Entries by Chet Zelasko

How to Train Your Immune System

Here’s where we stand: healthcare workers in the Netherlands who got last year’s flu vaccine had fewer cases of COVID-19 than their unvaccinated counterparts. In addition, white blood cells treated with the flu vaccine, with or without the tuberculosis vaccine, demonstrated enhanced immune responses when exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Where does this lead? It’s […]

How Vaccines Can Affect COVID-19

In vitro studies, more commonly called test-tube studies, are used when you want to see if there’s a relationship between cells and microorganisms. In the case of the researchers in the Netherlands, blood cells, vaccines, and the COVID-19 virus were used. While the laboratory techniques were complex, here’s what they found. The researchers isolated peripheral […]

The Flu Shot and COVID-19

This week, I’m going to review a series of studies that outline a strategy that includes getting the current flu vaccination. The first study is an observational study. In my opinion, it’s the way research should begin: look for relationships between factors first, and then conduct experimental trials. Researchers in the Netherlands used the medical […]

Taking Charge of Your Health

Flowers and trees have been winterized. The mulch has been spread throughout the yard. The leaves remain a continuing problem, but in short order the snow may take care of that. The one thing that I like about working in the yard is it gives me an extended opportunity to think. There are two things […]

Swiss Cheese COVID Protection

You’re probably thinking “First, zeptoseconds, then speeches and dancing, and now Swiss cheese? How are they related?” I’ve used the concept of discrete time intervals to make a point. Each discrete time interval of seemingly separate tasks can be put together to make up something that can be greater than each individual part—in this case, […]

The Power of the Pause

When talking about discrete time intervals, there are two specific examples that come to mind. As a professional speaker and a Distinguished Toastmaster, I’ve learned one of the most difficult things to do in giving a speech isn’t selecting the correct words, it’s knowing when to pause. It’s one of the most difficult techniques to […]

What Is a Zeptosecond?

In a football game on Sunday, the ball was intercepted and the defensive back started to run the ball back about 90 yards for a touchdown. Only he never made it. A wide receiver took off after him and caught him at about the 7-yard line. To watch it happen was simply amazing. He reached […]

Does Exercise Reduce COVID-19?

I’ve written about fitness and COVID-19 before, but a recent post by a colleague got my attention. I had never been able to find any research that suggested people who are fitter would have less serious cases of COVID-19 or any upper respiratory infection for that matter. I thought maybe the scientific paper he used […]

Research Update: COVID-19 on Surfaces

There are hundreds of papers published every day on the COVID-19 virus. The range of topics borders on the incredible, so I decided to provide two updates based on a couple questions that I’ve gotten. The first is a simple one. How long does the virus live on surfaces? When does it become unable to […]

COVID on a Plane

We’re never very far from being reminded about the COVID-19 virus; there’s more info every day. This week, I’ll review three recent scientific papers about the virus. Because I’ve recently flown on an airplane, let’s begin there. We would logically think that when you have upwards of 150 people crammed into a box that the […]