08/20/2021
We are caring for a record 138 CoViD positive inpatients across our three hospitals, 38 of which are in critical care. Our front line warriors are completely overwhelmed, yet they keep fighting. Pray for even more stamina for them.
(Click here for the Fight for you video).
Why the vaccines are safe
Many people, including me, had many questions and concerns at first. Before I was vaccinated I talked to every board-certified physician I could, and did my own research as well. It is okay to be wary, however take some solace in these facts:
1. The vaccine was developed fast, partly because the whole wide world worked together. But, the innumerable strong minds and companies working in harmony didn’t start from scratch – research on earlier coronaviruses has been ongoing for over twenty years. 2. 2. Further, many volunteers were readily available and willing to participate in the early development trials.
3. Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are safe. mRNA is a genetic material that simply tells your body how to make proteins. It does not alter your DNA in any way. Unlike other vaccines that put a weakened or inactivated germ into your body, mRNA vaccines do not. As a result, they cannot give you COVID-19 either. Our immune system recognizes the mRNA protein and begins building an immune response and making natural antibodies. Your cells actually break down the mRNA and discard it after your muscle cells react to it by building the antibodies.
4. The MATH is even more clear than the science. Over 352 million doses have been given in the US (billions worldwide), and only 0.0004% of people receiving have had any serious reaction. Even more important is the fact that less than 1% of those who are vaccinated die even if they contract CoViD. In Mississippi, 7,761 deaths have been caused by CoViD.
5. The government (and all of those internet “experts”) are irrelevant: listen to board-certified doctors, most of whom were first in line for a vaccine. If your car needs maintenance, you call a mechanic. If your drain is clogged, you call a plumber. Why should health issues be any different? Please, consult a board certified physician and not the government or an internet expert.
6. The shot doesn’t hurt. For some people, the main fear is understandably the act of getting a shot. But because the injection is in your deltoid muscle (with the smallest of needles), it would hurt more if someone pinched you.
7. The vaccine saves lives, and not just yours. Healthcare infrastructure nationally and regionally are struggling under enormous pressure because of the number of CoViD infections. Resources are limited and healthcare heroes are beyond exhausted. Your loved ones could also benefit from you being vaccinated. Do it for them.
8. The virus does not care about politics, and the vaccine is our best defense against it. We will not belittle anyone for not yet being vaccinated, and do not be embarrassed if you are worried or scared about CoViD or vaccinations. We are living in scary times, and, kindness is more important than ever. So if you disagree with getting vaccinated, please at least do it respectfully, put a little love in your heart, and don’t be hateful. Dale Carnegie once said something like if there is any one secret of success it is the ability to get the other person’s point of view as well as your own. Few people do that, but the world would be a better place if everyone did.
If you want to be vaccinated, office in Pascagoula.
FYI re: Monoclonal antibodies (e.g., Regeneron)
These are a huge weapon we can use against CoViD. Today we exceeded 2,000 doses administered at our Infusion Clinics in Pascagoula and Gulfport. 97.4% of those who have received an antibody infusion have avoided hospitalization. If you have a positive test, ask your provider to call us to get scheduled. We have volunteers working after hours through the night and on weekends to try to administer as many treatments as humanly possible.
Myth/misnomer of the week
“Breakthrough” cases (infection in vaccinated people) is a misnomer because the vaccine was known to not be 100% effective. Not only can vaccinated people get CoViD, 8.7% of them are expected to, and that has been known from the beginning. That means that 91.3% will not. It’s just math. That is about one out of every ten people, or if 1,000 people are exposed, then 87 should get it. If 10,000 are exposed, then 870 should get it. Math. (And, the 8.7% who do contract CoViD despite being vaccinated rarely get hospitalized and rarely die of CoViD.) Some vaccinated people testing positive is NO SURPRISE.
How much can I rely on antibodies from a prior infection?
There are conflicting studies, reports, and opinions on this. A study in the UK found that people previously infected have an 83% rate of protection against reinfection, and another shows even much higher than that. Some studies say the immunity may drop off after 6 to 8 months, and a recent Kentucky study showed that people who have had CoViD before are more than two times more likely to be reinfected. For Singing River, only 131 or about 1% out of our 12,387 positive tests since inception reflects reinfection (however we have no way of knowing how many of those people are re-exposed, how many had tests done elsewhere, etc.). We are only aware of one of those being hospitalized with a second infection, which supports the notion that antibodies are at least somewhat effective. Your specific level of antibody production can vary, depending on everything from exposure to viral load to genetic composition. There was also a study recently that showed patients that had CoViD and then received a single dose of vaccine had enhanced immune response. Here is an example of one fairly balanced article: Study Suggests Lasting Immunity After COVID-19, With a Big Boost From Vaccination | Infectious Diseases | JAMA | JAMA Network.
Delta is different
The Delta variant is more contagious because it enters host cells faster, replicates faster, and presents with larger viral loads. It has been misreported that it is 1,000 times more contagious; the “1,000 times” higher relates to the viral load (for example, the number of viral particles in a specimen of snot). Contagion increase is better defined by the R0 (“R naught”), which is the number of people a person with CoViD is expected to infect. The original version (Alpha) had an R0 value of 2.5, meaning an infected person would infect two and a half people. The R0 value for Delta is 8. Thus, Delta is about 3 times more contagious than Alpha. As Dr. J Stacey Klutts stated in a recent article: “If the original COVID strains were covered in syrup, this variant is covered in ultra fast-drying Gorilla Super Glue (industrial strength).” There is still debate about whether it is deadlier, but the math indicates that with exponentially more people infected, the number of deaths would proportionally increase. Only time will tell.
Boosters
Boosters will likely be needed at some point in time. For now, the experts recommend boosters primarily for those who are immunocompromised. The Food and Drug Administration specifically cited authorization for solid organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise, representing about 3% of U.S. adults. More to come on this soon on our Facebook and website.
An interesting tidbit
Strong correlations have been made between nutrition and exercise, and immune cells and inflammation. Also, ci******es and va**ng products impair the immune system. Conclusion: there has never been a better time or reason to try to start exercising and stop smoking!
Whether you are vaccinated or not, and whether you want to be or not, please at least make an extra effort to stop the spread by doing the simplest of things that we often forget: wash your hands more often, avoid close talking, and isolate yourself if you are even just slightly ill.
Lee Bond, Chief Executive Officer
Office: 228-809-2074 | Secondary Office: 228-818-1195
Mobile: 228-990-6641
