The WHO has a Scary 20-Year Prediction for Montana and Health

Cold and flu season is upon us. Or should I say Cold, flu and COVID season is upon us? So far this season we have had our fair share of battles with the "crud." It seems to spread through Montana communities like a grass fire. Once the first cases start getting reported, new cases begin to pop up daily. Since the kids went back to school in the Fall of 2023, I have had at least one battle with each of the top three seasonal viruses.

Having had COVID-19 multiple times since the beginning of the pandemic, it is sometimes hard to tell if my symptoms are COVID or simply the flu. Without testing, people like myself can easily say "Oh, it is just a cold," and continue with my day. Some people have become almost immune to COVID-19 since having contracted the virus multiple times or from vaccination. However, they still can carry the virus and spread it to their communities.

With Montana having that "pick yourself up by your bootstraps" mentality towards work and adult responsibilities, many people with COVID are not staying home when they get sick. Meaning they are spreading the virus to others who may be more susceptible to more extreme cases of infection.

The World Health Organization has released some scary predictions for how things are going to look 20 years from now.

According to Irish Star/MSN

“We don’t necessarily know how often we’re getting infected,” Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonoses unit, said at a news briefing.

“Five years, 10 years, 20 years from now, what are we going to see in terms of cardiac impairment, pulmonary impairment, neurologic impairment? It’s year five in the pandemic, but there’s still a lot we don’t know about it.”

I have reached that age where I blame every health condition I have on my age. Back hurts? "Oh, I guess I'm just old." Eyesight going out slightly? "Time for some glasses Grandpa." But, has anyone noticed that they have had issues with breathing or even heart-related issues since they first battled COVID-19? Not much we can do now, other than wait and see how it all develops.