MAY 28, 2020 THE VIRUS IS NOT TIRED

I saw a FaceBook post that said, “ Even though I’m positive for antibodies... when I venture out, I’m still conscious of being safe. Take nothing for granted .” This is a well informed smart individual. The post then reads ‘ We have entered the most dangerous part of this pandemic. We are all tired of physical isolation, The virus is not tired.

This is so true. Although for the last two days the number of deaths in NYC has been 73 and 74, we are far from over. While we NYers have flattened the curse and hospital admissions, ventilator use, and number of COVID deaths in New York City are declining- we are not done and the virus doesn’t sleep. Just look at the other states where there are increasing numbers and deaths. Twenty states posted increases in new cases for the week ending May 24th As isolation dwindles and phases begin to open — we will see another peak. This is for certain .

As a physician who volunteered I want to acknowledge our health care workers as 62,000 physicians , nurses and other health care workers have COVID 19 and at least 291 have died. This is tragic.

The CDC is warning individuals that positive results on the current antibody testing are wrong over half the time. This is why this FaceBook post was important - despite being positive - still be protected, and be safe. Some countries are limiting health care workers among COVID 19 patients as we cannot afford more deaths among our front line health care workers.

Be smart … Wear a mask, use gloves when necessary and continually isolate as your city is starting to open up. Do not be part of the second wave of cases

Until tomorrow…

MAY 27, 2020 ANTIBODY TESTING

The corona virus antibody testing may not be as reliable as we thought. The CDC says the test to determine if people have immunity to CPOVID 19 might be wrong in 50 % of the cases. This is dangerous. If a pers9n gets a test and is false positive, the person will think they are immune to COVID 19 and they are not Therefore they could get the infection. The CDC states the test should not be used in policy decision making when people should return to work.

With this inaccuracy the test should not be used at all. We are the United States- let’s get our act together. There is a difference in quantitative and qualitative testing. The lab BioTek which I believe is the most accurate for Ig G and IgM testing was not allowed to be done in the state of New York. Recently with persistence of the lab and the NYS government it can be used in New York

I am proud to announce I will be doing this test in my New York Office starting June 1st This is the same test I used in my CT office. I had patients drive to CT to get the test at the beginning of the pandemic.

The government needs to focus on antibody testing. There are many tests out there as discussed above . Our NYC office at 115 East 57th Street SUITE 1510 now has IgG & IgM COVID-19 Antibody testing available. BioTek is using and FDA authorized test with a specificity of 97.5% and a sensitivity of 95.6%. This test differs from the nasal swab, which only looks at active infections. While this is a new test, and we are learning more every day, antibody testing for viral infections can help identify both active and past infections. We are seeing more and more individuals who have had past infections with mild or no symptoms. Having a past infection can potentially mean one has some level of immunity now. Some patients who are IgG positive are asymptomatic never even had COVID symptoms.
Think you were exposed to COVID-19 or got sick months ago? You might be a good candidate for this test. Please contact our office at 212 421 3202 717-1339 or assistance@fratellonemedical.com to schedule your blood draw. The test costs $175 up front. We will provide a copy of this bill. We are being told insurances will reimburse for the testing. We are spacing patients out, to minimize any contact when entering our office. We ask that patients wear masks, and gloves if you have as well.

Until tomorrow…

MAY 25, 2020 WHEN DO WE END QUARANTINE

I have lived in New York City for most of my life. I have lived through the AIDS epidemic and the loss of lives. I have lived through 9/11 and the loss of lives. And now I am living through the COVID pandemic and the loss of lives. I have volunteered during this crisis. I have watched New Yorkers die. I have lost patients to COVID. On my trips into New York City from Connecticut to volunteer I have seen empty streets, and empty lives.

I recently read an article by James Marcus. I read it carefully and was sad when I finished. He is right. Enough is enough. We have followed all the recommendations and restrictions. We have social distanced as we were told. We flattened the curve. I am in awe of the job Governor Cuomo has done. Now it needs to end. We are following his phases.

YOU MUST WEAR A MASK. FOLLOW THE REQUIRED RECOMMENDATIONS

Yet New York City is dying . There are starving New Yorkers waiting on food lines. There are businesses closing. I had to move my medical practice as I can no longer afford the previous rent. Some businesses cannot re open despite loans they have generously received. There is no social life anymore in a city that was the most vibrant.

We are the most diverse city in the United States. Our people came together after 9/11 in a way that to this day I am proud to be a resident of New York City. It is time to that again. WE must open now.

Until tomorrow…

MAY 22-24, 2020 BILL GATES IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM

There are some people that help our world. I thought Bill Gates and his wife were those individuals. In the last one year I have been reading a lot of his involvement in an immunization program. As far as I know Bill Gates is NOT a medical professional. He intends to vaccinate the global population against COVID 19, and then track and monitor each one through digital surveillance. His wealth has gained input in every corner of medical research, public health and vaccinations. How did this happen? Is it all because of his wealth. Does he have a master plan that we are unaware of !

He is not a doctor, nor an epidemiologist or infectious disease expert. Yet he is the central figure to billions of people and getting too involved in vaccination of the world in getting back to work.

I remember the name Bill Gates when discussing the United States vs. Microsoft and that company breeching anti trust laws with Windows 98. To me he is baffling, coy and cunning. I remember seeing that he gets a pie in the face in Brussels. Look at where he is today Far from a pie in the face

.He is hailed a visionary and using his wealth and power for the greater good of humanity Do you believe that I am unsure at this point when I hear him discuss global vaccination. Ellen DeGeneres hails him as the richest and most generous men in the world. I thought that also. Why was there a conference in the Fall 2019 of a corona pandemic when it had not even begun What did he know about this?

I think every person should know about him . He followed Rockefeller’s dream and philanthropist ideals and surpassed it with the Bill and Melissa Gates Foundation. I am not saying he is a bad person, but a man who needs to be carefully looked at in all aspects of his life

Until tomorrow…

MAY 21, 2020 COVID SYMPTOMS

It is not over. . The number of confirmed cases worldwide has passed the 5 million mark. Health officials believe this is an underestimate and the number is higher. I totally agree. How we count cases is now being studied

There will be a second wave in infections as we rapidly open different states with the US. Other countries are cautiously reopening. Summer travel could cause another wave of infections.

There are other COVID symptoms other than cough, fever , headaches and muscle aches. There are skin rashes, diarrhea, and some kidney abnormalities. There are clotting problems which I saw within the hospital setting that cannot be explained. We usually do not see other respiratory viruses spread to other organs as COVID 19 has. This is the question I discuss and write about time and time again. Why ?

These types of symptoms caused by COVID need to be studied rigorously The skin rashes could either be the actual virus in the skin or a manifestation of the immune system reacting to the virus. I believe the latter. I also believe that these immune reaction and a cytokine storm is what is causing the clotting resulting in heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease with the loss of limbs.

I would hope in the coming months that this could be researched and solved.

More to be revealed.

Until tomorrow…

MAY 20, 2020 QUARANTINE OR NOT ?

I have been reading a lot in the last few weeks. Are we following the science? I am not sure. We are studying the disease around us and making conclusions. Some statements do not make sense. The President unleashes hydroxychloroquine as the cure weeks ago. The data doesn’t support this medication fully. Then nothing about it on the news. But then 3 days ago he announces he is negative for COVID but talking hydroxychloroquine. We have focused on COVID so much that we can’t forget heart disease, hypertension and cancer.

We have instilled so much fear into patients that other patients with other diseases are afraid to see their doctors and even go to the hospitals. n some areas of the USA we have let go staff at hospitals as the numbers don’t warrant the staff. Yet in places like my hometown, New York City we still have maximal staff in hospitals. Two months ago we shut down travel and started to quarantine. Yet we quarantined the healthy whereas in other diseases at other times we quarantined the ‘sick’

At the beginning of the epidemic there were millions of predicted cases and even death That is not materializing. For example in California: There were about 280,900 test performed. There are 33,865 cases. That is 12% This does not add up to what we initially thought. I feel if we did this for every state, you would see the same results. Yes COVID is here . It is here to stay for a while. This is the new normal as I hear people say. There are 1,270 deaths in California with a 0.03% chance of dying in California Does this necessitate sheltering and quarantining. I honestly don’t know anymore It would say ‘ No’ So perhaps letting down ‘ shut down’ is the way to go. Does all this necessitate not going to work and shutting down the medical health care system

There are many unanswered questions. I propose all this to educate I propose all this to make you think, ponder and reason.

Until tomorrow…

MAY 19, 2020 SO MUCH MORE THAN A RESPIRATORY VIRUS

As this pandemic spreads around the world, we still will have peaks and valleys in the United States. As stated this will occur as “we” begin to open to normalcy. It is more than the common cold as I have seen. It is a pathogen capable of destroying the body and causing death. This “ supposed” virus can cause multi organ system failure. The inflammation depending on the patient’s immune status and their genetics render the blood cells more prone to clumping. This leads to clots literally all over the body. The body cannot then dissolve these clots. Sometimes the medications used to dissolve clots aren’t enough. This leads to strokes, myocardial infarction, loss of limbs and even death

As I have been saying - ‘ a normal respiratory virus’ does not cause this. Why is this corona 19 virus so virulent ? Was it manipulated with in a lab?

In children , the inflammation of the blood vessels triggers excessive immune activation that can lead to death. This is seen in a children’s disorder known as Kawasaki disease. If you recall at the beginning of the pandemic, the public was told it does not affect children. This is madness. I feel we do not have a hold on the implications of this virus.

I have seen intravenous vitamin C and IV gluthathione used for similar illnesses be helpful in this corona epidemic. Studies need to be done on natural IV solutions that can be helpful.

Until tomorrow…

MAY 18, 2020 COVID 19 UPDATE

I am 10 day without volunteering in a hospital. I am doing this to be 14 day free so I can possibly see my grandson. I continually FaceTime. How will I explain this to him in years to come. How will be explain any of this ?

Currently there are 1,390,764 cases in the US This is about 20,000 higher than last week . The deaths are up 1,800 from last week now totally 84,136

The drugstore CVS said recently that it is opening 50 drive through testing sites in 5 states, and 1,000 across the country by end of May. Where are we with testing in NYC?

I have to say I believe that this isn’t going away anytime soon. This is the new NORM. Wearing a mask whether you believe it works or not must be done. This COVID 19 virus may just become another endemic virus in our communities, and it will never go away ( at least anytime soon )

There now many articles appearing on line about tracking those that have the virus. I have mixed opinions about this. I recently read that cats can transfer the virus to other cats. The question is can cats transfer this virus to humans

Until tomorrow…