The Anonymous Widower

Coeliac Journey Through Covid-19 – Oxford And Cambridge Compared

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Oxford And Cambridge Compared

In May 2020, I had been looking at the statistics of the two cities and the country around them and found that the numbers of Covid-19 cases were twice as high in Oxford, when related to population.

In Oxford And Cambridge Compared On COVID-19, I give my reasons for why Cambridge has lower levels of Covid-19.

Consider.

• Both cities and surrounding counties have a similar character.
• Both have well-respected hospitals, medical schools and medical research.
• Air pollution appears to be low in both areas.
• Both cities probably have a similar ethnic mix and large student populations.

As I used to live near Cambridge, I have my own mad personal theory.

Addenbrooke’s Hospital

I have used several hospitals in my life, but only two changed my life totally.

• I had my vasectomy in the old Hackney Hospital.
• Addenbrooke’s, who with a simple blood test decided I was probably coeliac.

So perhaps, I’m biased.

But consider these possible facts.

• My coeliac consultant at Addenbrooke’s told me, that he had more patients with the disease than any other in the UK.
• The manager at Carluccio’s in Cambridge, told me that they sold more gluten-free food, than any other restaurant in the group.
• In 1997, I was diagnosed fast, because Addenbrooke’s were using a new genetic test. I was later checked using an endoscopy.

Could it be that someone at Addenbrooke’s had decided they wanted to find all the coeliacs in and around Cambridge?

What would be the effects of diagnosing as many coeliacs as you could find in an area?

• A doctor of my acquaintance talked of coeliac disease as the many-headed hydra, as it led to so many other medical problems. So extra diagnosed coeliacs might improve health statistics in an area.
• Personally, I have said good-bye to migraines, nail-biting and lots of joint pains, after going gluten-free.
• I also haven’t had a serious dose of flu since diagnosis. Since 2005, I’ve probably had the flu jab.
• Joe West at Nottingham University, has shown that coeliacs on a gluten-free diet have lower cancer rates than the general population.

Consider.

• Immunotherapy is a medical technique, where the patient’s immune system is activated or suppressed to help them fight a disease.
• Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease, where gluten causes damage to the gut.

So could coeliacs on a gluten-free diet have a more powerful immune system?

Undiagnosed Coeliacs

Coeliac disease is genetic, with mine coming from an Ashkenazi Jewish ancestor from Konigsberg in the Baltic.

• Other roots of coeliac disease are Irish, Italian and black people, who have slaves as ancestors.
• There was no test for coeliac disease in children until 1960.
• There was no genetic test for coeliac disease until the late 1990s.
• Research has shown that coeliacs are at least 1-in-100 of the UK population, but could be higher.
• The NHS quotes the 1-in-100 figure on this web page, which also says reported cases of coeliac disease are higher in women than men.

If coeliacs on a gluten-free diet have a good immune system, do undiagnosed coeliacs have a poorer one?

Oxford And Cambridge Compared

Is the large number of diagnosed coeliacs around Cambridge, the reason the area has a lower COVID-19 rate than Oxford?

Conclusion

What do I know?

I’m just a mad engineer and mathematician with coeliac disease.

May 7, 2023 - Posted by AnonW | Health | Cambridge, Coeliac, Coeliac Journey Through Covid-19, COVID-19, COVID-19 And Coeliac Disease, Oxford