Author: Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters: I Had COVID-19, Should I Still Get the Vaccine?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

The short answer is an emphatic yes. 100%. Absolutely.

The question has evolved into when to vaccinate after COVID-19 symptoms resolve (recommendation is 90 days) and if a second shot is even necessary if you are a COVID survivor.

Contracting COVID-19 confers natural immunity for an estimated five months at an 83% risk reduction of infection, but those numbers are highly variable depending on the severity of disease. For example, if only mild symptoms occurred during the COVID infection, then less antibodies were made and thus shorter immunity effectiveness and duration compared to the patient with more severe symptoms.

The vaccine offers superior and more predictable protection, and evens the playing field so that all recipients have a baseline expected antibody level. For those wondering, we do not know how long the vaccines provide protection, but we do know it is longer than what natural immunity offers.

So we have established that if you had COVID-19 you should get the vaccine. The next question is if a second shot is needed. A few studies published in recent weeks have suggested that one shot may build up the immune system sufficiently, even superfluously, if COVID was previously contracted.

One trend researchers have noticed is more reactogenicity — fatigue, headache, chills, fevers and muscle pain — after the first shot for COVID survivors compared to COVID-naive recipients. One recent yet-to-be peer reviewed study tries to explain this phenomenon, revealing that the antibody response to the first shot was equal to or greater than the antibody response to the second shot in COVID-naive recipients. This was also reflected in the significantly higher reactogenicity in individuals who had been infected.

Another preliminary study echoed the findings of higher antibody count after the first shot for COVID survivors. This research has led some scientists to suggest a more evidence-based approach to vaccine protocol and distribution:

  1. Only one shot is needed if previously COVID positive
  2. Patients who have had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 can be placed lower on the vaccination priority list. This in effect would increase vaccine availability to others — especially in areas of vaccine shortage — and avoid unnecessary painful side effects of a second shot.

While an evidence-based approach seems logical, modifying an FDA-approved vaccine schedule can be precarious. First, some patients with mild cases may not get the robust antibody spike on first shot like the others, so a second shot may still be necessary to achieve immunity.  Second, a COVID survivor may not have antibodies for the more contagious variants, which vaccines have effectiveness against based on some early studies.

My take would be to follow the schedule of two doses regardless of COVID history, at least for now. Making exceptions for the second shot seems too risky at this early stage of the vaccine rollout.  Moreover, the studies approved by the FDA were performed with two shots, and no studies skipping the second dose have been peer-reviewed or large scale (the studies mentioned above were between 30-100 patients — hardly large scale). Lastly, there is no known harm from taking a second shot if previously COVID positive.

To date, Arlington County has a reported 13,729 cases of known COVID-19, which is the lowest incidence among neighboring counties adjusted for population (Arlington: 5,780, Alexandria: 6,629 and Fairfax: 6,000 cases per 100,000). It is not clear how many of these Arlington COVID survivors have gotten the vaccine, but this large number underscores the importance of spreading the word that if you had COVID, a vaccine is still recommended.

Dr. George C. Hwang, known to his patients as Dr. Chaucer, is a practicing anesthesiologist who also helps to run Mind Peace Clinics in Arlington. He has written for multiple journals, textbooks and medical news outlets, and has been living in Arlington for the past 15 years.

Health Matters: What to Expect After Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Fevers. Chills. Headache. Sore arm.

All of these hit at 1 a.m. after my second Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine shot. However, it was the happiest fever, chills and headache I’d ever had, because I knew this short-lived post-vaccination ailment would protect me from severe COVID-19 illness.

Despite knowing about the side effects, I was surprised at how much they affected me and how prevalent it was with my coworkers. With several weeks of vaccinations under way, it is important to ensure everybody getting the vaccine is patently aware of the side effects in order to plan the next day accordingly and assuage the fear of the vaccine doing more harm than good.

The chart below summarizes the two vaccines currently administered in Arlington. Both Pfizer and Moderna are considered “reactogenic” in that they stimulate a strong immune response with unpleasant but temporary side effects. Moderna, despite being less efficacious (94.1% vs. 95% for Pfizer), has 3x more vaccine than Pfizer (100 micrograms vs 30 micrograms for Pfizer), which may contribute to more side effects observed.

Reactogenicity awareness is particularly important because more Arlingtonians want the vaccine than anywhere in the U.S., and as of 2/18/21, about 27,895 doses have been administered and 8,371 fully vaccinated according to the Virginia Department of Health Vaccine Dashboard.

So why does your body react this way to the vaccine?

The immediate response is from the introduction of the vaccine materials into your arm. This immediate response is courtesy of the first branch of the immune system called innate immunity, which fights anything it doesn’t recognize. As your cells take up the mRNA that encodes a version of the coronavirus’s spike protein, the innate immune system sets off alarms to recruit more immune cells to your arm, causing inflammation and soreness, which then results in more immune cell recruitment causing the bigger picture symptoms of fever and fatigue.

During this cascade of recruitment, the second, more specific branch of the immune system is activated, called adaptive immunity. The main players in adaptive immunity are B cells, which are targeted, selective assassins that create antibodies that bind to the spike protein, and T cells, which creates a cellular “wanted” poster of the infecting pathogen so that the B cells know when and where to attack.

Adaptive immunity is the fine-tuned part of the immune system that protects against COVID-19 after the second shot. When the second shot reintroduces the pathogen to the body, the adaptive immune system sends off a cytokine flurry, overlapping the reengaged innate immune response, resulting in the fever, aches and chills.

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Health Matters: I Got Vaccinated, Can I Finally Ditch the Mask?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Arlington started its vaccination efforts with healthcare workers days after the COVID vaccine was granted Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA last December.

Despite a somewhat turbulent rollout (concerns about being too slow, vaccination sites abruptly canceling appointments and line-jumping opportunists), vaccinations in Arlington are steadily rising. As a state, Virginia ranks #12 in the country with 69% of distributed vaccines administered.

As of this writing, 15,410 Arlingtonians have been vaccinated, with 2,409 being fully vaccinated. Does that mean everybody with vaccinations can finally ditch their masks? As liberating as disposing of facemasks would be, the short answer is: not yet. In fact, we shouldn’t really change much of our social distancing habits that we have honed over the year. I know, not another doctor trying to kill the feel-good buzz of a modern miracle–but hear me out. Here are 5 good reasons to keep your masks on after vaccination.

  1. You might still infect others.

It is unclear whether people who are vaccinated can get asymptomatic infections and spread it to those without the vaccine. Studies are being done in real-time to determine transmissibility of vaccinated, infected people.

  1. “Herd Immunity” takes time–and it’s not guaranteed

An estimated 60-70% of the population needs to be vaccinated before “herd immunity” could happen. Arlington currently stands at around 6.5% receiving the first vaccination, so it will take months to get near the 60-70% goal. Wearing masks will continue to help stop the spread while we get closer to that goal.

  1. COVID variants have been identified

Studies on the variants from the UK, South Africa and Brazil are happening in real-time, and initial reports from the newer vaccines show less effectiveness against the variants.

Since the variants are so new, there is no published data for Pfizer or Moderna vaccines’ effectiveness against the variants. The mutations are believed to be more infectious/transmissable, further fueling anxiety and confusion. Until we get more data on the variants, wearing masks is still important to prevent spread and further mutations. (more…)

Health Matters: Should I Get the COVID Vaccine if I Have Allergies?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

One of the hottest topics surrounding the COVID vaccine the past few days is allergic reactions, sparked by reports of two anaphylactic reactions after administration of Pfizer’s vaccine in the UK.

This has prompted many to ask the question: should I get the COVID vaccine if I have allergies? My goal is to clarify some of the warnings so people can make an informed decision. The main takeaways focus on differentiating between allergic vs. anaphylactic reactions:

  • If you have food allergies or allergies to one medicine, you do not need to avoid the Pfizer vaccine
  • If you have had anaphylactic-level reactions and normally carry an auto-injectable device with epinephrine (e.g. EpiPen), you can either wait for more data or get vaccinated in a more controlled setting like a hospital or outpatient clinic.
  • There is no virus in the vaccine, so you can not contract COVID from the vaccine

So what happened in the UK? Last week, Britain’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) was the first in the world to approve the vaccine developed by Germany’s BioNTech and Pfizer. Just this past Tuesday, Britain rolled out the Pfizer vaccine starting with the elderly and frontline workers. Two National Health Service workers developed anaphylactic reactions that were described as non life-threatening. Both recipients had a history of severe allergies and carried epinephrine pens routinely. Fortunately, both patients are recovering.

Initially, the MHRA put out a precautionary guidance stating people with a history of significant allergic reaction should not take the vaccine, which was quickly clarified to anybody with anaphylaxis to a vaccine, medicine or food. Many in the science community are concerned that this advice is too broad, particularly since there is no trace of nuts, eggs, or any food in the vaccine.

What is actually in this vaccine, and what could explain the allergic reaction? The Pfizer vaccine is based on new technology, designed to get the body to build up defenses against COVID on its own. The key ingredient in the Pfizer vaccine is messenger RNA (mRNA), which teaches the body how to fight against the proteins that help COVID-19 invade our cells. The mRNA is packaged up with salt, fats and sugar in a whitish, preservative-free solution to help make it deliverable into our muscle.

Here is a list of the components:

  • A nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (modRNA) encoding the viral spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (this is what makes the shot work, and is NOT the virus)
  • Lipids (i.e. fatty substances) including:
    • (4-hydroxybutyl)azanediyl)bis(hexane-6,1-diyl)bis(2-hexyldecanoate),
    • 2-[(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N, N-ditetradecylacetamide,
    • 1,2-distearoyl-snglycero-3-phosphocholine,
    • cholesterol
  • Potassium chloride
  • Monobasic potassium phosphate
  • Sodium chloride
  • Dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
  • Sucrose

While none of these ingredients are known to be highly allergenic, one possibility is a component found in one of the ingredients called polyethylene glycol (PEG). PEG helps stabilize the vaccine and is not in other types of vaccines.

Patients with severe allergic reaction history were excluded from the clinical trials, which is common, and helps explain why we are seeing these events show up in real-time. The good news for those predisposed to allergic reactions is that other vaccine options will become available that may avoid the allergic trigger found in the Pfizer vaccine.

Transparency during vaccine rollout is paramount to gain public trust. Events such as these two allergic reactions will help better equip patients and healthcare workers as we prepare for the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization (EAU) of the vaccine in the U.S. The COVID vaccine has a particularly big magnifying glass on it, and I think we have to resist the urge to panic or “headline react.”

There is enough mistrust in the vaccine that adding a headline to avoid the vaccine if you have a history of allergies may dissuade millions of people from getting vaccinated. Allergic reactions, and certainly anaphylactic reactions, are not something to take lightly. Fortunately, these reactions are rare and treatable in the right setting, and the benefit of protecting against COVID-19 likely outweighs the risk.

Dr. George C. Hwang, known to his patients as Dr. Chaucer, is a practicing anesthesiologist who also helps to run Mind Peace Clinics in Arlington. He has written for multiple journals, textbooks and medical news outlets, and has been living in Arlington for the past 15 years.

Health Matters: Is it Safe to Fly for the Holidays?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Holiday season is fast approaching, and millions of people are weighing the risks of air travel versus staying home. The decision is intensified by the fact that many have not seen family for almost a year, and driving long distance just isn’t an option.

While the thought of being confined in a small space with strangers for hours is daunting, recent studies have suggested that flying may not be as dangerous for COVID-19 spread as once thought, and that cabin air may in fact be cleaner than air in hospitals.

This idea that flying may be safer than the hospital or supermarket is an idea airline companies are extolling and fervently proclaiming to all willing to listen. The airline industry has been among the hardest hit by COVID, with travel dramatically declined compared to 2019.

For Reagan National and Dulles International, domestic commercial passenger activity was down nearly 80% this August compared to August 2019. The airliners message of safety seems to be resonating, as the most recent data from Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority shows that the number of domestic passengers has more than tripled at Reagan and more than doubled at Dulles, after bottoming out in April.

The airlines have put in substantial effort to research airplane safety, and perhaps the most convincing study sponsored by United Airlines was just released, albeit not peer-reviewed. Using human-like mannequins and high-tech particle counters in proximity to simulated sick passengers, researchers concluded that the risk of aerosol viral dispersion is reduced 99.7% due to high air exchange rates, HEPA-filtered recirculation and downward ventilation.

High air exchange rates means the entire volume of cabin air is replaced every three minutes, with 75% coming from outside the plane and 25% recirculated after going through HEPA filters. While ventilation system is running, air travels from the ceiling to the floor, reducing risk of horizontal transmission. In other words, risk of transmission is highest if the infected passenger is in the same row, and much lower in the rows ahead and behind.

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Health Matters: Safe Dining During Colder Weather

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Fall weather has arrived in Arlington, and colder temperatures mean more people migrating indoors to stay warm. For restaurants, cold weather presents a unique challenge since many patrons are still hesitant to dine indoors due to COVID. Restaurants are finding that they have to again adapt to ensure safety for their patrons and employees.

To preempt the “stay-in-your-laners,” I am clearly not a restaurateur. I am, however, a front line healthcare worker (HCW) and there is a surreal parallel between what I experience in the hospital and what I have seen in restaurants since reopening.

In the hospital, there are many of the familiar safety measures: masks for patients and HCW, constant cleaning of waiting, exam and operating rooms, hand sanitizers at every corner and conspicuous signage. In addition, appointments are staggered to minimize waiting room crowds, all patients are screened for COVID symptoms, temperatures are checked before entering areas with immunocompromised patients and chairs physically distanced in waiting rooms.

As an anesthesiologist taking care of COVID patients, I wear an N-95 respirator (usually a recycled one these days), eye shield, head cap, full gown and gloves. Every patient getting a procedure needs a COVID test within 5 days. If a known COVID positive patient comes for a procedure, it should be in a negative pressure room or at least have a large HEPA filter.

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Health Matters: Will You Trust a COVID-19 Vaccine?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

“A vaccine that nobody wants to take is not very useful.”

If there were a safe and effective vaccine against COVID, why wouldn’t people take it? After all, the virus has claimed 200,000 American lives, shut down schools and businesses and affected almost every aspect of our lives. The fact that scientists have been able to develop vaccine candidates in mere months after sequencing SARS-CoV-2’s genetic code is nothing short of a medical marvel. However, our country’s hyper-polarizing climate has thrust the rapid vaccine progress into the political ring, resulting in rising public distrust.

There’s a reason progress on the vaccine has been so fast. The Trump administration implemented “Operation Warp Speed” (OWS) five months ago, which aims to produce 300 million doses of vaccines by January 2021 with an approved budget of $10 billion.

So far, OWS results seem promising. There are nine vaccines in phase 3 trials, the final phase before submitting for FDA approval. For details on how clinical trial phases work click here. Frontrunners include Moderna and Pfizer, which use inactivated coronavirus fragments to induce an immune response, and AstraZeneca, which uses an adenovirus to carry coronavirus genes into cells, provoking an immune response.

Even with promising results, the public remains nervous. A new Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll showed 62% expressing concern that political pressure from Trump would force the FDA to approve a vaccine without ensuring safety and efficacy. Less than half (46%) would get vaccinated if a vaccine were approved by the FDA before the election. Another poll from STAT echoed the KFF poll, with 78% worried that vaccine approval is driven by politics more than science.

The integrity of the FDA has been put in question, catching the ire of administration, scientists and the American public. On one hand, Trump has claimed an FDA ‘deep state’ that is committed to thwart his reelection by delaying a vaccine until after the election. On the other hand, scientists and the public are increasingly skeptical of the FDA, as the agency pushed out Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for hydroxychloroquine after Trump touted it. The EUA was later rescinded.

More recently, the day after Trump called convalescent plasma a “medical breakthrough” the FDA gave plasma an EUA. It was promptly pointed out that misleading statistics overdramatized plasma’s benefit and the statement was later rescinded… via Twitter.

The mounting criticism of the FDA being controlled by the White House reached such a fever pitch that last week, in an opinion column in USA Today, eight career scientist at the FDA made a pledge that their work would continue unimpeded and independent of political influence. They stated “if the agency’s credibility is lost because of real or perceived interference, people will not rely on the agency’s safety warnings” and later adding “We and our career staff do the best by public health when we are the decision makers, arriving at those decisions based on our unbiased evaluation of the scientific evidence.”

Big Pharma is far from exempt. Many scientists say these vaccine makers need to be more transparent about how vaccine trials are run and reporting adverse events. In normal circumstances, drug companies hold clinical trial results precious in order to guard intellectual property and maintain competitive advantage. However, critics say that American taxpayers are entitled to know the details since the federal government has spent nearly $10 billion as part of OWS.

The most recent example of transparency (or perhaps lack thereof) is the incidence of a rare but lethal spinal inflammatory disorder called transverse myelitis in AstraZeneca’s Phase 3 trial, which immediately halted the trial. Trial shutdowns are common, and perhaps this instance demonstrates that drug companies are willing to slow down warp speed for the sake of patient safety. However, many are upset is that the shutdown was announced in a closed private meeting with investors and was actually leaked by STAT News.

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Health Matters: Flu Shots Critical to Attenuate ‘Twindemic’

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Despite our best efforts, SARS-CoV-2 has endured long enough to welcome influenza’s 2020-2021 campaign and there is rising concern that even a mild flu season could overload hospital systems already dealing with COVID-19.

This so-called “twindemic,” while sounding alarmist yet with rational undertones, can be attenuated by the simple preventive measure of vaccination.

To put this in perspective, influenza is historically one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States annually. The 2019-2020 flu season was mild, yet resulted in 740,000 hospitalizations and up to 62,000 deaths nationwide, 4,500 of which were in Virginia. The most recent severe flu season was 2017-18 with 810,000 hospitalizations, and the CDC estimates that vaccination prevented 7.1 million illnesses, 3.7 million medical visits, 109,000 hospitalizations, and 8,000 deaths. Even though influenza has become normalized and even trivialized to the public, the ramifications of the virus on our healthcare system are significant and we are fortunate to have vaccines that work.

Most individuals who get the flu recover without serious complications. However, pregnant women, elderly, very young and anybody with certain chronic medical conditions are more susceptible to hospitalization and death if infected. While there are no reported cases of simultaneous influenza and COVID infection, it is reasonable to infer that the consequences would be dire.

Vaccination is proven to reduce prevalence of influenza and mitigate symptoms, leading to less outpatient visits, hospitalizations and intensive care admissions. By comparison, COVID has no vaccine and has claimed more than 183,000 lives nationwide and in Arlington has resulted in 460 hospitalizations and 140 deaths in just a few months. COVID rates have trended downward in Arlington, but anything that could spike COVID or flu cases such as not-so-socially-distant maskless gatherings, rallies, protests and crowded bars could unfavorably tip the scales and overwhelm the healthcare system.

So in addition to hand washing, facemasks and social distancing, we should add getting the flu vaccine to the list of things we can do to help during the pandemic.  Seems simple enough, but proactive flu fighting presents a few big challenges.

Only 47% of Americans got the flu vaccine last year. CDC Director Robert Redfield stated in a recent WebMD interview that his goal for the upcoming flu season is 65%, and he plans to accomplish that by expediting vaccine availability (they have been available since mid August), increasing vaccine production to nearly 200 million (up from 85 million last year), and having the CDC purchase 10 million doses (up from 500,000) to give to uninsured adults.

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Health Matters: Is Science Losing in COVID Era?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

Fourteen years of school and training is needed to become a physician specializing in infectious disease. Yet when it comes to novel treatment for COVID-19, a former crack addict who has made millions selling pillows has as powerful a voice as a doctor.

The race for a cure presents both opportunities and challenges to how we evaluate novel treatments and we are witnessing how drug approval can go awry during a pandemic. As a doctor, it is frustrating and concerning to see so many Americans place their trust in politicians and entrepreneurs over evidence-based medicine. It leaves me wondering if the role of a physician, and science in general, is devalued.

In this case, without adequate scientific backing, President Trump expressed enthusiasm for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve an experimental botanical extract called oleandrin as a cure to COVID-19. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has been the biggest champion for oleandrin, stating “It’s an absolute miracle. I take it every day. I don’t get the virus. I have at least 50 to a 100 of my friends and family. Some that got it, and in two days they’re fine.” No, you’re not reading The Onion or watching a late-night infomercial starting with “from the maker of MyPillow…”

Turns out that Andrew Whitney, executive of oleandrin drug maker Phoenix Biotechnology, enlisted outspoken Trump donor Lindell, who also has financial stake in the company, to speed up approval. Lindell then got HUD Secretary Ben Carson aboard and arranged for a private meeting with Trump in July to tout how oleandrin can cure COVID.

In addition to anecdotal stories, Lindell and Whitney reference a study that suggested oleandrin can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in monkey kidney cells in vitro. However, the study was not peer reviewed, not tested on humans and one of the authors was previously a chairman of Phoenix Biotechnology’s scientific advisory board. To date, there is no peer-reviewed randomized control trial in humans showing efficacy of oleandrin against COVID-19 — it could in fact be lethal — yet members of the administration want it thrust to the masses. Perhaps more concerning than the paucity of science is how easy it was for Lindell to push this product at the highest level.

We have seen this tactic before, in which entrepreneurs push unproven products as if it were a Shark Tank sales pitch in hopes that Trump will urge FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn to expedite approval. For example, in March, Trump personally urged Hahn to authorize hydroxychloroquine for emergency treatment. The FDA obliged but later rescinded authorization after it was deemed ineffective and could actually cause serious heart arrhythmias.

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Health Matters: Depression and Anxiety Rise During COVID-19

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

The summer heat has arrived and despite holding our collective breath, the coronavirus has not miraculously disappeared. In persevering through a shutdown, a three-phase reopening, and now an emergency ordinance to limit sidewalk traffic, we have learned that we are resilient — but the cracks are starting to show in our population’s mental health.

In fact, nearly 30 percent of Americans are experiencing symptoms of clinical depression as of late July, compared to 6.6 percent last year based on a recent National Center for Health Statistics and Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. The numbers for anxiety closely mirror with 36 percent compared to 8.2 percent last year. The number of online mental health screenings has increased 400 percent. Perhaps the most alarming — albeit uncited — statistic comes from CDC director Robert Redfield, who stated that there have been far greater suicides and drug overdoses than COVID deaths among young people since the lockdown.

I have experienced this upward trend firsthand. There has been a doubling of old and new patients coming into the clinic for ketamine infusions, a relatively new FDA-approved modality used for treatment of depression and anxiety. The most commonly cited reasons I hear include: fear of getting sick, grief from sick loved ones, financial distress, loss of job, loss of community, home-life stress, and reduced access to healthcare. There is also something I call “COVID fatigue”, which is over-saturation of COVID coverage in the news and social media and includes the accompanying stress of teasing out fact from fiction. I realize the irony as I contribute another COVID article to the milieu.

How do you know if you are having depressive symptoms? The challenge is that depression and anxiety are on a spectrum, and sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint if it’s just a “bad day” or something more insidious. However, if feelings such as persistent sadness, emptiness, irritability, guilt, pessimism and emotional distancing occur for weeks and adversely affect sleep, appetite and work, then you may be dealing with pandemic-induced depression or anxiety.

There are measures you can take if you suspect you are depressed or anxious. If the symptoms are severe and debilitating, then contact your mental health professional. If suicidal, check yourself in to the hospital or at the very least call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HELLO to 741741 for the Crisis Text Line.

Here are some additional preventative measures.

Keep a schedule — This is game-changing if you have been laid off or need to take care of children. Interestingly, keeping a schedule for children has been shown to prevent childhood mood disturbances–particularly germane given full distance learning for Arlington Public Schools this fall. Creating goals that can be reasonably accomplished, such as reading a book or daily neighborhood walk, can boost dopamine in the brain and increased motivation and sense of accomplishment.

Connect with loved ones — Set time to reach out to close friends and family by phone, FaceTime or Zoom. Social connectedness is often overlooked, but is crucial in mental well-being.

Reevaluate mindset — While there are undoubtedly many negative things the pandemic has brought, it can be helpful to reframe your perspective and think of how the pandemic has been positive for you. For example, perhaps you have saved significant money from not traveling and dining out, or have gotten closer to family and friends. Doing this will also likely enhance your sense of gratitude once things normalize.

Utilize telemedicine — There is no need to feel medically stranded, as telemedicine use has increased out of necessity. Therapists and psychiatrists have pivoted to using it almost exclusively in many cases.

If your loved one is experiencing depression or anxiety, try to listen and validate the reasons for their feelings as opposed to trying to fix the situation. Let them know there is no weakness in seeking psychiatric help.

“Safer at Home” doesn’t necessarily mean it is safe to be home when it comes to mental health.  However, unlike COVID-19, there are proven ways to help prevent and treat depression and anxiety, and success starts with recognition of symptoms and seeking appropriate help.

Dr. George C. Hwang, known to his patients as Dr. Chaucer, is a practicing anesthesiologist who also helps to run Mind Peace Clinics in Arlington. He has written for multiple journals, textbooks and medical news outlets, and has been living in Arlington for the past 15 years.

Health Matters: Is It Safe to Have Elective Surgery During COVID-19?

By Dr. George Hwang

Health Matters is a biweekly opinion column. The views expressed are solely the author’s.

“It felt like they were tickling my brain.”

No, my patient wasn’t describing a complex neurosurgery. He was describing the 6-inch nasal swab used to sample his nose for COVID-19 testing, a common requirement before proceeding to surgery.

Virginia recently initiated Phase 3 reopening, and like the increasing sidewalk bustle on Wilson Boulevard, operating rooms have also been reinvigorated as elective surgeries are once again being performed. If you are like many Americans that have delayed care due to coronavirus, you may be wondering “Is it safe to have elective surgery during COVID?”

In fact, half of Americans postponed medical care due to COVID, and a third of those plan to get care in the next 3 months. Demand far exceeds supply, and some experts estimate an elective surgery backlog of up to 45 weeks in some hospitals. However, the solution isn’t as simple as booking as many elective surgeries as possible. Hospitals have to balance increasing surgery bookings to meet patient demand (and quite frankly, to stay financially afloat) while still saving capacity for a potential COVID surge. As ARLnow readers know, COVID numbers change rapidly, and presurgery protocols adapt to those fluctuations. So what can you do to proceed safely?

If you’re considering elective surgery, here are some questions you can ask your doctor that will help you make an informed decision.

How important is the surgery?

This is the single most important question. In an ideal world, patients should feel comfortable asking their surgeon and expect an honest, unbiased response. Elective does not mean “doesn’t need to be done” — it means surgery can be scheduled and oftentimes patient come from home. However, elective can become urgent, such as surgeries related to cancer treatment. I’ve seen this happen numerous times in the past several months. On the other hand, elective cases such as carpal tunnel release or cosmetics are rarely urgent.

In addition, your doctor should assess your personal risk based on your underlying health. For example, if you’ve had a recent heart attack, uncontrolled diabetes or severe lung disease, then your risk for needing the intensive care unit (ICU) after surgery is higher. Many ICUs, as seen in NYC and now Florida, need as many beds as possible during COVID spikes. In fact, some local hospitals utilize a risk-stratification calculator based on patient’s baseline health, and if the score is too high then surgery will be postponed. A high score means higher likelihood of needing that coveted ICU bed after surgery.

What is the hospital doing to make sure I don‘t get COVID?

Catching COVID while in the hospital may be the biggest source of anxiety for patients considering surgery. There are questions you can ask to assess how hospitals are reducing that risk, such as:

  • Are there adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) like N95 respirators? Supply of PPE in Arlington has been good, and yes, the stories of reprocessing N95s are true.
  • Are staff being screened or tested?
  • What’s the protocol for COVID-positive surgery patients? Are they performed and recovered in dedicated rooms?
  • Are patients being tested prior to surgery?

Do I need to get tested before surgery?

Most likely yes. There are many times I have seen patients arrive day of surgery after refusing testing, and consequently turned away. In Arlington, most operating rooms require a negative COVID test before surgery (some test day of surgery, others 3 days before). Patients are then advised to self-isolate leading up to surgery–an honor system. I’ve experienced a few speed bumps with this new workflow, most commonly delayed COVID test results. Hospitals have rapid one-hour tests, but those are ideally reserved for emergencies due to limited availability, though some use it for every elective case.

If the answer to these questions are reasonable, then elective surgery can be safe. Perhaps all this testing and precautions is overkill, but it seems healthcare associated transmission is controlled. Patients I’ve spoken to are reassured by all the measures taken to protect them before surgery, even if it means enduring a tickle in the nose.

Dr. George C. Hwang, known to his patients as Dr. Chaucer, is a practicing anesthesiologist and helps run Mind Peace Clinics in Arlington. He has written for multiple journals, textbooks and medical news outlets, and has been living in Arlington for the past 15 years.