COVID
Essential clinician commentary on COVID-19 coronavirus from the KevinMD community.
The Djokovic saga: Vaccination policies revisited
No matter your politics or judgment on the COVID-19 vaccine, we can agree that the visuals of the world’s number one tennis player being detained and treated like a criminal when he went to the Australian Open last year were unsettling, and the Australian government should have better handled his case. To recap, Mr. Djokovic flew to Australia in January 2022 on a vaccine exemption as he had a COVID-19 …
When mandates fail to protect, science can help
On October 28, 1918, a San Francisco horseshoer named James Wisser urged a street corner crowd to throw away their masks in defiance of a local mask mandate issued a few days before. He was shot twice after resisting a local health inspector’s attempt to force compliance. At that time, most of the medical community believed that cotton gauze masks were useful in slowing infection rates, but dissenting …
Heroes of pandemic control [PODCAST]
COVID vaccines and weight loss medications: a tale of 2 needles
I am perplexed by two different needles which, when viewed together, illustrate the irrational themes which dominate our shared humanity. They inform me that, despite being a doctor for more than twenty years, I honestly feel dumber each day about human behavior. If, unlike me, you have somehow figured out more along the way, good for you.
The first needle which vexes me was the one stuck in my arm on …
Battling COVID chaos and recruiting doctors
An excerpt from Our Hospital.
Kush Kare Hospital in Columbia, New York, was the flagship of Kush Kare Private Equity Inc., a for-profit chain of hospitals across America. A for-profit that was listed on a lot of lucrative trading routes. Clearly its workings were murky—maybe not equity at all. A clever …
A heartbreaking COVID-19 case: the importance of trust in medical care
An excerpt from One Hundred Prayers: God’s answer to prayer in a COVID ICU.
(August 30, 2021) Susan was 44 years old and previously healthy; an ardent anti-masker. When she caught delta COVID, she took ivermectin, zinc and vitamin C. She arrived at our ER about a week later, requiring immediate …
A memorable day during COVID: Staying true to my calling
COVID reminded me of why I became a doctor. Below is an unpublished account (in short story form) of my most memorable day during the height of COVID. It is a reminder that we can remain true to our intrinsic motivators rather than victims of extrinsic factors. And most of us still have the opportunity to choose every day which forces rule our day: intrinsic or extrinsic.
On a Tuesday morning …
How dementia and COVID-19 robbed the baby doll of love
When I started visiting patients in nursing homes, a good many of them had some degree of dementia. In its earliest form, a person with dementia could recall what they were doing when they found out about 9/11, or when Kennedy was shot, or when Pearl Harbor was bombed in the Second World War. However, they couldn’t recall their most recent …
It’s time to stop stigmatizing long COVID patients with mental health conditions
Mental health conditions are common among individuals with long COVID due to various factors. These include the direct effects of COVID-19 on the body, such as neuroinflammation, as well as the circumstances often associated with the condition, such as job loss, reduced income, disconnection, isolation, chronic pain, immobility, and the persistent feeling of being unwell. Alongside cognitive impairment and fatigue, mental health issues form what I call the “unholy trinity” …
Our institutions have given up on the COVID-19 pandemic. We should not.
The COVID-19 pandemic is over. On May 5, The World Health Organization announced that COVID-19 was no longer a public health emergency. The U.S. followed suit on May 11, allowing the public health emergency declaration to expire.
The pandemic did not end because of vaccination efforts nor from acquired herd immunity. The pandemic is over because of the capitulation and resignation of public health authorities as they concede …
COVID-19 vaccine neglect: a tale of regret and debilitating symptoms
As an allergist-immunologist who trained at Mayo Clinic, one might assume that I’m up to date on my COVID-19 booster vaccinations. However, I realized months ago that I was overdue for a booster; it’s been over a year since my third vaccination. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but I didn’t stop at the pharmacy or schedule an appointment with my primary doctor. I was among the roughly 85 percent of …
The heartbreaking reality of a nurse’s struggle: a father’s tale
I love two nurses. One of them is my son, and the other is someone very close to me. She’ll have her own article.
My son has just finished his seventh 12-hour ICU shift. He’s wiped out, devastated, and shell-shocked. Let me introduce him to you before sharing his pain.
The kid was always enthusiastic about medicine. He wanted to be a physician more than anything. Maybe it runs in the family; …
The unsung heroes of disease detectives: Controlling outbreaks and pandemics to save lives
An excerpt from Outbreaks and Pandemics: The Life of a Disease Detective.
The importance of disease detectives in solving and controlling outbreaks and pandemics must be recognized. We are the backbone of our public health system. We are scientifically savvy, inquisitive, detail-oriented, and able to follow the data wherever it leads, …
Unveiling the truth: How headlines shape our world and the urgent need for reliable news
This is a story of headlines and the power they wield for good and evil (apologies for the melodrama). Words matter, and I, for one, am frustrated with the words in headlines often doing more harm than good.
I am a family doctor whose passion in life is preventing disease. I don’t want to see my patients suffering from diabetes or heart failure, nor from a contagious disease that is preventable …
On the front lines of COVID-19: the untold sacrifices and heroic efforts of health care professionals
There is a phenomenon sweeping across various medical circles on social media that is forcing people to address accusations from those who were not on the front lines of COVID at the beginning of the pandemic. Though I have refused to pay much attention to the details, I have become more and more enraged at the audacity and frank ignorance that it takes to judge when not in the arena. …
COVID-19: Unveiling the transformative shifts in health care [PODCAST]
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Join us as we chat with medical writer Steven Marshall about the evolving health care landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the transformative effects on health care delivery, the availability of testing, vaccination, and therapies, and …
Surviving the chaos: an inspiring journey of health care heroes
Calling all health care personnel: EMTs, paramedics, nurses, CNAs, respiratory therapists, police, firefighters. All of you.
You’ve been cursed at, spat upon, hit, and scratched by fingernails. You never got that 30-minute break during those 12 long hours. You had to beg to use the restroom. Your staffing was minimal, and your 24/7 manager was nowhere to be found. Your fellow doctors are shouting at you, and patients’ family members are …
Unveiling the global pandemic threat: insights into risk factors and urgent measures for prevention
As the current COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the globe, many are left wondering when the next pandemic will occur. The reality is that pandemics are not a new phenomenon, and throughout history, we have seen numerous instances of infectious diseases causing widespread devastation.
While we cannot predict with certainty when the next pandemic will occur, there are certain circumstances under which they are more likely to occur.
One such circumstance …
Why the WHO’s pandemic accord is critical for global health care
In a recent article in Health Affairs, U.N. Foundation vice president Peter Yeo and former Director of The Global Fund Mark Dybul, MD, broke down the elements and imperatives of a process underway to develop a better approach to pandemic preparedness. Currently in draft form, the “Pandemic Accord” is being shepherded by the World Health Organization at the behest of its 194 Member States after the global COVID-19 response called …
Past Week
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Gender affirming care: a matter for the Supreme Court or a matter for a medical malpractice court?
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From strawberries to stethoscopes: lessons in humanity from a future oncologist
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The emotional toll of empathy in emergency medicine
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Past 6 Months
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The ER doctor who became the new PCP
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Medicare’s decision to stop telehealth coverage in 2025: an urgent call to action
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When the caregiver becomes the patient: lessons from my experiences in the health care system
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Why the public’s anger at a health care CEO’s death speaks volumes
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I knew hospitals were not taking good care of doctors. But when I became a patient, I experienced it.
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Recent Posts
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How to find your purpose in a joyful way [PODCAST]
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Finding voices with AI: a call to developers, administrators, and corporations to support ethical speech therapy
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The heart of family medicine: a doctor’s journey of compassion and care
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Past Week
-
Gender affirming care: a matter for the Supreme Court or a matter for a medical malpractice court?
-
From strawberries to stethoscopes: lessons in humanity from a future oncologist
-
The emotional toll of empathy in emergency medicine
-
The hidden grief of Black fathers after pregnancy loss
-
How to find your purpose in a joyful way [PODCAST]
-
Doctors reveal the unspoken toll of shame and sacrifice in medicine
-
Past 6 Months
-
Pay for performance and shared savings are good, but they’re not the solution
-
The ER doctor who became the new PCP
-
Medicare’s decision to stop telehealth coverage in 2025: an urgent call to action
-
When the caregiver becomes the patient: lessons from my experiences in the health care system
-
Why the public’s anger at a health care CEO’s death speaks volumes
-
I knew hospitals were not taking good care of doctors. But when I became a patient, I experienced it.
-
Recent Posts
-
How to find your purpose in a joyful way [PODCAST]
-
Finding voices with AI: a call to developers, administrators, and corporations to support ethical speech therapy
-
The heart of family medicine: a doctor’s journey of compassion and care
-
How a systems approach can revolutionize pain and depression treatment
-
States have the power to influence health care
-
How to set boundaries and rediscover purpose in health care [PODCAST]
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