Santa Barbara Doctors ExtraCare – July 2020 Newsletter

July 2020 ExtraCare Newsletter

As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on we are all feeling discouraged by what appears to be backwards progress in our quest to squash the spread of this disease. Now, more than ever, it is important for us all to come together, and do our part to keep our community safe.

This month Dr. Hrach brings to your attention the revised CDC guidelines outlining at risk conditions related to COVID-19 and Dr. Viglione dispels several popular myths related to this disease.

Off note, Dr. Hrach will be out of the office with minimal cell service from July 25-Aug 2. Dr. Viglione will be available to assist you during this time period. Please call the office and our friendly office staff will assist you.

CDC Expands List of People at Risk of Severe COVID-19 Illness

Last month the CDC released revised guidelines expanding the list of those who are at highest risk for complications from COVID-19 infection.

Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions remain at increased risk for severe illness, but now the CDC has further defined age- and condition-related risks.

The first revision involves the age risk which previously defined increased risk for persons over age 60. This designation was based primarily on hospitalization data out of China. Now that we have substantial US data, we see that as you get older, your risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases but also that even those in their 30’s and 40’s can experience a life threatening illness. We also see that the greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19 is among those aged 85 or older.

The second revision to the guidelines includes the addition of multiple other medical conditions to the list of at risk illnesses, including adding pregnancy and asthma to the list of high risk conditions.

Below is the expanded list of medical conditions associated with higher risk of complications related to COVID-19 infection:

As more information becomes available, it is clear that a substantial number of Americans are at increased risk of severe illness if exposed to COVID-19. I continue to urge my patients to remain vigilant when leaving their home, wear masks, wash hands and avoid large crowds.

4 Must Know Myth Busters about Covid-19

Covid fatigue is admittedly real. As the pandemic continues to overstay its welcome it’s more important than ever to disassociate science from politics. By addressing the 4 following myths about covid we can keep the numbers low in the community of Santa Barbara.

Myth: Masks don’t work:
Truth: They do! They do what they’re intended to do, which is to limit the quantity and distance of droplet transmission; this is the method of transfer in the majority of cases of Covid 19. This goes beyond the obvious examples, such as coughing or sneezing: Masks limit the droplet spread that’s been demonstrated via natural speaking as well. It’s more important than ever to wear a mask whenever the 6 foot social distance principle is compromised.

Myth: Masks cause harm by preventing proper oxygenation:
Truth: Masks have NO bearing on oxygen delivery into the body, nor do they impact carbon dioxide transfer out of the lungs. We demonstrate this daily in the office when we measure arterial oxygenation (pulse oximetry) on each and every patient, and it invariably holds steady. I postulate that this myth has gained popularity simply because of covid fatigue, and that masks can be uncomfortable for extended times. This can be overcome with training. Remember, our colleagues in the hospital and operating room wear masks for 12 hours or more daily to protect all of us.

Myth: Increased testing accounts for the spike in cases we’re seeing in Santa Barbara:
Truth: I wish this were true. Increased covid case identification can account for higher numbers, of course, but the math doesn’t add up for 2 reasons:

The rate of infection rise significantly exceeds the change in testing. If testing alone accounted for the increase in cases, then the infectivity rate would be the same, and unfortunately, it’s seen a marked increase this last month.
The number of hospitalized covid patients has increased significantly since the reopening of Santa Barbara. Just a month ago Cottage had 4 covid patients hospitalized, as of July 10 this number was 31. The 7-fold increase in hospitalizations supports that we’re not simply identifying asymptomatic cases.

Myth: Social distancing is doing harm by delaying “herd immunity”
Truth: False. Orders of magnitude more harm would result by ignoring social distancing and “hoping” for natural development of immune defense. Herd immunity is defined by natural disease mitigation through antibody development via exposure. Unfortunately, this is playing with fire when the virus is not even completely understood. Imagine if this is how HIV was handled in the 1980s? What we’re learning is that Covid is extremely infectious; it enters cells with very little effort, and has shown to overwhelm any healthcare system within weeks if left unchecked. Infectivity is the term used by Virologists, and it’s strongly linked to its ability to mutate and continue to cause disease despite antibody production. This is why it’s so important to develop a vaccine, but equally important in the interim to wear masks, keep distance, and take control over the terms of engagement.

Our mailing address is:

Barbara A. Hrach M.D. FACP

229 W Pueblo St

Santa Barbara, CA 93105-3804

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