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October 27, 2024, 'Happy Halloween'!

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'Happy Halloween'!


Discover Arizona's ghost towns, haunted houses, pumpkins and more this Halloween! Get your fill of the frightful and frightfully fun at these events.


Blame it on the Wild West. Perhaps it's because of Arizona's "wild" history and infamous past that we've become a magnet for year-round haunted happenings. Of course, no time is better to celebrate all things spooky than the Halloween season from late September thru October.


Here are a few of the biggest, and arguably the best, Halloween events in Arizona. You'll find them by region and starting with events and attractions suitable for young ones to those best reserved for older kids and adults.

Read more here

'The Weekly DoctorDoug Report'

Paradise Valley Medical Clinic,

Douglas M. Lakin, M.D.

Kaitlin A. Kraemer, PA-C

9977 N 90th Street, Suite 180, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

480.614.5800 (phone), 480.614.6322 (Fax)

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Telehealth Visits


Dr. Lakin is using ZOOM,

FACETIME and WHATSAPP to connect with you

for a 'Telehealth' visit if needed.

You can connect using your iPad, iPhone, Android phone, a laptop, or a PC with a camera.

‘THE WEEKLY DOCTORDOUG REPORT’

October 27, 2024


*NEW COVID VACCINE IS IN PHARMACIES. IT IS STILL A SOLID MATCH FOR THE CURRENT COVID VIRUS.

 

SEASONAL FLU SHOT IS AVAILABLE IN PHARMACIES AND IN OUR OFFICE.

  

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FALL/WINTER 2024 IMMUNIZATIONS:

 

DATA CONTINUES TO SUPPORT BENEFIT FROM COVID VACCINATION. BENEFITS OF THE SHOT INCREASE WITH AGE AND WITH CONDITIONS THAT PREDISPOSE TO COMPLICATIONS (EMPHYSEMA/COPD, HEART FAILURE, DIABETES, IMMUNE SUPPRESSION)

 

IF YOU ARE GETTING COVID VACCINE, YOU SHOULD GET IT AS SOON AS FEASIBLE.  YOU CAN GET IT ALONE OR WITH YOUR FLU SHOT (IT IS SAFE AND PROVEN TO HAVE NO EXTRA SIDE EFFECTS WHEN TAKEN TOGETHER)

 

IF YOU ARE GETTING THE FLU VACCINE FOR THIS SEASON….GET THAT IN OCTOBER, OR EARLY NOVEMBER IDEALLY.


 

CURRENT COVID STATUS:


THE CURRENT COVID STRAINS ARE VERY CONTAGIOUS AND PRESENT THROUGHOUT ARIZONA… WE ARE SEEING SEVERAL EACH WEEK, MOST DUE TO TRAVEL OR LARGE EVENT ATTENDANCE.

 

IF YOU GET SICK AFTER TRAVEL OR ATTENDING A BIG GATHERING… DO A COVID TEST. ALL STANDARD COVID TESTS WORK TO IDENTIFY THE CURRENT STRAINS.

 

ALL DOING WELL.  BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION. PROTECTION IS UP TO YOU AND NOW IS A PERSONAL DECISION. DO WHAT MAKES YOU COMFORTABLE.

 

DATA 100% SHOWS THAT GOOD MASKS MAKE A DIFFERENCE. THEY ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT THEY DO REDUCE RISK OF EXPOSURE AND INFECTION.

 

  • I CANNOT STRESS THIS ENOUGH… IF YOU DON’T WANT COVID FROM TRAVEL… WEAR A MASK IN THE AIRPORT CROWDS AND ON THE AIRPLANE (UNTIL 10,000 FEET) … THIS IS NOT AS ESSENTIAL AS IT WAS WHEN COVID WAS MORE SEVERE… BUT IF YOU WANT TO AVOID INFECTIONS IN GENERAL DURING TRAVEL... IT’S A RECOMMENDATION.


  • EVEN SELECTIVE MASK USE WORKS WELL… SUCH AS ONLY IN CROWDED SPACES IN THE AIRPORT, AND DURING TRAVEL ‘TO’ YOUR DESTINATION, SO THAT YOU ARE NOT ILL DURING YOU VACATION/TRAVEL TIME.  LESS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU RETURN FROM VACATION.


  • GET BOOSTED IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO…PARTICULARLY OVER AGE 65 WITH HEALTH ISSUES OR OVER 75 WITHOUT HEALTH ISSUES.  EVERY 6 MONTHS IS THE RECOMMENDATION FOR THIS GROUP. 


  • IF YOU WERE BOOSTED IN MARCH/APRIL… MAXIMUM PROTECTION IS TO GET ANOTHER SHOT IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER WHEN THE NEWEST/UPDATED VERSION IS AVAILABLE.


  • FLU SEASON IS BEGINNING… FLU SHOTS IN SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER FOR OUR NEXT, UPCOMING FLU SEASON


  • VERY LITTLE RSV IN THE VALLEY. IF YOU HAVE HAD AN RSV VACCINE, CURRENT RECOMMENDATION IS THAT YOU DON’T NEED ANOTHER FOR TWO YEARS.



IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A COLD OR RESPIRATORY INFECTION RIGHT NOW…. YOU MAY WELL HAVE COVID. PLEASE DO A COVID TEST TO CHECK AT HOME.  

 

ALMOST ALL DOING WELL, BUT WE ARE SEEING A FEW PEOPLE NEED THE HOSPITAL TO RECOVER. 

 

THE CURRENT COVID VACCINE IS AVAILABLE.

 

  IT IS KEEPING PEOPLE FROM HAVING A MORE DIFFICULT TIME WITH INFECTION AND KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

 

I RECOMMEND THE COVID BOOSTER GENERALLY FOR THOSE OVER 65. BUT……

 

  • I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A BOOSTER FOR THOSE 80 & OLDER.


  • I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE BOOSTER FOR THOSE OVER 65 WITH HEART FAILURE, SIGNIFICANT LUNG CONDITIONS, AND DIABETES.

 

CONSIDER BOOSTING WITH THE NEW COVID VACCINE TO REDUCE RISK OF COVID AND TO REDUCE COVID SYMPTOM SEVERITY. NEW COVID VACCINE AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER.

 

VACCINATIONS THIS FALL: 

  • COVID SHOT…GET UPDATED VERSION
  • FLU SHOT (SEPTEMBER THROUGH DECEMBER MOST IDEAL)
  • RSV SHOT (..CAN CONSIDER TAKING IN THE FALL IF YOU HAVE NOT TAKEN YET)

 

DO NOT GET ALL SHOTS AT THE SAME TIME.  RSV SHOULD BE TAKEN ALONE.

 

COVID SHOT:

 WHO SHOULD GET IT: 

IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID YET AND ARE OVER 65, I RECOMMEND YOU STAY CURRENT WITH THE LATEST VERSION OF THE VACCINE. GET THE LATEST VACCINE WHEN AVAILABLE.

 

IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID, YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AGAINST FUTURE INFECTION, BUT IS NOT A GUARANTEE. 

 

I WOULD MAKE SURE YOU HAVE HAD A COVID SHOT DURING SPRING 2024 FOR THOSE OVER 65 WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL RISK DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS:  ACTIVELY TREATED HEART FAILURE, LUNG DISEASE, OR DIABETES.

 

WHEN TO GET THE COVID VACCINE:

 GET IT RIGHT NOW  

 

RSV VACCINE: 

THIS IS A NEWISH VACCINE. HAS BEEN GENERALLY AVAILABLE FOR1+ YEAR.

 

WHO SHOULD GET IT:

 THE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP IS NOW CLEAR….THOSE WHO LIVE IN GROUP SETTINGS, INDEPENDENT LIVING WITH PEOPLE CONGREGATE FOR MEALS AND THOSE IN ASSISTED LIVING SITUATIONS.

 

ALSO…. PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING THE RSV VACCINE THIS YEAR IF THEY ARE INCLINED…BUT DON’T FEEL OBLIGATED.   

  

FOR THOSE OVER 65 WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL RISK FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS AS A RESULT OF HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS:  ACTIVELY TREATED HEART FAILURE, CANCER, LUNG DISEASE, OR DIABETES.

 

THERE ARE TWO VERSIONS, BOTH SIMILAR, AND THERE IS NO SPECIFIC REASON TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER (ONE IS GSK..MAKERS OF SHINGRIX, THE OTHER IF PFIZER…MAKERS OF THE COVID VACCINE)

 

WHEN TO GET RSV VACCINE:  

 CAN GET AT ANY TIME. ANY SEASON IS FINE. 





Read Dr. Lakin's Full Report Here

TOP PODCAST DONE WEEKLY

BY DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM

(UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA)  

 

He is a world-renowned epidemiologist who was credited with first elucidating TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME in the 1980’s.

He provides comprehensive and understandable/actionable ideas related to COVID.

 

Dr. Osterholm Update: COVID-19 Podcast

October 17, 2024


(Same as last week's... New podcast next week!)



'Better Times'


In "Better Times," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the latest COVID, H5N1, and seasonal influenza data. Dr. Osterholm also answers an ID query on the ideal timing for COVID-19 booster doses and an ID query about Marburg virus transmission.

CLICK HERE FOR DR. OSTERHOLM'S PODCAST

According to Dr. Osterholm……



  •  GET YOUR LATEST AVAILABLE BOOSTER IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID OR IT’S BEEN LONGER THAN 4 MONTHS SINCE YOU HAD COVID YOURSELF


  •  A GOOD MASK, N95 OF KN95, DOES HELP REDUCE TRANSMISSION…. USE IT AT HIGH-RISK LOCATIONS


  • GOOD VENTILATION IN ROOMS/HOME/BUSINESSES IS A GREAT WAY TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION


  • VACCINE, VACCINE, VACCINE…THIS IS OUR PROTECTION. ALL VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE AND WITH TIME WE ARE SEEING THAT


  • BOOST, BOOST, BOOST…THIS WILL BE NECESSARY TO PREVENT RECURRING SURGE AND TO RAISE ANTIBODY LEVELS IN THOSE ALREADY SET WITH THE PRIMARY COVID VACCINE SERIES.


  • ANTIGEN TESTING IS USEFUL, BUT OF LIMITED VALUE. DON’T DEPEND ON IT…BUT USE IT.


Know that unvaccinated remain a source of potential infection. Avoiding unvaccinated persons will reduce your risk of COVID.

Second Dose Of This Year's COVID Vaccine Recommended For Some People Age 65 And Up

Immunocompromised people who are age 65 or older should get a second dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, according to the latest recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


In a statement released Wednesday, the CDC said the second dose should be received six months after the first dose.


The CDC also said its recommendations allow for flexibility for those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised to consider additional doses (three or more). in consultation with their health care provider.


In August, the Food and Drug Administration greenlit updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna for the 2024 fall season. The updated shots were revised to target the KP.2 variant of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and medical experts say it will also provide protection against other recent strains.


This was part of a now-annual process undertaken by the FDA and health authorities around the world to update the vaccines to protect against newer strains of the virus.


Similar to previous seasons, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all Americans ages 6 months and older get a shot of the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against another expected surge of the virus this fall and winter.


Still, as another fall virus season approaches, not everyone is following the CDC's advice. According to a survey from Ohio State Wexner Medical Center last month, less than half of Americans were planning to get their COVID or flu shots this season.


"Data continues to confirm the importance of vaccination to protect those most at risk for severe outcomes of COVID-19," the CDC noted in the latest release. "Receiving recommended 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines can restore and enhance protection against the virus variants currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States."


The CDC also reminded the public that the COVID-19 vaccine can help reduce the chances of suffering the effects of long COVID.

Read more here. . .

Order Your 4 Free At-⁠home

COVID-⁠19 Tests

Every U.S. household is eligible to order 4 free at-home tests.


 COVID-19 testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading the virus to others.


Your order of COVID tests is completely free – you won’t even pay for shipping.



Want to know when your tests are coming? Sign up to receive email alerts when you order!


The tests available for order:

  • Are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR
  • Can be taken at home or other locations. Give results within 30 minutes (no lab drop-off required)
  • Can be used for testing even if you do not have COVID-19 symptoms
  • Can be used for testing whether you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines or not
  • Are also referred to as self-tests or over the counter (OTC) tests
Read More Here

Some COVID tests arriving with past-due expiration date


Find Out If Your Test Has An Extended Expiration Date Here 


 Missouri Bird Flu Patient Didn't Spread the Virus to Others, CDC Says

Even as cases of H5N1 virus among animals and people are rising in the U.S., there's no evidence of human-to-human transmission.

The bird flu virus hasn’t yet spread from person to person, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday, releasing findings from a monthslong probe into a patient in Missouri who was hospitalized with H5N1.


The patient, who tested positive for bird flu in August, had no known contact with dairy cows or poultry. H5N1, or bird flu, has been spreading among farm animals, wild birds and other animals and has infected 31 people, mostly farmworkers, in the U.S.


After the Missouri patient fell ill, several close contacts reported respiratory symptoms and health officials conducted serologic, or blood, tests to determine if the virus had spread among them. Test results on five health care workers who became ill after caring for the patient came back negative for any sign of the virus, Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who heads the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said during a media briefing.


“From the perspective of where we are with this investigation, I think we’ve got the conclusion,” Daskalakis said.


One blood test on a household member of the patient who became ill suggested the person did have H5 antibodies. A second test was unable to confirm the finding.

Read more here. . .

After you received your COVID or any other vaccination outside our office, please let us know!

We would like to document this information into your chart.




What we need:

  1. Your name
  2. Name & date of vaccination received
  3. Brand name
  4. Lot number if available
  5. Which dose you have received


Email Us Your Vaccine Info Here

We Are Here to Take Care of Your Healthcare Needs.

We Are Here to Serve!

 

Our office is using techniques to reduce exposure to a minimum during your visit. These include: 

  • Multiple Super-HEPA filters to filter out potential virus and

particles in the office.


  • High Level UV light air cleansing in the office to eliminate

bacteria and viruses in the air.

  

OUR OFFICE SCHEDULE  

DOORS OPEN     

7AM - 4PM Monday through Thursday

7AM - 11AM Friday

 

IN OFFICE

APPOINTMENTS: MONDAY – THURSDAY

7AM – 11:15AM & 1PM – 3:30PM

 

APPOINTMENTS: FRIDAY

7AM – 10:30 AM

 

DR. LAKIN WILL CONTINUE ‘TELEHEALTH’ VISITS WITH FaceTime, WhatsApp or ZOOM WHEN NEEDED.


Dr. Lakin's Info For COVID-19 Kit &

Recommended Treatments



SUMMARY OF A COVID KIT & CHECK LIST:

 

This is what you should have at home to prepare for possible COVID, to monitor yourself if you were to get infected:

DIGITAL ORAL THERMOMETER: MANY BRANDS ARE FINE…HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE:

CLICK HERE

PULSE OXIMETER:  TO CHECK OXYGEN LEVELS. MANY BRANDS ARE FINE...HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE:

CLICK HERE

OTHER ITEMS FROM THE HOME MEDICAL KIT:

 

  • TYLENOL, ADVIL, OR ALEVE
  • Sudafed 30mg tablets
  • Chlorpheniramine 4mg tablets
  • Robitussin DM syrup
  • Imodium AD



Read More Here

'BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE'


Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.


With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.


Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, it's show time
Stay Safe!