Defend against Covid-19
Since January 2020 when we were first introduced to Covid-19, a Corona virus originating in China, our public health system has been challenged in ways not experienced in over a century. Every state, county, and city in this country has been focused on managing and eliminating the devastation from the Covid-19 virus. For a full year from January 2020 to January 2021, vaccine discovery and development has kept medical personnel, political figures, and all of us on the edge of our seats as clinical trials were conducted and then shown to have safety and efficacy; manufacturing companies found the best ways to make and store various types of vaccines; and state health associations and local communities then had to set up and manage sites to administer the vaccine. All the while our hospitals and heroic medical professionals were fighting to save lives even as more than 600,000 Americans died.
Very early on, it was apparent that certain populations in the US and other Western countries were more heavily affected than others. In the US, African Americans, Native Americans, and those with severe obesity were becoming infected and having more serious illnesses leading to intubation and death at a much higher rate than those not in these groups.
As we moved through 2021, vaccines were made available through emergency use, and all Americans over age 12 were offered free shots; however only 60% of those who qualified actually received the vaccine. Because of this relatively low inoculation rate, variants of the virus began appearing and complicating the response to Covid. Social media inhibited some from trusting the vaccine, and many refused to be vaccinated. As children went back to school, there was inconsistency among those students and teachers who were vaccinated, those who would wear masks, and continued the divide among those for or against the vaccine.
Vaccination and a healthy lifestyle are the best antidotes to becoming infected with Covid and its emerging variants. Having a nutrient-rich diet, adequate exercise and sleep, and minimizing stress as much as possible seems to add benefit to the vaccine.
The necessary changes needed to achieve the healthy lifestyle part of the equation takes time, commitment, and belief that change is possible. Health coaching with coaches like me, can help you make those changes, once you have decided to make permanent changes to be healthy.