Posted on 12/28/2022 1:01:40 AM PST by nickcarraway
US tariffs and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s zero-COVID policy have made it more difficult to do business in China. But prior reform efforts helped Vietnam take advantage of turns in international politics, says this Duke University professor.
Vietnam’s policymakers can congratulate themselves on a stellar economic performance in 2022. The country will conclude the year as the best-performing economy in Asia, largely due to its ability to attract foreign investment relocating from China.
As other emerging markets seek to recover from the damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, many leaders are looking to emulate Vietnam’s model.
While it is tempting to attribute Vietnam’s success to a perfectly executed template, the true story is both more mundane and achievable — prior reform efforts positioned Vietnam to take advantage of a serendipitous turn in international politics.
(Excerpt) Read more at channelnewsasia.com ...
Next question; If the messenger rna vaccines used reprogram the body's immune system to counter with a specific antibody, does the typical human have enough reserves to fight off infection when a vastly different virus is introduced?
Next question; Following above, would not the new virus ravage freely as the immune system has basically been programmed with fighting the older, now non-existent virus?
Just curious.
I don’t have specific information, and will yield to those who do. I don’t know the reason for the naming convention. As to your other two questions, from general information on immunizations:
A mutated virus is not “vastly different”. It is slightly different. At least one part of its structure will be changed, but most of it will be the same.
Immunization does not equip the immune systems with one antibody, it equips the immune system with antibodies against one virus. An immune response against a virus will commonly still be mostly effective against a mutated virus. Only those antibodies that attack the part of the structure that has changed, will be obsolete.
The m-RNA vaccines are not as effective as natural immunity.
The human body is still more creative and efficient at fighting off viruses and their mutations.
Plus, the m-RNA vaccines may inhibit the human body from effectively fighting the mutations. This is why it seemed that the vaccines worked really well against the original strain, but less and less effectively against each new mutation while those who had natural immunity fared much better against the variants.
“Serious question; If it mutates so fast, why is it still identified as “Covid 19”?”
Maybe be another “variant” of that strain?
I'm just curious reading some of the more recent headlines.
The virus behind COVID-19 is mutating and immune-evasive. Here's what that means
"Omicron, the latest variant of concern, is the most transmissible variant we have seen so far, including all the sub-variants that are in circulation," Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's technical lead for COVID-19, said on Dec. 21.
Whether that's enough to drive new waves of infections depends on conditions such as the size and timing of previous Omicron waves, the regional immune landscape and COVID-19 vaccination coverage, the United Nations public health agency said.
In Canada, differences in population-level immunity and global trends suggest COVID-19 cases could increase in the new year, health officials said last week.
But what does mutation mean, what doesn't it mean and why does immune evasiveness matter? Here are some answers based on what we know at this stage in the pandemic.
SECOND OPINION - Omicron completely changed the pandemic. Are we prepared for what's next? New immune-evasive strains of highly transmissible Omicron subvariant spread in N.B.
What's a mutation?
A mutation is a change in the genetic code of the COVID-19 virus. Some mutations have no effect. Others lead to changes in proteins, which can be helpful to the virus by making it more transmissible — the ability to pass from one person to another. Or the mutation could be harmful to the virus if your immune system gains an advantage over the pathogen.
The WHO notes that there are currently about 540 Omicron sub-variants, but only five are "under monitoring" for changes such as mutations or rise in prevalence.
The variants of concern show one or several traits compared with the original or ancestral version of the virus:
Spread more easily.
Cause more severe illness.
Evade or escape current vaccines or treatments.
In particular, physicians and scientists are watching for mutations to the virus's spike protein. That's what the virus uses to grab onto our cells and then enter them.
The BQ 1.1 subvariant of Omicron is immune evasive to the point where an antiviral treatment doesn't work, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer, said in mid December.
"We have to monitor susceptibility of the virus to these medications," Tam said.
Genetic sequencing data also suggests the more immune-evasive variants are increasing, while BA.5 that dominated in the summer is decreasing, Tam said.
Spread more easily.
Yes, natural selection would imply that the current form would be more adaptive to potential hosts.
Cause more severe illness.
This is inconsistent with my understanding of natural selection. One would think that the virus would adapt to their hosts in such a manner as to sustain itself, rather than kill it's host.
If the mutations are occurring so fast, why would it be more lethal rather than less lethal?
Because of human immunity damaged by policies such as extended lockdowns, masking, and attempts to mass-inject hundreds of millions in trials of an experimental imperfect “ leaky” substance touted as a vaccine, that does not prevent infection or transmission …and which is being proven to reduce innate human immunity to other dangers, such as cancer. As well as inducing disorders caused by immune deficiency.
Sadly, a "Perfect Storm".
I read the complete article on Vietnam and made several observations. They are all wearing masks, the article says social distance was early and intensively practiced. There was little mention of specific medications. As a tropical country, I wonder to what extent HCQ and Ivermectin might have been in use for tropical illnesses? Zinc used with one of these ionophores can be quite effective in treating early Covid illness and probably other viruses. I know a fish paste is a commonly used diet item, and fish are high in Zinc. Did they get any advice from Uttar Pradesh in India which has apparently succeeded in stopping Covid using Ivermectin and items in the Zelenko 3 part protocol?
Regarding vaccines, I am quite concerned with the report that the mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna may affect something, if I remember right, called GIg4, and this may increase susceptibility to illness. My brother and my partner both were vaccinated probably with Moderna, and both now have cancer, of the Colon, and the Prostate. They are being treated with apparent success, but they both took a booster recently. I took J&J in May and early Nov. of 2021. I did not take a booster this year, and recently took the flu shot, which has never caused me a problem. Nor have I had flu for many years. At 84 I continue to take the various supplements I have added to deal with various health issues as they have appeared. I have also bought Quercetin (an ionophore for Zinc) and Zinc which I take for a few days when spending tiem with other people for a dinner, or taking a vaccine, or exposed to people who are likely to be contagious. I also distance and wear my mask when shopping. I may have had Covid which started as an extremely runny nose with clear thin mucous, 10 days after dinner with 12 vaccinated people. Over 24 hours in addition to Quercetin and Zinc I took a total of 14 grams of Vitimin C. After that my symptoms were gone. I normally take 5 to 7 grams a day of C for various allergies. I also have added various amounts of Vitamin D3, from 2000IU to 6000IU depending on sun exposure and season, starting Summer 2020. Last Dec. my blood levels of Vitamin D were OPTIMUM at 66 ngm/mL.
At my age I will continue to take my supplements, use the Ionophore plus Zinc, Vitamins C and D3, method of dealing immediately with any virus illness; use mask in public when Covid appears present in local population; and practice social distance. I will avoid mRNA vaccines until the dangers are sorted out, but probably will continue annual flu, and infrequent Pneumonia, Shingles, Tetanus, and possible other well tested vaccines as appropriate. I will NEVER further stress my immune system by taking a vaccine when I am already ill with something.
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