A Letter from Pastor Hekhuis on "What to Do If a Loved One Gets COVID"
Friends,
I've felt led to share some information in response to many questions that have come to me and the many instances of vaccinated people getting COVID 19. In sharing with you things I have read, heard, or thought helpful, I ask please don't act upon anything without confirmation from the Lord and medical professionals. In sharing, I'm not presuming to be a medical professional, just a compiler of basic information that seemed good to me which many may not yet know.
Where We're at:
It seems to me that not only are COVID variants sweeping various areas of our nation, but that the vaccinations many have counted on, are not proving as effective as hoped. It's been reported that in Israel, 60% of those in hospital with COVID have been fully vaccinated. In the UK, 40% of new COVID hospitalizations have been vaccinated (fully?) More to home, it seems that the CDC does not collect data on the number of "breakthrough" cases, but other health organizations do. The Southern Nevada Health District serving 2.2 million residents, 72% of Nevada's population, reports that 52% of their deaths from COVID were fully vaccinated while 46% of their population is vaccinated. Recently they reported that more than half of their new cases were vaccinated.
It also seems that for many people in the United States, their own doctors are not seeing them or treating COVID 19. Many doctors emphasis seems to be simply on getting everyone vaccinated but not treating the vaccinated or unvaccinated if they become ill with COVID or test positive. Many people are tested and, if found positive, sent home to recover without any direction except to go to the hospital if they become much worse. Hopefully that's not the case with you and your doctor is able to effectively treat you. But for many, this isn't currently so.
So while the bad news is that the vaccines are not as effective as hoped and many doctors are not focused on treatment, the good news is that there have been doctors focusing on treating patients and their protocols have become refined and available to us all. I would recommend that everyone become active in understanding possible treatments of COVID 19. Early home / out patient treatment seems key to getting through a bout with COVID 19 and greatly reduces the likelihood of hospitalization.
What to do:
It seems that the most basic things we can do for prevention and early treatment of COVID 19 is taking Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc in appropriate amounts, getting plenty of sleep, and shedding excess weight. There are various online sources for determining prophylactic amounts and dosage for treatment if you should get COVID 19.
Beyond that, Monoclonal Antibodies are becoming widely available. This is an effective treatment (reducing hospitalization 70-75%) with decades of use without the risks and unknowns of recent vaccines. President Trump was treated with it under the name Regeneron. It has been limited to those who are older or higher risk. But now in Florida, it has become available to anyone who has contracted COVID regardless of age or health. Several treatment centers have recently set up around the state and are capable of serving 300 people a day. This treatment is most effective early on, within 10 days of onset. The earlier, the better. Call for an appointment immediately upon onset. It could take several days to get in. Some clinics allow walk ins.
Beyond that, there are doctors who will work with patients by telephone. They will begin treating you immediately with various drugs to be applied across the total time of recovery. I'm including a couple links:
While hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin have been much maligned by those focusing only on vaccination, these have been FDA approved for malaria and antiparasitic use in humans, seeming to be very safe with a long history of being prescribed. Ivermectin ought not be dismissed as an animal med just because it is also used in animals and is available at feed stores in veterinary grade. Both drugs are now being prescribed by those focused on treatment and seem to have a significant antiviral effect. Front line doctors have been using these drugs and find them very effective in keeping people from hospitalization. You will find these two drugs and several others referred to by the doctors who are actually treating COVID 19.
I'm also including a link to A Guide to Home-Based COVID Treatment, a protocol put together by reputable academic, practicing, frontline doctors with a great amount of experience in treatment, which is what you want and need when you contract COVID. The guide comes from the Association of American Doctors and Surgeons. A Guide to Home-Based COVID Treatment.
Whenever we get sick or are concerned of getting sick, it's important to recognize our Savior and Great Physician, looking to Him for healing and to affirm that even this has been allowed as a trial God will use to perfect us, make us lacking in nothing, more like Jesus. It's also important to not do anything out of anxiety but only out of a faithful response to God as we seek to be good stewards of the bodies and time He's given us. It ought to be that the Church of Jesus Christ will be better, purer, more able to stand in the face of ungodliness, because of our dealing with COVID 19. It ought to be that we have peace and wisdom to share. Hopefully, this email contributes to that.
Pastor Jerry Hekhuis