WELCOME TO "KENTUCKY TONIGHT."

I'M RENEE SHAW.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

OUR TYPO TONIGHT, COVID-19.

ONCE AGAIN, KENTUCKY IS FACING A GROWING NUMBER OF CASES AS.

AS OF FRIDAY 19 COUNTIES ARE IN THE HIGH CATEGORY.

AND THE POSITIVITY RATE IS AROUND 12%, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THE NUMBER OF DEATHS HAS NOT INCREASED.

THIS COMES AS THE FDA AND CD HAVE SIGNED OFF ON VACCINES FOR CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN FIVE.

TO DISCUSS ALL THIS, WE'RE JOINED IN YOUR LEXINGTON STUDIO BY DR. FADI AL AKHRASS, MEDICAL DIRECT OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND INFECTION PREVENT PIKEVILLE MEDICS.

DR. MARK DOUGHERTY, INFECTION DISEASE SPECIAL ACE BAPTIST HEALTH ELECTRONICS.

DR. ILHEM MESSAOUDI, A RESEARCH ARE WITH THE UK COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.

AND IN OUR LOUISVILLE STEW, DR. JON KLEIN, THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE'S VICE DEAN OF RESEARCH.

WE WANT YOU TO SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY twitte TWITTER AT KYTONIGHTKET.

SEND AN EMAIL TO KYTONIGHT@KET.ORG.

OR USE THE WEB FORM AT KET.ORG/KYT.

OR YOU CAN GIVE US A CALL AT 1-800-494-7605.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION AND THANK YOU, DR. KLEIN, FOR BEING THERE IN OUR LOUISVILLE STUDIO.

WE HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME BAD NEWS WILL BE RIGHT BACK SEEMS, AND I WANT TO ASK YOU, DR. DOUGHERTY, WHERE ARE WE NOW ESSENTIALLY YOU?

HEARD ME TALK ABOUT THE TASEST CASE COUNCIL SEEMS ON THE BE TO ON THE RISE BUT THE DEATH RATES ARE LOWER THAN WHERE WE WERE THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

>> I THINK WE'RE IN A BIG TRANSITION RIGHT NOW.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE GONE FROM HAVING THE ORIGINAL WUHAN VARIANT, THE DELTA VARIANT AND THE I'M VARIANT WHERE WE HAD HUGE WAVES PATIENTS COMING INTO THE HOSPITAL MANY WHOM WERE CRITICAL ILL AND REQUIRING VENT TORRIE SUPPORT BASICALLY OVERWHELMING THE HOSPITALS, OVERWHELMING HEALTH CARE WORKERS WHERE PATIENTS WHO HAD OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS SUCH AS HEART DISEASE AND APPENDICITIS REALLY HAD TROUBLE GETTING ADEQUATE CARE DURING THOSE TIMES.

AND IT'S NOW TRANSITIONED TO A SITUATION WHERE EVEN THOUGH THE NUMBERS ARE SKY HIGH, WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY CRITICAL ILL PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL.

SO TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, BOTH DURING THE DELTA COMBATIVE OME CHRON WAVE, WE HAD AROUND 120 PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH OUR ICUs FULL OF COVID-19 PATIENTS.

WE GOT POINT WHERE WE ALMOST RANT OUT OF VENT LA TORRIE SUPPORT AND NOW AS OF TODAY WE HAVE ABOUT 20 PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL AND THREE IN THE ICU.

NOW, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN WE HAD JUST A MONTH AGO, SO UNTIL THE LAST TWO ARE THREE WEEKS WE WERE RUNNING UNDER TEN PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH ALMOST NO ONE THE IN ICU.

TODAY WE HAD THREE PATIENTS IN THE ICU WHO ARE CRITICALLY ILL REQUIRING THERAPY FOR COVID WITH REMDESIVIR AND DECK DRON.

THE NUMBERS ARE GOING UP SOME AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE OF THE SPREAD OF THE NEW VARIANTS, BA 4 AND BA 5 WHICH ARE -- CAN OVERCOME NATURAL IMMUNITY AND VACCINE-INDUCED IMMUNITY.

JUST HOW BAD IT GETS, WE DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT.

I REALLY DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED ANYMORE.

I THINK ONE THING THAT'S ACTUALLY REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW, WE PROBABLY HAVE MORE NUMBERS OF COVID PATIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AT THIS TIME THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.

THE PUBLIC REPORTING IS VASTLY UNDERESTIMATING THE NUMBERS.

MOST PEOPLE ARE TESTING AT HOME OR JUST NOT TESTING AND SO THERE ARE WAY MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO ARE INFECTED.

WEAR PROBABLY UNDERCOUNTING BY AN ORDER 92 TO 10 OR 20.

SO I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CASELOAD TO INCREDIBLY HIGH OUT THERE, WE'RE JUST NOT SEEING THE NUMBER OF REALLY ILL PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL.

MOST OF THE PATIENTS THAT ARE IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW HAVE OTHER COMORBID CONDITIONS.

THEY'RE IN THEIR LATE EIGHTS, 90s.

>> HAVE THEY BEEN VACCINATED.

>> >> A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, BUT A LOT OF THEM ARE ACTUALLY IN THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID BUT THAT'S THE COVID -- THE COVID IS NOT THEIR PRIMARY PROBLEM.

IT MAY HAVE AGGRAVATED ANOTHER PROBLEM, MAY HAVE CAUSED A BLOOD CLOT, IT MAY HAVE PRECIP IT HAD A HEART ATTACK BUT THEY'RE NOT IN THERE FOR RESPIRATORY FAILURE AND INDICT ON VENTILATOR.

SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHIC THAT HE WE SAW BEFORE.

>> DR. KLEIN, I WANT TO GO TO YOU IN LOUISVILLE E. BASS I UNDERSTAND YOU JUST SAW A COVID PATIENT BEFORE I CAME TO OUR STUDIOS SO TELL US ABOUT THE PICTURE THERE IN LOUISVILLE AND WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF CASE COUNT AND SEVERITY OF DISEASE.

>> I THINK THE CASE COUNTS AND THE SEVERITY THAT WE'RE SEEING ARE VERY, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT DR. DOUGHERTY JUST DESCRIBED.

THE ONLY REASON I MENTIONED THE CASE TODAY IS THAT IT SURPRISED ME BECAUSE IT'S THE FIRST TRULY CRITICALLY ILL COVID PATIENT THAT I HAVE SEEN IN, GOSH, I THINK THE LAST EIGHT TO 12 WEEKS.

SO THE SEVERITY HAS DECREASED CONSIDERABLY.

I THINK DR. COURTY'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THAT WE'RE UNDERCOUNT 10 TOTAL NUMBER OF, AND I IN FACT THIS IS PROBABLY THE LATEST PEAK OF THE PANDEMIC IN TERMS OF TOTAL CASES.

THE ONLY WAY WEE KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE INFECTIONS THROUGHOUT SOCIETY IS TRUE WASTEWATER TESTING NOW.

FORTUNATELY WE'RE DOING THAT IN KENTUCKY.

AND WE'RE ABLE TO DETECT THE NEW VARIANT, THE BA4 AND 5 THAT HE JUST MENTIONED.

AND WHAT WE CAN SEE IS THAT THE INFECTIONS APPEAR TO BE SO FAR UNCOUPLED FROM HOSPITALIZATIONS.

SO WE'RE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED AND EMPLOYEE PRESUMABLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THESE NEW VARIANTS AS THEY APPEAR THE IN WASTEWATER AND BE PREPARED FOR THEM.

>> LET ME ASK ABOUT THE PATIENT YOU REFERENCED WHO IS IN CRITICAL CARE.

IS THAT PERSON VACCINATED?

AND DID THEY HAVE OTHER CODIAGNOSIS PERHAPS WHERE THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC CONDITIONS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN EXACERBATED BY CODE OF?

>> THEY ARE VACCINATED BUT THEY HAVE ACTUALLY A LARGE NUMBER OF COMORBIDITY MORBID CONDITIONS.

IT'S NOT A BIG STATE OF SHOCK TO SEE A PATIENT LIKE THIS.

IT'S JUST BEEN SEVERAL WEEKS SINCE WE'VE SEEN SOMEBODY THIS ILL. >> SO I WANT TO HAVE DID FADI AL AKHRASS, THAT YOU WILL FOR BEING HERE IN PERSON THIS TIME.

WE HAD SOME RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, TOO, WITH VACCINES.

WE NOW KNOW KIDS UNDER FIVE ARE ABLE TO BE VACCINATED P NOW PROMISING IS THAT, PARTICULARLY WHEN WE KNOW THAT KIDS WHO COULD HAVE ALREADY BEEN VACCINATED, 12 AND UP, THOSE VACCINATION NUMBERS SEEM TO BE RATHER LOW, SO ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THAT PARENTS GOING TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH WITH THIS AND WHAT DO YOU ADVISE FOR PARENTS WHO ARE CONSIDERING WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS THE BEST COURSE FOR THEIR CHILD?

>> THIS IS BASICALLY A GOOD QUESTION BUT I WANT TO START WITH SOMETHING THAT I FELT COVID-19 IT WAS A SPRINT, THEN RAPIDLY TURNED INTO A MARATHON AND UNFORTUNATELY ENDED AS AN AWFUL IRONMAN COMPETITION, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DEALING NOW IT.

NEEDS OF A LOT OF RESILIENCE, A LOT OF PREPARES AND ABSOLUTELY VACCINE IS A GREAT TOOL TO TURN AROUND THAT KIND OF COVID-19 SITUATION.

IT'S NOT PERFECT BUT DO NOT LET THE PERFECT BE THE ENEMY OF GOOD.

THESE VACCINES PERFORM VERY WELL IN PREVENTING THAT OUTCOME, AND THAT IS WHAT WE NEED FROM THE VACCINATION.

WE NEED TO TURN DOWN HOSPITALIZATIONS, ICU ADMISSION, CRITICAL CARE ADMISSIONS AS WELL AS DEATHS AND THE VACCINE IS PERFORMING REALLY WELL WHEN IT COMES TO THESE OUTCOMES.

WE SHOULDN'T LOOK AT THE NUMBER BY ITSELF AS THE METRICS FOR EFFECTIVENESS OF THE VACCINATION.

AS EVERYBODY BASICALLY TALKED TODAY ABOUT THE NUMBERS ARE UNDER COUNT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE POSITIVITY RATE, 12% AND ABOVE IS BASED ON NAT TESTING OR TCR TESTING, SO THIS IS LAB FAB RI DATED OR GENERATED NUMBER STOW WE BASICALLY DON'T COUNT ALL THE HOME TESTING, SO WE USE ANTIGEN AND NOBODY UNT KONG THESE TESTING SO THAT'S WHY DR. DOUGHERTY SAID THAT THE NUMBER IS ABSOLUTELY HIGHER AND UNDERCOUNTED AT THIS POINT.

SO WE HAVE A HUGE INCREASE IN THE CASELOAD, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE HOSPITALIZATION LEVELS ARE NOT RISING, SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF FLUCTUATION, IN THE HOSPITAL THE SAME THING.

WE DON'T SEE THAT MUCH ADMISSION TO THE ICU SO IT SEEMS TO BE STEADY AND TWEETER A LEVELS THAT ARE NOT GOING TO OVERWHELM THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, AND THIS IS VERY OPTIMISTIC.

AND I DON'T THINK IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WE'RE GOING TO SEE A SPIKE, AND THIS IS BUS BECAUSE OF THE LEVEL OF MUTANT WE HAVE HERE IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY FROM PREVIOUS INFECTION AS WELL AS FROM VACCINATION.

THAT COMBINATION OF SERRO PREVALENCE OF CLOSE TO 60% IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND 70%, 75% IN KIDS IN ADDITION TO THE VACCINATION, THIS IS WHAT WILL GIVE YOU WHAT'S CALL IMMUNITY WALL.

THAT IMMUNITY WALL PREVENT SPREAD INFECTION.

>> IS THAT THE SAME AS HERD IMMUNITY.

>> >> THE HERD IMMUNITY IS NATURAL.

THE CDC IS TALK ABOUT THE POSITION FROM DELTA TO THE OMICRON AND IF YOU LOOK SPECIFIC LIGHT CHILDREN IT'S AROUND 75%.

THIS IS CALLED THE PRIOR INFECTION OR HERD IMMUNITY FROM NATURAL INFECTION.

SO WE'RE AROUND 60% GENERAL PUBLIC IN ADDITION TO THE VACCINATION.

THIS IS BUILDINGS SOME VERY GOOD IMMUNITY TOILE TO PREVENT A HUGE SPIKE IN THE CASELOAD SO I'M VERY OPERATE NIK ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE AT THIS POINT IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY.

I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A HUGE WAVE OF COVID-19-LIKE INFECTION IN TERMS OF BAD OUTCOME AND ALL THE PREDICTIVE IMMUNOLOGICAL ANALYSIS IS LEANING TORE THAT KIND OF ANALYSIS.

VERY SLOW TAKE THAT IT COMES TO HOSPITALIZATION.

SO I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE ON GET VACCINATION.

FOLLOW THE GUIDELINE.

IF YOU NEED THE BOOSTER BE WITH TAKE THE BOOSTER.

IT SEEMS THAT TWO VACCINES ARE NOT ENOUGH.

IF YOU LOOK'S NEUROSTUDY TELLING US TAKE THREE VACCINES THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE OMICRON INFECTION BY 60%.

YOU HAVE A 77 PROTECTION RATE.

T. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE OMICRON AND NEW SUBVARIANTS, BA2 AND BA5 ARE VERY SNEAKY AROUND THE NEW SYSTEM SO THEY CAN ESCAPE THE IMMUNE SYSTEM FROM VACCINATION AS WELL AS FROM NATURAL INFECTION.

THAT'S WHY WE SEE UPTICK OF INFECTION.

BUT I STILL BELIEVE THESE VIRUSES GETTING WEAKER.

THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE NATURE SO WE'RE GETTING A LITTLE BIT WEAKER BUT UNFORTUNATELY NOR TRANSMISSIBLE WITH MORE THAN 50% MUTATION THAT IT WILLIAMS TO THE CHANGES IN THE GENETIC MATERIAL.

SO VACCINES ARE VERY, VERY EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY AND PREVENTING BAD OUTCOME AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SPREAD OF INFECTION.

>> SO I WANT ON DR. DR. MASADAY ABOUT CHILDREN.

ARE THESE VACCINATIONS SAFE FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE?

>> YES, SO THESE VACCINES ARE SAFE AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'RE PROTECTIVE.

SO I THINK THE COMBINATION BETWEEN THE FACT THIS THEY ARE SAFE, THEY HAVE VERY FEW ADVERSE OUTCOMES AND THE DATA TELLS US THAT THEY'RE VERY PROTECTIVE IS REALLY GREAT NEWS.

>> WHAT ARE THE ADVERSE OR POTENTIAL ADVERSE OUTCOMES?

>> THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW WITH ADULTS, SO MOSTLY SOME MALAISE, A LITTLE BIT OF FEVER, SOME UNCOMFORTABLE GENERAL ICKINESS AND THAT COMES FROM THE FLEW SYSTEM DOING ITS JOB.

>> SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

>> THAT'S A GOOD THING.

WHEN AN IMMUNE SYSTEM ENCOUNTER A PATHOGEN, IT GETS EXCITED, THERE ARE A LOT OF SIGHT ON KINES THAT GET RELEASED AND THAT HELPS REEDUCATE IMMUNE CELLS, AND AS A BY PRODUCT OF THAT WE SIMONS GET THIS MALAISE AND FATIGUE AND MUSCLE SORENESS THAT COMES WITH IT.

>> FOR PARENTS WHO THINK, WELL, I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE MY CHANCES, I THINK MY CHILD IS TOO YOUNG AND THEY'RE TAKING SOME CAUTION WITH SOME OF THE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS THAT THEIR CHILD COULD INCUR AND SAY, I'M JUST GOING TO WAIT, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THAT PARENT?

>> I WILL SAY TWO THINGS.

THE COVID IS AMONGST THE FIVE LEADING CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE COVID HAS COME ABOARD, SO IT IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

THAT WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF KIDS, THERE'S 20,000 HOSPITALIZATIONS, 200 DEATHS, SO IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

MOST OF THE KIDS WHO ENDED UP IN THE HOSPITAL DID NOT ALWAYS HAVE PREDISHOST POSING CONDITIONS OR OTHER COMORBIDITIES WITH SO THERE'S A LOT OF GAMBLE.

WE'RE TAKING A LOT OF RISK.

IT'S NOT WORTH I WANT.

AS THE MOM OF A TWO AND A HALF-YEAR-OLD AND A FIVE-YEAR-OLD FIRST OF ALL I WOULDN'T WAIT TO VACS NIGHT MY FIVE-YEAR-OLD AND NOW WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT WE CAN INACTION YATE THE TWO-YEAR-OLD BASS WE WERE ACT AS THE FORCE FIELD AROUND HER AND WE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE GOING OUT TO PARTIES AND BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND SEEING GRANDPARENTS AND ALL THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN MISSING OUT ON.

>> ?

ANY DIFFERENCE, WE KNOW THE FDA APPROVED PFIZER AND MODERNA FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE.

IS THERE ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO?

>> TO KEEP IT REALLY SIMPLE, BOTH OF THEM ARE BASED ON THE MESSENGER mRNA, PLATFORM.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN THE DOSAGE SO THE MODERNA HAS 25 MICROGRAMS.

I BELIEVE THAT THE PFIZER ONE HAS 3 BECAUSE IT'S A TENTH OF DOSE --FULLY MICROGRAMS, A TENTH OF THE DOSE FOR ADULTS.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN THE AMOUNT OF ANTIGEN, THE AMOUNT OF mRNA THAT'S IN THERE.

THERE'S ALSO A DIFFERENCE IN THE REGIMEN.

SO PFIZER IS RECOMMENDING A THREE-DOSE SERIES WHEREAS MODERNA, AT LEAST THE DATA THAT WENT TO THE D FDA IS A TWO-DOSE SERIES.

>> >> HOW SHOULD THEY BE SPACED APART?

>> FOR THAT I WOULD DEFER TO MY COLLEAGUES, BUT JUST FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

>> DR. DOUGHERTY, HOW SHOULD THEY BE SPACED APART?

WE KNOW THAT THE OTHERS.

IS IT SIX MONTHS?

>> IN CHILDREN IT'S DIFFERENT.

SO IN PFIZER THE FIRST THREE DOSES ARE THREE WEEKS APART AND I THINK IT'S THREE MONTHS FOR THE THIRD DOSE.

AND THEN MODERNA, THANK YOU THE TWO DOSES ARE STILL A MONTH APART.

NOW, THE MODERNA VACCINE, I PERSONALLY THOUGHT WAS MAYBE A LITTLE BIT BETTER VACCINE.

IT MAY HAVE BEEN BECAUSE IT HAD MORE MESSENGER RNA IN IT FOR ADULTS AND FOR CHILDREN.

THE NUMBERS CERTAINLY LOOK BETTER FOR MODERNA ABOUT TWO DOSES OF THE VACCINE THAN THEY DID FOR PFIZER.

IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING LOOKINGTY PFIZER RESULTS WITH TWO VACCINES.

-- LOOKING AT THE PFIZER RESULTS WITH TWO VACCINES.

IF NUMBERS WENT UP SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THREE VACCINES BUT THAT WAS IN A VERY, VERY SMALL NUMBER OF PATIENTS, JUST A COUPLE OF HANDFULS OF PATIENTS THAT THEY USED THAT DATA ON SO IT WAS ENCOURAGING THAT IT WENT UP.

THEY SAID IT WENT UP TO 80% BUT I THINK BECAUSE OF THE SMALL NUMBER OF PATIENTS INVOLVED IN THE TRIAL, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.

SO I DON'T KNOW.

I PERSONALLY PREFER THE MODERNA VACCINE OVER THE PFIZER.

I THINK BOTH OF THEM ARE GOOD VACCINES.

I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE PFIZER IS NOT A GOOD VACCINE.

>> DR. MESSAOUDI, A REPORTER FOR THE CUR GENERAL DID A PIECE SEVERAL MONTHS BACK FOR THOSE WHO GOT THE MINORITY BOOSTER AND THEY HAD SOME SIDE EFFECTS, THE MALAISE, THE FATIGUE, THE BODY CHILLS, MAYBE A LOW GRADE TEMPERATURE, SO FOR THOSE WHO SAY, WELL, THAT SOUNDS JUST LIKE COVID, WITH THAT WOULD YOU SAY, MAYBE REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID US J GOES TO SHOW THAT IT'S WORKING.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I HAD THE MODERNA, I WAS ONE OF THOSE WOMEN WHO HAD THE MODERNA ARM AND I WOULD TAKE AN MEMORIAL DAY ARM OVER EK MOW EVERY DAY.

>> DID IT AFFECT WOMEN CLINT?

>> WOMEN IN GENERAL TEND TO MAKE SLIGHTLY STRONGER IMMUNE RESPONSES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES THAN MEN.

THERE IS A LOT OF END I HAVE HAD BEHIND THAT.

AND FOR THE FLU VACCINE, THE DATE IS OUT THERE AS WELL THAT WOMEN GENERATE A STRONGER IMMUNE RESPONSE.

BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT THE MALAISE IS STILL BETTER THAN HAVING TO BE ON A VETERAN LATER, IT'S BETTER THAN HAVING BLOOD CLOTS, IT'S BETTER THAN THE CONTINUOUS FATIGUE, THE BRAIN FOG, ALL THE CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD BE -- WELL, THE CONSEQUENCES OF COVID-19.

AND YOU CAN TOTALLY TAKE AN ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, N SAID.

>> WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE IT?

BEFORE THE VACCINATION OR AFTER OR WHAT PERIOD OF TIME?

>> I LEARNED FROM MY FIRST DOSE, I FELT PRETTY LOIS FOR 24 HOURS AFTER MY FIRST DOSE AND WITH MY SECOND DOSE I DID SAC MY N DEADS TO BASICALLY KEEP ME FROM FEELING LIKE I GOT RUN OVER FROM A TRUCK THE NEXT DAY.

>> SAME EXPERIENCE WITH MODERNA.

THERE WAS SOME I GUESS IT WAS RUMOR THAT IF YOU ZOOK TOOK SOMETHING BEFORE THE VACCINATION, IT WOULD LESSEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT.

IS THAT TRUE OR FALSE?

>> THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF THAT.

>> OKAY.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING THIS SHOW, RIGHT, IS TO KIND OF DISPEL SOME MYTH AND IS CLARIFY 2 TRUTH.

DR. KLEIN, I WANT TO GO TO YOU BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD OUR PANELISTS TALK ABOUT COVID-19 AND WE'VE HEARD FROM OTHERS BEFORE THE RESEARCH AS AN EPIDEMIOLOGIST THAT IS THIS IS HERE TO STAY.

CORONAVIRUS IS NOTHING NEW.

PERHAPS IT'S THESE ITERATIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING.

SHOULD WE EXPECT THERE TO BE SOME VARIANT OF COVID, WHETHER IT'S CZARS 2, 5, 4, TO BE WITH US FOREVER?

>> PROBABLY STOW.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A PRIORS THAT MUTATES VERY AVIDLY, AND AS LONG AS WE HAVE WIDESPREAD CONTAGION, AS LONG AS THERE ARE THIS MANY CASES, IT WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNDERGO ADDITIONAL CHANGES THAT WILL PROBABLY MAKE IT MORE CONTAGIOUS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY MORE DANGEROUS TO US.

IT'S QUITE POSSIBLE, AS ONE OF THE OTHER PANELISTS SAID, THAT WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WITH EACH CHANGE IN THE VIRUS, IT'S BECOMING MORE CONTAGIOUS AND LESS DANGEROUS.

WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

WE NEED TO AT LEAST BE AWARE OF HOW IT'S SPREADING THROUGH SOCIETY IN ORDER TO PREPARE FOR IT.

THE GENERAL OUTCOME THAT OUR NATIONAL EXPERTS TALK ABOUT IS THAT IT WILL BE IN MANY WAYS LIKE INFLUENZA.

EVERYTHING FROM THE FACT THAT WE IMMUNIZE CHILDREN AGAINST INFLUENZA ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FACT THAT IT HAS TO BE TWEAKED, THE IMMUNIZATION, EVERY YEAR TO ACCOMMODATED FOR CHANGES.

IF WE GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S A ONCE-A-YEAR VACCINATION, PFIZER HAS ALREADY SAID THAT THEY'D LIKE TO BUNDLE IT WITH INFLUENZA VACCINE AS WELL AS THE OTHER PROVIDERS.

SO IT COULD BE THAT IT'S JUST ONE SHOT ONCE A YEAR.

THAT'S WAY OVER THE HORIZON AT THE MOMENT.

WE STILL HAVE TO THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, WHILE HOSPITALS ARE NOT FILLING UP, AND LET'S HOPE THAT THAT'S THE WAY THINGS STAY, THE FACT IS, IS THAT IT'S STILL DISRUPTING A LOT OF SOCIETY BECAUSE PEOPLE GET SICK AND THEY HAVE TO STAY HOME.

THEY MISS WORK.

THEY HAVE PROBLEMS WITH HAVING THEIR CHILDREN CARED FOR, GETTING THEM TO SCHOOL DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

I FLEW TO BOSTON LAST WEEK, AND WHEN I TRIED TO FLY BACK, AS MOST PEOPLE KNOW, ON THURSDAY A LARGE NUMBER OF FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED.

IT REALLY DIDN'T DEPEND ON THE AIRLINE.

ONE OF THE REASONS WAS WEATHER, BUT THE OTHER BIG REASON WAS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY FLIGHT CREWS THAT ARE EITHER OUT SICK OR HAVE REACHED THEIR MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF HOURS THAT THEY CAN WORK THAT FLIGHTS ARE GETTING CANCELED, SO THIS SORT OF DISRUPTION OF SOCIETY IS GOING TO CONTINUE AS LONG AS PEOPLE CONTINUE TO GET ILL AND HAVE TO STAY HOME FROM WORK.

SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE GOT TO STAY AWARE OF, AND WE REALLY NEED TO THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND RAISE THE TOPIC OF SO-CALLED LONG COVID.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE EITHER PERSIST INFECTIONS OR PERSIST INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES TO THE INFECTION.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE PART OF OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH FOR MANY YEARS TO COME, JUST AS IT WAS WITH POLIO.

>> I DO WANT TO GET INTO THAT TOPIC ABOUT THE GREAT REINFECTION AS A COUPLE OF ARTICLES OF PENNED IT.

BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU, DR. CHINA, MITIGATION MEASURES.

SO WHEN YOU ARE TRAVELING IN TIGHT QUARTERS OR IN THE AIRPORT OR EVEN ON THE PLANE, WHAT KIND OF MITIGATION MEASURES SHOULD BY WE PRACTICING?

IS THAT MASK WEARING?

WHEN IS THAT ADVISED STILL OR NOT?

>> I THINK MASK WEARING IN CLOSED SPACES WITH OTHER INDIVIDUALS IS STILL EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

I WEAR AN N95 MASK, BUT PEOPLE SHOULD GET A GOOD MASK AND WEAR IT WHEN THEY TRAVEL, PARTICULARLY BY AIR TRAVEL.

I HAVE TO SAY I THINK THE AIRLINES ARE GOING TO FIND OUT THAT ON THE ONE HAND LOBBYING THE AUTHORITIES TO DO AWAY WITH MANDATORY MASKING IN THE AIRPLANE WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WANTED TO TRAVEL, BUT IT MAY DECREASE THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO THEIR PUBLIC.

AND SO I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO SORT OF REACH A BALANCE HERE.

IT ISN'T A GREAT DEAL TO ASK PEOPLE TO MASK INSIDE AIRPLANES AND OTHER FORMS OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

AND I'M COMPLETELY IN FAVOR OF IT.

>> DR. FADI AL AKHRASS, LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT MITIGATION MEASURES.

WHAT DO YOU STILL ADVISE OR EVEN PRACTICE YOURSELF?

>> I THINK WITH THE CORONAVIRUS VARIANTS, WE ARE LEARNING THE GREEK ALPHABET.

ONE GREAT LETTER, UNPLEASANT VARIANT ONE TIME.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING AND HOPEFULLY WE DON'T LEARN THE WHOLE GREEK ALPHABET FROM THE COVID-19.

SO WE NEED OUR NORMAL SIMPLY SHOULD INCLUDE COVID-19 IN OUR LIVES BUT WE HAVE TO DO IT DILIGENTLY AND SAFELY, SO SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE CAN HAVE IN OUR BUCKET TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OURSELVES IN THE FUTURE FROM HAVING COVID, ESPECIALLY PREVENT THE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES, LIKE LONG COVID-19, AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT IT.

SO ALL THE STUDIES SHOWED THAT COVID-19 IS NOT ONLY TRANSMITTED BY DROPLETS BUT ALSO AEROSOL SO SMALL ARTICLE GOES IN THE AIR AND THIS IS THE MOST COMMON ROUTE NOW AND THAT'S WHY EVERYBODY IS PUSHES FOR THE N FIVE OR K-9 95.

YOU HAVE A BETTER FIT ON YOUR FACE AND BETTER FILTRATION TO STOP THESE SMALL PARTICLES TO COMING INTO YOUR AIRWAY AND CAUSING INFECTION.

THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT.

HAVING SAID THAT, AIR CIRCULATION IS VERY IMPORTANT.

SO THIS SHOULD BE PART OF THE MITIGATION MEASURES AND IT FILLETS VERY WELL THE PHILOSOPHY OF HARM REDUCTION.

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THE WINDOWS ARE OPEN.

YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THE AIR CIRCULATION IS ESTABLISHED.

HEPACIRCULATION IS VERY IMPORTANT ESPECIALLY IN A CROWDED AREA.

ALL THESE CAN HELP TO PUSHING THE VIRUS OUTSIDE THESE CONFINED PLACES AND PROTECT THE SPREAD AND CUT DOWN ON THE SPREAD OF COVID-19.

OTHER THING ALSO I PUSH FOR VACCINATION.

THIS IS PART OF THE MITIGATION MEASURE AS WELL.

SO WE CAN VACCINATE TO BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, TO PRIME THE I MEAN SYSTEM TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT THE INFECTION ONCE WE GET EXPOSED TO THE INFECTION.

THE ALL THE STUDIES ARE IN FAVORITE OF THE PROTECTION, ESPECIALLY ON THE POOR OUTCOME TO THE HOSPITALIZATION, ICU ADMISSION AND DEATH, SO WE NEED DEFINITELY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AS WELL, TO PROTECT OTHERS AS WELL.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WE NEED TO WORK VERY DILIGENTLY ON MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

DR. DOUGHERTY ALREADY SAID THAT.

PEOPLE WILL HAVE P LOW PRESSURE, DIABETES, HEART DISEASE.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MANAGE THESE CONDITIONS VERY WELL BECAUSE IF WE DON'T MANAGE THESE CONDITIONS, THESE FOLKS ARE AT HIGH-RISK TO HAVE SEVERE DISEASE SO WE CAN ELIMINATE THE SEVERITY OF DISEASE BY TACKLING THE MEDICAL CONDITION CONDITION, AND WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE LIFESTYLE CHANGES, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, LIFE -- WHEN IT COMES TO THE FOOD AND THE CHOICES AS WELL AS OF FOOD.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE DUTY DOWN ON SMOKING, ON VAPING, EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL.

OFF THESE CAN FIT WELL THE HARM REDUCTION WELL SO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE NIECE TO GET TO THE FINISH LIKE.

COVID IS GOING TO LINGER FOR A LONG TIME.

IT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

IT IS MUTATING CONSTANTLY WITHOUT ANY STOP, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO WORK AROUND THE COVID-19 AND BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM VERY CAREFULLY TO BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH COVID-19 WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGES.

>> AND WE'VE ALWAYS HAD CORONAVIRUS AROUND SO IS THIS JUST GOING TO BE ANOTHER VERSION THAT WE DEAL WITH AND AS DR. KLEIN SAID WE HAVE ONE SHOT, A FLU AND A COVID VACCINE COMBINED, WHICH SOME PEOPLE MAY QUESTION THAT, THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF THAT.

>> AND I DO BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW FREQUENTLY WE NEED TO GET AT THE TIME.

THE ANTE BODY TEST CURRENTLY ON MARKET DID NOT SERVE TO DETERMINE HOW STRONG IS THE IMMUNE SYSTEM OR HOW LONG GOING TO LAST.

WE MAY SEE NEW TESTS COMING IN THE MARKET TO TEST THE T-CELL IMMUNITY.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A MUCH BETTER TEST.

THEY WILL TELL US HOW YOUR MEMORY CELLS ARE WORKING, HOW STRONG THEY ARE, HOW LONG THEY LAST, AND IF WE CAN COME WITH CERTAIN TESTING LIKE THIS WE'LL BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOME SORT OF POLICY FOR REVACCINATION IN THE FUTURE, SPEAKER, FOR IMMUNOCOMPROMISED PATIENTS, SO HOPEFULLY WE FIND NEW VERSION OF THEN VIDEO, OF THE MESSENGER RNA FOR MODERNA AND PFIZER BEEP NEED DEFINITELY TO TWEAK AND INCLUDE THE OMICRON ESPECIALLY WITH THE CONTINUOUS SPREAD OF THE SUB-VARIANT OMICRON, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND WE NEED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF TEST TO DETERMINE WHO IS QUALIFIED FOR THE VACCINATION HOBBS GOING TO NEED FURTHER VACCINATION WOULD YOU BE OFTEN THEY NEED TO VACCINATE, SO MANY QUESTIONS WE HAVE REGARDING THE VACCINATION AND HOW WE CAN DO THEM IN THE FUTURE BASED ON THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

>> DR. DOUGHERTY, WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE SAY, OR THEY QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT PROTECTION IS GREATER FROM NATURAL INFECTION OR IMMUNIZATION.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THAT?

AND WHICH ONE PROVIDES THE GREATEST LEVEL PROTECTION?

AND WHAT IF YOU'VE BOTH HAD COVID AND BEEN VACCINATED?

>> WELL, ONE THING THAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT HYBRID IMMUNITY ORE IMMUNITY FROM HAVING BEEN INFECTED AND VACCINATED IS THE BEST IMMUNITY SO YOU HAVE THE HIGHEST ANT BODY LEVELS, PROBABLY THE BEST T-CELL RESPONSE.

>> WE JUST DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH.

>> BUT WE DON'T -- AS DR. AC RA SAID, I THINK ONE THE OF THINGS THAT'S BECOMING MUCH MORE APPARENT OVER THERS COST PANDEMIC IS BAER WE'RE GOING TO DEPEND ON T-CELL RATHER THAN ANT BODY IMMUNITY SO THE VIRUS MUTATES, THE SPIKE PROTEIN MUTATES AND THE ANTIBODIES DON'T ATTACH AS WELL.

DESPITE THE FACT WITH EACH NOW MUTATION AND VARIANT, THE ANTIBODIES DON'T ATTACH AS WELL AND ALSO OVER TIME OUR ANTIBODIES WANE.

WE'RE STILL NOT SEEING NEARLY AS MANY PEOPLE GETTING CRITICAL P.M. TO ME THAT MEANS T-CELL IMMUNITY IS THE KEY.

RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE VERY GOOD COMMERCIAL TESTING FOR T-CELL IMMUNITY.

WE NEED BETTER TESTING FOR THAT, AND I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE THEY COO DOWN THE ROAD.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO LEARNED DURING THE PANDEMIC IS NATURAL INFECTION DID PROVIDE MORE PROTECTION AGAINST CRITICAL ILLNESS THAN I HAD THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD.

WE KNOW THAT ANYONE CAN GET REINFECTED.

THE REINFECTION RATE IS LOWER IF YOU'VE BEEN VACCINATED THAN IF YOU JUST HAD NATURAL INFECTION BUT IT'S THE LOWEST IF YOU HAVE BOTH THOSE.

ONE OTHER THING, ONE OTHER BIG MITIGATING ENDEAVOR THAT WE CAN ENGAGE IN IS IF YOU DON'T FEEL WELL, IF YOU'VE GOT SNEEZES AND SNIFFLES, DON'T GET TOGETHER WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

THAT COULD BE COVID.

>> DON'T BRUSH IT OFF AS ALLERGIES, RIGHT?

>> THAT'S BEEN A VERY COMMON THING THAT'S HAPPENED.

PEOPLE THINK THEY HAVE LONERGAN, THEY'RE SNIFFLING AND SNEEZING, THEY'RE NOT THAT SICK BECAUSE COVID HAS AN INCREDIBLY WIDE RANGE OF PRESENTATION.

YOU CAN BE OVERWHELMINGLY CRITICALLY ILL, SHORT OF BREATH, TURN BLUE AND DIE.

YOU CAN GET BLOOD CLOTS.

THEY GO TO THE LUNGS.

YOU CAN HAVE STREAK AND HEART ATTACK.

AND THEN ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM YOU CAN HAVE A FEW SNIFFLES AND BLOW YOUR NOSE A FEW TIMES AND THAT'S IT BUT EVEN IF YOU HAVE SNIFFLES AND BLOW YOUR NOSE YOU CAN PASS IT TO OTHER PEOPLE WHO THEN BECOME CRITICALLY ILL. >> THIS QUESTION TO YOU.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CZARS ANTIBODY TEST, WHAT IT SHOWS.

>> WELL, THERE'S BASICALLY A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TESTS.

SO THE TEST THAT YOU LOOK AT TO SEE IF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY INFECTED IS NUCLEICID CAPSID ANTIBODY.

THE SPHENES ONLY INDUCE ANTIBODIES TO THE SPIKE PROTEIN ANTIBODY SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE IF YOU HAD A RESPONSE TO THE I UNITIZATION YOU CHECK THE SPIKE PROTEIN ANTIBODY.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT IN PATIENTS HOR IMMUNE COMPROMISED, SO PATIENTS WHO HAVE CANCER, KEEP THERAPY, THEY'RE ON STEROIDS, THEY'VE HAD MULTIPLE MYELOMA, WE WILL OFTEN CHECK THEIR SPIKE PROTEIN ANTIBODY TO SEE IF THEY'VE -- TO SEE IF THEY'VE RESPOND TODAY VACCINATIONS ARE, AND IF THEY HAVEN'T TRY REVACCINATING THEM OR AT LAS WE CAN RISK STRATIFY THEM AND SAY WE TRIED TO VACCINATE YOU, YOU DIDN'T RESPOND, YOU'RE GOING TO BE FORE AT RISK, AFFECT PRECAUTIONS AND IF YOU DO GET SICK GET TESTED SO YOU CAN BE TREATED BECAUSEY WOO NOW HAVE THE THE LUXURY OF TREATMENTS ARE FOR COVID.

>> TALK TO US ABOUT THOSE AND OTHERS CAN CHIME IN AS WELL.

>> THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENT TREATMENTS.

IF PEOPLE BECOME ILL ENOUGH TO BE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL, AND WE'RE USING THE -- AND THIS HAS ABOUT AN A LITTLE BIT CONTROVERSIAL BUT WE'RE USING A CUT-OFF OF 94% OXYGEN OR LESS, IF IT'S CONSISTENTLY IN, I DON'T MEAN ONE TIME BUT CONSISTENTLY THERE, THEN WE'RE SAYING THAT THOSE PATIENTS HAVE SEVERE ENOUGH ILLNESS TO BE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL AND TO GET STARTED ON THE ANTI-VIRAL REMDESIVIR AND DECADRON.

NOW, YOU DO NOT NEED OXYGEN AT THAT POINT.

YOU REALLY DON'T NEED SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN UNTIL IT AGAINST DOWN TO 90 AND PERSONALLY I THINK THAT IS A MISTAKE THAT SOME HOSPITALS HAVE MADE IS WAITING UNTIL PEOPLE, IN QUOTES, NEED OXYGEN STOW THAT THEY THEN GET ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL MORE ILL, OFTENTIMES WITH OXYGEN LEVELS THAT ARE VERY LOW, AND THE ANTI-VIRAL TREM DES VIR DOESN'T WORK AS WELL WHEN THE DISEASE HAS PROGRESSED TO THAT POINT.

NOW, IF WE BACK UP JUST A LITTLE BIT, THERE ARE TREATMENTS THAT YOU CAN TAKE IF YOU BECOME ILL AND YOU HAVE RISK FACTORS FOR PROGRESSING, AND THAT, THE PRIMARILY TREATMENT IS A MEDICATION CALLED PAXLOVID FROM PFIZER.

THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN IN THE FIRST FIVE DAYS OF ILLNESS SO THAT MEANS IF YOU SUSPECT YOU MIGHT HAVE COVID, DON'T WAIT NULL FEEL REALLY ILL AND YOUR OXYGEN LEVEL IS DROPPING BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK THEN.

YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE IT YEARLY ON.

SO IF YOU HAVE RISK FACTORS, IF YOU'RE OVER 65 YEARS OLD, IF YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT WITH A BMI OF OVER 35, IF YOU'VE GOT UNDERLYING LUNG DISEASE OR HEART DISEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET TESTED.

YOU WOULD QUALIFY FOR TAKING PAXLOVID THEN, AND THAT HAS A REMARKABLE INCIDENCE OF LOWERING YOUR RISK WHO ARE HOSPITALIZATION.

NOW, THERE WAS SOME NEW DATA THAT JUST CAME OUT LAST WEEK FROM PFIZER REGARDING PAXLOVID, SO THE PAXLOVID WAS APPROVED FOR USE IN UNVACCINATED PATIENTS.

THAT'S WHERE THE DATA CAME FROM IN REDUCING HOSPITALIZATIONS.

IF DATA THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK -- THE DATA THAT CAME OUT LAST WEEK DEMONSTRATED THAT THERE WAS NO STATISTICAL DIFFERENCE IF YOU WERE VACCINATED IN YOUR RATE OF HOSPITALIZATION IF YOU TOOK PAXLOVID.

SO I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET BECAUSE I PERSONALLY THINK THAT IF -- WITH THE ADVENT OF THE BA4 AND BA5 VARIANTS, THE VACCINE INDUCED IMMUNITY AND NATURAL IMMUNITY AREN'T GOING TO WORK QUITE AS WELL SO I STILL THINK THAT IT'S REASONABLE IN THAT SITUATION EVEN IF YOU'RE VACCINATED, EVEN IF YOU'VE BEEN AFFECTED, IF YOU HAVE THOSE RISK FACTORS I WOULD PERSONALLY LOOK INTO GETTING YOUR DOCTOR TO PRESCRIBE PAXLOVID.

ONE PAV YACHT THERE IS THAT THAT MEDICATION CAN INTERACT WITH MULTIPLE OTHER DRUGS, AND SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE YOUR DOCTOR AND PHARMACIST BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT.

GO OVER THE LIST.

THE LIST INCLUDES STATINS LIKE LIPITOR.

THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE STOPPED TRANSIENT WHILE YOU WERE ON THE PAXLOVID SO THAT'S SOMETHING YOU DO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF.

WE DO NEED BETTER THERAPEUTICS.

WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING INTO DOING A STUDY USING ORAL REMDESIVIR.

THERE'S A NEW FORM OF IT THAT'S RELL ABSORBED AND REACHES HIGH LEVELS IN THE LUNGS.

SO WE HOPE THAT DOWN THE ROAD WE'LL HAVE BETTER THERAPEUTIC AGENTS THAT WE CAN USE EARLIER IN THE DISEASE TO PREVENT PROGRESSION AND PREVENT HOSPITALIZATION.

>> IF SOMEONE WHO HAS TESTIFIED POSITIVE FOR COVID AND THEY CALL THEIR DOCTOR AND SAY HOW DO I GET PACKS LOAFED THE DOCTOR SAYS LET'S TRY SOMETHING ELSE FIRST, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

GET ANOTHER DOCTOR?

>> I WOULDN'T TAKE IVERMECTIN US BA IT DOESN'T WORK.

I KNOW THAT'S BEEN VERY CONTROVERSIAL BUT IVERMECTIN DOESN'T WORK.

WE CAN SEE THAT VERY, VERY QUICKLY.

WE CAN SEE VERY QUICKLY OURSELVES THAT HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE DIDN'T THE WORK.

SO DON'T -- I WOULDN'T -- >> NO EXPERIMENTATION WITH THAT.

>> NO PRESCRIBING THOSE MEDICATIONS ANYMORE.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT REMEMBER YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE PAX LOAFED EARLY SO IF YOU HAVE RISK FACTORS, YOU DO NOT WANT TO THE WAY IT TO TAKE IT.

IT USED TO BE THAT THERE WAS A RESTRICTED SUPPLY OF THE PAX OVID.

IT'S WIDELY AVAILABLE NOW.

MANY PHARMACIES HAVE IT.

I HAVEN'T HEARD OF ANYONE GETTING A ISSUE QUESTION THE PACKED LOAFED.

>> SO THAT TIME FRAME IS KEY WITHIN FIVE DAYS.

>> IT IS KEY.

>> DR. KLEIN, DO YOU CARE TO CHIME IN ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE?

>> YEAH, I'LL JUST ADD THAT PAX LOAFED IS AUTHORIZED FOR I THINK IT'S -- PACKED PROVIDE FOR 12 AND ABOVE AND 88 POUNDS AND ABOVE SO IT'S SORT OF AN ADULT WEIGHT AS DEFINED BY THE FDA.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT UNLESS A PHYSICIAN ORE A PEDIATRICIAN WILL USE IT OFF-LABEL, THEN CHILDREN ARE NOT AS GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO PACKS LOAFED AT LEAST UNTIL THOSE TRIALS ARE COMPLETED.

PAX LOAFED SO WHAT THAT DOES IS EMPHASIZES AGAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF IMMUNIZATION, IMMUNIZATION, IMMUNIZATION, PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN, AND NOW THAT WE CAN GO DOWN TO SIX MONTHS OF AGE STARTING TOMORROW, I BELIEVE, IT EMPHASIZES THAT WE HAVE FEWER THERAPEUTICS IN THAT PEDIATRIC AGE GROUP AND THAT IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR THAT AGE GROUP TO GET VACCINATED.

I'LL JUST MENTION THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY UNDERGOING AS A TRIAL AT UofL IS A NASAL ANTI-VIRAL AGENT THAT HAS REALLY STRONG TEST TUBE ACTIVITY AGAINST THE CORONAVIRUS, AND SO NOW WE'RE IN THE JUST BEGINNING THE LATTER PARTS OF THE FIRST STAGE OF TESTING THAT.

WE'VE GONE THROUGH AN INITIAL PHASE 1 TRIAL TO SEE IF THIS IS WELL TOLERATED.

ONE OF THE THINGS TO REMEMBER IS THAT IN SOME WAYS THE NASAL PASSAGES AND THE UPPER AIRWAYS ARE THE KEY TO BLOCKING THIS VIRUS, AND SO ANTI-VIRALS THAT ACT THERE MAY APPROVE VERY USEFUL, AND REALLY MAYBE ONE OF THE HOLY GRAILS OF VACCINES WILL BE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SO-CALLED MUCOSAL IMMUNITY, WHICH IS TO SAY IMMUNITY THAT'S PRESENT IN OUR NASAL PASSAGES AND IN OUR UPPER AIRWAYS BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE, PROBABLY THE MOST LIKELY WAY THAT WE'LL REACH A VACCINATION THAT HAS THE HIGHEST PROTECTIVE EFFECT AGAINST INFECTION.

>> I DO WANT TO ASK A QUESTION.

MANY FEEL HAVE BEEN EXPOSED REPEATEDLY TO COVID AND TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE MAYBE THEY JUST HAVEN'T TESTED, MAYBE THAT'S THE ANSWER, BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN DIAGNOSED AND SUFFERED WITH EITHER MILD SYMPTOMS OR WORSE FROM COVID.

IS THERE SOMETHING IN SOME PEOPLE'S DNA THAT PROVIDES SOME IMMUNITY TO COVID, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'VE BEEN VACCINATED OR NOT?

>> IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

THE NIH HAS ACTUALLY BEEN TRYING TO GATHER UP INFORMATION ABOUT PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SIGNIFICANT EXPOSURES AND HAVEN'T BECOME ILL TO TRY AND BEGIN TO ANSWER THAT EXACT QUESTION.

THE SIMPLE ANSWER IS WE JUST DO NOT KNOW AT THIS POINT IN TIME.

THERE WAS SOME VERY WEAK DATA EARLY ON ABOUT DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPES MIGHT HAVE AN ADVANTAGE ONE OVER THE OTHER, BUT AS FAR AS SPECIFIC DIFFERENCES IN EITHER OUR DNA OR THE WAY OUR DNA IS MODIFIED BY OUR ENVIRONMENT, THERE'S REALLY NOT A LOT KNOWN YET.

I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE HINTING AT WHEN WE RAISE THIS TOPIC IS WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE COVID DIVIDEND, IS THAT ULTIMATELY THESE VERY LARGE SCALE CHANGES IN OUR PUBLIC HEALTH PAY OFF A DIVIDEND IN NEW RESEARCH THAT'S DONE AND NEW FINDINGS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT LIKE WHAT THEY CALL THE MOON SHOT DIVIDEND, THAT OUR TRIP TO THE MOON WITH THE APOLLO ASTRONAUTS PRODUCED ALL THE SORTS OF AMAZING DEVELOPMENTS AND PROGRESS.

I THINK THAT THE SAME IS PROBABLY LIKELY IN THIS.

IT'S JUST HARD TO SEE AT THIS POINT WHEN THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH SUFFERING AND SO MANY PEOPLE REALLY HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IN TELLER WAYS.

BUT WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER, CERTAINLY IRAN VACCINES WILL BE HERE TO STAY AND THEY WON'T BE RNA, AND THEY WON'T BE JUST FOR INFECTIONS.

THEY'LL BE FOR OTHER THINGS AS WELL SUCH AS MALIGNANCIES.

>> INTERESTING.

DR.

MESS AUDI, IT SEEMS LIKE WE JUST DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW.

THAT'S PROBABLY AB OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF WHAT DR. KLEIN JUST SAID, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF UNKNOWNS.

>> THERE ARE, AND THIS IS NOT NEW.

WITH EVERY INFECTIOUS DISEASE IS NOT EVERY SINGLE PERSON EXPERIENCES THE SAME SET OF SYMPTOMS AND THE SAME SEVERITY.

THERE'S A LOT TO IT, A HISTORY EXPOSURE, WHAT OTHER VACCINES HAVE WE HAD, WHAT ELSE HAVE WE BEEN EXPOSE TODAY, HOW DID WE GROW UP, WHAT IS OUR HEALTH INDEX, OFF THESE THINGS, THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE EXPOSURE, DID YOU JUST PASS SOMEBODY?

WERE YOU IN CLOSE CONTACT?

DID YOU SPEND A LOT OF TIME?

DID YOU CARE FOR THEM?

DID THEY SNEEZE IN YOUR FACE, ET CETERA.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE KNOCK LUM DOSE, THE HEALTH INDEX OF THE POTENTIAL PATIENT AND THOSE TWO COMBINED COMBINE TO COME OUT WITH DIFFERENT DISEASE OUTCOMES.

>>Y I REMEMBER AT THE ADVENT OF CORONAVIRUS, COVID-19 IT WAS SAID THAT IF YOU'RE WITHIN 15 MINUTES, YOU'RE EXPOSED WITH SOMEONE AND YOU'VE BEEN THERE 15 MINUTES OR LONGER, NOW, THAT'S WHEN YOU SHOULD BE A LITTLE CONCERNED.

HAS THAT WINDOW NARROWED SO NOW IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW LONG?

YOU JUST SEEM TO INTIMATE THAT IT CAN BE IN PASSING.

>> OH, YEAH.

SO OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE VIRUS HAS BEEN LEARNING TO LIVE WITH US, SO THIS VIRUS JUMPED OUT OF THAT AND INTO THE HUMAN POPULATION AND IT'S BEEN ADAPTING.

P IT JUMPED OUT OF THE BATS.

I GUESS THAT'S THE BEAUTY IN SOME WAYS.

I STUDY VIRUSES SO I KIND OF ADMIRE THIS ASPECT THEIR LIFE CYCLE THAT RNA VIRUSES ARE VERY NIMBLE, AND ALTHOUGH THIS ONE IS ON THE BIGGER SIDE OF RNA VIRUSES IT'S STILL PRETTY NIMBLE AND THEY WILL ADAPT.

IF FACT THAT THEIR GENOME IS RNA ALLOWS THEM TO MODIFY, TO INTRODUCE MUTATIONS, AND THEY'RE TESTING IT, MUTATIONS, TEST IF THE VIRUS ELECTRONICS MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAT PARTICULAR VARIANT WILL OUTGROW THE OTHER VARIANTS AND WILL COME INNATE, AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

AT SOME POINT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EQUILIBRIUM EQUILIBRIUM.

THERE ARE SO MANY VARIANTS THAT A VIRUS CAN DO UNTIL IT BECOMES DETRIMENTAL AND THERE ARE ONLY SO MANY PLACES UNTIL IT BECOMES DETRIMENT TOOT LIFE CYCLE.

>> WE THERE YET.

>> I THINK THERE ARE BEAUTIFUL STUDIES THAT CAME OUT GLADSTONE INSTITUTE THAT SHOWS THAT WE'RE ALMOST THERE, AND IT'S INTERESTING SO A LOT OF THE MUTATIONS ARE ACCUMULATING THE SPIKE PROTEIN WHICH THE VIRUS USES TO ENTER HUMAN CLEMENS.

THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE IF MUTATIONS ARE GOING TO BE MOST PREVALENT, BUT WE DON'T SEE A LOT OF MUTATIONS IN THE OTHER VIRAL PROTEINS THAT INCLUDE THE NUKE LEE A -- THE PRELIMINARIES DOESN'T ACCUMULATE A LOT OF NEW MUTATIONS, AND THAT'S ON PURPOSE BECAUSE THESE ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

SO AT SOME POINT THERE'S GOING TO BE AN EQUILIBRIUM, AND I THINK THIS VIRUS IS LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH US, AND WE'RE LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH IT.

>> SO FOR SOMEONE HOE WOULD SAY, DOES THIS MEAN THAT THERE WILL BE AN END TO COVID-19, YOU WOULD SAY YES OR NO?

>> I MEAN, I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S AN END TO COVID-19, BUT IT'S AN END TO THE RESTRICTIONS -- THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN LIVING.

SO WE WILL -- >> IT WON'T BE DISRUPTIVE.

>> IT WON'T BE AS STADIUM.

I DISRUPTIVE.

PEOPLE HAVE BETTER HERD IMMUNITY AND VERT BUTTER VENES.

WE ALSO GET TO AN KIRILL EQUIPMENT BRUM BUT THIS FRIARS IS NOT GOING TO DISAPPEAR.

IT'S NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.

>> LET'S TALKING ABOUT LONG COVID A LITTLE BIT MORE AND THE GREAT REINFECTION AS I'VE READ IT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN -- WHICH USED TO BE A RARITY THE IN BEGINNING.

WE DIDN'T HEAR OF MULTIPLE REINFECTIONS, BUT I KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN -- WHO HAVE BEEN VACCINATED, GOTTEN THEIR THREE SHOTS THAT WERE ALLOWED AND HAVE HAD COVID NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AND SOMETIMES THREE TIMES.

WHAT GIVES THERE?

>> I WILL TALK ABOUT THAT PART JUST IN A SECOND, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THE MORE YOU GET YOURSELF EX POTION TODAY COVID AND GET INFECTED WITH COVID, THE MORE YOU GET LONG HAULER, AND BY DEFINITION THESE ARE THE SYMPTOMS THAT YOU MAY HAVE THEM ISSUING LIGHTNING FOR FOUR WEEKS AND ABOVE.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE CDC STUDY, ONE IN FIVE PEOPLE AT THE AGE OF 18 TO 64 WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF MEDICAL CONDITION RELATED TO COVID-19.

AND IF YOU LOOK A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILS, ONE IN FOUR 65 AND OLDER WILL HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION RELATED TO COVID-19, AND THESE MEDICAL CONDITIONS COULD BE SOMETIMES VERY HARMFUL AND DEADLY LIKE -- MANIFESTATION, CLOT IN THE LEGS, PE, HEARTING ASK, CUDDYER VALCKE DISEASE, NEUROLOGICAL, STROKE.

WE SEE A LOT OF STROKE RELATED TO COVID AS WELL AS IN ADDITION TO JOINT PAIN, MUSCLE PAIN, KIDNEY DISEASES, DIABETES.

SO SOMETIMES BECAUSE COVID CAN ATTACK THE PANCREAS AND THERE IS SOME RELATIONSHIP TOWARD DIABETES AND COVID-19, SO DIABETES WILL LEAD TO MORE COVID.

COVID-19 CAN ATTACK OF THE PAN CREASE AND CAN CAUSE MORE PROBLEM BY ACUTE ONSET DIABETES.

SO WE'VE SEEN THIS OFTEN WITH THE COVID-19.

THE PROBLEM IS IF YOU LOOK AT THE SERUM PREVALENCE WHICH MEANS HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES GOT COVID-19 IN THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST 60%, AND IF WE SAY ONE IN FIVE MAY HAVE LONG HAULER, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 15% OF THE COMMUNITY AND THE POPULATION WILL HAVE SOME SORT OF SYMPTOMS RELATED TO COVID-19.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE HERE, WE NEED TO AVOID IT AND PREVENT IT.

AND GOING BACK TO THE POINT VACCINATION WILL BE THE BEST OPTION BECAUSE IF YOU VACCINATE, YOU BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM AND YOU PROTECT YOURSELF FROM CATCHING A BAD OUTCOME FROM COVID-19, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE JOURNAL OF MEDICINE BASED ON THE PFIZER STUDY, SO IF YOU GET THREE SHOTS OUT THIS IN YOU KIND OF INFECTION IN PAST, YOUR PROTECTION LEVEL, UP TO 52%.

WHICH IS GREATLY.

SO YOU PROTECT YOURSELF LIKE UP TO HALF, A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM CATCHING NEW COVID-19 INFECTION FROM THE BA2.

NOW, IF YOU HAD THREE SHOTS AND PRIOR WERE INFECTED, YOU ARE PREVENTING YOURSELF UP TO 77% FROM GETTING INFECTED IN THE FUTURE.

SO THE BOTTOM LINE, YOU NEED TO REDESIGN THE COVID-19 VACCINATION.

WE NEED TO INCLUDE THE OMICRON TO PREVENT THAT CONTINUOUS SPREAD OF THESE SUB-VARIANTS, AND THE BEST OPTION TO GET THE ORIGINAL VACCINE WITH THE OMICRON.

AND TRY TO PROVIDE BETTER IMMUNITY TO PREVENT THIS INFECTION FROM HAPPENING.

AND I TOTALLY AGREE DR. KLEIN SAYING THAT BEST IMMUNITY IS THE -- IMMUNITY.

WE NEED I MUNICIPAL KNOB LYNN A TO BE HIGH CONCENTRATION IN THE MEW SOS COSA SO THESE ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST LINE MECHANISM FROM GETTING THE VIRUS IN OUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEM.

SO THEY WILL A LOT OF VIRUS AND STOP IT MEDICAID FROM GETTING IN OUR SYSTEM.

THE REGULAR VACCINE MAY PRODUCE SOME LEVEL OF -- IN THE MEW KEYS A BUT YOU'RE GOING TO LOSE THEM, EIGHT WEEKS, SIX MODS BEST CASE SCENARIO AND THEN YOU NEED MORE VACCINATION TO BOOST THE IMMUNOYOU M. I AGREE NASAL VACCINATION WILL BE THE BEST TO PROVIDE THAT MUCH IN THE NASAL CAVITY.

WHAT YOU DO IS YOU PREVENT THE VIRUS FROM HOMECOMING INTO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM SO SUBSEQUENT YOU ARE NOT GOING SUFFER FROM INFECTION.

SO WE NEED TO COME UP WITH A BETTER VERSION OF VACCINATION TO PREVENT YOU FROM GETTING INFECTED, AND IF YOU DON'T GET INFECTED YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE A LONG HAULER.

AT THIS POINT LONG HAULER SHOULD BE INCLUDED.

IN M EVERY SINGLE CLINIC BECAUSE IT'S VERYING KNOW, AND PHYSICIANS SHOULD THINK ABOUT IT, THEY SHOULD TAKE THESE SERIOUSLY.

THEY NEED TO CONSIDER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE LONG HAULER.

AND THESE LONG HAULER MANIFESTATION ARE POSING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF LIKE WHICH IS OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

SO THE BEST OPTION TO PREVENT COVID-19 LONG HAULER IS TO PREVENT COVID-19.

>> WHAT ARE LONG HAULER SYMPTOMS?

ARE THEY JUST SYMPTOMS THAT YOU HAVE HAD WHILE YOU'VE HAD AN TRAFFIC STATE OF DISEASE THAT JUST KEEPS GOING ON?

AND ARE FOR HOW LONG DO THEY KEEP GOING ON?

>> USUALLY THEY GO FOUR WEEKS YOU.

NEED THEM TO LINGER MORE THAN FOUR WEEKS, AND IT COULD BE SEVERAL CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS.

BRAIN FOG IS VERY COMMON.

DEPRESSION, ANXIETY.

PEOPLE FEEL PALPITATION, PERRY CARDIUM MUSCULAR INFLAMMATION THAT CAN LEAD TO AUDITORITH LAW OR CARDIAC DISEASE, AND IF YOU LOOK AT A STUDY IN THE PAST SOMETIMES CAN HAVE INFLAMMATION AROUND THE PARTICIPATE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OTHER SEVERAL MANIFESTATIONS ESPECIALLY ARE TPA YOU'RE SUFFERING SERIOUS DISEASE IN THE HOSPITAL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CLOTS, NEUROLOGIC MANIFESTATIONS.

THESE COULD BE ABSOLUTELY DEADLY.

SO YOU MIGHT NOT DIE FROM THE COVID BUT YOU DIE FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF COVID-19.

SO THE BEST OPTION TO PREVENT THESE PROBLEMS IS FROM COMING UP WITH SOME SORT OF HARM REDUCTION POLICY, MAINLY VACCINATION, TO PREVENT THESE INFECTIONS FROM HAPPENING.

>> ANYTHING YOU WANT TO DO TO THAT, DR. DOUGHERTY?

>> I THINK WE'RE AT IN MIDDLE OF A TRANSITION FROM A GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT'S INCREDIBLY DISRUPTED OUR HEALTH CARE AND OUR OWN HEALTH PERSONALLY AND ALSO INTERFERED WITH OUR PERSONAL LIVES AND RESTRICTED OUR FREEDOMS AND INTERFERED WITH OUR ECONOMIES AND OUR JOBS.

NOW WE'RE TRANSITIONING TO A SITUATION WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE ENDEMIC, AND I THINK THAT PROBABLY SOME EXPERTS THINK THAT WE'LL BE GETTING COVID ONE TO THREE TIMES A YEAR GOING FORWARD.

BUT THAT'S NOT UNLIKE THE OTHER CORONAVIRUS.

OC43 HAS BEEN AROUND PROBABLY IT'S ESTIMATED SINCE THE LATE 1800S AND PROBABLY CAUSED A MAJOR PANDEMIC IN THE 1890s WHERE A HALF A MILLION TO 1 MILLION PEOPLE DIED.

AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT SOME PEOPLE THINK.

AND NOW, AS OUR IMMUNE SYSTEMS HAVE ADAPTED OVER TIME, IT'S BECOME JUST ONE OF THE CAUSES OF THE COMMON COLD IT.

CAUSES SOME MISERY BUT NOT GENERALLY CRITICAL ILLNESS AND DEATH.

AND THAT'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS GOING TO BE HAPPENING AND IS HAPPENING WITH COVID-19.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DISRUPTIVE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S NOT GOING TO BE WORSE THAN OC43 BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE, AS WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, THAT IT CAN CAUSE LONG-TERM CONSEQUENCES IN SOME PEOPLE, AND THAT CAN BE A WIDE VARIETY OF THINGS.

IT CAN BE JUST GET BACK TO YOUR NORMAL ENERGY LEVEL, YOU DO NOT HAVE YOUR SAME EXERCISE.

IF YOU GET SHORT OF BREATH WHEN YOU WALK UP THE STAIRS.

>> BRAIN FOG WE EVEN HEAR PEOPLE HAVE THAT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS ON END.

YOU JUST CAN'T FOCUS AS WELL SUSPECT SO IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY'RE TOTALLY DYSFUNCTIONAL, THAT THEY "QUALIFY FOR DISABILITY AND CAN'T EVER WORK AGAIN THIS THEIR LIFE BUT THE QUALITY OF THEIR LIFE IS MAJOR IMPACTED.

>> WE KNOW FOR FOLKS OVER 70 I'LL CALL AT THIS TIME THIRD SHOT.

SHOULD OTHERS BE CONSIDERING ANOTHER IS IT BOOSTER?

WHAT'S THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY THERE?

AND WHEN?

SHOULD YOU AIDE WAIT UNTIL ANOTHER SURGE?

>> YOU THEY CALL AT THIS TIME FOURTH SHOT.

>> THE FOURTH SHOT.

>> THAT TIMING IS A LITTLE DIFFICULT.

I WAS TELLING PEOPLE A MONTH AGO THAT THEY PROBABLY SHOULD HOLD OFF A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE -- IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA FROM ISRAEL, THE PFIZER BOOSTER REALLY BOOSTED THE LEVEL OF IMMUNITY IN THE ANTIBODY LEVELS FOR A MONTH, AND THEN BY TWO MONTHS I HAD PRETTY MUCH FADED AWAY, AND SO I THOUGHT AT THAT POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TODAY WAIT UNTIL THE INCIDENCES OF DISEASE AT THAT POINT A MONTH OR TWO AGO WE REALLY WEREN'T SEEING THAT MUCH COVID, REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE ILL IN THE HOSPITAL, BUT WE KNEW THAT BA4 AND BA5 WERE COMING THAT WERE MORE CONTAGIOUS, WERE GOING TO CAUSE BIGGER PROBLEMS AND EVADE SOME IMMUNITY, AND SO NOW I THINK IT'S PROBABLY TIME TO GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT FIRST DOSE, ESPECIALLY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE RISK FACTORS, IF YOU'RE IMMUNOCOMPROMISED OR IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT TRAVELING.

I MEAN, THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS TO TRY NOT TO GET COVID WHEN YOU TRAVEL, NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SICK IN A FOURNIER YOU HAVE TO BE HOSPITALIZED IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO THE U.S. AND NOT BE STUCK IN ISOLATION SOMEWHERE.

>> SOME WOULD SAY JUST WAIT UNTIL THE FALL WHEN YOU'RE INDOORS MORE AND THERE COULD BE POSSIBLY ANOTHER WAVE THAT COMES THAT THAT WOULD BE THE BETTER TIMING.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S ANOTHER SORT OF INTERESTING FACTOR THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP.

WHEN ALL THIS STARTED, WE THOUGHT, OKAY, WE'RE DEALING WITH A RESPIRATORY VIRUS, RESPIRATORY VIRUS SEASON IS IN THE WINTER.

THAT'S WHEN ERROR WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR IT.

BUT COVID HAS ACTED A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN SOME OF THE OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES.

IT'S REALLY ACTED -- WE'VE SEEN THE SURGES WHEN PEOPLE GO INSIDE.

AND THAT CAN BE GOING INSIDE BECAUSE OF SUMMER IS REALLY, REALLY WHO THE AND HOT AND YOU NEED TO GET IN THE AIR CONDITIONING.

THEN WE SEE SURGES IN FLORIDA.

WE SEE A SURGE HAPPENING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'RE GOING INSIDE.

SO IT'S NO JUST REALLY RESTRICTED TO THE WINTER.

BEFORE WE WERE THINKING THAT MAYBE WE COULD GET VACCINATED IN THE FALL LIKE WE DO FOR INFLUENCE, BUT I THINK COVID-19'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT, AND WE'RE NOT SEEING IT FOLLOW NOSE EXACT THE SAME SEASONSAL PATTERNS THAT OTHER RESPIRATORY VIRUSES HAVE.

>> JUST A RULE BREAKER ISN'T IT, DR.

MESS ADDIE.

>> A LITTLE BIT.

EVERYBODY HAS BEEN SOOPED UP FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS AND SO IT'S -- WE'RE ALL EITHER -- EVERYBODY HAS BEANBAG SO EAGERLY TO GET THEIR VENES TO SEE THEIR FAMILIES AND HAVE THEIR BARBECUES AND HAVE FRIENDS OVER AND HAVE THOSE MISS BIRTHDAY PARTIES AND GO ON THAT FAMILY VACATION THAT YOU'VE BEEN PUTTING OFF FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T LEAVE.

SO WE'RE ALSO INTERMINGLING.

WE'RE CATCHING UP.

>> AND CATCHING OTHER STUFF.

>> WE'RE SHARING.

SOMETIMES SHARING IS NOT CARING.

>> SHARING IS NOT CARE.

IN THIS INSTANCE.

>> THEN THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS I THINK THE RESERVOIR FOR THESE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES ARE VERY DIFFERENT.

SO FOR INFLUENZA THE RESERVOIR -- THE REASON WHY INFLUENZA IS SEASONAL IS BECAUSE THIS REST VIR IS MIGRATING BIRDS THAT MOVE BETWEEN THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SO THIS IS WHAT THE SEESAL ALTERNATE COMES FROM.

SARS-COV-2 IS NOT A MIGRATORY BIRD.

IT'S NOT WAITING FOR THE THE WEATHER TO GET COLDER IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TO MIGRATE UP HERE.

NOW WE KNOW THAT IT CAN INFECTED ALL SORTS OF ANIMAL RESERVOIRS.

SO THE SEES SENATE, WE HAVE TO STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT IN THAT WAY.

WE HAVE DATA FOR WHY FLU IS SEASONAL AND WHY WE GET VACCINATED AT SPECIFIC TIMES OF THE YEAR HERE.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR IN AUSTRALIA IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TO ACCOUNT FOR THAT MIG GRACE PATTERN.

BUT AT THE TIME SARS-COV-2 IT'S ENDEMIC.

FIRST OF ALL, WE ARE A GREAT RESERVOIR.

WE'RE PASSING IT ON TO OTHERS.

BUT ALSO WE DON'T QUITE KNOW WHERE IT'S PERSISTING IN TERMS OF ANIMAL RESERVOIRS AROUND US.

SO I THINK WE SHOULD GET VACCINATED WHENEVER YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN AN -- IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE YOU A BUNCH PARTIES, CREWING GOING TO HAVE A BIG WEDDING, IF YOU'RE GOING TO AN AIRPLANE TRIP HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE ON AN AIRPLANE FOR 18 HOURS, DO A RISK ASSESSMENT AND EVERYBODY HAS TO DO THEIR OWN RISK ASSESSMENTS AND FIGURE OUT WHERE ARE MI RESPECTER AND WHAT IS MY RISKES SAMENT?

23 YOU'RE OVER THE ABLING OF 65, WE ALREADY KNOW PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 65 DON'T RESPOND WELL TO MOST VACCINES.

THAT'S A KNOWN FACT.

SO OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM DOES WORK QUITE AS WELL WHEN WE'RE OVER THE SAGE OF 65 SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE OTHER COMORBIDITY BUYS DIABETES, OBESITY, CHRONICLE LUNG DISEASE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE AT HIGH-RISK.

YOU DO RISK ASSESSMENTS.

FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS I WOULD SAY IF THAT WERE ME, I WOULD GET MY FOURTH DOSE AS SOON AS IT WAS AVAILABLE.

I -- BUT I AM NOT AT RISK.

I DON'T GO TO LARGE GATHERINGS.

I'M NOT LANG TO GO TO A RAVE.

THESE ARE REALLY IMPORTANT THINGS.

AND GRADUATION PARTIES.

TONS OF CASES AROUND GRADUATION BECAUSE OF ALL GRADUATION PARTIES AND EVERYBODY TRAVELED TO COME FINALLY TO GO A GRADUATION.

WE HAVEN'T HAD GRADUATIONS IN TWO YEARS.

THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE HAVE HAD GRADUATIONS.

SO PEOPLE ARE GATHERING.

THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF THINGS TOGETHER.

>> AND WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS IN SCHOOLS WHERE, YOU KNOW, KIDS HAVEN'T BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR A LONG TIME AND THEN THEY ALL OF A SUDDEN GO BACK AND THEY STAY SICK.

THEY CANNOT GET OVER WHATEVER CRUD IT IS THEY'VE GOTTEN.

>> THEY'VE BEEN PASSING ALL SORTS OF COMMON HOMESCHOOLED CHILDHOOD DISEASES BACK AND FORTH.

>> YEAH.

DR. KLEIN, I WANT TO GO TO YOU BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT ABOUT THREE MINUTES LEFT AND I KNOW IT'S HARD TO TELL THE TIME THERE.

MAYBE SOME PARTING WORDS AS WE -- I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE ENTERING A NEW PHASE.

YOU TELL ME -- OF COVID.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT AND THE BEST WAY TO PROTECT OURSELVES GOING FORWARD.

>> I THINK IT'S ALL BEEN SAID IN THE LAST HOUR.

MITIGATION, WHICH SIMPLY MEANS DOING THINGS TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.

AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM BETTER AIR CIRCULATION IN YOUR HOME TO WEARING MASKS IN YOU HAD CROWD AND CLOSED PLACES, AND ABOVE AURAL GETTING VACCINATED.

I'LL ADD TO JUST THE MOST RECENT DISCUSSION, THAT THE VACCINES WE HAVE ARE DIRECTED AT AT VIRUS THAT IN SOME WAYS HAS DISAPPEARED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

THIS HAS BUILT FOR THE ORIGINAL FORM OF OF THE VIRUS.

IN THE FALL 23 PRESUMABLY GOING TO RFP A VACCINE THAT IS BUILT TO PROTECT US AGAINST OMICRON VARIANTS, EITHER BEFORE 4 OR B5, SO WHAT I WOULD THINK IS IF YOU PLAN TO BE ACTIVE, AND IT LOOKS LIKE EVERYONE IS ACTIVE THESE DAYS BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF INFECTIONS IS SO HIGH, THAT IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO REMAIN ACTIVE, THAT YOU SHOULD GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR FIRST BOOSTER AFTER CONSULTING WITH YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR OR NURSE PRACTITIONER.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE VACCINE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE EITHER IN THE FALL OR THE EARLY WINTER IS GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY DIFFERENT VACCINE BASED ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR IMMUNIZATION THAT MAKES THESE SORT OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO ABOVE ALL, PRACTICE GOOD MITIGATION.

GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR BOOSTER IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE ACTIVE AND ABOUT, WHICH EVERYONE SEEMS TO BE ANYWAY.

AND ABOVE ALL, THINK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE FOLKS AROUND YOU AND PARTICULARLY THE ONES WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROTECT THEM.

>> I THINK THOSE ARE WISE WORDS TO END ON.

IT'S BEEN A WISE DISCUSSION.

I'VE LEARNED A LOT AND I HOPE THAT OUR US VIDEO HAVE STOOD.

THANK YOU FOR A INTERESTING AND ENGAGING CONVERSATION AND I HOPE EVERYONE HAS LEARNED A LOT ABOUT WHERE WE NEED TO GO TO PROTECT OURSELVES.

WE DO WANT TO REMIND THAT YOU CAN INJO US EACH WEEK NIGHT AT 5:30 CENTRAL FOR de DETHAT WE TALK ABOUT SUBJECTS JUST BE LOOK THIS ONE.

BE SURE TO TUNE IN FRIDAY FOR BILL BRYANT TO DISCUSS THE NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THAT'S ON "COMMENT ON KENTUCKY" FRIDAY AT 8 EASTERN.

UNTIL I SEE YOU AGAIN TAKE GOOD COMPARE AND HOPEFULLY I WILL SEE YOU TOMORROW NIGHT FOR "KENTUCKY EDITION" AT 6:30 RIGHT HERE ON KET.

TAKE GOOD CARE.