“Playing Better Defense”-- Against COVID-19

Some have called planet Earth the “Blue Jewel” because of the way in which its lovely blue and white appearance from outer space sparkles in the midst of the blackness all around it.  Although there is some disagreement about how it occurred, planet Earth appears to be perfectly suited to support life as we know it.  The anthropic principle maintains that if Earth did not have its precise combination of physical, chemical, magnetic, and cosmic relationships, life as we know it could not exist.

In spite of its amazing, life-supporting, “Blue Jewel” status, planet Earth is also a very dangerous place to live.  Human mortality rate in the long haul is 100%.  Everyone eventually dies.  Each of us have known family members or friends whose lives were seemingly “prematurely” ended.  Pathogens like COVID-19 very often do not directly cause death but instead add stress to the body, mind, and spirit of those who are “at-risk” due to age, genetic, or health reasons.  Because of this, “cause of death” is often difficult to assign to one factor.

Thankfully, there is much more good news for us than bad during these uncertain days of the pandemic.  For people who understand the more enduring principles of human life, there is a good alternative to succumbing to confusion, worry, and fear of “the virus.”  The alternative is to “play better defense.”  We need to ask ourselves, “Are we ‘playing the best defense we can play’ against the COVID-19 threat?”

To me, “playing the best defense” begins with the understanding that our bodies are the amazing result of intelligent design.  According to the Bible, Jehovah God is the Intelligent Designer (See Creation’s Complexity Can Be Convicting).  God gave the first humans the moral authority to exercise dominion and stewardship over creation (Genesis 1: 27-28; 2: 15).  God’s assignment to Adam (Genesis 2: 16-20) is still ours.  Like Adam, we accomplish stewardship through the obedient exercise of our God-given gifts of reasoning, inquiry, and creativity.  This principle of stewardship features a complementary relationship, or con-service, between God’s creating and sustaining role and our responsible role as wise managers of what belongs to God, including our bodies (See Fundamentals of Conservation, Part 3 "Serving with Our Neighbor)."

Stewardship of Our Bodies
In the context of our stewardship of creation and our own health, let’s examine the basis for “playing the best defense” against the COVID-19 threat.  “Health” in its broad definition is best maintained through wise stewardship of the physical environment of Earth.  Then, within a healthy environment we enhance our own personal health by maintaining our daily rhythms of work and rest, eating of nutritious foods, and recreation through activities that promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being.  God’s part in this design and plan is evident when we consider three types of defense against viruses and other pathogens.  We’ll classify these as innate immunity, acquired (adaptive) immunity, and “spiritual defenses.”  All three categories function interdependently but we will consider each separately.  My discussion of these will be brief and certainly open to correction by readers who have much more knowledge of human anatomy and physiology, psychology, and theology than I.

Innate Immunity
Innate immunity is generally associated with physical barriers (e.g. skin, body openings and tracts into the interior of the body) and secretions (e.g. mucous, saliva, tears, sweat, oil, wax, and gastric acid) that provide protection both exterior and within passageways and internal organs of our bodies.

Our skin is an organ composed of three layers of tissue and provides the principal physical barrier against pathogens.  The epidermis provides the outer protective layer and determines skin color.  Beneath the epidermis is the dermis which contains sweat glands for evaporative cooling, oil glands for waterproofing, and hair follicles.  Finally, subcutaneous tissue consists of fat, connective tissue, and blood vessels.  Our part in maintaining our health is to keep our skin clean and to protect it from excessive dryness, burning, cuts and abrasions.  And, we must see that our skin is medically treated when it is damaged. 

Our skin covering is interrupted by specialized openings for visual, auditory, respiratory, digestive, and reproductive functions—i.e. eyes, mouth, nasal passage, ear canal, anus, and genitals.  Each of these openings have complex mechanisms to protect our bodies from entry of debris and pathogens.  For example, our nasal passages contain nasal hairs which collect dust particles and control moisture.  Our respiratory tract is lined with ciliated epithelium which physically directs particles away from our lungs.  In addition to its function in physical and enzymatic digestion of food, our saliva contains both antibacterial and antiviral agents, and promotes wound healing.  Our eyes produce secretions that have antiseptic and antibiotic properties.  For more details on the human eye, see “Tears for Good Reasons—At Least for Now.”  

Our innate immune system also includes various types of blood cells, including large white blood cells (lymphocytes) known as macrophages.  These cells circulate in the blood and “ingest” viruses, bacteria, worn out body cells, debris, and inflamed body cells that could go rogue and cause cancer.  Macrophages also secrete small protein molecules called cytokines which facilitate the entry of lymphocytes known as “natural killer cells” (NK cells) into tumor cells and viral infected cells, thus facilitating destruction. 

Unfortunately, when our innate immune system is compromised due to age or poor health, it may overreact to Coronavirus invasion, causing a so-called cytokine storm.  COVID-19 deaths often result when the virus causes a cytokine storm leading to widespread attacks by NK cells that inflame the respiratory system.  Again, as with our skin, it is our stewardship responsibility to maintain each of these components if we wish to “play a better external defense” against disease.

Innate Immunity and Masks
Masks or respirators with varying degrees of sophistication have been used for many years in a variety of settings to prevent entry of dust, pollen, pathogens, or toxic aerosols and gases.  There have been confusing signals from the Coronavirus Task Team and a general lack of clear evidence that wearing masks is effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19.  (See “COVID-19 Transmission – “Unmasking” Science.”

According to a WHO Guidance Report, “…the use of a medical mask can prevent the spread of infectious droplets from an infected person to someone else and potential contamination of the environment by these droplets.”  However, according to a Nature Medicine report, “surgical masks can efficaciously reduce the emission of influenza virus particles into the environment in respiratory droplets, but not in aerosols.”  The report also stated that “Among the samples collected without a face mask, we found that the majority of participants with influenza virus and coronavirus infection did not shed detectable virus in respiratory droplets or aerosols…” An updated WHO Report this month (July) calls for further studies on “what role aerosols might play in transmission.”

Our brief summary of innate immune defenses ought to impress upon you just how complicated, overlapping, and potentially effective these defenses are.  While there is much attention and controversy focused on the social implications of wearing a mask and social distancing, let us not forget our individual stewardship responsibility to maintain our innate immune system through proper hygiene, nutrition, rest, and outdoor exposures.   The same principle applies to our acquired or adaptive immune system.

VIDEO CLIPS:
Nutrition and Your Immune System

How Coronavirus Confuses the Immune System

Acquired Immunity
Our acquired immune system is fully integrated with our innate immunity, especially since both systems rely on lymphocytes within the bloodstream.  But while all of us are born with the components of the innate immune system, lymphocytes of the acquired immune system are designed to respond in specific ways towart specific pathogen we encounter during our life.  The response involves white blood cells known as B Cells and T-cells.  The B Cells secrete antibodies when triggered by the presence of an antigen, a foreign protein of a pathogen; whereas, T cells produce and “wear” antibodies on their surfaces to bind the antigens of pathogens.   

If we are exposed to Coronavirus, a healthy defense response would involve production of antibodies that should be able to defeat the virus.  The hope is that we can develop a vaccine which would contain a weakened form of the Coronavirus antigen(s) to trigger antibody production and thus “acquired immunity.” The Life Science website gives additional details on B and T cell immunity and how they relate to acquiring natural immunity and also, the chances of manufacturing an effective vaccine.

Our brief introduction to acquired immunity again reveals the importance of maintaining our health.  Among factors that can weaken our immune system are prolonged grief, stress, alcohol, and smoking.  Nutritional deficiencies include low vitamin D and insufficient intake of fruits and vegetables.  Lack of sleep, exercise, and exposure to the outdoors also weaken immunity.  The result of poor health habits are health conditions that weaken our immune system.  Besides aging, these include obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, respiratory condition, and cerebrovascular disease.  Given the high frequency of people who practice poor health habits and who experience emotional as well as physical problems, is it possible that our third and final type of defense against pathogens and disease has been underestimated?

“Spiritual Defense” against Disease
It is scientifically established that emotional stress weakens the human immune system and can lead to greater susceptibility to infections and disease.  According to a publication of the American Psychological Association, “Stress Weakens the Immune System.”  We have already discussed the role of a healthy spiritual life in helping us to “play a better defense” against viruses and other pathogens.  In the article, “Coronavirus Resistance: Biological and Spiritual,” we presented evidence from Scripture and from science to support the belief that a person of strong, practicing faith in God can find joy and peace emotionally and spiritually in place of fear, hopelessness, and despair.

COVID-19 Meets the Human Immune System
This article has outlined the amazing design and function of the human body’s defenses against pathogen infections.  We have only scratched the surface of subject of how the human immune system defends against viruses.  However, if our immune systems are as effective as they are claimed to be, then the proof should be in how well humans can resist infection, disease, and death from pathogens like COVID-19.   Let’s test this hypothesis against the current mortality and percentage of recovery from virus infection.

The data table represents total population in selected states, number of tests, positive tests, deaths, mortality, and percent recovery.  Of particular interest to demonstrate effectiveness of the human immune system against COVID-19 is the relatively small number of positive cases compared to the number of tests; the relatively small number of deaths compared to the number of positive cases; and, the relatively small percentage if infected people who died compared to the percent recovering.  In each of these pairings, the degree to which first number (or percentage) is smaller than the second is a testimony not only to our health care system and access to generally good nutrition, sanitation, and living conditions but also to a generally very effective immune system. 

In many states, especially where elderly people with COVID-19 were not moved into crowded nursing homes, percent recovery is up to 99%!  These data suggest that we have an amazing immune system which is largely effective in providing resistance to COVID-19 infection, and where infection does occur, effective in overcoming the infection and resulting in a high percentage of recovery.  The upshot is that our most certain and ultimate protection from COVID-19 resides in making good choices to maintain our health in body, mind, and spirit.

What Are Your Thoughts and Questions?
There are many “invitations” in this article for you to respond with your comments and questions.  I’m especially interested in what you are doing to maintain your nutritional and spiritual health. Please use the “Comment” link below.  Also, may I encourage you to “Subscribe to Oikonomia” by responding to my invitation in the right sidebar above?   Thank you!