Rach writes:

Hi Daniel & Vincent.  I truly appreciate the work you do.

I had an accident and both knees have been damaged. I was given a cortisone steroid injection in right knee in August and one in my left knee 2 weeks ago.  I can now walk without crutches. But am concerned it may lower my immunity to SARS-COV-2 or flu infections etc.  I’m not sure to what extent this could be a problem. I’m 63, look after school aged grand children and there is no access to Paxlovid here.  I have had 2 x AZ and 1 x Pfizer Mrna vax and had Covid twice.  Probably both Omicron, a year apart. Last time over a year ago.  Only over 70’s can get any more boosters here.  I can pay for flu jab, but which are the circulating strains as I’m not convinced we are given up to date vaccines here!!  I feel the need to ask relevant questions, of healthcare here since listening to your sage advice.

Rach 

Isle of Man

Amy writes:

Hello Daniel and Vincent,

I so appreciate my weekly dose of your clinical updates. I’m going to cut to the chase to keep this brief.

Question 1. Tis the season to gather! Before COVID, my family would celebrate Thanksgiving with our dear friends.  It wasn’t a huge gathering – about 13 people including my family of four. I’ve declined the invite since 2020 because I really wanted to avoid being exposed. I finally ended up acquiring COVID-19 in the summer of 2023 and am just now recovering from debilitating fatigue. My friend who is hosting Thanksgiving offered to have everyone test the day before we gather. I understand the antigen tests do a decent job detecting the virus if one is symptomatic, but not as great if they’re not. Obviously if someone tests positive, it’s a done deal. But how much peace of mind should 13 negative antigen tests give me?

Question 2. My dad recently developed shingles even though he was fully vaccinated. He says he read somewhere that the COVID vaccines can trigger the dormant shingles virus to “wake up” and wreak havoc.  Is there any evidence of this? (I’m restraining myself from googling..) My dad was vaccinated for COVID a few  weeks before he developed shingles – and vaccinated for shingles a few years ago.

Appreciate all that you do every day!

Amy

Phlip writes:

I appreciate your comments about the respiratory diseases in England and your comments about “The Tube”.    

My wife and I were in the UK and Ireland from 10/2 until 10/22.   We caught something while in London.  We did use a lot of public transport.

We have all had our RSV vaccines and we updated our Covid and Flu at just the right time before the trip.

As to pertussis, I understand at 1 year, protection is about 70%.  At 4 years, it drops to 30 to 40%.

With the drop in the vaccinated rate in general and the lowering of herd immunity, is 10 years too long for TDaP boosters?

Lisa writes:

Dear Dr. Griffin and Dr. Racaniello, 

thank you so much for your work and informative podcast updates!

I was wondering if protecting the eyes against Covid droplets (like wearing bigger glasses, or even wind protected biking glasses) are useful to prevent Covid infections (obviously in addition to wearing a good mask too). 

In the beginning of the pandemic medical personal was using face shields to protect their mucosae in the eyes. 

Are there any data/studies on this subject? If not, do you think it’s a reasonable measure in any way (and this practice has just been abandoned in the hospitals because of practical reasons)? 

I have to buy new glasses anyway and would choose bigger ones if it would help me to avoid an infection. 

Kind regards & everyone: be safe 🙂

Lisa

Charmaine writes:

Hi. I was a bit confused listening to your conversation about losartan. I get that it’s not to be used as a Covid treatment, but was rather alarmed at the “worse” outcomes. I have a friend who was just put on losartan for hypertension and I have been on olmesartan for decades. Should we not be taking ARB’s for our BP and be on a different type of BP-lowering drug? I certainly don’t want a worse outcome because of that, even though, of course, I’ve been doing, and would continue doing, everything else right as far as vaccines and treatment.