Here are some handy facts from the Texas Medical Association on Covid 19 boosters. The recommendations for who qualifies for a booster are as of today. It is my belief that the FDA/CDC/ACIP will open this up soon to all…
Numbers are down and that’s a good thing. Bexar County is ahead of the Texas average vaccination rates. Judging by people’s behavior, they think the pandemic is over. Every time we have thought that in the past, numbers have surged.…
During the pandemic, people deferred medical care. We’ve all heard about how the number of patients hospitalized for heart attacks plummeted. The rates of people having heart attacks didn’t decline, just those hospitalized. Many people died of Covid-19 indirectly by…
This probably won’t convince anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated, but is useful information when someone says that they had Covid 19 and don’t need to be vaccinated. Since this virus is new, it’s been hard to make predictions about it. …
I am sometimes asked by patients if they should have their antibody levels against Covid 19 checked. The answer is usually “No” as there is no level of antibodies that confers protection. Immunity to Covid 19 is not just about…
Over the counter testing for Covid 19 is becoming increasingly popular. I am frequently asked how accurate they are. It’s a tough question, but here is a recent table from The Medical Letter which helps answer the question. The sensitivity…
Here are two summaries of the recent recommendations to the FDA by advisory committees regarding Moderna and J=J Covid 19 vaccines. Don’t run to the pharmacy asking for it as it still requires the CDC’s advisory committee, the ACIP to…
Often I encounter someone who says that they take a low dose aspirin daily. When I inquire why they invariably respond that they thought it was a good idea. It isn’t. Aspirin is a double edged sword and can increase…
Cases of Covid 19 are trending downward. That makes me feel better. It remains to be seen whether it will reach about 100 cases a day that it was before the most recent surge started this summer, but I’m ready…
Today’s New England Journal was chock full of articles on Covid 10 vaccines. Take home message. You are 18 times more likely to be hospitalized with Covid 19 if you are unvaccinated. Here’s the abstract of the first article: Effectiveness…
