Covid Update
Hello, Doctor Chuma here for another health segment.
I would like to give another Covid and vaccination update.
Covid case numbers continue to increase, and not too surprisingly, rises in hospitalizations and deaths have followed suit. That having been said, we are a long way from where we were a few years ago.
The most recent weekly average deaths from Covid are around 500. This is the highest they have been in almost 6 months but to keep that in perspective, at the height of the pandemic, over 2000 a day, or 14,000 a week, were dying from this virus. However, 500 preventable deaths a week is still sad, especially if it is your spouse, child, parent or your friend.
The rise in Covid infections is occurring worldwide, and in some places, more severe cases are much higher than in N. America.
Fortunately, the rise in hospitalizations and deaths have not been proportional to the numbers of known infections. However, we are also vastly underestimating the numbers of Covid cases out there simply because people are not testing themselves and there are no independent reporting mechanisms in place anymore. Unfortunately, even doctors are not encouraging testing for Covid.
We’ve all become complacent. We also have forgotten what things were like during the early months of the pandemic. It is easy to criticize how we did things today, but at the time, there was a lot we simply did not know.
What we do know is that millions of people died and many millions got really sick. Covid 19 was not a conspiracy theory. It happened! The notion that we should not have closed schools is ridiculous. The notion that masking was not helpful is equally ridiculous. Had we not employed some of these measures, many more people would have died. Sure, we are dealing with some of the aftermath of the isolation and virtual world we lived in, but I would rather be able to try to help a child or relative through some of the social, psychological or other health impacts of the pandemic and illness, than not have them around at all because they died.
Although these most recent variants are not causing as much severe disease as previous variants have, people are still getting sick and those who are vulnerable, are dying. And the long-haul symptom rate remains at just below 10%.
As far as the Covid vaccines are concerned, the present version is a little less effective than before but newer, updated vaccines covering some of the newer variants will be out soon.
As far as getting the combined flu and Covid vaccination, which is being promoted by the CDC, this is fine but timing is the key.
The effectiveness of ALL vaccines diminish over time. For some, like hepatitis or shingles, it takes years or decades for protection to wane. For the flu or Covid, protection is almost nonexistent by 6 months. That’s why timing for the flu season is crucial, getting the vaccine in October when the flu season starts so it protects you until the spring when the flu season ends.
Because Covid is NOT seasonal, vaccination is recommended at least every 6 months. Remember that most of the surges, like the one we are in right now, have occurred during warmer weather.
If you are due for your Covid booster, get it now and get a separate flu vaccine in the early fall. That is what I am doing.
In the last few weeks of the summer, it is important to remember to protect yourself and protect everyone else also. This is a mild disease for most people, but not for all.
Please get vaccinated. Wear an N95 mask in crowded, enclosed spaces and if you are ill, stay away and take care of yourself. And keep in mind that even at 10 days after symptoms start, about 10% of people remain infectious with Covid! You are not free to go after 5 days.
Have a great weekend and remember that next Sunday is the 23rd anniversary of Ukraine’s Independence after the fall of the Soviet Union. This is also the 3rd Independence Day brave Ukainians are spending defending their country once again from a ruthless Russian invasion.
Slava Ukraini (Glory to Ukraine)