Pulse - August 2022 - 18

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
They Are Bound to Get You
I
Elizabeth Goldstone
t's been eight days since I returned from the
East Coast after visiting family. I flew into
JFK, then navigated to the almost very tip of
Long Island in East Hampton, about two hours
out. I love the East Coast, as the foliage is beautiful,
the homes are magnificent, and the ocean
and Long Island Sound rival our Pacific Ocean.
But there is one aspect of the East Coast that I
am not as fond of, and that is the abundance of
critters just waiting to eat you alive!
I remember going out to the same area about 10 years
ago, and it was summer as well. I was in shorts the entire
time and I didn't realize that you really had to be careful
of ticks, and that most people wore pants if you were
wondering through the brush. It's odd, as in this area, it is
like being in the forest, but at the beach. You don't realize,
unless you are a native, that you need to be real careful
about all the pests that are out there just waiting to bite
you. When I returned from this trip back to California,
I was shocked to see a tick embedded behind my knee!
Luckily, I didn't have the tell-tale circle around it, but I
immediately removed it and went on doxycycline.
In my childhood, I always seemed to be the one who
got bitten by mosquitos, spiders and anything else that
was out there. I figured that there must be something
about my skin that made them favor me. Well, that did
not change on this trip. On the second day there, I was
sitting outside at various locations, and incurred at least
20 bites, or what origin I am not sure. All I know is that
they itched and hurt so bad that it was hard to sleep. The
other odd thing is that none of my relatives who live
there, were even touched. What was it about my Californian
skin that made me so tasty? Luckily, I got some
steroid cream and applied that every day for the itching.
They eventually receded, but boy oh boy, was it a massacre!
Also, it seemed to happen in that one day, and not so
much the rest of the time. I'll have to do some research
on this, as it was very strange. I am just hoping that there
is not some lingering virus that any of them passed to
me. I will be vigilant.
So, speaking of viruses, another virus finally made its
way to me on this trip, and that was Covid. I have managed
to skirt this nuisance for a good two years, even
while working, attending conferences and large meetings.
I was hoping I was one of those people who had
a natural or acquired immunity to it, but no such luck.
I had not gotten the 4th vaccine yet, but not sure that
would have kept me from getting it. I will probably do
18
so in a few months and also get my flu shot. Best to try
and avoid both in the fall. I know there has been a huge
surge all over the country, and with the amount of people
traveling maskless, the chances were much higher that
I would be exposed. It seems like everyone I know has
gotten it lately, and luckily, due to being vaccinated, have
not gotten a serious case of it. I was very fortunate to
only have lethargy and a slight case of the sniffles. In fact,
I wouldn't have even thought I had it, but I tested when
I returned, so I could go back to work feeling safe. Needless
to say, it was the bug I could not avoid. I am feeling
great now, and it is behind me.
So yes, they are bound to get you - bugs of all kinds,
viruses, and I have to say that there is a much better
chance of it on the East Coast. I still love it there, but I
will have the memory of coming home with some notso-great
souvenirs! P
Elizabeth Goldstone
Merck Animal Health * 949-379-0201
Elizabeth.goldstone@merck.com
AUGUST 2022
PULSE
Pulse - August 2022

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