Risk factors continued.....

Just like any controversy, the devil is in the details. These are three more specific risk factors for our current viral threat to consider. Gender, blood type and co-morbidities (aka other diseases). These put one at risk for the current viral influenza. Men are more susceptible than women because they have different receptors in their body. Research suggests people with type A blood seem more susceptible or have worse outcomes with the current flu epidemic. Co-morbidities was not mentioned directly in yesterday's post but inferred by the amount of medications taken and/or general level of inflammation in the body.

There are several celebrity internet doctors who will tell you "It's useless to wear a mask"..They say that the viral particles are so small that they easily pass around or through a mask...It's true. Viruses are tiny.....But viruses are commonly attached to larger particles such as moisture from exhalations, air pollution, dust particles, pollen. etc. So, what your mask is doing is providing a shield from commonly found airborne particles, dust and pollution particles and the exhalation droplets that carry viruses. Masks do that very well. .......Just like hand washing, masks have made their mark on the advancement of medicine and surgery. ..Safety versus freedom should not be pitted against one another..Safety first!