Weekly Health Quiz: Pathogens, Molecules and Infections

1 Which of the following groups are at greatest risk for both vitamin D deficiency and severe COVID-19 infection and death?

• Caucasians
• The elderly
• Both the elderly and people of color

  The elderly and people of color are the two groups that are at greatest risk for both vitamin D deficiency and severe COVID-19 infection and death. Compelling research shows vitamin D deficiency is driving COVID-19 mortality, so helping these populations optimize their vitamin D levels may prevent tens of thousands of deaths should a second wave of COVID-19 emerge. Learn more.

• People of color

2 What is the most problematic hurdle facing COVID-19 vaccine developers?

• Pain caused by the quantum dot delivery method
• Low profit projections
• Complicated vaccine delivery
• Paradoxical immune enhancement

  The most hazardous hurdle for any COVID-19 vaccine is the potential for paradoxical immune enhancement. Past attempts at creating coronavirus vaccines have failed, as both animal and human subjects would develop robust antibody responses but then become gravely ill when exposed to the wild virus. In some animal studies, all the animals died upon exposure to the wild virus. Learn more.

3 Which of the following publications was recently caught altering an article about the origin of SARS-CoV-2, from presenting evidence the virus was lab-created, to dismissing that evidence as conspiracy and rumor?

• Forbes

  Forbes' June 7, 2020, article on a Norwegian report that claims to present proof that SARS-CoV-2 is a laboratory creation was almost immediately altered to reflect the opposing view. Learn more.

• The Wall Street Journal
• The New York Times
• The HuffPost

4 According to recent research, what percentage of the population may be resistant or have prior immunity to SARS-CoV-2 on the T-cell level?

• 0-5%
• 10-15%
• 40-60%

  Evidence for resistance to SARS-CoV-2 is emerging. One recent study found 40% to 60% of people who had not been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 still had resistance to the virus on the T-cell level. According to the authors, this suggests there's cross-reactive T cell recognition between circulating 'common cold' coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2. Learn more.

• 90-95%

5 Exposure to which pathogen appears to also provide resistance against SARS-CoV-2?

• Measles virus
• Betacoronaviruses OC43 and HKU1

  If you've beat a common cold caused by a OC43 or HKU1 betacoronavirus in the past, you may have a 50/50 chance of having defensive T-cells that can recognize and help defend against SARS-CoV-2. Learn more.

• Mumps virus
• HIV virus

6 Which of the following hospitals — accused by one nurse of providing Third-World level medical care — is the epicenter of the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.?

• NYU Langone Hospital, New York, New York
• Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Elmhurst Hospital Center, Queens, New York

  In a heavily censored video interview, nurse Erin Olszewski reveals the horrific maltreatment of COVID-19 patients at Elmhurst Hospital Center, the public hospital in Queens, New York, that is "the epicenter of the epicenter" of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. Learn more.

• OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio

7 Which is the smallest molecule in the universe?

• Oxygen
• Helium
• Water
• Hydrogen

  The hydrogen molecule is the smallest in the universe, which allows it to diffuse through all cell membranes, including the blood-brain barrier and subcellular compartments, such as the mitochondria. It also has no charge or polarity. All of this gives it superior bioavailability. Learn more.