I love good news, which seems in short supply these days. The decision by the insurers to cover all vaccines is unexpected and supremely encouraging. Thanks, as always, for your updates.
Thanks for the updates. Your updates help guide my conversations with patients. I have stopped using the ‘mental health’ phrase and started using ‘brain health.’ My patients approve and I have had several say they appreciate it. They feel stigmatized by mental health.
While I am a pharmacist I am also a farmer. Ticks are a major concern. I know way too many folks who are developing Alpha-gal. DEET is my friend and my biggest recommendation.
I have said this so many times: the brain is another organ in the body. When the heart gets sick or the kidneys stop working right, people start a Meal Train. We need to treat brain health as thoroughly and compassionately as body health.
Regarding Covid-19 boosters: In some past newsletters, you mentioned "hints" that getting different *types* of vaccines (mRNA/traditional) over time could slightly increase immunity. Has more recent research indicated anything like this?
I live in a tick-congested area with both deer ticks and dog ticks. It'd be helpful to have clarity about these two questions: Do dog ticks carry Lyme or other infections dangerous to humans? Can a deer tick transmit infections like babesiosis and anaplasmosis in less time than the 36 hours needed for Lyme disease? Thank you!
Can you please do a segment on how the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of dementia by 20%? This should have been headline news across the world and yet it seems to get too little press. There is an enormous economic and societal burden of dementia worldwide and we just found a way to significantly reduce it with an already approved, non-controversial vaccine sitting right underneath our noses.
How long after a mild case of Covid [tested positive on March 9th] should I wait to get a vaccine dose? If I wait 3 or 4 months, will it throw off my getting fall vaccination?
Hooray for science and progress! Totally agree that we need to celebrate the wins and rays of sunshine in this sometimes (read: often) cloudy world...Thank you for your continued dedication to getting the important messages out there.
Katelyn and team, can you provide some coverage of the new antiviral for covid post-exposure prevention that was just approved by the FDA? Specifically if it can be used for pre-exposure in specific situations by high-risk individuals. Thanks!
The update today states health insurers will cover vaccines regardless of ACIP. As I read the AHIP statement, I conclude the insurers are stating they will cover "ACIP recommended" vaccines - “Health plans are committed to affordable access to vaccines, and AHIP member health plans will continue covering all ACIP-recommended immunizations with no cost-sharing through the end of 2027." This is problematic as ACIP recommendations now differ from the recos from the medical societies.
I must be missing some important factor in their thought process, because this mystifies me.
My guesses are:
- They don't own the right tweezers, or don't know what to do
- They don't have a regular doctor to call, or their insurance situation is so terrible that going to the ER is a better solution (USA healthcare system is substandard)
- They don't know they have a few hours before Lyme gets transmitted (but admittedly fewer hours for the less well-known yet still devastating diseases ticks carry)
Ticks have been an issue my entire life, so I'm used to the threat, I guess, but I don't want to assume things about other people's motivations, y'see.
I'm 68 and have gotten all the boosters available to me if either Moderna or Pfizer. There is a new Moderna vaccine offered, mNEXSPIKE COVID-19 vaccine. Is there an advantage to getting this for my spring booster vs the one I have been getting?
I would imagine that tick bite prevalence is much higher than the data supports, because it is based on Emergency room visits for tick bites. I wonder who would go to the Emergency room for a tick bite? I would assume many would call and ask what to do, or others go to Urgent Care. Too bad there is not an alternative way to track this.
I thought this study of early pancreatic cancer detection was also good news.
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-ai-detects-pancreatic-cancer-up-to-3-years-before-diagnosis-in-landmark-validation-study/
Thank you for all the GREAT WORK you do. Love your newsletter!🥳
I love good news, which seems in short supply these days. The decision by the insurers to cover all vaccines is unexpected and supremely encouraging. Thanks, as always, for your updates.
Thanks for the updates. Your updates help guide my conversations with patients. I have stopped using the ‘mental health’ phrase and started using ‘brain health.’ My patients approve and I have had several say they appreciate it. They feel stigmatized by mental health.
While I am a pharmacist I am also a farmer. Ticks are a major concern. I know way too many folks who are developing Alpha-gal. DEET is my friend and my biggest recommendation.
I have said this so many times: the brain is another organ in the body. When the heart gets sick or the kidneys stop working right, people start a Meal Train. We need to treat brain health as thoroughly and compassionately as body health.
Regarding Covid-19 boosters: In some past newsletters, you mentioned "hints" that getting different *types* of vaccines (mRNA/traditional) over time could slightly increase immunity. Has more recent research indicated anything like this?
Lots of hard work is evident in this update, thank you
I live in a tick-congested area with both deer ticks and dog ticks. It'd be helpful to have clarity about these two questions: Do dog ticks carry Lyme or other infections dangerous to humans? Can a deer tick transmit infections like babesiosis and anaplasmosis in less time than the 36 hours needed for Lyme disease? Thank you!
Can you please do a segment on how the shingles vaccine reduces the risk of dementia by 20%? This should have been headline news across the world and yet it seems to get too little press. There is an enormous economic and societal burden of dementia worldwide and we just found a way to significantly reduce it with an already approved, non-controversial vaccine sitting right underneath our noses.
How long after a mild case of Covid [tested positive on March 9th] should I wait to get a vaccine dose? If I wait 3 or 4 months, will it throw off my getting fall vaccination?
Hooray for science and progress! Totally agree that we need to celebrate the wins and rays of sunshine in this sometimes (read: often) cloudy world...Thank you for your continued dedication to getting the important messages out there.
Katelyn and team, can you provide some coverage of the new antiviral for covid post-exposure prevention that was just approved by the FDA? Specifically if it can be used for pre-exposure in specific situations by high-risk individuals. Thanks!
So much wonderful news. Thank you so much for your newsletter-- you are so deeply appreciated!
The update today states health insurers will cover vaccines regardless of ACIP. As I read the AHIP statement, I conclude the insurers are stating they will cover "ACIP recommended" vaccines - “Health plans are committed to affordable access to vaccines, and AHIP member health plans will continue covering all ACIP-recommended immunizations with no cost-sharing through the end of 2027." This is problematic as ACIP recommendations now differ from the recos from the medical societies.
Why do people go to the ER for a tick bite?
I must be missing some important factor in their thought process, because this mystifies me.
My guesses are:
- They don't own the right tweezers, or don't know what to do
- They don't have a regular doctor to call, or their insurance situation is so terrible that going to the ER is a better solution (USA healthcare system is substandard)
- They don't know they have a few hours before Lyme gets transmitted (but admittedly fewer hours for the less well-known yet still devastating diseases ticks carry)
I just wrote a similar comment without looking through all the comments. I agree with you completely. I can't imagine going to the ED for a tick bite.
Ticks have been an issue my entire life, so I'm used to the threat, I guess, but I don't want to assume things about other people's motivations, y'see.
I'm 68 and have gotten all the boosters available to me if either Moderna or Pfizer. There is a new Moderna vaccine offered, mNEXSPIKE COVID-19 vaccine. Is there an advantage to getting this for my spring booster vs the one I have been getting?
I would imagine that tick bite prevalence is much higher than the data supports, because it is based on Emergency room visits for tick bites. I wonder who would go to the Emergency room for a tick bite? I would assume many would call and ask what to do, or others go to Urgent Care. Too bad there is not an alternative way to track this.