The corona ( COVID-19 ) conundrum- stating the obvious

( written first in April 2020 and revised several times since then.).

COVID-19 pandemic is sweeping across the world. Many places are experiencing second, third and fourth waves, with no end in clear sight. The introduction of vaccine does offer a glimmer of hope; but with no clear evidence of their efficacy against the new strains, the hope needs to be a cautious one.

While there are lots of lessons to be learnt from this epidemic, an important feature seems to be that this disease is severe in the elderly or in those with obesity, overweight and other co morbid conditions. When it affects the younger patients it is often in those with obesity, smoking or other comorbid conditions like diabetes, cancer, hypertension or asthma.

While there are reports of young adults and children also being affected, in the young it is often less severe. While coronavirus itself is not unfamiliar to mankind it’s the current malignant manifestation which is causing considerable concern. We have co existed with viruses and other microbes.

In most of the deaths due to COVID-19, all available reports indicate that they are mostly in patients with co morbid conditions. Most of these co morbid conditions are life style related, clearly indicating that Healthy lifestyle is the only key to healthy living. While lots of focus was justifiably paid on the development of vaccine, very little or no attention was and is being paid for the need of Healthy Life style and the need to control weight and reduce overweight and obesity.

Obesity is the mother of many diseases and so does it seem with COVID- 19 too. I hope and wish the world adopts a Healthy Lifestyle and becomes a fitter and healthier world before the next pandemic hits us.

There is an apparent paradox in the incidence, morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19. The most powerful and developed nations were/are apparently powerless on the face of this microscopic RNA virus and its variants. The least powerful and impoverished nations seem not to have suffered to the same extent. USA and the western nations seem to have been affected the most.

There are several possible explanations for this apparent paradox.

1. Greater screening and detection of COVID-19.
2. Increased number of elderly people.
3. Greater incidence of overweight and obesity.
4. Standard American Diet (SAD) and the Western diet containing significant amounts of highly processed food.
5. The hygiene hypothesis- Beneficial Dirt Hypothesis- Immune systems in people living in the developed world is not as much sensitized to microbes as those living in the developing world who have been exposed to many microbes from childhood.

One possible apparent solution to reduce the morbidity and mortality seems to be hiding in plain sight. We need to Adopt a healthy life style NOW. We will then be ready for the Next Pandemic, which will probably be milder for the people with healthy life style.