November 20, 2022, World Children's Day!

'World Children's Day'

You’ve heard so many people say it: children are the future. And whether you yourself have children or not, that still rings true. Today’s children are tomorrow’s scientists, politicians, doctors and teachers.

Today’s children will inherit all of what humanity has managed to accomplish since the beginning of its existence, both the good and honorable deeds and the cruel wars and terrible failures. It is the children of today that will be charged with protecting the weak and vulnerable of this world, and making even the hardest of decisions in order to do so.

Who then, if not our children, deserves a holiday? This special day is dedicated to all of the children, so that they may enjoy these carefree years while they last and be ready for the responsibilities that await them.

So let’s live it up, kids!

R ead 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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ATTN PATIENTS:

Dr. Lakin is using FaceTime ,

WhatsApp and Zoom to connect with you

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.

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FROM THE DOC

November 20, 2022

COVID ON THE RISE IN AZ...... ALL OF OUR PATIENTS ARE DOING WELL.

FLU ON THE RISE IN AZ…WE HAVE SEEN A FEW CASES IN OUR OFFICE. FLU IS SKYROCKETING IN ARIZONA MORE BROADLY.

RSV ON THE RISE IN AZ…. WE HAVE SEEN A FAIR BIT OF UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION THAT IS NOT FLU AND NOT COVID…THIS IS LIKELY RSV. RSV IS SKYROCKETING IN ARIZONA MORE BROADLY.

HOW TO MANAGE AT THIS TIME FOR HOLIDAY 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 AND GET YOUR FLU SHOT

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.

CONSIDER HAVING GUESTS DO COVID TESTING PRIOR TO GETTING TOGETHER. THIS IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT CAN REDUCE RISK SOMEWHAT. IT’S WORTH CONSIDERING.

WEARING A HIGH QUALITY MASK AT GATHERINGS IS CERTAINLY IMPORTANT FOR THOSE WITH TRULY REDUCED IMMUNITY...THOSE RECEIVING CHEMOTHERAPY, THOSE WITH SEVERE LUNG DISEASE, AND THOSE RECOVERING FROM RECENT HOSPITALIZATION.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS:

CONTINUE TO LIVE YOUR LIFE AND GO OUT AND ABOUT AS YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE…… AND YOU SHOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE

GET YOUR FLU SHOT AND GET YOUR COVID BOOSTER TO REDUCE RISKS OF INFECTION

WEAR N-95 OR KN95 MASKS IN SITUATIONS THAT YOU FEEL ARE HIGHER EXPOSURE IF YOU WISH TO REDUCE YOUR RISK

WHEN GOING OUT TO ACTIVITIES…. SELECT OPTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR BETTER VENTILATION INSIDE, OR CHOOSE OUTSIDE OPTIONS

IF YOU GET SICK YOU NEED TO TEST FOR COVID. CONSIDER COMING INTO THE OFFICE PARKING LOT FOR FLU TESTING AS WELL

TREATMENT FOR COVID AND FOR FLU IS AVAILABLE AND WORTHWHILE IN MANY INSTANCES.

TREATMENT FOR RSV IS PURELY SYMPTOMATIC…. WE TREAT THE SYMPTOMS AS THERE IS NO ANTIVIRAL FOR RSV

COVID IS UNDER CONTROL ON A BROAD BASIS

RISKS OF COMPLICATIONS ARE LOW FOR THE MULTI-VAXXED

BOOSTER COVID VACCINATIONS:

THE NEW COVID VACCINE IS BIVALENT…. THIS MEANS IT CONTAINS THE ORIGINAL VACCINE COVERAGE…. PLUS, COVERAGE MORE SPECIFICALLY FOR BA5 FORMS OF COVID.

GIVEN THE SAFETY OF THE VACCINE, IT IS BEST FOR EVERY ADULT TO CONSIDER THIS BOOSTER…BUT….

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THE BOOSTER VACCINE IF:

YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID AND ARE OVER 70 YEARS OLD

YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID AND HAVE HEALTH ISSUES THAT MAKE YOU MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO COVID COMPLICATIONS SUCH AS…. EMPHYSEMA, SIGNIFICANT DIABETES, HEART FAILURE, OR ARE ON IMMUNE SUPPRESSING MEDICATION.

IF YOU HAVE HAD A COVID INFECTION FROM 2020 UNTIL NOVEMBER 2021, THEN YOU HAVE A 30+% PROTECTION FROM THE CURRENT BA-5 STRAIN.

IF YOU HAD COVID AT XMAS OR LATER, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE AN 80% PROTECTION FROM THE CURRENT BA-5 STRAIN.

IF YOU HAD COVID YOU CAN STILL BENEFIT FROM ANOTHER BOOSTER, BUT IT IS NOT AS ESSENTIAL, AS YOUR PREVIOUS COVID INFECTION DOES HELP BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY THROUGH NATURAL MEANS.

IF YOU HAVE HAD 4 COVID VACCINES, THE 5^TH VACCINE IS NOT AS ESSENTIAL, BUT IT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION AND IS WORTH STRONGLY CONSIDERING.

REMEMBER, IF YOU GET COVID WE CAN ALWAYS TREAT YOU WITH PAXLOVID PILLS, THEY ARE VERY EFFECTIVE.

IT IS PROVEN SAFE TO GET THE FLU SHOT AND THE COVID SHOT AT THE SAME TIME…… …BUT I RECOMMEND YOU SEPARATE THEM IF POSSIBLE SO YOU DON’T HAVE A STRONGER REACTION TO THE COMBINATION.

**Read Dr. Lakin's Full November 20th,

Comments. . . CLICK 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

November 17, 2022

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/covid-19/podcasts-webinars/episode-118

'A Time to Be Thankful but Alert'

In this episode, Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the trajectory of the pandemic in the United States and around the world, a recent study on COVID reinfections, and how RSV and influenza are overwhelming hospitals throughout the country.

According to Dr. Osterholm……

BA5 is 100+% OF CASES…. SUBVARIANTS OF BA5 ARE INCREASING WORLDWIDE
COVID IN EUROPE IS VARYING...UP AND DOWN. NO CONCERNING TRENDS RIGHT NOW. CONCERNS REMAIN FOR SPIKES DUE TO:
WANING IMMUNITY
MORE INTERACTION
SUBVARIANTS THE ESCAPE THE VACCINE
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. OMICRON IS 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.

As COVID Cases Tick Up. Here Are Latest CDC Guidelines For Testing and Isolation

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.

The places where COVID-19 cases have increased the most, least in the last two weeks

Case numbers for the previous two weeks are compared to the two weeks before.

For More information.....CLICK HERE

Covid vaccine and booster shots in U.S. hit highest weekly level since January

More than 5.6 million Covid vaccine and booster shots were administered in the past week, the highest seven-day total in the U.S. since January, a Biden administration official said.

The new numbers, first shared with NBC News, outpace the previous weekly sums by about 1 million.

About 5.1 million of the past week's shots were bivalent boosters, designed to combat the most virulent strains of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. That is the peak since the start of the government's fall vaccination program for updated doses, the official said.

'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'

The Peanuts gang gather around Charlie Brown's picnic table for a feast even though he's going over to his grandmother's for dinner at 4:30. Snoopy cooks up an unusual meal for the gang that causes some mixed feelings.