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'National Sugar Cookie Day'
Sugar cookies are far and away one of the simplest and most delicious cookies to ever be created. They are the hallmark of Christmas, with Santa ostensibly wolfing down tons of them every year in a deluge of milk.
They are made to celebrate every occasion and are sold as part of charity drives everywhere. National Sugar Cookie Day celebrates this delicious little treat, and the big role it plays in all our lives.
Read more here. . . .
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Your Weekly COVID-19 Updates
Paradise Valley Medical Clinic,
Douglas M. Lakin, M.D.
Kaitlin A. Kraemer, M.S., PA-C
9977 N 90th Street, Suite 180, Scottsdale, AZ 85258
480.614.5800 (phone), 480.614.6322 (Fax)
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ATTN PATIENTS:
for a 'Telehealth' visit. You can connect using your iPad, iPhone, Android phone, a laptop, or a PC with a camera.
Please watch these videos so you can be prepared and know how to connect with Dr. Lakin for a 'Telehealth' visit.
CLICK ON THE PICTURES
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July 9, 2023
WEST NILE SEASON IS HERE. THE FIRST CASE IN OUR PRACTICE WAS SEEN 8 WEEKS AGO. USE PROTECTION. IF WE HEAR OF NEW CASES…WILL REPORT TO YOU. NOT CURRENTLY HIGH LEVEL IN TOWN, BUT NOW IS THE TIME. BY THE TIME WE SEE THE INCREASE WE WILL BE RUNNING BEHIND….SO BEGIN NOW.
COVID LEVELS ARE LOW BUT PRESENT NATIONALLY. WE ARE SEEING COVID PRIMARLY IN TRAVELERS AND IN PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT HAVE COVID YET. CONSIDER BOOSTING AND MASKING DURING TRAVEL.
PLEASE USE MOSQUITO REPELLENT DAILY UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER, OR AT LEAST WHEN IN HIGH EXPOSURE SITUATIONS.
ARIZONA IS THE PRIME USA LOCATION FOR WEST NILE DUE TO HIGH WEST NILE VIRUS LEVELS IN RAPTOR BIRDS WHO ARE IMMUNE TO WEST NILE ILLNESS, BUT NOT IMMUNE TO CARRYING THE VIRUS.
THIS CAN RESULT IN ARIZONA MOSQUITOS WITH PARTICULARLY HIGH VIRUS LEVELS WHEN THEY BITE.
COVID:
THE 4TH COVID BOOSTER IS APPROVED FOR THOSE OVER 65 OR THOSE WHO ARE YOUNGER AND HAVE COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS. THIS IS A BIVALENT VACCINE WITH THE ORIGINAL COVID VIRUS & OMICRON VARIANT.
A NEW BOOSTER WILL BE APPROVED IN THE COMING WEEKS. IT WILL CONTAIN THE CURRENT VARIANT XBB.1.5, WHICH IS 99% OF THE COVID IN THE USA.
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TOP PODCAST DONE WEEKLY
BY DR. MICHAEL OSTERHOLM
(UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA)
He is a world-renowned epidemiologist who was credited with first elucidating TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME in the 1980’s.
He provides comprehensive and understandable/actionable ideas related to COVID.
Dr. Osterholm Update: COVID-19
June 29, 2023
(Same as last week's..... New Podcast next week!)
'Good News'
In "Good News," Dr. Osterholm and Chris Dall discuss the state of the pandemic in the US and internationally, a recent report on the origins of the pandemic, and the VRBPAC decision on monovalent boosters. Dr. Osterholm also shares an update on influenza in the Southern Hemisphere and shares a moment of joy from one of our listeners.
According to Dr. Osterholm……
- GET YOUR 4th BOOSTER (6th SHOT) IF YOU HAVE NOT HAD COVID OR IT’S BEEN LONGER THAN 4 MONTHS SINCE YOU HAD COVID YOURSELF
- A GOOD MASK, N95 OF KN95, DOES HELP REDUCE TRANSMISSION…. USE IT AT HIGH-RISK LOCATIONS
- GOOD VENTILATION IN ROOMS/HOME/BUSINESSES IS A GREAT WAY TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION
- VACCINE, VACCINE, VACCINE…THIS IS OUR PROTECTION. ALL VACCINES ARE EFFECTIVE AND WITH TIME WE ARE SEEING THAT THE J&J VACCINE IS PICKING UP STEAM AND GIVES SOLID LONG-TERM PROTECTION.
- BOOST, BOOST, BOOST…THIS WILL BE NECESSARY TO PREVENT RECURRING SURGE AND TO RAISE ANTIBODY LEVELS IN THOSE ALREADY SET WITH THE PRIMARY COVID VACCINE SERIES.
- ANTIGEN TESTING IS USEFUL, BUT OF LIMITED VALUE. DON’T DEPEND ON IT…BUT USE IT.
Know that unvaccinated remain a source of potential infection. Avoiding unvaccinated persons will reduce your risk of COVID.
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1 in 4 Americans hadn't contracted COVID by the end of 2022, CDC estimates | |
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By the end of 2022, about one in four American adults and older teenagers still hadn't contracted COVID-19, according to new federal data.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been tracking seroprevalence -- antibodies in the blood -- by collecting samples nationwide from blood donors between January and December 2022.
The data suggests 77.5% of those aged 16 and older had antibodies from COVID-19 infection by the time 2022 ended, according to the agency's final estimates, which is up from the 48.8% estimate at the beginning of the year.
Read more here. . . .
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After you received your COVID vaccinations, please let us know!
We would like to document this information into your chart.
BUT FIRST.......
PLEASE COMPLETE THE INFORMATION ON THE CARD BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO US!
What we need:
- Your name
- Date vaccination received
- Brand name
- Lot number if available
- Which dose you have received
**Email your COVID vaccine completed info HERE
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New COVID-19 Variants Giving
‘Arcturus’ a Run For Its Money
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The so-called “arcturus” coronavirus strain is the most prominent variant circulating in the U.S., but several other omicron subvariants are increasing across the country.
XBB.1.16, or arcturus, was responsible for more than 17% of new COVID-19 infections over the past two weeks, according to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s a slight increase from the previous two-week period, which CDC revised down to 16%.
XBB.1.5, which will be the target of the fall COVID-19 vaccines, is not far behind at 16% of new infections in recent weeks.
But other omicron subvariants are making inroads in the U.S., including EG.5 and XBB.2.3. Each strain was responsible for 13% of new infections over the last two weeks.
The World Health Organization is monitoring XBB.2.3, which is also increasing globally. According to WHO, some countries are seeing a rise in COVID-19 cases.
Read more here. . . .
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Mask Policy in Our Office | |
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At our office, we are continuing to follow CDC guidelines and will strive for ways to keep our patients and staff safe.
We recommend that all unvaccinated and vaccinated patients and visitors entering our office cover their nose and mouth at all times.
To prevent further spread of the Delta & Omicron variants, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its mask guidance on March 21, 2022, to recommend that fully vaccinated people wear masks when in areas with “substantial” and “high” transmission of Covid-19.
We have a limited supply of paper masks and will make these available to patients while they last, however, we encourage you to bring your own facial covering.
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Dr. Lakin's Info For COVID-19 Kit &
Recommended Treatments
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Makings of a good sugar cookie. . . . | | | | |
