Day: October 25, 2022

• Less than two months ago, scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced they’d resurrected the Spanish flu virus through reverse genetics

• Now, scientists at Boston University report they’ve engineered an Omicron strain of SARS-CoV-2 with an 80% lethality in mice. The new hybrid was created by extracting spike protein from the Omicron BA.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 and attaching it to the original Wuhan Alpha strain

• The research was funded by four grants from the NIH/NIAID, but because those funds were supposedly “earmarked” primarily for equipment, they did not clear the viral engineering portion of the experiment with the NIH. The NIH is reviewing the case to determine whether the University violated rules for enhanced potential pandemic pathogen (ePPP) research

• Boston University denies the research qualifies as “gain of function” research as the Alpha strain’s lethality was reduced from 100% to 80%. However, the Alpha strain did gain function, namely immune escape, which it didn’t have before. The immune-evading properties came from the Omicron spike

• The likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 assembling itself into a Wuhan Alpha strain with Omicron spike protein “in the wild” is just about nil, as the Wuhan strain has mutated out of existence already. Were it not for these madmen, we would never have had to worry about this kind of recombination

Less than two months ago, we reported scientists funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Anthony Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) have resurrected the Spanish flu virus through reverse genetics.

Disturbingly, the scientists appeared frustrated by the fact that the recreated virus failed to kill the macaque species selected for the experiment, even at the highest doses tested.

They argued a more dangerous version of the Spanish flu virus must be created in order to develop better vaccines against it. This despite the fact that, until they resurrected this virus, it no longer existed in nature and posed zero threat to mankind. It kind of reminds me of a Mary Shelley quote, the author of “Frankenstein,” who in 1818 stated:

“Frightful must it be; for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world.”

Now, we come to learn that mad scientists at Boston University’s biosafety level 4 (BSL4) laboratory have engineered an Alpha/Omicron hybrid strain of SARS-CoV-2 with an 80% lethality in mice.1

In the video above, John Campbell reviews this paper. He, like many others, are calling on the U.S. government to immediately close down this kind of research, and to destroy all the Frankenstein viruses already created. If they don’t exist in a lab somewhere, then they cannot escape.

Considering SARS-CoV-2 was most likely concocted in a lab, just like this hybrid, the fact that they continue tinkering with it to make it more lethal is indeed mind-bogglingly reckless. What’s to prevent this souped-up hybrid from escaping and wiping out mankind? Sure, BSL4 labs have the tightest safety precautions,2 but that is no guarantee the virus won’t get out (especially if someone intentionally wants it out).

There have been plenty of lab leaks in the past, and as discussed by The Lancet COVID Commission chairman Jeffrey Sachs in the video at the end of this article, evidence suggests SARS-CoV-2 emerged from a U.S.-backed research program in China.

Granted, effects on mice are not directly translatable to humans, but since SARS-CoV-2 appears particularly adapted to infecting humans,3 these results are certainly cause for concern. And again, the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 somehow reassembling itself into a Wuhan strain with Omicron spike protein “in the wild” is just about nil. Why? Because the original Wuhan strain has vanished from the environment.

It has mutated out of existence already and been replaced by a series4 of new variants. So, the chance of the first, original strain getting mixed with one of the last — in nature, by itself — is beyond remote. Were it not for these madmen, we would never have had to worry about this kind of recombination.

Yet here we are, facing the possibility of an unimaginably deadly coronavirus — thanks to scientists who continue to act without moral compass. Just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done. As noted by Steve Kirsch:5

“Presumably there is some benefit to creating a new strain of SARS-CoV-2 that has a case fatality rate (CFR) of 80% (up from the average 0.2% CFR for the current variants) and is highly contagious. I’m baffled as to what it is …

Here’s an idea how fast it could spread. Look at the slope of the purple curve … that’s Omicron. This is from a CDC paper.6 So expect the virus to spread everywhere in about a month. How fast will it wipe out the entire US population if released? It depends on how quickly the virus kills humans.”

To create this new bioweapon, the scientists extracted spike protein from the Omicron BA.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2 and attached it to the original Wuhan Alpha strain.7 Of the lab mice infected with this reengineered virus, 80% died. Mice infected with the regular Omicron strain experienced only mild symptoms and none died, while lethality from the original Alpha strain was 100%.8

Mutations in the Omicron spike protein is what makes it so much more infectious than previous variants, while mutations in other parts of the virus have rendered it far milder than the original, which caused unique problems such as blood clots. Mutations in the Omicron spike protein have also given it significant immune-evading capabilities — which were carried over to the new hybrid in this experiment.

By combining the more infectious spike protein from Omicron with the far more dangerous Alpha virus, they’ve created what can easily be described as a biological superweapon. As reported by the Daily Mail:9

“The revelation exposes how dangerous virus manipulation research continues to go on even in the US, despite fears similar practices may have started the pandemic.”

The Daily Mail goes on to quote a number of scientists and experts who recognize the absolute folly of engaging in this kind of research.

“Professor Shmuel Shapira, a leading scientist in the Israeli Government, said: ‘This should be totally forbidden, it’s playing with fire’ … Dr. Richard Ebright, a chemist at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, told DailyMail.com …

‘The research is a clear example of gain of function research of concern and enhanced potential pandemic pathogen (ePPP) research.

It is especially concerning that this new US-government ePPP research — like the previous US-government ePPP research on chimeric SARS-related coronaviruses at Wuhan Institute of Virology that may have caused the pandemic — appears not to have undergone the prior risk-benefit review mandated under US-government policies.

If we are to avoid a next lab-generated pandemic, it is imperative that oversight of ePPP research be strengthened. It is imperative that the existing polices mandating prior risk-benefit assessment of ePPP research be followed, and it is imperative that officials at US-government agencies who repeatedly have placed the public at risk by repeatedly violating the existing policies be held accountable’ …

Prof. David Livermore, a professor of microbiology at the UK’s University of East Anglia told DailyMail.com: ‘given the strong likelihood that the COVID pandemic originated from the escape of a lab-manipulated coronavirus in Wuhan, these experiments seem profoundly unwise.’”10

The Daily Caller also published scathing rebukes of the research. For example, Justin Goodman, senior vice president of advocacy and public policy at White Coat Waste Project told them:11

“[Dr. Anthony] Fauci and other mad scientists need to be stopped before they cause another pandemic by recklessly supercharging deadly viruses in wasteful taxpayer-funded animal experiments … Stop the madness.”

In an October 17, 2022, article, Jeff Childers, an attorney and the president and founder of Childers Law firm, offers the following review of Boston University’s latest experimentation:12

“Try to imagine the dumbest thing the public health experts could do at this point. Allow that the PHE [public health emergency] folks do stupid stuff all the time, so you have to think big. No, BIGGER. Think even dumber than whatever you’re thinking right now. The DUMBEST POSSIBLE thing.

On Friday [October 14], BioRxIV naively published a blandly-named study titled ‘Role of spike in the pathogenic and antigenic behavior of SARS-CoV-2 BA.1 Omicron.’

There are 23 scientists credited with helping create the study, and the acknowledgements identify it was funded by a major grant from the NIH/NIAID [National Institutes of Health/National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases].

The study provides a detailed, step-by-step recipe for how to genetically enhance the Omicron virus to make it vaccine-resistant, lung-penetrable, and 80% lethal.

They didn’t even wait till the first pandemic was over! They’re so excited for a doomsday virus, and so impatient with Mother Nature, that they are going to just manufacture it themselves, through gain-of-function research that should be so toxic it gets you hounded out of your career and driven into a life of humiliating obscurity …

These mad scientists and generous government grant-approvers know better than anyone that we JUST went through a global pandemic almost certainly caused by a virus that was produced by gain of function research to ‘enhance’ its transmissibility and pathogenicity, which LEAKED OUT OF A LAB.

And they know it’s been illegal to conduct gain of function research in the U.S. since the Obama Administration. Why, oh why, are these criminals, I mean scientists, still allowed to tinker around with this kind of explosive material?

Why haven’t we ALREADY passed laws criminalizing ALL gain of function research? … And WHY is the government still PAYING FOR gain of function research, or whatever obtuse euphemism they are using these days to disguise the fact that it’s ‘gain of function research’?

Have we learned NOTHING from the Wuhan lab leak? Hey, lawmakers: LABS LEAK!! This is the kind of lesson we really, really don’t need to learn again … But … thanks to our witless ‘health agencies,’ we — taxpayers! — are funding our own destruction.”

For their part, the University of Boston denies that the experiment13 is gain of function — a tactic previously employed by Dr. Anthony Fauci, who also funded this study — or that it made the original virus more dangerous, which is true to a point.14

The lethality of the Alpha virus went from 100% lethality to 80%, so the lethality, in mice, was reduced. However, the Alpha virus also gained the ability to evade the immune system, which could potentially make it more dangerous in humans, and this is something the researchers have downplayed.

“The wildtype ‘backbone’ virus gains immune escape from the insertion of the Omicron spike, in ways that the paper describes in detail. That is gain of function.” ~ Marc Lipsitch

As explained by infectious disease epidemiologist and microbiologist Marc Lipsitch in a lengthy October 18, 2022, Twitter thread,15 the research is “unquestionably gain of function” because:

“The wildtype ‘backbone’ virus gains immune escape from the insertion of the Omicron spike, in ways that the paper describes in detail. That is gain of function.”

You could also argue they made Omicron more lethal, although the objection to that argument would be that only the spike protein was used.

Questions have also arisen about whether the research was properly supervised. While the experiment was reviewed and approved by the institutional biosafety committee of Boston University’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories and the Boston Public Health Commission, it was apparently never cleared with the NIH.

According to Boston University director Ronald Corley, it wasn’t cleared with the NIH because the agency didn’t fund it.16 Yet the paper clearly states the work was funded by not just one but four different NIH grants (R01 AI159945, R37 AI087846, NIH SIG grants S10-439 OD026983 and SS10-OD030269). “He’s lying. Brazenly,” Ebright commented in a tweet, referring to Corley.17 As reported by STAT News:18

“In response to questioning from STAT, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which had awarded two grants to the research group, said … that it should have been informed about the nature of the work beforehand, in order for a review to be conducted.

Emily Erbelding, director of NIAID’s division of microbiology and infectious diseases, said that is the policy set out in what’s known as the P3CO framework, which lays out the rules for work that could lead to enhancement of dangerous pathogens …

Some funding from NIAID went towards work that might be considered foundational to the questioned research. Corley said the team used some of the federal funds to develop a system for making plasmids it would need to do the later work.

He acknowledged it can be difficult to see where lines are drawn, when research groups are using different pots of money to fund their work. ‘It is a murky world, but in our view because the funding was not supporting the work that was supported in this paper, that it wasn’t necessary to report it to NIH,’ he said.

STAT asked the NIAID if it was satisfied with Boston University’s response. The agency’s response … did not directly answer the question, though it indicated the situation is still being investigated.

‘NIH is examining the matter to determine whether the research conducted was subject to the NIH Grants Policy Statement or met the criteria for review under the HHS Framework for Guiding Funding Decisions about Proposed Research Involving Enhanced Potential Pandemic Pathogens (HHS P3CO framework),’ the statement said.”

Erbelding reportedly only found out about the research after reading about it in the media. According to the Daily Mail,19 she “admitted feeling uneasy about the type of research the grants had been used to fund — given the lingering questions about the role of virus manipulation studies and the origins of COVID” and said she “wished” they’d notified the NIAID about their work. In another interview, she stated:20

“What we would have wanted to do is to talk about exactly what they wanted to do in advance … [and then] we could have put a package forward for review.”

As noted by Ebright, Boston University’s claims that the research was not gain of function “are demonstrably false and should be deeply embarrassing.”21 Lipsitch also has concerns about the University’s denials.

“The statement from BU [Boston University] is disturbing in several ways,” Lipsitch writes.22 “First, it denies that this is GOF [gain of function]. It is GOF. If meant sincerely, this is disturbing from the institution that did the research because it provides prima facie evidence that institutions are not equipped to self-regulate …

Second, the statement reflects a culture of compliance rather than responsibility: because the NIAID funding was for equipment rather than the specific experiments, BU states it doesn’t need to report the research to NIH. I’m no lawyer but likely they are right …

In seeming contradiction to that, the BU statement says ‘If at any point there was evidence that the research was gaining function, under both NIAID and our own protocols we would immediately stop and report.’ Is there an obligation to report or no?

Finally, BU seems to be saying in that statement that high lethality is only for mice, not humans, so nothing to worry about. This is misguided and hard to know how one could say it. SARS-CoV-2 has caused havoc in humans with <1% infection-fatality rate.

High lethality in mice is used … as a proxy for severity in humans … No one cares if Omicron can kill a mouse, except as a marker for severity (>1 order of magnitude lower) in humans. If not a proxy for human phenotype, spare the mice and stop doing those experiments …

Has BU shown that they are capable of self-regulation, assessing both the real risks that might be created and documenting that they considered them and found them minor compared to benefit: no. They are in full denial mode from their public statements. Did they consider whether safer experiments could answer some or all of these questions well enough to accomplish what was needed? If so, [there’s] no evidence thereof.”

As detailed in “Why Is Fauci Continuing to Fund EcoHealth Alliance?” before stepping down from his position as NIAID director and overseer of U.S. bioweapons research in December 2022, Fauci made sure gain-of-function research to create more potent bioweapons would continue for some time after his departure.

Not only was the featured Omicron experiment funded, but he also lined up five years’ worth of additional funding for the most controversial and suspect organization of all — EcoHealth Alliance. EcoHealth was a key participant in the risky gain of function research on bat coronaviruses at the WIV, which is now suspected of having played a role in the creation of SARS-CoV-2.

Fauci has spent hours in the Congressional hot seat answering questions about his funding of that research — which, by the way, also bypassed the P3CO framework, on top of skirting an outright federal ban on gain-of-function research, which was in force at the time.

EcoHealth’s role in COVID-19 is so suspect, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst recently introduced the “Defund EcoHealth Alliance Act,”23 which specifies that “No funds authorized or appropriated by federal law may be made available for any purpose to EcoHealth Alliance Inc, including any subsidiaries and related organizations that are directly controlled by EcoHealth Alliance Inc.”

Despite all of that, Fauci recently gave EcoHealth another $3.3 million in additional funding to analyze “the potential for future bat coronavirus emergence in Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam” and “rapidly supply viral sequences and isolates for use in vaccine and therapeutic development, including ‘prototype pathogen’ vaccines.”

In late October 2021, we also reported that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had given a $125 million grant to Washington State University to detect “emerging viruses.” The goal of that project is to collect over 800,000 samples over five years from wildlife and then determine the zoonotic potential of these viruses.

They expect to find between 8,000 and 12,000 new viruses, “which researchers will then screen and sequence the genomes of the ones that pose the most risk to animal and human health.”24

As Breaking Points anchor Saagar Enjeti emphasized in an October 2021 news report,25 “detect emerging viruses” is code for gain-of-function research, meaning they’re going to conduct gain-of-function research to assess which of the viruses have the potential to mutate into something dangerous for humans.

As noted by Childers in his Coffee and COVID commentary on the lethal Omicron hybrid, the researchers methodically detail each step of the engineering process, down to the makes and models of the incubator and centrifuge used and the serial numbers of the cell lines.

“It’s a flipping recipe. Anybody could follow it,” he writes.26 “We’re now about two seconds away from midnight on the Doomsday clock. If we aren’t even smart enough to stop GAIN OF FUNCTION RESEARCH after what the entire world just went through, then we should grudgingly accept the title … as the Universe’s most imbecilic civilization …

Sometimes I’m convinced we are literally sprinting toward the apocalypse, at the speed of science. All those horrible afflictions in the Book of the Revelation, the terrible boils and deadly plagues and stuff? I’m starting to believe that those aren’t caused by God. I’m starting to believe we’re going to do it to ourselves.”

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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked.

The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The subscription fee being requested is for access to the articles and information posted on this site, and is not being paid for any individual medical advice.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

• In a study of 12 face masks, every mask contained titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles in at least one layer, at levels that “exceeded the acceptable exposure level”

• The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen, which means it’s “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by inhalation

• A meta-analysis called for a rethinking of nano-TiO2 safety, citing numerous toxic effects in humans and aquatic animals

• Masks take both a physical and psychological toll; the journal Pediatrics highlighted the emotional burden felt by parents, clinicians and patients due to wearing masks in pediatric cancer wards

• YouTube has updated its policies about what constitutes “misinformation” and now allows you to say masks don’t work

The face masks that were supposed to protect your health may turn out to be detrimental to it, as increasing evidence points to toxins within their fibers. Titanium dioxide is one such toxin, one that’s particularly troubling in face masks because it’s a suspected human carcinogen when inhaled.1

Not only have adults been unwittingly exposed to this likely cancer-causing substance due to widespread mask mandates put in place during the pandemic, but so too have children, whose bodies are especially vulnerable to toxic influences. Coupled with evidence suggesting that mask mandates and use did not lower the spread of COVID-19,2 forced mask mandates become all the more atrocious.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies titanium dioxide as a Group 2B carcinogen, which means it’s “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by inhalation.3 Prior to the pandemic, this occurred primarily in occupational settings during the production of titanium dioxide powders or in the manufacture of products containing the substance.

There’s also been some concern about spray-on (aerosolized) sunscreens, hair color sprays and cosmetic powders containing microscopic particles of titanium dioxide that could be inhaled.

Specifically, the state of California includes titanium dioxide in the form of airborne particles measuring 10 micrometers or less on its Proposition 65 list, stating, “Titanium dioxide (airborne, unbound particles of respirable size) is on the Proposition 65 list because it can cause cancer. Exposure to titanium dioxide may increase the risk of cancer.”4

Despite the fact that titanium dioxide’s carcinogenicity when inhaled is well-known, the compound is commonly used in face mask textiles to improve stability to ultraviolet light and for use as a white colorant and matting agent.

Nanoparticle technology is also being used in face masks, and nanofibers containing titanium dioxide have been used to make antimicrobial filters, often in combination with silver and graphene, while titanium dioxide nanoparticle coatings may also be applied to cotton fabric to enhance antibacterial properties.5

Not only have adverse effects been reported in animal studies involving inhalation of titanium dioxide particles,6 but a team of researchers warned of “possible future consequences caused by a poorly regulated use of nanotechnology in textiles,” expanding on potential human health and environmental effects:7

“Although originally classified as biologically inert, there is a growing body of evidence on the toxicity of TiO2 [titanium dioxide] to humans and non-target organisms … Artificial sweat was also used to test the concentration of the silver and TiO2 released from fabrics. The release rate was found to depend on the concentration of nanomaterials in the fabric and the pH of sweat.”

A meta-analysis published in the journal Small, which focuses on science at the nano- and microscale, also called for a rethinking of nano-TiO2 safety, citing numerous toxic effects in humans and aquatic animals:8

“Genotoxicity, damage to membranes, inflammation and oxidative stress emerge as the main mechanisms of nano-TiO2 toxicity. Furthermore, nano-TiO2 can bind with free radicals and signal molecules, and interfere with the biochemical reactions on plasmalemma [cell membrane].

At the higher organizational level, nano-TiO2 toxicity is manifested as the negative effects on fitness-related organismal traits including feeding, reproduction and immunity in aquatic organisms.”

In a study published in Scientific Reports, researchers tested the amount of titanium — used as a proxy for TiO2 particles — in 12 face masks meant to be worn by the public, including single-use disposable varieties as well as reusable masks. The masks were made of various materials, including synthetic fibers like polyester and natural fibers, such as cotton.9

Every mask contained titanium dioxide particles in at least one layer, although they weren’t found in cotton fibers or meltblown nonwoven fabrics. Generally, the amount of titanium dioxide particles in nonwoven fabrics was lower — by a factor of 10 — than in polyester and polyamide fibers. Further, all of the masks except one contained TiO2 nanoparticles, which present an elevated inhalation hazard.

Nanosized particles are typically described as being less than 100 nanometers (nm). The median size of the titanium dioxide particles in the masks ranged from 89 to 184 nm.10 Based on a model in which face masks are “worn intensively,” the study found that exposure to titanium dioxide “systematically exceeded the acceptable exposure level to TiO2 by inhalation (3.6 µg).”

On Twitter, Federico Andres Lois shared, “The best (lowest contamination) has more than 5 times the acceptable limit. Ohh and by the way, you are forcing your kid to breathing through it.”11 This, the researchers concluded, calls for in-depth research to avoid adverse effects:12

“[T]hese results urge for in depth research of (nano)technology applications in textiles to avoid possible future consequences caused by a poorly regulated use and to implement regulatory standards phasing out or limiting the amount of TiO2 particles, following the safe-by-design principle.”

The potential consequences of breathing in carcinogenic particles from face masks worn during the COVID-19 pandemic won’t be known for years, but red flags have been raised from the beginning that face mask usage has consequences, with no meaningful benefit.

Dr. Zacharias Fögen conducted a study to find out whether mandatory mask use influenced the COVID-19 case fatality rate in Kansas from August 1 to October 15, 2020.13 He chose the state of Kansas because, while it issued a mask mandate, counties were allowed to either opt in or out of it.

His analysis revealed that counties with a mask mandate had significantly higher case fatality rates than counties without a mask mandate. “These findings suggest that mask use might pose a yet unknown threat to the user instead of protecting them, making mask mandates a debatable epidemiologic intervention,” he concluded.

That threat, he explained, may be something called the “Foegen effect” — the idea that deep reinhalation of droplets and virions caught on facemasks might make COVID-19 infection more likely or more severe.

Fögen explained that wearing masks could end up increasing your overall viral load, because instead of exhaling virions from your respiratory tract and ridding your body of them, those virions are caught in the mask and returned. This might also have the effect of increasing the number of virions that pass through the mask, such that it becomes more than the number that would have been shed without a mask. According to Fögen:14

“The fundamentals of this effect are easily demonstrated when wearing a facemask and glasses at the same time by pulling the upper edge of the mask over the lower edge of the glasses. Droplets appear on the mask when breathing out and disappear when breathing in.

In the ‘Foegen effect,’ the virions spread (because of their smaller size) deeper into the respiratory tract. They bypass the bronchi and are inhaled deep into the alveoli, where they can cause pneumonia instead of bronchitis, which would be typical of a virus infection.

Furthermore, these virions bypass the multilayer squamous epithelial wall that they cannot pass into in vitro and most likely cannot pass into in vivo. Therefore, the only probable way for the virions to enter the blood vessels is through the alveoli.”

A 2021 report focused on health, safety and well-being of face mask usage15 further noted potential permanent physical damage to the lungs caused by fibrosis from inhalation of fibrous nanoparticles.

“There are real and significant dangers of respiratory infection, oral health deterioration and of lung injury, such as pneumothorax, owing to moisture build-up and also exposure to potentially harmful levels of an asphyxiant gas (carbon dioxide [CO2]) which can cause serious injury to health,” the authors explained.16

The physical repercussions are only one aspect to consider, as the psychological consequences of mask mandates are also severe. The journal Pediatrics recently highlighted the burden felt by parents, clinicians and patients in pediatric cancer wards when they were forced to wear masks.17

Hidden by face masks, clinicians felt powerless to display empathy and compassion during the most difficult conversations with their patients and their families. Wrote one clinician, who had to deliver devastating health news about the child of a friend:18

“My mask covered my expression. Perhaps the only way she could have known just how devastated I was to learn of this news was by the tears welling up in my eyes. My natural response was to wrap my arms around my friend and tell her everything would be okay. ‘I will help you, I will fix her, I will do everything in my power to make this go away.’

But how do I show you when my words are muffled by the mask? How can I softly share my words of condolence when I am struggling to catch enough air myself through the 3 layers of fabric? How does anyone break this kind of awful news with personal protective gear creating a barrier between doctor and patient?”

The children were also affected, as they couldn’t see their parents’ faces during a time when they needed them most. Wrote one parent:19

“When a policy change mandated that parents be masked 24/7 while in the hospital, my child was furious. She would rip the mask off my face and, if it was a paper mask, would pull off the strings so it could not be worn again. ‘I need to see my mommy’ she told me, along with ‘I need kisses to make me feel better and you can’t kiss me with a mask.’”

A 2021 psychology report20 also stated that masks are likely to be causing psychological harm to children and interfering with development.21 “The extent of psychological harm to young people is unknown,” the report stated, “due to the unique nature of the ‘social experiment’ currently underway in schools, and in wider society.”22

You may recall that countless public figures have been deplatformed by multiple social media and other online outlets for speaking out against the narrative, including the misguided notion that masks were useful for reducing COVID-19 cases.23 Indeed, it wasn’t long ago that even physicians who spoke out against mandatory masks were hunted down like a modern-day witch hunt.24

Now, it seems, YouTube has changed its tune, as it has updated its policies about what constitutes “misinformation.” Stating that “masks do not play a role in preventing the contraction or transmission of COVID-19,” or that “wearing a mask is dangerous or causes negative physical health effects,” was previously a violation of their policy,25 but this verbiage has since been removed from its examples of misinformation.

Other mask-related statements that have been removed from YouTube’s definition of misinformation include:26

• Claims that wearing a mask causes oxygen levels to drop to dangerous levels

• Claims that masks cause lung cancer or brain damage

• Claims that wearing a mask gives you COVID-19

Curiously, while YouTube no longer classifies “claims that COVID-19 vaccines are not effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 as misinformation,”27 “claims about COVID-19 vaccinations that contradict expert consensus from local health authorities or WHO” are still off limits.28

It’s also against YouTube’s guidelines to post “content alleging that vaccines cause chronic side effects” or “content claiming that vaccines do not reduce transmission or contraction of disease,”29 — the latter being a blatant contradiction to their COVID-19 vaccine terms.

So, while YouTube now allows you to say masks don’t work, you still can’t contradict WHO on vaccines. Little by little, however, the truth will emerge, as is already occurring with face masks and their carcinogenic contents.

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Disclaimer: The entire contents of this website are based upon the opinions of Dr. Mercola, unless otherwise noted. Individual articles are based upon the opinions of the respective author, who retains copyright as marked.

The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of knowledge and information from the research and experience of Dr. Mercola and his community. Dr. Mercola encourages you to make your own health care decisions based upon your research and in partnership with a qualified health care professional. The subscription fee being requested is for access to the articles and information posted on this site, and is not being paid for any individual medical advice.

If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your health care professional before using products based on this content.

• Some of the most effective ways to relieve the immediate discomfort associated with hemorrhoids include using a sitz bath, applying cool witch hazel or an Epsom and glycerin compound, using ice packs and cold compresses, or applying pure aloe vera or coconut oil

• Hemorrhoids are swollen, bulging veins in the rectum or anus, often resulting from increased abdominal pressure such as during pregnancy, heavy lifting, chronic constipation, obesity or sitting on the toilet for long periods of time

• To reduce pain and discomfort, avoid using soaps or perfumed paper or wipes as they are irritating and drying; apple cider vinegar and tea tree oil may exacerbate symptoms, and resisting the urge to have a bowel movement may cause the stool to become more difficult to pass

• If the pain from hemorrhoids becomes difficult to manage, your physician may suggest one of several office treatments, including a rubber band ligation, sclerotherapy or infrared coagulation; each treatment has advantages and disadvantages to discuss with your physician

Although they aren’t life-threatening, hemorrhoids may be painful and affect your daily activities.1 They more often affect adults from 45 to 65 years old, but younger adults and children may experience them as well. While they are common in both women and men, women have an increased risk during pregnancy, due to the pressure of carrying the baby and straining during delivery.2

In one retrospective study3 using reimbursement claims data from 33,034 patients in Taiwan, researchers evaluated the relationship between hemorrhoids and the subsequent development of coronary heart disease. Over a 12-year follow-up, the researchers found those with hemorrhoids experienced a 127% higher risk of coronary heart disease compared to those without hemorrhoids.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases,4 it’s estimated half the people in the U.S. will have hemorrhoids by age 50. Aside from age and pregnancy, other risk factors for developing hemorrhoids include activities that increase your abdominal pressure, such as straining during a bowel movement, lifting heavy objects, obesity or sitting on the toilet for long periods of time.5 6

To understand how to prevent hemorrhoids and why these tips help alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with them, it’s helpful to know exactly what hemorrhoids are and how they are formed.

Inside the anus and lower rectum are veins. When those inside the wall of the rectum or anus become swollen or inflamed they are called internal hemorrhoids. You can’t usually see or feel these hemorrhoids, but if they become irritated from straining, you may experience bleeding.7

Hemorrhoids may also form under the skin around the anus, called external hemorrhoids.8 When these become irritated they cause itching or bleeding. In some cases, hemorrhoids may not cause symptoms or pain, and you won’t be aware you have them unless a physician does an internal examination. When symptoms do occur, you may experience:9 10

• Bright red blood after passing stool in the toilet or on toilet tissue

• An itchy bottom

• A lump outside the anus, which may need to be pushed back after passing stool

• Redness, soreness and swelling around the anus

• Pain or achiness while sitting around your anus

Hemorrhoids are similar to varicose veins in your legs. In other words, the veins bulge and swell, sometimes in response to added abdominal pressure. At other times, you may not be able to identify a cause.11 The swelling causes irritation to the wall of the veins, and the subsequent symptoms.12

When you are experiencing pain and discomfort from hemorrhoids, it’s likely you’ll want relief as quickly as possible. In some cases, your relief may be as close as your kitchen cabinet.

• Use a bidet — Since hemorrhoids are irritated veins, using a bidet is an effective, less irritating and low-cost way to clean your backside after a bowel movement. If you don’t have one installed at home now, there are several do-it-yourself kits that make installing one on your current toilet safe and simple.

• Soften your stool — Since hemorrhoids are aggravated by straining during a bowel movement, it’s important to keep your stool soft. An important strategy is eating enough dietary fiber. Fiber comes in two types: soluble, which easily dissolves in water, and insoluble, which doesn’t dissolve but stays intact as it moves through your colon.

  Both are important for digestion. I believe 50 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories is ideal to maintain optimal health, but most Americans don’t get nearly this much.13

  Taking an organic psyllium dietary fiber supplement daily, which contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, may assist in softening your stool and has benefits for your cardiovascular system, weight control and blood sugar support.

• Stay hydrated — Constipation results in hard dry stool that is difficult to pass and irritates your rectum. One of the more common causes is dehydration. Staying hydrated is a key component of optimal health and, according to a Harvard study,14 54.5% of children and adolescents are chronically dehydrated. This has repercussions for health and academic performance.

  Urine concentration and color is one of the best ways to track your individual hydration status from day to day. Ideally you want to drink enough pure, filtered water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow. This may mean drinking more, or less, than the often-repeated eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day, giving your body enough fluid to properly form stool and detoxify waste products.

• Try a potty stool — If you live in the U.S., it’s likely you haven’t put much thought into the best position to be in while having a bowel movement. However, sitting on a toilet is not the best position and may contribute to difficulty defecating, leading to hemorrhoids and other problems such as urologic disorders, rectal prolapse and anal fissures.15

• Squatting places your digestive system in an anatomically correct position to improve elimination and reduce constipation. Squatting on top of the toilet requires strength, flexibility and balance. Another option is to use a simple footstool to help get into a squatting position.

• Limit your time on the toilet — Sitting on the toilet for long periods of time places additional pressure on hemorrhoids, increasing irritation to the veins and, therefore, your symptoms. Limit your time on the toilet to only what is needed to complete your bowel movement.

• Apply cool witch hazel — While there isn’t scientific evidence for use, witch hazel has been a home treatment of choice for decades. The Cleveland Clinic16reports it contains tannins and oils that may help bring down inflammation and some say it tightens the skin as a natural anti-inflammatory.17

  Natural witch hazel is an astringent that helps the tissue shrink and has antioxidant properties, according to one study.18 It helps to reduce pain, itching and bleeding until the hemorrhoids fade, but provides only symptom relief and cannot speed healing.

  Some find greater relief when the witch hazel is cooled in the refrigerator. Do not dilute witch hazel with alcohol as this may dry and irritate the tissue. Add a small amount to a cotton swab and dab the witch hazel on the hemorrhoid.

• Aloe vera — Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory properties and some over-the-counter hemorrhoid creams and pads are impregnated with aloe vera to help soothe the inflammation of the engorged veins.

  The Cleveland Clinic19 reports there is no current research available for its use with hemorrhoids, but aloe vera has demonstrated benefit for other inflammatory skin conditions, and they recommend trying it, provided it’s pure aloe and not used in a cream or pad with other ingredients.20

• Epsom and glycerin — This home treatment may help painful hemorrhoids and is simple to compound at home.21 Mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts with 2 tablespoons of glycerin. Place on a gauze pad over the painful area and leave it in place for up to 20 minutes. Repeat every four to six hours until the pain eases.

• Coconut Oil — This natural moisturizer also has anti-inflammatory properties. Applying coconut oil may help reduce irritation and swelling and may help reduce your urge to scratch.22

• Ice packs — Ice packs and cold compresses may help combat the pain, inflammation and swelling. Do not apply ice cubes directly to the skin; first wrap them in a small towel to prevent skin damage. Leave them in place for about 15 minutes and continue to use them every one or two hours until the pain subsides.

• Loose fitting clothing — You may support healing by wearing loose-fitting clothes that don’t rub the area. It helps to prevent the hemorrhoids from becoming irritated by excess sweat and reduces symptoms.

The word sitz comes from the German verb “sitzen” mean which means “to sit.”23 A sitz bath was also called a hip bath and is a type of soaking done to include only the hips and buttocks. The purpose was to speed healing for patients who had undergone rectal surgery, or experienced hemorrhoids, uterine cramps or prostate infections.24

Warm sitz baths are one of the easiest and effective ways to reduce the pain of hemorrhoids. They are a European tradition in which only the pelvis and abdominal area are submerged in water. Others have used a cool sitz bath to help reduce constipation or tone the muscles of the bladder or bowel.25

On some occasions, you may feel dizzy when getting up from a hot sitz bath, but when using them for hemorrhoids, the water should be warm and not hot. A sitz bath may help relieve the itching, irritation and spasms of the sphincter muscle occurring with pain from hemorrhoids.

Small plastic portable tubs that fit over the toilet seat may be used, or you may use a regular bathtub with a few inches of warm water. Many experts recommend a 20-minute bath after each bowel movement, in addition to another two or three during the day to relieve hemorrhoids.26

Afterward, gently pat the area dry. Do not rub as it irritates the hemorrhoid. Alternatively, you may want to use the cool air from a hair dryer to dry the area. Soaking in mild temperature water helps to speed the healing process by boosting blood supply. It doesn’t cure the condition, but it will help reduce irritation.

Refrain from adding shower gel, bubble bath or soap products to the water, as it can cause irritation. However, epsom salts in a sitz bath is soothing to the skin and helps reduce irritation and symptoms.

In addition to the methods of reducing pain listed above, there are a few things you should avoid doing as they increase your symptoms and discomfort. As mentioned above, steer clear of using any soap products on the area as it dries the skin and increases the risk of bleeding.

Additionally, commercial baby wipes and perfumed toilet paper are irritating and may increase itching and pain. While some have considered using apple cider vinegar, the Cleveland Clinic27 recommends avoiding this as it may burn irritated skin and exacerbate problems over time.

Since there are several other natural strategies to reduce symptoms, it’s wise to steer clear of apple cider vinegar. Tea tree oil is another antiseptic and anti-inflammatory essential oil some recommend to decrease symptoms. However, as this strategy hasn’t been well studied, experts recommend avoiding it.28

Do not wait to have a bowel movement.29 When you prolong the urge to defecate there’s a tendency the stool will become harder and more difficult to pass. This increases pressure, straining and the symptoms of hemorrhoids. Instead, consider setting up a schedule to help establish regular bowel habits. When your hemorrhoids are inflamed and irritated, it’s best to avoid blood thinning medications, such as aspirin, if it all possible, as they increase the risk of bleeding.30

There are several types of nonsurgical treatments your physician may use to get rid of hemorrhoids. Before undergoing any of them, discuss the pros and cons of each with your physician and be sure you are comfortable with your decision.

One of my favorite preventives is the use of the polyphenolic bioflavanoid rutin which is a more potent derivative of quercetin. It works to heal hemorrhoids naturally by stabilizing and tightening the walls of blood vessels.

• Rubber band ligation — This procedure is used in the doctor’s office to treat prolapsing or bleeding internal hemorrhoids.31 During the procedure, a specialized rubber band is placed at the base of the hemorrhoid, which cuts off the blood supply. Within a week, the banded area shrivels and falls off, leaving scar tissue.

  While this procedure has the lowest risk of recurrence, it is not suitable for those using anticoagulant medications or who have a bleeding disorder.32 It may also lead to increased bleeding, pain and blood clots or infections. If you have several hemorrhoids, the procedure will need to be repeated. Specialized equipment is used, and the physician will monitor your condition; you should never attempt to do this at home.33

• Infrared coagulation — This procedure may be used to address small hemorrhoids. The physician will use a tool that directs infrared light.34 The heat causes scar tissue to form, which eliminates the blood supply and usually shrinks the hemorrhoid. A local anesthetic will be used to reduce your discomfort. With multiple hemorrhoids, you may require multiple treatments. The recovery period takes several days and care must be taken to reduce constipation and straining to prevent reopening the scar.

• •Sclerotherapy — During this procedure the physician injects a solution directly into the hemorrhoid, triggering a local reaction and ultimately shrinking the hemorrhoid. The procedure is effective and safe for those with cirrhosis who have bleeding hemorrhoids, and is preferred over banding in this case.35

  Despite treatment, there’s a risk the hemorrhoids will return after a few years and some experts believe this procedure to be less effective than a rubber band ligation.36

In most cases, you’ll be able to treat the symptoms of hemorrhoids at home using home remedies. However, you should seek medical care immediately if you experience severe anal pain and bleeding that may or may not be associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea or fever.37

Hemorrhoids may also progress to the point where they become thrombosed. In this situation the hemorrhoid is pushed outside of the anus and is filled with blood clots. This makes everyday activities exceedingly uncomfortable.

The symptoms are similar to hemorrhoids, but the pain and itching will increase, as will the swelling around the anus. Thrombosed hemorrhoids may also become infected and can lead to an abscess, which causes additional symptoms such as fever.38

Acutely thrombosed external hemorrhoids may require additional treatment from your physician. In some cases, they will resolve on their own, but in others it may require surgical intervention, especially if they become strangulated and the tissue begins to die (necrosis).39

The severity of the pain is most intense within the first 48 hours and will usually gradually resolve. As a result, surgical removal is usually offered with severe pain within the first 48 hours, and then only if the hemorrhoid progresses to strangulation and necrosis.40

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