Covid-19 Epidemic
November 29, 2024
Influenza and Covid-19 Vaccine Risk and Benefit in 2024
Influenza and Covid-19 remain substantial infectious diseases which will cause serious disease and death this fall. We have effective and safe vaccines that sharply reduce the risk of serious outcomes. It is clearly a better choice to get these vaccines than not and to protect yourself and your family.
September 18, 2024
Influenza and Covid-19 Shots
Fall is here. Get your Covid-19 vaccine promptly and the influenza vaccine by early November. Both illnesses can be quite substantial and are mitigated or warded off by the vaccines.
June 5, 2022
Where We Are With Covid-19 in Summer 2022
In June 2022 we are living with Covid-19 and likely will do indefinitely. I provide a compact comprehensive look at the current state of the disease and how it affects us, prevention and available treatments, and advice about how to prudently enjoy your summer.
November 2, 2021
Oral Drug Therapy and Antibody Prevention for Covid-19 Coming Soon
New antiviral medicine and effective long-acting antibody injections will dramatically improve our tools to fight Covid-19 around New Year's. It's time to look up!
November 2, 2021
KN95 Protect Better Than Cloth or Surgical Masks
KN95 masks provide the best protection for you and your contacts. Cloth masks were a make-do because real masks were not available last year. Surgical masks protect others better than the wearer. KN95 masks are readily available and inexpensive. Buy them and retire your cloth mask.
October 3, 2021
Quick Updates: Covid-19 and Flu
The Covid-19 pandemic continues. Immunization remains critical to individual health and suppressing the epidemic. A third dose of Pfizer vaccine suggested for those over 65 or younger people at higher risk. Moderna vaccine maintains its effectiveness. Breakthrough infections occur but hospitalizations and death largely occur in unvaccinated. OHC plans flu clinics beginning Wednesday October 13…
August 22, 2021
Covid-19 Is Now a Marathon – Vaccine, Virus and Self-Protection Updates
I have a lot of ground to cover since my last post in February. At that optimistic point it appeared we might get everyone immunized by summer and beat the pandemic if we could move quickly enough. That has not happened nor is it likely to happen. Let me summarize accurately for you in three…
February 7, 2021
Covid-19 Shots Starting for >75, Distribution Improving, Confusion Still Reigns
Covid-19 vaccines began last week for everyone over 75 in Massachusetts. The state distribution program includes websites to sign up, outreach calls from major health care organizations and pharmacies, and a new 211 call center. Most all elders should be started on vaccination this month and finish by late March. The over-65 population and younger…
January 4, 2021
Calculating the Risk of Asymptomatic But Infectious Person in a Group
We use available state Covid-19 infection rates and other published data together with the binomial distribution to calculate the risk of unsuspected infections in small group gatherings. With our current high level of infections (20 times higher than summer) the risk is 5-10% for groups of 10 or 20. You DON'T want to gather indoors…
January 3, 2021
Why Do We Fail With Covid-19? Antibody Infusions Not Realistically Available
Two monoclonal antibody treatments are conditionally approved by the FDA, seem to substantially help moderately severe cases of Covid-19, and are supposed to be available for use as outpatient infusions to prevent hospitalizations and deaths. In practice they are not actually available, as I found out this weekend trying to arrange an infusion for a…
December 14, 2020
Covid-19 Vaccines Will Help Q2-3, But Pandemic Surging Now
The first mRNA vaccine from Pfizer has shipped. The vaccines are highly effective and will make a major difference, but most reasonably healthy people will not get vaccinated until at least Q2 next year. There also may be availability issues with the vaccines. Meantime, the Covid-19 pandemic is surging and we have to be extra…
October 12, 2020
Covid-19 Q&A
We provide multiple brief updates about the state of the Covid-19 pandemic, the vaccines, the treatments or lack thereof, how you isolate, and what the future holds. Stay the course. Keep your guard up. Get your flu shot. We are in this for a long time.