Masks, boxing gloves, bicycles, ropes, first floor apartments. Public health style.

I asked  the Utah Public Health if any deaths from other maladies were being tracked, and as of mid April  2020, the speaker for Utah Public Health answer was no, only records were kept for the China Virus also styled the  Covid 19, corona virus. The report from www.coronavirus.utah.gov  notes that total Utah deaths which include Coid-19 are 723. What do we make of  this?  See https://coronavirus.utah.gov/case-counts/  as of November 17, 2020.

            We can compare  deaths from the China Virus after ten months of the mask and 6 foot distancing, to previous the Utah death statistics.

The National Vital Statistics Reports Volume 66, Number 6, November 27, 2017, from the Center for Disease Control recorded that in 2015, Utah had 17,334 deaths from all causes. The specific maladies were listed with the deaths as follows. Malignant neoplasms 3,081 deaths.  Heart disease 3,598, Accidents  drownings suffocation firearm  falls 1,223. Motor vehicle 282 deaths. Accidental poisons and exposure to noxious substance 465 deaths, Intentional self harm suicide 630. Assault homicide murder 60. Infant deaths 257.  These account for about ninety six hundred of the seventeen thousand deaths. The previous list is broken out by malady and by state for Utah.

 The following list are estimates from national rates, not specifically broken out for Utah rates. The other eight thousand  deaths include diabetes about 500, Obesity about 40, viral hepatitis about 40, septicemia about 200, Parkinsons about 120, hypertension about 160, cerebrovascular disease (stroke) about 800, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis about 200, nephritis nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis (kidney) about 280, congenital malformations  about 80, Alzheimers about 1,000, Atherosclerosis about 30, cholelithiasis disorder of gall bladder about 20, drug induced deaths (over dose) about 320, alcohol induced deaths (drunken binge) about 160, influenza and pneumonia about 360, chronic lower respiratory disease about 960, Pneumonitis due to solids and liquids about 120, symptoms abnormal findings not elsewhere classified about 200.  HIV human immunodeficiency virus disease has about 40 deaths. These deaths total about 5,200.

 The two lists of mal-adies still leaves twen-ty five hun-dred deaths without a cause or malady, which implies old age or broken hearts.

Malignant neoplasms include lip, pharynx, oral cavity, esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, anus, liver and intrahepatic bile ducts, pancreas, trachea, bronchus, lung, skin, breast, cervix uteri, ovary, prostate, kidney, renal pelvis, bladder, brain, meninges, central nervous system, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, myeloma, immunoproliferative neoplasm, and leukemia.  The report can be found at

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr66/nvsr66_06.pdf

We are told Utahns, by quarantining, have saved tens of thousands of lives by wearing masks, keeping 6 feet from strangers, avoiding meetings on Sunday, shutting down the University of Utah football games, closing restaurants with indoor seating.   The lives saved have provided a wealth of  knowledge of how to save lives.

            Public health can save many more lives. For instance.

            If we wear Boxing Gloves,  like we wear masks, we can save 630 lives  a year in Utah. This is  the number who inflict self harm, who commit suicide.   Or, at least,  make wearing boxing gloves on those at greater risk of suicide, such as anyone who has attempted it before, teen agers, diagnosed with depression, and similar problems.

            If we  stop sex and blood transfusions,   we can save 40 Utah  lives lost to HIV. The disease is passed in blood and bodily fluids.

            If we ride bicycles, and ban cars and trucks, we can save 282 Utah lives a year, Make everyone use the bicycle or walk.  They would be healthier for it, and avoid vehicle deaths.

            If  we stop smoking, we can save half  of Malignant neoplasms, about 1500 deaths, and can save half of Heart disease, about 1800  deaths.  Both are directly related to tobacco use.  Stop all cigarettes, pipe, cigar, and chewing. Make stores stop selling tobacco. Stop chewing it, stop dipping it, stop smoking it, stop licking, stop drooling, stop breathing it.  Have makers liable for all health costs, but that does not resurrect anyone who dies from the product.

            We can save many lives lost to accidents by drownings, suffocation, firearm,  falls, which total about 1,223 deaths. 

Cut chairs, ladders, steps, to one step.  Falls are a fourth of the deaths,  about 300, so lower anything from which one can fall.  If people can climb out a window, don’t let anyone live above the first floor.    

Sink boats,  and fill in swimming pools to a depth of  24 inches.  Drownings are about 20 deaths a year and this can be controlled.  

Poke holes in all plastic bags.   Accidental hanging, strangulation and suffocation is about 40 deaths a year, so require bags to have breathable holes. 

Cut ropes into 18 inches,   to prevent  accidental hanging.  That should keep things more safe. Reportedly Robin Williams  and Jeffrey Epstein both hung themselves. Epstein used a necktie.  Shoe strings are usually confiscated from prisoners to avoid their use for dangerous purposes.

Bring back bow ties, not neck ties, to prevent accidental hanging.  

Accidental exposure to smoke fire and flames kill about 20  a year, so ban matches, incense, fireplaces, and any such which would create smoke.  

            We can save lives lost to chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, about 200, drug induced deaths (over dose) 320, alcohol induced deaths (drunken binge and alcohol poisoning) 160, by bringing back prohibition.  No wine, no beer, no spirits, no whisky, no ale.  That is 680 lives, about the same as those lost to the China Virus.

            Conclusion, Utah  can save ten times the number of lives lost to China virus, based on the 6,535 who died in 2015.  By these simple, low or no cost actions, lives can be saved.   Let’s go for it Utah.

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