to help them. Then I remembered the tagline I’ve written at the bottom of each email I send: “Every life makes a difference and every life can make an impact.” So, I thought, well, now I have to walk the talk. My biggest lesson is about impact. I’ve learned how one person can make an impact, but I have also learned that when you get a group of positive-minded women who agree to work together for something bigger than ourselves, you can make amazing things happen in your community and in the world. How will those learned lessons be applied to your career as a motivational speaker and best-selling author at Spirit Spikes? Every time I present to an audience, I tell the story of my son Brandon. He only lived 29 days, and yet his life mattered and continues to make an impact. So, this fits in perfectly with that message. But this campaign has also allowed me to dream bigger, and it has forced me to step out of my comfort zone to achieve my goals. I have had to ask for help and allow myself to receive the help that was offered. These are all things I talk about with audiences and write about in my blogs and social media posts. Sherrie gives motivational speeches to those looking to change direction. Are people still recovering from social impacts of the coronavirus pandemic? What ways have you suggested to overcome the encountered issues? Absolutely they are! Most people have been grieving some kind of loss as a result of the pandemic (whether it was a death or just losing the ability to live life the way they were used to). So many lost high school football seasons, weddings, reunions, and holidays, but the biggest problem is that most don’t identify these feelings as grief. So, the effects of unresolved grief are coming out as rudeness, unruliness, hostility, rage, anger, and divisiveness. How do we overcome it? I think first we have to recognize, try to understand it, take measures to heal it, and extend grace and kindness to ourselves and others Focus – how difficult is it for men and women to find a new focus once children become grown adults, and what advice do you offer? It depends. For some, it is the dawn of a new era. For others, it is experienced as a great loss. Depending on how each person sees it can determine how they handle this time of life. My best advice: Get to know yourself again. Discover new things, have new experiences, or revisit old dreams and goals. This is the perfect time for writing a great second chapter. Tell us about the Self Care Saturday that is scheduled for April 1 from 9-12 p.m. at the Highlands Event Center. It’s a mini women’s conference designed to raise awareness of women’s overall health and well-being while raising funds for the American Heart Association. We have speakers doing presentations on stress and anxiety reduction, burnout, how to sleep better, and why it’s essential to our health and how connecting to creativity can enhance your mental well-being. We will also feature a panel of well-known women in the valley living with heart issues and who will share their journey in order to help other women. It promises to be an open and honest conversation. Plus, we have all the other things women love, shopping, raffles, and refreshments. Doors open at 8:30 and it’s a cash-only event so credit cards won’t be accepted.  Read the full article

[onyv]

FINAL REPORT / ADVANCED DESIGN LAB - I

OVERVIEW. OBJECTIVES

Pfizer or Moderna, Janssen, Sputnik V or Astra Zeneca?

These questions become more relevant with the advent of winter.

In parallel with them, we often ask ourselves the question: are they all necessary at all? Isn't it all a matter of psychosis and unnecessary panic? What are the risks of applying vaccines to us?

Unfortunately, such doubts are not without reason: recently, a lot of data has come out in which the increased risk of heart attack after the use of the above-mentioned vaccines is taken into account.

Since the beginning of November, there have been debates in the British Parliament (as well as in the European Parliament) about deaths and serious illnesses caused directly by vaccines. This year, 16% more (young) people have died from heart disease than in previous years (before the 2020s) at the same time.

While more and more people are asking themselves whether and how much vaccination is really necessary the government campaign continues - widely covered by the mass media (even in some poorer countries of the European Union instead of being free the vaccine is sold and only the traders and private entrepreneurs have profit from it.)

This necessitates a rethinking of the strategy to combat the Covid-19 virus.

In order to avoid the above-mentioned possible doubts and to instill confidence in our customers, we decided to present a completely new concept of covid-19 prevention, emphasising the fact that more timely awareness of the meaning of such prevention could be more effective than vaccination 2-3 or 4 times in a row in one season.

On the other hand, we well know that nowadays the world is changing very fast in many ways: technological, political, economic, social, cultural, and that all these processes require a new reflection. That is why our aim is the new design vision of our product (as well as to our collateral products) to adequately reflects this times.

So, our Covid-19 response focuses on two priority objectives:

presenting a bright and distinctive visual identity for a series of risk-reducing products that reflects our understanding that prevention is better than vaccination;

supporting health authorities in their efforts to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

I. R E S E A R C H & D I S C O V E R Y

INTRODUCTION

We will try to trace the essence of the problem with the Covid-19 virus - from its origin, through its spread and its transformation into a global threat. We will look at the symptoms of the disease and attempts to limit it, including preventive ones.) We will try to answer the question of what turns this disease into a global pandemic.

For this purpose, we will use several types of research: 

reviewing and referring to facts from global capacities in the field of medicine, such as the World Health Organization and Doctors Without Borders; 

using E. Bono's Six Thinking Hats Approach to organize some initial ideas on an emotional level; as well as 

mapping to determine the stakeholders involved in the process and the opportunity to preserve our environment ecologically in the process of implementing our project.

1/ WHAT IS IT

The site of World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2023) proven that Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

The statement of Doctors without borders (msf.org. uk, 2023) stands behind the position that COVID-19 is a viral disease that affects the respiratory system.

Anyone can get sick with COVID-19 and become seriously ill or die at any age. 

On 11 March 2020 The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. 

2/WHERE IS IT Humanity & Inclusion UK stands behind the fact that there are now more than 5 million confirmed cases in 188 countries and territories  around the world, and the figure keeps rising (Humanity & Inclusion UK,2023) 

3/HOW DO YOU GET IT

The site of World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2023) also give information that the virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. It is important to stay home and self-isolate until you recover if you feel unwell.

.

4/ DETECTION

Faster, simpler virus detection happens directly with biological samples.

5/ SYMPTOMS

Most common symptoms: fever, cough, tiredness, loss of taste or smell, racing pulse.

Less common symptoms: sore throat, headache, diarrhoea, a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes, red or irritated eyes. 

6/HOW DO YOU TREAT IT

Again the site of World Health Organization (World Health Organization, 2023) announce that Most people infected with the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. Older people and those with co-morbidities such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, being over weight, chronic respiratory disease like asthma and cardiac obstructive pulmonary disease are more likely to develop serious illness.

People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home. 

7/OTHER DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH IT

Many people suffer relatively mild, flu-like symptoms following infection but that a minority of patients following infection develop pneumonia  and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which can be fatal because affect the lungs. 

8/PREVENTION

Always follow up-to-date information on the development of the disease from reliable sources.                    

Keep a distance of 1 meter from others.                                      

Wear a mask in public.                 

Wash your hands often and use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.                                        

Get vaccinated.

.

STAKEHOLDERS MAP

USING EDWARD BONO’S APPROACH ‘SIX THINKING HATS’ TO ORGANISE SOME INITIAL IDEAS AND FACTS 

Fake news and misinformation can be dangerous!

Fake news, especially shared on social media platforms, can undermine scientific advice and disrupt public health approaches to reducing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. For example, misinformation has been spreading that the pandemic is a hoax or not as serious as governments are making it out to be. This can lead to people not wanting to follow the prevention rules (wearing face masks, observe physical distancing or following other measures that their countries advise.)

GOOD NEWS!

The centenarian Captain Tom Moore, received a knighthood in May 2020. He became famous and loved throughout Britain for his efforts to raise funds for the NHS.

  

#combatcovid 

The Digital Arts Magazine proved that in response to the COVID-19  pandemic, New York's Poster House museum teamed up with PRINT Magazine, Times Square Arts, and For Freedoms to launch a citywide public art campaign featuring PSAs and messages of love, gratitude, and solidarity with New York City’s frontline workers.(Digital Arts,2020)

DON'T PANIC!

We shouldn't panic about contaminated surfaces. Studies that showed how long the COVID-19 virus could last on surfaces, such  as plastic and metal, led to concern that touching contaminated surfaces could be a way to become infected. Now it is clear that although people may pick up the virus if they touch infected surfaces and then touch their face, it is not thought to be the main way the virus is transmitted. However, hand-washing and hand sanitizing remains important because respiratory droplets from an infected person's sneezes or coughs could still land on our hands. Remember: before all prevention is the best selfdefense!

HOLISTIC VIEW

The covid-19 virus is not invincible. As can be seen, every year the  number of infected /sick / dead is decreasing. So it is better treat it amicably, through prevention, rather than taking it as some super danger. Design should reflect this understanding of ours.

minimalistic style ;

use of grid ;

easy to read sans font.

! Note: Do not use masks in the design. Our design should emphasize the medical treatment/prevention/, not the physical measures being applied.

We are still not sure about many circumstances surrounding the origin of the virus: where and how it originated (from a laboratory or from an animal); how  it is transmitted and why it mainly covers the regions of Asia (China), Europe  and America, but not Africa. State Governments and the World Health Organisation are trying to find answers to these questions. But one thing is certain: this virus MUST be stopped. 

HOW? 

By finding a position /sentence/ around which everyone can unite.

.

DEFINE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT - WHEEL LIDS

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION ON THIS STAGE :

Аfter the conducted research and examination of the facts, it was found that the application of vaccination remains the most popular measure in the fight against Covid-19. 

But also the doubt still remains whether it is the most effective one?!

The feeling remains that much more effort is being put into urging the population to get vaccinated than emphasizing the power of preventive protection and the benefits of prevention, which (a trend) we believe should change.

II. D E V E L O P M E N T

DISCRIPTION

DESIGN PROBLEM:

In the overall strategy to fight Covid-19, efforts are almost entirely focused on vaccination, and prevention has received too little attention - both in terms of research, investment and advertising. We believe this needs to change and will focus our efforts on creating a bold, bright, eye-catching visual identity for a series of preventative products that reduce risk and prepare the autoimmune system to overcome the potential risk of Covid-19 infection.

Our brand must reflect the understanding that prevention can be more effective than vaccination.

PROJECT NAME: PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN VACCINATION

CLIENT : NHS / UK

DESCRIPTION :

Considering the fact that our target group is very wide both in terms of age range and demographic indicators, we will try to build a framework for the measurement, focusing on the most vulnerable and at-risk segment of this group: that of the moderately to severely immunocompromised , due to their medical condition, people, and pensioners (65+).

OUR INTENT:

We will apply what we have learned from our user research to our proposed design for preventive medical products to support health authorities in their preventive efforts to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19.

METHODOLOGY:

We will use a desktop research as well as a round of user surveys.

1/ Looking at the problem from a human point of view would help even more accuracy in finding its solution. That's why we will try to build an emotional connection with users over 65 by creating an Empathy Map.

We will put ourselves in the place of these users and try to understand their emotional and rational needs to help the future package of products that will be provided to them.

2/ To get a feel for the perspective of the other segment of at-risk users, those with co-morbidities, we will conduct user research known as Build Personas.

We will select three user "models" that reflect different social groups and look at them in detail according to their needs, motivations, habits, desires, fears, then we will recreate a user experience scenario where we will "set" the models to perform certain "tasks" in the context of the future product. Finally, we will consider their requirements and reflect them in the final result.

TBC...

[kdblossomhospital]

COVID-19 In Babies: What Parents Need To Know About Symptoms And Transmission

Experts have been researching how covid-19 virus can affect infants since the start of the covid-19 pandemic. The majority of the infants who test positive tend to have less or no symptoms, but they hold a higher risk as compared to older children. Therefore, parents need to take care of their kids while taking every possible safety precaution and understating the risks and symptoms of Covid-19. Even after two years of the coronavirus pandemic, parents continue to face new and lingering questions about Covid-19. Staying informed related to covid-19 symptoms and precautions is highly essential for parents to prevent higher risks. Read this blog to learn more about coronavirus symptoms, transmission, prevention methods, and more.

How Do Babies Get Covid-19?

After heading home from the hospital, your baby can be exposed to covid-19 through family, friends, relatives, and caregivers. You can reduce this risk by following some major safety precautions such as wearing a mask outside and sanitizing your hands when touching the baby. Furthermore, you must not allow someone to meet your baby who is sneezing or having a cold. One of the major reliefs for the mother is that she can feed her baby as the virus doesn't likely spread through breast milk. Moreover, indoor activities are riskier than outdoor activities but risks can be reduced by hand washing, sanitizing, masking, and improved ventilation. Are you looking for the best paediatrics in Ahmedabad? If yes, then must connect with KD Blossom Hospital as they deal with the healthcare of infants, kids, and adolescents up to the age of 14 years.

Covid-19 symptoms in babies

As per the reports, it has been identified that children under 1 year may be more likely to suffer from severe covid-19 infection as compared to older children. Symptoms of covid-19 in babies might include the following:

Cough

Fever

Vomiting

Diarrhea

Running nose

Decreased feeding

Rapid breathing or difficulty in breathing

Lethargy

These symptoms usually show up within two to 14 days of exposure to the virus. Babies who face health complications might take a longer time to recover while babies with asymptomatic covid-19 take two to three weeks to recover. Furthermore, babies with medical complexities such as congenital heart disease, genetic or neurological problems, and metabolic conditions might be more likely to suffer severe illness. To find out if your baby has COVID-19, ask your pediatrician about testing the child.

Covid-19 complications in babies

Research shows that little ones have higher risks and complications of Covid-19 as compared to elders. Babies might face a Covid-19 complication which is Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children often known as MIS-C. This is a rare but possible covid-19 complication. This illness can cause severe inflammation in a baby's certain body parts such as the heart, lungs, eyes, skin, kidneys, brain, and gastrointestinal organs. It is treatable but in some cases, it can be deadly serious. Besides MIS-C, covid-19 complications also involve a higher risk of pneumonia, myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), respiratory distress, and more in babies. If you see any of those complications in your baby, you must see a doctor as soon as possible to avoid bigger complications.

Can babies transmit covid-19?

It has been identified in the research that children carry a high viral load as compared to elders whether the symptoms are shown or not. It means babies might be spreading the virus unknowingly to their caregivers. This can be mainly dangerous for the grandparents as their immunity level is not so good and they can be easily affected due to the virus. Furthermore, younger children are more likely to spread the Covid-19 virus as compared to teenagers and older kids. Therefore, parents need to give proper hygiene lessons to their children so that they don't get sick. Proper hygiene and precaution are required to avoid bigger and more serious complications.

My baby has Covid-19 symptoms, what should I do?

If you are suspecting that your baby is affected by coronavirus or they have been exposed to it, then you must call a best paediatric doctor right away. They will suggest whether you require any treatment and testing or not based on the symptoms seen in the body. The treatment and protocol for covid-19 infection depend on the health condition of the children. The healthcare provider will guide you through the entire process of the treatment and the precaution that you need to take. It is also essential for parents to know the red flags for COVID-19 in infants. Also, a baby with covid-19 must stay away from other family members and must take measures to prevent household transmission.

It is highly essential to get vaccinated while pregnant or while trying to conceive if you haven't done it yet. Looking to get vaccinated before conceiving or delivering your child? If yes, then visit KD Blossom Hospital today. We have expertise in infertility services, full term 9 months care, fetal care, breast clinic, maternity and obstetrics services, paediatric and neonatal care, and child vaccination services, along with all diagnostic services, pathology lab, radiological services, physiotherapy services, proper diet and nutrition counselling and more.

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Two infectious-disease experts I spoke with believe that the number of deaths attributed to covid is far greater than the actual number of people dying from covid. Robin Dretler, an attending physician at Emory Decatur Hospital and the former president of Georgia’s chapter of Infectious Diseases Society of America, estimates that at his hospital, 90% of patients diagnosed with covid are actually in the hospital for some other illness.

“Since every hospitalized patient gets tested for covid, many are incidentally positive,” he said. A gunshot victim or someone who had a heart attack, for example, could test positive for the virus, but the infection has no bearing on why they sought medical care.

Dretler also sees patients with multiple concurrent infections. “People who have very low white blood cell counts from chemotherapy might be admitted because of bacterial pneumonia or foot gangrene. They may also have covid, but covid is not the main reason why they’re so sick.”

If these patients die, covid might get added to their death certificate along with the other diagnoses. But the coronavirus was not the primary contributor to their death and often played no role at all.

Dretler is quick to add that the imprecise reporting is not because of bad intent. There is no truth to the conspiracy theory that hospitals are trying to exaggerate coronavirus numbers for some nefarious purpose. But, he said, “inadvertently overstating risk can make the anxious more anxious and the skeptical more skeptical.”

Another infectious-disease physician, Shira Doron, has been researching how to more accurately attribute severe illness due to covid. After evaluating medical records of covid patients, she and her colleagues found that use of the steroid dexamethasone, a standard treatment for covid patients with low oxygen levels, was a good proxy measure for hospitalizations due to the coronavirus. If someone who tested positive didn’t receive dexamethasone during their inpatient stay, they were probably in the hospital for a different cause.

Doron’s work was instrumental to Massachusetts changing its hospitalization reporting a year ago to include both total hospitalizations with covid and those that received dexamethasone. In recent months, only about 30% of total hospitalizations with covid were primarily attributed to the virus.

📆 13 Jan 2023 📰 We are overcounting covid deaths and hospitalizations. That’s a problem ✍️ Leana Wen 🗞️ Washington Post

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Why it is Essential to Nip Pre-diabetes, a ‘Diabetes Reversal Condition’, in the Bud

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) 2021 review of the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in India, there are at least 77 million people with diabetes in India, and an equal number are expected to have prediabetes. About 25 percent of people with pre-diabetes develop type 2 diabetes within 3 to 5 years, according to the 2019 NCBI review, Global Epidemiology of Pre-diabetes—Current and Future Perspectives.

For the uninitiated, prediabetes or borderline diabetes is a disease in which the blood sugar is high, but not as high as diabetes. Therefore, experts emphasize the need to reduce the burden of pre-diabetes in order to mitigate this metabolic disease, which is also detected in teenagers and twenty-somethings thanks to preventive examinations, especially in the post-coronavirus world experts note.

A normal fasting blood sugar level is 99 mg/dL or less. Pre-diabetes is when the blood sugar is between 100 and 125 mg/dL, but above 126. mg/dL indicates diabetes.

What are the causes?

The main causes of prediabetes in the post-Covid world ranging from a sedentary lifestyle to stress and sleep disorders. Indians thrive in the midst of many high-risk pre-diabetic conditions. Family history should not be a necessary reason. Many young patients today have high sugar levels (over 300). Everyone should understand what exactly prediabetes is and check their sugar levels regularly. There is no age limit for pre-diabetes. Previously, cholesterol and sugar levels of patients over the age of 30 were checked annually. Recently, young adults above the age of 20 should also check their sugar levels.

List of main causes of prediabetes are;

Sedentary lifestyle: The main concern is working at home, sitting 10-12 hours a day without physical activity or with limited activity.

Eating habits: Irregular eating times and habits, such as high-calorie late-night meals. Such habits increase sugar levels and weight.

Work stress:  long working hours without breaks 

Sleep rhythm: change in sleep rhythm or insomnia.

Food quantity and quality: Regular consumption of high-calorie, processed and packaged foods inevitably leads to an increase in the body’s sugar concentration.

Symptoms

People with prediabetes may or may not have symptoms. These can include increased thirst, increased urination, weight or loss, headache, dizziness, sweating, blurred vision and fatigue.

How is it detected?

Prediabetes can be detected by testing HbA1C levels, which measure blood sugar between 5.7 and 6. Percent over the past three months. A normal A1C level is less than 5.7 percent; a level of 5.7 to 6. Percent indicates prediabetes; and a level of 6.5 percent or more indicates diabetes

Blood Glucose Tests in India

A1C test: Also called HbA1C test. This quick blood test allows you to estimate your average blood sugar levels over the last two to three months.

Fasting blood sugar test: This test, as the name suggests, evaluates the blood sugar after an overnight fast (no food for at least 8-10 hours). Fasting blood sugar – less than 100 is normal, 100-125 mg/dL indicates prediabetes, and 126 mg/dL or more indicates diabetes.

Glucose tolerance test: The glucose tolerance test (GTT) assesses the body’s ability to tolerate blood sugar (glucose). This means comparing blood sugar before and after consuming sugar (75 grams) as a satiety dose.

Random Blood Glucose: This is similar to the fasting blood glucose test except that it can be done randomly at any time.

Why should it be detected early?

Experts emphasize that early detection can reverse pre-diabetes and prevent long-term complications of diabetes, which can cause things like heart attack, stroke, eye problems and kidney damage. A few years  before the onset of diabetes in pre-diabetic patients may be the best time to intervene so that we can prevent future diabetes and the secondary complications of uncontrolled diabetes  such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, leg amputations, blindness, etc. .In the age of Covid, this precaution has become more urgent and important than ever before…because we know that people with diabetes, hypertension, obesity and non-communicable diseases require hospitalization and intensive care units. They are the least likely to survive viral respiratory diseases.

Contrary to its name, prediabetes can progress more quickly if not effectively treated, warned registered dietitian Garima Goyal. Early lifestyle and diet can make the progression of the disease more manageable and reduce complications.

Treatment and lifestyle interventions

Prediabetes has every chance of developing into diabetes. But with the right intervention, you can mitigate and in some cases even reverse the complications.

first sharing the following measures to stop prediabetes:

Weight loss: According to studies, about seven percent (of the whole body) is lost, body weight improved overall diabetes control. You can achieve better results if you focus on both diet and exercise to promote weight loss.

Nutritious diet: a healthy and whole some diet rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals helps maintain insulin sensitivity. Eating more nutrient dense foods can help you reach your diabetes recovery goals.

In practice: Prediabetics become “stair people”. Start with different physical activities from the first day and progress to daily workouts. Exercise helps cells use glucose efficiently and also improves insulin sensitivity.

Stress management: Although stress is not the only contributing factor, it can contribute to the progression of diabetes. It is helpful to deal with stress effectively using some management techniques.

Regular sleep cycle: Every person should get 6-7 hours of continuous sleep per day and give their body enough rest and time to function well.

Addictions (alcohol, smoking, drugs) play an important role in the development of prediabetes and diabetes and should be avoided.

Ayurvedic Treatment for Pre-diabetes: Ayurvedic treatment assists in determining the root cause of diabetes, reversing it, and providing you with medication-free treatment.

Prevention

Following tips that can help prevent diabetes

Diet: Following a strict diet is essential. Foods rich in carbohydrates should be avoided. People should eat home cooked food and avoid prepared food. Although one cannot stop eating junk food, they have to reduce their intake or they can eat it once or twice a month.

Physical activity: According to the guidelines, 150 min of physical activity per week is necessary for everyone to prevent prediabetes. Doctors recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity (walking, jogging, exercising, swimming, etc.).

Regular sleep cycle: Everyone should get 6-7 hours of continuous sleep per night and give their body enough rest and time to function well.

If you want a proper assistance in maintaining a proper lifestyle and reverse the effects of pre-diabetes, connect with us at – +91 88847 22267 or visit our website Diabetes Reversal Clinic.