AS WE ENTER THE WINTER SEASON in the northern hemisphere, I want to review how COVID-19 spreads and the factors that can influence your risk. I hope to improve your ability to make informed choices about risk reduction. I will keep the discussion simple and brief; I want to remind you of some basics: Reducing your COVID risk.
“Are the days of winter sunshine just as sad for you, too? When it is misty, in the evenings, and I am out walking by myself, it seems to me that the rain is falling through my heart and causing it to crumble into ruins.”
― Gustave Flaubert, November
REDUCING YOUR COVID RISK: COVID-19, exposure time, and more
How long were you with an infected individual? You have a lower risk if you move through a relatively uncrowded supermarket. Lifting weights in the gym might put you at moderate risk of infection, while sitting in a crowded conference room for a meeting may allow for a longer exposure time.
What about the symptoms of those around you? Your risk increases if you are around someone coughing vigorously.
Covid-19 transmission and masks
If you are near an infected person, are you wearing a mask? What about the concerning individual? Is neither of you wearing a mask? Both? Naturally, the lowest risk is if you are both masked, and the highest if neither of you dons a mask.
A 2021 meta-analysis discovered that N95 respirator use appeared to be associated with fewer viral infections for healthcare workers (than surgical masks). The N95 respirator proved most effective in reducing COVID-19 infection, better than against the other viruses examined.
Ventilation
More outdoor air can help reduce the risk of viral transmission to a lower risk of COVID-19 infection. A well-ventilated indoor environment (such as on a jetliner) presents a moderate risk, with poorly-ventilated indoor settings the most hazardous.
Distance
Staying far from an infected person allows for the lowest risk. Being moderately close poses a moderate risk, and very close positioning or touching puts you at a higher risk of COVID-19 infection.
Sleep and COVID-19 risk
We know vaccination is a key to reducing our risk of serious COVID-19-related illness, but did you know that adequate sleep can be helpful? I recently wrote about the connection here:
Our white blood cells, including T-cells, are central players in our immune response to infections (such as the flu) and cancer.
Did you know that the infection-fighting T-cells are better able to do their job if you get sufficient sleep?
The Sleep Foundation points to five key elements of getting sufficient sleep:
- A quiet environment. Consider calming sounds or music. Avoid loud, abrasive sounds.
- A focus of attention. A word, phrase, mantra, breathing pattern, or mental image may draw your attention and reduce thinking about external issues.
- A passive attitude. Accept that it is normal for your mind to wander.
- A comfortable position.
- A comfortable mattress.
Blood pressure and COVID-19 risk
High blood pressure is the most common pre-existing health condition in patients hospitalized with COVID-19; as many as 50 percent of admitted patients have hypertension.
Elevated blood pressure can restrict blood flow to the kidneys and heart. This higher pressure strains the heart, as the blood pump works harder to overcome higher arterial pressures.
Infections such as COVID-19 can introduce additional stress, increasing the risk of cardiovascular conditions such as a heart attack or stroke.
Blood pressure matters: Please remember to keep your preventative healthcare visits and make sure you get a blood pressure check. I monitor my blood pressure regularly, checking with a home monitor at least once weekly. In addition, I have a relatively healthy diet and get regular physical activity. The activity central to my exercise routine is walking:
Weight and COVID-19 risk
If you are overweight or obese, you have a higher risk of COVID-19 complications. Being overweight is associated with constant inflammation and results in immune system compromise.
Being overweight or obese is also linked to other conditions that raise COVID-19 complication risk. Such weight-associated problems include diabetes and high blood pressure (hypertension).
Did you know that overweight individuals often have diminished lung capacity? Smaller functional lungs have a higher chance of lung infections such as pneumonia.
Blood sugar and COVID-19 risk
Diabetes (type 1 or 2) is associated with a higher risk of COVID-related complications, especially for those with poor glucose control. Of those presenting to the hospital for COVID-associated problems, one in four has diabetes.
Diabetes is pernicious; it is both everywhere and often invisible. Those with the condition often do not appear outwardly ill. But make no mistake: Diabetes is a crisis affecting 34 million Americans, or 13 percent of all adults. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, about 96 million (one in three adults) are at high risk for developing the disease.
This New York Times headline is striking: “Covid and Diabetes, Colliding in a Public Health Train Wreck.” After older people and nursing home residents, no group perhaps has been harder hit by the pandemic than people with diabetes.
Moreover, the in-hospital mortality for COVID-19 appears to be high in people with diabetes but not significantly different from the risk in people with prediabetes.
Diabetes patients hospitalized with Covid spend more time in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), are more likely to be intubated, and are less likely to survive. One investigation discovered that 20 percent of hospitalized COVID-19 patients with diabetes died within a month of admission.
How does diabetes negatively influence COVID-19 outcomes? Blood sugar elevations chip away at the immune system and can damage vital organs such as the kidneys and heart.
If diabetes-induced poor circulation occurs, the tissues are more likely to be damaged by COVID-19 infection. Finally, diabetes can be associated with electrolyte imbalances, making systemic infection (sepsis) and pneumonia management more challenging.
Don’t forget your preventative health visits and blood work to check your sugar (glucose) levels. If you are on medicines for diabetes, please be compliant, monitor your blood sugar, and watch your diet. Many benefit from lowering sugar and simple carbohydrate consumption.
Thank you for joining me in this look at reducing your COVID risk.
The information I provided in this blog is for educational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider if you seek medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. I am not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information in this blog.
