- Joined
- Nov 5, 2009
- Messages
- 14,271
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- WA
- City
- Seattle
Lots of gatherings this week -- hope everyone has wonderful get-togethers. But...
We are in the second largest surge of the pandemic. COVID is still the 3rd leading cause of death.
1 in 29 US adults has COVID right now. Worldwide, there are comparable numbers.
Staying up with vaxx, testing before gatherings, cleaning the air, and masking when not eating and drinking (when possible for PALS) are proven ways to reduce the frequency and severity of infections. For most people, it won't prevent them all because of the people who aren't bothering. (If your clinicians/aides fit the latter category, might be time to reconsider.)
If you get COVID, are a PALS and/or 65+ or fit other eligibility criteria and don't have any contraindications for Paxlovid, and can safely stop/reduce any drugs that interact, you are well advised to get it. Otherwise, molnupiravir (Lagevrio) is an alternative.
ALS is not technically on the list of eligible conditions for those <65. Some idiots may care about this. If so, try "chronic respiratory insufficiency" or another number. Also "wheelchair use," ironically, is on the list.
If health care access is a factor, you can use telehealth and/or a pharmacy to get Pax. If you're not near a location on this map, consider a doc on call for yours, an urgent care center, or a retail clinic. Or Google your state's name + telehealth + Paxlovid.
If you are on BiPAP and are coughing/choking for any reason, turn off your backup rate and target volume, and switch to a low fixed IPAP that doesn't trigger coughs (in this situation, it's OK to go as low as 4 IPAP/4 EPAP if necessary but most PALS will do OK at 8 IPAP or higher).
You can use suction and/or CoughAssist if you have them, but they may make things worse so stop if so.
Tell your family and friends (as I just did for the Nth time): To protect us all, please TEST before we FEST!
Stay safe, all.
We are in the second largest surge of the pandemic. COVID is still the 3rd leading cause of death.
1 in 29 US adults has COVID right now. Worldwide, there are comparable numbers.
Staying up with vaxx, testing before gatherings, cleaning the air, and masking when not eating and drinking (when possible for PALS) are proven ways to reduce the frequency and severity of infections. For most people, it won't prevent them all because of the people who aren't bothering. (If your clinicians/aides fit the latter category, might be time to reconsider.)
If you get COVID, are a PALS and/or 65+ or fit other eligibility criteria and don't have any contraindications for Paxlovid, and can safely stop/reduce any drugs that interact, you are well advised to get it. Otherwise, molnupiravir (Lagevrio) is an alternative.
ALS is not technically on the list of eligible conditions for those <65. Some idiots may care about this. If so, try "chronic respiratory insufficiency" or another number. Also "wheelchair use," ironically, is on the list.
If health care access is a factor, you can use telehealth and/or a pharmacy to get Pax. If you're not near a location on this map, consider a doc on call for yours, an urgent care center, or a retail clinic. Or Google your state's name + telehealth + Paxlovid.
If you are on BiPAP and are coughing/choking for any reason, turn off your backup rate and target volume, and switch to a low fixed IPAP that doesn't trigger coughs (in this situation, it's OK to go as low as 4 IPAP/4 EPAP if necessary but most PALS will do OK at 8 IPAP or higher).
You can use suction and/or CoughAssist if you have them, but they may make things worse so stop if so.
Tell your family and friends (as I just did for the Nth time): To protect us all, please TEST before we FEST!
Stay safe, all.
