I appreciate an M.D.’s potential recommendation regarding metformin. Eric Topol has been talking about this for over a year, but it doesn’t seem to have gained much traction in the medical community. Thankfully, my MD/PhD allergist is always up to date on research and would be willing to consider this option for me.
Agree! I’ve been aware/writing about it since 3/2023 I think. The COVID-OUT prospective trial success really spurned me into taking this seriously, too. I counsel and offer/recommend it. I would say 50% decide to try it, and maybe 1/3 of those don’t finish it b/c GI side effects with the up titration. Also trying lower dose as tolerated in those situations. Keep bending those odds, right?
Hard to say - definitely tailor conversations individually. However most studies have pointed towards the 35-50yo cohort and others with higher risk health issues as having the highest prevalence/incidence of long Covid. So if preventing that is the evolving goal for many people at low risk of dying...
So happy to hear that hospitals will be required to report their data again. I long for the day when matters of public health are about protecting the people instead of a political football. So grateful for this newsletter and its accurate, unbiased information.
I hope your next post will tell us when/if Novavax will be available in the updated formulation. I get miserably sick from the mRNA vaccines, so Novavax was a lifesaver for me last fall.
I realize your readers know what you mean by ""get that indoor air flowing," but I wonder what we can do to promote that idea more widely. I recently read about schools doing "deep cleaning" while neglecting to vent/filter/mask. It's year 5! Anchor bias, lack of govt policy, lack of appropriate guidance from depts of health... we are simply not cleaning the air, and it makes no sense.
feeling very disappointed about the west coast rise to winter levels. I am traveling in September and not feeling confident that the new COv19 strain vaccine is going to be on time for that. I am not hearing enough from Public Health, via media, about this summer risk and the need to take sensible precautions. I get all my news here
and even if you say "oh, but it's just fomites!" Lindsey Marr (who won a MacArthur Genius Award) has this to say: https://x.com/linseymarr/status/1531627253934829570 "How far a virus can travel is determined by the size of the droplet/aerosol carrying it, not the size and weight of the virus itself." and "Of seven patients diagnosed with monkeypox in the UK in 2018-2021, "All patients had viral DNA detectable in upper respiratory tract swabs." Thus, they would very likely release virus during normal respiratory activities (breathing, talking, etc.)"
There is not reason NOT to assume it's airborne. We were told SARS-CoV-2 wasn't airborne (even though the WHO and CDC KNEW it was for months before telling the rest of us). I guess wearing a modern, high performance respirator is so terrible we should instead wait until tens of thousands of white children are dead before we bring them up again though (since a greater surge in Covid than -2 years ago- isn't enough to give anyone a moments pause).
Thank you for all the up-to-date information. Please advise how long one has to wait after having COVID before taking the new vaccine that will be coming out soon. Please also explain why it is important / advised to wait. Thank you.
Is there any evidence as to why this wave is so high? It seems to be going absolutely bonkers in a way that suggests some new omicron-esque change to the virus. Is the new variant/s different or making a bigger jump than the last? I’m not seeing analysis anywhere on why this wave is so unexpectedly large. And is a JN 1 infection still protective? It sounded like early summer it was likely to be, but now I’m unsure. Thanks!
Are you hearing of instances of rapid reinfection from Covid during this wave? I had it last month (second infection, first was in 2022) and I’ve had ever vaccine available (but I’m 40 and relatively healthy so no spring boosters). I’m feeling the anxiety as a high school teacher, but it should be a very low probability of reinfection this soon, right?
Was "formerly" meant here instead of "formally"? "formerly" encourages the use of "mpox", "formally" does not. (Apologies if this seems like nit-picking. My understanding is that health organizations like WHO want to move away from "monkeypox".)
Is this parvovirus the same as the parvo that affects dogs, or is it a different strain between dogs and humans? I know parvo in dogs is extremely dangerous for puppies.
It’s different, I heard that here: A surge in the human parvovirus has caught the attention of the CDChttps://one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5078597:nx-s1-eb3d8745-c0ff-46f5-b9d2-dec6ddf09c0d
This was surprising! I hope that the national discussion about the need for childhood immunizations picks up since it was on so many people’s radar this weekend that typically might not be paying attention to immunization rates. As a 71 year old I’ve received the Tdap vaccine twice in the last 15 years.
Wow, happy to hear hospitals will be reporting covid data again! Thank you to the healthcare workers dealing with additional paperwork.
Also happy to hear about hospitalization data again. The collective fiction does not a truth make.
Symptoms? Test.
Positive? When in doubt, treat.
Give metformin a look in addition to antivirals. I’m hoping I can get the updated vaccine before KP gets me, but I have a plan either way.
I appreciate an M.D.’s potential recommendation regarding metformin. Eric Topol has been talking about this for over a year, but it doesn’t seem to have gained much traction in the medical community. Thankfully, my MD/PhD allergist is always up to date on research and would be willing to consider this option for me.
Agree! I’ve been aware/writing about it since 3/2023 I think. The COVID-OUT prospective trial success really spurned me into taking this seriously, too. I counsel and offer/recommend it. I would say 50% decide to try it, and maybe 1/3 of those don’t finish it b/c GI side effects with the up titration. Also trying lower dose as tolerated in those situations. Keep bending those odds, right?
Do you recommend metformin to all your patients or just those that fit the profile of participants in the COVID-OUT study?
Hard to say - definitely tailor conversations individually. However most studies have pointed towards the 35-50yo cohort and others with higher risk health issues as having the highest prevalence/incidence of long Covid. So if preventing that is the evolving goal for many people at low risk of dying...
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db480.htm
I’ve been curious about metformin. My mom is diabetic and takes it, and she’s still, somehow, a rare Novid.
In fact when I had Covid last month, she had been around me closely for two days prior to my positive test, and she still didn’t get it!
My metformin taking 73 year old mom has only had Covid once and was asymptomatic! (She had Parkinson’s and other health issues, too).
So happy to hear that hospitals will be required to report their data again. I long for the day when matters of public health are about protecting the people instead of a political football. So grateful for this newsletter and its accurate, unbiased information.
Thank you!
I hope your next post will tell us when/if Novavax will be available in the updated formulation. I get miserably sick from the mRNA vaccines, so Novavax was a lifesaver for me last fall.
Same. And Novavax wasn't available for those of us who need a twice a year jab.
I'm concerned that Moderna and Pfizer are deliberately prioritized, an egregious disservice.
Thank you for your good work.
I realize your readers know what you mean by ""get that indoor air flowing," but I wonder what we can do to promote that idea more widely. I recently read about schools doing "deep cleaning" while neglecting to vent/filter/mask. It's year 5! Anchor bias, lack of govt policy, lack of appropriate guidance from depts of health... we are simply not cleaning the air, and it makes no sense.
Thank you for doing your part so diligently.
feeling very disappointed about the west coast rise to winter levels. I am traveling in September and not feeling confident that the new COv19 strain vaccine is going to be on time for that. I am not hearing enough from Public Health, via media, about this summer risk and the need to take sensible precautions. I get all my news here
I literally upgraded to paid and gave Substack money to continue platforming literal nazis just to say this: MPXV IS ARBORNE.
These studies clearly demonstrate that:
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247%2823%2900104-0/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanmic/article/PIIS2666-5247(23)00034-4/fulltext
and even if you say "oh, but it's just fomites!" Lindsey Marr (who won a MacArthur Genius Award) has this to say: https://x.com/linseymarr/status/1531627253934829570 "How far a virus can travel is determined by the size of the droplet/aerosol carrying it, not the size and weight of the virus itself." and "Of seven patients diagnosed with monkeypox in the UK in 2018-2021, "All patients had viral DNA detectable in upper respiratory tract swabs." Thus, they would very likely release virus during normal respiratory activities (breathing, talking, etc.)"
There is not reason NOT to assume it's airborne. We were told SARS-CoV-2 wasn't airborne (even though the WHO and CDC KNEW it was for months before telling the rest of us). I guess wearing a modern, high performance respirator is so terrible we should instead wait until tens of thousands of white children are dead before we bring them up again though (since a greater surge in Covid than -2 years ago- isn't enough to give anyone a moments pause).
Thank you for all the up-to-date information. Please advise how long one has to wait after having COVID before taking the new vaccine that will be coming out soon. Please also explain why it is important / advised to wait. Thank you.
She has definitely addressed both questions in past posts if you want to browse through them!
Is there any evidence as to why this wave is so high? It seems to be going absolutely bonkers in a way that suggests some new omicron-esque change to the virus. Is the new variant/s different or making a bigger jump than the last? I’m not seeing analysis anywhere on why this wave is so unexpectedly large. And is a JN 1 infection still protective? It sounded like early summer it was likely to be, but now I’m unsure. Thanks!
I wonder why we require hospitals to report Covid data as if it were once-a-year disease when in fact data shows clearly that it spreads twice a year.
Are you hearing of instances of rapid reinfection from Covid during this wave? I had it last month (second infection, first was in 2022) and I’ve had ever vaccine available (but I’m 40 and relatively healthy so no spring boosters). I’m feeling the anxiety as a high school teacher, but it should be a very low probability of reinfection this soon, right?
Re: "Mpox (formally known as monkeypox)"
Was "formerly" meant here instead of "formally"? "formerly" encourages the use of "mpox", "formally" does not. (Apologies if this seems like nit-picking. My understanding is that health organizations like WHO want to move away from "monkeypox".)
Is this parvovirus the same as the parvo that affects dogs, or is it a different strain between dogs and humans? I know parvo in dogs is extremely dangerous for puppies.
It’s different, I heard that here: A surge in the human parvovirus has caught the attention of the CDChttps://one.npr.org/i/nx-s1-5078597:nx-s1-eb3d8745-c0ff-46f5-b9d2-dec6ddf09c0d
Sorry that link looks shady. Just heard it on NPR and am posting from my phone!
This was surprising! I hope that the national discussion about the need for childhood immunizations picks up since it was on so many people’s radar this weekend that typically might not be paying attention to immunization rates. As a 71 year old I’ve received the Tdap vaccine twice in the last 15 years.
https://www.opb.org/article/2024/09/14/psu-football-game-canceled-whooping-cough/#:~:text=Portland%20State%20University%20canceled%20its,commonly%20known%20as%20whooping%20cough.
any information on when the new boosters will be available?
Can masks protect against parvovirus?