To the Editor:

It’s good Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has created a coronavirus task force. The governor should ask Dr. Hopland to be on it. I enjoyed reading about Dr. Hopland and his wife in the Star. I also always enjoy reading “Ask Dr. Kim” by Dr. Kim McMurtrey which always has some great health information. A great Christian website www.skywatchtv.com said to boost your immune system, you must eat right, reduce stress and get enough sleep, which are key to staying healthy. Foods that boost your immune system to prepare for any viruses are lemons, limes, pineapples, mushrooms, garlic and sauerkraut. Juice isn’t good unless you make it yourself fresh. Vitamin C, elderberry, exercise and sunshine also boost your immune system. If you don’t get sunshine take vitamin D3 daily.

There’s a lot of confusion about the coronavirus and it’s hard to separate fact and fiction. Chad Wolf, the acting Homeland Security Chief, got the flu mortality rate wrong in a Feb. 25 testimony. Wolf wrongly said, the morality rate for the flu is “right around” that of the new coronavirus. It’s right around 2 percent he said. Christopher Mores, a global health professor, calculated the average, 10 year mortality rate for flu using CDC data and found it was 0.1%. That 0.1% rate is frequently cited among experts including Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Although this 0.1% percentage seems small, influenza causes an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 deaths annually. According to statistics released Feb. 17 by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention the death rate for coronavirus was 2.3%. The World Health Organization (WHO) now in March says the mortality rate for coronavirus is 3.4 globally, higher than previous estimates. This means the death rate for coronavirus is 34 times higher than the flu. Also, the flu only infects 10 percent of the population while the coronavirus is expected to infect 70 percent of the world. This could make it 7 times 34 more deadly than the flu for a total of 238 times more deadly. On Facebook many are wrongly saying coronavirus is no more dangerous than the flu. It’s a fact the coronavirus has a much higher mortality rate and is more contagious than the flu. Experts say by the middle of May every hospital bed in America will be taken and there will be over 4 million cases in America. The good news is it only kills adults. Only God knows how may will die!

Much of the confusion comes because both political parties are politicizing the coronavirus at the expense of the health and future of the people of America and world. On the Democrat side that controls 95 percent of the media they have pessimism and are exaggerating the dangers and trumpeting any mistakes or perceived missteps that have been made to discredit our President Trump and his administration to win the November election. On the Republican side, President Trump’s administration have optimism and attempt to downplay the coronavirus and say all the bad news is exaggerated. There’s no need to panic or fear about coronavirus but it does need to be taken seriously. Panic is harmful but preparation is beneficial!

The Bible says God didn’t give us a spirit of fear but of love and a sound mind. Physical health is important but of greater importance is your soul and spiritual health. 3 John 1:2: “Beloved I wish above all things that you prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” Jesus can change your heart to a merry heart. Proverbs 17:22, “A merry heart does good like a medicine but a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the Lord (Jesus) with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him (Jesus), and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.” Studies show those who attend church live seven years longer. The most healthy thing to do is walk with Jesus daily!

D.D. Nave

Elizabethton