HERE IS YOUR WEEKLY COVID UPDATE:
WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE WEEKLY INFORMATION SO YOU CAN PLAN ACCORDINGLY. COVID WILL BE VARYING OVER THE COMING SEVERAL MONTHS.
WE HAVE CHANGED THE FORMAT TO BETTER RELATE THE INFORMATION THAT WILL BE USEFUL WEEK BY WEEK.
RECOMMENDATIONS THIS WEEK
WE CONTINUE TO SURGE.
THIS WILL LAST ANOTHER 3-7 WEEKS.
1. WEAR YOUR MASK IN BUSY PUBLIC SPACES KN95 OR N95. CLOTH MASKS ARE OF LIMITED VALUE.
2. PFIZER BOOSTER RECOMMENDED & APPROVED FOR ALL OVER 65 + THOSE IN HIGH EXPOSURE PROFESSIONS (HEALTH CARE/TEACHING) + IMMUNE SUPPRESSED.
MODERNA BOOSTER CURRENTLY RECOMMENDED FOR IMMUNE SUPPRESSED, BUT WE ARE AWAITING AVAILABILITY FOR ALL OTHER GROUPS.
GET YOUR BOOSTER SHOT. (ONLY EXCEPTION IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HAD BOTH COVID INFECTION + 2 VACCINES…THEY DO NOT NEED A BOOSTER)
WALK IN APPOINTMENTS OR CAN SET UP ‘ONLINE’ WITH THE PHARMACIES.
(WANING IMMUNITY OCCURS WITH THE CURRENT VACCINES AND A BOOSTER IS REQUIRED FOR MAXIMUM PROTECTION SO THAT YOU CAN BE ACTIVE IN PUBLIC WITH MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.)
3. CHOOSE YOUR EXPOSURES WISELY AT THIS POINT. A-OK TO GO OUT IF VACCINATED BUT BE SELECTIVE AND SMART UNTIL THE SURGE IS OVER.
ONCE SURGE IS OVER, PUBLIC ACTIVITIES SHOULD RESUME AT NORMAL, PRE-COVID LEVELS. IF YOU ARE VACCINATED AND BOOSTED YOU SHOULD LIVE LIFE AS NORMAL, UNLESS YOU ARE AT HIGHEST RISK DUE TO IMMUNE SUPPRESSION.
4. GET A COVID SELF- TEST KIT NOW.... TO HAVE AVAILABLE FOR SELF-CHECK SHOULD YOU HAVE SYMPTOMS THAT SUGGEST COVID. SELF TEST KITS ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY, SO GET YOURS NOW...AND IF YOU CANNOT FIND ONE...KEEP LOOKING. YOU WILL BE GLAD YOU DID.
5. DO NOT CALL US FOR SHOTS...... WE DO NOT HAVE BOOSTER SHOTS.... PHARMACIES WILL BE GIVING OUT BOOSTER SHOTS.... SEE LIST BELOW.
YOU CAN TRY A ‘WALK IN’ APPOINTMENT AND SEE IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE.
GENERAL COVID STATUS
SCOTTSDALE/PHOENIX/ARIZONA:
WE ARE SURGING.
CASES ARE AT A HIGH LEVEL BUT ARE DECLINING…. THIS IS GOOD NEWS. COVID EXPOSURE IS STILL HIGHER THAN DESIRABLE WHEN YOU GO OUT….
BEHAVIOR IN PUBLIC IF YOU ARE VACCINATED:
NOW IS THE TIME TO GET OUT YOUR GOOD MASK AND WEAR IT. ASSESS YOUR SITUATION AND CHOOSE TO WEAR A MASK ACCORDING TO YOUR ASSESSMENT OF THE RISKS INVOLVED.
I RECOMMEND YOU USE YOUR BEST MASK…. N95 OF KN95. THIS WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE. CLOTH MASKS…LESS SO.
YOU WILL GET MILDLY SICK IF YOU ARE VACCINATED AND GET THE COVID, BUT IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DEAL WITH COVID…. START WITH YOUR MASK AGAIN IN PUBLIC SPACES.
MASKING RECOMMENDATIONS:
I RECOMMEND MASKING IN PUBLIC SPACES SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO DEAL WITH EVEN A MILD COVID COLD.
IF YOU ARE OVER 85 OR HAVE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH ISSUES/KNOWN REDUCED IMMUNITY, THEN MASKING IS A MUST. FOR SUCH PEOPLE I RECOMMEND A KN95 OR 95 MASK TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED PROTECTION. REGULAR MASKS WILL NOT BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL.
PERSONAL INTERACTIONS WITH ONE VACCINE DOSE…. AWAITING YOUR SECOND (PFIZER/MODERNA):
14 DAYS AFTER YOUR FIRST VACCINE DOSE YOU ARE ~50% PROTECTED FROM MILD/MODERATE COVID INFECTIONS GENERALLY AND ~72% PROTECTED FROM SERIOUS COVID INFECTIONS. FOLLOW ALL MASKING AND DISTANCING PROTOCOLS
PERSONAL INTERACTIONS 14 DAYS AFTER YOUR SECOND COVID VACCINE (PFIZER/MODERNA) OR AFTER J&J VACCINE:
IF YOU HAVE HAD 2 VACCINE DOSES (OR 1 DOSE OF J&J) AND IF YOU ARE 14 DAYS BEYOND YOUR SECOND DOSE, THEN YOU ARE ~65-95% PROTECTED FROM GETTING MILD/MODERATE COVID, AND VIRTUALLY 100% PROTECTED FROM GETTING SEVERE COVID. YOU SHOULD CONSIDER MORE INTERACTIONS AND OUTINGS IN THE COMMUNITY BUT FOLLOW GENERAL MASKING AND DISTANCING PROTOCOLS.
PERSONAL INTERACTIONS IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD ANY COVID VACCINATION:
FOLLOW ALL MASKING AND DISTANCING PROTOCOLS 100%. REDUCING RISK IS NOT THE SAME AS ELIMINATING RISK. THOSE AT THE HIGHEST RISK WHO ARE UNVACCINATED SHOULD NOT BE TAKING ANY CHANCES, PERIOD!
BOOSTER SHOTS:
PFIZER BOOSTER SHOTS ARE APPROVED FOR THOSE WITH REDUCED IMMUNE SYSTEMS AND OVER 65 AND HIGH EXPOSURE PROFESSIONS.
MODERNA AND J & J BOOSTER INFORMATION IS PENDING, BUT THOSE WITH REDUCED IMMUNITY CAN GET BOOSTED AT THIS TIME. ADDITIONAL APPROVAL FOR OVER 65 WILL BE FORTHCOMING.
BOOSTER SHOTS PER CDC GUIDELINES:
- People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series
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People aged 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series
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People aged 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks
- People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks
VACCINATION RATES ARIZONA:
51% (+0%) ARE FULLY VACCINATED.
60% (+1%) PARTIALLY VACCINATED.
WE ARE DOING OK…BUT NOT IN THE TOP ECHELON OF STATES.
DELTA VARIANT (INDIA VARIANT)
IS 99% OF CURRENT INFECTIONS IN THE USA.
ALL PATIENTS WHO HAVE RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS SHOULD COVID SELF TEST FIRST, BEFORE THEY ARE IN CONTACT OR PLAN TO COME INTO OUR OFFICE.
IF YOU HAVE A POSITIVE COVID RESULT YOU SHOULD NOT COME INTO OUR OFFICE, BUT PLEASE NOTIFY US.
WHAT IF I GET COVID DESPITE BEING VACCINATED?
IF YOU ARE VACCINATED AND YOU GET COVID IT WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE A MILD ILLNESS.
I HAVE LABELED THIS A ‘COVID COLD’
THE RISK FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS IS VERY REMOTE…BUT BE IN TOUCH FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS
THERE IS NO WORRY IN THIS SITUATION. CONSIDER THIS VERY MUCH LIKE YOU WOULD FLU EXPOSURE DURING WINTER FLU SEASON…. BE ATTENTIVE, BUT NOT WORRIED.
AND PLEASE WAIT 10 DAYS FROM BEGINNING OF SYMPTOMS TO BE AROUND OTHERS.
TESTING FOR COVID IN PATIENTS WHO ARE VACCINATED IS NECESSARY WITH ANY SIGNIFICANT RESPIRATORY SYMPTOMS.
HOW DO I GET TESTED FOR POSSIBLE ACTIVE COVID INFECTION?
TESTING CAN BE DONE AT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OR BY A SELF-TEST FROM YOUR LOCAL PHARMACY.
YOU MAY PURCHASE A HOME TEST KIT FROM AMAZON OR YOU CAN GET SIMILAR KITS AT WALGREENS OR CVS OR YOUR LOCAL PHARMACY.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE A HOME KIT FOR SELF-TESTING AT HOME. IT IS LIKELY YOU WILL USE IT BY THE END OF WINTER.
RECOMMENDED HOME TEST KITS FROM AMAZON ARE:
- BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test
- Quidel QuickVue at-Home OTC COVID-19
COVID ANTIBODY TESTING:
COVID ANTIBODY TESTING IS NOT REQUIRED IN GENERAL, BUT SHOULD BE DONE IF:
- YOU ARE OVER 85
- YOU ARE ON IMMUNE SUPPRESSING MEDICATIONS FOR CANCER TREATMENT, ARTHRITIS TREATMENT, GI TREATMENT OR SKIN TREATMENT
FLU SEASON:
FLU SEASON IS BEGINNING… BE SURE TO GET YOUR FLU VACCINE!
FOR THE UNVACCINATED:
I AGREE WITH THE CDC RECOMMENDATION FOR VACCINATION OF 12-15-YEAR-OLDS. THIS IS SAFE AND IT WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THEIR RISKS AND THE FAMILIES' RISK OF INFECTION.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO GET VACCINATED NOW!
IF THEY DO NOT GET VACCINATED, THEY WILL GET COVID AT SOME POINT.
WE ARE NO LONGER ROUTINELY TESTING IN THE OFFICE FOR COVID EXPOSURE OR ILLNESS, BUT RATHER YOU SHOULD TEST AT A FACILITY OR DO A SELF-TEST PURCHASED FROM A PHARMACY OR AMAZON.
TESTING LOCATIONS CAN ALSO BE FOUND HERE:
COVID IMMUNIZATION:
THE RATE OF PFIZER & MODERNA VACCINATION IS DECLINING NATIONALLY. BOTH OF THESE VACCINES ARE AMAZINGLY EFFECTIVE…VIRTUALLY 100% IN PREVENTING HOSPITALIZATION AND DEATH FROM COVID...BOTH OF THEM. THEY ARE SAFE FOR MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL AGES.
THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE IS BACK ONLINE AFTER THE ‘HOLD’ DUE TO 1 IN 300,000 CLOTTING RISKS IN YOUNGER WOMEN SPECIFICALLY (UNDER 55). GENERAL SAFETY HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.
I RECOMMEND THE J & J FOR MEN OF ALL AGES AND FOR WOMEN OVER 65 YEARS OLD.
POSSIBLE COVID VACCINE SEVERE
ALLERGIC REACTIONS:
OCCURRING AT A RATE OF
1 IN 50,000 (VERY LOW)
YOU SHOULD PLAN ON PROCEEDING WITH IMMUNIZATION UNLESS YOU HAVE A KNOWN ALLERGY TO PEG (POLYETHYLENE GLYCOL). .... A COMPONENT OF THE CARRIER IN THE VACCINES.
YOU CAN SEE DAILY TRENDS FOR ARIZONA AND THE U.S. HERE, ON THE CDC WEBSITE…JUST CHOOSE ‘ARIZONA’ FROM THE LIST.
