As I have been writing for weeks on this blog and in social media, along with former FDA director Dr. Scott Gottleib and several other reporters, Face Masks work and can play a pivotol role in stopping the spread of Coronavirus.

REPORTERS @ CNN @ FOX @NBC @ ABC PLEASE CHECK THE FACTS OUT AND REPORT THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. If you have an N95 Respirator sitting at home, send it to a hospital in a hotspot
2. If you have a surgical face mask or other hospital supplies, send it to a hospital
3. EVERYONE ELSE: IF YOU GO OUTSIDE COVER YOUR MOUTH AND NOSE WITH A SCARF, BANDANA OR HOMEMADE MASK OR FACE SHIELD!!!!!!!!

INDIVIDUALS: PLEASE SHARE THIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

1. GO TO TWITTER FEED AND SHARE! SHARE WITH EVERYONE YOU KNOW!!!
2. https://twitter.com/drmikeny/status/1244261265930948610
3. GO TO THE BLOG ARTICLE AND SHARE ON FACEBOOK OR ANYWHERE ELSE YOU CAN

See my other tweets or follow me twitter at @drmikeny.

As suggested in almost every post on this blog, alternative face masks are better than no facemask. They won’t deplete health care worker supplies, will confer some protection and should be recommended facemasks to the public.

What about the countries with the worst looking curves? You guessed it, they have not recommended facemasks to the general public. The exception (as mistakenly shown in the video) is in Iran, where even though they reportedly would have made these recommendations, they have a supply shortage. However, the European nations including Italy and Spain, have bad looking curves and have not made this recommendation. What do you think your country should recommend? This isn’t rocket science. Not even basic algebra. Its basic addition and subtraction.

And speaking of mathematics…while we all learned in basic statistics that “correlation does not mean causation,” it does imply the possibility of causation and does not disprove it.

Since the CDC agrees that alternative facemasks should be used by healthcare workers in lieu of surgical masks, perhaps it’s time for CDC and WHO to recommend that the public wear homemade facemasks that won’t further lead to a supply shortage. If not the countries that don risk being part of the experiment to prove or disprove the correlation and choosing the arm without the protective effect. I’d rather choose the safest way forward and that is wearing a face masks — a homemade one.

The organization has experienced tremendous growth purely with the help of volunteers. Our online HIV/AIDS content site has reached more than 80,000 individuals in the past 12 months. Medwiser has provided this HIV content to individuals from across the globe spanning 6 continents.

With GAPS we hope to reach 160,000 individuals in the next 12 months.

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. South Africa
6. India
7. Germany
8. Kenya
9. Netherlands
10. Trinidad and Tobago
11. Nigeria
12. Jamaica
13. Brazil
14. Malaysia
15. Indonesia
16. France
17. Philippines
18. Thailand
19. Barbados
20. Singapore
21. United Arab Emirates
22. Spain
23. Denmark
24. Saudi Arabia
25. Norway
26. Sweden
27. China
28. Italy
29. Uganda
30. Hong Kong
31. Ireland
32. Bahamas
33. Pakistan
34. Ghana
35. Greece
36. Tanzania
37. Japan
38. New Zealand
39. Mexico
40. Switzerland
41. Turkey
42. Zimbabwe
43. Ethiopia
44. Dominica
45. South Korea
46. Russia
47. Israel
48. Ukraine
49. Grenada
50. Saint Kitts and Nevis
51. Vietnam
52. Cyprus
53. Poland
54. Belgium
55. Finland
56. Qatar
57. Egypt
58. Austria
59. Czech Republic
60. Zambia
61. Jersey
62. Sri Lanka
63. Myanmar (Burma)
64. Guernsey
65. Guyana
66. Portugal
67. Romania
68. Bangladesh
69. Lebanon
70. Taiwan
71. Bahrain
72. Colombia
73. Iraq
74. Nepal
75. Malawi
76. South Sudan
77. Malta
78. Sudan
79. Argentina
80. Botswana
81. Belize
82. Saint Lucia
83. Cambodia
84. St. Vincent & Grenadines
85. Papua New Guinea
86. Cameroon
87. Oman
88. Afghanistan
89. Iran
90. Kuwait
91. Hungary
92. Liberia
93. Namibia
94. Puerto Rico
95. Kosovo
96. Albania
97. Slovakia
98. Turks and Caicos Islands
99. Bulgaria
100. Dominican Republic
101. Estonia
102. Morocco
103. Mozambique
104. Jordan
105. Montserrat
106. Bolivia
107. Costa Rica
108. Luxembourg
109. Congo (DRC)
110. Chile
111. Cayman Islands
112. Mauritius
113. Antigua and Barbuda
114. Côte d’Ivoire
115. Georgia
116. Haiti
117. Panama
118. Serbia
119. Angola
120. Laos
121. Peru
122. Rwanda
123. Senegal
124. Swaziland
125. Uruguay
126. Isle of Man
127. Latvia
128. Macedonia (FYROM)
129. Maldives
130. Somalia
131. Anguilla
132. Guatemala
133. Honduras
134. Macau
135. Nicaragua
136. Venezuela
137. U.S. Virgin Islands
138. Belarus
139. Fiji
140. Gibraltar
141. Lithuania
142. Libya
143. Mali
144. Tunisia
145. Yemen
146. Brunei
147. Croatia
148. Lesotho
149. Sint Maarten
150. Aruba
151. Bermuda
152. Curaçao
153. Ecuador
154. Solomon Islands
155. Seychelles
156. Slovenia
157. Sierra Leone
158. Armenia
159. Bosnia and Herzegovina
160. Bhutan
161. Algeria
162. Guam
163. Iceland
164. Saint Martin
165. Madagascar
166. Suriname
167. El Salvador
168. Syria
169. Azerbaijan
170. Burundi
171. Gabon
172. Kazakhstan
173. Monaco
174. Montenegro
175. Palestine
176. Paraguay
177. Chad
178. Timor-Leste
179. Uzbekistan
180. British Virgin Islands
181. Vanuatu
182. Benin
183. Congo (Republic)
184. Cuba
185. Cape Verde
186. Eritrea
187. Faroe Islands
188. Kyrgyzstan
189. Mongolia
190. Northern Mariana Islands
191. Saint Helena

References: Google

Medwiser has achieved some pretty awesome things in 2013. I am sure it will be a year we will look back on proudly.

Here are just some of the amazing things we have accomplished:

Launched an awesome new website

In June Medwiser.org re-launched and nearly a month after traffic to the website skyrocketed!

Created impressive content

Viewed by over 8000 users a month, the content on Medwiser.org has engaged readers better than articles published on popular websites such as CNN, FoxNews or the Wall Street Journal. See the real stats in action with this great infographic.

Developed the ground breaking HATS technology

To fight AIDS, HATS technology employs artificial intelligence to securely develop a micro-infrastructure for scaling up HIV testing. Learn more about HATS here. Alternatively, take HATS and help us fight AIDS by sharing it with others.

Empowered over 100 volunteers

In 2013, over 100+ volunteers helped Medwiser to fight AIDS and gained valuable experience in highly specialized areas such as management, strategy, computer programming, app development, marketing and more.

Maintained high levels of cost-efficiency

Launching technology is expensive. Recent publications of the expenses for healthcare.gov show expenses in the hundreds of millions. While we don’t pretend to be nearly as complex as healthcare.gov, considering everything we have done in 2013, it wouldn’t be surprising if we also spent millions of dollars. However, Medwiser spent less money in 2013 then the average family spent on internet, cable and phone service!

I can only attribute this overwhelming success to the power of dedicated and inspiring volunteers who make up Medwiser.

On this day, Medwiser was proud to release HATS–the HIV AIDS Test Screening software. This educational tool is one of the most advanced of its kind, employing artificial intelligence to let individuals know if they need to get tested.

Why is HATS is so important?

20% of people with HIV don’t know they are infected and then unknowingly infect others. Making people aware and facilitating testing is crucial to stop this. Read more here.

Support our work by donating online

There’s no better way to tell us that you support our mission than to make a contribution to our nonprofit — and no better time than right now. If you’ve never donated online before, now is the time to do it. Contribute $10 now to show your support.

Be one of the first to take HATS

Help us reach 10,000 users. Share the link by email or on social media. Go to hats.medwiser.org to take it. It is quick and confidential.

Check out this awesome video which describes the software:

When she was just 5 years old, Emma was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. After being treated with chemotherapy for over a year, her cancer relapsed and she took a turn for the worse. When it looked like Emma had run out of options, her parents signed her up for an experimental treatment in which she would be given genetically modified HIV to help her fight her cancer.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), as you’re probably aware, is the virus that causes AIDS. When a person is infected with HIV, the virus attacks a type of white blood cell known as T-cells. T-cells are important in cell-mediated immunity, which means they can either directly attack invading cells or send chemical signals called cytokines to other immune cells to help fight an infection. A T-cell infected with HIV loses its normal function. This typically causes people who are infected with HIV to become immunocompromised. But in Emma’s case the ability for HIV to alter T-cell function would be used to help to fight her disease.

Because of her leukemia, Emma’s other white blood cells known as B-cells had become malignant. Normally, these B-cells can fight off infections by recognizing foreign substances called antigens. In the presence of an antigen, healthy B-cells create antibodies. These antibodies bind to the antigen and tell the body to start an immune response.

Since, HIV naturally changes T-cells, doctors thought they could use it to reprogram the T-cells to attack the cancer cells in Emma’s body. Using a modified HIV virus that wouldn’t cause AIDS, doctors successfully transformed Emma’s T-cells.

When doctors gave this treatment to Emma, a her body mounted a huge immune response as her reprogrammed T-cells began to attack her cancerous B-cells. But there was a complication. The massive immune response caused a high fever, dangerously low blood pressure and in a coma. As it looked like Emma might not survive this experimental procedure, doctors discovered from her blood work that this reaction was due to a massive increase in an inflammatory cytokine known as interleukin-6. Once they were able to isolate the cause of Emma’s symptoms, they were able to help her. They treated Emma with an immunosuppressive drug called tocilizumab, which is normally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

It worked. Though Emma had a close call, she woke up one week later. She went on to make a full recovery, and now her leukemia is in remission. Emma’s story shows what kinds of breakthroughs may be possible as we continue to learn more about HIV and AIDS and keep searching for a cure.

Article by Tom Batemarco, Volunteer Contributor.

Home HIV test is as easy as swabbing your cheek

There are many reasons that people may avoid being tested for HIV. Arguably the two of the biggest reasons involve the fear of getting a positive test result, and the fear that your privacy and confidentiality would be violated. The latter of these fears can be reduced thanks to the foresight and work of a company named OraSure Technologies.  OraSure has developed an at home HIV test called OraQuick In-home HIV test, which would allow someone to find out whether or not they have the virus within the privacy of his own home.

Home HIV testing

OraQuick In-home HIV test is the first FDA approved HIV test that you can read yourself, and there’s no blood involved! That means you don’t have to prick your finger, and place a blood sample on a collection card for it to work. Instead you gently swipe the test swab along your upper gums once and your lower gums once. Then you insert the swab inside the test tube provided and can read your results in just 20 minutes, with no outside facilities involved.  This is a stark improvement on regular testing, which often requires making an appointment, going to a clinic or doctors office, providing a blood sample and then wondering and waiting for the results for 1-3 weeks. To ensure that you do the test accurately OraSure have also posted a how to video detailing exactly how to do the test. It seems that the makers of the home test have thought of everything, even providing a hotline that you can call for support. You can buy the home HIV test online, from your local pharmacy, or grocery store. The test cost $40.00 and you must be over 17 in order to purchase it.

Home HIV test may need to be repeated

The company advises that a positive test result using the home HIV test must be confirmed by follow-up laboratory-based testing.  Like all HIV tests, they also advise that a negative result does not confirm that a user has definitely not picked up the virus, especially if he/she may have been infected by virus within the previous three months.  They also warn that if you take part in risky behaviors such as having unprotected sex with new partners, or injecting illegal drugs you should re-test on a regular basis. Some advocates say that the test could be used as a tool for pre-screening prospective sexual partners. If used in this way it could potentially reduce the 50,000 new infections diagnosed each year.

The importance of early HIV/AIDS detection

Now to address the other biggest fear: not wanting to find out. It is important to remember that early detection can lead to early treatment and better outcomes. With all the new treatments that have come on the horizon, many people live long normal lives.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warns that without medical care, HIV leads to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) and early death.  Drugs such as ART have helped people with HIV to live longer, healthier lives and also lower the chances of passing HIV on to others. Sadly, the CDC also notes that only 28% are getting the care they need to manage the disease and keep the virus under control. This is why getting tested is so important. To help stop HIV, we must get tested, and now Orasure’s Oraquick in-home  HIV test has provided us with a much faster, confidential, comfortable, and easier way to do it.

Related articles:

HIV testing

Why is HIV testing so important to help fight the AIDS crisis? What are the main barriers to testing more people? Read more here.

Finding a testing location

Use this locator to find sites where you can receive testing.

HATS technology

Learn about Medwiser’s technology to help you identify if you need a test.