General Wellness

As this virus continues to cause an exponential rise in Covid cases in hospitalizations and soon to follow, deaths, we are learning more about this new variant.

We’ve already heard it is much more infectious. 2-4x as much. It attaches more vigorously to the ACE-2 receptor on human cells. And it can replicate as much as 1000x more in the nose as it’s predecessors so can be shed to a much greater degree. However, how does that impact our interactions with people? In a nutshell, the timelines are all shortened by 48 hours.

1. If you are exposed to someone with Covid and become infected, you may be infectious to other people as soon as only 1.5 days afterwards, whereas with the original form, you had 3-4 days lead time. Vaccinated or not.
2. You may be infected but asymptomatic for only 3 days or less. The disease progresses faster.
3. Confirmation testing can be done sooner, but no earlier than 3 days, and should be repeated at 5-7 days after exposure.
4. The duration of infection seems to be the same however more people are getting more seriously sick and are suffering chronic symptoms longer (like loss of smell and taste, brain fog…)

We also know that:

1. It causes more serious disease in both adults and kids.
2. More long-term (at least as far as we have been able to follow put) complications. A recent study of teens who had Covid, revealed a 10% incidence of persistent brain fog and difficulties with concentration and academics. This was seen even in asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic teens.
3. It infects kids much more readily than the previous versions.
4. Previous infection (natural immunity) provides much less protection against Delta so you must still get at least one shot of a vaccine. I would still get 2. In Europe, they are approving additional vaccination if you’re getting the J&J or AZ vaccines. Unfortunately, no such official recommendation has been made in the US.
5. Vaccination provides significant protection against Delta but you must get both shots with Pfizer and Moderna! The difference is significant by more than 20%. J&J provides less, but still significant protection.
6. Whereas the original and earlier forms of this virus were felt to be most transmitted indoors, in close quarters, without adequate ventilation, essentially making it an “indoor” disease, that is no longer the case with Delta. It is estimated that 50-70% of Covid cases in high school students last year occurred as a result of participation in sporting activities. Being outdoors is certainly much better, but be aware of your surroundings and avoid crowds, especially if people are unmasked.

The bottom line is that this is almost a new disease altogether.

We have a weapon however and that is vaccination.

We can’t expect others to get it and then become protected. That is selfish.

They are safe, effective and our only way out.

All the other protective measures still help significantly, especially wearing a mask. 

Stay safe and be well.

AC

This is one of the most common excuses I hear for not getting vaccinated from vaccine-hesitant patients. Well, what will it take to trust it? 

How much more time?

How many more doctors who treat Covid patients begging people to get vaccinated?

How many more deaths?

How many more severe illnesses?

How many more kids getting sick?

How much more loss of work and closed businesses ?

How much more of a negative impact on education and socialization of our kids?

How many more of your fellow humans will it take, acting as “guinea pigs” on your behalf, will it take before you are convinced of the vaccines’ safety and efficacy?

Bullcrap excuse! Just like all the rest.

The numbers are climbing and it is getting scary out there once again. In many places, hospitalization and death rates are exceeding what was experienced last winter and spring. If Louisiana were a country, it would have the highest Covid rates in the world. The vast majority of those falling ill are unvaccinated. 

But those who have been vaccinated and still are getting sick because of the Delta variant, are having a much easier time of it and very rarely need hospitalization and virtually none die.

In some places, kids are back to virtual learning because of outbreaks, and the school semester has barely started.

What will it take to convince you? Fear of the disease?

I have often read that fear of developing a disease or recurrence of some major health issue like cancer or a heart attack is rarely a long-term motivator for lasting change in behavior. People will make short-term changes but over time, they often lapse back into old, bad habits or patterns of thinking. They make exceptions, excuses and justifications. The next thing you know, they’re back to the exact same old behavior and thinking patterns. I have experienced this myself. Discipline wanes if you lack the proper motivation.

You have to dig a little deeper and find some other motivation. As far as getting past this reticence to getting the vaccine, you need to develop some new motivation other than fear of personal ramifications.

How about caring for your family and friends? 

How about not wanting to spread it to others?

Bow about the fact that this disease impacts on every person on this planet and we all need to do our part to get past it?

How about some selfless altruism rather than just being worried about yourself?

I’m not saying you need to be Mother Theresa. I certainly am not. But looking just a little past your 2 foot radius is imperative for us to get past this.

I am glad that I live in a part of PA where there is a very high vaccination rate, but there are still people out there who are vaccine “hesitant”. The vaccine “hostile” are lost causes.

Please get vaccinated. It is really the only way for us to coexist with this virus in any kind of meaningful way. It will likely never go away and we need to re-think what “normal” will be since it won’t, and shouldn’t, be like it was. 

Please try to patiently educate those who are “hesitant”. Sometimes, all they need is encouragement.

All those other protective strategies like masking and vaccination are important to slow the spread, but they are useless in the larger scheme of things if people don’t get vaccinated.

Stay safe and be well.

AC