Mask requirements are changing, and I’m conflicted

Mask requirements are changing

Mask requirements are changing, and I’m conflicted. I, along with all others on the planet who have been faithfully masking to protect self and others, am looking forward to being rid of these hot, itchy, uncomfortable things and to seeing everyone’s lovely faces again. But even though I don’t so much worry for my own … Read more

Flu Vaccine 101: Pandemic Edition

It’s that time of year again. As fall approaches, influenza is knocking on the door… but this flu season, AGAIN, promises to be far from typical. We are smack dab in the middle of a pandemic – still! COVID19 has devastated lives and livelihoods. The Delta variant is a monster and, even though we now … Read more

Is it a cold or is it COVID?

Sick kids

Recently my two sons returned from a long-awaited and well-deserved week at sleep away camp. The camp required vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours of attendance and had very reasonable masking guidelines (masking was required when gathering indoors in groups but not when outdoors). Yet, both kids (both fully vaccinated) came home … Read more

Return to Phase 1 – a step back or a move forward?

Lockdown

Return to Phase 1 – a step back or a move forward? Well, in the last couple of weeks I have had a patient die of COVID19. I have had patients tell me stories of their entire family, including elderly grandparents, coming down with COVID19. I have heard of weddings missed and new babies not … Read more

COVID-19: the good, the bad, and the ugly

COVID-19 It’s not over yet

Let’s talk about COVID-19: the good, the bad, and the ugly. I haven’t written for a while. The world has been too much and I’ve lost some of my focus. But also, I’ve been busy. Since last I wrote, I have become a PowerPoint guru – available for all your Zoom meeting vaccine educational needs. … Read more

What life was like before vaccines

Before and after vaccines

If you’ve ever wondered what life was like before vaccines, or what life could be like if we allow immunization rates to fall, now you know. Or, at least, now you have a sense – suffering, death, anxiety, fear, poverty, and more. In 2020, we will certainly fare better in our fight against the novel … Read more

COVID19: fighting our fight or flight response

Scrabble tiles fear

The process by which we make decisions is suffused with emotion. We can’t escape it. We are genetically programmed to behave in an emotional, instinctive manner. It is what helped us survive as a species. When our early human ancestors were confronted with a threat, say a charging lion, they didn’t stop to contemplate the … Read more

COVID19 – what does it all mean?

Searching for meaning

Most of my recent posts have been very educational in nature – reviewing medical terminology, exploring concepts in statistics, etc. Well, today I am taking off my teacher hat. But before I do, did you know that the word “Doctor” comes from the Latin “Docere” which means “to teach”? I guess taking off that hat … Read more

To mask or not to mask – that is the question

Public use of cloth masks

To mask or not to mask – that is the question… among many many others. It’s now been over a month since I started writing about the novel Coronavirus that hit our world like a ton of bricks. In that time, what we know, or think we know, about this virus has changed. Likewise, guidelines … Read more

What does “social distancing” really mean?

Social distancing

Recently, it occurred to me that “social distancing” may be too nebulous of a term. Mostly it occurred to me because my friend Janelle told me it was too nebulous. So, I guess it occurred to Janelle. But then it occurred to me that she is absolutely right! So, there you go. Obviously, some people … Read more