There were two recent articles I found helpful and that I agreed with, thought I would share them here. We are starting our patient portal in the Newport office (has been active in Irvine with Dr. Underwood for a while!), if you would like to sign up for it, please call and confirm your email and they will give you a token number to activate the account. Please use this form of communication for non-urgent matters only and bear with us as we learn a new function.
One from NPR:
One about the researchers of the PRIORITY study I have mentioned earlier in this blog, who happens to also be pregnant:
Also-
From the Lancet July 23, 2020:
Lack of vertical transmission demonstrated in 3 NYC hospitals. They followed neonates of 120 COVID positive moms, zero tested positive at day 0 and 82 were tested between day 5-7. All who were followed roomed in with mom (presumably with precautions such as masks and hand hygiene), and almost 80 % were still breastfeeding by day 7. None had any symptoms of COVID.
This is great news and continues to affirm earlier studies.
And something humorous I found but kind of serious :
Covid Conspiracies- Q and A With Your Doc
Q. Why don't we use hydroxychloroquine when we know it works?
DOCS: It doesn't work.
Q But you only tried it on HOSPITALIZED!
DOCS: It ended up causing *increased* deaths in the critically sick.
Q You should have tried it for PREVENTION!
DOCS: We did, sigh.That did not work either.
Q But how about taking it if you are EXPOSED?
DOCS: Post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) did not work.
Q But how about prophylactically for the high risk?
DOCS: it was given to heath care workers to prevent transmission, it did not work on them either.
Q How do you know?
DOCS: Entire COUNTRIES tried hydroxychloroquine in many ways and in many combinations, including India ( who manufactures the majority of it), and Malaysia. They stopped because after MONTHS of giving it to people, their data showed it did NOT work.
Q.But I saw the video of "frontline doctors"...
DOCS: the "frontline doctors" are not taking care of covid patients. They were pediatricians, ophthalmologists, non board certified, demon sex people. There is always someone who wants their 15 minutes of fame.🤷🏽♀️
Q. But what about this study? And that one?
DOCS: The vast majority of studies done around the world show not only does it not work, it is dangerous and kills people. There are a couple of a studies that were hopeful, but they did not pan out when studied further.
Q. But covid is killing less people, so you lie, you just don't want to give me hydroxychloroquine!
DOCS: People are living because we are throwing everything and the kitchen sink at people with covid now- better vent settings, more bi-pap, anticoagulation, remdesivir, decadron, convalescent plasma. We WANT to heal covid. And IF our mortality is better ( 1/3 in the ICU are dying, not 1/2), it must mean we are doing SOMETHING right! And what is working is not hydroxychloroquine! Catch 22.
Q. Docs are deep state liberal elitists who are lying to hurt Trump!
DOCS: Nah, we are just people who had 7-12 years of education after college, with 10-20,000 hours of post graduate training to save lives, and spent decades honing our craft. Dealing with diseases is what each of us do. We would try to save Trump too if he came into our ICU. And you. Last we checked, we swore an oath to do no harm, and thousands of health care workers have now lost their lives trying to save Americans with covid. We put our money where our mouth is, and WE are the enemy???
Q. But I saw a conspiracy video, I read a fb post, I want you to read it, it made sense, it would change your mind!
DOCS: I have been doing nothing but reading and reviewing and analyzing and discussing EVERY major study to come out for the last few months. HUNDREDS of studies from across the world. I already know the studies that are being (mis)quoted in the videos.
Q. If you just gave me hydroxychloroquine and zinc and Zithromax, I wouldn't need a mask and social distancing.
DOCS: Uhhh...wrong! Viruses do what viruses do, and we do NOT have a cure yet. Be careful.
Q. Masks make me sick, write me a note.
DOCS: I wear a mask for 10 hours a day, and am doing fine. We need masks in a pandemic. We are hitting another surge.
Q. I HATE you, you are so close minded, if you just listened to this podcast you could learn something! Imma unfriend you! You are killing people and need to be sued! You are a stupid hateful ignorant person, doc!
DOCS: OK. Let me go back to taking care of my patients now, we are in a pandemic. Stay safe and have a good life.
PS Yes, these conversations have actually happened, yes I have been threatened, accused, blocked, muted, unfriended, unfollowed, as have many of my health care worker colleagues. Medicine has now been made the enemy in this dangerous political game. Docs are burning out- PTSD from the pandemic and strain from the constant abuse.
Believe in science, not soundbites and conspiracies, please.
Signed, Your Tired Physician
Kay Judge #conspiracytheories #ScienceNotPolitics
