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| OHCC LIVING | APRIL 2021 | 13 Can dogs detect COVID-19? Dogs have been trained for decades to detect diseases in humans. Initial training was for malignant melanomas, often before they were visible. Now they can be trained to screen for other cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, and bladder, as well as some neurological diseases, including pre-symptomatic Parkinson's. Some service dogs are trained to specifically alert their owners for impending strokes or dangerous changes in blood sugar. At least seven countries are now training dogs to detect infection with COVID-19 in people who are asymptomatic. Studies are still small, but their success rate so far is between 74 and 99 percent. Are they detecting the virus? No. A virus has no smell. They detect the chemical changes in the human body that do have odors. Although this SARS-COVID2 virus is spread mostly by respiration, there is more to test than the breath. Some people, especially those with "long covid," develop an immune response that affects other organs. So dogs can be used to check you without your needing to breathe in their face. There are five airports around the world (not in the US), that are using dogs to screen passengers coming in from airplanes. They have systems in place to deal with those who screen positive. The picture above is from the airport in Helsinki, Finland. Wanting to have an audience for a recent game, the Miami Heat had questionnaires and the dog sniffing screening for the fans as they entered the stadium. If someone tried to enter and tested positive, they were turned away and did not have their ticket money refunded. Would it be interesting to have medical screening dogs for school districts, the military, and nursing home staff and visitors? We'll be submitting an article to The Village Voice about why dogs' incredible noses allow them to be medical disease detectives. Pet Lovers Club TAG members are here to offer assistance with computers, tablets, and smart phones as well as other technologies to all OHCC residents. Until the computer room in the Clubhouse becomes available, volunteers can only provide limited support via the phone or Zoom conferencing. We have resident enthusiasts in Genealogy, 3D design/printing, Windows, Apple, Google, Android, etc. We have people with the experience to help with email, browsers, televisions, sound systems, home automation, WIX and Zoom! Technical Advisory Group Do you need a temporary loan of medical equipment? Helping Hands maintains an inventory of wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, canes and shower chairs for people living in Ocean Hills Country Club. Call one of the volunteers listed at the end of this article and we will deliver to your door at no cost to you. You can help a neighbor in OHCC by donating a clean, serviceable item that you are no longer using to Helping Hands. Check your storage areas for the items listed in this article. Dan Vervisch, (760) 724- 4746; Tom Mazur, (760) 295-1006; Tim Wilbur, (760) 639-5221; Dennis Drake, (760) 859-7046; and Gary Lucas,(760) 707-8363. Helping Hands Group