Dr. Steven Bishop returned to PartnerMD Live on Wednesday, April 15, with another COVID-19 update, specifically discussing when we might reach the peak of the pandemic according to the latest models from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, the new model for Virginia from UVA, antibody testing, and more. Dr. Bishop also answered many questions, including:
- Will the vaccine need to be a yearly vaccine or a one-time vaccine? We don't know yet. The latest evidence shows this virus does not mutate rapidly, which would typically indicate a one-time vaccine might be effective. But we just don't know at this point.
- Are there medications being used locally that can help with recovery from the virus? A lot of hospitals and physicians are using drugs such as hydroxychloroquine or antibiotics in some patients. We don't know if this is truly effective, but there are a lot of trials all over the world. Some folks are also using high-dose zinc and high-dose vitamin C to help with recovery, but we also don't know for sure if those work either.
- How are patients with asthma doing when they get infected? Patients with any kind of underlying lung illness, including asthma, are not doing as well as those without an underlying issue.
- What is the estimate of the percent of the population that will get the virus? It will depend a lot on how fast we get a vaccine. There are two public health terms you will hear — containment and mitigation. We are out of containment and in mitigation. The primary purpose of mitigation is to prevent our healthcare system, i.e. hospitals, from being overrun at the same time. But, barring a vaccine, most people will probably get exposed to this in one form or another. Just like if we didn't have a flu vaccine, many more people would get the flu each year.
- What is being said around the medical community about post-COVID mental health? It is something we are all worried about. Whenever we go through any kind of crisis, the risk of mental health problems escalates. It's important for everyone to know that if you are feeling depressed, anxious, scared, whatever, reach out to your doctor or call a national hotline. It's normal, and we are here to help.
Steve E. Bishop, M.D.
As a board-certified internist and concierge doctor in Richmond, VA, Dr. Steven Bishop is passionate about helping his patients improve their lives through better health. He helps healthy adults adjust their lifestyles as they age and helps patients with complex medical diseases manage and improve their health.
