Doctor Column

Messenger RNA Vaccines: How Do They Protect Us Against COVD-19?

Our immune system is the strongest defense we have against disease. mRNA, or messenger Ribonucleic Acid is the breakthrough vaccine technology used by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech pharmaceutical companies to tweak our immune system to protect us against the COVID-19 virus. The companies using mRNA technology instruct the immune system to manufacture neutralizing antibodies to fight COVID. Currently, these vaccines are more than 90% effective in preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths.

Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test — “AUDIT”

Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is a global problem. World Health Organization estimates that 3 million deaths are directly attributable to the harmful use of alcohol. It’s linked to more than two hundred diseases and injuries. Mental problems, death and disabilities occur relatively early in life and there may be an association between alcohol misuse and infectious diseases

Centenarians, COVID and Grandpa

It was May of 2020 when Jeannine’s frustration spilled into anger. She fired blanks trying to get her grandfather vaccinated against COVID-19. Doctors’ offices, “We don’t have the vaccine.” Local health officials, “We’re working on it. I suggest you go to the internet (.gov) for the latest information.” The internet was unhelpful. Hospitals “nada.” As a last resort, “I called my congressman and explained the situation.” This is how the story unfolded.

When Will the COVID-19 Pandemic End?

As the incidence of COVID-19 slopes downward in the United States and the vaccination rates climb, a sense of relief and normalcy is returning to the country. You can make indoor restaurant reservations more easily, fly across the nation, take part in sporting events outdoors or indoors, attend religious services and in person schooling is set to resume at the end of the summer throughout the U. S.

Herpes Simplex: Reasons to Be Careful

According to the World Health Organization, a mind-boggling 3.7 billion people under the age of 50 (or 67% of the world’s population) are infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (see below). If you ever have had a fever blister or cold sore, you have been most likely infected with the HSV-1 virus.