HomeMy WebLinkAbout093022 FW_ KPTZ Listener Questions for Monday October 3_ 2022 BOCC Update
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From: Lynn Sorensen
Sent: Friday, September 30, 2022 1:28:44 PM (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
To: Allison Berry; allison.berry@clallamcountywa.gov; Willie Bence; Greg Brotherton; Kate Dean; Heidi Eisenhour; jeffbocc; KPTZ VTeam
Subject: KPTZ Listener Questions for Monday October 3, 2022 BOCC Update
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County Commissioners, Dr Allison Berry, and Willie Bence,
Please see the KPTZ listener questions listed below for Monday, October 3, 2022 BOCC Update, including a question for Willie!
Thank you,
Lynn Sorensen
KPTZ Virus Watch Team
Questions for Dr Allison Berry:
1. For two healthy individuals ages 67 and 75 what in months is the recommended interval between boosters number four and five?We’ve no pre-existing conditions and, as far as we know,
have not had Covid.
We will be traveling in February to a village in Mexico where Paxlovid is currently not available. With only 300,000 doses so far purchased by the Mexican government, it’s unlikely
it will be available in February either.
We would like to take the medication with us but don’t want to show a positive Covid test to get it. What can we do?
2. I’m the one who wrote the lengthy question regarding autoimmune disorders not treated with immunosuppressive drugs. I wasn’t going to write, but I’d like to let you know. Thanks for
taking the time, I know you’re very busy.
You had encouraged me, kindly and wisely, to trust my doctor. But, it was my doctor (at JHC) who had implicitly discouraged me from getting the second booster because I had had such
severe reactions to the first three shots, and because I was at no greater risk for severe Covid than the general population. (I also have difficult to control hypertension, which I
now realize adds to the risk.)
To be clear, in no way did she say it was contraindicated to get the vaccine. I decided to get the 2nd booster after listening to you on KPTZ.
When you answered my question—that having an autoimmune condition, with drugs or not, puts one at higher risk for severe disease, that was the first time I’d heard that info. I shared
it with my doctor at my next appt and she said that at this point I was probably more informed than she!
So thank you very, very much. I will weather the storm when/if it comes after I receive the latest vaccine.
3. There are some reports that rapid antigen tests are remaining positive longer with omicron than with previous variants, with positive testing persisting for many days after symptoms
resolve and well past 10 days for some people. There also seems to be increasing concern that these positive tests reflect infectious status, not simply weak or killed virus.
Although the CDC recommendations have not changed in response to these reports, this is not particularly reassuring in light of the CDC's historic lack of nimbleness in responding during
this response.
How reasonable is it to use rapid testing as a marker for ending isolation, especially for those concerned about vulnerable family members?
Question for Willie Bence:
1. Although we had appointments at the first mass vaccination clinic, we decided to cancel those appointments and get the bivalent booster at a pharmacy where we could receive the flu
vaccine at the same time.
Is it possible to add the capacity at the mass vaccination clinics to opt for receiving both vaccines at the same time? It might help improve flu vaccine uptake if that option is available.
We were very happy with the ease and speed of our vaccine experience at the Tri-Area Pharmacy, but would love to see this option more readily available for everyone!