COVID19-083 – February 18, 2021

Dear Patients:

Well, here we are, a full year from my first email about the Pandemic. The situation we started with is still here, yet very different. Days, weeks, months, and now, a full year has gone by. We realize that time is a precious commodity; once passed, we do not get it back. A reminder to ourselves to tell people you care about how you feel.

Life is full of good and bad, and over time, things tend to balance out. Positive and negative phenomena are always happening. Negative things seem to take longer for us to work through than enjoying the good. Unpleasant issues tend to slow time, while enjoyable phenomena seem to speed it up. This is an observation consistent with Eisenstein's Theory of Relativity. Nevertheless, a year goes by and we go full circle, that is just the way it is. Perhaps, however, we are different; maybe more patient, maybe more loving, maybe more enlightened.

"For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

About the COVID Vaccine:

Howard County has done a great job of quickly dispersing their allotment; they are scheduling appointments as vaccine becomes available.
Here is a link to find a vaccination clinic in Maryland once you are eligible. At this point, in Maryland, eligibility far exceeds supply.

The numbers:

Maryland: The Rt is falling further (0.86). Check out this new website. Remember, persistently less than 1.0 is the road to recovery! Our fatality rate in Maryland has fallen substantially to 1.9%; and for those under the age of 50, it is 0.13%. So, it seems that our direction for vaccination should be intensely focused on everyone over the age of 50. Our success with vaccinations in Maryland is lacking logistical organization; currently there are over 200 vaccination sites throughout the state, many with their own registration process. As a state, we are 40th in the percentage of distributed vaccines that have been administered. The feds are doing well: The Bureau of Prisons is at 100%!! Unfortunately, the same continues to be true with monoclonal antibody infusion availability in Maryland; this seems to be slowly improving but at the pace of a sedated snail. So frustrating!
USA: Cases are rising in 5 states/territories, staying the same in 5, and falling in 46. Look at this link for a graphic overview.

The science of COVID:

In this recent study in Germany, scientists projected that if all Germans over the age of 50 took Vitamin D supplements, up to 30,000 cancer deaths/year could possibly be avoided and more than 300,000 years of life could be gained. And remember, from a prior citation, it also seems to decrease the risk for severe COVID infections.
It appears that one dose of either of the currently available vaccines gives 80-90% protection.

The J&J vaccine should be here soon if approved by the FDA on February 26 as expected. J&J says they will have 100 million doses by the end of the year. This will be a single dose vaccine, 66% effective to prevent moderate to severe illness, 85% effective to prevent severe disease. At 28 days post vaccination, not a single hospitalization or death.

On a musical note:

The Circle Game by Joni Mitchell. I like this part of the lyrics:

And the seasons they go round and round

And the painted ponies go up and down

We're captive on the carousel of time

We can't return we can only look

Behind from where we came

And go round and round and round

In the circle game.

On a lighter note:

As a reminder, I am no longer sending out daily updates and instead, I am updating you periodically as things change. Just like yesterday, face masks, social distancing, hand washing and/or sanitizer whenever you need to leave your safe zone. Stay home if you display any symptoms.

I continue to enjoy writing these updates. Initially, these were only sent to my patients, however, I have been humbled to learn that, through social media, these writings have been forwarded and re-forwarded to many. This has brought me great joy to know that this simple act of sharing facts, thoughts, opinions, and hopes have touched you in some way. Hopefully, I have been able to reassure you, maybe make you smile and laugh, soothe your worries, and comfort you. And maybe, just maybe, I have helped you to be in the moment!

Reach out. Stay connected. Stay home. Save lives. The power of one. Be well.

Feel free to forward this on: spread the word, not the virus.

HAO

24/7

Harry Oken, M.D.

Adjunct Professor of Medicine

University of Maryland, School of Medicine

Office 410-910-7500

Fax 410-910-2310

Cell 443-324-0823

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