Category Archives: Health

Financial Literacy: Six Principles of Personal Finance | TD Ameritrade

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Imagine operating a boat without the basic understanding of nautical rules of the road or even how to operate a boat. Scary thought.

Here’s another scary circumstance – one that is all too real. Many Americans are making financial decisions with minimal financial knowledge of investing, budgeting, and credit. The TIAA Institute conducted a survey on U.S. financial literacy, asking 28 basic questions about retirement saving, debt management, budgeting, and other financial matters. The average respondent answered only about half of the questions correctly.

Another study, conducted by Pew Research, found that one in four Americans say that they won’t be able to pay their bills on time this month.

It has been said that knowledge is power, and if that’s true, then too many Americans lack the power to control their financial futures. Financial success rarely happens by accident; it is typically the outcome of a journey that starts with education.

Talking about money is one of the most important skills to being a fiscally responsible and a financially literate person. However, 44% of Americans surveyed would rather discuss death, religion or politics than talk about personal finance with a loved one, according to CNBC.

Why? Two major reasons are embarrassment and fear of conflict, even though the consequences can be grave: 50% of first marriages end in divorce, and financial conflict is often a key contributor. Additionally, it is considered rude to discuss money and wealth.

The missing component is financial literacy education and training.

Mastering personal finance requires you to look at your financial situation holistically and come up with a plan for how to manage your money. In this TD Ameritrade video, we’ll look at helpful principles for six personal finance topics:

  1. Budgeting – focus on the big ticket items by cutting cost on the expensive costs such as cars and homes
  2. Saving and investing – be specific about your destination and your plan on achieving your goal and reaching your destination
  3. Debt and Credit – avoid high interest debt and loans on items that will quickly lose value
  4. Reduce taxes – find ways to legally pay less taxes on the income you earn,
  5. Avoid insurance for expenses you can pay out of pocket – purpose of insurance is to protect you in unfortunate scenarios.  60% of all bankruptcy is related to medical expenses
  6. Investing for retirement. – don’t just save for retirement, invest for retirement.

Make high impact adjustments to your finances to improve your financial future.

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/30/the-us-is-in-a-financial-literacy-crisis-advisors-can-fix-the-problem.html
  2. https://www.tiaainstitute.org/publication/financial-well-being-and-literacy-midst-pandemic
  3. https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2017/04/06/can-economically-vulnerable-americans-benefit-from-financial-capability-services

COVID-19, One Year Later. Here’s What We’ve Learned.

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“The vaccines are our best hope to contain the virus; and while the CDC’s guidance may change based on new evidence, you should follow their current guidance: Keep wearing your mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands.”  Dr. Andrea Klemes

By Dr. Andrea Klemes, MDVIP’s Chief Medical Officer

It was March 11 last year when the World Health Organization first announced that the coronavirus had reached pandemic stage. At the time, there were 118,000 cases in 114 countries. A year later and there are more than 114 million cases and 2.5 million deaths worldwide.

In the year since the pandemic officially started, doctors, researchers and the American public have learned a lot about the virus. We know how it spreads — through droplets and in the air; we know how it likely doesn’t spread — on surfaces (you should still wash your hands regularly); we know the virus isn’t seasonal like flu – it didn’t go away during the summer; and we know that we can fight it, both through prevention and treatment.

Speaking of treatment, we’ve learned a lot about what works in the fight against COVID-19, the condition caused by the coronavirus. The anti-inflammatory steroid drug dexamethasone, for example, works in many patients on supplemental oxygen or ventilators. Antibodies — either from convalescent plasma or man-made ones from monoclonal antibody treatments — seem to keep some patients from more severe illness. These treatments have been granted emergency use authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

Even simple things, like turning patients prone (lying face down) have turned out to be lifesaving for many people hospitalized with the disease.

But there’s still much we don’t know. And there’s still a lot of misinformation and myths swirling around 12 months after the pandemic began. I thought it would be helpful to recap some key learnings.

Vaccines are here, but the virus isn’t going away any time soon.

See the source image
It’s hard to believe that in a little less than a year scientists created numerous vaccines to combat the coronavirus. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration approved a third vaccine last week — and this one, from Johnson & Johnson, is a single-dose vaccine that’s easier to transport and store. It should help vaccines become more widely available in the next couple of months.

If you’ve already gotten your vaccine, your behavior shouldn’t change — that’s the advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s because the vaccines prevent severe illness from infection. You may still be able to get the virus and spread it.

This advice may change. Promising but unpublished studies suggest that vaccinated individuals carry lower viral loads and may be at lower risk to spread the virus. If you’re thinking, why get the vaccine if I still have to wear a mask? Get the vaccine when it’s your turn. The vaccines are our best hope to contain the virus; and while the CDC’s guidance may change based on new evidence, you should follow their current guidance: Keep wearing your mask, practice social distancing and wash your hands.

One rule that has changed for those who have been vaccinated: You may not have to quarantine after exposure if you meet certain criteria and it’s been more than two weeks since your last dose.

Eating at a restaurant increases your risk of getting the virus.
We love eating at restaurants, but many are poorly ventilated and crowded with people. Even at reduced capacity, the CDC rates eating inside at a restaurant to be higher risk than other activities. A study from six months ago suggested that COVID-19 positive patients were twice as likely as those who tested negative to have eaten at a restaurant in the two weeks leading up to their illness.

It’s possible that people who eat at restaurants during the pandemic take other risks that increase their chances of getting the virus, but there are also early studies that track breakouts to restaurant eaters.

It’s still safer to get your food to go — or eat outside away from other diners.

So does gathering with your family.
Just like eating out, there are plenty of studies showing the transmission of the virus when families get together. Among adults with COVID-19, 42 percent reported close contact with a person with COVID-19 — and most of those close contacts were with family members.

In one case study from last summer, a single COVID-positive adolescent on a family vacation with three different families spread the illness to 11 other family members. There are dozens of cluster studies like these from contact tracing efforts — weddings, reunions, holiday parties, barbecues and even more intimate gatherings. Getting together with family without proper protocols can result in spreading events.

Even without gatherings, household members are often the point of contact for new COVID cases. Household transmission of this coronavirus is 16.6 percent higher than with past pandemics like SARS and MERS.

To be fair, more infections have been traced to other kinds of activities than seeing family — from workplaces to prisons to assisted living facilities to colleges. But you shouldn’t let your guard down when you’re around your family.

Six feet of distance probably isn’t enough.
Early guidance from the CDC defined close contact as spending 15 minutes or more within six feet of a person infected with COVID-19. The six-foot distance was based on COVID transmission from droplets, which we emit when we talk, sneeze or cough. We’ve been studying viral transmission by droplets since the 1890s.

Of course, there are plenty of studies over the years that suggest droplets can travel further. The problem with COVID is that you can become infected from aerosol transmission — smaller droplets and particles can float in the air for minutes and hours and travel far from the source. Still, the CDC says that most transmission comes from close contact with infected individuals.

As for time, that one’s trickier. Some school systems and employers liberally interpreted the 15 minutes to mean that as long as you kept contact brief, you were okay. But repeated exposure can also result in an infection, which is one reason the CDC changed the guidance last fall to 15 minutes over a 24-hour period. Here’s the bottom line: The more you interact with others and the longer that interaction lasts, the greater your chance of contracting COVID.

The best way to prevent spread is to avoid unnecessary exposure.

Yes, masks help prevent the spread of the virus.
I know a lot of people have had a hard time warming up to face masks. Early in the pandemic, public health officials lacked clear evidence about the effectiveness of masks and hesitated to recommend them. But 12 months later, there’s a raft of evidence that masks (double ply cloth, surgical and N95) reduce the transmission of the coronavirus. In fact, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S., which recently published a review of studies about masks and COVID-19 transmission, concluded:

“The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected respiratory particles in both laboratory and clinical contexts.”

Some study highlights:

Masks were 79 percent effective at preventing household transmission, if used by all members of the household before symptoms showed.

The devil is in the details. We know from COVID studies and previous viral studies that masks reduce risk of transmission for the wearer and for the people around them if the wearer is sick.

Double masks may even be better.
One mask works if you wear it correctly. Two might actually be better.

The CDC recently released new masking guidelines based on studies it did to determine how to improve their efficacy. The agency looked at wearing a cloth mask over a medical procedure mask (often called a surgical mask, but not an N95) and whether knotting the ear loops of a medical procedure mask and then tucking in and flattening the extra material close to the face would reduce risk.

Both modifications improved the masks effectiveness. According to the CDC’s experiments, an unknotted medical procedure mask blocked 42 percent of the particles from a simulated cough. A cloth mask blocked 44.3 percent. Knotting the surgical mask alone blocked 63 percent of particles. When the cloth mask was combined with the knotted surgical mask, it blocked 92.5 percent of particles.

The CDC has since updated its recommendations. If you use an N95 or KN95 mask, the agency does not recommend double masking. It also doesn’t recommend doubling up surgical masks.

Testing negative doesn’t mean you stay negative.
This may be one of the hardest things for people to understand. A lot of people get tested after they’re exposed, but you can test negative one day and positive the next, depending on the time from when you were exposed, the course of the infection and the type of test you took.

When you’re exposed to someone with the virus and become infected, symptoms may show a few days after exposure or up to two weeks later. If you test too soon, a test may not pick up the infection. If you’re asymptomatic, a rapid antigen test may not pick up your infection at all. Accuracy is lower in antigen tests than PCR tests, especially in those who aren’t showing symptoms.

That’s why it’s so important to observe CDC guidelines when it comes to testing and exposure. If you’ve been exposed to the virus, the CDC recommends you quarantine for 10 days, provided you remain asymptomatic. You can reduce this time to seven days if you show no symptoms and do not test positive for the virus on day 5 or later.

The new variants are a reason to be vigilant.
The new variants are more than troublesome. Many of them are more communicable and one, the British variant, is looking like it may be more virulent. This is why we need to keep washing our hands, wearing masks and practicing social distancing. And why we should get the vaccine when it’s our turn. Don’t let up now!

With a little extra effort from all of us, I believe we can beat back this virus, and we’re well on the way. We’re better at treating it, and we know how to stop its spread. If enough of us do these things, there’s a chance these variants won’t make the impact that some researchers currently fear.

We may have to take booster shots in the future, but that’s a lot better than where we were a year ago when we had no vaccine, few promising treatments and knew very little about COVID-19.

What a difference a year makes.

Reference:

  1. https://www.mdvip.com/about-mdvip/blog/what-you-need-know-about-coronavirus-or-covid-19

Daily COVID-19 Infections, Hospitalizations and Deaths Declining

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COVID-19 Cases Are Dropping Fast. Four reasons: social distancing, seasonality, seroprevalence, and shots.

COVID-19 is in retreat in America. New daily cases have plunged, and hospitalizations are down almost 50 percent in the past month. The reason for the decline range Americans’ good behavior in the past month combined with (mostly) warming weather across the Northern Hemisphere has slowed the pandemic’s growth; at the same time, partial immunity and vaccines have reduced the number of viable bodies that would allow the coronavirus to thrive.

The current decline of COVID-19 is crystal clear.

There has been a five-week downward trend in cases, according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The highest 7-day moving average occurred on January 11, 2021 and was 249,048. The current 7-day average is 77,385 cases, which is a 68.9% decline.

Furthermore, the 24.5% decrease in the 7-day average number of daily cases reported compared with the prior week also provides an encouraging sign of recent progress. Even with these declines, however, the 69,165 cases reported on February 17 remains higher than what was seen during either of the first two peaks in the pandemic.

Daily Trends in COVID-19 Cases

The numbers of new hospital admissions of patients with confirmed COVID-19 have decreased from the national peak of 18,006 admissions on January 5, 2021 to 6,841 admissions on February 16 (a 62% decrease). The average number of daily admissions fell by 21.8% compared to the previous week.

Nationally, the number of COVID-19 deaths continue to fluctuate. There has been over 500,000 total COVID-19 deaths reported with 2,601 new deaths reported as of February 23, 2021. The 7-day average number of new deaths decreased by 9% to 2,708** new deaths per day compared to the previous 7-day period.

Why the decline?

Americans’ good behavior in the past month combined with warming weather across the Northern Hemisphere to slow the pandemic’s growth; at the same time, partial immunity and vaccines have reduced the number of viable bodies that allow the coronavirus to thrive.

According to a piece that ran in the Atlantic.:

1. Behavior: Americans finally got on board with wearing a mask and social-distancing thing.

Officials pointed to Google mobility data that demonstrated that Americans withdrew into their homes after the winter holidays and hunkered down during the subsequent spike in cases that grew out of holiday season socializing. New hospital admissions for COVID-19 peaked in the second week of January—another sign that social distancing during the coldest month of the year bent the curve.

2. Seasonality: The coronavirus is perhaps seasonal and destined to decline.

Behavior can’t explain everything regarding the decline. Mask wearing, social distancing, and other virus-mitigating habits and behaviors had some impact. But bottomline, COVID-19 is in retreat across North America and Europe. Since January 1, daily cases are down 70 percent in the United Kingdom, 50 percent in Canada, and 30 percent in Portugal. This raises the possibility that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is seasonal.

Many viruses fare best in cold and dry conditions; they’re not well designed to thrive in warmer, sunnier, and more humid outdoor areas, Harvard epidemiologist Michael Mina told New York magazine. Each virus is a bundle of genes and protein encased in a fatty lipid molecule. This fatty shell breaks down more easily in warmer and more humid environmental conditions.

3. Partial immunity: The virus is running out of bodies to infect

The coronavirus needs bodies in order to survive and replicate, and it now has access to fewer welcome hosts. Fifteen to 30 percent of American adults have already been infected with COVID-19, according to CDC estimates.

America’s seroprevalence—that is, the number of people with coronavirus antibodies from a previous infection—is probably concentrated among people who had little opportunity to avoid the disease.

This is partial immunity among the very populations that have been most likely to contract the disease, perhaps narrowing the path forward for the original SARS-CoV-2.

4. Vaccines: Despite naysayers and a few reluctant family members, the shots work.

The vaccines are highly effective at preventing infection. But preventing infection is not all they do. Among those infected, they also reduce symptomatic illness. And among those with symptoms, they reduce long-term hospitalization and death to something like zero.

It’s simple to show why this period of declining hospitalizations should keep going. Assuming the CDC is correct that about 25 percent of adults have COVID-19 antibodies from a previous infection and add to that number the 10 percent of adults who have received vaccine shots since December, that would mean one-third of adults currently have some sort of protection, either from a previous infection or from a vaccine. Thus, sometime this spring, half of American adults should have some kind of coronavirus protection.

Although the pandemic is far from over, the U.S. has reached the beginning of the end of COVID-19 as a threat to the health-care system and the senior citizen population.

References:

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/covid-data/covidview/index.html
  2. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/why-covid-19-cases-are-falling-so-fast/618041/

COVID-19 Cases Have Dropped 77% in Six Weeks

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“COVID cases have dropped 77% in six weeks. Experts should level with the public about the good news.”  Dr. Marty Makary, surgeon and professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health

Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House COVID adviser, reassured Americans that the millions of coronavirus vaccine doses delayed by winter storms in the Northeast and Texas would be delivered this week as the nation approaches the half million mark for deaths due to Covid-19.

Despite the delays in vaccine delivery, there are signs the pandemic has eased in the U.S. in recent weeks. The 7-day average for daily deaths has fallen more than a third since mid-January, while new infections are down nearly 70% since then, according to data from the New York Times. Additionally, according to data from John Hopkins University more than 498,900 people have died of COVID-19 as of Monday morning. Globally, 2.4 million people have passed due to the virus.

Dr. Marty Makary, a surgeon and a professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, believes that the coronavirus will be “mostly gone” and ” normal life will return” by April 2021.  In an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal, Dr. Makary argued that half of the U.S. has already reached herd immunity because there are more coronavirus cases in the country, possibly 6.5 times as many, than the 28 million that have been reported.

“There is reason to think the country is racing toward an extremely low level of infection,” Makary wrote. “As more people have been infected, most of whom have mild or no symptoms, there are fewer Americans left to be infected. At the current trajectory, I expect COVID will be mostly gone by April, allowing Americans to resume normal life.”

Dr. Makary cites observational data which shows that the majority of Americans may already be protected not only from COVID-19 but also its new variants.  He states, “My prediction that Covid-19 will be mostly gone by April is based on laboratory data, mathematical data, published literature and conversations with experts.”

“But the consistent and rapid decline in daily cases since Jan. 8 can be explained only by natural immunity,” Makary wrote. “Behavior didn’t suddenly improve over the holidays; Americans traveled more over Christmas than they had since March. Vaccines also don’t explain the steep decline in January. Vaccination rates were low and they take weeks to kick in.”

Even with daily new infections falling below 70,000 on a 7-day rolling average, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that more contagious variants could cause those numbers to rise again.

References:

  1. https://www.newsweek.com/john-hopkins-doctor-thinks-covid-will-largely-gone-april-half-us-has-herd-immunity-1570615
  2. https://www.wsj.com/articles/well-have-herd-immunity-by-april-11613669731
  3. https://meaww.com/dr-marty-makary-johns-hopkins-surgeon-professor-claims-us-covid-mostly-gone-april-us-herd-immunity
  4. https://www.ftportfolios.com/common/contentfileloader.aspx?contentguid=2a5d4dcf-5eda-4310-8d23-af162f8fb7e9

Celebrating American Heart Month

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#1 cause of death in the U.S. is HEART DISEASE!

Heart disease is a catch-all phrase for a variety of conditions that affect the heart’s structure and function. Coronary heart disease is a type of heart disease that develops when the arteries of the heart cannot deliver enough oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

Despite the devastating toll of COVID-19, heart disease remains the most costly and leading cause of death in the United States. Specifically, myocardial infarction (MI) and coronary artery disease (CAD) are the leading causes of death in the U.S. and other Western societies.

Coronary heart disease is often caused by the buildup of plaque, a waxy substance, inside the lining of larger coronary arteries. This buildup can partially or totally block blood flow in the large arteries of the heart.

Some types of this condition may be caused by disease or injury affecting how the arteries work in the heart. Coronary microvascular disease is another type of coronary heart disease. It occurs when the heart’s tiny blood vessels do not work normally.

The death rate from heart attacks has risen dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic because people are delaying or not seeking care after experiencing mild symptoms. And, symptoms of coronary heart disease differ from person to person even if they have the same type of coronary heart disease. However, because many Americans have no symptoms, they do not know they have coronary heart disease until they have chest pain, a heart attack, or sudden cardiac arrest.

Protect yourself…

90% of heart disease and stroke is preventable through lifestyle changes and risk factor modification. During Heart Month, it is critical to recommit to fighting this disease by promoting better health, wellness, and prevention awareness in your homes and communities.

There’s a lot you can do to prevent heart disease. You and your friends and family can begin by working together to meet your heart health goals. Move more, work on your weight and salt intake, quit smoking—it’s all easier when you have social support.

Motivating Americans to adopt healthy lifestyles to prevent heart disease is the goal of Heart Month. Focusing on your heart health has never been more important. People with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Let’s celebrate American Heart month by incorporating heart-healthy cardio activity into your day today:

  • Get Moving (exercise)
  • Quit Smoking (No More Excuses)
  • Lose Weight (Your weight matters)
  • Eat Heart Healthy Foods (talk to a doctor or a nutritionist)
  • Don’t Overeat
  • Don’t Stress

Make heart health a regular part of your self-care routine.

Wish all a Happy Valentine’s Day, and to remind you to take care of your heart

References

  1. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/american-heart-month/about
  2. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-month/help-prevent-heart-disease

No. 1 Secret to Success, Wealth and Happiness in Life

Aside

“Kindness and generosity are the keys to happiness and prosperity.”Wahei Takeda, president and founder of Takeda Confectionery Co.

Wahei Takeda, president and founder of Takeda Confectionery Co., was considered a truly happy man, and lived by example a life that demonstrated to others what it really meant to live a successful and meaningful life. Often called the “Warren Buffet of Japan”, Takeda was one of the country’s most successful and well-known investors.

The key to a happy and abundant life

Takeda’s philosophy of “maro,” which in Japanese means ‘a sincere heart’, “inner contentment and gratitude are the keys to a happy and abundant life”.

The secret to a happy life isn’t an abundance of wealth, since rarely does anyone says they have too much, or just enough. “Winning a $20 million lottery ticket won’t make you happier,” said Dr. Sanjiv Chopra, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Research has shown that after one year, lottery winners go back to their baseline. Some are even less happy.”

Chopra explains the four things that have been scientifically linked to happiness:

1. Relationship with Friends and family

Developing a close bond with people we trust and confide in is essential to our overall well-being. “Choose your friends wisely and celebrate everything small and good with them,” Chopra says.

Researchers have also warned that “loneliness and social isolation can be as damaging to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day,” whereas friendships can “reduce the risk of mortality or developing certain diseases and can speed recovery in those who fall ill.”

2. Forgiveness

“The ability to forgive frees you from the burdens of hate and other unhealthy emotions that can negatively impact your happiness quotient,” says Chopra.

He cites Nelson Mandela as a hero who truly mastered the art of forgiveness. In 1990, when the legendary freedom fighter emerged from his 27 years of prison, he was asked whether he had any resentment toward his captors.

“I have no bitterness, I have no resentment. Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies,” Mandela responded.

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.”  Nelson Mandela

3. Giving

Chopra says that getting involved with charities and donating money to help others is one of the most fulfilling ways to spend your time and money.  Researchers have suggested that people who volunteer experience greater happiness, higher self-esteem and a lower mortality rate.

A study from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University found that giving, rather than receiving, leads to long-term happiness. In one experiment, 96 participants were given $5 every day for five days — with the option to either spend it on themselves or on others.

“Everyone started off with similar levels of self-reported happiness,” the researchers wrote. “Those who spent money on themselves reported a steady decline in happiness over the five-day period. But happiness didn’t seem to fade for those who gave their money to someone else.”

4. Gratitude

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” Roman Orator Marcus Tullius Cicero once

“There’s a wonderful anonymous quote that goes, ‘If you don’t know the language of gratitude, you’ll never be on speaking terms with happiness,’” Chopra says.

Practicing gratitude can be as simple as saying “I’m grateful” at least once a day. In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that doing so can help people savor positive experiences, cope with stressful circumstances and strengthen relationships. It will also measurably improve your own overall satisfaction and happiness in your relationships and life.

“Happiness flows not from physical or external conditions, such as bodily pleasures or wealth and power, but from living a life that’s right for your soul, your deepest good.” Socrates

“Taking time to think about what you’re grateful for makes you more aware of the positive things in your life,” says Chopra. As a result, “it makes you less biased by the fewer negative things in your life.”

In a money-obsessed capitalist society, the simplest way to reach a state of happiness, contentment and abundant life is to express gratitude and give to others, instead of always wanting or asking for more. Bottomline, “gratitude is a key to wealth, health, and happiness”.

References:

  1. https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/25/warren-buffett-of-japan-secret-to-success-happiness-and-wealth-in-life.html
  2. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/31/harvard-professor-says-winning-20-million-lottery-wont-make-you-happy-but-heres-what-will.html?updated
  3. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/24/saying-this-powerful-phrase-is-the-science-backed-secret-to-a-happy-relationship.html?__source=iosappshare%7Ccom.microsoft.msedge.EMMXShareExtension

 

Johnson & Johnson Vaccine

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A single-shot coronavirus vaccine from pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson was effective at preventing illness, hospitalizations and deaths in global trial. But its protection against sickness was stronger in the United States and weaker in South Africa, where a worrisome coronavirus variant now dominates.

The results, once granted emergency use authorization by the FDA, would put a third vaccine on the market in the United States. A third vaccine could accelerate the ability to broaden immunity, as variants that challenge the current generation of vaccines spread across the world.

The vaccine trial was primarily designed to measure how well the vaccine prevented illness. It was 66 percent effective overall at preventing moderate and severe disease: it was 72 percent effective at protecting against moderate to severe illness in the United States, but it was 66 percent effective in Latin America and 57 percent effective in South Africa, where concerning variants have taken root.

Company officials emphasized the vaccine was 85 percent effective at preventing severe illness, and there were no cases of COVD-related hospitalization and death in people who received the vaccine. There were five COVID-related deaths in the trial, all in people who received the placebo, not the vaccine.

Johnson & Johnson is expected to apply for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration late next week. If the review follows the path of two earlier vaccine candidates, the shot could be authorized and available to the public by March.

The J&J vaccine uses a different technology than the two FDA  authorized mRNA vaccines. This vaccine employs ‘a harmless cold virus’ to deliver a gene that carries the blueprint for the spiky protein found on the surface of the coronavirus. The virus infects cells, which then follow the genetic instructions to construct a replica of the coronavirus spike.

In contrast, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines use a strip of genetic material called messenger RNA to instruct cells to build the spiky protein found on the surface of the coronavirus. In both cases, the immune system learns to recognize the real virus by mustering an immune response to the spike.

References:

  1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/01/29/covid-vaccine-johnson-and-johnson
  2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/09/23/coronavirus-vaccine-jj-single-shot/?itid=lk_inline_manual_2

Melatonin and COVID-19

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Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, using AI, found that those who regularly took the sleep hormone melatonin were about 28 percent less likely to test positive for COVID—with Black patients showing an even greater reduced likelihood of 52 percent.

Through the use of artificial intelligence, results from a Cleveland Clinic led study suggests that melatonin, a hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and is commonly used as a sleep aid, may be a viable treatment option for COVID-19.

Melatonin supplements are commonly recommended by many health professionals to help induce sleep, according the the Cleveland Clinic. Research has found that taking melatonin in low doses is the most effective way to promote sleep if you are experiencing restlessness, sleeplessness or insomnia.

Melatonin naturally produced by our bodies

The hormone serotonin (which regulates mood, appetite and memory) is produced during the day and this changes to melatonin when it gets dark outside, Cleveland Clinic reports. Peak levels of melatonin are produced before 3 a.m., when it sharply decreases before natural daylight returns.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic were able to sort through data on over 27,000 patients in a COVID-19 registry to find any commonalities. Interestingly, results showed that those who regularly took melatonin were about 28 percent less likely to test positive for COVID—with Black patients showing an even greater reduced likelihood of 52 percent.

Researchers admit that they don’t entirely understand what “exact mechanisms” about melatonin provide extra protection against COVID, including whether or not it’s because patients are sleeping better, longer hours, the New York Post reports.

Some studies have shown that melatonin can reduce chronic and acute inflammation. And, a recent study from the University of Toronto published in the journal Diseases found that melatonin could help boost the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, calling it a potential “silver bullet” in the fight against the pandemic.

Health experts know that the coronavirus can trigger “a massive inflammatory reaction,” also known as a “cytokine storm,” in the body that can lead to permanent tissue damage, heart injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), organ failure and death, according to a study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine.

Melatonin can control and reverse this immune response, suggesting it may have beneficial effects in preventing or reducing the inflammation overload.

Short-term use of melatonin has relatively few side effects and is well-tolerated by the majority of people who take it, according to the Sleep Foundation. The most commonly reported side effects are daytime drowsiness, headaches, and dizziness, but these are experienced by only a small percentage of people who take melatonin.

References:

  1. https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/melatonin-a-promising-candidate-for-prevention-and-treatment-of-covid-19/
  2. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/melatonin-how-much-should-i-take-for-a-good-nights-rest/#:~:text=It%20is%20sold%20over%20the%20counter%20in%20a,Advertising%20on%20our%20site%20helps%20support%20our%20mission.
  3. https://bestlifeonline.com/melatonin-covid/
  4. https://nypost.com/2020/12/29/scientists-study-melatonin-as-possible-covid-19-treatment/amp/?__twitter_impression=true
  5. https://www.miamiherald.com/news/coronavirus/article248150170.html
  6. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/melatonin

African Americans Disproportionately Dying

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African Americans are dying from the coronavirus at almost 3 times the rate of their white counterparts.

Black and Hispanic Americans were disproportionately more likely to die of COVID-19 during the spring and summer months indicating that the coronavirus’s toll is falling most heavily on underserved and minority communities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

When you consider that African Americans represent 12.5 percent of the population, but account for almost 23 percent of all coronavirus deaths, the COVID-19 pandemic is disproportionately decimating the black working class communities across the country.

Coronavirus has become the third leading cause of death of citizens in the United States in calendar year 2020. The virus has killed more than 300,000 since arriving on U.S. shores, making it a leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.

In 2018, the 10 leading causes of death for all Americans (heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer disease, diabetes, influenza and pneumonia, kidney disease, and suicide) remained the same as in 2017. The 10 leading causes accounted for 73.8% of all deaths in the United States in 2018.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a provisional death count related to COVID-19. The deaths counted in that data are well below those compiled from the state and county levels because the provisional count is based on death certificates that may take weeks to filter up to the federal agency.

With respect to controlling the pandemic, Martin Luther King Jr. once declared “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” This is definitely true for epidemiology and controlling the pandemic. To protect the health of all us, we must insure the health of the most vulnerable among us.

How to control COVID-19 is not a mystery — it requires wearing masks, social physical distancing of 6 feet, frequent washing of hands, widespread contact tracing and COVID testing and widespread vaccination. However, these efforts to combat the pandemic require people to trust the science and those behind the public health measures.

In the nationwide fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, well founded mistrust has developed over decades by African Americans of the government, public health officials and ‘the science’ can and has killed a disproportionate share of working class Blacks and other people of color.

References:

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/
  2. https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/09/09/covid-19-disproportionate-effect-african-americans-and-how-control-column/5679676002/
  3. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/tech_notes.htm

Masks Protect Those Around You

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COVID-19 spreads mainly from person to person through respiratory droplets. Respiratory droplets travel into the air when you cough, sneeze, talk, shout, or sing. These droplets can then land in the mouths or noses of people who are near you or they may breathe these droplets in.

Masks are a simple barrier to help prevent your respiratory droplets from reaching others. Studies show that masks reduce the spray of droplets when worn over the nose and mouth.

woman wearing face covering, with a detail showing how the cloth barrier helps to contain respiratory droplets that she exhales

You should wear a mask, even if you do not feel sick. This is because several studies have found that people with COVID-19 who never develop symptoms (asymptomatic) and those who are not yet showing symptoms (pre-symptomatic) can still spread the virus to other people. The main function of wearing a mask is to protect those around you, in case you are infected but not showing symptoms.

It is especially important to wear a mask when you are unable to stay at least 6 feet apart from others since COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet).

Your mask offers some protection to you

A cloth mask also offers some protection to you too. How well it protects you from breathing in the virus likely depends on the fabrics used and how your mask is made (e.g. the type of fabric, the number of layers of fabric, how well the mask fits). CDC is currently studying these factors.

Who should or should not wear a mask

CDC guidance is that everyone 2 years of age and older should wear a mask in public settings and when they are around people who do not live in their household.  However, according to CDC, masks should not be worn by:

  • Children younger than 2 years old
  • Anyone who has trouble breathing
  • Anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance
  • Wearing masks may be difficult for some people with sensory, cognitive, or behavioral issues. If they are unable to wear a mask properly or cannot tolerate a mask, they should not wear one,

https://youtu.be/dSvff0QljHQ

Key Takeaways:

  • People age 2 and older should wear masks in public settings and when around people who don’t live in their household.
  • Masks offer some protection to you and are also meant to protect those around you, in case you are unknowingly infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.
  • A mask is NOT a substitute for social distancing. Masks should still be worn in addition to staying at least 6 feet apart.
  • Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol after touching or removing your mask.
  • Postponing holiday travel & staying home is the best way to protect yourself & others from COVID19. If you decide to travel internationally, check out CDC’s testing recommendations to help make travel safer. 
  • Masks may not be necessary when you are outside by yourself away from others, or with other people who live in your household. However, some localities may have mask mandates while out in public and these mandates should always be followed.

References:

  1. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html