IMPORTANT NOTE: Each of the pharmacological measures is a very broad topic, and all of them are far away from Appropedia. The intention of this page is only to ILLUSTRATE the parallelism between technologies. Therefore, please DO NOT MODIFY THE PAGE except to correct gross errors or to add areas where Appropedia can contribute. Likewise, it seems prudent NOT to CITE the page, unless it is copied in its entirety including this warning. Thank you very much.
Vaccines[edit | edit source]
- Introduction: vaccines are pharmaceutical products developed to induce specific immunity, intending to protect directly those who receive the vaccine, and indirectly those who are "beyond" the vaccinated persons (firewall effect or herd immunity). Most vaccines are injected, although some are administered orally. It is necessary to scientifically study the safety and not only efficacy (in controlled groups) and effectiveness (once used in populations). Some vaccines have "sterilizing" intent. It has been observed that there may be an improvement in part of people with persistent covid who are vaccinated.
- Some figures: potentially, this measure serves all of humanity, and priority should be given to those at greatest risk of life-threatening complications. There may also be individuals who choose not to be vaccinated, or for whom vaccination is not recommended. Therefore, the ceiling for the number of doses would be just under 8 billion people, a figure that would have to be multiplied by the number of doses per person, which in general would be two doses per person. Some plans articulate the expressed intention to make vaccines available worldwide and not just in countries that produce or can afford them.
- Technology: we speak of messenger RNA vaccines, with another virus carrying the antigen, etc. The starting point is the sequencing of the virus and the use of molecules and reagents, containers, and elements for their administration (syringes and needles) that must be treated safely, including their recycling if possible. Its production, heavily regulated, involves very complex industrial processes, with the need for quality control to avoid impurities. Factories are located in a limited number of countries. The transportation of some vaccines requires cold chains.
- Introductory link: Cuatro escenarios para desarrollar la inmunidad COVID-19 (I), based on Four scenarios on how we might develop immunity to Covid-19. In summary, immunity could be sterilizing (no reinfections), functional (milder reinfections), transient (lasts for a while and disappears or reinfections are milder), lost (lost altogether).
Preventive treatments[edit | edit source]
- Introduction: Treatments that shorten the disease may reduce the infectious period, and thus have a preventive side effect. The field of antiviral treatments is under active research. The interested reader is invited to do their search.
- Some figures: The population susceptible to treatment would be between zero (in territories where disease elimination is achieved) and theoretically 100% of the disease, and on more than one occasion if there are re-infections.
- Technology: Pharmaceutical production.
- Introductory link: INTENTIONALLY NONE.
Supplements and other ways to improve immunity[edit | edit source]
- Introduction: To the extent that there is better immunity, there will be fewer people who can pass the infection to others. However, the complexity of nutrition and immunity sometimes makes their intersection an area of particular debate and polarization, where certainties and even clarity can be difficult to find. For this reason, the interested reader is invited to make his search.
- Some figures: Potentially the whole of humanity, prioritizing those with nutritional, absorption, or other deficits.
- Technology: It would involve the use of vitamins, minerals, and other supplements.
- Introductory link: INTENTIONALLY NONE.
