Professor of infectious diseases speaks to Rotary

BROKEN BOW - Dr. Anthony Fehr, Assistant Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Kansas was the guest speaker at the Dec. 2 Rotary meeting in Broken Bow. Speaking via ZOOM, Dr. Fehr gave an overview of the history of the coronavirus and COVID-19 since Dec., 2019, how the virus affects the human body, testing and therapies.

Fehr also discussed the science of the vaccines that have been developed and continue to be developed. The vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna are said to be 90 percent or more effective. In comparison, Fehr said, “The typical flu vaccine is low, 40 to 50 percent, upwards to 70 to 80 percent.”

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the first of their kind, Fehr explained, using mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid, or messeger RNA). mRNA carries the genetic code to produce proteins which fights the coronavirus. “No mRNA vaccine has ever been approved before,” Fehr said. “This is really a 21st century development.”

Fehr said side effects of the vaccine are said to be headache, body aches and fever, all of which disappeared in a day or two during testing.

Fehr said the primary effect of the coronavirus is respiratory, resulting in cold-like symptoms, cough, fever and pneumonia. It also can target other systems such as cardiac, gastrointestinal, urinary (kidney failure) and neurological (loss of taste an smell).

As to why some people get sick and others don’t?

“We’re all very different,” Fehr said. Factors also include the virus dose, underlying health conditions, age, diet and genetics. To his knowledge, Fehr said blood type doesn’t play a role.

The goal of every virus, Fehr explained, is to get into a human cell and replicate, then find a new host.

“This is the most highly contagious virus I’ve seen, except for maybe the measles,” he said. “Liquid droplets from coughing, sneezing and talking are the main route of spread. Undoubtedly, masks are very effective at reducing the spread.”