General Wellness

In the US, the fully vaccinated percentage has finally reached 50%. But this is still not enough and all you have to do is look at the numbers.

99.99% of the Covid-related deaths and over 98% of Covid admissions are in unvaccinated people. The vast majority of new Covid cases, almost 100% of ER visits, are in unvaccinated people. How much more convincing do we need?

In a previous post, I mentioned how the behavior of Delta is unusual and that in Britain, out of the blue, their numbers started to drop. Well, that was a blip and the numbers are back up again. 

Britain, Israel and Iceland all have over 70% of their populations fully vaccinated. But despite that, all 3 are experiencing new outbreaks of the Delta variant. Rises in new cases are similar, if not more accelerated, than at the height of the pandemic last fall, and almost all of those new cases are in unvaccinated people. In addition, in all 3 countries, almost 100% of the hospital admissions and deaths are in unvaccinated people.

Last week saw the highest hospitalization rate in kids in the US since the start of the pandemic. They have no choice. They can’t get the vaccine. They are the victims of the irresponsible adults around them.

ICU beds are filled, mostly by Covid patients, or by patients whose other health conditions were neglected or untreated because of Covid and they are now suffering the dire consequences of those delays in care.

Surgeries are being delayed because of new Covid restrictions.

Patients are once again being triaged to outside, makeshift tent facilities.

Those selfish, unvaccinated people are causing other people to have their healthcare impaired and, in some cases, are causing their deaths.

The unvaccinated are causing others to die!

Simple as that.

If you have questions, ask someone who understands this disease and vaccination. Don’t listen to your crazy sister, aunt, coworker, television reporter or social media mouthpiece.

Do the right thing for yourself, but more importantly, for everyone else.

GET VACCINATED!!!

Stay safe and be well.

AC

As an ENT who also tests for and treats seasonal allergies, this is a particularly confusing issue at times.

I recently had a friend who thought that her allergies were just getting worse. It is the start of ragweed season and I have seen a lot of people with significantly worsening symptoms. In her case, some other symptoms led to her getting a Covid test and despite having been vaccinated, she was positive.  A second lab test confirmed it.

So how can you tell? Well sometimes it is hard to distinguish. 

Certainly allergies will not cause a fever, muscle and or joint aches but Covid, the flu and even the common cold can.

All 4 can cause alterations in smell and taste, as well as fatigue, nasal stuffiness, a non productive cough and headaches. With a cold, the symptoms resolve as soon as the major cold symptoms do, but they take much longer with Covid.

If a cough is productive, particularly if it is discolored, it’s less likely to be allergies, but it could be all of the others. A simple viral cold is less likely to lead to a productive cough but it’s not completely unrealistic.

The bottom line is that you have to know your body, know who you have interacted with and ultimately, if you are not sure, spend the $30 and get a home Covid test. They are not 100% but they are decently accurate. Repeat if necessary or go to a formal testing facility.

Dr. Joel Kahn, an amazing former interventional and now preventative cardiologist I follow (and with whom I have personally consulted) has a saying about heart health: “Test, Don’t Guess”.  The same goes for Covid. Testing rates have dropped off dramatically. I heard a very disturbing report of a high school football team making a pact not to report mild symptoms suggestive of Covid for fear of their team being quarantined. I heard a similar report of a school administration having the same attitude. If they under-report, they can carry on as if nothing is going on. It’s ludicrous, immoral and irresponsible!

The Delta variant is now the dominant form of Covid and it is nasty. Better to be safe than sorry, not only for you but for all those with whom you interact.

I have another post about the Delta coming up which is very important so stay tuned.

Stay safe and be well.

AC