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Summary
The Naturopathic Alliance has formed to disseminate quality information amongst the public and our profession. A summary of our concerns are as follows:
- We acknowledge the significant risk to public health and safety posed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
- We support the recommendations of public health experts and physicians to practice physical distancing and wear masks.
- We acknowledge the effects on mental health with distancing recommendations.
- We acknowledge the financial sacrifices required by stay-at-home measures and their impact on the economy.
- We acknowledge that the most vulnerable people before the spread of SARS-CoV-2 are the most vulnerable to infection and severity of disease.
- We honor essential workers, those who must live in close personal contact and those who lack access to PPE, and we understand they are overrepresented by Black, Latinx, Indigenous and poor communities.
- We are concerned with the ability of social media to amplify the most extreme voices by using “truth teller” tactics to gain fringe popularity. We discourage any regulated healthcare professional from using these tactics when engaging with their patients (or the public) as members of a health care profession.
- We feel that critical thinking and the careful evaluation of evidence is of the utmost importance and that together we all have a role to play in reducing the spread of malicious information that undermines the functioning of our society and communities.
- We are committed to provide and encourage sensible, accurate public health messaging and be a resource for vetted research while engaging in health promotion to improve patients’ resilience to infection.
Full Statement
We are an alliance of naturopathic physicians brought together by the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 crisis with a shared desire to disseminate quality information amongst the public and our profession. Given the importance of the current crisis and with a shared sense of responsibility as caregivers, even if many of us are not on the front lines of treating this disease, we felt it necessary to address some common concerns.
Our greatest concern is presenting information that is vital to our patients and their communities, within the bounds of what is currently known and understood about the virus. With the rise of social media, we have concerns about the quality of information so readily available to a largely non-medical audience.
Like all licensed healthcare providers, naturopathic physicians have a responsibility to both treat patients and promote effective health measures among the general public. Especially at this moment of crisis, when people are hypervigilant and distressed, we must carefully consider the accuracy of information we convey as well as the downstream effects of our communications. We therefore present some key pieces of information that are important to address:
To say that this virus is akin to influenza (the flu) is flatly incorrect. Compared to influenza, there are several factors making COVID-19 a more difficult virus to contend with:
- A longer incubation period when individuals may be asymptomatic means it is more difficult to track the novel coronavirus than the flu.
- The wide variety of organs affected and severity of damage to these tissues is causing a much higher mortality rate than deaths from the flu.
Transmission, physical distancing, wearing of masks:
- The incubation period is between 2-14 days. It is currently not known exactly how long an individual can be contagious, but early data suggests a 36-42 day window. The majority of transmissions are occurring through droplet and aerosol spread when an individual breathes, coughs or sneezes. Touching contaminated surfaces is another common method of spreading the virus.
- We fully support the recommendations of public health experts and physicians to
- “Social distance” or physical distance by at least 6-12 feet (when no breeze).
- Reduce the size of gatherings
- Wash hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds–or use at least 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your face
- We agree with the recommendation to wear masks that reduce the risk of spreading or contracting the virus.
- Given the lack of testing and threat of asymptomatic spread, we do not know who is currently spreading the virus, which is why wearing masks on a community level protects everyone.
- More robustly-filtering masks such as N95 are in short supply and currently should continue to be prioritized for healthcare providers, but even a well-designed cloth mask with filters will help stop the spread of the virus.
- We acknowledge the staggering negative effects of distancing on the economy during this time. To ignore the financial implication to the individual, business owners, and the community as a whole would be myopic. Knowing that families are struggling emotionally and financially is a very challenging component of the topic of reopening. Weighing the health safety of those in our community with financial hardships and emotional wellbeing is a difficult task for any society.
- Little is known about the long-term complications of infection, although diminished lung function from pneumonia and resulting permanent pulmonary fibrosis has been noted. Damage to the liver, kidney, and heart, as well as blood clots and strokes all occur in COVID and may have lasting effects.
- Although the mortality is higher among all groups except the very young, the people most at risk are over 50 and/or people with pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cancer and BMI greater than 40. Together, these comprise an estimated >50% of Americans.
Social justice:
- Current statistics show the most vulnerable in society before the spread of SARS-CoV-2 are the most vulnerable to infection and severity of disease. This includes Black and Latinx communities, Indigenous communities, undocumented immigrants and the 2.3 million incarcerated individuals in the U.S.
- Pre-existing conditions which predispose to morbidity and mortality from SARS-CoV-2 include cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease – these same conditions occur disproportionately in people who lack access to preventive care and chronic disease treatment, financial resources and communities of color.
- Likewise, “essential workers” with close personal contact and lack of PPE are overrepresented by Black, Latinx and poor communities.
- Indigenous communities are already resource-depleted, experiencing lack of running water, poor access to food, scarce PPE, under-resourced clinics, few hospitals, and even fewer ventilators.
- Racial bias in healthcare has decreased quality of care and trust in healthcare providers and the medical system. Deeply flawed critiques of social determinants to health and the origins of the virus have emboldened racist behaviors and perpetuated problematic and false narratives about people disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Malign influence:
- There are so many unknowns about this new coronavirus and we believe that is one reason there has been so much speculation and frankly, grasping at straws to make sense of this pandemic.
- The concept of being “woke” or knowing the “truth” may be tactics to gain fringe popularity. We discourage any regulated healthcare professional from using these tactics when engaging with their patients or the public as members of a health care profession.
- Western intelligence agencies and organizations that monitor malicious internet activity have studied patterns of spread through social media and have determined that there are bots designed to inflame fears about various topics by promoting and amplifying false claims through social media. Facebook & Twitter amplify the most extreme voices and can foster conspiracy theories and misinformation.
- The intent of these hostile governments is to weaken our trust in our institutions and one another. This makes critical thinking and the careful evaluation of evidence ever more important. Together we all have a role to play in reducing the spread of malicious information that undermines the functioning of our society and communities.
Conclusion
Although there is so much more we need to learn about the virus, we know that the healthier a person is, the better chance one has of avoiding severe complications from infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our training and job as naturopathic physicians is to help improve the body’s innate strengths–that is our profession’s common area of expertise and around which our primary role in the current crisis revolves.
We the undersigned are committed to provide and encourage sensible, accurate public health messaging and be a resource for vetted research while engaging in health promotion to improve patients’ resilience to infection. The expectation of professional accountability is of the utmost importance as our collective knowledge about the situation is evolving on a daily basis. Our solutions aim to work for everyone, in as equitable a way as we can find. We hope that we all do our best to stay open, curious, work hard and recognize we are connected in facing this calamity.
Action you can take:
Please share this statement with your networks (Facebook and Twitter), and consider showing your support by allowing us to add your name to the above list of signatories.
Join 211 other partcipants.
May 2020 Statement
Members of the Naturopathic Alliance:
- Sean Hesler, ND – Gilbert, AZ
- Amanda Lucero, ND – Salt Lake City, UT
- Dorian Richardson, ND – Gilbert, AZ
- Ginger Nash, ND – New Haven, CT
- Katie Schneller, ND – Chandler, AZ
- Juniper Martin, ND – Portland, OR
- Alex Del Duca, ND – Vancouver Island, BC
- Adriana Berusch Gerardino (ND student) – Tempe, AZ
- Jacquelyn Burrell (ND student) – San Diego, CA
- Kate Miyagi, ND – Salt Lake City, UT
- Natalie Scheeler (ND student) – Tempe, AZ
- Sarah Preston Hesler, ND – Gilbert, AZ
- Gaynel Nave, ND – Grand Rapids, MI
- Lauren Salisbury, ND, MSAc – Tempe, AZ
- Shemikah Colleton (ND student) – Tempe, AZ
- Lorna Ciccone, MBA, NBC-HWC (ND student) – San Diego, CA
- Scott Dainty, ND, MSc – Calgary, AB
- Orna Izakson, ND, RH (AHG), MA – Portland, OR
- Allison Apfelbaum, ND – Woodinville, WA
- Colleen Ambrose, ND, MAT – Seattle, WA
- Laurie Menk Otto, ND, PMH – Portland, OR
- Brian Carrell (ND student) – Kenmore, WA
- Cindy Beernink, ND – Toronto, ON
211 Griffin McMath ND 210 Paul Theriault ND, VNMI 209 Guillermo Ruiz NMD 208 Carlo Calabrese ND, MPH 207 Ryan Bradley ND, MPH 206 Meghna Thacker Naturopathic Physician 205 Tina Avonda 204 Scott Dainty ND 203 Meghan Van Vleet ND 202 Anna Handford Naturopathic Doctor 201 Arianna Rodriguez 200 Valbona Bajrami ND 199 Jamine Blesoff ND 198 Viviana Arturo 197 Lynn Ciccone 196 Lorna Ciccone ND student 195 Beth Quintana ND 194 Beryl Britton ND (Student) 193 Diana Quinn ND 192 Herpreet Singh ND (Student) 191 Laura Villa 190 Kathleen Flewelling ND 189 Vivian Kwan ND 188 Stacie Wolfe ND 187 Jennifer Gibbons ND 186 Emma Norton ND 185 Tara Nyack ND 184 Kara Crisp ND 183 Erika Aranda ND (Student) 182 Jenn Schuppe Botham ND 181 Georgi Stoychev ND (Student) 180 Nick Fedele ND 179 Mairead Masuda ND (Student) 178 Kim Abog ND 177 Amy Chadwick ND 176 Nina Walsh ND 175 Miela Gruber ND 174 Nima Rosepiper ND 173 Michelle Suber ND 172 Michael R. Smith ND, BCB 171 Matthew Fisel ND 170 Lupin DeMuth ND 169 Lynn Muirhead 168 Louise Tolzmann ND 167 Emer McKenna ND (Student) 166 Krista Weikel Delaplane ND 165 Sarah Chappelle ND 164 Barbara Kreemer ND 163 Kim Georges 162 Kristin Wing ND 161 Nathalie Paravicini ND 160 Casey Carpenter ND LAc 159 Rian Herscher ND 158 Wendy Rogers ND, LAc 157 Chere Edgar ND 156 Colin Race ND 155 Kellie Dunne 154 Zora DeGrandpre MS, ND 153 Heather Buckle ND, FABNO 152 Laura Staver ND 151 Joannie Tang 150 Victoria Nguyen ND 149 Kaley Burns ND 148 Heather DeLuca 147 Carly Erickson ND, MSM, IFMCP 146 Romy Sanders ND 145 Ivan Quintero ND 144 Leora Rosenberg ND 143 Krystal Plonski ND, LAc 142 Lynn Troy ND 141 Pamela Frank ND 140 Connie Kinnebrew 139 Corina Going ND 138 Julie Llinas – Hebron 137 Eric Yarnell ND, RH(AHG) 136 Aimee O. Bonneval ND, LAc 135 Heather Dawnstar-Guess CNA 134 Ashley Renee Burkman ND 133 Debi Walker ND, RN 132 Sarah Trotta ND 131 Korene Mosher ND, RN 130 Kathie Sue Golden ND 129 Malea MacOdrum ND, LAc 128 Craig Fasullo ND 127 Bridget Dean ND 126 Danielle Q Currey ND, CST-T 125 Adam Gratton MSc ND 124 Amy Cole ND 123 Lauri Brouwer ND 122 Lauren Young 121 Nicole Shortt ND 120 Sage Wheeler ND 119 Jana Nalbandian ND 118 Regan Tessis ND 117 Stephanie Vickers 116 Sarah Grammaticos ND 115 Marwa Dabbagh ND 114 Christina Hinchcliffe ND 113 MJ Atkins BScH, ND 112 Martha Keith ND (student) 111 Chantal Carpenter ND (student) 110 Nancy Clare Murphy CLT 109 Jennifer Strider ND 108 Michael Mason-Wood ND 107 Sarah Zambarano ND 106 Meghan O’Reilly ND 105 Crystalin Montgomery ND, LAc 104 Michael Long ND 103 Vanessa Ling ND 102 Lisa Klasman ND 101 Terri-Jo Ciocca 100 Shelly Ordon ND 99 Hannah Lafayette-Brooks ND 98 Desley Hatfield 97 Ruth Santiago 96 Sandra Chapman 95 Magdalena Jenkins NT 94 Stefanie Kerwin 93 Stacy Bowker ND 92 Allison Apfelbaum ND 91 Elizabeth Sandell ND 90 Judith Gyarfas 89 Brenden Cochran ND 88 Tara Levy ND 87 Brian Plante ND 86 Ryan Best ND 85 Ariel Touchet LAc 84 Abida Zohal Wali ND 83 Mike Hunt 82 Emily Pratt BSc ND 81 Ian Breakspear 80 Paul Theriault VNMI 79 Jeff Martineau BScH (ND student) 78 Jennifer Grochocinski ND (Inactive), MPH 77 Nicole Roberts ND 76 Brock McGregor ND 75 Jennifer Lush Meyn 74 Dennis Lucero BSN ADN CNOR 73 Jennifer Henry ND 72 Susan Deeley 71 Jan Ashton-Ross 70 Madison Laird 69 Jo Kyle 68 Heather Sandison ND 67 Cory Reddish ND 66 Jill Whalley 65 Jiselle Griffith ND 64 Rochelle Waite 63 Nirala Jacobi ND 62 Ashley Girard ND 61 Dugald Seely ND, MSc 60 Ashley Girard ND 59 Que Areste Estavia 58 Leighanna Jagels ND 57 Ruth Urand ND 56 Leslie Solomonian ND, MPH (cand.) 55 Sandra Murphy ND 54 Lorinda Sorensen LAc 53 Jennifer Huddleston PA-C 52 Carol Rainville ND 51 Kenneth Luby ND (retired) 50 Carlos Quezada DC, LAc, RN 49 Ariana Macartney 48 Nichole Shiffler NMD 47 Maly J Strietzel ND 46 Ashika Deskins 45 Cyndi Gilbert ND 44 Samantha Levy 43 Peter D’Adamo ND 42 Alejandra Salcedo 41 Moisés Álvarez 40 Jamie Hernandez RN 39 Katie Pickworth ND, MS 38 Joshua Corn ND, MS 37 Danielle Langston 36 Eleni Krommidas 35 Jose Molina ND 34 Laurie Menk Otto ND MPH 33 Berlin Wright ND 32 Mark J Romano ND 31 Leah Linarelli 30 Elliot Zyglis 29 Carla Briante ND 28 Rachel Burnett ND 27 Bronwyn Carlblom NMD 26 Brionna Johnsen 25 Anthony Frank ND 24 Chelsea Roodvoets NMD 23 Ryan Abdelnour 22 Saloumeh Rounaghi 21 Patty Tang ND 20 Keith F. Zeitlin ND 19 Adrienne Stewart ND 18 Amoreena Tibray CMA (AAMA) 17 Liz Sutherland ND 16 Brian Carrell 15 Beth Allen ND 14 Amanda Abbinanti 13 Sharilyn Rennie ND 12 Marcus Miller ND 11 Tania Neubauer ND 10 Aline R. Potvin ND 9 Andrea Premazzi ND 8 Orna Izakson ND, RH (AHG) 7 Kiné Fischler LAc FABORM 6 Hal Huff ND 5 Erika Krumbeck ND 4 Elana Roumell ND 3 Caroline Budhan 2 Deb Moskowitz ND 1 Amy Chadwick ND