128 – COVID Update for Aging Adults (5.5.22 Edition)

Dr. K discusses the current rise in COVID cases, the related risks for aging adults, what to know about the newest Omicron variants, and the most effective ways to take sensible precautions.

She covers:

• Where we are at with COVID now, and the impact on aging adults
• About the Omicron variants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1
• What’s changed (& hasn’t) with COVID
• The latest on COVID vaccine efficacy during Omicron
• What to know about first and second boosters
• The latest on how COVID is being transmitted
• What to do for masking to be effective
• Ventilation & checking CO2 levels
• Does rapid testing still work?
• What to know if you catch COVID
• Whether to mask on airplanes & answers to other FAQs
• Her top recommendations for taking reasonable precautions right now

Note: you can get the CO2 monitor Dr. K refers to on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3yhDtq8. This is an affiliate link, so any purchases will help support Better Health While Aging, at no extra cost to you.

Related Episodes:

127 – COVID Update for Aging Adults (2.24.22 Edition)

Related Resources:

• BHWA:
  • COVID & Aging Adults: 2022 Updates
  • COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do
• To track COVID data:
  • NY Times COVID Tracker
  • OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer
  • CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard
  • CDC Wastewater Surveillance
  • CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status
• CDC:
  • COVID variant proportion tracker
• FDA: Paxlovid EUA Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers
• For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
  • CIDRAP: What can masks do? Part 1: The science behind COVID-19 protection
  • Project N95
  • Twitter resources
    • @kprather88, @linseymarr, @masknerd
  • CDC Interactive ventilation tool
  • The Corsi-Rosenthal Box: DIY Box Fan Air Filter for COVID-19 and Wildfire Smoke
• From medical journals and research groups:
  • SARS-CoV-2 transmission on planes, by “Your Local Epidemiologist” Katelyn Jetelina, PhD
  • UK Health Security Agency COVID-19 vaccine weekly surveillance reports
    • Effectiveness of 3 doses of COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 and hospitalisation in adults aged 65 years and older (UK HSA)
  • Efficacy of a Fourth Dose of Covid-19 mRNA Vaccine against Omicron (NEJM 3/16/22)
  • Protection by a Fourth Dose of BNT162b2 against Omicron in Israel (NEJM 4/5/22)
• From news and other media:
  • Another rare virus puzzle: They got sick, got treated, got covid again (WaPo 4/27/22, about Paxlovid relapses)
  • If you’ve had omicron before, are you safe from infection by the new variants? (NPR 5/4/22)
• Twitter sources that helped with this update:
  • Dr. Eric Topol (good for all kinds of COVID data and info)
    • Graphic for PCR and rapid tests here
  • Dr. Bob Wachter (good for SF data and thinking through risk for 60 year olds)
    • Good thread on whether it’s currently worth trying to avoid COVID here