We need a shift in strategy. Prevent severe illness rather than infection, since infection is inevitable.
And the best way to prevent serious disease and death, other than getting as healthy as possible, is vaccination.
Despite our extreme desire to make all this go away, Covid is far from done with us. And just like the flu which kills tens of thousands a year, it may never be done with us.
Although the rates of hospitalizations, ICU admissions and deaths continue to decline all over the US, that rate of decline is slowing rapidly and we are starting to see new infections going up. It would certainly not be a shocker if we were heading into another surge in Covid cases. After all, with each surge in Europe, there was a surge which followed in N. America a few weeks later.
2 weeks ago, 5 states in the US reported increasing numbers of cases. A week ago, that number rose to 14 and as of 2 days ago, 44 states now report an increase in cases, the highest occurring in Georgia, Arizona, California and New York. Not huge numbers, but the trend is clear.
The BA-2 Omicron subvariant is becoming the dominant one all over the world and although it results in milder cases of Covid, our ability to treat it is also quite diminished. NONE of the monoclonal antibody treatments available presently are effective against it. In fact, most hospitals don’t even have them available since shipments have been halted because of their lack of efficacy. There is one new drug on the horizon which is showing promise but it is not yet approved for use.
Vaccination remains our best preventive strategy overall. Yes they are less effective against BA-2 but not ineffective and the stats are clear about their ability to prevent severe disease. All over Europe and the far East, where vaccination rates are high, rates of severe disease and death are the lowest. Rates of long-hauls disease are the lowest as well.
Distancing and proper masking are still important, but with virtually no support for these measures with loosening and elimination of restrictions, we seem to have abandoned all careful and responsible behavior. No one seems to give a crap about each other.
As far as vaccination goes, we remain stalled at 66% “full” vaccination. I use the term “full” loosely since 3 doses is really full vaccination and we are still below 30% when it comes to that.
I mentioned in my last post that my recent bloodwork, 6 months after my third shot, showed a high titer of antibodies, suggesting to me that I was in good shape. I was wrong. Although I do have protection, the actual degree is influenced by many other factors like overall health, immune risks, lifestyle, work… Overall, I am in good physical shape but clearly my job is extremely risky and I do have a few health issues which increase my vulnerability. The studies about the 4th shot, a true booster, are extremely promising, again showing a real increase in protection.
So, I got my 4th shot yesterday. As an aside, all my vaccines were at a local Rite Aid pharmacy. 4th Pfizer. It doesn’t seem to really matter if you mix and match, although my colleagues recommend against the J&J if you can, especially if you are a young woman. But get it if you don’t have an option for one of the mRNA vaccines. Again, choose Pfizer if you’re a male between 12-25, just because you probably can. How amazing is that! We can choose! In many places, they have no option, or have no vaccine. And in many places like Russia and China, the only state-sponsored vaccine available is almost useless against the last variants (Delta and Omicron). China, by the way, with its draconian “zero-covid” policies, is having the biggest outbreak since the start of the pandemic. In Shanghai, if you are caught taking the garbage to the curb, you get a fine or may be arrested. Sounds almost like Canada. 😜
The complication rate and side effect profile remains excellent with the 4th dose. Nothing is perfect and as I like to tell patients, the drug which kills the most people worldwide is aspirin! These vaccines have been the most closely monitored and followed of anything ever made, and they are overall extremely safe.
Have a great weekend.
Pray for Ukraine and for the World.
🇺🇦 Слава Україні 🌻🇺🇦
Stay safe and be well.
AC