Is COVID-19 the plague that wipes out mankind?
Is COVID-19 part of the plagues of the end time?
No it isn’t. The End Times may be close, but they have not started yet.
Maybe 2022 or just after.
COVID-19 does appear to be a man made laboratory virus, which mysteriously appeared in China. However, no one is going to know for sure if COVID-19 was being designed as a weapon of war or not. But COVID-19 can be a debilitating virus that can cause death if someone has other serious health issues.
Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses. However, different viruses cause them. COVID-19 is caused by infection of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which was first identified in 2019. The flu is caused by infection through the various influenza viruses. COVID-19 seems to spread more easily than flu. However, the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 should slow down as more people become fully vaccinated against it.
Getting Things Into Prospective
The Third Plague pandemic from 1855 to 1960 was a major bubonic plague pandemic that began 1855 in Yunnan, China. It was literally spread by ships all around the world. The contaminated ship dwelling rats disembarked at various ports and so did the infected sailors and passengers. During the pandemic there were about 12 million noted deaths in India and China. Perhaps it was over 15 million worldwide. Nobody really knows the true number of deaths due to the lack of records kept. The pandemic was considered active until 1960, when worldwide casualties dropped to 200 per year. It should be noted that the world population in 1855 was about 1,260 million and expanded to about 3 billion in 1960.
The Asiatic Flu or Russian Flu although stated as occurring between 1889 and 1890 actually lasted until 1895. The viral pandemic could have been a disease caused by either that of an influenza virus strain of either A/H3N8 or A/H2N2 or perhaps the human coronavirus OC43. This viral pandemic occurred through various blunders with the cause and treatment, hence many results are uncertain. The first outbreak occurred in Bukhara of the Russian Empire between 1889 and 1890. It spread in Russia by the use of their railroads and spread worldwide by ship due to transatlantic travel. It spread in less than six days to become a pandemic. The Asiatic Flu or Russian Flu killed about 1 million people out of a world population of about 1.5 billion. It was the last great pandemic of the 19th century and is among the deadliest pandemics in history.
The Spanish Flu started in the USA in February 1918 and was caused by the H1N1 influenza A virus. It became a pandemic as it infected around 35% of the world population before becoming endemic by 1920. About 500 million estimated cases were recorded with 25 to 50 million deaths. However testing was crude and a lot more people could have had it and possibly the death rate could have been between 17.4 and 100 million. People would die within 5 days of infection. It was estimated that between 1 to 6 per cent of the global population would to die due to the infection of the Spanish influenza virus. During this time period the world’s population was about 1,800 to 1,900 million.
The Asian Flu pandemic between 1957 and 1958 was a global pandemic of influenza A virus subtype H2N2. It originated in Guizhou in southern China. The number of deaths caused by the Asian flu pandemic is estimated between one and four million worldwide, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in history. The world’s population was about 2.860 to 2.900 billion during this time period.
The Hong Kong Flu outbreak between 1968 and 1969 was caused by an H3N2 strain of the influenza A virus. It killed between one and four million people globally. It is recorded among the deadliest pandemics in history. The world’s population was about 3.500 to 3.600 billion during this time period.
The Swine Flu pandemic occurred between January 2009 and August 2010. The H1N1 influenza virus caused it. It was the third recent flu pandemic involving the H1N1 virus. The virus appeared to be a new strain of H1N1 that resulted from a previous triple re-assortment of bird, swine, and human flu viruses, which further combined with a Eurasian pig flu virus, which lead to the term “Swine Flu”. Although it began in January 2009, it was first discovered in the United States in April 2009. The World Health Organization from June 2009 to August 2010 declared it as a pandemic. The reported number of deaths was 284,000 people. However, due to conflicting reports from various health sources, the number of infections and deaths seem to be less than what they could have actually been. The world’s population was about 6.788 to 6.916 billion during this time period.
How Lethal Is Covid-19?
Is the COVID-19 virus as lethal as the Spanish Flu?
No! The recorded cases and death rate of COVID-19 is lower, whilst the world population is much higher with 7.9 billion in 2021. Up until the 29th of December 2021 there were 283 million reported cases with 5.41 million deaths worldwide. The case and death counts are much, much lower than the Spanish Flu in number without taking the world population into account.
COVID-19 is an infectious Coronavirus disease, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Most people who fall sick with COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment. However, some will become seriously ill and require medical attention. People with underlying health conditions are most at risk. Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 include respiratory symptoms and include fever, cough and shortness of breath. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome and sometimes death. Coronavirus can also affect the inner surfaces of veins and arteries, which can cause blood vessel inflammation, damage to very small vessels and blood clots. This can bring on heart problems.
Vaccination
The most acceptable vaccines against COVID-19 are produced by BioNTech, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Oxford, AstraZeneca. These vaccines are not designed to cure COVID-19. Their aim is to protect you against COVID-19, especially if you have an underlying health condition.
As with any vaccine there can be side affects due to a myriad of reasons. Today people are vaccinated against a range of bacterial and viral diseases. This is an integral part of communicable disease control worldwide. Vaccination against a specific disease not only reduces the incidence of that disease, it reduces the social and economic burden of the disease on communities.
Those people, who choose to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and perhaps wear a mask, show a regard for their own wellbeing and that of those around them. Unfortunately there are some who feel that vaccination and or mask wearing infringes on their rights. They forget about the rights of others who choose to minimise their risks of being infected by COVID-19. Statistics are starting to show that the non-vaccinated are becoming the super spreaders and that they inturn suffer the most from the affects of COVID-19. There is something in that old adage – Prevention is better that cure.
COVID-19 Symptoms
The most common symptoms are: fever, cough, tiredness and/or loss of taste or smell. The less common symptoms are: sore throat, headache, aches and pains, diarrhoea, a rash on skin, or discolouration of fingers or toes and/or red or irritated eyes. People with mild symptoms who are otherwise healthy should manage their symptoms at home.
The most serious symptoms include: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, loss of speech or mobility or confusion and/or chest pain. Seek immediate medical attention if you have serious symptoms. Always call before visiting your doctor or health facility.
How COVID-19 Spreads
The virus can spread from an infected person’s mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe. These particles range from larger respiratory droplets to smaller aerosols. This is why it is recommended to wear facemasks. It lessens the spread of COVID-19.
Breathing in the virus can infect you. The COVID-19 virus can also remain viable on different surfaces. It can remain viable for up to 4 hours on copper, 24 hours on cardboard and up to 72 hours on plastic and stainless steel. You can be affected by COVID-19 if you are near someone who has the disease or by touching a contaminated surface and then touch your eyes, nose or mouth. The virus spreads more easily indoors and in crowded settings.
On average it can take 5 to 6 days from when someone is infected with the virus for symptoms to show. However it can take up to 14 days in some cases.
A close contact is someone who has had face-to-face contact or has shared a closed space with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. A close contact has a higher risk than other people in the community of developing COVID-19, including casual contacts.
Quarantine
Quarantining may differ from country to country or even state to state. But in Australia if you are a close contact and even if you have no symptoms in 72 hours, you must continue to self-isolate for a full 10 days. After the 10 day isolation period, a further test is required before being released.
However, in Australia the following applies if you have tested positive for COVID-19:
(1) Tested positive, but no symptoms (asymptomatic):
If you are fully vaccinated, you can stop isolating if 10 days have passed since you first tested positive, and no symptoms have developed during this time.
If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, you can be released from isolation if at least 14 days have passed since first testing positive and no symptoms have developed during this time.
Some states and territories may release you earlier if you have a negative PCR test before being released and no symptoms have developed.
(2) Tested positive, symptoms improving and no longer have a fever:
If you are fully vaccinated, you can stop isolating after 10 days of first testing positive if you have no fever and there is a substantial improvement of respiratory symptoms in the previous 72 hours.
If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, you can stop isolating after 14 days of first testing positive if you have no fever and there is a substantial improvement of respiratory symptoms in the previous 72 hours.
Some states and territories may release you earlier if your symptoms have improved and you have a negative PCR test before being released.
(3) Tested positive, still showing signs of respiratory symptoms:
If you are fully vaccinated, you can be released from isolation if it has been at least 14 days since your symptoms began, you haven’t had a fever during the previous 72 hours, there has been a substantial improvement in your respiratory symptoms and you are not significantly immunocompromised.
You may be released earlier if you have 2 consecutive negative COVID-19 PCR tests taken at least 24 hours apart after day 7 from onset of symptoms.
If you are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated, you must meet the same criteria, however your isolation period will be at least 20 days.
(4) Tested positive, significantly immunocompromised:
In addition to meeting the above criteria, people who are significantly immunocompromised must meet a higher standard and will require additional assessment. Regardless of your vaccination status, you will be released from isolation when you return 2 negative PCR tests, at least 24 hours apart after day 7 from when your symptoms began. Your doctor should decide whether the COVID-19 symptoms have stopped.
People who have met all of the above criteria are not considered infectious and they can be released from isolation, including a return to a high-risk setting such as a healthcare facility.
Anyone recovering from a COVID-19-related illness should continue to follow all physical distancing rules, ensure proper hand hygiene and wear a mask or PPE where appropriate.
But note! All of these procedures can change anytime on the whim of any government.
Omicron
Omicron is a variant of COVID-19. It is milder, but more highly infectious then the Delta variant. It replicates up to 70 times more than the Delta variant. Many countries deem that the Omicron variant will affect the majority of their population.
The PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test detects the genetic material from the COVID-19 virus. The nose swab PCR test for COVID-19 is an accurate and reliable test for diagnosing COVID-19. But due to Omicron, people who do not really need to be tested are abusing the testing sites. Hence the PCR testing facilities are being swamped and the test results are being released too late for beneficial quarantine.
Governments in Australia now deem that COVID-19 Home Testing is the way to go because Omicron is a milder form of COVID-19. The COVID-19 Home Test kit is an over-the-counter, rapid self-test that detects SARS-CoV-2 antigen and provides results in 15 minutes. People will be able to purchase a test kit from some supermarkets, pharmacies or online from selected suppliers. This will take a load off the hospital and vaccination clinics. Those who test positive are to self-isolate. Only those with critical symptoms will need hospitalisation.
However, is Omicron the mutant to end COVID-19? Around 1920 the Spanish flu mutated and ended. Some researchers are now thinking that Omicron could actually hasten the COVID-19 virus transition from pandemic to endemic. Something endemic is regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.
If this is the case and COVID-19 becomes endemic, then in the future, the COVID-19 virus vaccines could be used the same way that Flu vaccines are utilised for those who are deemed to need it.
All we can do is hope that COVID-19 becomes endemic, real soon. The sooner the better!
I wish you good health!
Look after yourself and get vaccinated. It is pointless to suffer needlessly.
God bless you.