Susan writes:

Dear Daniel,

I am a faithful listener of your and Vincent’s weekly TWIV clinical updates and am so grateful for each of you selflessly providing these invaluable, unbiased summaries of new clinical data to help us make evidence-based decisions about our health. 

I’m writing now because an over 70 year old friend just sent me a Time magazine article referring to  a large Canadian study published in the Feb 20th JAMA which reports that Paxlovid didn’t  prevent hospitalizations or death in older people with symptomatic Covid. 

My friend is now thinking that this study proves  or at least casts serious doubt on whether there’s any reason to  take Paxlovid if he gets Covid. 

But doesn’t this result fly in the face of findings of many other studies?   The JAMA paper  only references the Pfizer clinical trial data, which it says, was with a younger population. But aren’t there other studies  showing the effectiveness of Paxlovid in older individuals?  I thought this was well established, so I’m confused. What is your take on the JAMA study and Time’s reporting of it?   Many thanks.

Susan

Vincent writes:

Hello Dr Griffin,

Thanks for all you guys do – we need you both more than ever!

My question is : what are your thoughts of adding an H5N1 strain to current yearly flu shots ? As we dropped a B lineage strain this past year, would it be easy to add a basic H5N1 strain to it or is it “too different” to add? As it seems a question of when , not if , human to human transmission will occur – is that reasonable?

Do you know if  the experts going to ask this question at the recently cancelled meeting?

Thanks so much,

Vincent D’Amore , M.D.

Mario writes:

Hello Dr Griffin and Vincent, 

Can you comment on the effectiveness or lack there of vitamin A treatment against a measles infection? 

This is a statement in the HHS website posted by RFK Jr.

“While there is no approved antiviral for those who may be infected, CDC has recently updated their recommendation supporting administration of vitamin A under the supervision of a physician for those with mild, moderate, and severe infection. Studies have found that vitamin A can dramatically reduce measles mortality.”

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2025/03/03/measles-outbreak-call-to-action-for-all-of-us.html#:~:text=While%20there%20is%20no%20approved,can%20dramatically%20reduce%20measles%20mortality.

Thank you 

Mario

Los Angeles CA

Amy writes:

Thank you for all the information that you cover.

I have heard that a few people have contracted bird flu from backyard birds. Is it wise not to use bird feeders or birdbaths?

Thank you,

Amy