December 17 2023, 'National Maple Syrup Day'

'National Maple Syrup Day'

Sweet, thick, amber-colored liquid that's pure magic on your pancakes. Its distinct flavor profile is like nothing else on Earth.

Many people, even lovers of this delicious liquid gold, don’t know maple syrup has its own day dedicated to learning about and celebrating it!

So, before delving into the history of and the most popular thing to put on pancakes, waffles, French toast and more, it’s probably a good idea to take a moment to thank the maple trees for the sap that becomes the sweet syrup that everyone knows and loves today!

That’s the whole focus of National Maple Syrup Day!

Read more here. . . .

Your Weekly COVID-19 Updates

Paradise Valley Medical Clinic,

Douglas M. Lakin, M.D.

Kaitlin A. Kraemer, M.S., PA-C

9977 N 90th Street, Suite 180, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

480.614.5800 (phone), 480.614.6322 (Fax)

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FROM THE DOC

December 17, 2023

LOTS OF COVID IN THE VALLEY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. ALL DOING WELL BUT BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION.

FLU IS ON THE RISE…..GET YOUR FLU SHOT IF YOU’VE NOT ALREADY HAD IT

VERY LITTLE RSV IN THE VALLEY

IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A COLD OR RESPIRATORY INFECTION RIGHT NOW…. YOU MAY WELL HAVE COVID OR THE FLU. PLEASE DO A COVID TEST TO CHECK AT HOME. AVOID GOING TO HOLIDAY PARTIES IF YOU ARE SICK AND HAVE NOT CHECKED FOR COVID.

ALMOST ALL DOING WELL, BUT WE ARE SEEING A FEW PEOPLE NEED THE HOSPITAL TO RECOVER.

FLU TESTING CAN BE DONE IF YOU ARE FEELING PARTICULARLY SICK WITH YOUR UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION.

THE NEW COVID VACCINE IS AVAILABLE.

IT IS A VERY GOOD MATCH FOR THE CURRENT VARIANTS IN CIRCULATION. THIS IS KEEPING PEOPLE FROM HAVING A MORE DIFFICULT TIME WITH INFECTION AND KEEPING PEOPLE OUT OF THE HOSPITAL.

I RECOMMEND THE COVID BOOSTER GENERALLY FOR THOSE OVER 65. BUT……

· I HIGHLY RECOMMEND A BOOSTER FOR THOSE 80 & OLDER.

· I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE BOOSTER FOR THOSE OVER 65 WITH HEART FAILURE, SIGNIFICANT LUNG CONDITIONS, AND DIABETES.

CONSIDER BOOSTING WITH THE NEW COVID VACCINE TO REDUCE RISK OF COVID AND TO REDUCE COVID SYMPTOM SEVERITY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.

TIMING OF VACCINATIONS THIS FALL AND WINTER:

FLU SHOT
COVID SHOT
RSV SHOT

DO NOT GET ALL SHOTS AT THE SAME TIME. RSV SHOULD BE TAKEN ALONE.

IF YOU WISH, YOU CAN GET FLU AND COVID AT THE SAME TIME. THAT IS PROVEN SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

**Read Dr. Lakin's Full December 17th Comments 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 14, 2023

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/episode-146-seasonless-virus

'A Seasonless Virus'

In "A Seasonless Virus," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the latest COVID-19 trends in the U.S. and around the world, provide an update on influenza and RSV activity, and review two recent studies on long COVID. Dr. Osterholm also answers a listener question on fomite transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and celebrates a recent event in public health history.

According to Dr. Osterholm……

GET YOUR 5th BOOSTER (7th SHOT) IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID OR IT’S BEEN LONGER THAN 4 MONTHS SINCE YOU HAD COVID YOURSELF
A GOOD MASK, N95 OF KN95, DOES HELP REDUCE TRANSMISSION…. USE IT AT HIGH-RISK LOCATIONS
GOOD VENTILATION IN ROOMS/HOME/BUSINESSES IS A GREAT WAY TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION
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 IT…BUT USE IT.

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

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:

Your name
Date vaccination received
Brand name
Lot number if available
Which dose you have received

**Email your COVID vaccine completed info HERE

Four More Free COVID Tests Will Be Available To US Households

The federal government is offering a new batch of free Covid tests,

with orders to begin shipping the week of Nov. 27.

Each U.S. household can now order four more free Covid tests, to be sent out by the federal government starting the week of Nov. 27.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the new round of test shipments Monday as the holiday season begins — a time when public health experts typically expect cases of Covid, flu, colds and respiratory syncytial virus to surge.

As with the previous five rounds of government-issued Covid tests, orders can be placed online at Covid.gov. People who didn’t take advantage of the last offer in September can still order the four rapid antigen tests made available then, for a total of eight tests. The only information required is a name and a home address — no health insurance information needed.

The order page warns that although tests may arrive with expiration dates that have passed, the Food and Drug Administration has extended the dates for most approved tests. So users can check the true expiration dates of their Covid tests on the FDA’s regularly updated list.

COVID-19 And Flu Levels Continue To Increase But CDC Director Believes US Has Hit Peak Of RSV

mRNA vaccines were affected by the glitch, but no adverse effects were created, Cambridge researchers say

Seventeen states are seeing "high" or "very high" levels of respiratory illness activity as COVID-19 and flu hospitalizations increase across the U.S., new federal data shows.

Weekly COVID-19 hospitalizations rose to 23,432 for the week ending Dec. 9, up from 22,730 the previous week, according to data updated Friday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

This is the fifth consecutive week of increasing COVID-19 hospitalizations, reaching levels not seen since the end of February. However, they remain lower than rates seen at the same time last year.

COVID-19 hospitalization rates are still elevated for the oldest and youngest Americans. Those aged 65 and older have the highest weekly rate at 13.9 per 100,000 followed by those aged 50 to 64 at 3.1 per 100,000 and those aged 0 to 4 at 2.7 per 100,000.

Hospital admission levels are increasing with the mid-Atlantic and Midwest seeing a rising number of counties meeting the "moderate" level, between 10 and 19.9 hospitalizations per 100,000. Nearly 25% of all counties in the U.S. are at this level, CDC data shows.

'How to Make Maple Syrup | Ask This Old House'

Ask This Old House landscape designer Jenn Nawada heads to Vermont to learn about making maple syrup commercially and at home.

Be Safe and Enjoy the Holidays!