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• 1 2020-04-14T10:40:02-07:00 The Immunocompromised Community (Joi Takenouchi) 32 plain 2020-04-26T19:01:51-07:00

  Fact-Checked Source:
  Catherine Kim, "Immunocompromised People are Anxious About Being Left Behind in the Coronavirus Pandemic"

  On May 27, 2020, Vox writer Catherine Kim gave a voice to those who are immunocompromised, sharing their fears and anxieties surrounding COVID-19 and the uncertainties that come along with it. CK Article Link
  

  Looking Deeper: Five Facts Checked

  In order to better understand the claims made in this op-ed, I've done research to verify five facts presented about the coronavirus pandemic. 

  Contracting the novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, could easily lead to her death.

  I wanted to look into this claim because I was curious if those who are immunocompromised had a higher chance of contracting COVID-19. According to the CDC, it turns out that those who are immunocmompromised are only more likely to face severe complications including death if they are to contract it, but don't have a higher risk of contracting the disease in comparison to healthy people.

  Khan is just one of the 10 million immunocompromised people in the US who could be affected by the pandemic.

  This fact matters because those who are immunocompromised are the most vulnerable people amidst the pandemic, and it is important to know just how many people are affected. It turns out that, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, that 10 million is not only a rough estimate, but also probably an under-estimate of those who are immunocompromised in the US, as it only includes those with HIV/AIDS, organ transplant recipients, and cancer patients, while excluding a sizable population of those who may have autoimmune disorders, or simply take immunosuppressive drugs to treat other diseases that on their own, would not suppress the immune system.

  Trump's rush to get people back to their jobs would have dire consequences for immunocompromised people. Returning to work would mean risking death.

  This fact may seem dramatic to some, but could returning to work really mean death for those who are immunocompromised? According to Business Insider, rushing to lift the lockdown would not "save the economy", it would just kill more Americans and prolong the pain.

  "Even if you're healthy you can still become disabled, you can still become chronically ill... This sickness doesn't discriminate against anyone"

  This fact is extremely important for Americans to understand in order for the stay-home orders and social distancing protocols to be followed by the general public. As reinforced by the CDC, although immunocompromised people are more likely to suffer from severe complications if they were to contract the virus, healthy people are equally as likely to contract it. It is also still possible for healthy people to suffer severe complications if they were to contract the virus, just not quite as high as those who are immunocompromised.

  For the past week, Trump has been touting hydroxychloroquine as a miracle drug for COVID-19.

  I was curious about this fact, as to what evidence warranted this statement and how accurate it really was. According to the CDC, there is no evidence that this is effective, or even safe, and that there is no known cure/treatment for COVID-19 at this time. Not only is this information wrong, but it's actually harmful, as according to Kaiser Health News, people have begun to hoard the drug, making its supply unstable- causing unnecessary problems for people who have immediate need for it, such as lupus and rheumatoid patients.

  Analytic Essay

  The Most Vulnerable within our Society: Immunocompromised Perspectives on COVID-19

  The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly taken the world by storm, seemingly growing exponentially, thus leaving hundreds and thousands affected, and tens of thousands dead in the United States alone so far. As stay-home orders and social distancing protocols emerged, many people simply brushed these off, knowing they’re not at-risk, and continued on with their normal lives. This can include going to meet with friends, or even just the grocery store as if nothing had changed. On the other hand, those who are immunocompromised had no choice but to abide by these protocols, set by the CDC, knowing that contracting the disease could be a death sentence.

  The term immunocompromised includes, but is not limited to, people with pre-existing conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, people who have undergone chemotherapy, have an autoimmune disorder, or have HIV, and many more. There are an estimated 10 million people with underlying conditions that cause a compromised immune system in the United States. When also considering the elderly as a population with compromised immune systems, there is an estimated 60% of all Americans that are at risk for severe complications from this novel coronavirus. Those who are at an added risk for severe complications face the possibility of being hospitalized,connected to a respirator, or even death. With the current administration wanting to rush back into things, the grocery store’s shelves being nearly wiped clean, and the careless acts of people who do not feel that their own life is at risk and therefore do not abide by the social distancing protocols, anxiety for those whose lives are in danger continue to increase.

  Due to the severity of consequences every single immunocompromised person currently faces, they were quick to abide by the stay-home order issued, and practice social distancing in every aspect of their lives. While others continue to have gathering of more than 10 people, refuse to wear masks in public places, and disregard the CDC’s recommendation to stay at least 6 feet away from anyone not included in immediate family, those who are immunocompromised have no other choice but to stay home and watch in terror, as this reckless behavior continues, without any idea when the next time they will be able to leave their houses.

  With so much information being released about COVID-19, from the news, to social media, even to our own president, it’s difficult to know who to trust. Our own president, Donald Trump, even notioned toward the idea that the stay-home order would be lifted by Easter, which has since passed without the lift of the clearly essential stay-home order.  He has also posted ridiculously ignorant tweets encouraging the people of Michigan and Colorado for example, to protest against their governor and the stay-home orders and in turn, breaking the potentially life-saving rules that trusted organizations like the CDC are working so diligently to publish in an attempt to flatten the curve and save lives. 

  A main group within the immunocompromised people that are concerned for their well being is the HIV community. It is known that HIV, which reduces T-cell counts and compromises the immune system, can lead to AIDS (Weiss R 1993). With this in mind, many people living with HIV have begun to seriously worry whether their condition will make them high-risk for developing those life threatening complications from COVID-19. Even though HIV is no longer as serious as a threat to the population as it was in the 80’s because of drugs available that allow individuals to live full and healthy lives, there is no way of knowing whether they are considered at risk, or not (Shaw ML 2020). Simply not knowing whether or not you are at an increased risk of serious complications brings anxiety to not only them, but their whole family.  

  At this time, the most vulnerable people in our society are those that are immunocompromised. What does it say about us, as a society, if we continuously and consciously make decisions that have a direct negative impact on such a large part of our population, i.e. the most vulnerable people in our society right now?. If this virus had been observed to have high death rates in children, such as smallpox or polio, would people have acted differently? Would people have shown more compassion towards children? 

  It is really sad to think that if it were that way, if children were more susceptible to contracting these severe complications, that countless parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, teachers, and so many more people would do anything and everything they could to keep them safe. It really shines a light on the American society, and how little respect and care we have for the people who nurtured us, taught us, gave us everything that has shaped us into who and what we are. It goes to show the selfish nature that does not seem to be shared with any other country in the world. This only promotes the ideology that if you are not personally affected, why change for the sake of others?

  Through exploring this perspective, it will hopefully encourage and inspire those who are healthy, and may see this whole pandemic as more of an inconvenience than the urgent health crisis that it is, to make an attempt to consider the big picture, to think about those most vulnerable right now, and what we can do to protect them. Without the compliance of the collective United States, there's no telling how long until it is safe enough for the world to return to any kind of normalcy. 

   

  References

  Green, M. (1970, March 17). Coronavirus: How These Disabled Activists Are Taking Matters Into Their Own (Sanitized) Hands: KQED News. Retrieved from https://www.kqed.org/news/11806414/coronavirus-how-these-disabled-activists-are-taking-matters-into-their-own-sanitized-hands

  This news article, published by KQED and written by Matthew Green, tells the story of Stacey Milbern and four other volunteers who, over the last week, have made nearly 100 anti-coronavirus kits and are distributing them to the those living in Oakland (CA) homeless encampments. Stacey and the other four volunteers are all in a club, called the “Members of the Disability Justice Club”, as they all identify as disabled, queer people of color. This article mainly shows the perspective of Stacey and her fellow club members, with many quotes from her, but also of the disabled community, which she and her group represent and stand for. Unfortunately, many people within the disabled community know the feeling of being isolated and surviving in crisis mode, especially with a lack of resources all too well. Stacey and her small group wanted to use DIYs in order to not only help others in the disabled community but also to other underserved populations. Stacey, who was recently diagnosed with kidney cancer, had to postpone any surgery or treatments due to the shelter-in-place order. Even though her surgeon said her cancer is growing, she could survive another 30 days before surgery becomes dire, but if she were to contract COVID-19, there is a very high possibility that she wouldn’t make it to surgery.

   

  Kim, C. (2020, March 27). Immunocompromised people are anxious about being left behind in the coronavirus pandemic. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/identities/2020/3/27/21195024/immunocompromised-coronavirus-covid19-trump

  This online news article, published by Vox and written by Catherine King, discusses the anxiety that immunocompromised people have begun to feel not only about the virus itself but how our administration is preparing to handle things moving forward. This article outlines the anxieties felt by including quotes of multiple immunocompromised people in states all over the United States. It also highlights the need for the stay-home order to stay in effect until it is deemed absolutely safe for everyone to go back to work. I believe that much of the anxiety can be attributed to Donald Trump, who is seemingly more concerned with the economy than the well being of these people and has said repeatedly that he wanted society up and running by Easter, which now is exactly 1 week away. With COVID-19 still on the rise, lifting the stay-home order and sending these susceptible people back to work is not only inconsiderate and selfish but a potential death sentence to the 10 million immunocompromised people in the United States, not even including the effect this would have on the elderly. I think this would be an excellent source for providing evidence from the perspectives of immunocompromised people, as it includes multiple accounts of people, varying in ages from just 6 years old to 32 years old. It also outlines something I don’t think a lot of Americans really know or think about, and that’s that this virus does not discriminate, that anyone, of any race, age, gender, sexuality, etc can contract the coronavirus, and we as a society must work interdependently in order to protect those most at risk.

   

  Shaw, M. L. (2020, March 24). COVID-19 Questions HIV-Positive Individuals Want Answered. Retrieved April 5, 2020, from https://www.ajmc.com/newsroom/covid19-questions-hivpositive-individuals-want-answered

  This article, published by AJMC and written by Maggie Shaw, is based on a document published by the CDC titled, What to Know About HIV and COVID-19, and offers answers to people with HIV concerned about how the rapidly growing COVID-19 could affect them. Unfortunately because of the novel of this coronavirus, the full extent to which these individuals people can be affected if they contract COVID-19, due to them being immunocompromised, is not known. Even though it is known that people with illnesses such as diabetes or asthma are more severely affected, it is not yet known if HIV in itself increases the risk of complications from COVID-19. This source addresses questions from how to protect themselves, to the use of HIV medication to treat COVID-19, and even what everyone can do to minimize the stigma about COVID-19. HIV is also a viral disease that had its own pandemic starting in the 1980s that resulted in an estimated 65 million infections and 25 million deaths. Due to the stigma that surrounded HIV, people were afraid to come forward with symptoms or disclose to others of their condition causing a rampant spread of HIV across the United States and all around the world. I think this gives an interesting perspective, that of not only immunocompromised people but also a population that has experienced the stigma of disease and has had the courage to speak out. Although the stigma surrounding HIV is extremely different, I think that recognizing these differences could potentially even slow the spread of COVID-19 simply through awareness of mistakes made in the past. 

   

  Wallis, A. (2020, March 31). What It’s Like to Be Immunocompromised During the COVID-19 Outbreak. Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-its-like-to-be-immunocompromised-during-the-covid-19-outbreak 

  This news article, published by healthline and written by Allison Wallis, gives readers an insight into what it’s like to be immunocompromised during the COVID-19 outbreak by talking to two affected people about their lives since this pandemic first began. This article focuses on Carole Zoom and Courtney Lynn, who are both considered extreme cases and are severely at risk for developing life-threatening complications if they were to contract COVID-19, and how this pandemic has not only affected them mentally and physically but also how it affects the people around them. Carole has been in a wheelchair since she was 13 years old and depends on others for simple things, such as showering or even getting dressed. In an attempt to keep her safe, her caretakers have cracked down on the people they come into contact with for her sake. Courtney lives with her teenage son, and although she feels bad that he can’t be a ‘normal teenager’ and hang out with his friends, he knows it could potentially mean his mom’s life and stays home to protect her. Both women have a message for healthy people. Carole suggests that you check on your neighbors, distant family members, coworkers, even the homeless person you may have ignored last week, while Courtney urges people to be cautious when they can, rent a movie, cook at home instead of going out, just for a little is needed in order to slow this disease down enough for immunocompromised people to not have to isolate indefinitely.

   

  Weiss, R. (1993). How does HIV cause AIDS? Science, 260(5112), 1273–1279. doi: 10.1126/science.8493571

  This journal article gives extensive detail on how HIV can turn into AIDS.