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'National Eggnog Day'
We all know that famous holiday drink, the one sold in stores only during the length of November through December. It’s eggnog! Whether we buy it in stores so the whole family can have a glass or make our own, eggnog has always been a staple drink for the Christmas season.
The real question is, where did eggnog come from, and when did it come into existence?
That’s what National Eggnog Day is all about!
Read more here. . . .
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Your Weekly COVID-19 Updates
Paradise Valley Medical Clinic,
Douglas M. Lakin, M.D.
Kaitlin A. Kraemer, PA-C
9977 N 90th Street, Suite 180, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
480.614.5800 (phone), 480.614.6322 (Fax)
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Our office will be closed Monday & Tuesday, December 25 & 26, 2023,
for the Christmas Holiday.
We are always available for your healthcare needs.
If you have an emergency, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact our office through our answering service, 480.614.5800.
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ATTN PATIENTS:
for a 'Telehealth' visit. You can connect using your iPad, iPhone, Android phone, a laptop, or a PC with a camera.
Please watch these videos so you can be prepared and know how to connect with Dr. Lakin for a 'Telehealth' visit.
CLICK ON THE PICTURES
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December 24, 2023
LOTS OF COVID IN THE VALLEY THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. ALL DOING WELL BUT BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION.
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COVID IS VERY HIGH RIGHT NOW. DO NOT GO OUT WITH GROUPS OF PEOPLE IF YOU ARE SICK AND HAVE NOT TESTED FOR COVID… YOU MAY HAVE COVID AND BE SPREADING IT!
- DO NOT GO OUT TO PARTIES IF YOU HAVE COVID AND ARE WITHIN THE FIRST 5 DAYS OF INFECTION
- YOU MAY GO OUT WITH A MASK DAYS 6-10 OF COVID.
- 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.
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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
(Same as last week's.... New podcast next week.)
'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.
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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
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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.
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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.
Read more here. . . .
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New COVID Subvariant, Flu, and RSV Cases Are Rising. Doctor Explains How To Stay Healthy This Holiday | |
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The coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now the fastest growing strain of the virus in the United States. The strain now constitutes about 20% of new Covid-19 infections, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the Northeast, JN.1 has become the dominant variant.
Meanwhile, the CDC has issued an alert to clinicians about the need to increase immunizations for influenza, Covid-19, and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. The public health agency reported that in the past four weeks, hospitalizations across all age groups increased by 200% for influenza, 60% for RSV and 51% for Covid-19.
This rise in infections is coming just before the holidays, when families across the country are planning get-togethers. What should people know about the winter viruses that are causing hospitals to fill up once again? What precautions should individuals be taking this holiday season? What should people keep in mind as they are traveling? And what additional steps can event organizers take to help reduce the chance of viruses spreading?
To help us with these questions, I spoke with CNN wellness medical expert Dr. Leana Wen, who is an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.
Read more here. . . .
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Mask Policy in Our Office | |
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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.
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Coronavirus Subvariant JN.1 Growing Fast In US, Already Dominant In The Northeast | |
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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the coronavirus subvariant JN.1 is now causing about 20% of new Covid-19 infections in this country, and it’s the fastest-growing strain of the virus. It’s already dominant in the Northeast, where it is estimated to cause about a third of new infections.
JN.1 is descended from BA.2.86, or Pirola, a subvariant that came to the world’s attention over the summer because of the large number of changes to its spike proteins: more than 30. Scientists feared that it was so mutated that it would completely escape the protection of vaccines and antibodies against Covid-19, perhaps sparking another tidal wave of illness the way the original Omicron variant did in 2021.
That never happened, but BA.2.86 hung around, growing very slowly in some countries, including the US. Some studies suggested that it never really took off because it may have lost some of its ability to infect our cells.
Enter JN.1, which is two generations removed – a granddaughter, so to speak – of BA.2.86. JN.1 has only one change to its spike protein compared with its ancestor, but that seems to have been enough to make it a fitter and faster virus.
Read more here. . . .
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We Are Here to Take Care of Your Healthcare Needs.
We Are Here to Serve!
Our office is using all techniques to reduce exposure to a minimum during your visit. These include:
· Temperature checks of all patients and staff.
· Masks for all people in the office.
· Cleansing of hands and surfaces repeatedly.
· Multiple Super-HEPA filters to filter out potential virus and particles in the office.
· High Level UV light air cleansing in the office to eliminate bacteria and viruses in the air.
OUR OFFICE SCHEDULE
DOORS OPEN
7AM - 4PM Monday through Thursday
7AM - 11AM Friday
IN OFFICE
APPOINTMENTS: MONDAY – THURSDAY
7AM – 11:15AM & 1PM – 3:30PM
APPOINTMENTS: FRIDAY
7AM – 10:30 AM
DR. LAKIN WILL CONTINUE ‘TELEHEALTH’ VISITS WITH FaceTime, WhatsApp or ZOOM WHEN NEEDED.
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Dr. Lakin's Info For COVID-19 Kit &
Recommended Treatments
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'Christmas Vacation'
Chevy Chase, star of National Lampoon's Vacation and its sequel, is back as the paterfamilias of the Griswold family (including Beverly D'Angelo as his missus) to skewer the Yuletide season.
Chevy mugs, trips, falls, mashes his fingers and stubs his toes as he prepares to invite numerous dysfunctional relatives to his household to celebrate Christmas. Amidst the more outrageous sight gags (including the electrocution of a cat as the Christmas tree is lit) the film betrays a sentimental streak, with old wounds healing and long-estranged relatives reuniting in the Griswold living room.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was still capable of attracting an audience five years after its release -- it was one of the top-rated seasonal TV specials of 1994, outrating even the first network telecast of It's a Wonderful Life.
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. . . And Please Be Safe! | | | | |
