Now Polio? What’s next?

Electron microscopy of poliovirus

in 2019, when I originally ran this blogpost, I was referencing cases of Polio that were diagnosed in the Philippines. And now we’re dealing with a case of Polio in the U.S. The case occurred over the summer in New York, in an unvaccinated adult who has now developed paralysis as a result of his … Read more

COVID in the headlines: making sense of it all

COVID in the headlines: making sense of it all

There have been some big COVID-related announcements lately that, depending on your opinions, could leave you feeling excited or confused… or both. Today, we’re talking COVID in the headlines: making sense of it all. We’ll examine vaccines for teens (with younger children soon to follow), ditching the masks if you are vaccinated (with a few … Read more

COVID vaccines and your teen

Teen with mask during COVID

Today, we’re going to talk about COVID vaccines and your teen. But first, a quick word about the Johnson & Johnson vaccine pause. While I could spend a whole blogpost discussing this turn of events, my friend Dr. Jill Grimes has already written an amazing piece on the topic (read here). So, why reinvent the … Read more

COVID19 vaccine coming soon: here’s what you need to know – Part 2

COVID19 vaccine image

By now, we’ve all heard that the development of a COVID vaccine is moving along at a much faster pace than normal. And this frightens some folks. The catchphrase for this program, Operation Warp Speed, isn’t helping. We envision our vaccine development process hurtling through the uncharted space of a science fiction movie – not … 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

Anti-vaccine tactics – how they’ll try and hook you

Fishing pole

As the world races to find a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 so that we can return to normal life (whatever that new normal will be), you can bet your you-know-what that the anti-vaxxers are going to come out of the woodwork. In fact, they already have. Many have joined forces with the “COVID19 hoax” gang and … Read more

It’s a COVID-19 world now. Is this our new normal?

Man with mask

All 50 states are reporting cases of the novel Coronavirus. It’s a COVID-19 world now. Is this our new normal? More people are getting tested (though still not enough). The numbers of cases of COVID-19 are surging, and so are deaths from this frightening illness. Every day we read some new headline about risk factors, … Read more

100 Years Later

“Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it.” — Winston Churchill 2018 marks exactly 100 years since the Spanish Flu of 1918 ripped a path across the earth, claiming the lives of millions and changing the course of history. Most estimates lay the death toll around 50 million but some go … Read more