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Thursday, May 2, 2024
Coronavirus

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A panic attack is a sudden, intense episode of overwhelming fear and anxiety. There are several ways to help a person who is having a panic attack. These include using grounding techniques and helping them get their breathing under control.

In this article, we discuss how to help someone during a panic attack. We cover grounding tips, early warning signs, and when to get help.

How to help someone during a panic attack

Due to the extreme nature of the symptoms, it is important to understand how to react when someone has a panic attack, as they may feel as though they are dying during an episode.

Certain strategies and methods can help alleviate panic, ease the situation, and even stop the symptoms from getting worse. The ways a person can help include:

Remaining calm

Panic attacks are unpredictable and happen for different reasons. Among those who experience panic attacks, some may only have a couple of attacks in their lifetime, while others have recurrent attacks. One 2016 report shows that most people who have one panic attack will likely have more.

As panic attacks come without warning, they can be very scary, and it is important for everyone else to stay calm. A panicked response can make the situation worse.

Symptoms of a panic attack typically reach peak intensity in 10 minutes. So it is important that people act quickly to help alleviate the symptoms where possible.

Making conversation and positive affirmations

What a person says in response to someone having a panic attack is just as important as what they do. Engaging in conversation can distract from the extreme symptoms and help the person regulate their breathing. It is important to ask whether a person requires help rather than just assuming that they do. Here are some guidelines on what to say and do:

  • Ask questions: Introduce yourself and ask if the person needs help. If so, ask them if they think that they are having a panic attack and whether they have had one before. This prompt may remind them about previous attacks and how they recovered.
  • Stay or go: Let the person know that they do not have to stay where they are. Leaving a certain situation can take the pressure off someone having a panic attack. Find out what makes them feel most comfortable.
  • Kind words: Staying positive and nonjudgmental is important. Help the person understand that you are there to assist them, they are safe, and they are going to get through this. Remind them that the panic attack is only temporary.
  • Have a friendly conversation: An engaging chat can help distract a person from their symptoms. If you are a friend, gently bring up a topic that they are interested in to help them think of something else.

Suggesting grounding techniques

When a person has lost control of themselves and their surroundings, grounding techniques can help them come back to the present moment. These techniques include:

  • Sitting down: Relaxing in a comfortable chair sounds simple, but it can be extremely effective. With the feet comfortably on the floor, a person should focus on breathing in and out slowly and how it feels sitting on the chair.
  • The 5-4-3-2-1 technique: Focusing on other things in the room and different senses can distract the person from the panic attack. They can focus on identifying five items to see, four objects to touch, three noises to hear, two different smells, and one taste.
  • Simple maths: Counting from one to 10 out of order or performing simple mathematical calculations, such as times tables, provides something else on which to concentrate.
  • Focus: Ask the person what day of the week it is, who they are with, and where they are.

Providing ongoing help

Some people may feel embarrassed about having a panic attack, as well as finding it stressful. Continuing support and engagement will help ease their anxiety. Reach out by checking in now and again. Finding out more about the condition may also help if the situation happens again.

How to help someone breathe during a panic attack

When a person is experiencing a panic attack, it is important that they get their breathing under control. Someone trying to help should not give them a paper bag to inhale and exhale from, as this could make them pass out.

Instead, it is better not to bring attention to their breathing and to keep calm and breath normally so that they can mirror this pattern. This method should hopefully get their breathing back under control.

What not to do when someone is having a panic attack

Helping someone who is having a panic attack can be very stressful, so it is important that a person is mindful of what actions could make a panic attack worse.

Actions that could make a panic attack worse include:

  • Saying “calm down”: While getting a person to talk is vital, phrases such as “calm down,” “don’t worry,” and “try to relax” could make the symptoms worse.
  • Becoming irritated: Remain patient to help a person deal with a panic attack and do not belittle their experience. The focus should be on them, for however long it takes the symptoms to pass.
  • Making assumptions: Always ask a person what help they need, rather than assuming or guessing the correct advice.

Warning signs and when to get help

While a panic attack can happen very suddenly, the person will often experience warning signs. These may include:

  • shortness of breath
  • feelings of terror or dread
  • shaking and dizziness
  • heart palpitations
  • feeling as though they are dying

Someone having a panic attack may not feel comfortable asking for help. However, the symptoms could last for hours with one panic attack rolling into another, so a person should get medical assistance if they feel that it is necessary.

Pain in the arms or shoulders is also a concern, as the symptoms of a heart attack and panic attack can be similar. If a person has not had a panic attack before, has chest pain, and is vomiting, dial 911 immediately.

Learn more about the differences between a heart attack and a panic attack here.

People who frequently have panic attacks may wish to consider joining a support group or, if possible, relying more on family members and friends to help prevent panic attacks from reoccurring.

Panic attack symptoms

Panic attacks can start without warning, and they can be frightening. An attack can happen when a person is relaxed or even asleep. While the symptoms vary, common ones include:

  • rapid heart rate
  • sweating, trembling, or shaking
  • shortness of breath
  • feeling sick or nauseated
  • a loss of control
  • sense of impending danger
  • chest pain and stomach cramps
  • lightheadedness or faintness

People who have panic attacks may receive a diagnosis of panic disorder. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, statistics show that panic disorder affects about 6 million adults in the United States, or 2.7% of the population.

Summary

Panic attacks are scary for everyone involved, especially when they happen suddenly.

As the person’s stress levels rise, it is essential for others to stay calm and empathetic. How they respond to the person experiencing the attack can influence its severity.

If a person is experiencing other symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, they may be having a heart attack. In this case, it is essential to dial 911 immediately.

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You might have probably come across someone just scratching a part of the body. Or met someone with red patches or rashes all over. That could be as a result of skin reaction or infections.

It is quite common for some people to react to certain skin care products such as body creams, cosmetics, soaps, deodorants and antiperspirants, among others. The symptoms of allergy include, skin rashes, itchiness, swellings and pus.

To avoid this situation, health experts have advised that consumers take precautions when selecting products and pick only those with few ingredients, as they are unlikely to cause contact dermatitis.

The immediate past National Chairman of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Young Pharmacists Group (PSN-YPG), Olagunju Muyiwa, said the term used to refer to itchiness, redness or irritation of the skin is called dermatitis. When caused by something that touches the skin, it is called contact dermatitis.

Several factors, Muyiwa explained could trigger contact dermatitis through skin care products, such as creams, cosmetics, soaps, deodorants and antiperspirants. They include the type of fragrance used, preservatives and colourants among others. Some natural products, particularly, essential oils, are known to produce nice fragrance, but if used superfluously are likely to cause contact dermatitis, which lead to itchy and bumpy rash on the skin at the site of contact with the oil. “Most times, when people purchase new skin products, it’s probably based on recommendation or the intrinsic desire to try new things. All could go well with the new product and desired outcomes achieved. But there is tendency for the body not to tolerate some of these products. In this situation, the product causing the irritation should be identified, which can only be achieved by narrowing down the problematic product.

“If there is a mild reaction and the person has not started any new product, one product should be removed from the regimen at a time to see if the skin condition improves. It may take up to two to four weeks before a difference is observed. Overtime, such individuals may come to realise what kind of products they are sensitive to, either in the form of preservatives or fragrance and then know how to best avoid them.”

Trigger factors, he said, differ from one individual to another. “What may be acceptable to person A may pose irritation risk to person B and vice versa. So, it depends on compatibility of the skin with the ingredients of the cosmetic product. For safety sake, chronic administration of these products are discouraged. One of such example is a facial cleanser that makes your skin squeaky-clean. Over time, the cleanser may no longer “clean” the skin. Instead, it may compromise the exterior barrier of cells known as the stratum corneum.

“Some of the major components of bleaching creams are hydroquinone and alpha hydroxyl acids (AHAs), among others, including citric acid. Prolonged administration of products containing these substances increases risk of photosensitivity and subsequent skin burn and in worst-case scenario, cancer.”

He, therefore, warned: “Be careful with cosmetic products with such preservatives as parabens, formaldehyde, formalin, imadazolidinyl urea, isothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, and quaternium-15, as they are likely to cause contact dermatitis.”

A Consultant Physician and Dermatologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Dr. Olufolakemi Cole-Adeife said some people may have sensitive skin or skin conditions, which could make them react to some skincare products.

Examples of such skin conditions are atopic dermatitis, rosacea and seborrhoeic dermatitis. Also, some people may be allergic to certain chemicals in some skin care products that other people use without any issue. This condition is called allergic contact dermatitis. “The symptoms of infections may include skin rashes, dryness or scaliness of the skin, itchiness, tingling or peppery sensations on the skin, as well as swelling, redness or darkening of the skin,” she explained, adding: “In severe cases, the skin may become weepy and develop sores. These symptoms are usually most pronounced after the use of the skincare product”.

Cole-Adeife explained that harmful cosmetic products could cause skin irritation and damage, which may initially be reversible or temporary, but can become irreversible or permanent, if the product is continuously used.

She said: “The regular use of antiseptic liquids and soaps can remove the normal bacteria flora, meant to stimulate healthy skin. This normal flora is protective and beneficial to the skin and its absence may result in some skin abnormalities like dryness. It can also expose the skin to colonisation by harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses resulting in skin, hair or nail infections. The use of skin lightening or bleaching agents can result in a myriad of complications such as thinning of the skin, stretch marks, skin discolouration like redness and hyperpigmentation, excessive hair growth, malodour, poor wound healing and a propensity to skin infections.

According to Cole-Adeife, mercury-containing creams and soaps could also result in kidney damage and ultimately kidney failure. “It is important to note that children are more vulnerable to harmful skin care products. This is because their skin is much thinner than adults’ and they are likely to absorb a higher amount of harmful chemicals from creams and soaps. Children should never be exposed to mercury-containing soaps. They should also not be exposed to any steroid containing cream without a doctor’s prescription and prescribed creams should not be used beyond the duration specified by the doctor.

“These steroid-containing creams should certainly never be mixed into the children’s daily body creams, as is being done by many mothers nowadays. This practice is very harmful to the child’s skin and whole body and should be strongly discouraged.”

The treatment of these skin infections she asserted, involves stopping the use of these products. “The skin can be quite forgiving, and when the products are stopped early enough, many of the complications are reversible. As treatment, a person is often advised to switch to plain, gentle skin care products and encouraged to eat a diet rich in vegetables and fruits. Sunscreen creams to shield exposed skin from UV rays is often recommended.”

Chairperson of Public Relations, Young Pharmacists Group (YPG), International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), Pharm. Funmbi Okoya, said: “Cosmetics can be classified as drugs, when they contain substances that have a physiological effect on the body. Therefore, antifungal creams, steroid-containing creams, antidandruff shampoo and Sun Protection Factor (SPF) creams, among others are cosmetic drugs. Cosmetics counterfeit, especially those containing drug substances, can cause a wide range of localised side effects, depending on where they are applied, as well as systemic side effects, depending on the quantity that enters the blood.

“Common local side effects include allergies. Harmful cosmetics are even more likely to cause severe side effects, depending on what dangerous substances are used and its respective quantities. To avoid harmful or counterfeit cosmetic products and their side effects, make sure to use only NAFDAC registered products purchased from a credible store. Also, consult your pharmacist or dermatologist before trying any new cosmetic products.”

Okoya advised that people should not bleach their skin, as skin whitening is the same as skin bleaching and skin lightening is often a milder form of skin bleaching. Meanwhile, studies have shown that skin toning has no serious side effects.”

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Yellow pills forming shape to Zn alphabet on wood background

A review of the evidence on zinc suggests the mineral could have protective effects against COVID-19 by boosting anti-viral immunity and curbing inflammation.

Diet and health have many links, including immune system function. Good nutrition supports the immune system to fight pathogens and helps to avoid chronic inflammation following an infection.

Many people know that vitamin C has significant effects on the immune system. Deficiency in the vitamin has associations with a higher risk of infections, such as pneumonia.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in dietary supplements to support the function of the immune system has intensified. Although no specific food or supplement can prevent a person from contracting COVID-19, certain nutrients can help support the immune system’s function.

A recent review has focused on the benefits of zinc against COVID-19. Zinc is a mineral found in many different food types.

The findings suggest that zinc could have protective effects against COVID-19 by supporting anti-viral immunity and reducing inflammation. A team of researchers at Sechenov University in Moscow, Russia, led the review and published it in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine.

An essential mineral

Zinc is an essential mineral with a wide range of roles in the human body, including supporting the function of over 300 enzymes. The body needs zinc to carry out normal metabolism and ensure the proper function of the reproductive, cardiovascular, and nervous systems.

Foods high in zinc include animal products, such as meat, shellfish, chicken, and fortified breakfast cereal. However, beans, nuts, and seeds also contain zinc. Phytates in vegetables and grains can reduce the absorption of zinc and, therefore, vegetarians and vegans may need 50% more zinc in their diet.

Deficiency in zinc has associations with delayed growth in children, as well as increased risk of infection. It is also a significant risk factor for the development of pneumonia, which can be a consequence of COVID-19.

“According to the current estimates, the risk of zinc deficiency is observed in more than 1.5 billion people in the world,” explains lead author of the review Prof. Anatoly Skalny, who heads the Laboratory of Molecular Dietetics at Sechenov University.

“Given the crucial role of zinc in regulation of immunity, one can propose that its insufficiency may be considered as a risk factor for infectious diseases.”

– Prof. Anatoly Skalny

Together with colleagues in Russia, Germany, Greece, Norway, and the United States, Professor Skalny put together a review of the scientific evidence on zinc’s role in preventing and treating respiratory infections, including COVID-19.

Zinc and the immune system

Zinc supports the production and maturation of white blood cells, which are the major players in the immune system. There are multiple types of white blood cells, some of which make antibodies, capture and destroy pathogens, and return the immune system to normal after an infection.

Zinc also helps to regulate inflammation. While an inflammatory response is necessary to fight infection, the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines early in the infection is responsible for some of the worst symptoms of COVID-19.

The review describes evidence showing that zinc may have an anti-inflammatory effect in pneumonia, limiting the damage to lung tissue.

For decades, scientists have known that zinc can block the replication of rhinoviruses responsible for respiratory infections in people, including the common cold.

Higher levels of zinc in cells help block the reproduction of rhinoviruses and stimulate interferon alfa production. This signaling molecule prompts nearby cells to initiate their anti-viral defenses.

The review also found evidence specific to coronaviruses. One study showed that zinc blocks the enzyme responsible for replicating the coronavirus that led to the SARS outbreak of 2002.

Connection with chloroquine

Interestingly, chloroquine — which some people suggested as a treatment option early on in the pandemic – increases the cells uptake of zinc, which may underlie some of its positive effects.

A 2020 study showed that when doctors treated patients with zinc and hydroxychloroquine, they discharged more patients, and fewer people died from COVID-19.

However, the paper suggesting that hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine could treat COVID-19 has since been retracted. The latest advice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against using either of these drugs due to the risk of severe side effects.

The researchers also clarify that, although the evidence suggests zinc reduces the risk of respiratory diseases and their complications, there is not enough data to make recommendations regarding zinc intake and COVID-19.

It is also worth noting that consuming excess zinc can have adverse effects, including nausea, loss of appetite, and stomach cramps. Over the long-term, too much zinc has associations with low immunity. The National Institutes of Health provide daily recommended amounts of zinc.

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The term “chronic kidney disease” means lasting damage to the kidneys that can get worse over time. If the damage is very bad, your kidneys may stop working. This is called kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant in order to live.

What causes chronic kidney disease (CKD)?
Anyone can get CKD. Some people are more at risk than others. Some things that increase your risk for CKD include: diabetes; high blood pressure (hypertension); heart disease; having a family member with kidney disease; being African-American, Hispanic, Native American or Asian; and being over 60 years old etc.

What are the symptoms of kidney failure?
You may notice one or more of the following symptoms if your kidneys are beginning to fail: itching; muscle cramps; nausea and vomiting; not feeling hungry; swelling in your feet and ankles; too much urine (pee) or not enough urine; trouble catching your breath; and trouble sleeping.

If your kidneys stop working suddenly (acute kidney failure), you may notice one or more of the following symptoms: abdominal (belly) pain; back pain; diarrhea; fever; nosebleeds; rash; and vomiting.

Having one or more of any of the symptoms above may be a sign of serious kidney problems. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor.

How can I prevent CKD?
Diabetes and high blood pressure are the most common causes of CKD. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, working with your doctor to keep your blood sugar and blood pressure under control is the best way to prevent kidney disease.

Living a healthy lifestyle can help prevent diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease, or help keep them under control. Follow these tips to lower your risk for kidney disease and the problems that cause it: follow a low-salt, low-fat diet; exercise at least 30 minutes on most days of the week; have regular check-ups with your doctor; do not smoke or use tobacco; and limit alcohol.

How is CKD treated?
Damage to your kidneys is usually permanent. Although the damage cannot be fixed, you can take steps to keep your kidneys as healthy as possible for as long as possible. You may even be able to stop the damage from getting worse.

Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Keep a healthy blood pressure. Talk to your doctor about medicines that can help protect your kidneys.

If you catch kidney disease early, you may be able to prevent kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive.

*Dr. Anthony Nwaoney is an epidemiologist and Medical Director of Richie Hospital and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of El-Shaddai Group.

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Prostate cancer has been convincingly linked to the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) for the first time.

Experts have found evidence that a significant number of prostate cancer cases are ‘highly likely’ to have been caused by the same virus that causes cervical cancer in women. And they say it may be transmitted to the gland through sex.

The researchers say their findings suggest the HPV vaccine might help lower the risk of prostate cancer.

The vaccine, which has been given to teenage girls since 2008, was last year made available to schoolboys at the age of 12 and 13 for the first time. HPV was already known to cause certain rare cancers in men, including tumours of the mouth, throat and genitals, accounting for around 2,500 cases a year.

But its implication in prostate cancer – which affects more than 57,000 men a year in the United Kingdom (UK) – significantly increases the consequences of contracting the virus.

It also highlights the importance of the vaccination programme.

The research team, from the University of New South Wales in Australia, compiled the results from 26 previous studies to create the biggest evidence base yet linking HPV to prostate cancer.

Writing in the Infectious Agents and Cancer journal, they concluded: “A causal role for HPVs in prostate cancer is highly likely.”

Prostate cancer, which kills 12,000 men in Britain each year, has previously been linked to genetics, environmental pollutants and lifestyle factors. But the researchers said: “Although HPVs are only one of many pathogens identified in prostate cancer, they are the only infectious pathogen which can be prevented by vaccination.”

This suggests HPV as a common factor, they said.

HPV is a common infection spread through skin-to-skin contact, usually during sex. Around eight in 10 people will be infected with HPV at some point in their lives and there are hundreds of different types of the virus.

Around 13 HPV types are known to cause cancer, including cervical cancer, penile cancer and some types of mouth and throat cancer.

But the researchers found HPV types 16 and 18, which cause most cases of cervical cancer, were also linked to prostate cases.

One of the researchers, Prof. James Lawson, said: “Many people assume HPV infections mainly lead to cancers in women. This is not the case.

“The data may indicate that HPV infection may be transmitted during sexual activity and play a causal role in prostate cancer as well as cervical cancer.”

The scientists said more studies needed to look at how HPV infection may lead to prostate cancer.

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday May 16, 2020, took delivery of samples of Madagascar’s COVID-Organics for use on Nigerian patients with coronavirus after scientific scrutiny by Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).

Unfortunately, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, recently, lamented lack of resources to carry out investigations on the local remedies. He referred to the Madagascar remedy, as so-called, meaning government is yet to subject it to test. Ehanire said the Madagascar herbal remedy is the same as Artemisinin, from Artemisia annua plant, which is used to treat malaria.

Critics say the situation suggests that Nigeria is far from working seriously on homegrown remedies. They ask: How long should it take government to verify the four samples it collected? How much should it cost and what are the implications of delays on properties inherent in samples if they are poorly stored? They insist that Nigeria urgently needs homegrown solutions?

Medical experts have blamed the country’s inability to develop homegrown solutions to COVID-19 on lack of support of Research and Development (R&D), poor funding of research institutes, poor perception of home made goods, lack of political will and poor leadership.

All efforts to reach the Minister of Health, Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christianah Mojisola Adeyeye, and the Director General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe, were not successful. They refused to pick their calls, reply to text and WhatsApp messages and emails sent to them.

Reacting to the lack of approved homegrown remedies for COVID-19, Director General/Chief Executive Officer of NNMDA, Samuel Oghene Etatuvie, told The Guardian: “My take is that this country has one of the greatest potentials to develop our home remedies for at least the prevention and management of COVID -19 symptoms for identified asymptomatic, mild to moderate patients considering the vast bio-resources, huge traditional medicine knowledge, and experienced researchers the country has. However as a country we have consistently failed to harness these potentials as much as we should have done.

“The reason being our general poor perception of home made goods especially herbal/natural products. Another is our disdain for Research and Development. This partly explains why funding of R&D is generally poor as the Hon. Minister alluded to recently. However, I think with recent Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) intervention, funding challenge is been addressed gradually.”

The pharmacist said R&D is a serious, costly and time-consuming venture. “However post formulation, standardisation studies take one to three months or more looking at quality, safety and other parameters. For clinical studies six months to three years or more from stages one to four or more to the level of pharmacovigilance. If samples are well development and stored at the appropriate condition it should be able keep safe for one to two years and sometimes three years which is usually best to use or expiration date,” the NNMDA DG said.

Pharmacovigilance is the practice of monitoring the effects of medical drugs after they have been licensed for use, especially in order to identify and evaluate previously unreported adverse reactions.

A consultant clinical pharmacist, public health specialist/health educator and National Chairman, Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN), Dr. Amibor Kingsley, told The Guardian: “… Although it is generally believed that most herbal preparations are safe for consumption, some herbs like most biologically active substances could be toxic with undesirable side effects.

“This is the basis of the insistence of Nigeria’s Federal Government, the World Health Organization (WHO), the NAFDAC that all herbal medicines being proposed for treatment of COVID-19 must be subjected to clinical trials to establish their efficacy and safety in humans, including the much talked about COVID Organics from Madagascar, which is claimed to be effective in curing COVID-19, but has not been validated yet.

“There are phases in clinical trials of new drugs and even drugs for repurposing like the suggested use of Artemisua annua for treatment of COVID-19. Even though artemisinine has proved useful in the treatment of malaria over the years, with generally tolerable safety patterns, it cannot be subjected to similar use in COVID-19 without adequate and satisfactory testing. Granted that the drug may not necessarily be subjected to every phase of clinical trial like is compulsorily the case for new drug molecules, there is still need to carry out tests to establish potential use in COVID-19, to determine possible doses at which the Madagascar tonic can produce desirable clinical outcomes in confirmed COVID-19 patients if any, and potential side effects or adverse effects that may accompany such use. Artemisinine is the major active ingredient in COVID Organic.”

Reacting to the delay in announcing the result of the scientific investigation of Madagascar’s herbal remedy, Amibor said: “So I wish to use this opportunity to appeal to Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Ministry of Health and NAFDAC as regards giving approval for use of herbal medicines in treatment of COVID -19 in Nigeria. For completely new products, which have not been subjected to clinical trials before now, the process of validation could even be longer than that required for COVID Organics for reasons explained above.

It is better for us to exercise patience and get it right the first time, than to rush and then regret the consequences later.

“Drugs are not food, there are some side effects or adverse effects that may manifest with immediate use of drugs including herbal medicines, there are others that will not manifest immediately but will take some time before they start manifesting maybe months or even years as the case may be. Ever since the case of the Thalidomide Tragedy of the early 1960’s, during which the use of a sleeping pill called Thalidomide that was thought to be harmless then, later gave rise to birth defects which manifested long after product was introduced. This is why the Food and Drug Administration of the US, NAFDAC and different regulatory bodies of countries across the world are very mindful about giving rushed approvals for new drugs. Same goes for production of vaccines. Thorough processes are involved which must be rigorously implemented without cutting corners because human lives are involved here, lest you succeed in curing COVID-19 in a patient, but end up afflicting such patient with one form of cancer or the other which is incurable.

“Patience is the watchword, results of clinical trials of artemisinine for treatment of COVID-19 have started to trickle in from Europe, some with signs of promise, but these results are still in the early stage, and time will tell whether COVID Organic or other herbal products submitted to the Federal Ministry of Health for COVID-19 treatment are useful or not.”

Meanwhile, the West African Health Organization (WAHO) is working to promote clinical trials of some of the local plants and medicine that are reputed to support the management of COVID-19 adding that none of the traditional medicine practitioners in the West African region has presented any medicine that cures COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the organisation has advised Nigeria and other countries in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region to put into consideration the areas that are hot spots while opening up its borders and implement differential lockdowns and restrictions.

It also urged countries to strike a balance between jeopardizing the academic career of their children with exposing them to COVID-19.

Briefing journalists on the 33rd Anniversary of the organisation in Abuja, Director General of WAHO, Prof Stanley Okolo, observed called on ECOWAS member states to start thinking of a world with Covid-19 as opposed to the world without Covid-19 by leveraging on technology and warned that if they don’t have the infrastructure to reopen schools virtually, they must be confident that they are at a time where they can do it physically before they can reopen schools.

He said, “Countries are balancing how do they not jeopardize the academic career of their children with how do they we not expose them to Covid-19 and that is why this balance has to be struck and in some areas, they have gone back to school not physically, some have reopened virtually but if you do not have the infrastructure to do that, you have to be confident that you are at a time where you can do it physically before you can reopen schools.”

Okolo who stressed the need for Nigeria and the ECOWAS in general to start planning for the longer term, flatten the curve, and be smart and use data to make their decisions in order to strike a balance said, “If we destroy the economy, we don’t even have money to secure the state, buy drugs and people don’t have any money to eat, so we must have a matured balance but we have to use data. We have to weigh the evolution of COVID-19 as we open up the boarders. COVID-19 is likely to be with us for a long time, even China that appeared to have finished their phase and opened up is now facing a resurgence.”

According to him, “As we are opening up the borders, there is nothing that says that you can’t treat hot areas differently from others. Around the world, people are opening up but they say this country is a hot area and we are not going to let in people from that country for now, we are going to review it in two to four weeks and see what happens, we are advising the same thing for the region. Within the region, you can implement differential lockdown.”

He pointed out that though the trend of new infection is going down in some countries, in other countries including Nigeria, the trend is going up. He noted that WAHO has proposed that governments in the region rebuild trust and confidence in citizens using community, religious and leaders.

The WAHO DG encouraged pool testing for Nigeria to detect more infections if the country has the capacity and urged any governor who is denying his people opportunity to be tested to have a rethink and bear in mind that this is a global pandemic.

He said, “WAHO encourages governments to continue to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on vulnerable populations, to safeguard the delivery of essential health services particularly to women, children, the elderly and marginalised populations, and to reward the selfless services of all those in the frontline of fighting this pandemic – the doctors, nurses, contact tracers, laboratory, volunteers, and their families.”

Okolo noted WAHO and ECOWAS agreed that anything that we can manufacture locally in Africa couldn’t be procured from elsewhere adding that the organisation has supported local manufacture of drugs and vaccines.

“Government will not defeat this, it is not a war you fight with bullets and the only people that can defeat COVID-19 are the population by abiding to non-pharmaceutical guidelines. The scale and nature of the pandemic has exposed weaknesses in our health systems that have undermined response efforts, including weaknesses in infrastructure, human resources, diagnostic and therapeutic facilities. The pandemic therefore offers us both an insight into our shortcomings, but also an opportunity to resolve to do better. Both the leaders and the led have had to endure the same facilities and utilise the same health resources with the obvious challenges. We can therefore commit ourselves to break the stranglehold of poor health funding, neglect of human resources for health, and weak health systems through innovative involvement of the private sector, civil society organisations and universal community health insurance schemes. We must rebuild trust with our populations and engage community and religious leaders in strengthening public adherence to the social distancing and personal hygiene measures critical to defeating the current pandemic,” he added.

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There are concerns as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), last week, authorised the marketing of IQOS, Philip Morris International’s (PMI) electrically heated tobacco system, as a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP). In doing so, the agency found that an IQOS exposure modification order is appropriate to promote the public health.

The FDA authorised the marketing of IQOS with the following information: “The IQOS System heats tobacco but does not burn it. This significantly reduces the production of harmful and potentially harmful chemicals.”

Scientific studies have shown that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to the IQOS system reduces the body’s exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals.

The agency concluded that the available scientific evidence demonstrates that IQOS is expected to benefit the health of the population as a whole, taking into account both users of tobacco products and persons who do not currently use tobacco products

The FDA’s decision further builds on the emerging independent international scientific consensus that IQOS is a better choice than continuing to smoke, and follows the FDA’s April 2019 decision authorizing the commercialization of IQOS in the U.S.

The FDA’s decision provides an important example of how governments and public health organizations can regulate smoke-free alternatives to differentiate them from cigarettes in order to protect and promote the public health

This decision follows a review of the extensive scientific evidence package PMI submitted to the FDA in December 2016 to support its MRTP applications.

Commenting on the FDA’s announcement, PMI’s Chief Executive Officer, André Calantzopoulos, said: “The FDA’s decision is a historic public health milestone. Many of the tens of millions of American men and women who smoke today will quit—but many won’t. Today’s decision makes it possible to inform these adults that switching completely to IQOS is a better choice than continuing to smoke. FDA determined that scientific studies show that switching completely from conventional cigarettes to IQOS reduces exposure to harmful or potentially harmful chemicals.

“IQOS is a fundamentally different product than combustible cigarettes and must be regulated differently, as the FDA has recognized. Now—more than ever—there is an urgent need for a fundamentally different conversation on a cooperative approach to achieve a smoke-free future. The FDA’s decision provides an important example of how governments and public health organizations can regulate smoke-free alternatives to differentiate them from cigarettes in order to promote the public health…”

Meanwhile, a new Access Initiative for Quitting Tobacco aims to help the world’s 1.3 billion tobacco users quit. Stopping smoking is more important than ever as evidence reveals that smokers are more likely than non-smokers to have severe outcomes from COVID-19.

The project gives people free access to nicotine replacement therapy and to Florence, a digital health worker, based on artificial intelligence that dispels myths around COVID-19 and tobacco and helps people develop a personalized plan to quit tobacco.

It is being led by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with the UN Interagency Task Force on Non-communicable Diseases, PATH and the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products, with support from the private sector.

The Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, salutes this initiative. The Head of the Convention Secretariat commented, “This will contribute to Parties’ implementation of Article 14 of the Convention, regarding measures concerning tobacco dependence and cessation. And, as previously said: there has never been a more appropriate time to support people in their efforts to quit tobacco use.”

Director of Health Promotion, Dr. Ruediger Krech, said that, “We welcome the support of pharmaceutical and tech companies to improve people’s health and save lives during COVID-19. The partnership highlights what we can achieve when we work together both to end the pandemic and, moving forward, to build back better.”

WHO received its first-ever donation of nicotine replacement therapies for the project from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Health. The manufacturer has donated 37,800 nicotine patches to help 5,400 people in Jordan quit smoking. These efforts will help WHO respond to the ongoing pandemic and improve health outcomes.

Florence was created with technology developed by San Francisco and New Zealand based Digital People Company, Soul Machines, with support from Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud.

Jordan, which has some of the highest tobacco use rates in the world, will be the first pilot country with additional companies and countries to join in discussion. HRH Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, President for the International Union of Cancer Control said, “I am pleased that Jordan is part of this initiative, which will help advocate for tobacco control and support civil society organizations in their continued efforts for a healthier smoke-free future for Jordan.”

Just last week the Government of Jordan adopted a ban on smoking and vaping indoors in public places. The link between smoking and COVID-19 make it essential for governments to pass comprehensive tobacco control laws that will protect the health of their people during this pandemic and beyond.

Although around 60 per cent of tobacco users worldwide say they want to quit, only 30 per cent of them have access to the tools that can help them do so The Access Initiative for Quitting Tobacco is designed to deliver tobacco cessation services that will help people overcome both physical and mental addictions to tobacco.

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The National Bureau of Statistics reports that 24 percent of households in Nigeria do not have sufficient soap to wash hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

A report released on Tuesday by the NBS also revealed that seven percent of households reported insufficient water for washing hands.

“The most readily available COVID-19 preventative measure is washing hands with soap and water; however, insufficient access to soap and water for washing is a hindrance for some households,” the report stated.

Analysis of the report showed that 73 percent of respondents reported wearing a mask and 77 percent washing their hands all or most of the time after being in public.

“The vast majority of respondents practice safety measures to minimize the risk of contracting the virus,” the report disclosed.

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Doctors in France have described what they said was the first confirmed case of a newborn infected in the womb with COVID-19 by the mother.

The baby boy, born in March, suffered brain swelling and neurological symptoms linked to COVID-19 in adults, but has since recovered, they reported Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications.

Earlier research had pointed to the likely transmission of the virus from mother to foetus, but the study offers the first solid evidence, said senior author Daniele De Luca, a doctor at Antoine Beclere Hospital near Paris.

“We have shown that the transmission from the mother to the foetus across the placenta is possible during the last weeks of pregnancy,” he said.

Last week, researchers in Italy said that data on 31 pregnant women hospitalised with COVID-19 “strongly suggested” that the virus could be passed on to unborn infants.

A JAMA study in March reporting on a similar number of pregnant COVID-19 patients came to a similar conclusion.

But evidence remained circumstantial.

“You need to analyse maternal blood, amniotic fluid, the newborn’s blood, the placenta, et cetera,” De Luca said by phone.

“Getting all of these samples during a pandemic with emergencies everywhere has not been easy. This is why it has been suspected but never demonstrated.”

De Luca and his team pulled together this data for the case of a pregnant woman in her twenties admitted to his hospital in early March.

Because the baby was delivered by caesarean section, all of the potential sources and reservoirs of the virus remained intact.

The concentration of SARS-CoV-2, the technical name given to the virus, was highest in the placenta, the researchers found.

“From there it passed through the umbilical cord to the baby, where it develops,” De Luca said. “That is the pathway of transmission.”

‘Bad news’
The baby began to develop severe symptoms 24 hours after birth, including severe rigidity of the body, damage to white matter in the brain, and extreme irritability.

But before doctors could settle on a course of treatment, the symptoms began to recede. Within three weeks, the newborn had almost fully recovered on his own.

Three months later, his mother is without symptoms.

“The bad news is that this actually happened, and can happen,” De Luca said. “The good news is that it is rare — very rare compared to the global population.”

Among the thousands of babies born to mothers with COVID-19, no more than one or two percent have tested positive for the virus, and even fewer show serious symptoms, said Marian Knight, a professor of maternal and child population health at the University of Oxford who was not involved in the research.

“The most important message for pregnant women remains to avoid infection through paying attention to hand washing and social distancing measures,” she said.

Others said the case study shed light on how the virus passes from mother to child.

“This report adds knowledge to a possible mechanism of transfer to the baby, via the placenta,” commented Andrew Shennan, a professor of obstetrics at King’s College London.

“But women can remain reassured that pregnancy is not a significant risk factor for them or their babies with COVID-19.”

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Analysis of raw milk samples bought in the United States found small numbers of beneficial bacteria alongside potentially dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which increased in number when left at room temperature.

Typically, manufacturers pasteurize, or heat, milk to kill any bacteria before people consume it. The French microbiologist Louis Pasteur developed pasteurization in the 1800s.

However, in recent years, many people have begun to favor raw, or unpasteurized, milk. Proponents believe that raw milk has enhanced nutritional value, benefits digestion, and strengthens the immune system.

However, scientists and doctors have questioned the credibility of these claims and warned about the potential risk of infection from drinking raw milk.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also dispels the false health benefits of raw milk consumption. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-pasteurized milk caused 979 cases of illness between 2007 and 2012.

Despite this, raw milk is available to buy in 30 U.S. states, and demand is growing. In a new study, researchers from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) analyzed the bacterial content of over 2,000 milk samples purchased in the U.S., including raw milk.

They found that raw milk contained higher numbers of bacteria compared with pasteurized varieties. They also identified that some of these bacteria contained antimicrobial-resistant genes.

The findings, published in the journal Microbiome, suggest that raw milk could lead to the spread of antibiotic resistance, particularly if the product is not appropriately chilled.

Good for the gut?

Estimates indicate that about 3% of the U.S. population consumes raw milk. Many of these products claim to contain healthful bacteria that are good for the gut.

To assess these claims, the authors of the latest study collected samples of milk from five states (California, Idaho, Arizona, South Carolina, and Maine).

The samples included a variety of pasteurized milk that manufacturers had sterilized in different ways, including high-temperature-short-time pasteurization (HTST), which is the most common method in the U.S., and ultra-pasteurization (UHT), which provides an extended shelf life.

They also collected samples of unpasteurized (raw) milk.

They stored the samples at the fridge temperature of 4°C and room temperature (23°C) for up to 24 hours. During this time, they analyzed the types of bacteria living within the samples.

A reservoir of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

The results showed that raw milk contained the highest number of bacteria, mostly from the Pseudomonadaceae family, which can cause disease in humans.

Many advocates claim that raw milk contains high levels of ‘good’ lactic acid bacteria that can improve digestion. Many probiotic supplements contain lactic acid bacteria, but this study identified that raw milk contained limited ‘good’ bacteria.

The researchers also found that the raw milk samples contained antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. When stored at room temperature, the numbers of these bacteria dramatically increased.

“Our study shows that with any temperature abuse in raw milk, whether intentional or not, it can grow these bacteria with antimicrobial resistance genes,” says co-author Michele Jay-Russell, research microbiologist and manager with the UC Davis Western Center for Food Safety.

Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats facing modern medicine. According to the CDC, more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in the U.S. every year, resulting in over 35,000 deaths.

The consumption of antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a risk not only for the individual but for society as a whole. This is because the genes that confer resistance can transfer between bacteria, leading to the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Avoid ‘clabber’

The researchers say raw milk is “really high risk” if people do not store it correctly. They also warn against consumers trying to make ‘clabber,’ a fermented milk product that involves leaving raw milk at room temperature for 1–5 days. They say that consuming clabber could result in a higher intake of antimicrobial-resistant genes.

“You could just be flooding your gastrointestinal tract with these genes,” says Jay-Russell. “We don’t live in an antibiotic-free world anymore. These genes are everywhere, and we need to do everything we can to stop that flow into our bodies.”

Although scientists need to do more research to understand the health risks posed by raw milk, this study’s findings indicate that it may not be as beneficial as the claims suggest.

The authors recommend that anybody who wants to continue drinking raw milk stores it in a fridge.

“We don’t want to scare people; we want to educate them. If you want to keep drinking raw milk, keep it in your refrigerator to minimize the risk of it developing bacteria with antibiotic-resistant genes.” – Lead author Jinxin Liu

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