by: Daniel Pearce, d.o., facoi, aahivms
OMNICRON COVID
In the counties in Southern California, those
not vaccinated and boosted are much more
likely to enter the hospital for Covid problems.
DON’T FORCE ME, I VALUE MY FREEDOM
There are two arguments against this.
1. Your being vaccinated helps prevent Covid in you AND in others with whom you come in contact.
2. If you were the governor of California or other official:
a. and saw many of your citizens dying and becoming permanently disabled from Covid
b. and you had already pushed educational programs to get more people vaccinated which has been proven to slow this tragedy
c. and only a tiny number of people had trouble with the vaccine
d. and you listen to your trusted advisors who deal with the evidence, not rumor,
what would you do? I don’t disagree with officials making the vaccine mandatory for more and more people.
T-CELLS FIGHT OMICRON
The T-Cells, so important in HIV, also fight Omicron, recent studies show. There may be less antibody response to Omicron, but the T-Cells are a great backup fighter. This may be why less people are severely ill. But if you multiply the number of infected by 70 with Omicron, then that small percentage results in a higher number. As of this writing many hospitals in SoCal have high numbers of Covid patients. Keep your eye on the hospital admissions and deaths—important outcomes to try to minimize.
WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY HELPS FIGHT SEVERE COVID
A new study showed that those who had this surgery had lighter Covid infections than those of similar weights but did not have the surgery. So add this to the list of benefits of weight loss surgery: hypertension, diabetes, joint pain, heart attacks, strokes, etc.
IMPROVING MASKING SINCE OMICRON SPREADS BETTER
Whatever you can do to make the mask fit so that less air goes around the edges when you breathe in or out and thickening the mask prevents transmission more. N95 masks are better than surgical (blue paper). Twisting the ear loops once before placing behind your ear results in better fit also. Glasses fogging up means that breath is escaping around the metal band/mask edge. Not covering the nose is a waste of time since the nose is the main hole Covid enters and exits.
COVID SPREADS TO HEART AND BRAIN IN A FEW DAYS
It spreads to almost all organs and the virus is alive and working long after the infection seems cleared. This may explain how long-Covid works. The investigators did autopsies on people who died many months after their Covid infection.
The risk for long-Covid in vaccinated people is now estimated between ½ to 5% of those who become infected—many of whom have no symptoms.
LONG COVID
Happens in 20-75% of those who have had Covid, even if they had no symptoms.
Long Covid Symptoms:
• Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Chest or other joint pains
• Shortness of breath
SURGE IN CHILDREN ADMITTED TO HOSPITALS WITH COVID
Many children with Covid are needing hospitalization. Those who are unvaccinated are spreading Covid to children more easily than the vaccinated. If you love children, get vaccinated. You may spread Covid to a parent who will then spread it to their children.
COVID RAPID TEST POSITIVE = INFECTIOUS
The test may be negative early in your infection and then 1-3 days later the viral level rises to a certain level to trigger a positive rapid test and that also signifies that you are infectious. There are people who had a negative test in the morning and that evening infected many at a dinner table that evening. The closer the test to the party, the more accurate it is.
MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IN MEDI-CAL COMING!!!
The federal government has approved California’s plan to have pilot studies to take care of the whole person. Our health depends on the Social Determinants of Health, so they will have pilot programs with case managers helping to:
1. find doctors
2. schedule appointments
3. set up medical transportation
4. help members understand their medications
5. secure mental health services
6. locate and apply for community-based services such as housing subsidies or food assistance.
The state is shifting four programs — Medi-Cal Managed Care, Dental Managed Care, Specialty Mental Health Services, and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System — into one coordinating authority. Officials said that is intended to simplify and align the programs while standardizing benefits and enrollment.
DIET AFFECTS SLEEP
Of course, we know that eating a large meal close to bedtime makes it hard to sleep.
We now know that the Mediterranean diet (veges, fruits, nuts, whole grains, beans, olive oil) give higher melatonin/tryptophan levels which promote sleep better than taking a melatonin pill. The Mediterranean diet also helps you lose weight and prevents strokes and heart attacks.
Keep those questions coming and be safe!
dpearce@western.edu
Daniel Pearce, D.O., FACOI, AAHIVMS
Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, Loma Linda University School of Medicine Adjunct Professor of Internal Medicine and HIV, Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine and Midwestern University Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine HIV, Hepatitis B,C, Transgender, Suboxone Specialist, Borrego Health (Riverside, San Bernardino, San Jacinto) Member, Coachella Valley Clinical Research Initiative
REFERENCES: Medscape®