Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Fall 2021 - 28

mEdiCal rECord FEaturE
COVID-19 Update
BCMS Best Practice Recommendations
by Michael Baxter, MD
C
ovid-19 (the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus) is a
preventable illness. Despite this we have had over 54,000
cases with more than 1,000 deaths in Berks County during
the 18-month span of the current pandemic and we continue to
have more than 100 new cases daily (142 as of 9/25/21). The highly
infectious Delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has now created
a fourth wave. After a respite earlier this summer with few cases
and a brief period with no hospitalized Covid-19 cases at Reading
Hospital or Penn State St. Joseph's, hospital admissions have soared,
including patients in the ICUs.
Once again, our colleagues and other health care staff are
overworked, stressed, and placed personally at risk. But it did not
have to be this way. The current surge is now called the " pandemic
of the unvaccinated. " While we have a safe and effective vaccine,
many in our community remain unvaccinated and at risk, including
children under 12 who have not yet been approved for a vaccine.
Even for those eligible, in Berks County we remain under the
minimum 70% fully vaccinated rate that is recommended.
While children have largely been spared the worst of the
pandemic, alarmingly this is beginning to change. According to
Dr. Jamie Chmielowski of the Reading Pediatric Group, " the Delta
variant, which is much more contagious than the original Covid
strain, is spreading rapidly among the pediatric population, many
who are unvaccinated and vulnerable. These increased case counts
are translating into higher rates of hospitalization for children. The
safest way to prevent the Delta strain is to wear your mask, wash
your hands, maintain social distancing and get your vaccine. "
The latest vaccine information continues to show that the
three currently approved vaccines in the United States are safe
and effective. As of this writing, a Pfizer booster vaccine has been
approved and recommended for everyone 65 and over and others
with immuno-compromising conditions or certain other health
problems and who have previously received a Pfizer Covid vaccine
six months previously. Other boosters will likely be forthcoming
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(Moderna and Johnson & Johnson). In addition, as noted by
Dr. Chmielowski, " the latest reports about the Pfizer vaccine for
children ages 5-11 explain that the vaccine has been found to be
safe and effective and will likely be available later this fall. "
As we continue to struggle with this virus and we experience
repeated surges when we had hoped we would have it well under
control, a most distressing fact is the amount of misinformation
and harmful recommendations that are widely disseminated even
in our own community. Unfortunately, doctors have been the
source of some of the disinformation and anti-vaccine efforts. This
has become such a national problem that the American Board of
Family Medicine, The American Board of Internal Medicine, and
the American Board of Pediatrics recently issued a joint statement
threatening disciplinary action for any of their certified physicians
shown to be promoting false Covid-19 information, particularly
regarding our current approved vaccines. (www.abim.org) As
physicians we have all been trained in the " scientific method "
and have learned that evidence-based treatments, proven through
rigorous study, have the greatest validity and value for our patients.
While evidence and therefore treatments may and do change, at any
one moment we must choose treatments with our patients that have
demonstrated efficacy with minimal harm.
It is the role of every physician and other health care
professionals to follow clinical practices based on science-based,
factual data to prevent viral spread and suppress Covid-19 in our
community. Therefore, the Berks County Medical Society has
adopted the following recommendations as expected best practice
standards of care:
1) Medical decisions and patient education efforts regarding
Covid-19 must be based on the most scientific, fact-based
data available. Misinformation will cause further harm and
serve to prolong the pandemic. Medical treatments must follow
the best available evidence-based recommendations. In particular
therapies, e.g. hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, which have
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Berks County Medical Society Medical Record Fall 2021

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