Brian writes:
Love the clinical updates, been listening for years. Something bothers me though. Why don’t you ever here about Interferon treatment. It’s been used to treat Hepatitis type C. Interferon is natural, cheap and easily increased naturally by raising your body temperature via sauna, steam room, or even getting some sunlight? Several studies show increasing your interferon decreases likelihood of severe disease. Why so much emphasis on adaptive immune system and vaccines? Isn’t the innate immune system the best place to rid a virus from the body. Thanks for your time!
Brian
Lorrie writes:
My daughter and granddaughter both have DeGeorge Syndrome which comes with a host of medical issues in and of itself…. But this dang Covid is making life entirely too crazy! Granddaughter went back to school in 2022 and managed to get Covid twice that school year along with all other respiratory viruses that were going around. So far in the 2023-2024 school year, she has contracted the Covid three time and also flu and also strep… and every other thing available!😢😢😢
What in the world can we do? She has had her vaccines…. I am concerned about long term issues this much sickness might have on her! I feel like I need to hide my granddaughter and her mom under a basket and NEVER let them out! But what kind of life is that? And the other frustrating part…. People just go on like it’s no big deal anymore…. And we just buried a friend last week who died FROM COViD!
Please wave your magic wand and give me some solutions !
Thanks! I’ve been listening to you and Vincent since the beginning of this awful, awful pandemic!
Lorrie
Martin writes:
In week two of Covid, if Pulse Ox falls to ‘say 92 or 93, is it safe to delay use of Steroids until it drops to (say) 90, in order to avoid any remaining circulating virus from benefitting from increased immune system suppression bought about by use of steroids?
I don’t currently have Covid, but – should I get it (and it comes to use of Steroids) I suspect I would feel tempted to wait until Pulse Ox was down to 90, providing I didn’t feel too ill. Would such a ‘delay’ be stupid.
I know you’ve repeatedly mentioned a drop below 94, but I’m wondering if there’s any ‘leeway based on how ill a patient is feeling.
Thanks for all the great data you provide.
Regards
Martin
Kathryn writes:
Dear Dr Griffin,
First, thank you so much for taking time to keep us all up to date. Your good humor, patience and kindness really come through.
I’m very curious about the current measles outbreak in Europe, particularly the tens of thousands of cases in the UK, where vaccination levels have become been inadequate to prevent outbreaks. Given that many sections of the US have similarly low levels of vaccination, (I live near one, which shall remain unnamed, and therefore, un-shamed) do we anticipate similar outbreaks here? If we do have a similar outbreak in the states, what can be learned from the UK’s emergency response and community vaccination outreach? Even though measles is well-studied, is there anything we can learn about the virus itself?
Sincerely,
Kathryn from Seattle, enjoying the sunlight and glad that my family is up to date on vaccines, but worried about those people who can’t be.
Eli writes;
The anti-vaxxers say that few people in Africa died of COVID even though there was little use of the vaccine. Any comments?
Eli