The Lexington, Kentucky outbreak of whooping cough (pertussis) continues with five new cases being added to the initial 32. The outbreak has more than doubled the total number of cases in the last five years combined. The immunity created by the pertussis vaccine can wane over time but similar to the COVID vaccine, there is protection against hospitalization.
However, the uptick in pertussis cases is highly unusual and along with the surges we are seeing in other infectious diseases such as strep throat infections, warrants a closer view of what exactly is happening.
COVID-19 weakens the immune system, allowing other infectious diseases to spread
A major concern is that COVID-19 is leaving many with a reduced capacity to fight diseases. This may be temporary, but with the frequency of reinfections it is definitely concerning. Over the past few years, I have raised this concern and have been labeled an alarmist, but even I would be called a COVID-19 minimizer compared to the right-wing witness testimony we recently have witnessed before U.S. Senate and House Committees.
During the June 18, Senate Homeland Security hearing on the origins of COVID-19, the most telling exchange regarding this virus was the discussion concerning the ORF8 protein of the virus. The function of this protein was compared to AIDS. It was described as “synthetic” and not found in nature. Republican Sen. Roger Marshall from Kansas explained the protein’s function as the “two cardinal sins”, causing transmission without symptoms and inhibiting our ability to mount an immune response. Dr. Richard Ebright stated there was “no civilian practical application”, continuing that, according to the U.S. Government, the virus could have “high potential for use as a bioweapon.”
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The immune dysfunction and inhibiting abilities of this virus may be playing out before our eyes with the increase in infections we are experiencing from a variety of different pathogens.
How do we stop the spread of COVID-19?
Thus, control of spread of this disease is of utmost importance and information regarding how we should proceed can be found in the June 3, House Oversight Committee on the Coronavirus Pandemic. Representative John Joyce from Pennsylvania asked a question regarding the six-foot distancing rule: “That once we realized that the virus was not spread by droplets and was aerosolized, did you feel an indication to go back to the CDC…”
However, there is actually a continuum of particle sizes, and six feet helps with the large ones, but other measures must be taken for those that are aerosolized. The initial reaction of legal referrals to point blame should instead be channeled towards fixing the problem by enacting legislation to improve indoor ventilation and promote the use of N95 masks.
Current measures aren’t working. It’s time to change course.
An overriding justification for the origin of COVID-19 hearings was to muster the political strength to implement change. Change was used in the context of regulating gain-of-function research, but I would assert we must also use this strength and acquired knowledge to augment our pandemic response.
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The apparent acceptance by the U.S. House Select Committee that this virus is airborne, and the extreme dangers of the virus as described during the Senate Homeland Security meeting creates an ominous outlook for our future, one which should create deep concerns and demands for change.
We are living with a highly-mutating virus, which commonly causes reinfections. Marshall stressed that we currently have had 1 million Americans who have lost a loved one to COVID and we have 15 million Americans with Long COVID. Sen. Rand Paul emphasized that the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 overcame workable strategies such as containment and quarantines which were effective with other viruses.
We squandered and previously spent our COVID money, and we are paying dearly for this with inflation. Now we must reach deep into our pockets for financing. We need to correct critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, not only for indoor safety but also to prepare for the next pandemic. This includes markedly upgrading indoor ventilation, and the use of N95 masks, including the rebuilding of their supply chain and manufacturing capacity. This should have been done yesterday. The late-summer wave of COVID and the reemergence of winter respiratory pathogens will soon be upon us.
Kevin Kavanagh is a retired physician from Somerset, Kentucky, and chairman of Health Watch USA.
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