That Health Rules

What to expect when We Return to Normalcy with COVID?

More countries are shifting toward a return to normal and learning to live with the virus. We know that Safe, and effective vaccines have been developed and we also have better understanding of how to treat people sickened by the virus in a way to prevent them from dying from the complications of the disease.

However, Two years after the pandemic began, a lot of questions still remain and among the many uncertainties are the long term risks and complications post covid infections… but unlike before, we now know a lot more about how to keep covid infection under control.

Since Alert Level 1 in our country, The markets are already crowded and Traffic is jamming the roads again. Malls are again packed with people including restaurants. More and more restrictions have been lifted.

But It isn’t quite how things were before the COVID-19 pandemic — mask mandates still exist— but with infections steadily declining, life in South Asia is returning to a sense of normalcy. Countries have slowly been opening up.

While experts agree that opening up is the right move amid falling case numbers, they caution that optimism should be tempered with lessons from the past two years.

How then should we live with the Virus?

A recent study on our battle against continuing Covid-19 outbreak especially with Omicron variant clearly underscores the importance of booster shots for the Chinese vaccine.

Whether Sinovac if given 3 doses can protect us against Omicron in terms of Hospitalization and death has been an issue regarding inactivated virus vaccine.

The new study recently reported will be presented and will provide us a glimpse into the effectiveness of 3 doses of Sinovac against death especially among the elderly people.

Recently the DOH is eyeing giving second booster shots for certain groups of people.

The national government is now looking at the possibility of giving a second coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) booster shots to a specific group of People including the senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals who are most at risk for hospitalization and death due to coronavirus infection.

Countries including the U.K., Sweden, Israel and Denmark are now offering the shots to immunocompromised and at-risk groups, including older age groups especially with the recent surge of Covid Infection in those countries.

We all know that the uptick in cases also followed after the removal of almost all pandemic restrictions making some increase in cases very likely.

This directive is not new since there has been ongoing evidence of waning immunity of Covid Vaccine and new Covid surges across Europe and Asia including the nearby countries.

So When and Who should get the second booster shot?

Now a days, people seem to be more carefree with regard to following covid restrictions.

Our government almost decided to put the country back to Alert level 0 where covid restrictions are supposed to be lifted.

But let’s look at countries where these restrictions have been lifted early this year and assess f it is indeed worth removing the restrictions and safe enough to put our lives back to pre-pandemic times.

The question is….But are we ready?

Likewise, in Hong Kong….Is there a new strain for the HK Covid 19 Surge? Why is There increased Death and Mortality?

Pls Watch…..

We know about the recent CDC guideline re masking.

Now a new guideline from CDC states that maskings are no longer necessary for most Americans.

Do this guideline apply to most outside the United States including the Philippines?

The New CDC guideline is based heavily on the number of Covid-19 cases as a key measure, instead of giving more weight to hospitalizations and local hospital capacity.

In our country, as we switched to the lowest Alert level category of Alert Level 1, are we soon going to follow the No Mask recommendation of the CDC?

If Vaccination Works, Why is it that death from Covid still Occurs? Data after data have shown that Vaccination works against Covid. No question!

But even as cases and deaths being reported, COVID is not over: Get boosted. It is critical. Here’s Why…Lets Watch This…

With Covid 19 infections, sleep has become a major issue.

While you’re on isolation, sleeping may become an issue. Plus with Covid Infection insomnia can set in and even long term as part of the post Covid Syndrome.

But even without Covid, the pandemic has bought a lot of anxiety and uncertainty.

As a result, More and more adults are taking over-the-counter melatonin to get to sleep, and some of them may be using it at dangerously high levels and for a long time.https://youtu.be/mIRcT5B2E84

So Is Melatonin as a sleeping aid Safe and Useful?

It seems that many of us including my friends and patients are confused about the vaccines because there is this belief that once vaccinated and boosted, you are completely protected against infection.

And anything short of this expectation means the vaccine is a failure. Which means therefore that if they still get infection inspire of 3 injections maybe another booster jab is needed.

Likewise, You may have known of some friends who have already been given 2 primary series of vaccines meaning 2 doses of Sinovac then got another 2 dose of Moderna “privately purchased”… thinking that the more Vaccines the better…

But is it? Is it safe to have too many injections as protection against Covid infection?

I continue to get querries regarding Sinovac as primary and whether Sinovac as a booster is effective or not.

The controversy regarding the effectiveness of SINOVAC against Omicron even with a third dose was put into question when a research came out.from the The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The study was presented a month ago, finding that a third shot of what is one of the world’s most widely used COVID vaccines which is SINOVAC does not produce enough levels of virus-neutralizing antibodies.

A third dose of a vaccine produced by Pfizer and BioNTech, however, significantly improved protection for those who had previously taken two doses of Sinovac, also known as CoronaVac, the research shows.

So what’s is the latest update on Sinovac as primary vaccine followed by Sinovac booster shot have against the Omicron Infection?

Can we feel confident of being protected getting Sinovac as our booster preference?https://youtu.be/bywAWbde0AQ

COVID-19 infection especially now with the threat of Omicron variant poses a serious risk to patients and – due to its contagious nature – to those healthcare workers (HCWs) treating them. Even when vaccinated and we left ourselves off guard without a mask, transmission can still occur and vaccinated people get the breakthrough infection.

Theories abound that If the mouth and nose of patients with infection are irrigated with antimicrobial solutions, maybe transmission can be minimized or prevented and at the same time infection controlled on site.

However, no strong recommendation as yet from health authorities on the use of such antimicrobial solutions as there are no firm studies to support its use. So what are the date regarding the safety of the mouthwash and nasal spray for the prevention of Covid 19?

Existing vaccines should still protect people who contract the Omicron variant from severe Covid cases based on the assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO appears to suggest that at present was no sign Omicron would be better at evading vaccines than other variants.

Our initial report was based on the mutations seen with Omicron showing possible changes in the virus that can evade vaccine effectiveness.

So how are our present vaccines working against Omicron?

Will Booster shots be helpful?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the amended emergency use authorization given to four Covid-19 vaccines that may be used as booster shots and additional doses.

The Department of Health (DOH) has allowed the mix and match of vaccine brands and that the priority follows the priority list before where the fully vaccinated healthcare workers will get their third dose or booster shot of the Covid-19 vaccine starting November 17

Since majority of the Filipinos especially the HCW got Sinovac as the only available vaccine available at the time of vaccination campaign, the government will now allow those who completed their Sinovac doses to choose any brand as booster shot that will be approved by regulatory bodies.

But which Covid Vaccine as booster will give better protection against Covid 19 Infection and against hospitalization?

The Philippines has already began its nationwide rollout of COVID-19 vaccination among minors aged 12 to 17 as early as November 3, 2021.

Philippine drug regulators granted emergency use authorization to Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for minors as young as 12 in June and September, respectively.

However there are still concerns of side effects of mrna vaccine that worry many parents.

Is Sinovac a better option for children? Which countries have utilized Inactivated Virus Vaccine for their children population?

Which countries accept Sinovac as valid vaccine for Covid 19 infection?

Now that the economy is opening up and traveling is soon to be back, a lot of my friends are asking which countries now accept SINOVAC as a valid vaccine for entry into their countries.

WHO has already validated the Sinovac-CoronaVac vaccine for emergency use back on June 1 this year and assured countries, funders, and communities that the vaccine meets international standards for efficacy, safety, and manufacturing.

As more data and real world evidence have been published about Sinovac, now more and more countries have accepted Sinovac as valid proof of Immunization.

If your are vaccinated with SINOVAC, Watch This Video before you travel…..

What we know now for sure based on the WHO recommendation is that severely or moderately immunocompromised people who have been vaccinated should be offered an additional dose of the seven coronavirus vaccines the World Health Organization has authorized, based on what the advisory committee of WHO has recently recommended due to their higher risk of breakthrough infections after standard immunization.

This advise is true to ALL People whose immune systems are considered diminished and that they should get another shot if they initially received vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, the Serum Institute of India, Johnson & Johnson, Sinopharm and Sinovac, based on the recommendation from the members of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization.

BUT is is very important that the booster shots should be coursed through legitimate sources, meaning only the National Government and DOH can recommend this strategy for the general public so that there is no issue on too many jabs.

If you got 2 doses of Sinovac then lets await full recommendation from the WHO and our local DOH as to when especially the timing of the additional jab and with what kind for our 3rd dose or booster shot so as to be completely SAFE!

Again a word of caution to those who after receiving 2 doses of sinovac, have gotten another 2 primary doses of an mrna vaccine… (then soon the required booster shot)… remember…too many vaccination jabs may not lead to better protection and may instead do harm long term.

Be careful….

As cases of Covid 19 continue to drop, as our society is slowly starting to open, as malls are starting to gather crowds and as restaurants are opening up to cater to more people… how do we make sure we are keeping ourselves safe from getting infected with Covid 19.

Vaccination continues to be the key to end this pandemic BUT….

Can a CO2 monitor help mitigate our risk in public spaces for us to be protected from getting Covid 19 infection?

A glimmer of hope in this era of Covid 19 pandemic.Finally we now have data on an investigational antiviral pill Molnupiravir that has been shown to significantly reduce the chances that patients newly diagnosed with Covid-19 would be hospitalized by about 50%.A five-day course of this new oral pill is shown to reduce both hospitalization and death compared to a placebo with good safety profile.This pill will surely help mitigate the risk of infection for all of us on top of Covid 19 vaccination and other health safety protocols. Now awaiting more data before its release to the general public.https://youtu.be/l6O6XXlyYW4

Real World Data on Vaccine Effectiveness has been limited most to experiences in US Israel and UK especially with regard to delta variant.

However very few data on Sinovac have been published creating much suspicions and doubts about its overall effectiveness as a Covid 19 vaccine especially with the Delta surge.

Now comes another real world data from Malaysia on Vaccine effectiveness among the different vaccines used including AZ, mRNA vaccines and Sinovac during the time of Delta surge.

Its therefore about time that we stop the Misinformation about vaccine effectiveness as data have shown that all vaccines are proven effective against severe disease and death due to Covid 19 infection. https://youtu.be/tByRURmu0p8

Although Several Preliminary results of the effectiveness of other Covid-19 vaccines across different populations have been published….However, existing vaccine-effectiveness estimates have focused mainly on outcomes of the messenger RNA vaccine (Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna), (Oxford–AstraZeneca), and JJ.

Data on vaccine effectiveness in the prevention of Covid-19 using Inactivated Virus like SINOVAC are definitely lacking up to now.

Now comes this new data from Chile that provide us with Real World Evidence on Coronvac/ Sinovac Effectiveness against Covid 19 Infection.