I'm not convinced Vitamin D and Zinc are in any way a credible substitute for vaccination. However, at the risk of being an internet headcase I thought I'd briefly share some unsolicited suggestions on supplements since they are a recent topic. If you have no interest in that, then stop reading this very boring post now!
I was long ago diagnosed by haemotologists with 'naive t-cells', which basically means my immune system can be inconsistent fighting repeat infections - but not in a way that I merit medical intervention or am considered immuno-suppressed. So I've tested all supplements, expensive and cheap in minute detail over the decades in a slightly desperate attempt to improve my lot. To cut a long story short, for the past few years I've ended up focussing on pills that combine the following:
Vitamin D (a no-brainer in winters in countries well away from equator)
Iron (doctors prescribe this to me if struggling to recover from sustained infection)
Folic Acid (aids iron absorption; note excessive tea consumption reportedly suppresses iron absorption due to tannins)
Vitamin B12 (aids immunity and mental sluggishness)
Taking these individually in different pills does nothing for me. Taking these combined in expensive pills, is inconsistent. But for the last 9 months taking these in combined cheap pills (Tesco, Multivitamin and Iron to be precise) has had a sizeable impact on mental energy, physical coordination and concentration - even when I'm fighting infection (whereas before if the body was knackered the mind would surely follow). Impact on physical energy and avoiding infection is more patchy, so this isn't a wonder cure.
Anyway, if anyone is considering a supplement for Covid-19 or if they suffer from mental fatigue generally, I cannot recommend these highly enough, as it is bordering on life changing. I have managed to convince myself that this isn't the placebo effect either, although that can't be ruled out. B12 and Folic acid are routinely prescribed to women to aid immunity and fight mental fatigue but I was never prescribed with these and am unaware of men ever being given these (presumably because we don't lose energy via menstruation and pregnancy).
I've been farmed around medical specialists in the UK but may have found salvation in a 3p per day pill! I remain unconvinced it'll do anything to help me if Covid comes knocking, but hopefully the vaccines will do their thing.
Why developed countries have a surplus of vaccines while low-income ones are still struggling to battle Covid.
www.bbc.co.uk
Goes back to if the west don't waive the patent to vaccines to allow poorer countries to make their own then we can probably expect more variants in the future. Bonkers to protect pharma's profits.
Yes. That is why it is such a shame the Chinese, Russian and UK vaccines are proving less effective, as these were distributed on more favourable terms. We desperately need a non-US vaccine producer to step up and provide some competition in the marketplace to drive international prices downwards. The US now effectively has a monopoly, so there is no way they will change their position as things stand.
www.theguardian.com
www.mirror.co.uk
www.worldometers.info
