What
is a syndemic?
A syndemic is the
sum of two or more concurrent or sequential
epidemics or disease outbreaks in a population
with biological interactions, which exacerbate
the prognosis and burden of disease. The term is
a neologism created by combining the words
synergy and epidemic, was coined by Merrill
Singer in the mid-1990s and developed in his
2009 book Introduction to syndemics.
COVID 19
COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an
infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2
virus.
Mortality rates in Italy (as of 17 March) and
China (as of 11 February) in 2020
Age |
Mortality in Italia (%) |
Mortality in China (%) |
0–9 |
0 |
0 |
10–19 |
0 |
0,2 |
20–29 |
0 |
0,2 |
30–39 |
0,3 |
0,2 |
40–49 |
0,4 |
0,4 |
50–59 |
1,0 |
1,3 |
60–69 |
3,5 |
3,6 |
70–79 |
12,8 |
8,0 |
80 o mayores |
20,2 |
14,8 |
We can see that mortality due to the virus
increases considerably after the age of 60.
Diseases of aging generally occur after the age
of 60. The
introduction page of this website enumerates
those diseases. These aging diseases will always
exist in the absence of prevention by the
health maintenance system in men and women.
The solution to avoid gridlock in the global
economy.
-
Recognize that populations over the age of
sixty constitute the bulk of the infectious
risk.
-
Advise these populations (and the
chronically ill under 60) to remain
quarantined at home.
-
Do not confine the population under 60 years
of age.
The elderly who are
treated to prevent the diseases of aging and
who, as a result, are generally not
immuno-compromised should not be quarantined.
Outdoor social distancing measures and the use
of masks are of concern to all.
Vaccination can
help.