An important reminder that just bc Trump's doc says he's no longer #COVID contagious, he STILL may not be out of woods. Older immune systems respond differently to infectious than younger ones; to understand how, we gotta talk about PUS! A thread 1/x qz.com/1913864/what-a…
2/x There are hundreds of types of immune cells in your body. Broadly, they're classified as innate or adaptive. Innate = faster and less specialized; they hit HARD w/ collateral damage. Adaptive = slower and more like assassins that go for specific cells + cause less damage
3/x Pus is the result of neutrophils, innate immune cells that patrol your blood lookin for infection. When they see one (like bacteria from a cut or scrape), they rush in and BLOW THEMSELVES UP, making that yellowish liquid. The sticky, slimy aspect is neutrophils' shredded DNA.
4/x By violently sacrificing themselves, neutrophils call in immunological cell backup. The inflamed, sticky goo is also harder for infections to thrive in; it's not great for your own cells, either, but the goal is to stomp out the infection quickly so you can get to healing.
5/x We need both our innate and adaptive immune systems, but we need them to be balanced. Too many innate immune cells like neutrophils end up damaging our own cells too much in an infection; too few innate immune cells burden adaptive cells, which take longer to kick into gear.
6/x Older adults, like the 74 yo man in the president's office, seem to naturally make more innate immune cells than adaptive. This is one reason why #COVID fatality rates in older adults are higher; it's too strong of a generalized immune infection that damages the body
7/x It's not just the immune system, though—older adults also tend to have stiffer lung tissue, weaker breathing muscles, enlarged hearts that beat more slowly. All to various degrees depending on diet + exercise, but still normal with age @BrownDace told me.
8/x And that's not even factoring in any preexisting conditions like heart disease or diabetes; all of these factors make it harder to fight off an infection.
9/x In younger adults, we've seen #LongCovid; these cases of prolonged symptoms are a result of the virus uncovering a condition the body used to be able to compensate for (like asthma), or improper healing after the virus, @panagis21 told me this summer. qz.com/1875430/
10/10 It's less clear what'll happen to older adults as they recover; but given the normal changes to the body's immune and cardiovascular systems with age, it likely will be worse for the wear over time. qz.com/1913864/what-a…
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