Brief Messages or Announcements – Page 11

Solar Eclipse in April!

We just found out there’s going to be a total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. We hope to get some solar eclipse glasses before then if they don’t run out of stock everywhere. They’re selling fast.

We’ve seen a couple of lunar eclipses and those were fun. The most recent one was during cold weather in November 2022. I had to wear a winter coat.

In Iowa City, it starts at about 1:00 PM on April 8, 2024 and runs until a little after 3:00 PM. We missed the last one in 2017. The next one visible in the U.S. won’t be until 2044. We think we better see the one next month.

Please Return to Sender

We get a lot of mail meant for somebody else. What’s up with the United States Postal Service (USPS)? It has been happening for years. What we do is identify that the mail is not for us and put it back in the mailbox for the postal delivery person to pick up. We write “Person does not live here” on the envelope.

We’re going to write “Return to Sender” on them. Maybe that’ll work.

FDA Advisory Committee to Meet in May 2024 to Discuss Updating Covid-19 Vaccine

The FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will meet on May 16, 2024 to make recommendations on Covid-19 strain selections for the fall vaccine of 2024-2025.

Well, The Times They Are A’Changing at the CDC

We just found out that the CDC is, in fact, changing their recommendations on isolation precautions and other guidance for respiratory illness. It turns out the 5 day isolation rule for a positive Covid 19 test is going away. The Respiratory Virus Guidance page has changed as of today.

Sena found out about it from an article in the Wall Street Journal. The rules for health care personnel are not the same as they are for the public. I guess the times theye are a’changing.

Rubber Snake Trick for Pesky Birds So Far

So far, the rubber snakes are not scaring off the birds. We have the telltale evidence for their continued visits to our porch.

It’s only a couple of days. We moved them around to see if that fools the birds into thinking the snakes are real.

CDC ACIP Meeting February 28-29, 2024 to Discuss Covid-19 and Other Vaccines

There are news stories about a pending CDC-ACIP meeting (February 28-29, 2024) which might include information about a CDC recommendation to possibly add a 3rd additional Covid-19 vaccine booster this spring.

The Covid-19 vaccine portion of the meeting is scheduled for February 28, 2024 at 8:30 AM EST. There will be a vote at 1:55 PM EST that day.

Interestingly, also on the agenda is a discussion about the RSV vaccine on February 29, 2024 at 8:30 AM EST. We wonder whether the committee will talk about the current requirement for a shared clinical-decision making discussion with a physician for getting the RSV vaccine.

CDC May Change the 5 Day Covid-19 Isolation Guidelines

I see many news headlines reporting that the CDC may be planning to drop the 5 day Covid-19 isolation guidelines. For now I’m taking that as a rumor until the CDC website says something official about it.

Word on the street is that we may know more in April.

Bootless II: Dr. Russell Ledet’s Story

Recall that I had been checking to see if the Distinguished Education Lecture given by Dr. Russell Ledet, MD, PhD on January 17, 2024 during the MLK Celebration of Human Rights would be available for the general public. While somebody may be working on that, I managed to find Dr. Ledet’s YouTube, entitled “Bootless II.” I think it’s a great distillation of his major theme.

“Our Hidden Conversations” Book by Michele Norris Arrived

I just started reading Michele Norris’s book, “Our Hidden Conversations.” It’s based on her Race Card Project, which has been going on for 14 years and counting. It’s about more than racism between black and white people. I’ll let you know what I think about the book from time to time.

Trips and Trip-Killers

I just read this JAMA Network article on trip-killers. It’s about using drugs to stop bad trips caused by hallucinogens.

One mentioned was ketamine. When I was working as a consultation psychiatrist, I was called occasionally to evaluate patients in recovery rooms who were delirious from the ketamine that was sometimes used by anesthesiologists.

I found a paper with a list of ketamine’s limitations, which I think is helpful.

Trips and trip-killers can cause problems.