Fall and COVID-19
Autumn is my favorite season…it must be the Midwesterner in me. I absolutely love watching the leaves change, feeling the crispness in the air and diving headfirst into my fuzzy sweaters.
As the nights get colder, my family and I are enjoying our back yard, social distanced dinner gatherings seated near our propane fire pit, wrapped in cozy blankets. One thing quarantine has gifted me is a deep appreciation for the connections I share with close friends and family.
For me, another unexpected gift of coronavirus and quarantine has been the unique opportunity to attend two medical conferences since September without the added expense of travel and hotel cost!!
It should come as no surprise that COVID was a dominating topic in both.
One of the things I learned that I wanted to share was some insight into the strange behavior of this virus and what it could mean to this community.
Although COVID is primarily seen as a respiratory illness, it shares many unexpected similarities to other chronic diseases including Lyme disease and mold illness/chronic inflammatory response syndrome. One of these startling similarities is how it can lead to what is called “long-hauler’s” syndrome. Long-haulers syndrome is when someone experiences significant lingering symptoms long after the virus has resolved. Sound familiar?
Keep reading to find out what I learned about the connection between Lyme, mold and COVID-19!
Also, check out the frequently asked questions section and get connected with the latest, up to date answers to some of the questions we get from our patients, friends and family.
Best,
Dr. Amy
Pets in the Time of COVID-19
It’s no secret that pets can be highly beneficial in times of stress. During COVID-19 this is especially true. From unconditional love and companionship, to helping us stick to our daily routines, pets can play a vital role in our mental wellness. But are they safe? In a word, yes.
According to the American Red Cross, there is no evidence of COVID-19 transmittal from pets to humans. There is, however, a remote potential that the virus may be spread from humans to certain animals, including domestic cats and dogs. For this reason it’s important to keep your pets safe, especially should you become infected. Both the American Red Cross and the CDC have detailed information on this topic.
American Red Cross
CDC
Chronic Lyme disease, CIRS illness and COVID-19: What’s the connection?
1. What do these diseases have in common?
- Both Lyme and COVID came from an animal reservoir, called zoonotic disease.
- Both Lyme and COVID create complex immune responses in their hosts and are associated with cytokine storm
- CIRS and mycotoxin related disease similarly affects the immune system, and is associated with elevated cytokine levels
- All show a spectrum of presentation in different patients
- All are multi system diseases, affecting different organs, not just the lungs
- All present with common symptoms of fatigue, body aches, brain fog, as well as other mental and neurologic manifestations
- We are now seeing that some COVID infected people, referred to as long-haulers, can go on to suffer chronic symptoms after disease resolution. Like in Lyme, there is confusion as to whether this represents reinfection with the virus, or a reactivation syndrome
2. COVID, chronic Lyme disease, and CIRS all interact with the immune system by turning down one part of the immune system called the adaptive immune system, while turning up the innate immune system flooding the body with inflammation
3. The chronic inflammatory state created by these disease taxes the immune system, exhausting the body of anti-oxidant nutrients needed to protect against infection
4. Finally you are left with a immune system that is less prepared to fight off other infections, like viruses
One advantage that chronic Lyme and mold sufferers have in common is a deep understanding of their bodies and its wisdom. We also understand the importance of supporting our bodies through good nutrition, supplementation and reducing stress.
Many of the same supplements that people take to treat Lyme and mold are the very same supplements we recommend for supporting and treating the symptoms of coronavirus.
Click here to see our doctors’ recommendations for supporting the immune system.
Even in the uncertainty that this virus evokes, it is possible to support your immune system, engage in healthy lifestyle habits and fostering joy and opportunities to connect to others and ourselves and build resilience.
Don’t forget, during the fall and winter month’s cold viruses, influenza as well as COVID may be spread. Protect yourself and your family by:
- Wearing masks
- Practice social distancing
- Wash up!
One advantage that chronic Lyme and mold sufferers have in common is a deep understanding of their bodies and its wisdom. We also understand the importance of supporting our bodies through good nutrition, supplementation and reducing stress.
Many of the same supplements that people take to treat Lyme and mold are the very same supplements we recommend for supporting and treating the symptoms of coronavirus.
Click here to see our doctors’ recommendations for supporting the immune system.
Even in the uncertainty that this virus evokes, it is possible to support your immune system, engage in healthy lifestyle habits and fostering joy and opportunities to connect to others and ourselves and build resilience.
Don’t forget, during the fall and winter month’s cold viruses, influenza as well as COVID may be spread. Protect yourself and your family by:
- Wearing masks
- Practice social distancing
- Wash up!
Frequently Asked Questions — COVID-19
- The CDC rates types of family gatherings with their associated risks.
- Refer to the CDC website for their recommendations on travel during COVID.
- You can check the CDC website for their recommendations about who should get the flu shot.
- Dr.’s Fox and Reidhead prefer to discuss the pros and cons of the flu shot with their patients personally.
- Take a look at what CDC has to say.
- ColoradoDepartment of health map showing most common outbreak locations.
- CNN recently published COVID -19 tracking across states.
- Risk vs Reward: Which activities are worth it, and which aren’t during a pandemic?
What to do after you’ve been sick.
- CDC recommends quarantining for 10 days after first signs of COVID-19 or after testing positive for the virus.
- See the CDC’s full recommendations here.
- We think the best recommendation is to check with your doctor before leaving quarantine.
- Currently the CDC does not require a negative COVID test to resume normal activity given you meet the criteria stated above.
- But this is tricky. Your doctor may recommend that you test negative for COVID-19 before resuming normal activity.
- Also, many jobs may require that you test negative before returning to work, so check with your employer.
- An early study done in monkeys showed that prior infection likely means you would have some immunity for a time.
- A study from South Korea that was done in humans back in May and also showed immunity for a time is likely.
- No one knows for sure whether those clinicians reporting patients with reinfections with the virus are separate infections or a reactivation similar to chicken pox and shingles.
- Just how long you could be protected, no one knows for sure yet.
References
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.25945
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7172740/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7242962/
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2014.00196/full
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23089304/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3353819/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2278610/
https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/ajrccm.184.5.621a
https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms11624
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16237958/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6406309/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9006907/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9701160/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17344507/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15451058/
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30628-0/fulltext
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30183-5/fulltext
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7104082/
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