Covid for many of us, is a villain. It tore society away from each other. Making us hide inside and distancing ourselves because we were scared. Covid also had many effects on us because it attacked people with health issues such as diabetes, fatigue, or blood clots.
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A study based on the health records of about 140,000 U.S. veterans. shows the risk people with health issues such as diabetes, fatigue, or blood clots can have even with COVID being around for 2 years. The study compared veterans who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 early in the pandemic with those who did not test positive. Even two years after their infections, individuals who had COVID-19 were at a higher risk for various health problems, including heart disease and gastrointestinal issues. Hospitalized patients during their initial COVID-19 cases were more likely to experience these issues, but those with milder infections were also at higher risk for certain medical problems. The study highlights the long-term risks and burden of disease associated with COVID-19, even for individuals with mild cases. However, the study has limitations, including its reliance on electronic health records. The use of electronic health records is a limitation in the study because electronic health records or EHRs, contain data that is available within the healthcare system. They may not capture information about symptoms or conditions that patients experience outside of the healthcare setting. EHRs may focus on medical events and diagnoses, potentially missing information about the broader impact of long COVID on patients’ daily lives and well-being. The study’s reliance on EHRs from a veteran population may introduce biases. For example, the data may be skewed towards men, as about 90 percent of the veteran records included in the study were from men. This may not fully represent the experiences of women, who are also affected by long COVID. People with health issues are much more vulnerable because certain health conditions do increase the risk of complications and severe illness if infected with the virus.Diabetes, can weaken the immune system, making it more challenging for the body to mount an effective defense against the virus. Diabetes, especially uncontrolled diabetes, can impair the function of various immune cells, including neutrophils and macrophages. These cells play a crucial role in recognizing and eliminating pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses. Diabetes also affects T cells, which are a type of white blood cell that plays a central role in the immune response. In diabetes, there may be a reduced activity of T cells, which can compromise the body’s ability to identify and destroy infected cells.
In AP Bio we saw the process in Pathogen Specific Recognition which is a part in the Immune System. First a pathogen would appear and the macrophage would ingest the pathogen, allowing the lysosome to come and kill the pathogen. Then the macrophage would present a antigen fragment with MHC proteins to helper T cells. This then causes the helper T cell to bind with the antigen fragment allowing it to produce interleukin. The interleukin would then either trigger cell-mediated response with T cells or humoral response which include B cells. The difference between the two types of response are with cell-mediated response T-cells make killer T-cells which kill infected or cancerous cells and humoral response secrete antibodies which bind to and neutralize pathogens. How has the journey with COVID-19 unfolded within your family over the past two years? What challenges have you faced, and what lessons or changes have emerged from this unique experience?
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