President Mark Killingsworth presided over today’s meeting. Ryan Kelly provided the invocation and Gene Owens provided the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting was held at the Holiday Inn North.
Joe Bost thanked those who helped with today’s meeting. Will Sanders introduced his guest, Matt Rumph. Matt is the Executive Director of the YMCA and he’s interested in joining our club.
Mark then introduced our very own Ryan Kelly as our guest speaker today. Ryan is the owner of Horizons Professional Services and Kelly Science and Innovations. The topic of today’s presentation is “Understanding the Biological Effects of Covid-19.”
Ryan believes it is important that we understand our enemy and know how to protect ourselves from it. COVID-19 is a virus. It is a microscopic and a non-living parasite. Its only job is to find a host and reproduce itself. COVID-19 attacks ACE-2 receptors and inserts itself into the receptors and begins to reproduce. It breaks the receptors down causing the death of the cell. ACE-2 receptors are critical to bringing oxygen into the body. COVID-19 increases your blood pressure and causes inflammation. Individuals with hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease have more ACE-2 receptors and are therefore much more suspectable to the virus attack. Individuals with many T-cells in their bodies have a much better chance to fight off the attack. T-cells attack the infected cells and keep the virus from leaving the cells. Individuals who have suffered a cold or fever just before becoming infected have a larger number of T-cells in their bodies.
Treatments currently being used for COVID-19 include convalescent plasma. Plasma from a person who has recently recovered from the virus is injected into an infected person, providing antibiotics to fight off the attack. Dexamethasone is an anti-inflammatory drug being used in some patients. Acetaminophen is used to reduce pain, fever, and inflammation. Hydroxychloroquine is also being used as a treatment, especially for patients in the early stage of infection. This drug keeps the infection down. Azithromycin is an antibiotic also used in treatments and Remdesivre is used to inhibit the virus’s ability to replicate.
What can you do to protect yourself? Ryan says to wash your hands in warm soapy water often and dry them using a paper towel. Throw the towel away. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available. Keep your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth. Stay at least six feet away from everybody. When you can’t wear a mask. He also recommends taking Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Zinc regularly.
A vaccine is expected to be readily available by the end of the year. Ryan recommends that everyone take the vaccine when it is available. After the vaccine, an antiviral drug is expected to be developed. It will make the virus inert.
Mark thanked Ryan for the great information and encouraged Rotarians to remain safe. He also provided samples of the books the Club has for distribution and requested Rotarians to help him find a home for the books.
There being no further business to come before the club, Mark thanked those who were able to attend today’s meeting and adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”