For hundreds of years, lighting a candle has been a way to show respect for those that have died.

This beautiful gesture shows that although someone may be gone from this world, their memory will endure, and the light of their flame will continue to inspire and guide others.

Worldwide Candle Lighting Day is a celebration of solidarity and memory. It’s a day on which people around the world gather to light candles for children who have died and to show that they will always be loved and never forgotten.

The candles are lit at the same time in every time zone, meaning that a consistent warm glow passes around the planet for a full 24-hour day.

Read more here. . . .

TOP PODCAST DONE WEEKLY

BY DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM

(UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA)  

He is a world-renowned epidemiologist who was credited with first elucidating TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME in the 1980’s.

He provides comprehensive and understandable/actionable ideas related to COVID.

Dr. Osterholm Update: COVID-19

December 1, 2022

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars/episode-119

(Same podcast as last week's.... New one next week!)

'COVID in the Driver's Seat'

In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the challenges that China is facing with its COVID response, analyze a study that was recently published on surgical masks, and take a closer look at who is currently dying of COVID in the US.

According to Dr. Osterholm……

• BA5 IS AND THE SUBVARIANTS OF BA5 ARE INCREASING WORLDWIDE
• USE MASKS IN SETTINGS OF CONCERN. YOUR MASK MUST BE KN95 OR N95
• GOOD VENTILATION IN ROOMS/HOME/BUSINESSES IS A GREAT WAY TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION
• CHINA WILL BE EXPERIENCING MAJOR COVID OUTBREAKS AS TIME GOES ON.  COVID OMICRON SUBVARIATNS ARE LIKE THE WIND…YOU CAN’T STOP IT, BUT YOU CAN TRY TO CONTROL IT.  THE ZERO COVID POLICY OF CHINA IS UNSUSTAINABLE.
• VACCINE, VACCINE, VACCINE…THIS IS OUR PROTECTION.  ALL VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE AND WITH TIME WE ARE SEEING THAT THE J&J VACCINE IS PICKING UP STEAM AND GIVES SOLID LONG-TERM PROTECTION.
• BOOST, BOOST, BOOST…THIS WILL BE NECESSARY TO PREVENT RECURRING SURGE AND TO RAISE ANTIBODY LEVELS IN THOSE ALREADY SET WITH THE PRIMARY COVID VACCINE SERIES.
• ANTIGEN TESTING IS USEFUL, BUT OF LIMITED VALUE. DON’T DEPEND ON THIS TEST IF YOU HAVE CLASSIC COVID SYMPTOMS.
• MASKS OF THE KN95 AND N95 VARIETY CAN BE HELPFUL. CLOTH MASKS AND SURGICAL MASKS ARE CURRENTLY NOT AS EFFECTIVE WITH DELTA VARIANT 
• THE THREE/FOUR VACCINE REGIMEN IS PARTICULARLY EFFECTIVE AGAINST SERIOUS ILLNESS AND HOSPITALIZATION. DEATHS AMONG THE VACCINATED ARE MASSIVELY REDUCED.
• GET YOUR BOOSTERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. 

Know that unvaccinated remain a source of potential infection.  Avoiding unvaccinated persons will reduce your risk of COVID.

A meta-analysis of 31 studies by Chinese scientists concludes that glucose-lowering sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, and metformin were tied to a lower risk of adverse COVID-19–related outcomes in hospitalized type 2 diabetes patients.

In the study, published yesterday in JAMA Network Open, researchers from Fujian Medical University evaluated 31 studies involving more than 3.6 million hospitalized type 2 diabetes patients receiving one of eight glucose-lowering drugs at least 14 days before COVID-19 diagnosis.

The studies, published up to Sep 5, 2022, included 148 active-treatment groups receiving insulin (26 groups), metformin (27), dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4is; 26), glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs; 15), secretagogues (22), sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT-2is; 14), thiazolidinediones (9), and alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs; 9). Five studieshad more than 7 treatment groups, while 18 studies had 4 to 6 groups, and 5 studies had 3.

Average participant age across studies was 55 to 85 years, diabetes duration in most studies was more than 10 years, and average baseline hemoglobin A1c levels were above normal, ranging from 7.1% to higher than 8.7%.

Most adverse events tied to metformin

A total of 22,006 adverse outcomes occurred, mostly in patients who took metformin before COVID-19 diagnosis (37.1%), while 19.5% each had used insulin or DPP-4is, followed by secretagogues (14.7%), GLP-1RAs (3.9%), SGLT-2is (3.3%), thiazolidinediones (1.5%), and AGIs (0.3%).

Read more here. . . .

Covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are together driving a national wave of respiratory illnesses.

Around 76% of U.S. hospital inpatient beds are full, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Pediatric beds are at a similar level, though six states have 90% or more of their pediatric beds full, according to an NBC News analysis of HHS data.

Covid, flu and RSV can be difficult to distinguish, since they share many common symptoms. But it's useful to know which virus you have, since that determines the treatments you should receive and how long you should isolate.

Certain hallmarks — either symptoms or how the illness progresses — can help differentiate each virus. Here are five factors to consider.

Some symptoms are unique to particular viruses

A runny nose, cough, congestion or sore throat can arise because of any of the three viruses or a common cold. But a loss of taste and smell is more commonly associated with Covid than with flu or RSV. And wheezing is often a tell-tale sign of a serious RSV infection, usually found in kids or older adults.

The only way to know for certain, though, is to get tested.

Looking for another way to keep COVID-19 at bay this winter? Make sure to carefully wash produce and to thoroughly clean your hands after touching foods and food packaging.

The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 can live on certain foods for up to one week, according to a recent study by the U.K. government’s Food Standards Agency.

As part of the research, the coronavirus was intentionally added to both foods and food packaging. The amount of virus placed on these items was designed to replicate a sneeze or cough from an infected person.

Researchers then examined how long the virus remained intact on the foods.

Some of the foods in question — and the number of days the virus can survive on them — are:

• Broccoli stored at ambient temperature (around 73 degrees Fahrenheit): Up to five days
• Cheddar cheese stored chilled (around 43 degrees): Up to seven days
• Sliced ham stored chilled: Up to seven days
• Plastic bottle stored chilled: Up to several days
• Peppers stored chilled: Up to seven days

Before you panic, note that your risk of getting the coronavirus this way is not great. According to a summary of the FSA findings:

“For most food products tested there was a ‘significant drop’ in the levels of virus contamination over the first 24 hours. These findings confirm that the overall risk to consumers from coronavirus via food remains very low.”

Still, the U.K. agency is urging people to remember to wash produce before eating it and to wash their hands thoroughly after preparing food and before eating it.

• Chris Kissell • December 7, 2022, MoneyTalksNews

Average daily Covid cases have risen 11% in the last two weeks, according to NBC News’ tally. The country is recording around 39,000 new cases per day, on average, though many cases detected via at-home rapid tests aren't included in that tally. Covid deaths are down 9%, but around 280 people are still dying of Covid every day.

Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about masking, testing and isolation haven't changed much since the CDC last updated its recommendations in August.

But as the virus continues to spread, here's what the agency recommends in regards to masking, testing and isolation.

Read more here. . . . .

After you received your COVID vaccinations, please let us know!

We would like to document this information into your chart.



BUT FIRST.......

PLEASE COMPLETE THE INFORMATION ON THE CARD BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO US!

What we need:

1. Your name
2. Date vaccination received
3. Brand name
4. Lot number if available
5. Which dose you have received

**Email your COVID vaccine completed info HERE

For More information.....CLICK HERE

At our office, we are continuing to follow CDC guidelines and will strive for ways to keep our patients and staff safe.



We recommend that all unvaccinated and vaccinated patients and visitors entering our office cover their nose and mouth at all times.

To prevent further spread of the Delta & Omicron variants, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on March 21, 2022, to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks when in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission of Covid-19.

We have a limited supply of paper masks and will make these available to patients while they last, however, we encourage you to bring your own facial covering.

Peter, Paul and MaryPaul and Mary - Light One Candle (25th Anniversary Concert)

Peter, Paul and Mary perform "Light One Candle" live at their 25th anniversary concert in 1986 in the famed Greenwich Village.

Lyrics:

Light one candle for the Maccabee children

With thanks their light didn't die;

Light one candle for the pain they endured

When their right to exist was denied;

Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice

Justice and freedom demand;

And light one candle for the wisdom to know

That the peacemaker's time is at hand!

Chorus:

Don't let the light go out,

It's lasted for so many years!

Don't let the light go out!

Let it shine through our love and our tears!

Light one candle for the strength that we need

To never become our own foe;

Light one candle for those who are suff'ring

A pain they learned so long ago;

Light one candle for all we believe in,

That anger not tear us apart;

And light one candle to bind us together

With peace as the song in our heart!

(chorus)

What is the memory that's valued so highly

That we keep it alive in that flame?

What's the commitment to those who have died?

We cry out "they've not died in vain,"

We have come this far, always believing

That justice will somehow prevail;

This is the burden, This is the promise,

This is why we will not fail!

(chorus)

Don't let the light go out!

Don't let the light go out!

Don't let the light go out!

Enjoy!