8, 2, 0

The new numbers of 8, 2 and 0 have new significance for the B-B-E school district. They represent the sum of new COVID-19 cases for the Belgrade (8), Brooten (2) and Elrosa (0) zip code areas.

This is an improvement from the week before, when the numbers were 8, 4 and 1, respectively. All in all, it bodes well for re-starting full in-person K-12 school on January 5, 2021 at B-B-E! We really do want a COVID-free Christmas break.

Also, I'm happy to share that only seven COVID-19 cases have been identified in the last seven weeks in staff or students at B-B-E. None were due to transmission on either campus. This is in a population of approximately 800 children and adults.

Also, the COVID-19 test positivity rate is 8.6 percent for Stearns County, 6.9 percent for Kandiyohi County and 4 percent for Pope County. Getting that number under five is important.

**In related news

I have literally been saying this since last April...exactly what is spelled out in this news article. It is 99% VERBATIM what I've said for the last eight months. Click here to see what I'm talking about = https://fxn.ws/34Jfm4m.

Since reading numerous similar studies last summer, I've said that my opinion was that 90+ percent of the COVID deaths that America has suffered could have been prevented if Vitamin D levels were at least "adequate" across the population. In a battle with a virus, I've always said that you want to not only slow its spread but also be prepared health-wise for a head-on battle with it. We can all do both. 

I was stunned to read the story this morning on Fox News. It is the first time I've seen a major media outlet put a story together that repeats what I've been saying repeatedly. A huge weapon we can use against COVID-19 can be found in the local pharmacy or even your local hardware store. In the case of Belgrade Hardware, everything on the list can be purchased there at a very low cost with the exception of quercetin. A bottle of 100 pills of Vitamin D (2000 IU) costs a whopping $6.23. That's a 100-day supply if you want something at that high of a level. It's more recommended to take 1,000 IU a day, however, as stated in the news story. For some, if you suspect your Vitamin D levels are low, a simple blood test will give you a firm answer.

I order quercetin through a company called Puritan's Pride.

COVID patients are still taking up a high proportion of hospital beds across the region. That's the bad news. The good news is that the numbers are improving. Even better, we are learning more and more about tools we all can use to fight back. We can do so much more than simple mitigation measures.