Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #110

[ilovewings]

My mother tested positive for Covid. Her doctor would not prescribe Plavix, not sure why, she ended up getting it called into the pharmacy by her insurance. She has been very sick. Her work needs a doctors note, and she needs to test negative before she comes back to work.

There is still so much misinformation about Covid. It is crazy. People can no longer be contagious, but can test positive for weeks.

Every doctor has their own preferences for certain meds. That said, not prescribing Paxlovid to an older person with Covid seems peculiar and frankly I wonder about the competence of such a physician. Just sayin

 

[tabitha111]

Greetings from the Retirement home! I caught up with all the posts finally. Here, there has been remarkably no Covid cases that "I know of" lol....we do have folks that have been sick, but thankfully stay in thier rooms when they are. As far as testing goes, I don't see that happening, so its always "just a cold" or "nasty bronchitis".

One thing I have noticed is more folks here being put on oxygen...and those folks tend to do poorly and end up passing away. I think it is all Covid related...my opinion only.

One of my table mates went to California for a month and got Covid. She is now recovering after Paxlovid and postponing her return home.She is not a mask wearer and did not take the vax.

I do eat at breakfast and lunch (dinner I take in my room) every day in the dining room without a mask now. Its a risk I take - but I am the ONLY one masked on outings and shopping. I can not bring myself to go into places outside of here without one.

 

[weepingangel]

Do physicians prescribe Paxlovid without seeing the patient? I've been curious about whether or not a doctor would rely on a patient's word regarding a positive Covid test at home and simply call in a prescription instead of having the patient be examined in the office. Perhaps a telehealth visit would suffice so a positive-testing patient doesn't infect others in a doctor's office. Does anyone have experience with this?

In MA we can get it with a free remote visit - I did it over the phone. No proof was required. Unfortunately Delivery to my home was delayed due to weather - snow storm- and I decided to not take it (I was almost on day 5 by then. They will also send the script to a pharmacy Vs the home delivery)

Free telehealth for COVID-19 treatment with Paxlovid

Telehealth is a quick and easy way to see if Paxlovid, a COVID-19 treatment pill, is right for you.

www.mass.gov

Free telehealth consultations are available for eligible individuals 18 or older who are currently living in Massachusetts and insurance is not required. If you’re eligible, you’ll be connected with a clinician for a phone or video consultation within 30 minutes.
This service is not for medical emergencies or for individuals who are pregnant.

 

[Sundog]

Do physicians prescribe Paxlovid without seeing the patient? I've been curious about whether or not a doctor would rely on a patient's word regarding a positive Covid test at home and simply call in a prescription instead of having the patient be examined in the office. Perhaps a telehealth visit would suffice so a positive-testing patient doesn't infect others in a doctor's office. Does anyone have experience with this?

A few months ago I was not feeling well, symptoms similar to Covid-19, and I did a self-test at home that was negative. After two more days, I did another self-test at home, also negative. But I was worried, due to the symptoms. By then it was a Friday, and I was worried that if I really did have Covid then what would I do if I needed Paxlovid right away and it was the weekend? I wouldn't be able to reach my doctor to get a prescription.

So I called his office and explained to the nurse that I was going to get a PCR test at the pharmacy that day, but if the results came back positive on Saturday then I would need a prescription for Paxlovid and the doctor wouldn't be available. She said she'd talk to the doctor and call me back.

She called back and told me that the doctor would call in a Paxlovid prescription to my pharmacy in case I tested positive with the PCR test, since it had already been several days since symptoms started and would be beyond day 5 on Monday. So I did get Paxlovid without seeing my doctor, just based on my self-reporting as described above.

Turns out that I didn't have Covid-19, but I was able to get the Paxlovid prescription filled, just in case.

 

[Steelhead]

I don't even get that close to people with my mask on. I've put my hand up numerous times to stop people and say "Close enough". I went to pick up a case of wine once so hard a cart. The employee kept trying to get close to me to talk. It's not necessary to get that close! I'm not deaf! So.... the cart came in handy. I put it between us and used it to push her back. LOL (people can be SO clueless!!!). I prefer outdoor farmer's markets and local farm for produce, still wearing my mask, even if there is no one around. Particles can hang in the air.

RSBM
After reading this I couldn’t help but think of this (short clip) of this Seinfeld episode:

The Close Talker

p.s. I admire your diligence. Not many can do what you are doing and still stay sane!

 

[Gemmie]

RSBM
After reading this I couldn’t help but think of this (short clip) of this Seinfeld episode:

The Close Talker

p.s. I admire your diligence. Not many can do what you are doing and still stay sane!

OMG! I laughed so hard at that clip I had to wipe away tears!! I think it's funnier now than it was when it first came out! And if Close Talker got that close to me since Covid I'd have pulled a Kramer too!! I'll bet he wished he had my shopping cart to push him back and keep distance! LOLOL



And thank you for your compliment. I totally got this. It's a lot of others I feel for as they are having a hard time coping.

 

[anneg]

Do physicians prescribe Paxlovid without seeing the patient? I've been curious about whether or not a doctor would rely on a patient's word regarding a positive Covid test at home and simply call in a prescription instead of having the patient be examined in the office. Perhaps a telehealth visit would suffice so a positive-testing patient doesn't infect others in a doctor's office. Does anyone have experience with this?

Yes, I had a positive test in late December after having mild symptoms and sent a message to my doctor via MyChart. She would have prescribed it for me, but thought it might be too late to help. I didn't get it but wonder if I should have. I'm fine though, AFAIK.

 

[ilovewings]

View attachment 409947 OMG! I laughed so hard at that clip I had to wipe away tears!! I think it's funnier now than it was when it first came out! And if Close Talker got that close to me since Covid I'd have pulled a Kramer too!! I'll bet he wished he had my shopping cart to push him back and keep distance! LOLOL

View attachment 409947

And thank you for your compliment. I totally got this. It's a lot of others I feel for as they are having a hard time coping.

Absolutely hilarious

 

[cujenn81]

Do physicians prescribe Paxlovid without seeing the patient? I've been curious about whether or not a doctor would rely on a patient's word regarding a positive Covid test at home and simply call in a prescription instead of having the patient be examined in the office. Perhaps a telehealth visit would suffice so a positive-testing patient doesn't infect others in a doctor's office. Does anyone have experience with this?

As of July 2022, even pharmacists can prescribe Paxlovid with certain limitations.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update: FDA Authorizes Pharmacists to Prescribe Paxlovid with Certain Limitations

The FDA revised the EUA for Paxlovid to authorize state-licensed pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid to eligible patients, with certain limitations.

www.fda.gov

Patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are seeking to determine their eligibility for receiving Paxlovid at locations where prescribing by state-licensed pharmacists is available should bring the following information to ensure that the state-licensed pharmacist has sufficient information to determine their eligibility to receive Paxlovid:

• Electronic or printed health records less than 12 months old, including the most recent reports of laboratory blood work for the state-licensed pharmacist to review for kidney or liver problems. State-licensed pharmacists could also receive this information through a consult with the patient’s health care provider.
• A list of all medications they are taking, including over-the-counter medications so the state-licensed pharmacist can screen for drugs with potentially serious interactions with Paxlovid.

Under the limitations outlined in the authorization, the state-licensed pharmacist should refer patients for clinical evaluation with a physician, advanced practice registered nurse, or physician assistant licensed or authorized under state law to prescribe drugs, if any of the following apply:

• Sufficient information is not available to assess renal and hepatic function.
• Sufficient information is not available to assess for a potential drug interaction.
• Modification of other medications is needed due to a potential drug interaction.
• Paxlovid is not an appropriate therapeutic option based on the current Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers or due to potential drug interactions for which recommended monitoring would not be feasible.

Paxlovid is authorized for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients (12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms or about 88 pounds) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. Patients in the authorized population who report a positive home test result from a rapid antigen diagnostic test, or a positive PCR test, to their provider are eligible for Paxlovid under the EUA. Confirmation of a positive home rapid antigen diagnostic test with additional direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, such as a PCR, is not required. Antibody tests are not considered to be direct SARS-CoV-2 viral tests.

 

[neesaki]

RSBM
After reading this I couldn’t help but think of this (short clip) of this Seinfeld episode:

The Close Talker

p.s. I admire your diligence. Not many can do what you are doing and still stay sane!

LOL…. Judge Reinhold is so great!

 

[IceIce9]

Although this is just a local report--the nursing home where my mother lives is currently having a massive COVID outbreak. They were excellent about missing it the past couple of years, but now almost one-third of the residents and staff are infected.

The good news is that no one has any symptoms other than just cold symptoms, they are reporting, so it seems that the variant that is making its way through the nursing home is much less virulent than some of the variants we saw earlier.

I'm taking that as a very good sign.

A good friend needed to go to the rehab unit of a nearby long term care facility after an orthopedic surgery. This was a month ago, she was supposed to be there for ten days for rehab but there was a COVID outbreak and she is still there.

She had complained that half the staff was not wearing masks, although required by the facility.

Several patients tested positive for COVID, and the entire facility was placed on lockdown.

She tested positive for COVID, and fortunately only developed mild symptoms. But the facility is still on lockdown, and she can’t leave because her rehab has been “paused” until the COVID lockdown is lifted.

 

[Gemmie]

OK, this kinda creeped me out envisioning how smoke moves through the air. But I guess it's better than having Close Talker in my face. lol

Can you describe how airborne transmission of COVID works?

Airborne transmission means that a virus is spread by aerosols, which are tiny particles we exhale into the air when we are breathing and talking. The louder we are talking or harder we are breathing, the more aerosols we emit. When someone has COVID, those aerosols contain virus (SARS-CoV-2), which can infect others that breathe the aerosols in. These aerosols are so small (100 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair) that they can stay in the air for hours.

What are some ways people can visualize airborne transmission via aerosols?

You can think of aerosol transmission like cigarette smoke, which is similar in size to exhaled aerosol. Smoke travels across rooms and builds up in poorly ventilated spaces. When restaurants and bars previously allowed smoking, it didn’t matter if you were one table away or across the restaurant, everyone was breathing in the smoke.

How do aerosols move throughout enclosed spaces, such as classrooms?

Classrooms are just like any other indoor space. If infected kids or adults are in the room, they will exhale aerosols with the coronavirus in them, and these aerosols will hang in the air, like smoke. The best things to do to prevent others from breathing in those virus aerosols are to wear masks and improve ventilation through filtration and opening windows.

Full article here: Keeping classrooms safe from COVID-19: Masks, filters, an open window?

 

[Missing Susan]

New COVID origins data point to raccoon dogs in China market

The mystery to the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic now has some new clues.

www.clickondetroit.com

International scientists who examined previously unavailable genetic data from samples collected at a market close to where the first human cases of COVID-19 were detected in China said they found suggestions the pandemic originated from animals, not a lab.

Other experts have not yet verified their analysis, which also has not appeared so far in a peer-reviewed journal. How the coronavirus first started sickening people remains uncertain...

Someone swabbed a surface in a dogmeat market stall some time after the outbreak began and found virus dna and racoon-dog dna. How is this evidence that an endemic bat virus naturally jumped into dogs then into people?

 

[weepingangel]

New Fauci doc (Haven’t watched this yet)

American Masters | Dr. Tony Fauci | Season 37 | PBS

Join Dr. Anthony Fauci as he reflects on his life and career as a public health advocate.

www.pbs.org

 

[ifindedout]

Dianna Cowern, MIT physicist famous for her "Physics Girl" YouTube channel, is very sick with long COVID, including but not limited to ME/CFS.

 

[CSIDreamer]

I remember watching a lot of Dr. Campbell's videos over the past 3 years. It seems like everyone, everywhere has just went on with life. He is discussing some very concerning info. JMO

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

An observation: DH and I have been watching the World Figure Skating Championships on Peacock. This year's competition was in Saitama, Japan, so we see streamed replays of events that happened during the night. The arena wasn't packed for any of the events that we've watched, but many people in the audience are wearing masks. Not everyone, so there must not be a mandate, but far more masks than one might see at a similar event stateside.

 

[Cool Cats]

Young women had 3.5 times higher risk of death from heart issues after AstraZeneca jab​

Young women had 3.5 times higher risk of death from heart issues after AstraZeneca jab

The risk of dying from heart issues was three and a half times higher among young women in the first three months after a single dose of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, according to a new study.

www.yahoo.com

 

[Cool Cats]

Dianna Cowern, MIT physicist famous for her "Physics Girl" YouTube channel, is very sick with long COVID, including but not limited to ME/CFS.

I had to look ME/CFS up:

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) | CDC

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a serious, long-term illness that affects many body systems. People with ME/CFS are often not able to do their usual activities.

www.cdc.gov

 

[anneg]

Young women had 3.5 times higher risk of death from heart issues after AstraZeneca jab​

Young women had 3.5 times higher risk of death from heart issues after AstraZeneca jab

The risk of dying from heart issues was three and a half times higher among young women in the first three months after a single dose of the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine, according to a new study.

www.yahoo.com

Excerpts from the article:

The risk was 3.5 times higher in the 12 weeks following the vaccination, compared with the longer-term risk....However, overall among 12 to 29 year-olds in England mortality was not significantly increased in the first 12 weeks after a vaccination, compared to the longer-term risk.

The number of deaths registered in England involving Covid-19 vaccines causing adverse effects is miniscule compared to the number administered - 59 compared with 144.7 million.
Of the 59 deaths, three were in people aged under 30, the ONS said....

In April 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirmed a link between the AstraZeneca jab and rare blood clots.

In response, officials recommended that under 30s receive an alternative vaccination because the balance of risk versus benefit of the jab was more “finely balanced”. Since then, further research has linked the Covid vaccination with an increased risk of heart diseases and rare blood clots....

Vahé Nafilyan, senior statistician at the ONS, said: “We find no evidence that the risk of cardiac or all cause death is increased in the weeks following vaccination with mRNA vaccines.
“However, receiving a first dose of a non-mRNA vaccine was associated with an increased risk of cardiac death in young women.

“Vaccination with the main non-mRNA vaccine used in the UK was stopped for young people following safety concerns in April 2021, and most of the young people who received it would have been prioritised due to clinical vulnerability or being healthcare workers. Therefore, these results cannot be generalised to the population as a whole...."