'World Hearing Day'

World Hearing Day is an annual event that brings the globe together to learn more about hearing loss. It’s also an ideal day for creating even more awareness about early detection of ear problems and the treatment of hearing impairment.

When we can better understand the causes of hearing loss, we can improve the quality of life for those who experience it.

Read more here. . . .



March 3, 2024

LOTS OF COVID REMAINS THIS WINTER…

ALL DOING WELL.  WITH MORE TOURISTS THERE WILL BE MORE COVID.  BE PROACTIVE TO PREVENT NEED FOR HOSPITALIZATION.

• COVID REMAINS HIGH. 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!

• WEAR A MASK DURING TRAVEL IN THE AIRPORT AND ON THE AIRPLANE (UNTIL 10,000 FEET) …. AT THIS TIME DUE TO HIGH LEVELS OF COVID INFECTION. ONCE THE SURGE HAS DROPPED OFF, THIS IS NOT AS ESSENTIAL.

• GET BOOSTED IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO…PARTICULARLY OVER AGE 65.  

• IF YOU WERE BOOSTED IN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER AND OVER AGE 65, ANOTHER BOOST IS WORTHWHILE THIS SPRING.  THAT SAID...IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS YOU CAN HOLD ON BOOSTING.

• FLU IS WANING…BUT IS STILL AROUND. THE TIME FOR FLU SHOTS HAS PASSED. NO MORE FLU SHOTS THIS SEASON

• 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.  

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. FLU IS STILL AROUND.

THE CURRENT COVID VACCINE IS AVAILABLE.

  IT 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

VACCINATIONS THIS WINTER AND SPRING:

• COVID SHOT
• RSV SHOT

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

COVID SHOT:

CURRENT COVID IS AVAILABLE NOW…. GET IT NOW!

(It is at the pharmacies…our office does not carry this vaccine.)

WHO SHOULD GET IT: 

IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID YET AND ARE OVER 65, I RECOMMEND YOU STAY CURRENT WITH THE LATEST VERSION OF THE VACCINE. GET THE LATEST VACCINE WHEN AVAILABLE.

IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID, YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AGAINST FUTURE INFECTION, BUT IS NOT A GUARANTEE. 

I WOULD MAKE SURE YOU HAVE HAD A COVID SHOT DURING  SPRING 2024 FOR THOSE OVER 65 WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL RISK DUE TO HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS:  ACTIVELY TREATED HEART FAILURE, LUNG DISEASE, OR DIABETES.

WHEN TO GET THE COVID VACCINE:

GET IT RIGHT NOW  

RSV VACCINE: 

THIS IS A NEW VACCINE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR.

(It is at the pharmacies… our office does not carry this vaccine.)

WHO SHOULD GET IT:

I DO NOT RECOMMEND IT FOR EVERYONE DURING THIS FIRST CALENDAR YEAR OF AVAILABILITY.

I DO THINK PEOPLE AT HIGHER RISK SHOULD CONSIDER GETTING THE RSV VACCINE THIS YEAR IF THEY ARE INCLINED…BUT DON’T FEEL OBLIGATED.   

FOR THOSE OVER 65 WHO HAVE ADDITIONAL RISK FOR SERIOUS ILLNESS AS A RESULT OF HEALTH ISSUES SUCH AS:  ACTIVELY TREATED HEART FAILURE, CANCER, LUNG DISEASE, OR DIABETES.

THERE ARE TWO VERSIONS, BOTH SIMILAR, AND THERE IS NO SPECIFIC REASON TO CHOOSE ONE OVER THE OTHER (ONE IS GSK..MAKERS OF SHINGRIX, THE OTHER IF PFIZER…MAKERS OF THE COVID VACCINE)

GETTING THE VACCINE THIS YEAR IS ELECTIVE.  I AM NOT BROADLY RECOMMENDING IT.  SEE BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS.

WHEN TO GET RSV VACCINE:  

WAIT UNTIL NEXT SEASON AT THIS POINT…IT IS LATE IN SEASON AND RSV IS MODERATE TO LOW.

COVID:

THE 6^TH COVID BOOSTER IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE OVER 65 OR THOSE WHO ARE YOUNGER AND HAVE COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. 

CONSIDER GETTING AN ADDITIONAL BOOSTER NOW IF:

YOU ARE OVER 65 AND HAVE NOT HAD COVID

YOU ARE AT HIGHER RISK DUE TO ILLNESS/MEDICATION (ANY AGE) AND HAVE NOT HAD COVID.

IF YOU HAVE HAD COVID OVER 4 MONTHS AGO AND WISH TO BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY.

YOU ARE TRAVELING EXTENSIVELY IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OR ARE GOING TO LARGE FAMILY EVENTS.

IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID AND NOT HAD 5 SHOTS…AND ARE OVER 65…THE DATA IS COMPELLING THAT ADDITIONAL SHOTS WILL KEEP YOU OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS.

 IF GOOD VENTILATION, OPEN SPACES….NO NEED TO MASK AS A GENERAL RULE.

CONSIDER WEARING A GOOD MASK (KN95 OR N95) SELECTIVELY AT BUSY INDOOR LOCATIONS TO STAY HEALTHY …ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID. 

LIVE YOUR LIFE AND GO OUT AND ABOUT AS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE…… AND YOU SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE DOING SO.

HOW TO MANAGE AT THIS TIME FOR GATHERINGS:  

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE COMFORTABLE GETTING TOGETHER AND THEY SHOULD GET TOGETHER.

TO REDUCE RISK....HERE ARE SOME IDEAS TO CONSIDER:

GET YOUR COVID BOOSTER

DO NOT ATTEND GATHERINGS IF YOU ARE NOT FEELING WELL. ASK OTHERS NOT TO ATTEND IF THEY ARE NOT FEELING WELL.

KEEP AIR MOVING IN GATHERING AREAS. VENTILATION...BY NATURAL MEANS OUTDOORS OR WITH FANS, CAN BE HELPFUL.

WEARING A HIGH-QUALITY MASK AT GATHERINGS IS GOOD IF YOU ARE TRAVELING AND WISH TO AVOID INFECTION FOR TRAVEL.  IT IS IMPERATIVE FOR THOSE WITH TRULY REDUCED IMMUNITY...THOSE RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY, THOSE WITH SEVERE LUNG DISEASE, AND THOSE RECOVERING FROM RECENT HOSPITALIZATION.

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

February 22, 2024

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/episode-151-harm-reduction

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

'Harm Reduction'

In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss COVID isolation guidelines, the BA.2.87.1 variant, and the importance of measles and other rare public health threats.

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:

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

CDC Says You Don't Need To Isolate If You Have Covid-19.

Doctor Explains The Change

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. . . .

CDC Director Mandy Cohen endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for adults ages 65 years and older to receive an additional updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine dose. The recommendation acknowledges the increased risk of severe disease from COVID-19 in older adults, along with the currently available data on vaccine effectiveness.

Previous CDC recommendations ensured that people who are immunocompromised are already eligible for additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Data continues to show the importance of vaccination to protect those most at risk for severe outcomes of COVID-19. An additional dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine may restore protection that has waned since a fall vaccine dose, providing increased protection to adults ages 65 years and older.

Adults 65 years and older are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, with more than half of COVID-19 hospitalizations during October 2023 to December 2023 occurring in this age group.

CDC and ACIP will continue to monitor COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness. CDC continues to recommend that everyone stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines, especially people with weakened immune systems.

Read more 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.

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.

SUMMARY OF A COVID KIT & CHECK LIST:

This is what you should have at home to prepare for possible COVID, to monitor yourself if you were to get infected:

DIGITAL ORAL THERMOMETER: MANY BRANDS ARE FINE…HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE:

https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Thermometer-Reading-Waterproof-Indicator/dp/B087T3S4TR/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=THERMOMETER&qid=1597159324&sr=8-6

PULSE OXIMETER:  TO CHECK OXYGEN LEVELS. MANY BRANDS ARE FINE...HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE:

https://www.amazon.com/Innovo-Fingertip-Oximeter-Plethysmograph-Perfusion/dp/B07YVGZPRZ/ref=sr_1_20?dchild=1&keywords=PULSE+OXI&qid=1597159388&sr=8-20

OTHER ITEMS FROM THE HOME MEDICAL KIT:

·       TYLENOL, ADVIL, OR ALEVE

·       Sudafed 30mg tablets

·       Chlorpheniramine 4mg tablets

·       Robitussin DM syrup

·       Imodium AD

Hearing Loss Can Affect Anyone

Causes and related conditions

It can be caused by age, genetics, chronic diseases or even long-term exposure to loud noises from concerts, work equipment and sporting events¹. Also, untreated hearing loss has been linked to health conditions such as:

• Alzheimer's disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Chronic kidney disease
• Dementia
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Falling
• Hospitalization



Treat hearing loss, gain confidence

Getting a hearing test and hearing aids can make a positive difference in your daily life and help with gaining your self-confidence back. In fact, 72% of those with hearing loss can benefit significantly from a hearing aid². And the benefits go beyond better listening and communication. Treating hearing loss may help improve:

• Social and Emotional Health
• Physical and Cognitive Health
• Productivity and Financial Health

¹American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Untreated hearing loss in adults. asha.org/articles/untreated-hearing-loss-in-adults/.Accessed Nov. 5, 2020.

²U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. "Study of hearing aid effectiveness and patient satisfaction." ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26050856. Accessed April 6, 2020.

Stay Safe!