Luckily, my experience with covid-19 has not been as disastrous as the experience of many others. Although most of my family has been infected, none of them have had life-threatening consequences/ had to be hospitalized. My life has been more so indirectly affected by covid-19. For example, the last two years of high school were mostly online, and my daily activities were impacted by closures and preventative measures. My community definitely became more separated, and tensions were elevated. Last year was my first year at Bucknell, and most things seemed relatively normal. Classes were in person, and masks were not required in dorm rooms/ outside. Currently, life seems to have returned back to normal for the moment, but many people are more conscious of germs and others which will likely remain for a while. At home, my community seems to be returning to the cohesiveness that it once displayed. This shift back to normalcy will take time but for now, Covid-19’s effects seem to be dying off in my surrounding communities.
Compared to what I have read and heard up until now, this panel provided an entirely different perspective. Never once have I heard about early treatment options and their ability to counter the fatality of covid. Most articles that I have read about COVID- 19 have centered around the necessity of vaccines and how they are the only way to go. I have also heard many stories of people getting covid-19 after previous exposure and then transmitting it so it was interesting to find out that the CDC has no data. Looking back, I realize that when my friends have gotten covid multiple times, after the first time, it seemed like less of their inner circle was infected. This may have to do with what the panelists were talking about concerning natural immunity and lack of evidence of recurring covid being transmitted to another individual. I had also never seen solid evidence of adverse effects of the vaccine so hearing about that and how many people it has affected was shocking. I was most taken aback by the lack of other medical professionals/ pharmacists to be receptive to ideas other than those of the CDC and FDA. These personnel even went so far as to fire people that disagreed with the common treatment plan. For example, despite seeing less mortality in one of the panelists’ patients, the hospital he worked at banned his treatment methods and then suspended him when he tried to fight their ban. I am particularly concerned with the censorship of early intervention methods. Although, there is information out there about them (ie: this panel) it is difficult to come upon unless explicitly searching for it. Previously, I had no idea of any of this and probably wouldn’t if not for this assignment which is a scary reality. Besides my concern over censorship I am more so concerned with the behaviors of hospitals and pharmacies. The idea that doctors cannot employ successful treatment methods is horrifying. Thinking that so many deaths could’ve been prevented is deeply saddening, and I hope that this information is brought into more mainstream media.