For the last six months we have been burdened by mostly glum recitations of the increasing spread of COVID-19. Devoted people have been trying to protect themselves by withdrawing from as many person- to -person interactions as possible. The psychological load of this isolation has been very difficult for many of my patients.
With the anticipated release of the vaccine as well as some more medications there are some new issues:
1. The list of possible medications for patients who are suffering from COVID-19 has expanded. There is the controversial hydroxychloroquine, plasma therapy, monoclonal antibody therapy, the old standby of steroids, blood thinning anticoagulants as well as the supportive therapies for whatever body system requires support.
2. This has made the need and the usefulness of patients getting tested to make a diagnosis as well as to contact their physicians more relevant than in the past.
3. It is quite clear now that if hydroxychloroquine is used, it should almost never be used simultaneously with another antibiotic such as Zithromax. Under the circumstances that “hydroxy” is used alone it is extremely safe. This makes it reasonable for patients, who believe the protagonists that hydroxy is useful, to swallow the pills without the fear that they are damaging their health.
4. The vaccine is on its way but each day we are greeted with news that supplies will be scarcer and delayed by months. This is a great disappointment. I remain hopeful that industrial solutions to produce and distribute large numbers of the vaccine will prevail and ordinary citizens will get it within 6-8 weeks and not 6- 8 months.
5. It is unfortunate how much influence the vaccine disparagers have generated. There is no evidence that this vaccine is any more dangerous than the common vaccines we give to adults and to children every year. It apparently can generate a day of fever after inoculation. The scrutiny on the pharmaceutical companies is unprecedented and many candidate vaccines have been discarded because the side effects were unacceptable. Many individuals have endured months of isolation to avoid this terrible virus. They should not be denied a chance to retrieve their health and freedom by either inefficient vaccine distribution or terror mongering.
6. My fear for my patients is that industrial and distribution failures will make it difficult for citizens to access the vaccine. Additionally, the very vocal critics may force withdrawal of the vaccine for even very minor side effects that are much less serious than the disease. With the amount of scrutiny that is being devoted to the vaccine, I am certain that any serious problems will be widely publicized very promptly.
7. Last week the New York Department of Health included me in an Email list offering the opportunity to complete documents and become a COVID-19 vaccine distribution center. As with most government procedures it took late nights, many hours and some ingenuity to get to the line on the screen “your application has been accepted”. I asked for 4,000 doses to cover my practice and associates.
8. With the scarcity of the vaccine, I am skeptical that any will be allocated to my private practice. Be assured that if at some point I successfully plead and get a supply of the vaccine, I will use this Email list to invite all of you to come and be inoculated.
Comments