LIFE IN THE TIME OF COVID The China Syndrome As I stated in last week’s column, it’s déjà vu all over again. Now the problem is new strains of COVID, which are beginning to take over in many countries including the United States. But more importantly is the rapid spread of multiple COVID sub-variants in China. Initially in response to COVID, the Chinese government came up with a zero tolerance policy. Whole cities were locked down. China developed its own…
Online home of The Freeman's Journal and Hometown Oneonta
Advertisement
COVID-19 - Page 2
Life in the Time of Covid Déjà Vu All Over Again It’s the end of the year and it’s time to reflect where we are regarding many issues. With this column principally about COVID or other viral illnesses, today we will limit ourselves to that. I really regret having to be the Grinch. The title of today’s column is a very famous statement credited to the great American philosopher Lawrence Peter Berra, who is also credited with many similar statements…
In Memoriam John Joseph Carney, Jr., 90 1932 – 2022 Oneonta – John Joseph Carney, Jr. died Wednesday December 21, 2022 from complications of Covid and dementia after a brief stay at the New York State Veterans’ Home in Oxford. He was 90. John grew up in and still held dear Hastings-on-Hudson, NY. He had fond memories of riding the trolley to and from New York City with his parents. He attended City University of New York before enlisting in…
Column by Dr. Richard Sternberg Fauci Recollected as Humble, Inclusive Dr. Anthony Fauci retires from federal service this month, leaving the National Institute of Health where he has worked for 54 years, the last 38 as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He has been an advisor to seven presidents. Until the COVID crisis, he was known primarily for his work on HIV/AIDS. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008 by president George…
Column by Richard Sternberg Why I Am Masking Up Again (and it’s Not Just COVID) It would be a safe thing to say that I was one of the strongest advocates in Central New York for masking up, having vaccinations up to date—it should be two original, at least the most recent vaccine for the Omicron variants and having been boostered for last year—avoiding crowded indoor spaces, and generally keeping your distance from other people whenever possible. When I now…
Treatments of Long COVID Explored By Richard Sternberg, M.D. As we continue into the third year of the COVID pandemic, increasing interest and concern is becoming evident by the set of symptoms called Long COVID. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definition, on their website, says that Long COVID (also known by other names) is the experiencing of symptoms following infection with the virus that causes COVID, SARS-CoV-2. Their definition does not list a specific point in time of…
Column by Richard Sternberg, M. D. Diligence Called for, Now More Than Ever Again, just when it seemed we reached the point where we can go out with people and decrease our use of masks, COVID strikes back and possibly with more virulence than previous strains. The number of new strains to consider is large. New strains include BA.5.2.6, BA.4.1.9, BE.1.2, BA.4.7, BF.13 and XBB, among others. Already BA.5 and BA.4 strains have high penetrance in the U.S. The new…
Column by Richard Sternberg COVID’S Silver Lining Sometimes, out of the worst experiences something good happens. At the end of my column on MASH last week, I mentioned that I have learned about creating family where you found it. Amazingly, because of COVID, I found my family that I wasn’t even aware of for the past 45 years. At the very beginning of the COVID epidemic in March 2020, a friend of mine from college who lived on the same…
Column by Dr. Richard Sternberg Mr. President, COVID Is NOT Over I like Joe Biden. By that I mean I like him personally. I lived in the state of Delaware, in Sussex County, the southernmost of Delaware’s three counties, between 2000 and 2008. While there are beach communities hugging its eastern Atlantic shore and a small city, Seaford, anomalously hugging its western, most land locked area, the majority of the county is rural. The area is jokingly called Lower Slower…
We’re All in This Together Grand plans and strategies. From the moment I rise ‘til I trundle off to bed, I’m generating notes, workflows, and timelines. There are people to call. Committees to fill. Problems to solve. Plans and strategies… they’re so important. Until they’re not. Last week, the tick-tock of my work-clock stopped. On Friday, I opted for a day away from City Hall. I wasn’t feeling well. But rest didn’t have its desired result and I grew increasingly…