General Wellness

NEW DRUGS. When we get the flu, assuming that it is early enough, the antiviral drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir) can significantly shorten the duration of your illness as well as the severity of symptoms. The drug basically attacks the virus and assuming it can neutralize enough of it, it will help. If you wait even a day, it’s benefits are not seen since too much virus has replicated. It does NOT work against the virus which causes Covid-19. Many different drugs have been tested and created to try to do the same thing for Covid and the only one thus far, Remdesivir, has been shown to be effective. It works by preventing the SARS-Cov-2 virus from replicating. Just like Tamiflu however, if you don’t give it immediately, it’s benefits are not seen since too much virus replicates and is already doing it’s thing.

Many pharmaceutical companies are working on new drugs to treat Covid-19 but some already developed drugs may be of benefit. One such drug is molnupiravir, which was developed by Merck. Although not actively being used for any specific infection, it has been tested on Ebola and HIV. There are ongoing Covid trials with early positive results.

These drugs are not cures and they do not prevent you from getting infected. They just help minimize the duration and severity of symptoms. PREVENTION is still the key and that is why proper behavior and vaccination are still most important.

IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE MEDICATIONS AND VACCINE EFFICACY.

The general recommendations when it comes to meds and vaccination, is not to take anything which can impact on our immune response to the vaccine. This certainly pertains to steroids like prednisone, but also even pertains to NSAIDS like Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve. These drugs work by dampening our inflammatory response. In doing so, they diminish the symptoms of inflammation (pain, swelling and redness). These drugs do NOT treat the cause of the inflamation. Pain, redness and swelling are symptoms of a problem. By masking them, you ignore the cause and allow it to continue.

We want our immune system working and reacting as efficiently as possible when you get the shot to get the most benefit and protection.

Studies have shown that people who are on more potent immunosuppressive drugs for things like Rheumatoid Arthritis or organ transplants, have a much poorer response to the Covid vaccines. We don’t know for sure about more common drugs but the general rule of thumb from colleagues I speak with at some academic institutions is to avoid any steroids for 2 weeks before and 1 weeks after vaccination. As far as NSAIDS are concerned, avoid them for 48 hours on either side. NSAIDS have a more immediate and shorter lasting effect so you don’t need to be as rigid.

Tylenol (acetaminophen) does not impact on immune function. But just remember that our symptoms are a sign of a properly functioning immune system. Leave mild fevers (under 102) alone. Some joint and muscle aches will pass. Although Tylenol is OK to take with respect to the vaccine, it is still in the top 10 drugs which cause life threatening anaphylaxis (severe allergic reactions) worldwide. Drugs are drugs and they have side effects.

Don’t hope for a cure, preventative miracle or some pharmacological reprieve. There is only prevention and improving your health so you can mitigate the effects if you are unlucky enough to get sick. You also don’t want to be the person who gets really sick or dies from Covid just before vaccination so please continue to do all the important things:

MASK

DISTANCE

WASH

VENTILATE

VACCINATE

GET HEALTHY.

Have a great weekend.

Stay safe and be well.

AC 🌱 🏃‍♂️ ❤️ 🧘🏻‍♂️

Over the last year, a number of vaccine “halts” occurred worldwide as some concerning side effects were examined. In each case, all vaccination protocols were resumed within days since the particular problems were felt either to be unrelated or so rare that vaccination was felt to be safe to resume. That is what is supposed to happen. Side effects or reactions are reported and identified, you stop, investigate and then decide what to do.

Just yesterday, the CDC announced that vaccinations with this vaccine will be halted until the issue of possible blood clots associated with it, could be examined further. Blood clots were investigated with other vaccines, ones which have a similar mode of action to the J&J vaccine, using an inactivated common-cold virus called an adenovirus, so it may be that this type of vaccine poses such a threat, but we are not sure yet. Pfizer and Moderna are a different kind of vaccine, using MRNA, genetic material.

 But let’s keep it all in perspective

A total of 6 women developed venous blood clots in a specific part of the brain, 7-13 days after their J&J vaccinations. One tragically died and another one is in critical condition. As scary as that sounds, it is still only 6 in 1 million doses, since more than 6 million doses have already been given. Now, given the delayed nature of the clotting events, there may be a few more that will surface, but it’s not likely that many more.  In comparison, this particular type of clotting problem occurs at exactly that same rate in the general population, not related to vaccination, 5-6 per 1,000,000 people. 

As a comparison, the odds of getting hit by lightning are 2 per million (twice as likely) and dying in a car accident, 9,700 per million.

Most importantly, the chances of dying from Coronavirus, in this same demographic of women, is 1800 per million. That is 1800x greater than the chances of having a clot after vaccination.

This vaccine will likely be re-introduced soon, probably within a week, but there is a much more concerning issue. 

A recent poll, before this issue surfaced, indicated that more than 30% of Americans were still either not planning to get vaccinated or were waiting to see how it goes. That’s a third of the population! There is a reason that most states are rapidly expanding eligibility to everyone, and it is not more vaccine procurement. It’s vaccine availability, because too many people don’t want it or physically can’t get to a site (a much smaller number). There are reports of many, many doses being wasted because people are not showing up for their appointments or they just can’t fill the spots. Shameful, given the worldwide demand in vaccine.

It is just exasperating.

I understand the need to investigate. That is what is supposed to happen. But even negligible negative news about the vaccine is only fuel for vaccine deniers or those on the fence, to continue to endanger themselves and those around them.

Simple as that.

I’m too busy to go on (thankfully)

You know that mantra. I won’t stop repeating it.

MASK up.

DISTANCE.

WASH your hands.

VENTILATE.

VACCINATE.

WORK ON YOUR HEALTH.

Stay safe and be well.

AC ✌️ 🌱