Thanks to my cousin Christina for sending me this cartoon. I’m putting up in all my exam rooms!
The Delta variant is not just infecting adults, it is impacting kids to a dramatically increased degree than with the original virus, with over 300 kids a day being admitted into US hospitals, every day. 5 times more than at any point during the lockdown. It’s insane that this is going on while some parents are getting into fist fights over school mask mandates and still refusing to vaccinate themselves or their teens. The paranoia and misinformation runs deep. A new CDC study shows that the incidence of myocarditis (heart inflammation) is 16x higher in those who contract Covid than in the general population. As far as this inflammation after vaccination is concerned, the incidence is 3x LESS than the incidence in the general population! You’re 3x more likely to get heart inflammation walking to the bus stop than after getting vaccinated! Think about that. The same goes for clots and any other “complication” of vaccination. THEY ARE SAFE AND THEY SAVE LIVES PEOPLE!
I wanted to point out a newer, early symptom being seen with the Delta variant infections. Although muscle and joint aches are common with all versions of Covid, upper back pain over the shoulder blades seems to be common with the Delta variant. No known reason why. Just an observation. It’s not an isolated pain so it may just be part of the generalized inflammatory response.
As ragweed season marches on, many infected patients are simply having worsening allergy symptoms. Sniffles, runny nose, sneezing… all very common with allergies but also seen with Covid. I know a few people who had what they thought were allergies but were eventually diagnosed with Covid. The problem with such upper respiratory symptoms is that they also spread a LOT more virus than someone who is just feverish and achy. Remember that with Delta, 1000x more virus is generated in the nose than with the original form. It’s also much more infectious.
The bottom line is that if you are feeling off, if allergies are worse than usual or if you were exposed to someone who was feeling off or developed Covid, get tested. Home tests are easy to do and readily available at most pharmacies. They are inexpensive.
Tests are not 100%, but they are helpful. If you have symptoms and are negative, that’s usually good enough. If you have symptoms, then the viral load in your nose will certainly be high enough to be positive, assuming you got WAY back into your nose. If you were exposed and are concerned however, test at 48 hours and then repeat at 4-5 days just to be sure.
Just to repeat, although the tests are good, you need to do it correctly. If you;re not tearing up and the swab is not going at least 2-3 cm straight back, you’re not doing it right. No twirling around the nostrils. Spit test is OK but not as good as the nasopharyngeal swab.
PLEASE continue to do all the things we KNOW protects you and more importantly, all those around you including the kids who can’t even get a vaccine:
VACCINATE. It IS safe and effective.
MASK UP. Even if you’re vaccinated, you still must wear a mask. Although certain situations are more risky, those situations are rapidly growing.
DISTANCE
VENTILATE
WASH your hands
GET HEALTHY!!!
I just read a statistic that 2/3rds, that’s 66%, of new type 2 diabetes diagnoses, formerly called “adult onset” diabetes, are made in kids! Why? Because 20% of people under 20 are already obese, let alone overweight. They are also sedentary. Hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, even arthritis is being diagnosed in kids these days.
Kids don’t do what you tell them to do, they do what YOU do. Be a good example. Move. Eat better. Work on your stress. Love more. We ALL need to be a little less angry. We will get through this together.
Stay safe and be well.
AC