Portia writes:

hi, Dr Griffin,

I just want to thank you for telling us about PAXCESS, which came in handy this week. My 93 year old mother who had managed to not get Covid all this time tested positive this week, she just had a sore throat and cough and I did not think to test her for Covid until my husband asked. We were surprised she tested positive and did the test twice, once with new test kit! We were able to get a video appointment with her doctor’s office and got the Paxlovid prescription. However at our first visit to the pharmacy we were told her Medicare did not cover prescriptions and it was going to cost $1726! Luckily my husband again came to the rescue, remembering what was mentioned on TWiV clinical update, the PAXCESS program (good until end of 2024). It turned out that was very easy to enroll online after answering a few questions and they emailed the voucher immediately. We were able to get her Paxlovid, and hopefully all will be well soon. Thank you Dr Griffin and TWiV!

/portia from California where it is 48F and cloudy, and expecting rain in a few hours

Bob writes:

I am concerned that under the new administration the federal government may become an untrustworthy source of infectious disease and vaccine information. What alternative sources would you recommend?

Hailey writes:

Hello Dr. Daniel Griffin, 

It is my understanding that the U.S. stopped OPV use in the year 2000. I’m pretty sure that I got OPV in the early 90s, and my mother confirmed I got “some vaccine by mouth.” 

Should those of us who got OPV consider getting IPV as a booster? 

Thanks,

Hailey

CDC guidelines are only those who think that they are at increased risk of exposure should get a boost of IPV. Those who are received a full vaccine schedule are protected against severe disease.

OPV mimics natural infection and consequently it thought to confer lifelong immunity against the development of paralytic poliomyelitis 

Toni writes:

Dear Dr. Griffin:

Your appearance on TWIV is my go-to for the latest, most reliable information on Covid. It’s been immensely helpful to me in navigating the pandemic. Many thanks to you and Vincent Racaniello for your mission and the work that you do.

Here’s my question:  My husband and I are both taking immunosuppressants for autoimmune diseases. We are trying to pin down best practices, to find the sweet spot between avoiding exposure and still seeing family and friends.

  1. On rare occasions, we might meet a friend for a meal in a less than fully occupied restaurant. How likely are we to become infected from a person across the table? Should the friend pass a covid test beforehand? 
  2. If we have a house guest who has traveled to join us, should that guest take a covid test every day of their visit? Even if they pass a test on their arrival, and do not mix with others, is it possible that they could carry an infection in subsequent days?

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can provide.

Toni

Vincent writes:

Hi Doctor Griffin,

Thank you for all the work you do! 

Norovirus levels on the WastewaterScan dashboard appear high compared with the past 2 years. We are nearing the peak of last year and it is not even January yet. Can you think of any reasons why this might be the case, and if you’ve seen a lot of it in the clinic?

Thanks

Vincent