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Dear Patients,
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The next 10-14 days will likely be the defining
time. If the death rates, hospitalizations and
intubations continue to decline, these are signs
that the infection rate is slowing. The peak may be
sooner than previously predicted, both in NYC and in
Maryland. The
COVID-19 model was updated last night. The
latest information predicts that the peak in
Maryland will be in 12 days.
The numbers:
US: 337,933 cases
9,653 deaths 2.8%
fatality rate (up)
Maryland: 4,045 cases
91 deaths 2.2%
fatality rate (up)
(15.8% of tests in MD
are positive; 25,572 total tests; 1,059 have
been hospitalized)
This is our medicine:
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Stay home
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Wash your hands with soap and water or use
hand sanitizer.
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Do not touch your face.
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Yes to wearing a face mask in potentially
contaminated environments; keep hand
sanitizer with you when you leave the house
for mission-critical activities.
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Use 6 feet of social distancing.
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Use hand sanitizer after all out-of-the-home
touches: door handles, elevator buttons,
shopping carts, gas pumps, etc.
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Get your rest, get some sunshine, get your
exercise, take your vitamins, eat mushrooms,
fruits and veggies.
Yes, I know this is so emotionally taxing;
hang in there and be a "Peaceful Warrior"
Getting through the next few
weeks is going to be the toughest challenge for many
of us so I thought I would share this. Years ago, I
discovered the book Way of the
Peaceful Warrior and it struck a
chord in me. Later, it became a movie. The story is
about a young and promising gymnast who has set his
sights on winning gold at the Olympics.
Justifiably, perhaps, he becomes very conceited.
One early morning, unable to sleep, he goes for a
run and meets the proprietor of the local
convenience and mechanic store, a character played
by Nick Nolte. From then on, Dan's life changes
completely as he discovers his certainties and
convictions rapidly eroding. The movie re-iterates
the tenet that anything is possible to the the
person who lives in the moment and doesn't let his
past and future overtake the present. I have met
Dan and he lives like a peaceful warrior. I
hope you enjoy this movie clip.
I have read all of the author's books--Dan Millman.
Diagnostics and Therapeutics:
Ingenuity and innovation! As I've said before,
necessity is the mother of invention!
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Hydroxychloroquine (HC)+Azithromycin+Zinc
therapy; most physicians see it as a remedy, the
researchers are waiting for the studies.
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Passive use of hyperimmune plasma in NYC is
ongoing. Mt. Sinai in NYC has received 10,000
inquiries. A study at Hopkins is using it to
decrease risk in first-line health care workers.
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Ivermectin has, in the test tube, shown a strong
inhibiting effect on COVID-19, Zika, Dengue. I
am very interested in this and I'm looking at
the possibilities.
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Starting tomorrow, at the
Columbia VEIP, there will be a drive-through
test center. Details are still being worked out
and I'll provide them once I know more. Keep in
mind, if you have symptoms, you are presumed
positive until proven otherwise. At present, it
will take 3-5 days to get back test results.
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My group has made a little
progress; we are waiting for a response from the
FDA about a possible clinical trial. It is
still up in the air and complicated, but we will
see. Thank you to CO'C, CB, JU, SS and NG for
all your help. This story now has legs and we
will see which way it moves.
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I'm still waiting for more
information about outpatient blood draws to be
assayed for antibodies. If you were treated for
COVID-19 without a lab confirmation, then
obtaining an antibody test is the way to 100%
confirm that you had it.
Dr. Oken Live!! Tomorrow at 4:00pm:
As a member of the
Persona Nutrition Medical Advisory Board, I will
be participating in a live Facebook discussion
about maximizing your immunity against
COVID-19. If you have a Facebook account, you
can use this link https://www.facebook.com/PersonaNutrition/live/ to
view it live tomorrow at 4:00pm. Otherwise,
I'll be able to make it available to view at a
later date.
On a musical note:
And on a lighter
note:
Reach out. Stay connected. Stay home. Save
lives. The power of one. Be well.
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Harry A. Oken, M.D.
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Office: 410-910-7500, Fax: 410-910-2310 |
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Cell: 443-324-0823 |
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Adjunct Professor of Medicine |
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University of Maryland School of Medicine |
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