That Health Rules

With Covid vaccines being given to most of us, but with more Covid strains developing, the risk of getting Covid infection with these new variants continue to hound us.

We know from previous studies that Due to its large accumulation in the nasopharyngeal region and transmission through respiratory fluids, its spread among people is extremely high.

The question therefore …how about using a nasal spray to help reduce the chances of getting Covid 19 infection as a barrier or to help decrease the viral load in the nasopharyngeal region, and thus prevent getting the infection and help prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2?

Apple cider vinegar has been used as a health tonic for thousands of years.

Research shows that true enough, apple cider has many health benefits, such as lowering blood sugar levels. Therefore it can be helpful for diabetic patients.

And As an endocrinologist, this has been a common question among my patients who are also trying to lose weight.

Can Apple Cider really help me lose weight?

Common friends and relative including patients are again coming down with COVID-19.

Thankfully though, almost all are mild with one day spike of fever and occasional cough as symptoms. What is important is that most or all do not need hospitalization simply because they were vaccinated and recently boosted.

We know that once they get Covid Antigen (+) definitely they are infectious and contagious and therefore need to be isolated and those friends exposed to be quarantined.

What then are the guidelines for Isolation once Covid Positive…

Treating and tracking omicron symptoms will be something every family needs to be ready for the rest of 2022.

Chances are that in the foreseeable future, you or a family member will test positive or have symptoms of Covid-19.

But due to the vaccination status of each one of us including booster, try not to get too anxious about this, as it should be manageable at home.

Fortunately for most people, the Omicron variant presents as a mild illness that can be cared for at home.

https://youtu.be/qAGIvRoFTRE

And now comes news that there is a possibility of another wave of Covid 19 Infection in our country.

Increases in Covid 19 Infections have also been reported worldwide.

BUT Are the sharp increases in infections enough for the general population to get the second booster?

Everyone knows Justin Bieber.

He recently suffered from this facial drooping syndomre that caused a stir among his fans worldwide. Apparently suffering from Ramsey Hunt Syndrome.

So I have patients asking if they’re at risk and if this can spread like Covid and what needs to be done to avoid such a risk.

So what is Ramsey Hunt disease? Is it contagious? Can it be treated?

A new study from researchers in the United Kingdom has found that the coronavirus may cause long-term brain loss and that Comparison of the before-and-after brain scans found “significant effects of COVID-19 in the brain with a loss of gray matter” in parts of the brain connected to smell and taste.

In short, the study suggests that there could be some long-term loss of brain tissue from COVID, and that would have some long-term consequences. and could be the reason some COVID-19 patients lose their sense of smell and taste.

Now comes data to show that even moderate drinking can further enhance brain volume loss.

With less restrictions now in place, alcohol is now a plenty and available to most.

Whats the best advise to those who drink?

Already, a second booster is recommended for certain people at high risk of COVID-19 disease who could benefit from the enhanced protection provided by the additional shot.

However a strategy of simply adding booster after booster of the same vaccine may not be the optimal way to go.

We therefore need studies to see if there is a better way to optimize the vaccines, and whether the current versions of the shots are the best ones to rely on in the face of a still-mutating virus.

For now is there such a thing as a Better Booster Brand for Covid 19?

A recent study published on Apr 12 is again being used to elicit fear among Sinovac vaccinated individuals.

It created a lot of stir in social media including twitter . Likewise am also being asked to comment of this issue.

The issue that Sinovac vaccinated individuals were 5 x more likely to suffer from severe Covid Infection….

Is this a real fact proven in the recent Omicron surges or not?

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?