Not sure if my algorithm continues to push content that I support – which would not necessarily be a good thing when you are focused on being subjective but here is another write up suggesting Vitamin D – however most of my content are non-advertising pages – mainly papers so no one making money off me http://orthomolecular.activehosted.com/index.php?action=social&chash=b73ce398c39f506af761d2277d853a92.164&s=b5a4d78a62acf8d7d34cf4c3d0c1905f

“If we act on the data showing that it is highly probable that vitamin D can save lives, we could fix this pandemic in a month, for perhaps $2 per person. There would be no significant adverse effects. If we wait for "evidence" that vitamin D mitigates the impact of COVID-19, thousands more will die. If we could arrange to give everyone vitamin D, and it failed to protect them, so what? The risk from not acting is much greater than the risk from acting. Dosage is important and generally misunderstood.

Two countries have acted on this already: Egypt and Slovenia. Why can’t we?

The Orthomolecular Medicine News Service has been publicizing the importance of vitamins D and C, and the minerals zinc and magnesium, in this pandemic since January [1]. I have been writing about Vitamin D and sunlight for over 30 years [2], and it has never been more relevant.

If you caught the COVID19 virus right now, having a good vitamin D status (from already having taken a supplement) would

Reduce your risk of the disease becoming severe by 90%

Reduce your risk of dying by 96%

This is not "proven" or "evidence-based" until we have done controlled trials comparing it to placebo. Any volunteers for that? But the data, already strong, has been pouring in since the start of the pandemic.

“Recent studies have suggested in discussion that more than 4000 IU per day of vitamin D3 may carry a risk of harm, citing the UK Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition report of 2016 which set the recommended Upper Level (UL) intakes of 50mcg/2000IU per day. [10] That report says; "Excessive vitamin D intakes have, however, been shown to have toxic effects (Vieth, 2006)". [10] However this is misleading, as the Vieth paper [11] states: "Published reports suggest toxicity may occur with 25(OH)D concentrations beyond 500 nmol/L." This leaves a wide margin of safety.

“Government recommendations for vitamin D intake – 400 IU/day for the UK and 600 IU/day for the USA (800 IU for >70 years) and the EU – are based primarily on bone health. This is woefully inadequate in the pandemic context. An adult will need to take 4000 IU/day of vitamin D3 for 3 months to reliably achieve a 75 nmol/L level [12]. Persons of color may need twice as much [13]. These doses can reduce the risk of infection, but are not for treatment of an acute viral infection. And since vitamin D is fat-soluble and its level in the body rises slowly, for those with a deficiency, taking a initial dose of 5-fold the normal dose (20,000 IU/day) for 2 weeks can help to raise the level up to an adequate level to lower infection risk.

Other essential nutrients can help

As mentioned above, many studies have shown that for those deficient in essential nutrients, a protocol that includes vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, and zinc can decrease the risk of infection for viruses, including those similar to COVID-19.[1] Recommended preventive adult doses are vitamin C, 3000 mg/day (in divided doses, to bowel tolerance), magnesium, 400 mg (in malate, citrate, or chloride form), zinc, 20 mg. [1]”

Brazil leads the death category again at 1374 deaths yesterday. US second at 826

Delaware leading the deaths for the US for the first time at 69

Delaware given small state all counties are not looking good but the worse is New Castle. Once again looks like a timing issue but what media will note this – also deaths in long-term health facility certainly do not represent the general public – https://news.delaware.gov/2020/06/23/public-health-announces-27-additional-positive-cases-of-covid-19-in-delaware/

“DPH is also announcing that after completing a review of death certificate records from the Delaware Vital Events Registration System (DelVERS) and comparing that information to epidemiological surveillance data, DPH epidemiologists have identified 67 additional COVID-19 deaths dating back to April 2020 that were not previously reported to DPH through standard reporting procedures, but should be classified as confirmed or probable deaths, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) case definition.”

“DPH was also able to determine that approximately 75 percent of the decedents died at a long-term care facility, according to the death records. DPH is working to communicate the reporting requirements with long-term care facilities and hospitals in the state to ensure full accuracy and transparency.

Of the 67 deaths added to the state’s total death count, 32 are classified as confirmed due to there being a positive lab result of COVID-19 in DPH’s surveillance system, and 35 deaths are classified as probable, as, per the CDC case definition, the death certificate indicated COVID-19 or SARS CoV-2 as a cause or contributing factor to death.”

Viewing country or even state data really doesn’t show what is going on as you can see in the graphs above – so much dead space. Below is the graph of the top 24 counties in the US in terms of death. This covers 50% of the total deaths in the US.

Obviously NY county leads the pack with FL, Miami Dade county at 24.

The lines going across and the number presented on them is the population weighted average for the country. Therefore IF that metric was a big driver ALL/MOST of the counties being presented would be on top or below that line.

Interesting to see age and population density not really being consistent among the top 24. Race is a common discussion but you will see the Black rate is not consistent above or below in terms of county population. Poverty also is not a big driver as many counties listed here are at national level or below the national rate.

The one consistent theme is all these counties voted more democrats in 2016. This begs the question are they typically run by democrats at local level. I did some research and concluded for the most part yes. The closest republican held county was Nassau – “Democrats currently hold a 10 to 8 majority in the Suffolk County Legislature, the Republicans currently hold a 11 to 8 majority in the Nassau County Legislature.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Long_Island

“Miami-Dade County has voted for the Democratic Party candidate in most of the presidential elections in the past four decades, and has gone Democratic in every election since 1992”

Bergen County NJ majority democrats – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bergen_County,_New_Jersey#Politics

Oakland County Michigan another close one – In the 116th Congress, Oakland County is represented by four Democrats, Brenda Lawrence (14th), Andy Levin (9th), Haley Stevens (11th) and Elissa Slotkin (8th). Slotkin and Stevens were first elected in 2018, flipping Republican-held seats. – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_County,_Michigan#Politics

Worcester County MA – 3 out 5 D local official.

I am not concluding this causation/correlation BUT it has been a national discussion since the beginning of the US – Federal vs. State vs Local (county) rights. The precision of covid really does require a localized response. I am not letting the current administration off the hook as in hindsight I am SURE everyone holds some personal responsibility and could have done things better. However county response is likely more potent in terms of minimizing covid impacts. There is no doubt that NY officials botched the response to Covid and to blame it on federal response we should have seen other areas show just as bad results but NY state represents 26% of total deaths in the US but representing 6% of total US population! As noted before I have always voted libertarian largely as vote of no confidence in the system. I was not expecting the data to show the results below but it is what it is and people need to consider local leadership as important as federal leadership particularly if you believe the government should have done more to reduce the impact of covid.

Clearly there are well run local democratic county when it comes to covid response. San Francisco CA and Arlington County VA stick out given high pop density and high public transport but yet much less death 48 and 126 respectively. The above analysis was just looking at the view of the 50% deaths in the US which happened to be those 24 counties.

Brazil deaths are climbing but their fatality rate is dropping unlike Mexico. Remember in May they switched to HCQ treatment.