What I want my patients (and others) to know about dealing with the corona virus
Everyone keeps saying, "Ask your doctor...." To be honest, that is not very helpful in this situation. But there is a lot to know. Yes, you should be in communication with your doctor if something is not clear regarding what you should do. The vast majority of what you need from a medical perspective can be found below. We want to make it easy for you in these difficult times. We will continue to add information and resources to this page as is most helpful.
As a clinically practicing physician, board certified in Public Health and trained in Epidemiology, I want my patients and others to know how to best navigate these difficult times. It is a very serious problem that our federal government has been significantly compromised and it is putting many at real risk of illness and death. I cannot be silent. My perspective is as follows:
As a clinically practicing physician, board certified in Public Health and trained in Epidemiology, I want my patients and others to know how to best navigate these difficult times. It is a very serious problem that our federal government has been significantly compromised and it is putting many at real risk of illness and death. I cannot be silent. My perspective is as follows:
Independent
Public Health Expert
Practicing Physician
Pioneer
Patient Advocate
Independent
I don't have to worry about political constraints like Drs. Fauci and Birx have had to do. I don't have to be politically correct for a medical center that employs me. I don't give a snit about political parties. I do care a great deal about people and intend to do my utmost to help them have the healthiest, happiest lives possible.
Public Health Expert
Residency trained and board certified in Preventive Medicine & Public Health. This is the medical specialty that runs Public Health departments, manages epidemics, and would consider the CDC our best national body of expertise. Masters of Public Health degree in Epidemiology – the science of epidemics and modern medical research.
Practicing Physician
I have to deal with the realities of applying information to real people in the real world. Practice includes primary care, as well as the specialties of Lifestyle Medicine and Occupational Medicine. Knowledgeable in the scope and use of conventional as well as non-conventional healthcare.
Pioneer
in developing the field of Lifestyle Medicine professionally. Spent 5+ years doing everything needed to establish the American College of Lifestyle Medicine on solid scientific and operational foundations. Founding Member, second President, first Executive Director.
Patient Advocate
Passionate about facilitating radical change to make healthcare truly be about patients.
GUIDANCE
TO DO
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Apple All-in-one start here: screening tool for symptoms and what to do, plus up to date info from gov sources with links
Public Health Dept find your state's Department of Health and get local COVID-19 details and guidance, including for testing if needed
CovidActNow.org independent experts doing what our government should have been doing: get data, apply, plan
COVID-19 vs Other Is it a cold? The flu? Allergies? Or Covid-19? Simple table comparing the symptoms of each
COVID-19 vs Flu About the same or quite different? Quality look at the data, explanations for different numbers, etc. ~20x worse
If Sick... what to do if you are sick, when to seek care, from the CDC
Food & Eating comprehensive guide to food safety relative to Covid-19, working with experts in food safety, virology, infectious disease epidemiology
Questions Answered National Public Radio has experts answer people's questions on all things COVID-19
Myth Busting There is SO much disinformation and SO many myths flying around – myth busting from the WHO.
Covid Documentary Documentary of the timeline of the facts, and perspective from true experts. Staggering.
U.S. Covid Success (Elsewhere) Overview looking at how the U.S. taught other countries to succeed with covid. Mind-boggling U.S. reality.
TRUSTABLE INFORMATION
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Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center leading source and expertise in a time of government pandemic failure
ACPM the professional society organization for physicians specializing in Public Health: information resources page
Real Experts former heads of CDC, FEMA, infectious disease and public health experts, etc; not anyone with doctor degree willing to talk
CDC Coronavirus entity supposed to be managing and leading this, they were AWOL (apparently politically compromised), OK for info now
Droplet Science best scientifically sound look at how droplets are generated and travel, more important to understand than simple 6 foot rule
Expert Perspective we knew it was coming, U.S./Trump response, estimated time frames, CDC status, devalued Public Health
DON'T TRUST
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Donald Trump he is very much at odds with medical reality and what is required to deal with a pandemic (nonpolitical medical statement)
Fox News I have been horrified at the misconstruing of medical epidemic reality; major legal backlash expected from unnecessary deaths caused
Misinformation there is a TON of misinformation going around like wildfire, stick with what we know to be true and has real science to support it
Conspiracy Theories epidemics have happened many times in human history, and they will happen again...without boogie men being after us
YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Beyond physically managing exposure with physical distancing and other measures, lifestyle factors are your best tools for optimizing your immune system and minimizing your risk with COVID-19: stress/resilience, nutrition, sleep, exercise, positive relationships, nature, spiritual aspects, and avoiding toxins like alcohol and tobacco. The most important one, and possibly the hardest at this time, is the stress/resilience piece. One of the best uses of this time is to build your skills and functions around dealing with stress and applying psychoneuroimmunology science. There are many apps available that can help with this, many of them at reduced prices right now.
- Together. This is how we will get through this. We must work together, support each other, make the needed sacrifices. Seek out opportunities to help someone, support your local hospital or healthcare providers. Reach out to those who are likely lonely. Bring happiness to those around you and at a distance.
- The degree of sickness and death being experienced was unnecessary. Our federal institutions and leadership have failed us in a horrific way. Based on what was simple and reasonable, I estimate >90% of sickness and death could have been avoided. You need to know this because many are not getting the facts and we must have a government that actually works for its citizens. From a knowledgeable Public Health perspective this has been a slow-rolling catastrophe that could have very much been avoided if just basic processes were working. This is NOT at all a situation that "no one could have known" as we were told from the White House. (documentation on what/when)
- It is a scary situation to have politicians in charge of a mass medical emergency. You wouldn't want the business manager of a hospital choosing what medicines to put in your IV and when. Neither should politicians be in charge of this pandemic. We will know things are functioning properly when medical experts are put in charge of medical decisions and management, not just used as "consultants". Citizens need to demand that medical professionals be in charge of medical issues.
- Knowing what sources to listen to and not listen to is literally potentially a life and death decision in this situation. While I am nonpartisan, I must tell you that Donald Trump lies, lies, lies. And his extreme narcissism is literally going to be the death of tens of thousands of Americans. I would make a list to document and demonstrate the health related lies, but it is far too long. And from my first hand observations, Fox facilitates and aggravates the misconstruing of medical and scientific reality.
- Testing has not happened as promised or as repeatedly keeps being said is happening. Real world medical reality is totally different from what Donald Trump said it was. And this total reality disconnect around testing lays at the foundation of most of our problems. There are many more who have been infected than the official numbers indicate because we haven't been able to test. This is why the vast majority of us who have gotten sick still don't know if we had COVID-19 or not. This is why "call your doctor" for proper evaluation is largely useless, because doctors in America haven't had the needed testing that Taiwan or South Korea had within days and were able to shut the epidemic down in their countries with minimal impact. This failure, more than any other, is why our economy is taking such a huge blow.
- The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) should have been all over this, like stink on a petri dish gone bad, from when it began in China. But, like many of our federal institutions, people were put in charge who were incompetent but were political loyalists, or the positions were left vacant to allow all power to go to the top. We must not allow our democracy to be dismantled (one summary documenting this) to how third world countries operate. Many will think this is a political statement. It is a statement of great concern based on facts for what I see happening in terms of the character and competence of those at issue, regardless of party or politics. We must get back to the character and integrity that has been America. I for one refuse to let anyone redefine my beloved America to be other than the noble, can-do, truth-loving, help-each-other, collaborating citizenry that She has been.
To your health and happiness!