Pneumonia outbreaks in China flare up concerns over another pandemic
Is this ‘China pneumonia’ the next Covid?
Friend, I think we’ve all got PTSD after going through YEARS of a pandemic, starting in 2020 with the emergence of Covid-19.
Because every time we hear about “something going around”… it’s hard not to get that sinking feeling in your stomach…
And think to yourself, “Oh no, not again.”
Healthcare workers and others on the front lines were so ABUSED… and OVERWORKED… it’s no wonder they wound up BURNED OUT!
And for the “regular folks” out there… well, they got absolutely FED UP with the recommendations and regulations that were CONSTANTLY changing…
The tests that DIDN’T work…
The SUFFOCATING masks…
And the family time that was STOLEN from them!
So now we’re hearing about SOMETHING ELSE coming out of China… AGAIN…
And instead of a “flu”… they’re calling it “pneumonia.”
Six to one, half a dozen to the other.
Either way, it’s a “mystery illness” that could arrive at our shores… if it hasn’t already.
It’s NOT the same as Covid… but just four years later, I wonder if the feds and mainstream medicine learned ANYTHING the last time around that could make their response to this “China pneumonia” any better this time around?
Here’s what we know…
Primarily, this illness is PREYING upon our most vulnerable… that is, young children.
School was suspended… and pediatric hospitals became OVERFLOWING with patients.
The outbreak in Asia became concerning enough in November that the World Health Organization (WHO) started to investigate it.
This time, the culprit appears to be not a virus -- but a strain of bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
That might SOUND like good news… since bacterial infections can usually be treated by antibiotics…
But there are reports of antibiotic resistance associated with Mycoplasma…
And in cases like that, treating the bug with stronger and stronger drugs actually could WORSEN the antibiotic resistance scenario.
That’s not all Chinese docs and healthcare facilities are dealing with…
Because it turns out that the Mycoplasma bacteria tend to gang up with the coronavirus… and cause co-infections with Covid!
And that’s a double whammy NOBODY wants.
In this country, we’ve already heard breathless reports of a potential “tripledemic” this winter – that is, the combined surge of Covid, flu, and RSV.
It’s one of the reasons why the mainstream has RELENTLESSLY been pushing vaccines of all three infections.
And the mainstream media is quick to jump on another cluster of illnesses that could help them create attention-grabbing headlines…
And drum up some more viewership now that the Covid panic has subsided.
It’s hard to know EXACTLY what’s happening right now in China. As a policy, the country is notoriously secretive – and even when they do share information (like in the early days of Covid), it’s not clear how trustworthy it actually is.
But the truth is that wintertime in China is BRUTAL… especially in the region where the outbreaks are happening, where the cold and harsh weather certainly isn’t doing them any favors.
This is China’s first winter without Covid protections… so we’d expect to see an uptick in sickness, especially among schoolchildren (who tend to be primary germ-carriers no matter where you are).
Combine overpopulation… and crowded public spaces… with immune systems that might’ve been snoozing on the job a little during all that masking and isolation…
And I think what’s going on right now is relatively predictable.
The other good news is that Mycoplasma doesn’t seem to create SEVERE illness… but rather an entirely survivable infection known commonly as “walking pneumonia.” That’s when your lung scans show a lot of congestion but you don’t actually feel very bad.
So China isn’t currently dealing with the level of deaths or ICU admissions or patients on ventilators that we saw with Covid.
That’s all good news – but with a caveat.
Things could ALWAYS get worse. And if it’s not THIS outbreak… there could be SOMETHING ELSE around the corner… just waiting to POUNCE.
So don’t rest on your laurels, friend, when it comes to keeping your immunity in tip-top shape.
Take your full alphabet of vitamins – A, B, C, D, E – and you’ll stay about as bulletproof as you can get.
For better health,
Dr. Marc S. Micozzi, M.D., Ph.D.
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