( Uit de newsletter van Peter Myeres, 1 febr. 2021)
American Journal of Medicine article now urges early use of HCQ and zinc.
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2021/02/01/hydroxychloroquine-and-zinc-for-coronavirus.aspx
Journal of Medicine Says HCQ + Zinc Reduces COVID Deaths
Analysis by Dr. Joseph
Mercola
Fact Checked
February 01, 2021
Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors around the world reported
high success rates using an inexpensive treatment protocol of
hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and zinc, typically in combination with an
antibiotic to treat secondary bacterial infections.
Almost immediately, government health agencies and mainstream media
started attacking the treatment, going so far as to ban the prescription
and use of HCQ for COVID-19 in some areas. Over time, it became
painfully clear that a concerted and coordinated effort to prevent its
use was afoot.
One of the most obvious reasons for why certain individuals and
companies might want to prevent the use of an inexpensive generic drug
is because it might eliminate the need for a vaccine or other antiviral
medication under development.1 Hundreds of millions of dollars have been
invested, and drug companies were, and still are, counting on a massive
payday. As noted by Dr. Meryl Nass in a June 27, 2020, blog post:2
"Hydroxychloroquine has been used safely for 65 years in many millions
of patients. And so the message was crafted that the drug is safe for
its other uses, but dangerous when used for COVID-19. It doesn’t make
sense, but it seems to have worked. Were these acts carefully
orchestrated? …
Might these events have been planned to keep the pandemic going? To sell
expensive drugs and vaccines to a captive population? Could these acts
result in prolonged economic and social hardship, eventually
transferring wealth from the middle class to the very rich?"
Politicizing Medicine Has Grave Consequences
The fight over HCQ also appears to have had political underpinnings, and
by politicizing medicine, the media has played a role that can readily
be likened to agents of genocide. There’s no telling how many lives may
have been saved had they done their due diligence and reported the
science truthfully.
Most of us in the holistic field have been aware that the intent of
censorship is to mislead people. After all, a majority of news outlets
rely on revenue from advertisers, and drug companies tend to spend the
most. As a result, what the drug industry wants is what the media deliver.
During this pandemic, conventional doctors have gotten a taste of what
it’s like as well and, clearly, many have been absolutely floored by it.
It’s certainly understandable, because to censor potentially lifesaving
medical treatment during a global pandemic really brings it to a whole
new level of evil.
As just one example among many, July 23, 2020, Dr. Harvey A. Risch,
professor of epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health, published an
op-ed in Newsweek in which he expressed his dismay and frustration:3
"I have authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and currently hold
senior positions on the editorial boards of several leading journals.
I am usually accustomed to advocating for positions within the
mainstream of medicine, so have been flummoxed to find that, in the
midst of a crisis, I am fighting for a treatment that the data fully
support but which, for reasons having nothing to do with a correct
understanding of the science, has been pushed to the sidelines.
As a result, tens of thousands of patients with COVID-19 are dying
unnecessarily … I am referring, of course, to the medication
hydroxychloroquine.
When this inexpensive oral medication is given very early in the course
of illness, before the virus has had time to multiply beyond control, it
has shown to be highly effective, especially when given in combination
with the antibiotics azithromycin or doxycycline and the nutritional
supplement zinc."
In what appears to be an effort to change the tide, a medical review4 in
the January 2021 issue of The American Journal of Medicine now urges
early use of HCQ and zinc. The authors include Risch, as well as a long
list of medical doctors from hospitals around the world.
The Importance of Early Outpatient Treatment
Risch’s paper, "Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early
Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection," points out that:5
"In the absence of clinical trial results, physicians must use what has
been learned about the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in
determining early outpatient treatment of the illness with the aim of
preventing hospitalization or death …
Therapeutic approaches based on these principles include 1) reduction of
reinoculation, 2) combination antiviral therapy, 3) immunomodulation, 4)
antiplatelet/antithrombotic therapy, and 5) administration of oxygen,
monitoring, and telemedicine."
The authors stress that "Most patients who arrive to the hospital … with
COVID-19 do not initially require forms of advanced medical care," and
that, therefore, "it is conceivable that some, if not a majority, of
hospitalizations could be avoided with a treat-at-home first approach."
They also stress that since it can take up to a week to get PCR test
results back, it’s important to start treatment before results are
known. "For patients with cardinal features of the syndrome (i.e.,
fever, body aches, nasal congestion, loss of taste and smell, etc.) …
treatment can be the same as those with confirmed COVID-19," they say.
The Case for HCQ and Zinc
In terms of early drug treatment for patients who are quarantining at
home, the authors recommend using a combination of HCQ and zinc
lozenges, along with several other drugs (depending on your symptoms).
HCQ is a zinc ionophore, meaning it shuttles zinc into the cell, and
there’s compelling evidence to suggest the primary benefit of the HCQ
protocol actually comes from the zinc, which effectively inhibits viral
replication.
While I will review those here, keep in mind that I do not necessarily
recommend using all of them, as in some cases there are safer
alternatives. At the end of this article, I will summarize my personal
at-home treatment recommendation, which I believe is among the absolute
safest and most effective.
That said, in his paper, Risch and his co-authors explain the rationale
for using HCQ and zinc as follows:6
"Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an antimalarial/anti-inflammatory drug that
impairs endosomal transfer of virions within human cells. HCQ is also a
zinc ionophore that conveys zinc intracellularly to block the SARS-CoV-2
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which is the core enzyme of the virus
replication.
The currently completed retrospective studies and randomized trials have
generally shown these findings:
1.when started late in the hospital course and for short durations of
time, antimalarials appear to be ineffective
2.when started earlier in the hospital course, for progressively longer
durations and in outpatients, antimalarials may reduce the progression
of disease, prevent hospitalization, and are associated with reduced
mortality …
A typical HCQ regimen is 200 mg bid for 5 days and extended to 30 days
for continued symptoms. A minimal sufficient dose of HCQ should be used,
because in excessive doses the drug can interfere with early immune
response to the virus ...
Zinc is a known inhibitor of coronavirus replication … This readily
available nontoxic therapy could be deployed at the first signs of
COVID-19. Zinc lozenges can be administered 5 times a day for up to 5
days and extended if needed if symptoms persist.
The amount of elemental zinc lozenges is <25% of that in a single 220-mg
zinc sulfate daily tablet. This dose of zinc sulfate has been
effectively used in combination with antimalarials in early treatment of
high-risk outpatients with COVID-19."
It’s worth noting that in areas where hydroxychloroquine is hard to get
a hold of, the nutritional supplement quercetin may be a useful (and
perhaps even better) substitute, as its primary mechanism of action is
identical to that of the drug. It also has antiviral activity of its own.
You can learn more about this in "Is Quercetin a Safer Alternative to
Hydroxychloroquine?" "Quercetin Boosts Interferon Response to Viruses
and COVID-19" and "How to Improve Zinc Uptake with Quercetin to Boost
Immune Health."
Zinc Is a Crucial Key
While much attention is placed on HCQ, it in and of itself is not the
answer. Zinc is. Both HCQ and quercetin are zinc ionophores, meaning
they shuttle zinc into the cell,7,8 and there’s compelling evidence to
suggest the primary benefit of the HCQ protocol actually comes from the
zinc, which effectively inhibits viral replication.9
If given early, zinc along with a zinc ionophore should, at least
theoretically, help lower the viral load and prevent the immune system
from becoming overloaded. The problem is that zinc does not readily
enter cells, which is why a zinc ionophore is needed.
Evidence of this was presented in a September 2020 study10 in the
Journal of Medical Microbiology. In it, they compared outcomes in
hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with one of three regimens: HCQ
alone, Azithromycin alone, or a triplet regimen of hydroxychloroquine,
azithromycin and zinc.
While the addition of zinc had no impact on the length of
hospitalization, ICU duration or duration of ventilation, univariate
analyses showed it did:
Increase hospital discharge frequency
Decrease the need for ventilation
Decrease ICU admission rates
Decrease the rate of transfer to hospice for patients who were never
admitted to the ICU
Decrease mortality
As noted by the authors:11
"After adjusting for the time at which zinc sulfate was added to our
protocol, an increased frequency of being discharged home (OR 1.53 …)
reduction in mortality or transfer to hospice remained significant (OR
0.449 …). This study provides the first in vivo evidence that zinc
sulfate in combination with hydroxychloroquine may play a role in
therapeutic management for COVID-19."
Another paper that addressed the crucial role of zinc was published in
the September 2020 issue of Medical Hypotheses:12
"Besides direct antiviral effects, CQ/HCQ [chloroquine and/or
hydroxychloroquine] specifically target extracellular zinc to
intracellular lysosomes where it interferes with RNA-dependent RNA
polymerase activity and coronavirus replication.
As zinc deficiency frequently occurs in elderly patients and in those
with cardiovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, or diabetes, we
hypothesize that CQ/HCQ plus zinc supplementation may be more effective
in reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality than CQ or HCQ in
monotherapy. Therefore, CQ/HCQ in combination with zinc should be
considered as additional study arm for COVID-19 clinical trials."
Antibiotics, Steroids and Other Treatment Additions
In addition to HCQ and zinc, Risch13 et.al also recommend using one of
two antibiotics — azithromycin or doxycycline — primarily to address
secondary bacterial infections. Azithromycin also has antiviral
properties and anti-inflammatory effects, while doxycycline has
"multiple intracellular effects that may reduce viral replication,
cellular damage, and expression of inflammatory factors."
According to the authors, COVID-19 studies that used azithromycin found
"markedly reduced durations of viral shedding, fewer hospitalizations,
and reduced mortality combination with HCQ."
People with known or suspected arrhythmias, and anyone taking a
contraindicated medication, should get a thorough workup and review of
baseline electrocardiogram though before receiving HCQ and/or
azithromycin. In those worried about azithromycin’s effects on the
heart, doxycycline is a better alternative as it has no ill effects on
your heart. On the downside, it can cause gastrointestinal upset and
esophagitis instead.
An important side note here is that while not addressed in this paper,
all antibiotics have the drawback of disrupting your gut microbiome, and
should therefore be used only if absolutely needed.
Risch14 et.al also recommend using corticosteroids, which have
immunomodulating effects and help reduce the effects of cytokine storms.
As explained in their paper:
"In COVID-19, some of the first respiratory findings are nasal
congestion, cough, and wheezing. These features are due to excess
inflammation and cytokine activation.
Early use of corticosteroids is a rational intervention for patients
with COVID-19 with these features as they would be in acute asthma or
reactive airways disease … One potential dosing scheme for outpatients
starting on day 5 or the onset of respiratory symptoms is prednisone 1
mg/kg given daily for 5 days with or without a subsequent taper."
Other treatment additions include:
Colchicine, a nonsteroidal antimitotic that has been shown to reduce
D-dimer levels and improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Antiplatelet agents such as aspirin (81 mg daily) or heparin to treat
the abnormal blood clotting sometimes seen in COVID-19
Supplemental oxygen if needed
To reduce the risk of self-reinoculation (since the virus is airborne),
they also recommend opening windows and/or spending long periods of time
outdoors (away from others) without a face covering.
The figure below, from The American Journal of Medicine and republished
in Science Direct,15 illustrates the different approaches to home care
suggested depending on whether you are healthy, have a single
comorbidity or several, and at which point in the disease process the
various drugs should be administered.
Treatment algorithm for COVID-19-like and confirmed COVID-19 illness
Hydroxychloroquine Has a Proven Safety Profile
While media headlines have painted HCQ as a life-threatening drug, it
actually has a very robust safety profile that goes back decades. In a
paper published in the American Journal of Epidemiology,16 Risch
reviewed several large-scale studies demonstrating the safety of the
medication.
In his Newsweek article,17 he also pointed out that the adverse event
reports cited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when it warned
HCQ might cause cardiac arrhythmia, especially when administered with
azithromycin, were from patients who had used HCQ for very long periods
of time for the treatment of chronic conditions such as lupus or
rheumatoid arthritis. The same risks simply do not apply when you’re
taking HCQ for a few days or weeks.
"Even if the true rates of arrhythmia are tenfold higher than those
reported, the harms would be minuscule compared to the mortality
occurring right now in inadequately treated high-risk COVID-19
patients," Risch wrote.18
"This fact is proven by an Oxford University study of more than 320,000
older patients taking both hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, who had
arrhythmia excess death rates of less than 9/100,000 users … A new paper
in the American Journal of Medicine by established cardiologists around
the world fully agrees with this."
Indeed, the so-called evidence that HCQ causes lethal heart problems has
been shown to be fraudulent. One study was retracted after it was
discovered the data had been manufactured, and other large-scale trials
were all using toxic doses.
While doctors reporting success with the drug were using standard doses
around 200 mg per day for either a few days or maybe a couple of weeks,
studies such as the Bill & Melinda Gates-funded19 Recovery Trial used
2,400 mg of hydroxychloroquine during the first 24 hours — three to six
times higher than the daily dosage recommended20 — followed by 400 mg
every 12 hours for nine more days for a cumulative dose of 9,200 mg over
10 days.
Similarly, the Solidarity Trial,21 led by the World Health Organization,
used 2,000 mg on the first day, and a cumulative dose of 8,800 mg over
10 days. These doses are simply too high.
Meanwhile, a July 1, 2020, retrospective analysis22,23,24 of 2,541
patients in Michigan found use of hydroxychloroquine alone cut mortality
by more than half, from 26.4% to 13.5%. Patients received 400 mg of
hydroxychloroquine twice on day 1, followed by 200 mg twice a day for
the next four days.
No adverse heart-related events were observed. Hydroxychloroquine in
combination with azithromycin had a mortality rate of 20.1%, and
azithromycin alone had a mortality rate of 22.4%. The azithromycin was
dosed as 500 mg on day 1, followed by 250 mg once a day for the next
four days.
According to the authors,25 "The combination of hydroxychloroquine +
azithromycin was reserved for selected patients with severe COVID-19 and
with minimal cardiac risk factors." Unfortunately, zinc was not included
in this trial.
"Physicians who have been using these medications in the face of
widespread skepticism have been truly heroic," Risch wrote in
Newsweek.26 "They have done what the science shows is best for their
patients, often at great personal risk.
I myself know of two doctors who have saved the lives of hundreds of
patients with these medications, but are now fighting state medical
boards to save their licenses and reputations. The cases against them
are completely without scientific merit …
As all know, the medication has become highly politicized. For many, it
is viewed as a marker of political identity, on both sides of the
political spectrum. Nobody needs me to remind them that this is not how
medicine should proceed … Reality demands a clear, scientific eye on the
evidence and where it points"
With that in mind, evidence that HCQ could be useful against SARS-CoV-2
goes as far back as 2005, when the article "Chloroquine Is a Potent
Inhibitor of SARS Coronavirus Infection and Spread" was published in the
Virology Journal.27
Did Dr. Anthony Fauci, appointed to lead the White House Pandemic
Response Team, know about this? One could argue he should have. And, if
he did, why didn’t he say something? According to this study:28
"… chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV infection of
primate cells. These inhibitory effects are observed when the cells are
treated with the drug either before or after exposure to the virus,
suggesting both prophylactic and therapeutic advantage."
In other words, chloroquine functioned as both a prophylactic
(prevention) and a treatment against SARS coronavirus. This is precisely
what many doctors have found with HCQ as well — a drug that is very
similar to chloroquine but has a safer profile — when used against
SARS-CoV-2.
Nebulized Peroxide — My Favorite Treatment Choice
While HCQ with zinc appears to be a very useful early treatment choice,
my personal choice for the treatment of COVID-19 symptoms is nebulized
peroxide. This is a home remedy I recommend everyone familiarize
themselves with, as in many cases it can improve symptoms in mere hours.
You can also use it as a preventive strategy if you know you’ve been
exposed to someone who is ill.
Nebulizing hydrogen peroxide into your sinuses, throat and lungs is a
simple, straightforward way to augment your body’s natural expression of
hydrogen peroxide to combat infections and can be used both
prophylactically after known exposure to COVID-19 and as a treatment for
mild, moderate and even severe illness.
Dr. David Brownstein, who has successfully treated over 100 COVID-19
patients with nebulized peroxide, published a case paper29 about this
treatment in the July 2020 issue of Science, Public Health Policy and
The Law. He also reviews its benefits in "How Nebulized Peroxide Helps
Against Respiratory Infections."
Nebulized hydrogen peroxide is extremely safe, and all you need is a
desktop nebulizer and food-grade hydrogen peroxide, which you’ll need to
dilute with saline to 0.1% strength. I recommend buying these items
beforehand so that you have everything you need and can begin treatment
at home at the first signs of a respiratory infection.
hydrogen peroxide dilution chart
In the video above, I go over the basics of this treatment. Be sure to
buy a nebulizer that plugs into an electrical outlet, as battery-driven
ones are too low-powered to be truly effective. Also make sure your
nebulizer comes with a face mask, not just a mouth piece. If it doesn’t
come with a face mask, you can pick one up separately. Just search
Amazon for "nebulizer face mask for adults."
- Sources and References
1 Gates Notes April 30, 2020
2 Anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com June 27, 2020
3, 17, 18, 26 Newsweek July 23, 2020
4, 5, 6, 13, 14 The American Journal of Medicine January 2021; 134(1): 16-22
7 PLOS ONE 2014; 9(10): e109180
8, 9 Preprints April 6, 2020 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202004.0124.v1
10 Journal of Medical Microbiology September 15, 2020; 69(10)
11 medRxiv May 8, 2020 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.02.20080036 (PDF)
12 Medical Hypotheses September 2020; 142: 109815
15 Science Direct January 2021
16 American Journal of Epidemiology May 27, 2020, kwaa093
19 Age of Autism June 16, 2020
20 Uptodate.com Hydroxychloroquine
21 The Solidarity Trial
22 International Journal of Infectious Diseases July 1, 2020 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.099
23 Epoch Times July 2, 2020
24 Just the News July 3, 2020
25 International Journal of Infectious Diseases July 1, 2020 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.099, Patients
27, 28 Virology Journal 2005; 2: 69
29 Science, Public Health Policy and The Law July 2020; 1: 4-22 (PDF)
Early on in the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors around the world reported
high success rates using an inexpensive treatment protocol of
hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and zinc, typically in combination with an
antibiotic to treat secondary bacterial infections.
Almost immediately, government health agencies and mainstream media
started attacking the treatment, going so far as to ban the prescription
and use of HCQ for COVID-19 in some areas. Over time, it became
painfully clear that a concerted and coordinated effort to prevent its
use was afoot.
One of the most obvious reasons for why certain individuals and
companies might want to prevent the use of an inexpensive generic drug
is because it might eliminate the need for a vaccine or other antiviral
medication under development.1 Hundreds of millions of dollars have been
invested, and drug companies were, and still are, counting on a massive
payday. As noted by Dr. Meryl Nass in a June 27, 2020, blog post:2
"Hydroxychloroquine has been used safely for 65 years in many millions
of patients. And so the message was crafted that the drug is safe for
its other uses, but dangerous when used for COVID-19. It doesn’t make
sense, but it seems to have worked. Were these acts carefully
orchestrated? …
Might these events have been planned to keep the pandemic going? To sell
expensive drugs and vaccines to a captive population? Could these acts
result in prolonged economic and social hardship, eventually
transferring wealth from the middle class to the very rich?"
Politicizing Medicine Has Grave Consequences
The fight over HCQ also appears to have had political underpinnings, and
by politicizing medicine, the media has played a role that can readily
be likened to agents of genocide. There’s no telling how many lives may
have been saved had they done their due diligence and reported the
science truthfully.
Most of us in the holistic field have been aware that the intent of
censorship is to mislead people. After all, a majority of news outlets
rely on revenue from advertisers, and drug companies tend to spend the
most. As a result, what the drug industry wants is what the media deliver.
During this pandemic, conventional doctors have gotten a taste of what
it’s like as well and, clearly, many have been absolutely floored by it.
It’s certainly understandable, because to censor potentially lifesaving
medical treatment during a global pandemic really brings it to a whole
new level of evil.
As just one example among many, July 23, 2020, Dr. Harvey A. Risch,
professor of epidemiology at Yale School of Public Health, published an
op-ed in Newsweek in which he expressed his dismay and frustration:3
"I have authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications and currently hold
senior positions on the editorial boards of several leading journals.
I am usually accustomed to advocating for positions within the
mainstream of medicine, so have been flummoxed to find that, in the
midst of a crisis, I am fighting for a treatment that the data fully
support but which, for reasons having nothing to do with a correct
understanding of the science, has been pushed to the sidelines.
As a result, tens of thousands of patients with COVID-19 are dying
unnecessarily … I am referring, of course, to the medication
hydroxychloroquine.
When this inexpensive oral medication is given very early in the course
of illness, before the virus has had time to multiply beyond control, it
has shown to be highly effective, especially when given in combination
with the antibiotics azithromycin or doxycycline and the nutritional
supplement zinc."
In what appears to be an effort to change the tide, a medical review4 in
the January 2021 issue of The American Journal of Medicine now urges
early use of HCQ and zinc. The authors include Risch, as well as a long
list of medical doctors from hospitals around the world.
The Importance of Early Outpatient Treatment
Risch’s paper, "Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early
Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Infection," points out that:5
"In the absence of clinical trial results, physicians must use what has
been learned about the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2 infection in
determining early outpatient treatment of the illness with the aim of
preventing hospitalization or death …
Therapeutic approaches based on these principles include 1) reduction of
reinoculation, 2) combination antiviral therapy, 3) immunomodulation, 4)
antiplatelet/antithrombotic therapy, and 5) administration of oxygen,
monitoring, and telemedicine."
The authors stress that "Most patients who arrive to the hospital … with
COVID-19 do not initially require forms of advanced medical care," and
that, therefore, "it is conceivable that some, if not a majority, of
hospitalizations could be avoided with a treat-at-home first approach."
They also stress that since it can take up to a week to get PCR test
results back, it’s important to start treatment before results are
known. "For patients with cardinal features of the syndrome (i.e.,
fever, body aches, nasal congestion, loss of taste and smell, etc.) …
treatment can be the same as those with confirmed COVID-19," they say.
The Case for HCQ and Zinc
In terms of early drug treatment for patients who are quarantining at
home, the authors recommend using a combination of HCQ and zinc
lozenges, along with several other drugs (depending on your symptoms).
HCQ is a zinc ionophore, meaning it shuttles zinc into the cell, and
there’s compelling evidence to suggest the primary benefit of the HCQ
protocol actually comes from the zinc, which effectively inhibits viral
replication.
While I will review those here, keep in mind that I do not necessarily
recommend using all of them, as in some cases there are safer
alternatives. At the end of this article, I will summarize my personal
at-home treatment recommendation, which I believe is among the absolute
safest and most effective.
That said, in his paper, Risch and his co-authors explain the rationale
for using HCQ and zinc as follows:6
"Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is an antimalarial/anti-inflammatory drug that
impairs endosomal transfer of virions within human cells. HCQ is also a
zinc ionophore that conveys zinc intracellularly to block the SARS-CoV-2
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, which is the core enzyme of the virus
replication.
The currently completed retrospective studies and randomized trials have
generally shown these findings:
1.when started late in the hospital course and for short durations of
time, antimalarials appear to be ineffective
2.when started earlier in the hospital course, for progressively longer
durations and in outpatients, antimalarials may reduce the progression
of disease, prevent hospitalization, and are associated with reduced
mortality …
A typical HCQ regimen is 200 mg bid for 5 days and extended to 30 days
for continued symptoms. A minimal sufficient dose of HCQ should be used,
because in excessive doses the drug can interfere with early immune
response to the virus ...
Zinc is a known inhibitor of coronavirus replication … This readily
available nontoxic therapy could be deployed at the first signs of
COVID-19. Zinc lozenges can be administered 5 times a day for up to 5
days and extended if needed if symptoms persist.
The amount of elemental zinc lozenges is <25% of that in a single 220-mg
zinc sulfate daily tablet. This dose of zinc sulfate has been
effectively used in combination with antimalarials in early treatment of
high-risk outpatients with COVID-19."
It’s worth noting that in areas where hydroxychloroquine is hard to get
a hold of, the nutritional supplement quercetin may be a useful (and
perhaps even better) substitute, as its primary mechanism of action is
identical to that of the drug. It also has antiviral activity of its own.
You can learn more about this in "Is Quercetin a Safer Alternative to
Hydroxychloroquine?" "Quercetin Boosts Interferon Response to Viruses
and COVID-19" and "How to Improve Zinc Uptake with Quercetin to Boost
Immune Health."
Zinc Is a Crucial Key
While much attention is placed on HCQ, it in and of itself is not the
answer. Zinc is. Both HCQ and quercetin are zinc ionophores, meaning
they shuttle zinc into the cell,7,8 and there’s compelling evidence to
suggest the primary benefit of the HCQ protocol actually comes from the
zinc, which effectively inhibits viral replication.9
If given early, zinc along with a zinc ionophore should, at least
theoretically, help lower the viral load and prevent the immune system
from becoming overloaded. The problem is that zinc does not readily
enter cells, which is why a zinc ionophore is needed.
Evidence of this was presented in a September 2020 study10 in the
Journal of Medical Microbiology. In it, they compared outcomes in
hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with one of three regimens: HCQ
alone, Azithromycin alone, or a triplet regimen of hydroxychloroquine,
azithromycin and zinc.
While the addition of zinc had no impact on the length of
hospitalization, ICU duration or duration of ventilation, univariate
analyses showed it did:
Increase hospital discharge frequency
Decrease the need for ventilation
Decrease ICU admission rates
Decrease the rate of transfer to hospice for patients who were never
admitted to the ICU
Decrease mortality
As noted by the authors:11
"After adjusting for the time at which zinc sulfate was added to our
protocol, an increased frequency of being discharged home (OR 1.53 …)
reduction in mortality or transfer to hospice remained significant (OR
0.449 …). This study provides the first in vivo evidence that zinc
sulfate in combination with hydroxychloroquine may play a role in
therapeutic management for COVID-19."
Another paper that addressed the crucial role of zinc was published in
the September 2020 issue of Medical Hypotheses:12
"Besides direct antiviral effects, CQ/HCQ [chloroquine and/or
hydroxychloroquine] specifically target extracellular zinc to
intracellular lysosomes where it interferes with RNA-dependent RNA
polymerase activity and coronavirus replication.
As zinc deficiency frequently occurs in elderly patients and in those
with cardiovascular disease, chronic pulmonary disease, or diabetes, we
hypothesize that CQ/HCQ plus zinc supplementation may be more effective
in reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality than CQ or HCQ in
monotherapy. Therefore, CQ/HCQ in combination with zinc should be
considered as additional study arm for COVID-19 clinical trials."
Antibiotics, Steroids and Other Treatment Additions
In addition to HCQ and zinc, Risch13 et.al also recommend using one of
two antibiotics — azithromycin or doxycycline — primarily to address
secondary bacterial infections. Azithromycin also has antiviral
properties and anti-inflammatory effects, while doxycycline has
"multiple intracellular effects that may reduce viral replication,
cellular damage, and expression of inflammatory factors."
According to the authors, COVID-19 studies that used azithromycin found
"markedly reduced durations of viral shedding, fewer hospitalizations,
and reduced mortality combination with HCQ."
People with known or suspected arrhythmias, and anyone taking a
contraindicated medication, should get a thorough workup and review of
baseline electrocardiogram though before receiving HCQ and/or
azithromycin. In those worried about azithromycin’s effects on the
heart, doxycycline is a better alternative as it has no ill effects on
your heart. On the downside, it can cause gastrointestinal upset and
esophagitis instead.
An important side note here is that while not addressed in this paper,
all antibiotics have the drawback of disrupting your gut microbiome, and
should therefore be used only if absolutely needed.
Risch14 et.al also recommend using corticosteroids, which have
immunomodulating effects and help reduce the effects of cytokine storms.
As explained in their paper:
"In COVID-19, some of the first respiratory findings are nasal
congestion, cough, and wheezing. These features are due to excess
inflammation and cytokine activation.
Early use of corticosteroids is a rational intervention for patients
with COVID-19 with these features as they would be in acute asthma or
reactive airways disease … One potential dosing scheme for outpatients
starting on day 5 or the onset of respiratory symptoms is prednisone 1
mg/kg given daily for 5 days with or without a subsequent taper."
Other treatment additions include:
Colchicine, a nonsteroidal antimitotic that has been shown to reduce
D-dimer levels and improve outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Antiplatelet agents such as aspirin (81 mg daily) or heparin to treat
the abnormal blood clotting sometimes seen in COVID-19
Supplemental oxygen if needed
To reduce the risk of self-reinoculation (since the virus is airborne),
they also recommend opening windows and/or spending long periods of time
outdoors (away from others) without a face covering.
The figure below, from The American Journal of Medicine and republished
in Science Direct,15 illustrates the different approaches to home care
suggested depending on whether you are healthy, have a single
comorbidity or several, and at which point in the disease process the
various drugs should be administered.
Treatment algorithm for COVID-19-like and confirmed COVID-19 illness
Hydroxychloroquine Has a Proven Safety Profile
While media headlines have painted HCQ as a life-threatening drug, it
actually has a very robust safety profile that goes back decades. In a
paper published in the American Journal of Epidemiology,16 Risch
reviewed several large-scale studies demonstrating the safety of the
medication.
In his Newsweek article,17 he also pointed out that the adverse event
reports cited by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when it warned
HCQ might cause cardiac arrhythmia, especially when administered with
azithromycin, were from patients who had used HCQ for very long periods
of time for the treatment of chronic conditions such as lupus or
rheumatoid arthritis. The same risks simply do not apply when you’re
taking HCQ for a few days or weeks.
"Even if the true rates of arrhythmia are tenfold higher than those
reported, the harms would be minuscule compared to the mortality
occurring right now in inadequately treated high-risk COVID-19
patients," Risch wrote.18
"This fact is proven by an Oxford University study of more than 320,000
older patients taking both hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin, who had
arrhythmia excess death rates of less than 9/100,000 users … A new paper
in the American Journal of Medicine by established cardiologists around
the world fully agrees with this."
Indeed, the so-called evidence that HCQ causes lethal heart problems has
been shown to be fraudulent. One study was retracted after it was
discovered the data had been manufactured, and other large-scale trials
were all using toxic doses.
While doctors reporting success with the drug were using standard doses
around 200 mg per day for either a few days or maybe a couple of weeks,
studies such as the Bill & Melinda Gates-funded19 Recovery Trial used
2,400 mg of hydroxychloroquine during the first 24 hours — three to six
times higher than the daily dosage recommended20 — followed by 400 mg
every 12 hours for nine more days for a cumulative dose of 9,200 mg over
10 days.
Similarly, the Solidarity Trial,21 led by the World Health Organization,
used 2,000 mg on the first day, and a cumulative dose of 8,800 mg over
10 days. These doses are simply too high.
Meanwhile, a July 1, 2020, retrospective analysis22,23,24 of 2,541
patients in Michigan found use of hydroxychloroquine alone cut mortality
by more than half, from 26.4% to 13.5%. Patients received 400 mg of
hydroxychloroquine twice on day 1, followed by 200 mg twice a day for
the next four days.
No adverse heart-related events were observed. Hydroxychloroquine in
combination with azithromycin had a mortality rate of 20.1%, and
azithromycin alone had a mortality rate of 22.4%. The azithromycin was
dosed as 500 mg on day 1, followed by 250 mg once a day for the next
four days.
According to the authors,25 "The combination of hydroxychloroquine +
azithromycin was reserved for selected patients with severe COVID-19 and
with minimal cardiac risk factors." Unfortunately, zinc was not included
in this trial.
"Physicians who have been using these medications in the face of
widespread skepticism have been truly heroic," Risch wrote in
Newsweek.26 "They have done what the science shows is best for their
patients, often at great personal risk.
I myself know of two doctors who have saved the lives of hundreds of
patients with these medications, but are now fighting state medical
boards to save their licenses and reputations. The cases against them
are completely without scientific merit …
As all know, the medication has become highly politicized. For many, it
is viewed as a marker of political identity, on both sides of the
political spectrum. Nobody needs me to remind them that this is not how
medicine should proceed … Reality demands a clear, scientific eye on the
evidence and where it points"
With that in mind, evidence that HCQ could be useful against SARS-CoV-2
goes as far back as 2005, when the article "Chloroquine Is a Potent
Inhibitor of SARS Coronavirus Infection and Spread" was published in the
Virology Journal.27
Did Dr. Anthony Fauci, appointed to lead the White House Pandemic
Response Team, know about this? One could argue he should have. And, if
he did, why didn’t he say something? According to this study:28
"… chloroquine has strong antiviral effects on SARS-CoV infection of
primate cells. These inhibitory effects are observed when the cells are
treated with the drug either before or after exposure to the virus,
suggesting both prophylactic and therapeutic advantage."
In other words, chloroquine functioned as both a prophylactic
(prevention) and a treatment against SARS coronavirus. This is precisely
what many doctors have found with HCQ as well — a drug that is very
similar to chloroquine but has a safer profile — when used against
SARS-CoV-2.
Nebulized Peroxide — My Favorite Treatment Choice
While HCQ with zinc appears to be a very useful early treatment choice,
my personal choice for the treatment of COVID-19 symptoms is nebulized
peroxide. This is a home remedy I recommend everyone familiarize
themselves with, as in many cases it can improve symptoms in mere hours.
You can also use it as a preventive strategy if you know you’ve been
exposed to someone who is ill.
Nebulizing hydrogen peroxide into your sinuses, throat and lungs is a
simple, straightforward way to augment your body’s natural expression of
hydrogen peroxide to combat infections and can be used both
prophylactically after known exposure to COVID-19 and as a treatment for
mild, moderate and even severe illness.
Dr. David Brownstein, who has successfully treated over 100 COVID-19
patients with nebulized peroxide, published a case paper29 about this
treatment in the July 2020 issue of Science, Public Health Policy and
The Law. He also reviews its benefits in "How Nebulized Peroxide Helps
Against Respiratory Infections."
Nebulized hydrogen peroxide is extremely safe, and all you need is a
desktop nebulizer and food-grade hydrogen peroxide, which you’ll need to
dilute with saline to 0.1% strength. I recommend buying these items
beforehand so that you have everything you need and can begin treatment
at home at the first signs of a respiratory infection.
hydrogen peroxide dilution chart
In the video above, I go over the basics of this treatment. Be sure to
buy a nebulizer that plugs into an electrical outlet, as battery-driven
ones are too low-powered to be truly effective. Also make sure your
nebulizer comes with a face mask, not just a mouth piece. If it doesn’t
come with a face mask, you can pick one up separately. Just search
Amazon for "nebulizer face mask for adults."
- Sources and References
1 Gates Notes April 30, 2020
2 Anthraxvaccine.blogspot.com June 27, 2020
3, 17, 18, 26 Newsweek July 23, 2020
4, 5, 6, 13, 14 The American Journal of Medicine January 2021; 134(1): 16-22
7 PLOS ONE 2014; 9(10): e109180
8, 9 Preprints April 6, 2020 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202004.0124.v1
10 Journal of Medical Microbiology September 15, 2020; 69(10)
11 medRxiv May 8, 2020 DOI: 10.1101/2020.05.02.20080036 (PDF)
12 Medical Hypotheses September 2020; 142: 109815
15 Science Direct January 2021
16 American Journal of Epidemiology May 27, 2020, kwaa093
19 Age of Autism June 16, 2020
20 Uptodate.com Hydroxychloroquine
21 The Solidarity Trial
22 International Journal of Infectious Diseases July 1, 2020 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.099
23 Epoch Times July 2, 2020
24 Just the News July 3, 2020
25 International Journal of Infectious Diseases July 1, 2020 DOI:
10.1016/j.ijid.2020.06.099, Patients
27, 28 Virology Journal 2005; 2: 69
29 Science, Public Health Policy and The Law July 2020; 1: 4-22 (PDF)
Update 2 febr. 2021: (zie blog 1113)
ReplyDeleteMI6 krijgt bezoek van een handlanger van Navalny, en vraagt om 10 tot 20 miljoen $.
Ze willen met die MI-6 steun in Rusland 'massa protesten op touw zetten. 'Burger initiatieven' beginnen. Het publiek met propaganda bewerken, En de rijke Russen er van overtuigen dat ze straks óók hun rijkdommen mogen behouden (als Putin verdreven is...)
James William Thomas Ford gaat in Moskou een restaurant binnen. ( Anmbasassew secretaris, MI 6 medewwerker. Gehuwd met een zweedse ( joodse?) mevrouw , Elisabeth Grenberg, die ook geheim agente is.
Dan gaat Vladimir Ashurkov naar binnen. Hij is de baas van Navalny's Anti-Corruptie -Foundation, en woont in Engeland.
Het gesprek tussen de MI6 agenmt en de Navalny agent is goed te verstaan en goed te zien...
Een aardig interview op de Nieuwe Wereld,
ReplyDelete>> Dehumaniseren van rellende jongeren gevaarlijk.' Een gesprek met Shervin Nekuee
Ik gaf drie reacties tot nu toe:
3e reactie: In 1996 schreef een groepje Amerikaanse Neocons ( journalisten, schrijvers, hoge ambtenaren) een recept voor Netanyahu: "A Clean break." Ze zeiden tegen Netanyahu: Niks lullen, poetsen. Ruzie maken, oorlog maken. Diezelfde groep schreef in 1999 een geheim advioes over wwat Amerika moest doen om nog 100 jaar baas over de wereld te zijn: Bewapenen en de rest van de wereld mat àlle technieken die de moderne tijd biedt, onder de knoet houden. Probleem: "Hoe krijgen we dat hoge budget voor bewapening er door ? " De oplossing beschreven ze ook al in hun 1999 geheime rapport: "Zorg nou dat er een flinke Aanslag op de VS wordt gepleegd. " Op 911 kwam hun wens uit. En ze hadden geluk": De moslims hadden het gedaan, dus konden ze verder gaan met het vernietigen van al die vervelende moslimlanden: Irak, Libië, Syrië, Libanon. 'Ze'? Nou ja, de Amerikaanse soldaten vochten en stierven, en de Amerikaanse burger betaalde. Dìe 'ze'.
Nu Biden de macht heeft staan diezelfde lui alweer in de startblokken: Putin en Iran kapot maken, svp.
1e reactie:
ReplyDeleteIn 'A Century of War' ( 1992) beschrijft William Engdahl hoe het Westen de Shah beu was, omdat ook hij (net als Mossadecq) een hogere prijs voor de olie wenste. Het Bernard Lewis plan zei: Laat die olierijke landen uiteenvallen in kleine religieuze staatjes, en je kan de olie er gratis ophalen.
George Ball moest dus de Iraanse Revolutie op touw zetten, en Khomeini op de troon zetten. Liep allemaal wat mis: communistische jongeren gijzelden de Amerikanen etc. etc.
2e reactie:
ReplyDeleteJohan Vermeulen
1 seconde geleden
We weten dat de Emir van Kuweit erg uitdagend tegen Saddam deed. Saddam wilde hem op zijn plaats zetten, maar erkende de rol van de VS, en vroeg toestemming. Ambassadeur April Glaspie zei: "Doe maar. Dit bewschouwen we als een zaak voor jullie intern".
Saddam was nog niet in Kuweit of Hill & Knowlton had al een herel toneelstuk klaar staan : De soldaten ozuden babies uit de couveuses halen en op de grond laten sterven. Senator Tom Lantos ( Israel -vriend) had alles bedacht. Papa Bush begon de oorlog tegen Saddam. Israel wreef in de handen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nayirah_testimony
3e reactie:
ReplyDelete(de vierde reactie staat hierboven, en noemde ik 3e reactie)
Johan Vermeulen
1 seconde geleden
Over de oorlog tussen Irak en Iran , van 1980 tot 1986 ongeveer, meen ik te weten dat Amerika de wapens aan Saddam verkocht, en Israel de wapens aan Iran verkocht. In Israel was men zeer tevreden: Laat ze elkaar maar helemaal uitroeien, dan hoeven wij datniet meer te doen.
Het kan zijn dat ik hier iets te ver ga en dat de oorlog er ook zou zijn geweest als die landen niet zo grif met wapens gestrooid hadden. Hier laat mijn herinnering me even in de steek.
Nieuws over aanhouding.
ReplyDeleteViruswaarheid loopt ook weer achter de feiten aan: Ze hebben een petitie over ivermectine. Terwijl er al zat goede onderzoeken zijn. @JV: jij hebt een Telegram account. Help je ze even uit de droom, met 1 van jouw blogs?
ReplyDeleteDag Wolf !
ReplyDeleteIk ben in elk geval heel blij dat je heelhuids weer bent opgedoken!
We hebben ( met Rootman) gewandeld in de bossen hier, en daarvan weet ik dat jouw 'vlucht-snelheid' te wensen over laat: in een gevecht met de politie gaat het niet goed aflopen met je.
In elk geval heel blij dat je dat niet hebt meegemaakt.
Als ik je goed begrijp was je al van de straat geplukt vóór er rellen waren, en werd je enige uren aan het lijntje gehouden op het bureau, omdat je niet de juiste ID papieren op zak had voor dat doel.
Nu ben je weer present en nog even fanatiek als altijd: je wil 'het volk' wijzen op fouten en verdacht gedrag van de Overheid.
Ik sta daar helemaal achter, en als ik wat tijd heb wil ik er best aan mee helpen.
Maar ik moet wel zeggen dat ik eigenlijk weinig hoop meer heb voor 'het volk'. Ze laten zich alles wijs maken, ze kiezen de kant van hun onderdrukkers, omdat ze niet doorzien dat ze voor de gek worden gehouden. (De meeste media mensen hebben het ook niet door, natuurlijk).
Ik zou er dus niet al te veel moeite voor doen als ik jou was.
Maar wat let je om kleine posters te maken en uit te delen? ( Je wil A0 maken, ofwel poster formaat. Maar fdat is duur en onhandig. A4 is OK. Gewoon uitdelen bij scholen is ook OK.
Als je gaat plakken, kan je voor de kosten opdraaien van een officieel bedrijf die alles schoon gaat maken.
Als je bij een school gaat staan met pamfletten, heb je veel meer effect en geen kosten.
Probeer nog wat ouderen te mobiliseren. Een organisatie van ouderen die door heeft wat ewr gebeurt, dat lijkt me de goede aanpak.
Je kent mijn stokpaardje: Preventie: vitamine D, Ivermectine , en wat quercetine en Zinc.
Als je dat op de psotes zet, en daarbij vraagt aan 'het volk' waarom de Overheid daar nooit met een woord over heeft geschreven, dan maak je de mensen kritisch, zonder dat ze het zelf weten. ( Mensen willen graag de Overheid vertrouwenm, want dan hoieven ze zelf niet te denken, en kunnen ze relaxen. Maar als je toont dat dat vertrouwen gevaarlijk is, dan schrikken ze wakker.)
Je kan me emailen als je meer contact wil.
@JV: [Als ik je goed begrijp (en verder):]
DeleteKlopt. Daar baalde ik wel van, dat ik niet mee kon doen.
[Maar ik moet wel zeggen dat ik eigenlijk weinig hoop meer heb voor 'het volk'.]
Ik zie dat eigenlijk ook somber in, maar een andere mogelijkheid zie ik niet, behoudens geweld, maar dat doe ik duidelijk NIET. Ook niet bij Blik.
[Als je gaat plakken, kan je voor de kosten opdraaien van een officieel bedrijf die alles schoon gaat maken.]
Daarom doe ik dat 's nachts (met de hond) en laat geen sporen na.
[Als je bij een school gaat staan met pamfletten, heb je veel meer effect en geen kosten.]
De ervaring leert, dat dat juist minder is. Na een enkele blik op het pamflet, geven ze het vaak terug. Virus-wappie hoor ik dan. Ook bij supermarkten.
[Je kent mijn stokpaardje: Preventie: vitamine D, Ivermectine , en wat quercetine en Zinc.]
Je bent hier al bediend.
Ik denk, dat als je posters via een bureau plaatst, dat dit wordt gezien als officieel, dus dezelfde impact als de msmm. En het is nog legaal ook. Kost wel geld, maar dat heb ik er voor over. Ontwerp sturen naar het bureau, laten drukken en zij regelen de verspreiding. Terugkoppelen waar het spul hangt, dan kunnen we het zelf controleren. Alleen: welk reclamebureau wil het doen? Kranten weigeren advertenties.
De overheid heeft het voordeel van de corrupte msmm, dat moeten we terugpakken. Als we in de grote steden alle bushokjes vol krijgen, is dat een mooi begin, als voorbeeld.
Je schreef:
Delete"Daarom doe ik dat 's nachts (met de hond) en laat geen sporen na."
Jij liep daar in een soort van politie-uniform. Ik neem aan dat dat de trigger was om je te controleren.
Maar je weet dat jouw komst naar Eindhoven bekend wwas , via de kenteken-scanners langs de weg.
Mogelijk dat je al in een lijst voorkomt, wegens wat radicale uitlatingen hier op Blik.
Ik zou daar toch rekening mee houden.
Dan was het feit dat ze jou 4er uit pikten, dus niet een gevolg van dat uniform, maar gewone de-escalatie vooraf.
Jij en jouw hondje, met een tas vol posters?
PS: Zou er ook lijm zijn die vrij gemakkelijk loslaat?
Zodat de schoonmaak-kosten beperkt blijven.
( Desnoods doe je het zelf, nadat ze een week hingen.) Of je vervangt de poster elke week. Op dezelfde plek, een nieuwe korte heldere tekst.
[Jij liep daar in een soort van politie-uniform. Ik neem aan dat dat de trigger was om je te controleren.
DeleteMaar je weet dat jouw komst naar Eindhoven bekend was, via de kenteken-scanners langs de weg.]
Nee, gaat 'm niet worden. Auto staat op naam van partner. En ik weet de meeste camera's wel te hangen en dan is er altijd wel een vragtwaggel in de buurt: dan ga ik daar vlak achter hangen, zodat ik "in de schaduw" ervan rijd. De camera's in het midden van de weg leggen niets vast, is alleen om de verkeersstroom in de gaten te houden.
[Jij en jouw hondje, met een tas vol posters?]
Ja, gewoon in een klein rugzakje. Met pot lijm en kwast. Neemt nauwelijks ruimte in.
[Zou er ook lijm zijn die vrij gemakkelijk loslaat?]
Ja hoor, die is er en gebruik ik ook. Gewoon behanglijm. Daarom moet ik soms een keus maken, waar de poster (A4) het beste zichtbaar is en waar de regen vandaan komt. (meestal z,z-w in NL.) Ik ben benieuwd, wat de sneeuw ermee doet, die er straks aankomt.
Ah !
DeleteIk begrijp nu dat je in feite al begonnen bent.
Dat had ik eerderniet begrepen.
Dat vind ik fantastisch !
Doe wat je kan , in elk geval op locaal niveau.
De 'Grote Jongens' doen ook hun plicht: de Karel van Wolferens en al die anderen.
Je ziet dat ik af en toe wat post bij Blik. Moet kunnen. Maar ik ga daar niet meer meedoen in de discussie.
Dus: Ja, Middelkoop voorspelt al eeuwen dat de dollar gaat vallen, maar hij is niet de enige.
Kijk, zolang je een enorm sterk leger hebt en iedereen wijs kan maken dat jij de baas bent, kun je even veel geld drukken als je wiol.
Maar zodra iedereen weet dat je een lege huls bent, en lang niert meer de sterkste, dan stort het toch een keer in.
Middelkoop en PCR roepen het al lang. Maar we zien nu toch allemaal dat de VS weg zinkt in de grond.
Mooi en informatief:
Pepe Escobar, Max Blumenthal, Alaistair Crook en Marandi:
https://youtu.be/zaaoaGYVCn8
Lang artikel uit Peter Myewrs Newsletter, 6 febr.
ReplyDeleteover etnische spanningen en situatie in Indonesië en Malesië.
Vier maal 3000 lettertekens.
A Canadian living in Indonesia exposes ethnic conflicts of South
East Asia
From: Canadian
West Papua is a grand clusterfuck. They are stone-age people living in
brutally steep, inaccessible valleys, and should in theory be left alone
to live their warlike way. The modern world, however, cannot allow that
(Brazil and the ongoing tragedy of the indigenous people there, living
in forests that are destined to turn into dusty cattle ranches).
There is a West Papua "freedom movement'", aided and abetted by
well-meaning outsiders (a number of Aussies). I see their efforts as
tragically misdirected and likely to end up in a "new colonial"
situation, with the ruin of the environment.
Just look next door: FAILED STATE.
The Chinese and Korean eco-thugs are clear-cutting the hardwood forests,
fishing the seas, looking for mineral resources. What is the so-called
"government" doing to govern, and impede the rape of the land? What kind
of a non-nation has been created, with Australia alternatively playing
the unwilling Big Brother protector and the conniving exploiter?
Papua New Guinea clearly illustrates (as do many emergent African
states) that western-style nation-building is not a one-size-fits-all
matter. In today's world, however, the map has been sliced up and
borders set in place so there you go.
The Indonesians have been brutal and cruel in West Papua, in large part
because a) the Javanese deeply believe they are God's chosen, a master
race destined to expand their culture, religion and values across the
archipelago (with Chinese moneymen lurking in the dark behind them), and
b) it is the stated duty of Muslims to spread the word and convert the
heathen, by force if necessary. Unfortunately for them the piggy-loving
Papuans were visited first by the clever Western missionaries, who
turned them into Christians (of sorts). So the Malay authorities often
react with overkill to any situation, while abiding the exploitation of
the resources (Freeport). Still, I suggest it is better than allowing a
weak governing regime - chosen from one of many enemy tribes - attempt
to govern the ungovernable, as the wafting scent of offshore money lures
them into giving away resources. Anyway I can never imagine Jakarta
allowing any kind of independence for the Papuans. It's too big and too
potentially rich. Note that the Suharto clan was allotted a considerable
stake in Freeport from 1967 or so - they were among the very first
foreign investors to make a move into Indonesia after the 1965-1966 trouble.
This is all from study as I have not been to Papua so I cannot speak
from first-hand experience. But I have been living here 33 years and am
thus well-aware of how this country works. ==
From: Canadian
Malaysia and Indonesia have been criminal in their destruction of rain
forests for industrial agriculture - mainly palm oil. I read somewhere
the 80% of either Sabah or Sarawak (can't remember which) has been
converted into palm oil plantations. So long native flora and fauna.
The economy here, ever after all these decades, remains heavily
dependent on natural commodities. While oil and gas reserves are rapidly
being depleted (the country is now a net oil importer), palm oil is a
real big deal. Native tribes suffer mightily. ==
From: Canadian
... the Suharto regime, about which my feelings have also changed. I am
respectful but wary of the likes of John Pilger and other lefties. The
situation here in the 1960s was absolutely crazy and had the Army not
taken over I think there could have been a local version of the Khmer
Rouge. That's what the lefties don't want to admit, but the Communists
(goaded on by Mao) were ferocious. pretty well-organized and tacitly
backed by Sukarno (who in the event put his money on the wrong horse -
the opportunist's bad gamble).
deel 2 van 4
DeleteSuharto put the country together again, by force, balancing off the
Islamo-nuts, the students, ethnic Chinese businesspeople, the Christian
minority (currently justifiably quite wary about the resurgence of
"muscular Islam") and other anti-communist groups. He had about 10 years
of stability and economic revival. The second ten years saw mild
progress, his third ten years was what someone described as
"turbo-capitalism" with gigantic volumes of western liquidity piling in
... and all the usual KKN (corruption, collusion and nepotism) that
dictatorships fall prey to.
I take a rather balanced view of political realities, having grown up as
what is known as an "Air Force brat": my father was a career officer.
From a 1950s Cold War liberal I turned into something of a wary
libertarian.
The one graphic quote that I throw at those hostile to Suharto's "New
Order" is the average life expectancy of males: during Sukarno's years
of demi-socialist hardship it was in the mid-forties, more or less like
an African nation. By the time Suharto left the scene (1998) it was in
the high sixties. Under-five deaths also plummeted dramatically.
In terms of economic development it seems that offshore capital will be
required here forever. The locals never seem to be able to get their act
together (which is why this country, like Malaysia and Thailand, depend
on the ethnic Chinese to keep the world of business intact, which has a
strong downside as well).
The PRC naturally (from their POV) see Southeast Asia as a potential
fiefdom and their "back yard": the ongoing confrontation in the South
China Sea, and the steadily-escalating projection of naval power in the
region, not to mention the tons of hot money from Beijing sloshing
around the avaricious regimes, present a very real concern. They also
cast a beady eye on your country, with its twenty-five million
easy-going souls, and historically take a very long view of strategies
and tactics. As folks down your way are discovering, it is one of those
"you can't live with them and you can't live without them"
relationships. Once Uncle Sam's corporate-dominated empire implodes (not
long now) it will be easy for Beijing to project their power all through
Asia. West Papua to them (and the greedy Koreans) like PNG is seen as
just one more tempting source of resources to infiltrate and scalp.
That's what the god-damn do-gooder "useful fools" backing the
independence movement do not care to admit. A thinly-populated (under
3m) huge island chock-full of goodies (minerals / timber / fish etc)
just waiting to be exploited: so which of these stone-age tribes will be
put in place over all the others? Do the foreign supporters of
independence foresee the installation of a polite parliamentary
democracy? Give me a fucking break.
I will polish off this disorganized rant with a cute little tale. The
intelligent Michael Rockefeller went to New Guinea in the 1960s to do
some photography, ethnographic work, whatever - and allegedly got
himself caught up in a catastrophic series of local quarrels, where
somebody had killed somebody from another tribe and the Indonesian
police / military horned in and managed to kill some more. He was
reportedly slain and eaten.
In the effort to discover his fate, a small group of Americans was sent
out by the Rockefeller family, very discreetly, and traveled through New
Guinea (difficult and dangerous, bearing in mind that more Japanese
soldiers died of malaria than combat wounds, all through the region)
with a local guide and interpreter.
They visited the area where Michael was last reported to have been seen,
Deletewhen his small boat capsized and he barely made it to shore. One of the
village elders, a wrinkled, wizened little man, smiled and sat down with
the group, to assist in their inquiry. It was described to him in detail
what had been reported, and he shook his head helplessly, with a
universal gesture of apology at being unaware of what was being inquired
about and thus unable to help them.
He was wearing Michael's glasses. ==
From: Canadian
> Does this apply to all the Malays (eg of Malaysia & Philippines)
> or only the Javanese?
Regarding your question about the Malays, it is pretty amazing the
strong differences defined by physical borders: Filipinos, Thais,
Malaysians and Indonesians are profoundly different in terms of their
beliefs, values and actions. In the case of the Pinoys and Thais there
is a blending with Chinese culture (both Malay and Han tend to be
Christian and fit together) whereas with the Malaysians and Indonesians
there is a mutual antagonism (disgust). Malaysia, ostensibly modern and
advanced, is actually a powder-keg ready to blow, as the three dominant
races (Bumiputera Malay - ethnic Chinese - Tamil) do not mix and are in
a standoff, particularly because Islam in Malaysia can be extremely
aggressive. Racial / religious incidents abound.
It seems to have backed off in Indonesia pretty much, but there is still
little intermarriage of socializing. Other antagonisms center around the
dislike of [domineering] Javanese by Sumatrans, Balinese and people of
the eastern islands. The Timorese have a saying: "Japanische /
Javanische" meaning "First the cruel Japanese conquerers, then the
equally cruel Javanese ones". The euphemism used by the Indonesians was
"integration" - Suharto was alarmed about a potentially Marxist /
Communist state next door.
> Do you mean in Papua New Guinea,
> or the whole south-west Pacific?
I have read of clear-cutting of forests on some of the South Pacific
islands but what has been documented is the exploitation of PNG, with
the connivance of local tribal chiefs (like the "$24 worth of colored
beads for the island of Manhattan" story). Mahogany, ebony, teak and
other hardwoods sell for incredible prices on world mar kets at the
moment. The smuggling business is also lively.
> Are those Chinese and Korean eco-thugs
> involved in that too?
It seems to be kind of a "wild west" environment. None of the major
powers want to get involved with military commitments any longer - they
have seen how troublesome and annoying that can be. There is no profit
in it for them either. Indonesians are also trying to make money off
resources - check out the sneaky Joko Chandra on the web. I did some
work for his company many years ago.
> What about Japanese? Why the difference?
Japan has not forgotten the bitter experience of the war, so they move
very carefully and discreetly in the region, although their robust
business network is always looking for a [legal] way to turn a profit. I
spent a total of 8 years studying and working in Japan; I know the
language and have navigated my way successfully through the business and
art scene. But they remain deeply xenophobic (Koreans worse) and no
matter how many decades you stay there they will despise you.
A quote I read that explains it precisely: "When a westerner marries a
Japanese girl, in Japan, the family does not consider her as having
married a foreigner. It is as though she has married a chimpanzee."
My perception is that Japan of around 1990 was like that too; perhaps
Deletethe Chinese & Koreans learned it from them. But the Japanese seem to
have changed since them, becoming responsible citizens.
Very much so. You actually find practically no resentment whatsoever
here against the Japanese, although the Koreans are universally disliked
for their attitudes and behavior. They run their shoe and garment
factories like prison workshops, slapping the workers and screwing them
however they can.
> I have not been to Japan. Have you? When?
> What are your impressions?
I have toyed with the idea of moving back but I know precisely the
social pressures and exclusion I would face. They even do it to one
another. I found it a deeply suspicious and unhappy place, in spite of
their prosperity. I am basically a free spirit and joker so you can
imagine how roughly I got treated.
With the collapsing birth rate they are faced with having to allow mass
immigration, as much as they loathe the notion. It must be an
interesting, if tense, social dynamic in motion. ==
From: Canadian
When Koreans go abroad they behave themselves. Except that they won't
take any shit from anyone, which I consider an admirable quality. During
the Watts riots and subsequent ethnic festivities in southern
California, the excited natives invaded, looted and burned down many
stores. Strangely enough they left Little Korea alone. Guess why: the
owners were sitting on the roof with shotguns and hunting rifles, ready
to blast away at any varmints who intended to smash them up. And the
authorities had to turn a blind eye to this. Cute.
I did not know of the "gaijin seat" but it wouldn't surprise me. Quite a
few Iranians, Arabs, Africans and Pakistanis, hunting for treasure,
spend time in Japan. Their level of personal hygiene is notably
inadequate: they stink. In most of the world that would be politely
ignored. Not by the Japanese. The very thought of sitting next to a
beastly foreigner offends them, even a Great White Father like yours
truly. "Gaijin" = "outside person" only applies to us palefaces, by the
way. Asians are referred to as "India no hito" ("an Indian person"),
"Nigeria no kata" ("the Nigeria person") etc which is a fine example of
subtle racism.
I was recently smiling to myself at one of the most shocking photographs
of the notoriously shocking 20th Century. The Japanese were
thunderstruck at seeing their Imp, considered a Deity descended from
Amaterasu, standing like a doorman next to a relaxed American officer,
obviously in charge of the situation. Hirohito fucked up so badly in
declaring war on the west, and then farting around with his marine
biology as hundreds of thousands of his subjects died from
flame-throwers, malaria, drowning (only 50% of the Japanese freighter
fleet headed south ever arrived) that his own brother thought he should
be invited to a necktie party.
But the Americans, already alarmed at the robust Communist element in
Japan, had other ideas. So the little inbred bastard became a "symbol of
Japan", propped up to maintain their one-party capitalist regime.
Endures until today. ==
From: Canadian
I should add for the record that I personally like Koreans for their
rough manner and fuck-you attitudes. The country has been at war pretty
much non-stop for over a century so you have to give them some slack for
being nutty. And they are a crazy race.
From: Canadian
Koreans, like the Italians and Greeks immigrated to Oz, are hard-working
folk. I think they make a great addition to Australian society. Can't
say the same for the fleabag Pakis, Arabs and Iranians you let in.
Entitled, crooked, narrow-minded pricks, most of them.