132 – COVID 2023 News Update for Aging Adults (2.23.23 Edition)

Dr. K covers the latest COVID news for 2023, including the newest variant, updates on the bivalent booster, what happens when the public health emergency ends, & more. 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.

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:

COVID & Aging Adults: 2023 & 2022 Updates

COVID Vaccination for Aging Adults: What to Know & Do

To track COVID data:

NY Times COVID Tracker

Wastewater:

CDC Wastewater Surveillance

Biobot.io wastewater tracker

Walgreens Test Positivity Tracker

OurWorldInData.org Coronavirus Data Explorer

CDC Nursing Home Covid-19 Data Dashboard

CDC Variant Proportion Tracker

CDC COVID cases and deaths by vaccine status

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

Updates to COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in the United States

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)

See related commentary: Multiple studies show that face masks reduce the spread of COVID-19; a Cochrane review doesn’t demonstrate otherwise

Paxlovid Associated with Decreased Hospitalization Rate Among Adults with COVID-19 — United States, April–September 2022 12/2/22

From news and other media:

What Not to Ask Me About My Long COVID (2/15/23)

PBS/KQED: When Can I Get a Second Bivalent COVID Booster? Here’s What We Know Right Now (2/22/23)

KFF.org The End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Details on Health Coverage and Access

More detailed: What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access

For masking, ventilation COVID transmission information:

Masks Dr. K uses:

3M V-flex N95

3M Aura N95

Powecom KN95

Project N95

Twitter resources

@joeyfox85

@masknerd
 

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