Saturday, January 1, 2022

Omicron Variant...

Hello 2022!

Wishing everyone good health for this new year as we are in the midst of another Covid surge...

So last time, I was writing about the Delta Variant... although there is probably still some Delta in our area, Omicron is becoming more dominant. The last week at work has been pretty crazy! Honestly, the last thing I feel like doing after work is to think about Covid... that is why it is taking me so long to write anything on this blog. Plus, the information pretty much changes almost daily so what I write today may not even be valid tomorrow. With that said, here are bullet points with a few of my personal observations:

  • Omicron seems to be more contagious... I've noticed more so than ever before that if one family member is sick, almost everyone else in the household gets sick or tests positive
    • side note - home tests do not catch covid as accurately as the pcr
      • if positive - no need to retest
      • if negative - may not necessarily mean no covid so talk to your doctor about it if symptoms persist etc.
  • Severity of sickness varies but follows a fairly predictable pattern depending on vaccination status
    • Vaccinated and Boostered - these folks, if they have symptoms at all, usually have a sore throat and maybe some mild congestion or runny nose... report very little fatigue and aches...
    • Vaccinated but not yet Boostered - these folks can still get fatigue, fever, body aches in addition to the sore throat and congestion, but the worse of it usually only lasts a few days or less... and not weeks and weeks...
    • Not Vaccinated - these folks seem to follow the pattern of Covid infected folks similar to back when this whole thing started and we didn't have vaccines yet. So in addition to sore throat, congestion etc the first week, folks may feel better as if getting over it but then feel worse again... I usually find myself checking up on these folks more often and ordering the IVIG treatment for them if they qualify...
Now, ofcourse based on one's underlying health and medical conditions, how fast and sick someone gets with Covid will still vary regardless of vaccination status. 

However, this is the analoigy I like to use. We are at war and Covid is the enemy. Whether you are a strong warrior or someone totally unskilled in fighting, you are fighting with your bare hands without the vaccine. Vaccinated folks are fighting with a shield, a sword, and maybe some bow and arrows. The boostered folks have more weapons at their disposal as their old weapons get damaged or lost in battle. 

What about folks who have had Covid already? I am not too sure, but maybe I see it like this. These folks beat their first battle against the enemy, but here comes more troops from a different enemy and although the experience from the first battle may help more so than if never fought in any battle... having more weapons at hand may still increase the chance of winning with less battle scars. 

Now even with weapons, one may get slashed, beat up, hurt, and even lose... but at least the chances are higher to win than fighting completely weaponless. Then there are those folks who really cannot get vaccinated for underlying health reasons. So going back to my battle analogy, maybe these folks can not pick up a sword or shield because say they only have one arm or something... their chance of survival then would increase if the folks immediately surrounding them are heavily armed and willing to fight the fight for them.

That is my two cents without getting into any details about the science, politics, or whatevers floating out there regarding the vaccine... and regardless of vaccine status, my practice and I will do our best to meet needs and direct care the best we know how with the limited and ever changing information at our disposal.

Truly hope you all stay well and safe in 2022. Happy New Year!