ARE SAYING THEY THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN. GREAT AND PERFECT. I WAS LIKE 15 SECONDS AWAY.
>> SEPARATING THE COVID FACTS
FROM THE FICTION. IT’S WHAT
WE’VE BEEN DOING WITH DOCTOR
RUTH BERGGREN FROM UT HEALTH,
SAN ANTONIO. THE LONG SCHOOL
OF MEDICINE. SHE IS A
SPECIALIST.
>> INFECTIOUS INFECTIOUS
DISEASES. AND SHE’S BEEN WITH
US FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS
PANDEMIC. REALLY. AND DOCTOR
BERGER AND THE MAYOR WAS ON
YESTERDAY. HE TALKED ABOUT THE
FACT THAT HE IS CONCERNED ABOUT
JUST HOW CONTAGIOUS THE OMICRON
VARIANT IS AND THAT IT COULD
IMPACT POLICE AND FIRE AND SOME
CITY SERVICES. IS THAT REALLY
THE BIG THING ABOUT OMICRON IS
JUST HOW CONTAGIOUS IT IS.
>> BUT THAT’S PART OF IT.
STEVE. WE REALLY DO WORRY ABOUT
NOT JUST THE FIRE FIGHTERS AND
THE POLICE OFFICERS, BUT ALSO
THE DOCTORS AND NURSES BECAUSE
DEPP IN VACCINATED, DOCTORS
AND NURSES ARE GETTING
SYMPTOMATIC FROM OMICRON.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WE HAVE
TO TAKE THEM OUT OF CIRCULATION
TO PROTECT THE SICK PEOPLE IN
THE HOSPITAL. WORKFORCES ARE
BEING AFFECTED. THAT IS THAT IS
NOT A HYPOTHETICAL. IT’S
ALREADY HAPPENING AND WE NEED
TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO
DOUBLE DOWN AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE KEEP OUR SOCIETY
FUNCTIONING, WHICH MEANS
KEEPING ALL OF OUR FRONTLINE
WORKERS, WHATEVER FRONTLINE
WORKER, MAYBE I’M IN IN GOOD
HEALTH.
>> IT SEEMS LIKE RIGHT NOW
BECAUSE OF HOW CONTAGIOUS THIS
VARIANT IS. EVERYBODY KNOWS
SOMEBODY WHO IS DEALING WITH
COVID. SO WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED
ABOUT WHETHER AN INFECTION
ACTUALLY GETTING COVID COULD
HELP PROTECT YOU FROM THE NEXT
TIME YOU’RE EXPOSED TO COVID.
THANKS.
>> THANKS FOR ASKING THAT
QUESTION BECAUSE THERE IS A
LITTLE NUGGET THAT I WANT TO
SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS
PREVIOUSLY. WE WERE QUOTED THAT
WITH A PRIOR INFECTION. YOU
HAVE MAYBE UP TO AN 85%
PROTECTION FROM LIKE THE DELTA
VARIANT. AND THAT WAS
PARTICULARLY TRUE FOR THE FIRST
3 MONTHS OR SO AFTER YOUR
INFECTION. IT DIDN’T SEEM TO
LAST VERY LONG, BUT THERE WAS
EVIDENCE OF MAYBE 85%
PROTECTION FROM PRIOR
INFECTION. WELL, GUESS WHAT?
OMICRON IS A WHOLE NEW BALL
GAME. YOUR PROTECTION FROM
PRIOR INFECTION HAS FALLEN DOWN
AS LOW AS 19%. SO FROM 85%
PROTECTIONS FOR A FEW MONTHS
DOWN TO 19%, DO NOT COUNT ON
YOUR PRIOR COVID INFECTION TO
PROTECT YOU FROM OMICRON TO BE
PROTECTED FROM OMICRON NEED
TO BE FULLY VACCINATED AND
BOOSTED.
>> AS A DOCTOR, HOW CONCERNED
ARE YOU WHEN YOU SEE A LACK
OF AT HOME TESTS WHEN YOU SEE
6 HOUR WAITS FOR SOME OF THE
DRIVE-THRU LOCATIONS THAT WE’VE
SEEN HERE IN TOWN OVER THE LAST
FEW DAYS. THAT DID THAT.
PEOPLE ARE JUST HAVING TROUBLE
EVEN GETTING TESTED TO TELL IF
THEY HAVE COVID ARE NOT.
HOW CONCERNING IS THAT FOR YOU
AS A DOCTOR?
>> I THINK IT IS PROBLEMATIC.
BUT REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE
GUIDELINES THAT TELL US WHAT
TO DO BASED ON EXPOSURE TO
INFECTION AND GUIDELINES THAT
TELL US WHAT TO DO BASED ON
HAVING MILD SYMPTOMS. SO IF
YOU’VE BEEN EXPOSED OR IF YOU
HAVE MILD SYMPTOMS, EVEN IF YOU
CAN’T GET A TEST, THEY DON’T
HAVE THE PATIENCE OR THE
STAMINA TO WAIT IN LINE FOR
THE TEST. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?
YOU PUT YOUR MASK ON AND YOU
ISOLATE YOURSELF AND CERTAINLY
TRY TO GET TESTED TO CONFIRM
WHETHER OR NOT ITS COVID.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU MAY
NEED TO DO FOR YOURSELF, BUT WE
DON’T NEED TO PANIC ABOUT IT
RIGHT? WE NEED TO USE A LOT
OF COMMON SENSE IF YOU’VE HAD
AN EXPOSURE, YOU’RE
UNVACCINATED, YOU DO NEED TO
GO HOME AND YOU NEED TO
QUARANTINE. IF YOU ARE
SYMPTOMATIC AND YOU CAN’T GET
A TEST, BUT YOU THINK YOU’VE
GOT COVID BASED ON LOSS OF
SMELL OUR FEELING, ACHY OR
COST, PUT YOUR MASK ON AND TAKE
YOURSELF OUT OF CIRCULATION.
THAT’S GOING TO DO A LOT OF
GOOD. EVEN IF THE TESTS AREN’T
AVAILABLE. NOW, HAVING SAID ALL
THAT, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE
WIDESPREAD SPREAD AVAILABILITY
OF FREE TESTS AVAILABLE FOR
EVERYBODY SO THAT WE COULD BE
USING THESE TESTS ON A REGULAR
BASIS TO MONITOR OURSELVES.
MAKE SURE IT’S SAFE FOR
CHILDREN TO GO TO SCHOOL.
AND FOR FRONTLINE WORKERS TO
SHOW UP ON THE JOB WITHOUT
RISKING INFECTING EVERYBODY
ELSE. YOU MENTIONED THE
ISOLATION AND THE QUARANTINING.
THERE’S BEEN SOME RECENT
CHANGES TO THE GUIDELINES ON
THAT. SO CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO
PEOPLE?
>> IF THEY DO COME DOWN WITH
COVID, WHAT’S RECOMMENDED RIGHT
NOW IN TERMS OF HOW TO HANDLE
THAT.
>> RIGHT. SO THERE’S ACTUALLY
BEEN A SHORTENING OF THE
DURATION OF ISOLATION. IF YOU
HAVE MILD OR ASYMPTOMATIC COVID
MILD OR ASYMPTOMATIC COVID
REQUIRES A 5 DAY ISOLATION.
YOU MAY RETURN TO WORK AFTER
YOUR SYMPTOMS HAVE LARGELY
RESOLVED IF 5 DAYS HAVE ELAPSED
SINCE YOUR FIRST SYMPTOM.
AND YOU’VE HAD NO FEVER FOR
24 HOURS WITHOUT USING FEVER,
LOWERING MEDICATION.
>> HAVE YOU BEEN LOOKING AT
TRENDS? I KNOW. I KNOW YOU MAY
NOT HAVE THE SAME SURVEY PER SE
THAT YOU HAD IN THE PAST.
WERE YOU LOOKING AT TRENDS FOR
HOW LONG YOU THINK THE SURGE
WILL LAST?
>> SO WE DO NOT HAVE THE SAME
SG TO MODEL THAT I USE TO SHARE
ALL THE TIME. WE’RE NOT USING
THAT ANYMORE, BUT WE HAVE
OPINION AND WE HAVE A LOT OF
LEARNED SCIENTIST, AN
EPIDEMIOLOGIST WHO ARE LOOKING
AT THE EPIDEMIC CURVES IN SOUTH
AFRICA IN THE U K AND WHAT
WE’RE SEEING WITH THIS VARIANT
IS A STEEP RISE AND THEN A
FAIRLY STEEP DROP-OFF.
>> AND WE ARE OF THE OPINION
AND OPINIONS ARE JUST THAT
THEIR OPINIONS AT THE HEALTH
SCIENCE CENTER. OUR OPINION IS
THAT WILL PROBABLY SEE A PEAK
IN ABOUT MID-JANUARY. WE EXPECT
IT TO STEEPLY DROP OFF AND WE
HOPE TO BE BACK TO OUR TRIER
BASELINE. SOME TIME IN THE
FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY. SO WE
DON’T EXPECT IT TO BE AS LONG
LIVED SAY, THE DELTA SURGE THAT
WE HAD.
>> WE HEARD FROM CITY AND
COUNTY LEADERS ASKING FOR MORE
REMDESIVIR TO BE MADE AVAILABLE
HERE LOCALLY AT OR INFUSION
CENTERS. WE KNOW THAT THERE
HAVE BEEN DEVELOPMENTS IN
THERAPIES AND PILLS. YOU CAN
TAKE TREATMENTS FOR COVID-19.
SO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW AND WHO
CAN ACTUALLY TAKE THAT?
>> RIGHT. SO WE’RE IN STRANGE
WINDOW OF TIME WHERE WE HAD
GREAT NEWS IN LATE DECEMBER
ABOUT THE APPROVAL FOR
EMERGENCY USE APPROVAL OF 2
DIFFERENT KINDS OF PILLS.
ONE WAS CALLED ON THE PIER OF
YEAR AND THE OTHERS CALLED
PAXLOVID. IT’S NOT 5 OR 6 PILLS
THAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE TWICE
DAILY FOR 5 DAYS. I’M PRETTY
GOOD OUTCOMES IN TERMS OF
PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM GETTING
SICKER AND HAVING TO GO TO
HOSPITAL. WONDERFUL ADVANCES.
HERE’S THE PROBLEM. STEVEN
MYRA, THESE DRUGS ARE NOT
WIDELY AVAILABLE. IN FACT, IT’S
A LITTLE BIT. I AS AN
INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR FEEL
LIKE IT’S AN EASTER EGG HUNT.
IF I’VE GOT A SICK PERSON WHO
NEEDS OUTPATIENT THERE IS A
WEBSITE THAT DOCTORS CAN GO TO
IDENTIFY WHERE THE SUPPLIES
ARE, BUT SUPPLIES ARE EXTREMELY
LIMITED. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH
A CAPITAL P BECAUSE IT HAPPENS
THAT IN ADDITION,
THE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY OUT
PATIENT TREATMENT CALLED SO
TREVOR MAP, WHICH IS ALSO VERY
GOOD AT PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM
GETTING SICK OR THOSE
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE
VIRTUALLY COMPLETELY DEPLETED
IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA THROUGH
MUCH OF TEXAS AND REALLY
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. SO
WE’VE GOT GREAT PROGRESS WITH
TREATMENTS AND THE TREATMENTS
ARE UNAVAILABLE, RIGHT? WHEN
WE’RE HAVING A SURGE. SO WHAT
WE DO WELL, A RECENTLY
PUBLISHED STUDY IN THE NEW
ENGLAND JOURNAL OF MEDICINE
SHOWED THAT THE INTRAVENOUS
DRUG CALLED REMDESIVIR, WHICH,
BY THE WAY WE’VE BEEN USING
ALMOST SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
THE PANDEMIC TO TREAT SICK
PEOPLE WITH COVID-19 IN THE
HOSPITAL. WE NOW KNOW FROM DATA
THAT WE CAN USE IVEY REMDESIVIR
INFUSIONS FOR PEOPLE THAT
AREN’T SICK ENOUGH TO BE IN
THE HOSPITAL. AND IF WE CAN
ARRANGE FOR THEM TO GET THESE
INFUSIONS IN OUTPATIENT
CENTERS, WE KNOW FROM THE DATA
THAT WE CAN DO A LOT OF GOOD
IN PREVENTING PROGRESSION OF
THE ILLNESS AND WE CAN PREVENT
PEOPLE FROM GETTING SICK FROM
THE HOSPITAL AND EVEN FROM
DYING. SO WHERE’S THE PROBLEM?
WELL, THERE’S SOME LOGISTICAL
CONCERNS ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE AN
INFUSION EVERY DAY FOR 3 DAYS
WHEN THEY’RE COMING TO AN
OUTPATIENT SETTING. THAT’S ONE
THAT’S NOT INSURMOUNTABLE
DOUBT. WHAT’S HARDER IS THAT
REMDESIVIR IS NOT AN EMERGENCY
USE BASIS ANYMORE. IT’S BEEN
FULLY FDA APPROVED, WHICH MEANS
THAT OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
NOT DISTRIBUTING REMDESIVIR
FOR FREE 2 EMERGENCY RESPONSE
TEAMS IN THE SAME WAY THAT THE
GOVERNMENT IS DISTRIBUTING THE
MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY. SO WE NEED
THAT TO CHANGE.
WE NEEDED TO CHANGE AND WE NEED
ALL HANDS ON I’VE BEEN
CONTACTING MY REPRESENTATIVE OF
MAKING PHONE CALLS SENDING
EMAILS. I’M ADVOCATING SO
PEOPLE IN SAN ANTONIO AND
THROUGHOUT TEXAS CAN GET ACCESS
TO TRULY A LIFESAVING TREATMENT
IN THIS INTERIM PERIOD. WHILE
WE WAIT FOR THE PILLS AND THE
MONOCLONAL IS TO BE AVAILABLE
IN GREATER SUPPLY.
>> INFECTIOUS DISEASE DOCTOR
RUTH BERGGREN FROM THE LONG
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT UT
HEALTH, SAN ANTONIO. ALWAYS
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK