A Little Technical Question Corona virus

[Prada47]

What exactly does a compromised immune system actually mean ?

Is it a specific illness or related to other issues like Heart ? Diabetes etc ?

Regards

[Sunnie2day]

The following was retrieved from a 'Underlying conditions' article on the USA CDC site, posted a few days ago:

AGE: OVER 60 YEARS, PRIMARILY 70+

ASTHMA

CANCER

COPD

DIABETES

HEART DISEASE

HYPERTENSION

I tick two of those boxes. yay.

[Celtic in reply to Sunnie2day]

I tick 3 + kidney disease. Help!!!!😷

[Sunnie2day in reply to Celtic]

I was surprised to see somehow kidney disease had been left off that list, frankly. I'm trying to keep from hyperventilating at some of the news coming out especially when I know there are actually a number of chronic health conditions that seriously compromise immune systems left off that list.

The reassuring thing I read on both CDC and WHO sites is this virus appears to savage people with heart and or lung conditions and then apparently only those with serious heart and lung conditions - people with non-heart and/or lung conditions seem to fare better if they contract it all.

And of course then in the next paragraph it was stressed 'This is a novel virus and urgent questions including transmission, incubation, and severity cannot be answered at this time'. Not reassuring, really, but a sobering recognition no-one including the 'experts' knows for sure about this thing beyond it is a coronavirus.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Sunnie2day]

I feel I may have to go into a self imposed cocoon or hibernate.

Can someone please wake me up when it's all over?

[Jules_peaceseeker in reply to Milkfairy]

yes, wake up, its all over but there's a new rule,

you have to run about the streets naked for 3 hours every second Monday

[Celtic in reply to Sunnie2day]

Good live presentation by Boris and the expert Profs on tv today - hasn’t left me feeling at all reassured or upbeat though, especially his comment that “families are going to lose their loved ones before their time”.😷

[Sunnie2day in reply to Celtic]

My husband and I watched (SkyNews). When Johnson said that, my husband turned to me and said 'If I think I am coming down with it I'm setting up the tent in the back garden and you are strictly forbidden to come anywhere near me!'. He's a very calm sort of person so his saying something so drastic really knocked me back.

[Celtic in reply to Sunnie2day]

Bless him, that's what you call "LOVE". But hope the elements improve before he has to pitch that tent!

Our son (married to a hospital doctor) has already suggested that we self-isolate now as, apart from the high risk due to all my underlying chronic health conditions, hubby has cancer and has, in fact, just broken his isolation to attend hospital for his latest round of treatment. After listening to Boris last night, it's going to be a helluva long self-isolation if we start now!

Keep safe everyone!

[Sunnie2day in reply to Celtic]

My cardiac nurse emailed three weeks ago my cardiologist would like me to 'social distance' and 'self-isolate as far as possible' and I've been doing so since opening that email.

And thank-you - LOVE indeed He's already got all his camping gear out of the shed being aired and readied 'just in case'. He's not the keenest camper ever so I'm really deeply touched he's thinking this way.

Bonus LOVE: he says if I come down with symptoms he plans to be my nurse - he refused to listen to my suggestion I should move into the tent if I become unwell.

And if I do become unwell I intend to remove to the bedroom and lock the door. En-suite, a wee fridge and microwave, I'd be fine to self-care. He's not quite as 'vulnerable' as I am but he's also my age of over 60 - I don't want to take any chances with him any more than he wants to with me.

[Celtic in reply to Sunnie2day]

Wow! He’s a keeper, isn’t he. But it takes two and it sounds as though you’re both as lovely as each other. A caring-sounding cardiologist and nurse, too - hang on to them.

My hubby has been my very fit and strong rock for over 50 years especially at times when I’ve been ‘struck down’ but now with his cancer the boot is on the other foot and I am caring for him but boy does he deserve it. Take care.

[MichaelJH Heart Star in reply to Sunnie2day]

I tick 3 boxes but would PAD count as number 4.

Another factor I think would be BMI over 30 or maybe 35. I know of someone with a BMI over 40 who needs currently needs three surgeries. The anesthesist is unwilling to undertake any surgery, apart from emergency, because they consider it too high risk!

[Sunnie2day in reply to MichaelJH]

Good point - obesity should be one of the underlying conditions. The list was presented alphabetically but would have been better in order of worst, and clinical and/or morbid obesity should be in the top three.

[Hidden in reply to Sunnie2day]

I’m not sure obesity is a medical condition so much as a physical state which causes associated conditions (those of which would make someone high risk for Covid 19)

[Sunnie2day in reply to Hidden]

Clinical obesity is called clinical obesity as it is a medical condition. Morbid obesity is when the medical condition of clinical obesity progresses to the point of being a potentially life-threatening medical condition.

Using the search term 'is clinical obesity a medical condition' on either any search engine or on the NHS (or other reliable sites if you're not in the UK) will return results informing clinical/morbid obesity are indeed medical conditions.

[Hidden]

I have a compromised immune system, because I have to take meds that lower my immune system and stop it from working fully, thus making it too easy to catch anything and everything going. These meds are:

DMARDS - for RA, Vasculitis and Sjogren's Syndrome.

Prednisalone - fr same

Chemotherapy also lowers your immune system.

[Prada47 in reply to Hidden]

Excellent responses Thank You

Just wondering if Severe Heart Failure covers 1 2 0r 3 categories !!! lol before I break down and cry. Only joking dam forgot to add 73 this year does that make 4 ???

Regards

[ahk59 in reply to Prada47]

I have heart failure also for really dreading this coronavirus.Stay well

[Sunnie2day]

The photos of the dead medics show younger to middle-aged people and they were treating severely ill patients. Then I've been reading today the new thinking is it's possible the asymptomatic are actually the most infectious...

The important thing to remember (and it's become something of a mantra at my house) is: this is a new virus they don't know much of anything about and the minute they think they've worked out an answer to an urgent question, they realise that answer is not quite correct.

[Fredders]

I have a compromised immune system because I’ve had a splenectomy, I also have a mechanical aortic valve and high blood pressure. I’m also over 60 so I’m doomed!!!!!

Wendy

[SpiritoftheFloyd]

Male ✔ over 65 ✔ heart disease ✔ type 2 ✔ immune system a bit wobbly ✔ going to Greece on holiday in 8 weeks ✔🤞🤞 (hopefully, but hard to say at the moment)

[kefalonia1 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi, please let me know if you can still go to Greece, and if all the tavernas are open if you get there. l am hoping because Kefalonia is an lsland l will still be able to have my long awaited holiday at the end of June, best of luck, Sue.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to kefalonia1]

Greece could well be closed. I got an email from someone in Parga last night. From Sunday only supermarkets, bakeries, pharmacies and banks will be allowed to open. All bars, restaurants, tavernas and clubs will be closed. Juts checked it out in Greek newspapers this morning - it's true! No indication of how long they will be closed for. The number of cases in Greece has jumped from 117 to 190 on Friday. The Greek health Care system is seriously under funded following the bailout era and I suspect they are implementing Italy style measures as they're fearful that they heath system will become completely undone by this.

I'm due to go in 7 weeks time (3/5/2020). If I cancel today I can get 50% refund, after today it drops to 30%! I'm going to sit it out and see what happens, perhaps either the UK or Greek gov will halt travel (a lot of other countries around Europe are closing their airspace to visitors) thereby taking any decision out of my hands!

As I get closer to the day I may well decide to not go and just write off the loss. Let's face it, there's no point in going somewhere if everything is closed - the whole point of Greece is sitting in a taverna with a meal and a drink watching the sun go down.

Here's a link to english speaking paper:-

greece.greekreporter.com/20...

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to kefalonia1]

Update 14/03/2020 - All the organised beaches are now also to be closed from Sunday 15th!

The Greek gov is trying to make people adopt social distancing and to stay indoors. As anyone will tell you the Greeks like to be outside in a gathering, plus they don't take kindly to be told what to do (it's a throwback to when the Ottoman Empire was running the show)

[kefalonia1 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi. thanks for your reply l am quite worried now and don't know what to do with different advice on the tv. We are due to pay the balance on our holiday April 2nd of £1000. lf we cancel now we will lose the £400 deposit but think, not sure, if we pay the entire amount and the WHO ban travel to Greece we will get a full refund via travel insurance. We don't want to go to a ghost town and waste a lot of money. ANY correct advice will be greatly appreciated please, Sue.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to kefalonia1]

Hi Sue

It is a worry knowing what to do. The UK press seems preoccupied with first Italy, then Spain and now France have closed down non essential businesses like bars etc, but have not once mentioned that Greece is also doing this!

Jet2 turned all their flights to Spain around mid air yesterday, that was before the Foreign & Commonwealth Office advised against travel, saying that there was no point in taking people to a place where no where was open. The FCO has today advised against travel to Spain.

If the FCO advises against travel to a country, the tour operator will offer you the option to re-book or will refund all monies. Not all travel insurance covers these situations, I have Travel Disruption Extension on my policy which would cover it.

I've just had another email this morning from Parga this morning saying that all seasonal tourist accommodation (not hotels open all year round) is to close from 15th March until 30th April, and he's of the opinion that this will get extended - if that happens TUI will have to either offer me an alternative(there won't be one!) or give me a full refund.

Hope you get away, but it looks like my May holiday is down 😢

Russell

Here's a link to the news in Greece where you can keep up with what happening:-

greece.greekreporter.com/ca...

[kefalonia1 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Hi Russell, thanks for your reply, so sorry to hear you are going to lose your holiday in May to Parga. l too am going with TUI because l love that company so l hope we will get a full refund. My Husband has just bought some extra travel lnsurance through Barclays, l will look at the policy. l was going to explore Parga holiday options for next year on your recommendation but will rebook Kefalonia if that's the case. l think l remember you are going in Sept too so that's something. Which resort do you love in Parga? l may be able to have a second holiday. Take care, Sue.

[SpiritoftheFloyd in reply to kefalonia1]

Hi Sue

I haven't lost it yet - but think it's probably 80%+ certain that the season won't start at the beginning of May.

I stay in a small block of 16 apartments half way down the hill to Lichnos beach, Bella Vista Apartments about 2km outside of Parga Town, it has a big pool and a bar that does food and drink all day and is the most peaceful place I've ever stayed.

If you've ever been to Skiathos, Parga is very similar except it's on the mainland, loads of nice tavernas and restaurants and very chilled.

Yes booked for another 2 weeks in September, hopefully things will have improved by then.

Hope you get away at the end of June. Stay well.

Russell

[kefalonia1 in reply to SpiritoftheFloyd]

Sounds lovely, we always stay at the small and friendly apts, hate big impersonal places. Thanks for the tip, YAMMAS!!! Sue.

[Hidden]

Being immunocompromised is something specific to certain conditions and/or where appropriate treatment is to suppress the immune system due to an autoimmune element. Conditions that would likely lead to a person being immunocompromised either directly or due to treatment include:

Cancer

Lupus (SLE)

Inflammatory arthritises - rheumatoid, psoriatic

Active HIV/AIDS

Diabetes

Inflammatory bowel diseases

Being post organ or bone marrow transplant

Primary immunodeficiency disorders e.g. chronic granulatamous disease

In addition to those, anyone using corticosteroids either frequently at high dose, or long term at lower doses, such as often occurs in chronic respiratory diseases, would also be considered immunocompromised due to the suppressive effect drugs like pred have on the immune system. The drugs that cause immunosuppression are:

Corticosteroids (not inhaled, though)

DMARDS and biologics used to treat autoimmune diseases and inflammatory arthritis e.g. methotrexate, infliximab, abatacept etc.

Chemotherapy

Most if not all of the drugs ending in ‘limus’ e.g. tacrolimus, sirolimus, everolimus

Cyclosporine

[Hidden]

To be honest I think that probably the poor doctors were exhausted and as such their immune systems were compromised. We are extremely lucky to have the healthcare professionals that we have.

[Jules_peaceseeker]

viral load is very important