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Dr. K discusses the latest COVID news for 2023, including what’s most important for aging adults and their families to know for the spring. She also covers the problem of doctors inappropriately not prescribing Paxlovid (the best treatment if an older adult does catch COVID), and how to advocate to get it successfully.
In this episode:
- The current COVID & flu situation (cases & hospitalizations)
- About the new Covid variant XBB.1.5
- What the public health emergency ending will mean for you
- How to know if you need to worry about COVID
- What to know about COVID reinfections
- If you’re high risk and need to avoid catching COVID
- Update on the bivalent COVID booster
- When can you get your next COVID booster?
- Update on masks to prevent COVID
- COVID symptoms in 2023
- The best treatment for COVID (Paxlovid) & an FDA checklist that can help you get it
- Summary of what to know for COVID in Spring 2023
Note: For the masks Dr. K recommends, you can get 3M Aura here https://amzn.to/3PJJyRO, the 3M V-flex here https://amzn.to/3OxrsRY, and the Powecom KN95 here https://amzn.to/3W9frXf
These are Amazon affiliate links, so any purchases will help support Better Health While Aging, thank you!
Related Episodes:
131 – COVID Update for Aging Adults (12.8.22 Edition)
Related Resources:
- BHWA:
- To track COVID data:
- CDC & FDA information referenced in this update:
- FDA: PAXLOVID Patient Eligibility Screening Checklist Tool for Prescribers
- CDC: Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Presentation Slides: February 22-24, 2023 Meeting
- FDA: Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee January 26, 2023 Meeting
- Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report
- CDC: RSV National Trends
- From medical journals and research groups:
- NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines: Molnupiravir
- Molnupiravir plus usual care versus usual care alone as early treatment for adults with COVID-19 at increased risk of adverse outcomes (PANORAMIC): an open-label, platform-adaptive randomised controlled trial (12/22/22)
- Lancet: Past SARS-CoV-2 infection protection against re-infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2/16/23)
- Cochrane: Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (1/30/23)
- Paxlovid Associated with Decreased Hospitalization Rate Among Adults with COVID-19 — United States, April–September 2022 12/2/22
- From news and other media:
- For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:
- Masks Dr. K uses:
- Project N95
- Twitter resources
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Carolyn Rudolph says
Thank you for your excellent information! Do you have any input on getting the RSV vaccine when it becomes available?
Nicole Didyk, MD says
I’m glad you found the information helpful!
The vaccine for the Respiratory Syncytial virus (RSV) has been approved for use in adults over age 60 in the US and Canada. The goal with the vaccine is to prevent the complication of pneumonia (or lower respiratory tract infection) after an RSV infection.
The RSV vaccine will be for those over 60 with a medical issue like lung or heart disease, diabetes, or kidney, liver or blood diseases, or those living with frailty or in a nursing home.
Based on the current evidence, the vaccine appears to be effective in preventing pneumonia but there’s no data on whether it reduces the risk of hospitalization or ventilatory support. You can check out this article for more data: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10360650/
I don’t know if Dr. K is planning to cover the RSV vaccine ina future article or video, but thanks for the suggestion!
D says
Excellent presentation, thank you Dr. Kernisan!
I have purchased your mask recommendations, thanks for that. Quick question: Do you have a recommendation for a mask with an exhalation valve?