Diagnosing and Treating COVID-19
Testing: We have both PCR and rapid Antigen tests.
Vaccinations are the best defense against COVID19. Vaccines turn potentially serious illness into a cold. We offer Moderna.
Immunity after infection: See Dr Marty Makary’s WSJ Editorial. Immunity from prior infection or SARS-COV-2 T Cell Immune Response
We can test for COVID19 antibodies to detect prior infection.
Treatment: We treat each case depending on timing and symptoms and have several options: the best is early use of Regeneron (monoclonal antibodies). We may use Budesonide and Dexamethasone, and home oxygen depending on timing and severity of symptoms. Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, and Ivermectin have little impact on newer variants like Delta.
Long-Haulers and Complications: COVID19 can cause a variety of longer term complications, and we evaluate each person carefully to customize treatment to return to normal.
Vaccine Controversies: There is a lot of misinformation. ZDoggMD.com has several excellent videos and Vaccine Details from CHOP. In healthcare, the benefits obviously outweigh remote risks. There are rare side effects, but they do not cause sterilization, spread of spike proteins, or allow tracking (cell phones do that already.) There are many discredited theories, antibody dependent enhancement or spike protein shedding, that use a little science to intentionally cause confusion and put people at risk. There are no surges of COVID in vaccinated populations; COVID cases have dropped dramatically.
Ivermectin is not a substitute for vaccines. We see frequent treatment failure against the newer strains such as Delta. Also, even FLCCC encourages vaccinations and ivermectin only as a bridge. High dose and long term use side effects are unknown and there rare reports of neurologic side effects.
Research starting with SARS in 2002-3 has shown Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine competitively inhibit COVID19 from getting into our cells and further hinders viral replication (multiplying). Hydroxychloroquine is one of the drugs that helps Zinc get into the cell. The three work together by hindering COVID19 virus. Newer strains of COVID19, however, are more adherent to ACE2 receptors and appear no longer effectively hindered by earlier drugs.
This link provides a summary of current understanding of COVID19 – Features, Evaluation and Treatment of COVID19
Bradykinin hypothesis – The virus attaches onto a receptor called ACE2 to get into our cells then hijack our proteins to reproduce itself. ACE2 helps control our blood pressure and we have more as we age, which is why children are rarely ill. Link below explains in more details the symptoms caused by dysregulation of ACE2 and Bradykinin secreting hyaluronic acid in lungs
What makes COVID-19 so hard to kill?
Unlike antibiotics that actually kill bacteria, only an individual’s white blood cells can kill the virus (Antibodies are critical component, called IgM and IgG). We treat COVID19 using medications to hinder viral growth and respiratory support until the body can get ahead of and then clear the viral load. All therapies are designed to hinder viral growth and help us survive long enough to clear the virus. This is challenging for older patients, poor immunity (HIV, chemotherapy, etc.), or lung disease. Simple soap destroys the viral capsules outside the body and is why we wash everything.
Similarly to Tamiflu or Xofluza for influenza, the earlier we treat the better.
Checkout the Research
A fundamental principle of medical research ethics is to stop a trial early if there is harm to patients and not withhold treatment if there is benefit. The term in the press “unproven” is misleading. Nothing is “proven” in medicine, only the amount of evidence that supports or opposes a therapy. The principle of do no harm to an individual is more important than any specific research methodology.
- Early Out-Patient SARS-CoV-2 Treatment Protocols. December 2020
- C19Study.com provides a catalog of studies showing benefits of early treatment. Summary of research.
- Bradykinin Hypothesis – Disregulation of ACE2 and Bradykinin explains most COVID19 symptoms.
- Features, Evaluation and Treatment of COVID19 August 2020