HIV and ID Observations

December 30th, 2021

Omicron and Reduced Severity of COVID-19 — Some Good News We Desperately Need

We’ve been burned so many times making predictions about COVID-19 that I should post this conspicuously by my computer: The famous pundit meant, of course, that “you don’t know anything” — we know his true intentions since he also said “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” The “know nothing” quotation is a reminder that COVID-19 is […]

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December 20th, 2021

Believe It or Not, We Already Have a Highly Effective Outpatient Antiviral Treatment for COVID-19

And that treatment is … (drum roll) … remdesivir. Yes, you heard me right. Remdesivir, the very same antiviral with a checkered history in COVID-19 clinical trials, with some studies showing efficacy (sort of), others not much of anything. What’s the truth here? For that, let’s turn to what gets my vote for the most unheralded highly favorable […]

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December 6th, 2021

Omicron and the Quest for “Negative Capability”

Wow, that was quite the depressing post-holiday week in ID Land. For that, we can thank the new villainous variant, Omicron, which arrived ironically just as most of us here in the United States sat down to celebrate something approaching a “normal” Thanksgiving for the first time in two years. Oh yes indeed, thank you very much […]

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November 12th, 2021

Time to Simplify the COVID-19 Vaccine Policy — Authorize a Booster Dose for Anyone Who Wants One

At this point in the post-vaccine era of the pandemic, we all know people who have had COVID-19 despite being fully vaccinated. Patients, coworkers, family, friends. The reason these breakthroughs are so common is now obvious — our initial vaccine strategies did not provide durable protection against infection. And recognition of this fact prompted the FDA […]

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September 3rd, 2021

No, COVID-19 in Anti-Vaxxers Does Not Make Me Happy

High-profile people who deny the seriousness of COVID-19, or strongly oppose vaccination, also contract — and sometimes succumb — to the disease. Surprise, surprise. The list is long, but recently has included a group of well known conservative radio hosts. Broadcaster Marc Bernier from Daytona Beach, Florida, died of COVID-19 recently. Bernier called himself “Mr. Anti-Vax”, so it […]

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August 12th, 2021

Could This Be Our First Effective, Inexpensive, Widely Available Outpatient Treatment for COVID-19?

It’s fluvoxamine. This rarely used antidepressant, long off-patent, has quietly been going through high-quality clinical studies for treatment of COVID-19. It certainly won’t be endorsed or promoted by any deep-pocketed pharmaceutical company, but deserves some attention nonetheless. Here’s why I think we might finally be onto something with this “repurposed” drug, even after stumbling numerous times with […]

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August 2nd, 2021

Provincetown July Celebration a Challenging Stress Test for the COVID-19 Vaccines

When the complete history of the COVID-19 pandemic is eventually written — and boy oh boy, can’t wait for that — certain events will feature prominently as sites of notable outbreaks. The Diamond Princess cruise ship The Biogen Leadership conference The Skagit Valley Chorale practice The Sturgis motorcycle rally The Amy Coney Barrett White House reception And now: The Provincetown Independence Week celebration […]

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June 1st, 2021

We’re Allowed to Say that Some COVID-19 Vaccines Are Better than Others, Right?

Over on the CDC website, an amazing resource, there’s this statement about the COVID-19 vaccines: The best COVID-19 vaccine is the first one that is available to you. Do not wait for a specific brand. I certainly agreed with that comment back in late 2020 and early 2021, when demand for vaccines exceeded supply, and we […]

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May 25th, 2021

Yes, the Yankees Had a COVID-19 Outbreak Even Though They’re Vaccinated — Here’s Why

Hey Paul, aren’t you going to write something about the Yankees and their COVID-19 outbreak? How did this happen, aren’t they vaccinated? So asked several of my friends, family members, and colleagues — understandably. I’ve never been shy about my unabashed obsession with baseball, nor my lifelong fandom of this particular much-reviled professional team, though it […]

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April 19th, 2021

Is It Time to Eliminate Outdoor Mask Mandates?

I do the morning dog walk in our house. And every day, I put on a mask before going out, just as I have since March of last year. As the data accumulate on the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, it’s definitely time to ask this question — why am I still doing this? After all, it’s […]

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