Coal Miners With Black Lung Brace for COVID-19

[IronLionZion]

https://www.ecowatch.com/coal-miners-black-lung-coronavirus-2645657102.html

In some states like West Virginia, coal mines have been classified as essential services and are staying open during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though the close quarters miners work in and the known risks to respiratory health put miners in harm's way during the spread of the coronavirus.

In Appalachia, miners with pneumoconiosis, or black lung disease, are at particularly high risk of coronavirus, according to HuffPost. Official statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) put the number of underground coal miners with black lung disease at one in 10, though experts estimate the number could be 20 percent or higher.

When someone has black lung disease, scarring in the respiratory tract makes breathing labored. The notion of adding exposure to a severe respiratory illness like COVID-19 has some workers terrified, according to HuffPost. Furthermore, the communities where coal miners live tend to have higher than average comorbidities like obesity and diabetes.

Appalachians, for example are more likely than other Americans to have ailments such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes, due in part to smoking and a more sedentary lifestyle, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission, all of which could complicate the effects of COVID-19.

"Nobody knows what this virus is going to do when it gets to this area," said Jimmy Moore, a 74-year-old black lung patient in Shelby Gap, Kentucky, to HuffPost. "It's probably just going to wipe us out."

This isn't going to end well.

[Demovictory9]

1. i hope they practice social distancing

[Judi Lynn]

2. So sad to hear this. Thanks for posting it. They've had enough suffering already. n/t

[KY_EnviroGuy]

3. Kentucky COVID-19 Case Map and Eastern KY News Sites

Notice the north/south strip of white counties on the right side which indicate no cases to date that are east of the I-75 corridor. Those counties and the ones to the south-east (Harlan, Floyd, Pike, Perry, etc.) are typical coal mining areas.



From: https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19

I did a quick review of news sites from those areas and so far, cases are very low. However, these are remote areas and the disease will reach them in time. Local officials seem to be taking this seriously although the churches are very unpredictable.

Typical local news sites:

Hazard Herald: https://www.hazard-herald.com/

Manchester Enterprise: https://www.nolangroupmedia.com/manchester_enterprise/

Floyd County Chronicle: http://www.floydct.com/news/

Middlesboro Daily News: https://www.middlesborodailynews.com/


KY............

[Mc Mike]

4. He can't use them for campaign props anymore, so it's best they just die.

That way, the poor beautiful clean coal companies don't have to pay for their medical care or retirement, anymore.