How To Protect The UK Population From Future Pandemics
The Times today has an article, which is entitled Flu Jab: Single-Shot Vaccine ‘Within Five Years’ Could Stop Future Pandemic.
This is the introductory paragraph of The Times article.
A single-shot vaccine against flu that would provide a lifetime of protection even against future mutations could be available in “five years or less”, scientists have said after making a breakthrough.
The article is very much a must-read, but I believe if used alongside a simple proven medical test, it could be even more effective.
Since 1997, when I was diagnosed as coeliac and started eating gluten-free food exclusively, I have never had a dose of flu.
I may have had one very mild dose of Covid-19, but I have never had a serious dose.
Research At The University Of Padua
This partial immunity to Covid-19 has been shown in a peer-reviewed scientific paper, by the University of Padua in Italy.
I discuss the Padua research in Risk Of COVID-19 In Celiac Disease Patients.
Mathematical Modelling Of Pandemics
As a control engineer, mathematical modeller and statistician, I believe that our herd immunity to future pandemics could be increased, if all new entries to the UK population, like babies and migrants, were tested for coeliac disease.
These days the coeliac test is just a blood test, that costs just a few pounds and I believe that a high percentage of gluten-free coeliacs in the UK population, because of their low susceptibility to flu pandemics, would slow the spread of the pandemic.
In a nuclear reactor non-radioactive carbon rods are often used to control the speed of the reaction.
I believe that non-susceptible coeliacs on gluten-free diets would perform the same function in the UK population.
Should Diagnosed Coeliacs Be Forced To Be Gluten-Free?
I would not force coeliacs to go gluten-free.
They would have to face up to the consequences, if they didn’t.
My son was an undiagnosed coeliac, who refused to get tested.
He died at 37 of pancreatic cancer, as his immune system was useless.
Coeliac disease and a gluten-free diet is a good wingman, but undiagnosed it can kill you!
Why Should Migrants Be Tested?
I hope they are, as some might have something nasty.
But if everyone was tested for a wide range of health and genetic conditions, could it act as a deterrent to come to the UK?
Oxford And Cambridge Compared On COVID-19
In Oxford And Cambridge Compared On COVID-19, I compared the COVID-19 rates of the two University cities.
- Oxford and Cambridge are very similar-sized cities and both ae surrounded by similar counties and countryside.
- During the pandemic, Oxford had a much higher COVID-19 rate than Cambridge.
From my experiences and observations in Cambridge, I believe that the city has a high level of coeliacs.
Why Does Cambridge Have A High Level Of Coeliacs?
I doubt, it is due to the genetics of the local population, as if it was, my coeliac disease would have been picked up earlier.
The two most likely causes are.
- Someone in the Health Authority decided to have a Whack-a-Coeliac policy.
- Addenbrooke’s Hospital, in conjunction with Cambridge University and the Sanger Centre were testing the accuracy of the newly-develop genetic test for coeliac disease.
Note.
- Both routes would have needed a streamlined endoscopy unit to test all those thought to be coeliac.
- I was tested twice in such a unit to prove that I was coeliac, after the genetic test showed, I probably was.
- Fit, younger patients were pushed to have the endoscopy without a sedative, which cut the number and cost of recovery beds and staff.
- My endoscopies were performed without a sedative, by a doctor working alone.
- I was able to drive home, a few minutes after the procedure.
It was a classic case of applying good old-fashioned time-and-motion to a test that would have to be applied to a large number of patients.
If Cambridge’s army of coeliacs helped the city take the edge of the pandemic, what would a Whack-a-Coeliac policy, do for other cities?
Now That’s What I Call A Growing Green Business!
I took this picture as I walked back from the bus stop to my house, this morning.
For the third of our three children, we used a nappy service, where every day or so, a guy would collect a bucket of soiled cotton nappies and return a pile of clean ones.
I have images in my mind of C unwrapping them and burying her face in the pile, as it was just one of those experiences she liked. Later in life, I saw her do it with towels in a five-star hotel in Hong Kong.
Our service was provided by a guy with a van, but surely a bicycle takes a nappy service to a new level.
So many of my generation, who used real nappies on their children, swear that the children preferred them.
Certainly, with a nappy service, they were a lot easier.
I have explored the sewers of London, which I wrote about in We’re Really In It Now. The flushers told me, that disposable nappies along with wet wipes and fat from fast food eateries, are the three major problems in the sewers
So disposable nappies might be convenient, but they have to be filtered out and go into landfill.
My best wishes for Nappy Ever After in the future!
Did Aberfan Change My Thinking About Coal?
I have just watched a moving piece by John Humphrys on the BBC, which describes Aberfan now and compares it to what he remembers from fifty years ago.
Growing up in London, I remember the awful smogs of the 1950s caused by domestic coal smoke, so that might have had an affect on my thinking.
But I have been strongly anti-coal for as long as I can remember and I suspect that the tragedy of Aberfan, finally sealed its fate in my mind.
Coal mining tragedies used to happen regularly at that time all over the world and I probably felt it was just too high a price to pay for energy.
I must be one of the few people, who felt, through all of this country’s coal mining troubles of the latter twentieth-century, that the mines should be shut immediately.
I always remember an article in the Guardian, that stated that miners should be retrained into teams, that went round and insulated our pathetic housing stock. If you’ve ever put insulation into a roof, in some cases, it’s very much akin to Victorian coal-mining in reverse.
After all the greenest form of energy, is not to have to generate it in the first place.
I have solar panels on the flat roof of my three-bedroomed house, and even in the Autumn, I only use 50 KwH of electricity and 20 units of gas every week.
Andrea Leadsom’s Lack Of Judgement
Andrea Leadsom may now have apologised to Theresa May according to this article on the BBC, but I believe the whole affair, shows a remarkable lack of judgement on her part.
In some ways it’s personal to me, as my family has a rather unusual genetic trait.
I have traced me male line back to The Tailor of Bexley in 1800 or so, and I’m certain that is where my coeliac disease came from.
What is curious, is that most women born into the direct male line of the family seem unable to have children, although nieces of the direct line have managed it.
It seems that if you’re the daughter of a coeliac in my family, you can’t have children.
You might say, as I’m a man, who only fathered sons, how am I affected?
Looking back on my family history, it has been riven with arguments and at the bottom of this, there has been the problems of some very strong females, both born in and married to the family.
I’ve also met others, who have similar problems in their families, which leads me to the conclusion, that the significant problem of childless women, should be left to themselves, their family and their doctors.
So to bring it up as an election issue, is just not on. In fact, as Michael Gove was adopted, you can accuse her of other things as well. I lived with an adopted woman for forty years and they are both proud and sensitive about their status.
As a Prime Minister, Leadsom will have to deal with lots of sensitive subjects and I don’t think she has the judgement and tact to handle some of the more difficult problems of this country and the wider world.
Three Parent Babies
MPs are set to debate the ethics of so-called three parent babies today.
I was reasonably lucky with my three children and there won’t be any more, as I’m had the snip.
But I’m certain, that C, would have been distraught, if she’d produced a string of handicapped babies. I certainly would have been and any technique that stopped problems is to be welcomed.
So let’s hope narrow-minded religious minorities don’t stop the adoption of this technique.
It is interesting to read this article in the Telegraph, which gives the view of Lord Winston, who is an Orthodox Jew
On a related point, I have a genetic disease, but sadly I only found out about my coeliac disease, when I was fifty. If I’d known earlier, it might have meant that my son, who died from cancer, had been found to carry the disease, so perhaps he would have led a better lifestyle.
If it had been known to earlier generations of my father’s family, I suspect that the family wouldn’t contain the large number of childless females and those who have suffered from serious cancer that it does.
Children Should Go Free On The Buses
This story from the BBC says that the Liberal Democrats want all children to go free on the buses.
Not having been a child for many years and having no contact with any now, I thought that as in London, all children do go free.
But they don’t!
I think it will be a good idea, especially as reports in London recently have shown that this policy has cut the number of children getting injured on the roads.
It is interesting that the BBC illustrates their story with one of the Hackney Eight.
How To Get Your Own Back At The Devil
This story from the Standard about two brothers, Bob and Paul Forkan, who were orphaned by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004, have fought back from adversity, by starting a company making flip-flops called Gandys.
So don’t ever give up! You’ll only encourage her!
Nude Cyclists For Jesus Convention
Every so often a series of amusing letters appears in The Times.
Yesterday, they were talking about people holding up signs to greet relatives at airports. This absolute gem was posted.
As a tender-hearted mother I have driven many miles to collect my sons from far-flung airports at all hours. It is a small compensation to take with me a large greeting sign, often along the lines of “Nude Cyclists for Jesus Convention” or similar. It amuses me.
I can’t see C or most of the mothers I know, ever putting up a sign like that for one of their children.
On the other hand, the letter writer seems to be my kind of lady, as I like to think I don’t do boring either, and C stated many times, that she married me, because she knew life wouldn’t be boring.
Mother’s Day
As someone, who is widowed and doesn’t have a mother anymore, this is one of the days I wish didn’t happen. I actually don’t know my two daughter-in-laws and my grandchildren, which is particularly sad. But then you can’t cater for circumstances.
If I want to eat out with my other son today, then we’ll have difficulty finding somewhere decent.
I do hate these single-issue days. Surely, everybody should respect their mother and father all the year! And not just on one day of the year!
These days, were only invented to sell cards and flowers.
C always hated Mother’s Day, as it was some foreign invention. To her it was Mothering Sunday, which was often on a different day. But I can’t ever remember us celebrating any of Mother’s Day, Mothering Sunday or Father’s Day, except by the odd card. We did usually celebrate Valentine’s Day, as I remarked here.
Surrogate Mothers
The Times magazine had a large article about gay parents, who use surrogate mothers to give birth to their children.
As a father I can understand the mentality of those who want to be the mother or father of a child, but I’ve always found it difficult to comprehend the mind of the women who carry the baby. All of the mothers, I’ve known would be unlikely to go through all the problems and pain of childbirth and then give the baby away.
The Anonymous Widower 