Lisa R Butler D.O. / Integrative Osteopathy

Time to break out the bug spray.

First Positive West Nile Virus Mosquitoes Found in Larimer County (Health) The first positive West Nile virus mosquitoes have been found in Larimer County this year. Positive mosquitoes were found in southeast Fort Collins. No human cases have been reported in Colorado so far this year. Mosquito numbers are abundant in many areas of the County. It is a good time to remind....

How good is the good news of the COVID vaccines?

Oh boy, aren’t we all relieved to hear all the experts gushing that the COVID vaccines are > 90% efficacious. Don’t you just feel like you can almost hear the superheroes’ capes flapping in the breeze as the credits roll!

While this is good news, how good it is depends on what your definition of “is” is. Just what IS efficacious?

Let’s cut to the chase and start with what it ISN’T. It ISN’T prevention of COVID nor is it prevention of transmission of COVID. So it doesn’t mean you can take off your mask and have a house party.

Efficacy in this case is the prevention of SYMPTOMS of COVID. So why is this cause for celebration? Well, no symptoms means no hospitalization and no dying… at least for a lot less people.

What we don’t know is whether prevention of symptoms in vaccinated people means asymptomatic spreading. WEAR YOUR MASK. The way the studies are being conducted, we don’t have any clue who is infected except those with symptoms because only those with symptoms are tested.

How about safety? Well, a lack of adverse reactions is a lack of adverse reactions, so that’s good. We do know everything about COVID and probably the vaccine acts differently in different age groups. Most of the study participants are between the ages of 16 and 55 – all in Pfizer’s study and all but about 8000 in Moderna’s. Moderna DID include about 8000 participants over 65 so we will have at least some idea about side effects in these people.

Just remember when the news is reporting that the vaccine is efficacious in stopping COVID it isn’t. It’s efficacious in stopping symptoms. Which, by the way, is the same for the flu vaccine. It doesn’t necessarily stop you from getting the flu, it stops you from getting the flu as badly and it’s often 50% efficacious or less. So, 90% is indeed good news.

This study details the effectiveness of a number of kinds of masks. As we go into ski season this winter, keep in mind that they found fleece is virtually useless as a mask. So that balaclava won't protect anyone. Buffs aren't much better. Take a look.

Low-cost measurement of facemask efficacy for filtering expelled droplets during speech Mandates for mask use in public during the recent COVID-19 pandemic, worsened by global shortage of commercial supplies, have led to widespread use of homemade masks and mask alternatives. It is assumed that wearing such masks reduces the likelihood for an infected person to spread the disease, but....

Applies to kids on the spectrum as well.

Study: ADHD, Diet, Exercise, Screen Time All Directly or Indirectly Impact Sleep A child with ADHD is more likely to experience sleep problems, in part because ADHD symptoms influence diet and physical activity — two factors that directly impact sleep. This finding comes from a new study that also shows how screen time impacts exercise, which in turn impacts sleep. Understandi...