Dear TVD Friends,
Good news (and some less good news). After months of planning, squeaking, and logistics, TVD has received its first, relatively small, allocation of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine! I’m proud of our team’s hard work and our ability to take this next step in serving, and protecting, our patient community. Unfortunately, and this is the less good news, this allocation came from our friends at San Mateo County, and we’re under strict guidelines to only immunize those who reside in San Mateo County, and who meet County / State criteria for vaccine eligibility. Fortunately this eligibility has very recently been broadened, from just health care workers and those over the age of 65, to include those who work in the sectors of Education & Childcare, Food & Agriculture, and Emergency Services. If you’re interested, you can read more detail at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) website here. In other important news, the County / State guidelines are expected to be expanded even further on March 15th, when those patients under the age of 65, but with significant co-morbidities (chronic medical conditions) will become eligible. Again, more details here. OF NOTE, CDPH is being quite specific regarding which chronic conditions are eligible. CDPH also notes that this list is subject to change. The current health conditions outlined by the California Department of Public Health for vaccine eligibility are:
- Cancer (current with debilitated or immunocompromised state)
- Chronic kidney disease (stage 4 or above)
- Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
- Down syndrome
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease or cardiomyopathies (excludes hypertension)
- Severe obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 40 kg/m2)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
We will of course be working closely with the County to ensure that we are able to immunize our eligible patients. As all of this is a moving target, we will continue to keep you appraised via this newsletter. And although I apologize for the rather impersonal nature of group emails, we are also using targeted email blasts so we can reach our patients directly, and efficiently, depending on their age, their health, and their county of residence. Needless to say, we are also leaning hard into Santa Clara County for our vaccine allocation from them so we can get to the many of you who are so patiently standing by. Thank you in advance for working with us (and being a little extra patient with your TVD team during these unusually busy days). We’re getting there.
Lastly, if you have a little time on your hands, the “Facebook Live” which Evera CEO Nabeel Quryshi and I participated in on Monday is available for viewing on our Facebook page here. We had fun discussing COVID vaccine and COVID testing, and were able to address questions in real time from our FB community. Have a look!
In continued health and community spirit,
Eric Weiss, MD, February 22, 2021
NOTE: CV🦠News is a labor of love. If you enjoy reading this, please share widely! Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Please subscribe here.
Per the CDC guidelines, people with COVID-19 (either positive test or presumed diagnosis by your doctor) who have had symptoms and have been on “self quarantine” at home can stop home isolation after:
- 10 days since symptoms first appeared and
- 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and
- Other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving*
*Loss of taste and smell may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation… Read more
Jennifer Abrams, MD, February 23, 2021
Earlier this month, Dr. Anthony Fauci made what turned out to be overly optimistic predictions that children as young as 6 might be able to be vaccinated as early as this Fall (Pro Publica, February 1, 2021). But The American Academy of Pediatrics warned that manufacturers have not given enough urgency to clinical trials in children under 16 yrs, and that an autumn timeline was unlikely.
In a February 18th White House Press Briefing, Dr. Fauci walked back his comments, saying that we just won’t have enough data to secure FDA approval for elementary-age children before early 2022… Read more
Sky Pittson, MD, February 24, 2021
As of now (February 2021), it’s too early to say. More clinical research needs to be done before clinicians should treat COVID-19 patients with fluvoxamine, a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) often known by the brand name of Luvox.
Fluvoxamine has already been used for decades to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), social anxiety disorder and depression. The benefit of using the drug to manage COVID-19 symptoms is that it costs only $10 and has already been approved by the FDA… Read more
Jackie Phillips, MD, February 24, 2021
HOPE AND GRACE
If you have made it this far, time for a reward, something to lighten your day, and acknowledge the human spirit. Find some escape, or perhaps even inspiration, in this ever-growing collection of works and perspectives gathered from around the world. Please contact me directly if you have come across something that has lifted your heart today. Dr. Eric Weiss
Steph and Ayesha Curry have provided 15 million meals during pandemic
Last summer, Steph and Ayesha Curry launched Eat. Learn. Play., a foundation that helps families who are struggling to feed their families. They do so through donations to the Alameda Food Bank and Oakland school system. Their organization has also given the local economy about $20 million dollars, which has led to the rehiring of more than 900 Oakland restaurant workers!
Read more about their community efforts here.
Escape to nature and save our forests with Tree.fm
People around the world have recorded the sounds of their forests so you can escape into nature, while you’re still in lockdown or unable to travel. While perusing their website, you can also help save the planet and donate a tree!
Escape to serenity here.
NJ Plumber travels to Texas to make repairs after storm
New Jersey plumber, Andrew Mitchell, and his apprentice drove 25 hours to Texas to help out people in need after the disastrous winter storms. The duo bought $2,000 worth of plumbing supplies and have been going door to door making critical repairs.
Again, CV🦠News is a labor of love. If you enjoy reading this, please share widely! Was this forwarded to you by a friend? Please subscribe here.
*****
Yours, in health and resilience,
Eric and the TVD MD team…
