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'Global Handwashing Day!'
If you think that not washing your hands after leaving the bathroom is disgusting, then you’ll probably be surprised at how many people don’t wash their hands daily.
Thus, comes in Global Handwashing Day, a day where good hygiene is encouraged and practiced all around the world by millions of people.
So let’s get started learning about the importance of this hygienic day!
Read more here. . . .
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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:
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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October 15, 2023
THE NEW COVID VACCINE IS AVAILABLE!!!!!!
IT IS A VERY GOOD MATCH FOR THE CURRENT VARIANTS IN CIRCULATION.
CONSIDER BOOSTING WITH THE NEW COVID VACCINE.
FLU SEASON HAS BEGUN. 3 CASES IN THE OFFICE LAST WEEK. GET YOUR FLU SHOT NOW.
COVID LEVELS ARE HIGH IN ARIZONA AND NATIONALLY. THIS IS DUE TO NEW VARIANTS + WANING IMMUNITY.
XBB1 IS THE COMMON SUB-TYPE AND EG.5, IS THE MAJOR VARIANT. NUMBERS REMAIN UNCLEAR DUE TO LACK OF STANDARDIZED REPORTING, BUT BASED ON GENERAL OBSERVATIONS AND OUR PATIENTS’ REPORTS, WE ARE AT A HIGH LEVEL. WORRY FACTOR IS LOW FOR TWO REASONS…. THE VIRUS IS ATTENUATED (MILDER) & THERE IS BROAD IMMUNITY IN THE COMMUNITY.
WE CONTINUE TO SEE COVID PRIMARILY IN TRAVELERS, IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HAVE COVID YET, AND IN PEOPLE WHO ARE SPENDING TIME IN CLOSE QUARTERS WITH LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE.
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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
October 5, 2023
(Same as last week's.... New podcast next week)
'One Huge Puzzle'
In "One Huge Puzzle," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the state of the pandemic in the U.S. and around the world, the rollout of the updated mRNA vaccines, and two recently published studies on long COVID. Dr. Osterholm also shares his thoughts on the updated Novavax vaccine and answers an ID Query about COVID vaccine side effects.
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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People Who've Had COVID At Least 5 Times Describe How The Illness Changed With Each Reinfection | |
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Nearly four years after Covid’s emergence, plenty of people have tested positive at least twice. But an unlucky group has been hit with reinfection after reinfection.
“I’ve seen a few patients with five infections,” said Dr. Grace McComsey, vice dean for clinical and translational research at Case Western University. “Sadly, they were immunized and they still got Covid five times.”
Reanna Sunford Clark, a 47-year-old day care teacher in Portland, Oregon, says she has gotten Covid six times.
“It does make me concerned that I have this predisposition to it,” Clark said.
Given that the age group she works with isn’t known for clean hands, Clark added, “it makes sense that I am exposing myself to a more likely source — but on the flip side of that, I feel like I’ve had it so many times, I should have more immunity than I do.”
Read more here. . . .
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CDC Is No Longer Distributing COVID-19 Vaccination Cards, Once a Staple Of The Pandemic | |
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Do you know where your Covid-19 vaccine card is? If not, you may want to track it down, because getting a new one could be tricky.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer distributing the white cards that were given out with Covid-19 vaccines earlier in the pandemic, according to the agency’s website.
The CDC notes that it does not keep vaccination records and says recipients should contact their state health department’s immunization information system (IIS) if they want to keep track of their Covid-19 shots.
Read more here. . .
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US Households Will Be Able To Order More Free COVID-19 Tests | |
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The US government will relaunch a program to provide free Covid-19 home tests to Americans, US Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday.
“We will once again begin our program to provide Americans with an opportunity to request tests,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said during an event at a Washington CVS Pharmacy where he was vaccinated against Covid-19 and flu.
US households can order four free tests from Covidtests.gov starting September 25.
Read more here. . . .
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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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COVID-19, RSV, Flu or a Cold? Figuring Out What Your Symptoms Mean This Fall & Winter
What are the key differences?
So, you might be wondering what your symptoms indicate. Is it COVID-19? RSV? the flu?
Or maybe its a common cold?
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Paxlovid May Reduce The Chance Of Long COVID. Why Don't Doctor's Prescribe It More? | |
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A consensus has emerged among experts who study and treat long Covid: Paxlovid seems to reduce the risk of lingering symptoms among those eligible to take it. The idea is intuitive, experts say. Paxlovid prevents the coronavirus from replicating, so researchers think it may also reduce the risk of an infection causing inflammation or organ damage, which in turn can lead to chronic illness.
Clinical observations and a large study published in March support that theory. Among the 282,000 people in the study who were eligible for Paxlovid, the drug was associated with a 26% lower risk of long Covid.
“Research definitely backs up that it helps prevent lingering symptoms — it helps prevent long Covid,” said Ashley Drapeau, director of the Long Covid Clinic at the GW Center for Integrative Medicine.
Some patients who took Paxlovid during their illness also seem to have less severe long Covid symptoms overall than those who did not, according to Drapeau.
But doctors who treat people for active Covid infections say they aren’t widely prescribing Paxlovid, since the medication interacts with several common drugs and is only approved for people vulnerable to severe illness — older adults and people with underlying medical conditions.
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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Let's Settle The Hand Sanitizer Vs. Handwashing Debate, Once And For All | |
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Between Twitter, various comment sections, and conversations I’ve overheard on the New York City subway, there seem to be a lot of strong opinions when it comes to the best hand hygiene method.
Some people say that washing your hands is better and others vouch for sanitizer, because nobody washes their hands properly.
But what is actually the best way to clean your hands and protect yourself against germs that can make you sick?
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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'Fight Germs. Wash Your Hands!'
This handwashing demonstration will show you how handwashing can get rid of germs and chemicals that get on our hands every day.
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