January 7, 2024, 'Golden Globe Awards!'

'The Golden Globe Awards Tonight!'

Golden Globe Awards night takes you onstage to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. This prestigious event is held every year to honor the exceptional talent and creativity that define the entertainment industry, both movies and television.

It’s an evening full of hyperbolic speeches, tears, and drama.

What’s not to love about the Golden Globes?

Read more here. . . .

Your Weekly COVID-19 Updates

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)

Visit Our Website

ATTN PATIENTS:

Dr. Lakin is using FaceTime ,

WhatsApp and Zoom to connect with you

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

Please watch these videos so you can be prepared and know how to connect with Dr. Lakin for a 'Telehealth' visit.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES

FROM THE DOC

January 7, 2024

LOTS OF COVID IN THE VALLEY. ALL DOING WELL BUT BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION.

COVID IS VERY HIGH RIGHT NOW. DO NOT GO OUT WITH GROUPS OF PEOPLE IF YOU ARE SICK AND HAVE NOT TESTED FOR COVID…YOU MAY HAVE COVID AND BE SPREADING IT!

WEAR A MASK DURING TRAVEL IN THE AIRPORT AND ON THE AIRPLANE (UNTIL 10,000 FEET)…AT THIS TIME DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF COVID INFECTION. ONCE THE SURGE HAS DROPPED OFF, THIS IS NOT AS ESSENTIAL.

GET BOOSTED IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO…PARTICULARLY OVER AGE 65.

FLU IS AT HIGH LEVELS…WE ARE IN THE HEART OF THE FLU SEASON…..GET YOUR FLU SHOT IF YOU’VE NOT ALREADY HAD IT

VERY LITTLE RSV IN THE VALLEY..BUT RISING.

IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A COLD OR RESPIRATORY INFECTION RIGHT NOW…. YOU MAY WELL HAVE COVID OR THE FLU. PLEASE DO A COVID TEST TO CHECK AT HOME. AVOID GOING TO HOLIDAY PARTIES IF YOU ARE SICK AND HAVE NOT CHECKED FOR COVID.

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

FLU TESTING CAN BE DONE IF YOU ARE FEELING PARTICULARLY SICK WITH YOUR UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION.

**Read Dr. Lakin's Full January 7th Comments 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

December 28, 2023

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/episode-147-jn1-hospital-capacity-vaccine-uptake

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

'JN.1, Hospital Capacity, & Vaccine Uptake'

In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the JN.1 variant, the rising levels of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, and the low uptake of the COVID-19, RSV, and influenza vaccines. Dr. Osterholm also shares his thoughts on hospital capacity issues in the U.S. and shares the latest "This Week in Public Health History" segment.

According to Dr. Osterholm……

GET YOUR 5th BOOSTER (7th SHOT) 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 THE J&J VACCINE IS PICKING UP STEAM AND GIVES SOLID LONG-TERM PROTECTION.
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.

After you received your COVID vaccinations, please let us know!

We would like to document this information into your chart.

BUT FIRST.......

PLEASE COMPLETE THE INFORMATION ON THE CARD BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO US!

What we need:

Your name
Date vaccination received
Brand name
Lot number if available
Which dose you have received

**Email your COVID vaccine completed info HERE

Four More Free COVID Tests Will Be Available To US Households

The federal government is offering a new batch of free Covid tests,

with orders to begin shipping the week of Nov. 27.

Each U.S. household can now order four more free Covid tests, to be sent out by the federal government starting the week of Nov. 27.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the new round of test shipments Monday as the holiday season begins — a time when public health experts typically expect cases of Covid, flu, colds and respiratory syncytial virus to surge.

As with the previous five rounds of government-issued Covid tests, orders can be placed online at Covid.gov. People who didn’t take advantage of the last offer in September can still order the four rapid antigen tests made available then, for a total of eight tests. The only information required is a name and a home address — no health insurance information needed.

The order page warns that although tests may arrive with expiration dates that have passed, the Food and Drug Administration has extended the dates for most approved tests. So users can check the true expiration dates of their Covid tests on the FDA’s regularly updated list.

Read more here. . . .

Paxlovid Does Not Lower Risk of Long-Term COVID-19 Symptoms, UCSF Study Shows

The popular COVID treatment, Paxlovid, does not significantly lower the risk of "long COVID" for people who are vaccinated.

In a new study from UCSF, researchers found that patients who took Paxlovid and those who did not had similar outcomes when it came to long COVID symptoms.

Researchers also found a higher-than-expected COVID rebound for patients who took the medication.

Paxlovid has been shown to be effective for high-risk, unvaccinated people.

Read more here. . . .

Mask Policy in Our Office

At our office, we are continuing to follow CDC guidelines and will strive for ways to keep our patients and staff safe.

We recommend that all unvaccinated and vaccinated patients and visitors entering our office cover their nose and mouth at all times.

To prevent further spread of the Delta & Omicron variants, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on March 21, 2022, to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks when in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission of Covid-19.

We have a limited supply of paper masks and will make these available to patients while they last, however, we encourage you to bring your own facial covering.

With COVID And Flu Surging At The Same Time,

How Big Is The Risk Of Coinfection?

While the U.S. is only a few weeks into winter, this year’s respiratory virus season is already looking different than last year’s. Covid and flu are both surging and there’s no peak in sight.

During the previous winter, flu and RSV got off to an early start but were already declining by the time hospitalizations from the omicron virus started to spike in December 2022.

“What is new this year is we’re seeing both flu and Covid going up together,” said infectious disease expert Dr. Michael Phillips, chief epidemiologist at NYU Langone Health. “This is different.”

At NYU Langone, positive tests for flu and Covid are “neck and neck,” with slightly more people sick with Covid, Phillips said.

Dr. Helen Chu, a professor of infectious disease at the University of Washington, said providers are bracing for the impact of Covid and flu over the coming weeks in Washington state.

Read more here. . . .