Coronavirus Part V: The Epic Failure at The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
I just finished a busy week seeing patients. During this time, I saw at least six patients who had flu-like illnesses. Did they have COVID-19? I don’t know. Why don’t I know? I can’t tell my patients if the are sick with coronavirus because there are no test kits available to me. However, test kits are widely available in many other countries including Iran, Japan, South Korea, Germany, or China. In fact, hundreds of thousands of coronavirus tests have been run in other countries.
But, NOT in the US.
As of Monday, March 2, 2020, the US has tested a few hundred people for coronavirus. According to the CDC, 337 more kits were released on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Why are other countries able to test for coronavirus and we aren’t?!?!
When the coronavirus epidemic started late last year in China, the World Health Organization (WHO), with help from German researchers, quickly developed a test for coronavirus. This is the test used by every other country except…the US. “The CDC insisted that only its test–and not the one developed by the WHO, for example–could be used on suspected cases, and even CDC tests would [only} be administered under limited circumstances.” (1)
Folks, this is an unmitigated disaster! How do we know how many people are infected with coronavirus if we can’t test them? It feels almost idiotic to ask that question.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are a perfect example of a FAILED Federal agency. On the CDC homepage it is stated that the CDC “Is working 24/7 to protect America from health and safety threats both foreign and domestic.” (2)
The coronavirus pandemic illustrates the failure of the CDC to properly do its job. And, because of that, we suffer.
In the US, we spend almost 18% of our GNP on healthcare. This is markedly higher than any other Western country. Yet, we are last or nearly last in every health indicator. We are last in neonatal mortality and we live shorter lives when compared to every other major Western country.
We are clearly getting cheated when it comes to healthcare. And, the CDC is very good at cheating us. They cheated us by stealing $1 billion dollars for the Zika non-epidemic. Now, they will get paid handsomely for their missteps with coronavirus.
You see, the CDC is supposed to protect us from viral pandemics and epidemics. Yet, in the case of COVID-19, because of a lack of testing kits, we have no idea how many are infected with coronavirus. Furthermore, COVID-19 could have been a perfect example of our public health system working: a new virus is identified and contained through proper quarantining and treatment. Well, those days are long gone. This virus is clearly spreading out of control due to the ineptitude of the CDC. No longer can it be maintained.
But, I have good news for the CDC. Our Federal legislatures, in true fashion, have approved over $8 billion for US Governmental agencies dealing with virus. The inept CDC gets $2.2 billion.
Wow. They made out better than they did with Zika. What a DEAL!
I am sure this money will be well spent.
Why would we give more money to the agency that failed epically? Will anyone at the CDC lose their job over this failure? I doubt it. At my lecture on Saturday, I will talk more about this.
Final Thoughts:
1. I predict the mortality rate for coronavirus will be much lower than the 2-3% currently reported. Once we are able to test everyone, there will be many more asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic coronavirus patients that will lower the mortality rate. The mortality rate will be somewhere near the influenza mortality rate. Keep in mind that coronavirus has been around for nearly 100 years. It causes a flu-like or an upper respiratory illness (a cold). We have all been getting and recovering from coronavirus infections for nearly a century or more.
2. My experience in treating patients for viral infections has shown that vitamins A, C, D as well as iodine & nutritional IVs are very effective. Not only do these protocols help to prevent infections, but they also help to recover from them. I suggest working with a holistic doctor who is skilled with nutritional IVs. They can provide you with antiviral therapies that work. At the Center for Holistic Medicine we have been doing nutritional IV therapies for well over 25 years. We have been ready to treat viral infections, like coronavirus, for over 25 years.
To All Our Health,
~DrB
David Brownstein, MD is a conventionally trained Board-Certified Family Physician with the additional overlay of holistic principles.
While Dr. Brownstein does not claim to have a cure for any illness, he does believe that we can enhance the individual’s immune system by supporting the ‘host’ & the terrain of the host. The human body is well designed and the immune system, when given the proper support, can optimally function.
Disclaimer: The information in this blog should not be used as medical advice. Any therapies that are discussed should be supervised under the guidance of your physician or licensed healthcare professional.
New York Times. March 3, 2020. p. A10
