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COVID Update: The CDC Strikes (Idiotically) Again, Excess Deaths, and a Ray of Hope.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Oct 22, 2020
5 min

COVID Update: The CDC Strikes (Idiotically) Again, Excess Deaths, and a Ray of Hope.

The CDC came out yesterday with an update of their definition of what defines a "close contact": https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6943e1.htm Old definition: Being within 6 feet of an infected person for 15 minutes or more. New definition: Being within 6 feet of an infected person or persons for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24 hour period. This update was due to a corrections officer testing positive for COVID-19 after spending a cumulative total of

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COVID Update: NYC & The World, Flu Shot & Co-Infection Concerns, Reinfection with Possibility of ADE

Manoj Dalmia MD

Oct 14, 2020
6 min

COVID Update: NYC & The World, Flu Shot & Co-Infection Concerns, Reinfection with Possibility of ADE

There has - rightfully - been a lot of focus on the upcoming election, but I figured an update is overdue. And I feel good after I was able to see my family, allow myself some mental health restoration, and have continued to be asymptomatic and COVID negative 5 out of 5 times I have been tested (all precautionary) by continuing to follow common-sense precautions as well as science. Now after scaring myself silly by watching Evil (highly recommend) and starting The Haunting of

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Is it Social or ANTI-Social Responsibility? Balance, NOT Judgment, is Key.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Sep 2, 2020
4 min

Is it Social or ANTI-Social Responsibility? Balance, NOT Judgment, is Key.

I am WELL-aware I am not perfect; in fact, far from it. But you know what? Neither is anyone else, which is one of the very few certainties in life. And thankfully, all those remaining uncertainties are what make life so interesting and relationships so compelling and experiences so worth experiencing. As a human, I strive for empathy, compassion, and understanding first and foremost, not judgment. I believe a physician cannot be the healer s/he claims to be unless s/he has a

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Comorbidities & COVID: Nothing New, People. Once. Again.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 31, 2020
4 min

Comorbidities & COVID: Nothing New, People. Once. Again.

For the love of all that is good in this world, can people STOP trying to dig and twist and find new ways to try and undermine the severity of this pandemic?? And for those of you who are innocent and just trying to understand what the hell is going on, I am here for you ❤. Remember when people freaked out because they thought the CDC had changed their stance on the impact of surface spread of COVID when NOTHING HAD CHANGED regarding their recommendations? Well here is yet an

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Abbott's New Rapid Test: Let's Pump the Brakes a Bit on the Excitement.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 29, 2020
4 min

Abbott's New Rapid Test: Let's Pump the Brakes a Bit on the Excitement.

I have seen frequently on my social media feed the excitement surrounding Abbott's new rapid test. And clearly the markets agreed, as Abbott's stock increased by 8% as a result. So is the Abbott rapid test the answer to cure the huge backlog in cases and usher us into an era where we can safely gather once again in large groups, such as work, school, or sporting events? Based on what I have read and my understanding of the Abbott rapid test itself, I am skeptical. And I wan

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CDC Guidelines Gone Wrong... AGAIN.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 28, 2020
2 min

CDC Guidelines Gone Wrong... AGAIN.

The CDC has updated their guidelines for the public throughout this pandemic, and I think most of us can agree their recommendations have been, at their best, “uneven". And at their worst, unmitigated disasters. The most recent guidelines regarding COVID-19 testing were finalized while Dr. Fauci was under general anesthesia. I mean... I just can’t. Yet it was announced these new guidelines were approved by all members of the COVID-19 Task Force, INCLUDING Dr. Fauci. Appare

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Flu and COVID: Hope for this Upcoming Flu Season?

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 22, 2020
3 min

Flu and COVID: Hope for this Upcoming Flu Season?

You have probably read or heard the following regarding COVID multiple times, including this snippet from the CDCs official website about spread: Person to Person "People with COVID can spread it to others up to about 6 feet away. Most experts think that coronaviruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with COVID cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person mi

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COVID and Long-Term Disability Insurance.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 19, 2020
3 min

COVID and Long-Term Disability Insurance.

A slightly more practical post for today. One thing I highly recommend and have discussed with my residents, other attendings, and even some non-medical friends is the importance of obtaining an individual long-term disability (LTD) policy to protect yourself financially should you become disabled. One SEPARATE from work. Not necessarily a sexy topic, but one I feel strongly about. Especially now. LTD is a form of income replacement insurance that can protect you from financi

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Immunity and Tongue Piercings. Yes.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 17, 2020
3 min

Immunity and Tongue Piercings. Yes.

Back in college, I used to have 3 piercings: Left ear cartilage Left eyebrow Tongue. For reals. I considered additional piercings - those were NSFW - but was talked out of them by, uhhhh, "concerned" friends. My tongue piercing was the last to go, and it generated the most "effusive" of reactions from my parents, the dean of med school admissions at Emory, and my small group physician leader at Michigan when I was chosen as the subject of how to perform a proper oral exam. At

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Scott Atlas Shrugged: A Dystopian Reality

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 13, 2020
2 min

Scott Atlas Shrugged: A Dystopian Reality

We are living in a country that continues to deteriorate more and more into, and eerily feels like, the dystopian society depicted by Ayn Rand. Scott Atlas Shrugged, anyone? No, I never read Atlas Shrugged or The Fountainhead. But I have read enough about Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism to be chilled by the similarities. The continued firing, displacement, or undermining of expertise in this administration continues to amaze me. And scare the shit out of me. With that as

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Please Stop and Reflect On Your Own Shittiness as a Human Being.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 8, 2020
7 min

Please Stop and Reflect On Your Own Shittiness as a Human Being.

Please people, stop being shitty human beings to one another. And yes, this is likely to be another TL;DR post for some, but I do not really care. Case in point: a friend of mine in Las Vegas texted me yesterday, upset. She is a small business owner and owns a boba (bubble tea) store. She is a staunch enforcer of masks in her place of business, even before the city mandated them. She cares about her employees and patrons well-being and has made it clear to her employees there

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As the Beirut Explosion Demonstrated, It Is NOT What It Is.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Aug 6, 2020
2 min

As the Beirut Explosion Demonstrated, It Is NOT What It Is.

"It is what it is." Imagine if, as your physician, I told you, yes, your loved one died, but we tried our best so "it is what it is". Imagine that. And tell me you would be okay with it. If so, respond with a comment below. And I will be sure to contact any of my friends who are healthcare workers in your city to look out for your family members in case they get admitted to the hospital and die. So they can just say to your family, "hey, it is what it is". Lol. Just kidding.

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Stella Immanuel: Licensed DOES NOT EQUAL Qualified.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jul 31, 2020
5 min

Stella Immanuel: Licensed DOES NOT EQUAL Qualified.

If you are part of the TL;DR crowd, then 🤷🏽‍♂️. If not, here are some of my - knowingly unsolicited - thoughts: People do not want to put in the work for many things in life because, well, people expect immediate results without doing anything to actually, you know, EARN those results. "Follow this 10 step plan and you'll get rich - GUARANTEED!" "This pill will SHED off the pounds without needing to exercise! Look at all of our success stories!" "There is a CURE for COVID.

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Science Works.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jul 26, 2020
1 min

Science Works.

New York State has an overall 1% daily positive test rate for COVID-19. New York City, one of the DENSEST cities in the country, sits around 1.2%. It went from the epicenter of the pandemic to one of its star pupils. And not by a roll of the dice either. It's called believing in science. Other states should want to mimic smart public health policy. Not shun it. Nor politicize it. Now dreaming the world will reopen its borders to just those of us whose primary residence is in

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The World is Insane.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jul 15, 2020
2 min

The World is Insane.

I am so tired. For days now, I have been trying to write something, anything. I have drafted multiple posts. But each time I neared completion, I just have not felt good about posting any of them. Each time I started one, I thought, "yes, this may change some minds about COVID". But as I continued to write, my enthusiasm for that particular post would fade. I have tried to be rational with doses of emotion whenever I have written something. But the emotional part has not alwa

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Two Different Pandemics: EU vs US.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jul 2, 2020
5 min

Two Different Pandemics: EU vs US.

Time for a post. And warning: this is going to be BY FAR my most political one yet. I know it has been a while since I posted about COVID. I have been traveling and interacting with many people on this trip who have taken care to be extremely safe and limit their interactions with others. They trust me. I trust them. It is a beautiful thing. But even though I have been traveling, I have continued following the further embarrassment our shit-show of a country has become in the

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Kindness is My Only Birthday Wish.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jun 20, 2020
1 min

Kindness is My Only Birthday Wish.

Birthday request: Be kind and love your fellow man. Wear a mask. If you say Black Lives Matter and do not wear a mask, you are a hypocrite. Blacks and Hispanics are amongst the highest risk of developing severe disease from COVID with subsequent death. Not wearing a mask demonstrates how you actually do NOT care about anyone besides yourself - sorry Cali people, your narrative is bullshit. May as well say No Lives Matter. You are not a good human. Stop living a lie. Wake up,

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Early Reopening: Some States are Dumb.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jun 16, 2020
1 min

Early Reopening: Some States are Dumb.

I don't usually link to articles like this, but this pretty much sums up the mentality of a not-insignificant minority of the population when it comes to COVID. And cheers to Texas for being a good sport and volunteering to be one of the first to be ridiculed 🍻: https://local.theonion.com/city-enters-phase-4-of-pretending-coronavirus-over-1844037065 Also, the dexamethasone study is a positive one, but it isn't like it has never been used in COVID patients before. Some ICUs h

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COVID is NOT Over.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jun 11, 2020
1 min

COVID is NOT Over.

It's too hot and humid to be overly eloquent so gonna keep it short and sweet: COVID-19 has not gone away just because it is no longer being reported en masse by the media. This entire country has the attention span of a gnat. Cases AND hospitalizations, including ICU admissions, are spiking all over the country in MULTIPLE states ESPECIALLY in the states that opened well-before they met recommended criteria for reopening like Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina. Our country i

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Asymptomatic and PREsymptomatic Infected: NOT THE SAME.

Manoj Dalmia MD

Jun 9, 2020
3 min

Asymptomatic and PREsymptomatic Infected: NOT THE SAME.

The WHO is full of irresponsible idiots. They, amongst many others, have consistently made reckless statements throughout this pandemic. This is why so many people do not know who or what to believe anymore. THIS IS IMPORTANT: Asymptomatic infected - a person who has the virus and will NEVER exhibit symptoms. PREsymptomatic infected - a person who has the virus and WILL eventually exhibit symptoms. But you know what? THEY BOTH INITIALLY LOOK THE SAME AKA NO SYMPTOMS. So even

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