AARP Coronavirus Tele-Town Hall From September 29

 

Bill Walsh: Hello, I am AARP Vice President Bill Walsh, and I want to welcome you to this important discussion about the coronavirus. Before we begin, if you'd like to hear this telephone town hall in Spanish, press *0 on your telephone keypad now.

 

(Española)

 

Bill Walsh: AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization has been working to promote the health and well-being of older Americans for more than 60 years. In the face of a global coronavirus pandemic, AARP is providing information and resources to help older adults and those caring for them. Of course, we all yearn for a return to normal, including time with family and friends and getting back to travel and our communities. But for many, these activities continue to be muted by the risk of COVID infection. We're seeing a rise of infections in northern Europe, and as we enter fall and winter in this country, we have seen a surge of infections over the past two years. Today we'll hear from an impressive panel of experts about these issues and more. We'll also get an update from Capitol Hill on legislation affecting older Americans.

 

If you've participated in one of our tele-town halls in the past, you know this is similar to a radio talk show, and you have the opportunity to ask your question live. For those of you joining us on the phone, if you'd like to ask a question, press *3 on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member who will note your name and question and place you in a queue to ask that question live. If you're joining on Facebook or YouTube, you can post your question in the comments.

 

Hello, if you're just joining on, Bill Walsh with AARP and I want to welcome you to this important discussion about the global coronavirus pandemic. We're talking with leading experts and taking your questions live. To ask your question, press *3, and if you're joining on Facebook or YouTube, drop your question into the comments section.

 

We have some outstanding guests joining us today, including the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CEO of StoryCorps and the chief medical advisor of the Bipartisan Policy Center. We’ll also be joined by my AARP colleague, Karen Chong, who will help facilitate your calls today. This event is being recorded, and you can access the recording at aarp.org/coronavirus 24 hours after we wrap up. Again, to ask your question, go ahead and press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member. Or if you're joining us on Facebook or YouTube, drop your question into the comments.

 

Now, I'd like to welcome our guests. Tom Frieden, M.D., is the CEO of the nonprofit organization Resolve to Save Lives. The organization works to prevent heart disease and prepare for epidemics. Dr. Frieden is the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Welcome to the program, doctor.

 

Tom Frieden: Thank you so much. It’s so nice to be with you.

 

Bill Walsh: All right, we're delighted to have you. And joining us a bit later will be Sandra Clark, the CEO of StoryCorps, and Dr. Anand Parekh, the chief medical advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Just to remember, a reminder to our listeners to ask your question, press *3 on your telephone keypad or drop it into the comments section on Facebook or YouTube.

 

Let's go ahead and jump right in. Dr. Frieden, we’re seeing COVID surges in northern Europe, which in the past have proceeded rises in the U.S. as well. And, of course, the U.S. has seen devastating COVID surges in the fall and winter over the past two years. Currently, there are about 400 COVID deaths each day in the U.S., and the vast majority are among older adults. Another fall and winter surge could result in tens of thousands of older adults losing their lives. What is the outlook for the rest of the year, and what measures are most critical for older adults to avoid infection?

 

Tom Frieden: Thanks so much for the question. The first thing to be clear about is that no one can tell you with certainty what's going to happen with COVID a month or two from now. We have to have humility when it comes to this virus, and we just don't know for certain. What we do know is that there's things that you can do to product yourself and your family. First, foremost, most important, is to stay up to date with your vaccinations. Now we have what's called a bivalent booster — a booster against the old strain and the new strain of COVID. Everyone should be getting a booster, especially older people. If you're up to date with your vaccine, you're much less likely to end up sick, in the hospital or critically ill. The second thing you can do is, if you get sick, quickly get tested, and if you do have COVID, get on treatment. Paxlovid is very effective at reducing the risk of severe illness or death. And then for people who have weakened immune systems or are particularly concerned about COVID, you might want to protect yourself in certain situations where you might want to mask up with an N95 mask if you're particularly concerned. But far and away, the most important thing to do is to be up to date with your vaccinations. These vaccinations are remarkably effective at keeping people out of the hospital and alive. And far too few people have been getting them.

 

Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks so much for that. Now, last week the president said the pandemic is over, a sentiment that was affirmed by the U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. I just wonder if two things can be true. Can the pandemic be over, and we still have significant needs to mitigate COVID?

 

Tom Frieden: Well, first off, if you're suffering from long COVID, the pandemic isn't over for you. If you're one of those people in the hospital with COVID, it's not over for you. If you're in a country around the world that doesn't have enough access to vaccines or medications, it's certainly not over for you. And if a new variant comes in a month or a year that's deadly and avoids the protection of our vaccines, the pandemic will be very much here. But it's also the case that people have gone back to a new way of living with COVID. That COVID is not ruling and disrupting our lives in the U.S. the way it was before. It remains a global emergency. It remains a serious health threat. Just because something might not be in the pandemic phase anymore doesn't mean it's not still a serious problem. We have lots of health problems that aren't pandemics and are still dangerous and deadly.

 

Bill Walsh: Right, good point. I mean we don't want folks to let their guards down for sure. And as you allude to, you know, COVID precautions have been lifted, and even influenza vaccination rates are lower than pre-pandemic levels. Experts warn this flu season could be hard. How important is a flu vaccine, and should older people request the high dose flu vaccine?

 

Tom Frieden: Flu vaccination is very important. We don't know what this flu season will hold. The only thing you can predict about flu is that it is unpredictable. We do know that the single best thing you can do to protect yourself against flu is to get vaccinated. Now, the influenza vaccination, although better than anything else we have for flu, is not nearly as effective as we wish it were. In fact, the COVID vaccine is better for COVID by far than the flu vaccine is for flu. But still, the flu vaccine is important. And there is some evidence that the higher-dose vaccination rate, the higher dose vaccine is better for older people, so it is recommended for older people. But most importantly, get a flu vaccine, any flu vaccine, and if you're older or at risk, the higher dose may be better for you.

 

Bill Walsh: You know, a lot of our listeners may have heard a lot of advice about vaccines. You know, get a flu vaccine, as you just said. Get a COVID vaccine, get the omicron vaccine, get your shingles vaccines. Are there concerns with taking all of these vaccines at once?

 

Tom Frieden: The biggest concern is that people don't get them. We have far too many people who are in hospitals who are deathly ill because they weren't vaccinated against a preventable disease. As a doctor, I listen to what patients say, what their concerns are. But these vaccines are remarkably safe and remarkably effective. I get them, I make sure my 93-year-old mother gets them. I make sure my family gets them. If you just look at what doctors do, nearly all doctors get vaccinated, and that's because we see that the vaccines work, we see that they're safe, we see that they're effective, and we see the tragedies that happen when people don't get vaccinated.

 

Bill Walsh: OK. Well now it's time to address your questions about the coronavirus and vaccines with Dr. Tom Frieden. As a reminder, press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member to share your question live. And as a reminder, if you'd like to listen to this program in Spanish, press *0 on your telephone keypad now.

 

(Española)

 

Bill Walsh: Now I'd like to bring in my AARP colleague Karen Chong to help facilitate your calls today. Welcome, Karen.

 

Karen Chong: Hey, Bill, thanks so much for having me on this important conversation. The calls are stacking up, so I don't want to detract too much from the time. First up, we have Craig from Minnesota who has a question about the timing of those booster shots we've just been talking about.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. Craig, go ahead with your question.

 

Craig: Well, hi there, and thank you for taking my call. I kind of maybe have changed my question if I have time. Simply how long — I kind of know this answer — how long does the vaccine take to the new .. how long does the new booster take to take effect? I got it — tomorrow it'll be two weeks — and I think that's what it takes, right?

 

Bill Walsh: Dr. Frieden?

 

Tom Frieden: That’s correct. It takes about two weeks for the booster to be fully effective. That's an important point. And what we know is that the boosters are really effective at keeping people out of the hospital and from being severely ill. After a few months, they're much less effective at preventing you from getting infected. But of course, we'd love it if it prevented infection, but that would be, so far, not something that is long-lasting. What is longer-lasting is the protection against severe illness, and that, frankly, is the thing that's even more important.

 

Bill Walsh: Now, doctor, Craig had asked about booster shots. Is it the same story with the new omicron vaccine?

 

Tom Frieden: The two-dose vaccine, the so-called bivalent vaccine, can be used as a booster. Anyone can get it. Adults can get it. It's available now. It seems to give broader protection, and we hope longer protection. We don't know what the future will hold. We don't know if it's going to be an annual vaccine or something else. But what we do know is to protect yourself now, get a vaccine now. They're available widely. They're safe, they're effective, and they're effective against a broader range of the different strains of COVID that are out there.

 

Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks for that. Karen, let's go back to the lines. Who do we have up next?

 

Karen Chong: Sure. Next up we have Patricia from Naperville. She has a question about timing.

 

Bill Walsh: Hey, Patricia, go ahead with your question for the doctor.

 

Patricia: Hello. I had my fourth booster shot June 8th, so it will be about four months now since I've had it. I am immunocompromised in several different ways. I have nonimmune hemolytic anemia. I have third-stage liver disease without cancer. I'm diabetic, etc., etc. I'm wondering if I should wait maybe another month or so before I get the shots because I have had reactions to all of them that were not severe, but usually a lot of fatigue for a week or even two, very sore arm, and blah, blah, blah. Nausea, low appetite, so forth. Should people who tend to get reactions and who have issues wait a little longer, or should we have it right away?

 

Bill Walsh: Right. OK, Dr. Frieden.

 

Tom Frieden: A great question. You've got ... four months is a pretty good time to think about getting the shot that should last through this season. It's a broader vaccine, so it's going to give you broader coverage than you've had before. If you've had COVID itself, that actually boosts your reaction some. So if you have COVID, I don't recommend anyone get COVID for this or any other reason, but if you've had COVID, that will prolong your immunity from your last vaccine some. But generally, four months, at most six months, is the recommended time period to get a vaccine. Obviously, you should speak with your own doctor about this, but it wouldn't be too soon to get it now. And since, as the first caller mentioned, it takes about two weeks to kick in and we are heading into the fall, when we may have more cases. If you look at the cases rising in Europe now, we've generally followed what happened there by a few weeks or a month or two. It would be a good time to get a vaccine. Again, I would defer to your own doctor. But four months after your last dose, if you haven't had COVID in between, it’s a good time to get it. I certainly wouldn't wait more than six.

 

Bill Walsh: OK. Sounds good. Karen, let's go back to the lines. Who do we have up next?

 

Karen Chong: Sure, next we have little bit of a pivot. We have Bonnie from Alabama asking about a reaction of the flu shot.

 

Bill Walsh: Hey, Bonnie, go ahead and ask your question.

 

Bonnie: Yes, sir. Thank you so much. My flu vaccine, which I ...

 

Bill Walsh: She’s cut...

 

Bonnie: ... sore and I could not reach out for things very easily and I'm just wondering if the pharmacy...

 

Bill Walsh: Hmm, her line was breaking up. Maybe Karen, do you want to try another caller?

 

Karen Chong: Yeah. Sorry about.

 

Bill Walsh: Oh, that's all right.

 

Karen Chong: We can try, here’s another caller. How about Gail from California. She has a question about the vaccine for children.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, Gail, go ahead with your question. Welcome to our program. ... Hi, Gail, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Gail: Oh, sorry. Hi, is it safe and been tested enough for a child to get the new booster shot?

 

Bill Walsh: OK, Dr. Frieden.

 

Tom Frieden: Yeah, that's another great question, and it's certainly understandable that we worry about any vaccine, and particularly with our children. We want to make sure it's safe. Everything we've seen suggests that it will be both safe and effective. The only concern we've had about vaccine safety for younger people in the past has been with one of the vaccines for adolescent males and young adults, where in about 1 in a million, that's had some inflammation around their heart that has gone away actually with time. The risk of that from the vaccine, though, is lower than the risk of that from COVID itself. So certainly, talk to your doctor, talk to your pediatrician. But all of the data we've seen suggests that the vaccines are both safe and effective, including for children.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, very good. Thanks for that, doctor. Karen, let's take another call.

 

Karen Chong: Sure. I’m trying to think of those questions I just had. So Norma from Florida has a question about .. no, it just disappeared. Sorry about that. Norma from Florida has a question about switching the manufacturers of vaccines.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, Norma, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Norma: My question is, my shots were done by the company — it was the Moderna — and in the area I live in, they're not giving Moderna. They're only having Pfizer. Is it all right to switch, or is it better for me to ride out of my area, maybe 50 miles or so, to get the Moderna?

 

Bill Walsh: Mm-hmm. Doctor, that's a question we hear a lot about, you know, mixing and matching. Is that, is that OK? Is that healthy?

 

Tom Frieden: It's OK. In fact, we had hoped that mixing and matching might be even better because you were kind of covering different bases with your vaccine. The best available data now suggests that it's no better, it's no worse. So I would say get the vaccine that's readily available to you. Both Pfizer and Moderna have the bivalent boosters available. The availability of Pfizer is a little more right now. But if you got Moderna before, I wouldn't hesitate at all to get Pfizer now, or vice versa, or to continue with the same one. The vaccine that's going to work the best is the one that you get when you can.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. Good advice. Thanks so much. Karen, who do we have up next?

 

Karen Chong: Sure, next up we have Barbara from Washington, who has a question about safety.

 

Bill Walsh: Barbara, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question. Hey, Barbara, go ahead with your question. Do we have Barbara? We should take another question. All right, Karen, why don't we take another caller?

 

Karen Chong: Sure, no problem. So we have a question from Charles from Minnesota, asking about attending a family gathering and about what he can do to protect himself. Let me get Charles for you.

 

Bill Walsh: Charles, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Charles: Yes, I need to attend a family reunion indoors in the middle of October. Very few, if any, of the people there will be masked. So my wife and I are wondering, other than getting our boosters, which we already have done, and wearing KN95 masks, what else can we do to protect ourselves from being infected at this family gathering?

 

Bill Walsh: That's a great question, Charles, and I'm sure it's a question on other people's minds as we head into the holiday season. Dr. Frieden, do you have any advice?

 

Tom Frieden: It is a great question, and the way I think about this for myself, my family, and patients I speak with is, think of the risks and the benefits of the different activities that you're going to do. If you're going to go to the grocery store, and you're worried about getting infected, there's probably not a lot of harm to wearing a mask or respirator at the grocery store. If, on the other hand, you're meeting with a grandchild, and you really want to interact, you probably don't want to wear a mask. So a lot of this has to do with your personal calculation of your risks and your benefits, your medical situation — are you immunosuppressed, are you medically frail? There are some things that we can do, obviously, if others aren't masked. We need to up our mask game. And I do recommend that you try out not just the KN95s, but even the N95. N95 is the most protective of the three kind. The KN95 is the next-most protective, and then a cloth or surgical mask is less protective than that. So when others aren't masked, it's important to up your mask game. The other thing is ventilation. Ventilation makes a really big difference. You mentioned indoors. Obviously, if you can do things out of doors, there are almost no infections out of doors. There's rare exceptions of that in very enclosed spaces or very packed crowds, but generally, there's so much air outdoors that the virus is diluted and less of a risk to you. You can open the windows, as long as it's not too hot or cold out, to increase ventilation in that way. And then, if you're at an event and you're trying to further reduce your risk, what some people do is, you may want to not eat or eat quickly or eat outside or separate from the others, and the other time have your mask on, preferably a well-fitting N95 mask.

 

Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks so much Dr. Frieden. And thanks for all your questions. We're going to take more of your questions shortly. And just as a reminder, if you'd like to ask a question press *3 on your telephone keypad. Doctor, we know you have to go, but we really appreciate your time and all the great information. And thanks, too, to the COVID Collaborative. It's a team of leading experts in health education and the economy that develops recommendations, leads vaccine education, and works with state and local leaders across America. They helped connect us today with Dr. Frieden. Doctor, thank you so much for being here today.

 

Tom Frieden: Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure and an honor, and thank you for the work that you do.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. Thanks so much. Let me now turn to our two additional expert guests. Two and a half years after the start of the pandemic, it's worth taking stock of how it's affected all of us. As a nation, we've lost an enormous amount — more than a million lives. These were our friends. They were our family. As individuals, we also feel the loss of time spent with loved ones over holidays, vacations that were canceled, more time in isolation than we ever could have expected. As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s helpful to think about how the adversity has affected our lives. And for that, we turn to Sandra Clark, who knows a thing or two about finding meaning in adversity. Sandra is the CEO of StoryCorps. Established in 2003, StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve and share humanities stories. Welcome to our program today, Sandy.

 

Sandra Clark: Oh, thank you so much, Bill. It's a pleasure to be here.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. We're delighted to have you. You'll be joined by Dr. Anand Parekh. Dr. Parekh is the chief medical advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and he will be discussing the future impact of COVID, particularly as we enter flu season. Welcome back to our program, doctor.

 

Anand Parekh: Thanks so much, Bill. Great to be on with all of you today.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, and thanks to both our guests for … they're going to take your questions shortly. But Sandy, let me begin with a few questions for you. How do purpose and adversity shape our life stories?

 

Sandra Clark: Wow. They're most certainly intertwined. And you know, as hard as it is sometimes, you know, purpose often comes out of diversity. And I think we found that particularly in these last few years, you know — they've given us a reason to be every day. And, you know, not being in control of our lives, I think, has reminded us of who and what has mattered the most. And that sometimes can lead to better things. And so one of the, I think, beauties of StoryCorps stories, and these are stories, you know, powerful wisdom from everyday people, is that, you know, it reminds us, one, that we are not alone. And we also hear all the time when people hear StoryCorps stories, particularly on NPR, that they have to pull the car over to the side of the road because they fill with such emotion and reflection. And I think it's because the recording's often, you know, they inspire us, they give us perspective and hope, and they activate something in us that makes us think about how we can make our families, communities, and the nation, better. And, you know, there's lots and lots of stories — countless stories before the pandemic and most certainly now of how people have triumphs over adversity too.

 

Bill Walsh: Well, let's get some practical advice from you. How can someone use the circumstances of the past three years to create a new chapter in their life story? Can you give us some practical steps people can take?

 

Sandra Clark: Sure. You know, I myself made a career change joining StoryCorps in February. And sometimes, you know, these are entirely new chapters that we create for ourselves. And at other times it's just, you know, really thinking about how we live our old, old chapters better. And so I think sometimes we feel that there's a lot of pressure to, you know, make these, you know, huge changes. And really it starts with small steps. I think a good starting point is to really just do some self-reflection and to ask ourselves, you know, what have we been putting off that now maybe is the time to take a forward step. How do we connect to people we know and don't know, and how can we learn new things? And one of the beauty of StoryCorps conversations is, you know, it makes us take a quiet moment to pose some important questions to ourselves. But the most important thing is to actually take a step. And sometimes that's telling someone what you're thinking.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. That's a start of a, no doubt, a great conversation that maybe ends up on StoryCorps. Let's turn to you, Dr. Parekh. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 5 people who had the virus will ultimately experience persistent symptoms of what's been called long COVID. Are we able to more precisely define and treat long COVID, and what should people do if they think they or a loved one is suffering from it?

 

Anand Parekh: You know, Bill, unfortunately, there's no precise definition of long COVID. What we know is that many people continue to have symptoms from COVID after several weeks. In most cases, the symptoms disappear in a matter of days, a week or two. But more and more Americans with COVID are experiencing symptoms many weeks out. So in general, if you're still experiencing symptoms four weeks or out, that's sort of a sign that you're having an inadequate recovery. And individuals are reporting general symptoms like tiredness or fatigue, post-exertional malaise, which essentially means the symptoms get worse after physical or mental effort. Respiratory symptoms like difficulty breathing and cough, neurological symptoms like headache and sleep problems. It's not really known yet what the cause of this is. Is it a reactivation of the virus? Is it the immune system being in hyperdrive, leading to inflammation? So we don't quite know the cause. Unfortunately, there is no test for this, no diagnostic criteria. I think it's important for doctors to rule out other conditions. But the treatment right now is really focused on symptom management, and everyone is presenting with different symptoms it seems. And so my best advice is, if indeed you have COVID, and your symptoms have not gone away after a month, it's a good time to visit your primary care physician, who can recommend a personal management plan for you based on the symptoms you're experiencing. Until we can really find out what the cause of this is and what are the treatments for it, symptom management is really most important right now.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, well, let me follow up on that. Some say that to combat long COVID, we need an initiative like Operation Warp Speed, which famously accelerated the development of COVID vaccines. What's your view on that?

 

Anand Parekh: Well we certainly need accelerated research efforts by the public sector and the private sector. I think that the good point here, Bill, is that there's a lot of activity in both sectors right now. The NIH, the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have both launched major initiatives, studies called the Recover Study, the Inspire Study, to identify what are those risk factors and causes of long COVID and what are potential treatments? So there's a lot of ongoing research through the federal government. The private sector, leading academic institutions have also come together to study long COVID. The last point I'll make, Bill, is all of these efforts, they're always looking for individual experiences. Whether you've had long COVID-19 symptoms, if you've had COVID-19 and recovered — all of that information is really critical to helping scientists study these symptoms. So, if anyone on the call is interested in volunteering for a study, I know that federal agencies, as well as the private sector, are always looking for individuals to participate in these important clinical studies.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, very good, Doctor. Thanks so much. Now we were just talking to Sandra Clark of StoryCorps about dealing with adversity in our lives. Let's share a brief StoryCorps excerpt about a family remembering Lola Tan. Lola was born in the Philippines and survived the Japanese occupation of World War II. She eventually came to the U.S. to help care for her grandchildren. She died in 2016. In this brief interview, Lola's grandson and her daughter, Kenneth and Olivia, discuss her imprint on their family.

 

(audio clip)

 

Kenneth: I think I learned from Lola that there’s a difference between your job and your work. Your job is something you leave behind at the end of a day, but your work is everything you leave behind at the end of a lifetime. Lola, she didn’t have the most glamorous jobs, but I think her work was all of us.

 

Olivia: It’s her love for us that I remember most. It was not so much of hugging or saying “I love you,” but it was all the things she did. You’re right, we are, we are her work.

 

(end of audio clip)

 

Bill Walsh: Hmm, Sandy, like this story, many of StoryCorps' best stories are intergenerational — parent and child, a grandparent and grandchild, with wisdom being handed down and sometimes it's being handed up. Why do you focus on these relationships and these stories? What's their importance?

 

Sandra Clark: Well, Bill, you know, the intergenerational stories are some of my favorites. And I picked Lola's story to share because there's just so much wisdom and thinking about our job versus our work and what we really want to leave behind. You know, one of the main reasons that people participate in StoryCorps interviews, is really, you know, wanting to make sure that wisdom is passed down from generation to generation. And these, by the way, can be archived, are archived with the Library of Congress if you choose. So, you know, generations well down the road can hear your voice and hear your wisdom. You know, we learned some things from parents and grandparents, but also, you know, there's something about questions and wonderment from kids that bring out so much in us too. And Kenneth Tan actually came back after being cared for by Lola, came back to take care of her when she needed her family the most. And so that kind of, you know, circular caring. I think, is also something so important. For your audience who may not know how StoryCorps works, I just want to share a little bit of how it goes. You know, StoryCorps invites people to record an interview with someone they care about, and it could be a grandparent, a friend, a teacher, just somebody who had an impact in your life, and someone you want to say, you know, you matter to me. You and your partner will record — and these are usually 40-minute interviews and conversations that you're talking to each other. And you can do this through the StoryCorps app, or an in-person onsite recording. So we have an Airstream bus that actually travels to 10 cities across the country every year. We’re right now in Utah and heading to Las Vegas next. And these conversations, you get a copy of the recording, and the copy goes to the Library of Congress, if you choose. So it'll be preserved well into the future for future generations. And then we share out many of these stories on our website, on social media platforms. You can certainly hear them on NPR once a week. We have a podcast, and we also do these wonderful animations out of some of our stories.

 

Bill Walsh: Well, that's great. I look forward to those programs every Friday on NPR. They really are a highlight. Well, thank you so much for that, Sandy. Now it's time to address more of your questions. Please press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with AARP staff and get in the queue to ask your question live. Karen, who do we have next on the line?

 

Karen Chong: Hey, Bill, we have Julia from Utah talking about the surge. Hold on one second.

 

Bill Walsh: Hey, Julia. Welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Julia: Yes. I was just wondering how prepared are we if we get a big new surge, in light of the health care problems with a lot of health care people leaving due to being overwhelmed or due to the vaccine mandate that had been imposed.

 

Bill Walsh: Hmm. That's a great question, Julia. Dr. Parekh, can you take that one on.

 

Anand Parekh: Sure, I can do so. And certainly, we’ve seen staff shortages in hospitals across the country, particularly related to nurses. You know the best thing that we can do for the health care sector is to prevent hospitalizations from COVID in the first place. And so when I think about the surge — are we prepared? — that’s really a question back to all of us, whether we all will commit to using the tools that have been provided to us, number one, as Dr. Frieden said, staying up to date with vaccinations. Number two, making sure that you use tests if you have symptoms. Number three, ensuring that you have a quick access to treatment if you’re eligible. If you do turn positive, knowing when to appropriately wear a high-quality mask, what types of settings. These tools that we use are our best chance to really not only reduce deaths from COVID-19, reduce surges, but also to protect our health care system so they don’t see the surges that I don’t think any of us want to see.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, very good. And doctor, you mentioned just a moment ago as we were talking about long COVID symptoms, you had urged people to take part in clinical trials. I just wanted to give our listeners a website where they can find out more about that. That website is at the National Institutes of Health, and it is RecoverCOVID.org. RecoverCOVID.org. Go there to find out more about clinical trials related to long COVID. Karen, who do we have up next?

 

Karen Chong: Hey there, so we have Alex from New York, and he's got a question about — so important nowadays — about mental health.

 

Bill Walsh: Hey Alex, welcome to the program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Alex: Yeah. Thank you for taking my question. One of the things that I've seen over the past two years is, with a lot of people I know, just seeing the impact on people's mental health, and how in some people, it really deteriorated. And, you know, the well-meaning advice to people to stay indoors, to older people, may not have been, may not have been good in the long run because some people just stayed in, became more and more isolated and stopped taking care of themselves.

 

Bill Walsh: Yeah.

 

Alex: And so I've, and there are things you can do, there are things that help people in that situation, you know, humor, talking, talking to other people .. for some, faith in a loving God. And but I've, yeah, I just would like you, if you could address that.

 

Bill Walsh: Yeah, yeah, Alex. That's a great question. Thanks so much for asking it. I wonder, maybe both our experts can weigh in on this. Sandy, I wonder if this has come up in StoryCorps stories you've heard over the last two years — the mental health impacts of COVID and the isolation that Alex was talking about.

 

Sandra Clark: Yeah, Bill, I mean, absolutely. You know, one of the worst aspects of the pandemic was, is isolation for, for many. And not just for the elderly, but also for young people too. And when the pandemic started, you know, the StoryCorps interviews, which we used to record face-to-face, we knew we couldn't do that anymore. And knowing how essential, you know, human connection is and how effective these StoryCorps conversations are in helping people feel more connected, we created a StoryCorps Connect, which is a remote way for people to connect with each other and to share their stories so they don't feel so alone. So, you know, you can look at the StoryCorps.org website and find out more information about StoryCorps Connect, but also our app allows people to connect with each other and interview. And there's something about the, you know, the quietude of those conversations. There's so many things we don't share with the people who are closest to us sometimes. And so, you know, being able to connect through an app and really have an intentional conversation can help mitigate loneliness and also give hope.

 

Bill Walsh: Yeah. And doctor, I wonder if you could also address Alex's question. In our own survey data, we've seen increases in depression and sleeplessness, anxiety among older adults, largely during the COVID pandemic period and tied to isolation. Do you have any clinical advice on that front?

 

Anand Parekh: Yeah, you know, I agree with Sandy — social isolation and loneliness and depression, particularly in older adults, was a challenge even before the pandemic. But the pandemic simply exacerbated that. So I think working with your doctor, or working with community-based organizations, you know finding different ways to connect virtually as well as otherwise to peers — all of those things help us with conditions such as anxiety as well as depression. So I think the messaging also is very important with respect to the pandemic, and that’s why I do say now … we don’t have to think about the pandemic all the time anymore. Let’s just make sure that we don’t forget about these tools. So I think all of those messages are important. I will also add one public service announcement for those individuals who are in crisis, who are having a behavioral health crisis. There’s now a new national crisis hotline number, 988. This number is now live all across the country, and individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis can call that number, and they’ll be routed to counselors as well as triage, depending upon their level of need. So I think that’s important that all older adults, all Americans know that that 988 number is now live.

 

Bill Walsh: Yep. Thanks so much for mentioning that. What a great resource. We're going to take more listener questions in just a moment, but before we do, let's get an update from Capitol Hill. In addition to sharing information and resources, AARP advocates for issues that affect you the most. To get a quick update on how AARP is fighting for you, I want to bring in my AARP colleague, Government Affairs Vice President Megan O'Reilly. Welcome to the program, Megan.

 

Megan O'Reilly: Happy to be here, Bill.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. I want to ask about a few important issues today, but let's start with some good news. Of course, last month, historic prescription drug reforms passed the House and Senate and were signed into law.

 

Megan O'Reilly: Yes, prescription drug reform is a huge victory for older Americans. After decades of calling on Congress to make prescription drugs more affordable, AARP has won the fight for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and help seniors save money on their medications. The new law will also put an annual $2,000 limit on how much seniors on Medicare Part D will have to pay out of pocket for their medications. And it penalizes drugmakers that increase prices faster than the rate of inflation. Finally, the new law cap costs of Medicare-covered insulin at $35 a month, and it eliminates out-of-pocket costs for most vaccines under Medicare, such as the shingles vaccine. These are huge wins.

 

Bill Walsh: Well, that's just wonderful news, Megan. And, of course, that important $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket spending kicks off in 2025. You know, we're also entering election season right now. What is AARP’s focus heading into the November election?

 

Megan O'Reilly: First, I want to remind folks that AARP is strictly nonpartisan and always has been. We don't endorse or give money to candidates. That said, we're working hard to make sure that candidates pay attention to older Americans and address the issues that are most important to them. Voters aged 50 and above will likely make up the majority of the electorate in November, as they have in all recent elections. We're also making sure our members and the public know where and when to vote. A lot of states have had changes to their voting rules since the last election, so we're doing a lot of education and outreach to explain what's different and what stays the same. In addition to election pages on aarp.org, this month's issue of the AARP Bulletin also details how you can vote in your state.

 

Bill Walsh: Yeah, check out that AARP Bulletin. It's an excellent issue. Now, AARP recently conducted research that focuses specifically on women ages 50 and above. The research was called “She's the Difference: The Power of Older Women Voters.” And the poll showed some important findings, didn’t it?

 

Megan O'Reilly: It did. You know, women over the age of 50 are a critical voting demographic. They make up nearly 27 percent of registered voters, and more than 8 in 10 turned out to vote in 2020. This group also makes up the biggest block of swing voters. Older women may not always feel seen or appreciated, but they are here, they are strong, and they will make their voices heard. Elected leaders and political candidates would be wise to listen and understand the needs and concerns of women aged 50 and above, and indeed all older Americans.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, thanks for that update, Megan. Now, before I let you go, I want to ask about the current state of COVID in America's nursing homes. For those living and working in skilled nursing facilities, this pandemic is far from over.

 

Megan O'Reilly: Sadly, that's correct. AARP's Nursing Home COVID Dashboard shows that COVID still has a deadly grip on the nation's nursing homes with the number of deaths and cases among residents and staff nationwide rising for the fourth consecutive month. For the four weeks ending on Aug. 21, there were more than a 100,000 new COVID cases identified in nursing homes, with about 1 out of every 22 residents testing positive. In addition, the rate of nursing home resident deaths nationwide increased by about 30 percent,  compared to the previous numbers. Tragically, more than 1,000 nursing home residents and more than 100 staff died from COVID during this four-week period.

 

Bill Walsh: What should people do if they have a loved one in a nursing home?

 

Megan O'Reilly: Our numbers show that only a little more than half of nursing home residents nationwide are up to date with their COVID vaccinations and considered fully protected. With cold weather and flu season upon us, we must do everything we can to protect our loved ones. A big part of that is prioritizing vaccines and boosters. Don't take for granted that your loved one has received theirs. Follow up with their care providers and make a plan.

 

Bill Walsh: All right. Great advice. Thanks for being here today, Megan. And if our listeners want to stay on top of AARP’s advocacy efforts, how can they find out the latest?

 

Megan O'Reilly: We encourage everyone to go online and search “AARP Fighting for You.” That'll lead you to the daily roundup of all the latest advocacy news on our work with Congress and across the country. You can also search “AARP Fierce Defender” and find a host of updates and money-saving resources.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, “AARP Fierce Defender.” Thanks very much for being with us today, Megan. And we are going to take some more listener calls in just a moment. But first I had a question for our experts. Sandy, I was just talking to Megan about caring for our loved ones. As we emerge from the pandemic, what's the one question we should be asking our loved ones.

 

Sandra Clark: Oh wow, that's a great question, Bill. There's so many questions, but I think, you know, the gift of listening is very powerful. And what would you share with future generations in our family about this time, and what have you learned? I think there's so much that, you know, can be gained from hearing from someone in their own voice about how they have processed this time, and sort of the lessons that they want to share with their families going forward.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, thanks. Great advice. Now it's time to take more of your questions for Sandra Clark, the CEO of StoryCorps, and Dr. Anand Parekh. Please press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member and get in the queue to ask your question live. Karen, who do we have on the line now?

 

Karen Chong: Hey, Bill, so we actually have an online question, I think for Sandy from StoryCorps. “How can we encourage relatives to share family stories if they're reluctant?”

 

Bill Walsh: Sandy, how about that one?

 

Sandy Clark: Thank you. I love that question. You know, I can't say enough about how we should act now, as we've all learned that tomorrow's not promised. And so, you know, we should really approach it with a finite period of time to capture these stories — as someone who didn't get my own mother and father's voices captured. I think just to say you're important to me. And it means everything for us and those coming after us to hear your story in your voice; it's the most priceless gift you can give us. And, you know, to make this easier, you can go to StoryCorps.org. And really, we even have a set of questions if you need some prompts to get the conversation started. And then they can also look at the many, many stories that, I mean — about 600,000 people have been recorded since we began StoryCorps. And so they can look and see this wonderful, beautiful collection of people who have shared their stories as well.

 

Bill Walsh: OK, thanks so much. We'll have to check that out. StoryCorps.org. Karen, who is next on the line?

 

Karen Chong: So we have Jean from Illinois, who wants to talk about vaccines versus immunity from having had COVID. Here you go.

 

Bill Walsh: All right, well, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Jean: Yes. I would just like to hear a doctor address the comparison between getting COVID, whether it be a mild case or hospitalization and surviving. So your body has already developed its own immunity toward it, and I'd like to compare the efficacy of that as opposed to the vaccines. I'm not, I mean the boosters, excuse me, I'm not anti-vaccine. I've had, you know that. And most people where we live have, if not all. But then my question is basically more geared toward the boosters.

 

Bill Walsh: Mm. Thanks so much for that. Yeah, go ahead. Thanks so much for that question. I think a lot of people do wonder about so-called natural immunity versus the effectiveness of the boosters. And doctor, I wonder if you could address that.

 

Anand Parekh: Sure, I’m happy to do so. So both vaccine-induced immunity, as well as natural immunity, can be and are protective against COVID-19. Most studies demonstrate that vaccine-induced immunity is more robust than natural immunity. It lasts longer. It’s more effective. But the single-most important reason why, if you had to choose — you would always choose vaccine-induced immunity as opposed to natural immunity — is no one wants to take the risk of going through COVID-19. We just talked about long COVID as well. Studies show that if you’re vaccinated, the chance for long COVID are less. So we don’t want to take the risk for any of us to experience COVID, and that’s another reason why vaccine-induced immunity is so important. At this point, in terms of boosters, and the recommendation is that this new bivalent booster — which will protect us against not only the original strain but the newer omicron strain — is recommended in adults, particularly older adults, as long as it’s been two months since you’ve received that last booster. And I think that is really the scientific recommendation and consensus — that to protect ourselves as we come to this wintertime, that it’s best to get that vaccine. In the short term, it’ll also help prevent infection. But over the long term, it’s the most durable way to protect us from severe illness and that’s what, I think, we all want to avoid.

 

Bill Walsh: All right, doctor. Thanks so much for that. Karen, let's take another question.

 

Karen Chong: (inaudible) ... who has a question about just how many vaccines and boosters are right. Here we go.

 

Bill Walsh: Hi, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Female caller: Hello, can you hear me?

 

Bill Walsh: I sure can go ahead with your question.

 

Karen Chong: OK. If you've had the two vaccines, Moderna, and you've also had the two boosters. And the last booster was the 1st of June, do you still need to take the new booster that's out now, the omicron vaccine? And if so, how long after your last booster? And also, if you've had cortisone injections or some steroid injections for arthritis pain, do you need to wait a certain period of time before you can take the omicron vaccine? And this is also in regard to a 15-year-old child as well, who has Crohn's and is taking Remicade infusions for Crohn's.

 

Bill Walsh: Well, let's, yeah, thanks so much for that question, those two questions. Let’s go ahead and ask the doctor about that. Doctor?

 

Anand Parekh: Well, and thanks for both of those questions. And I think, in particular, to the second question related to steroids. And I believe this is for a 15-year-old child. It’s best to consult with the child's physician as to the timing of the corticosteroid shot as well as the bivalent booster. But the recommendation now is, and for a 15-year-old, the Pfizer — Moderna is 18 and older — so this would be the Pfizer vaccine. But if an individual is out more than two months since the last vaccine — so in this case, I think it's more than two months; it would have been about four months — then yes, they are eligible. And, in this particular case, given the child is immunosuppressed or has a chronic condition such as Crohn's, I think it would be advisable to get this booster over the next few weeks, particularly before we get into the winter season.

 

Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks so much for that, doctor. Karen, let's take another call.

 

Karen Chong: Sure, we have Marcia from California, and she's got questions about reactions to the vaccine.

 

Bill Walsh: Hi, welcome to the program. Go ahead with your question.

 

Marcia: OK, I'm 98 years old. My son is 74 years old. He got the COVID about three months ago. I never got it from him, and I still have no symptoms. I don't have it. But he has residual effects that's ongoing now, mostly in regard to his breathing. He says he can't sleep at night, and when he does get to sleep, all of a sudden, his nose clogs up and then he wakes up and he goes into a panic attack. He's afraid he's going to die, and he can't get his breath. And then he can't go back to sleep. And it's just a vicious circle. And is there any suggestions for him? He takes the inhaler and everything else he knows to do, but nothing works.

 

Bill Walsh: Yeah, well, let's ask the doctor. Doctor, it sounds like what she's describing may be the symptoms of long COVID.

 

Anand Parekh: Yes, it could very well be. And first I want to, you know, thank the caller and am so glad that she is in good health. And in terms of her son, and I'm sure the son's physician is looking into this — ruling out other conditions that could masquerade for long COVID. But he certainly could have exactly what we were describing on the call, or earlier, long COVID — which is not very well precisely defined yet. And really the treatment for these symptoms are really anything we can do to manage them. So for example, if it is related to difficulty breathing, there's something called pulmonary rehabilitation that helps with breathing. If it's related to sleep, there are perhaps things that can be done to alleviate the sleep symptoms. But it's really working through with the physician to create a personal management plan to try to get at those most debilitating symptoms. Until we can, until the research can better ascertain exactly what is going on and why it's going on so we can prevent it in the first place and have better treatments. So right now it's really all about managing the key symptoms, and that's what individuals should be talking to their personal physician about.

 

Bill Walsh: Right, and our caller said she was 98. I sure hope that she's up to date on her vaccines and boosters to protect herself from these ongoing symptoms her son seems to be experiencing. All right, well this has been an informative discussion. I want to thank all of our guests for their information and insights, and thank you our AARP members, volunteers, and listeners for participating in the call today. AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization, has been working to promote the health and well-being of older Americans for more than 60 years. In the face of this crisis, we're providing information and resources to help older adults and those caring for them protect themselves from the virus, prevent its spread to others while taking care of themselves. All the resources referenced today, including a recording of the Q&A event, can be found at aarp.org/coronavirus beginning tomorrow, Sept. 30. Go there if your question was not addressed, and you'll find the latest updates as well as information created specifically for older adults and family caregivers. We hope you learned something that can help keep you and your loved ones healthy. Please join us again on Nov. 10 for another tele-town hall on COVID-19. Thank you and have a good day. This concludes our call.

[00:00:00] Bill Walsh: Hello, I am AARP Vice President Bill Walsh, and I want to welcome you to this important discussion about the coronavirus. Before we begin, if you'd like to hear this telephone town hall in Spanish, press *0 on your telephone keypad now.

[00:00:14] [Española]

[00:00:20] AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization has been working to promote the health and well-being of older Americans for more than 60 years. In the face of a global coronavirus pandemic, AARP is providing information and resources to help older adults and those caring for them. Of course, we all yearn for a return to normal, including time with family and friends and getting back to travel and our communities. But for many, these activities continue to be muted by the risk of COVID infection. We're seeing a rise of infections in northern Europe, and as we enter fall and winter in this country, we have seen a surge of infections over the past two years. Today we'll hear from an impressive panel of experts about these issues and more. We'll also get an update from Capitol Hill on legislation affecting older Americans.

[00:01:14] If you've participated in one of our tele-town halls in the past, you know this is similar to a radio talk show, and you have the opportunity to ask your question live. For those of you joining us on the phone, if you'd like to ask a question, press *3 on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member who will note your name and question and place you in a queue to ask that question live. If you're joining on Facebook or YouTube, you can post your question in the comments.

[00:01:44] Hello, if you're just joining on, Bill Walsh with AARP and I want to welcome you to this important discussion about the global coronavirus pandemic. We're talking with leading experts and taking your questions live. To ask your question, press *3, and if you're joining on Facebook or YouTube, drop your question into the comments section.

[00:02:05] We have some outstanding guests joining us today, including the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CEO of StoryCorps and the chief medical advisor of the Bipartisan Policy Center. We’ll also be joined by my AARP colleague, Karen Chong, who will help facilitate your calls today. This event is being recorded, and you can access the recording at aarp.org/coronavirus 24 hours after we wrap up. Again, to ask your question, go ahead and press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member. Or if you're joining us on Facebook or YouTube, drop your question into the comments.

[00:02:51] Now, I'd like to welcome our guests. Tom Frieden, M.D., is the CEO of the nonprofit organization Resolve to Save Lives. The organization works to prevent heart disease and prepare for epidemics. Dr. Frieden is the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Welcome to the program, doctor.

[00:03:12] Tom Frieden: Thank you so much. It’s so nice to be with you.

[00:03:14] Bill Walsh: All right, we're delighted to have you. And joining us a bit later will be Sandra Clark, the CEO of StoryCorps, and Dr. Anand Parekh, the chief medical advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Just to remember, a reminder to our listeners to ask your question, press *3 on your telephone keypad or drop it into the comments section on Facebook or YouTube.

[00:03:38] Let's go ahead and jump right in. Dr. Frieden, we’re seeing COVID surges in northern Europe, which in the past have proceeded rises in the U.S. as well. And, of course, the U.S. has seen devastating COVID surges in the fall and winter over the past two years. Currently, there are about 400 COVID deaths each day in the U.S., and the vast majority are among older adults. Another fall and winter surge could result in tens of thousands of older adults losing their lives. What is the outlook for the rest of the year, and what measures are most critical for older adults to avoid infection?

[00:04:19] Tom Frieden: Thanks so much for the question. The first thing to be clear about is that no one can tell you with certainty what's going to happen with COVID a month or two from now. We have to have humility when it comes to this virus, and we just don't know for certain. What we do know is that there's things that you can do to product yourself and your family. First, foremost, most important, is to stay up to date with your vaccinations. Now we have what's called a bivalent booster — a booster against the old strain and the new strain of COVID. Everyone should be getting a booster, especially older people. If you're up to date with your vaccine, you're much less likely to end up sick, in the hospital or critically ill. The second thing you can do is, if you get sick, quickly get tested, and if you do have COVID, get on treatment. Paxlovid is very effective at reducing the risk of severe illness or death. And then for people who have weakened immune systems or are particularly concerned about COVID, you might want to protect yourself in certain situations where you might want to mask up with an N95 mask if you're particularly concerned. But far and away, the most important thing to do is to be up to date with your vaccinations. These vaccinations are remarkably effective at keeping people out of the hospital and alive. And far too few people have been getting them.

[00:05:58] Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks so much for that. Now, last week the president said the pandemic is over, a sentiment that was affirmed by the U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra. I just wonder if two things can be true. Can the pandemic be over, and we still have significant needs to mitigate COVID?

[00:06:17] Tom Frieden: Well, first off, if you're suffering from long COVID, the pandemic isn't over for you. If you're one of those people in the hospital with COVID, it's not over for you. If you're in a country around the world that doesn't have enough access to vaccines or medications, it's certainly not over for you. And if a new variant comes in a month or a year that's deadly and avoids the protection of our vaccines, the pandemic will be very much here. But it's also the case that people have gone back to a new way of living with COVID. That COVID is not ruling and disrupting our lives in the U.S. the way it was before. It remains a global emergency. It remains a serious health threat. Just because something might not be in the pandemic phase anymore doesn't mean it's not still a serious problem. We have lots of health problems that aren't pandemics and are still dangerous and deadly.

[00:07:20] Bill Walsh: Right, good point. I mean we don't want folks to let their guards down for sure. And as you allude to, you know, COVID precautions have been lifted, and even influenza vaccination rates are lower than pre-pandemic levels. Experts warn this flu season could be hard. How important is a flu vaccine, and should older people request the high dose flu vaccine?

[00:07:44] Tom Frieden: Flu vaccination is very important. We don't know what this flu season will hold. The only thing you can predict about flu is that it is unpredictable. We do know that the single best thing you can do to protect yourself against flu is to get vaccinated. Now, the influenza vaccination, although better than anything else we have for flu, is not nearly as effective as we wish it were. In fact, the COVID vaccine is better for COVID by far than the flu vaccine is for flu. But still, the flu vaccine is important. And there is some evidence that the higher-dose vaccination rate, the higher dose vaccine is better for older people, so it is recommended for older people. But most importantly, get a flu vaccine, any flu vaccine, and if you're older or at risk, the higher dose may be better for you.

[00:08:35] Bill Walsh: You know, a lot of our listeners may have heard a lot of advice about vaccines. You know, get a flu vaccine, as you just said. Get a COVID vaccine, get the omicron vaccine, get your shingles vaccines. Are there concerns with taking all of these vaccines at once?

[00:08:51] Tom Frieden: The biggest concern is that people don't get them. We have far too many people who are in hospitals who are deathly ill because they weren't vaccinated against a preventable disease. As a doctor, I listen to what patients say, what their concerns are. But these vaccines are remarkably safe and remarkably effective. I get them, I make sure my 93-year-old mother gets them. I make sure my family gets them. If you just look at what doctors do, nearly all doctors get vaccinated, and that's because we see that the vaccines work, we see that they're safe, we see that they're effective, and we see the tragedies that happen when people don't get vaccinated.

[00:09:34] Bill Walsh: OK. Well now it's time to address your questions about the coronavirus and vaccines with Dr. Tom Frieden. As a reminder, press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member to share your question live. And as a reminder, if you'd like to listen to this program in Spanish, press *0 on your telephone keypad now.

[00:09:58] [Española]

[00:09:59] Now I'd like to bring in my AARP colleague Karen Chong to help facilitate your calls today. Welcome, Karen.

[00:10:12] Karen Chong: Hey, Bill, thanks so much for having me on this important conversation. The calls are stacking up, so I don't want to detract too much from the time. First up, we have Craig from Minnesota who has a question about the timing of those booster shots we've just been talking about.

[00:10:28] Bill Walsh: All right. Craig, go ahead with your question.

[00:10:33] Craig: Well, hi there, and thank you for taking my call. I kind of maybe have changed my question if I have time. Simply how long — I kind of know this answer — how long does the vaccine take to the new .. how long does the new booster take to take effect? I got it — tomorrow it'll be two weeks — and I think that's what it takes, right?

[00:11:00] Bill Walsh: Dr. Frieden?

[00:11:02] Tom Frieden: That’s correct. It takes about two weeks for the booster to be fully effective. That's an important point. And what we know is that the boosters are really effective at keeping people out of the hospital and from being severely ill. After a few months, they're much less effective at preventing you from getting infected. But of course, we'd love it if it prevented infection, but that would be, so far, not something that is long-lasting. What is longer-lasting is the protection against severe illness, and that, frankly, is the thing that's even more important.

[00:11:44] Bill Walsh: Now, doctor, Craig had asked about booster shots. Is it the same story with the new omicron vaccine?

[00:11:54] Tom Frieden: The two-dose vaccine, the so-called bivalent vaccine, can be used as a booster. Anyone can get it. Adults can get it. It's available now. It seems to give broader protection, and we hope longer protection. We don't know what the future will hold. We don't know if it's going to be an annual vaccine or something else. But what we do know is to protect yourself now, get a vaccine now. They're available widely. They're safe, they're effective, and they're effective against a broader range of the different strains of COVID that are out there.

[00:12:31] Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks for that. Karen, let's go back to the lines. Who do we have up next?

[00:12:37] Karen Chong: Sure. Next up we have Patricia from Naperville. She has a question about timing.

[00:12:43] Bill Walsh: Hey, Patricia, go ahead with your question for the doctor.

[00:12:47] Patricia: Hello. I had my fourth booster shot June 8th, so it will be about four months now since I've had it. I am immunocompromised in several different ways. I have nonimmune hemolytic anemia. I have third-stage liver disease without cancer. I'm diabetic, etc., etc. I'm wondering if I should wait maybe another month or so before I get the shots because I have had reactions to all of them that were not severe, but usually a lot of fatigue for a week or even two, very sore arm, and blah, blah, blah. Nausea, low appetite, so forth. Should people who tend to get reactions and who have issues wait a little longer, or should we have it right away?

[00:13:55] Bill Walsh: Right. OK, Dr. Frieden.

[00:13:56] Tom Frieden: A great question. You've got ... four months is a pretty good time to think about getting the shot that should last through this season. It's a broader vaccine, so it's going to give you broader coverage than you've had before. If you've had COVID itself, that actually boosts your reaction some. So if you have COVID, I don't recommend anyone get COVID for this or any other reason, but if you've had COVID, that will prolong your immunity from your last vaccine some. But generally, four months, at most six months, is the recommended time period to get a vaccine. Obviously, you should speak with your own doctor about this, but it wouldn't be too soon to get it now. And since, as the first caller mentioned, it takes about two weeks to kick in and we are heading into the fall, when we may have more cases. If you look at the cases rising in Europe now, we've generally followed what happened there by a few weeks or a month or two. It would be a good time to get a vaccine. Again, I would defer to your own doctor. But four months after your last dose, if you haven't had COVID in between, it’s a good time to get it. I certainly wouldn't wait more than six.

[00:15:12] Bill Walsh: OK. Sounds good. Karen, let's go back to the lines. Who do we have up next?

[00:15:17] Karen Chong: Sure, next we have little bit of a pivot. We have Bonnie from Alabama asking about a reaction of the flu shot.

[00:15:23] Bill Walsh: Hey, Bonnie, go ahead and ask your question.

[00:15:27] Bonnie: Yes, sir. Thank you so much. My flu vaccine, which I ...

[00:15:35] Bill Walsh: She’s cut...

[00:15:36] Bonnie: ... sore and I could not reach out for things very easily and I'm just wondering if the pharmacy...

[00:15:42] Bill Walsh: Hmm, her line was breaking up. Maybe Karen, do you want to try another caller?

[00:15:54] Karen Chong: Yeah. Sorry about.

[00:15:55] Bill Walsh: Oh, that's all right.

[00:15:56] Karen Chong: We can try, here’s another caller. How about Gail from California. She has a question about the vaccine for children.

[00:16:03] Bill Walsh: OK, Gail, go ahead with your question. Welcome to our program. ... Hi, Gail, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:16:16] Gail: Oh, sorry. Hi, is it safe and been tested enough for a child to get the new booster shot?

[00:16:27] Bill Walsh: OK, Dr. Frieden.

[00:16:29] Tom Frieden: Yeah, that's another great question, and it's certainly understandable that we worry about any vaccine, and particularly with our children. We want to make sure it's safe. Everything we've seen suggests that it will be both safe and effective. The only concern we've had about vaccine safety for younger people in the past has been with one of the vaccines for adolescent males and young adults, where in about 1 in a million, that's had some inflammation around their heart that has gone away actually with time. The risk of that from the vaccine, though, is lower than the risk of that from COVID itself. So certainly, talk to your doctor, talk to your pediatrician. But all of the data we've seen suggests that the vaccines are both safe and effective, including for children.

[00:17:23] Bill Walsh: OK, very good. Thanks for that, doctor. Karen, let's take another call.

[00:17:33] Karen Chong: Sure. I’m trying to think of those questions I just had. So Norma from Florida has a question about .. no, it just disappeared. Sorry about that. Norma from Florida has a question about switching the manufacturers of vaccines.

[00:17:58] Bill Walsh: OK, Norma, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:18:02] Norma: My question is, my shots were done by the company — it was the Moderna — and in the area I live in, they're not giving Moderna. They're only having Pfizer. Is it all right to switch, or is it better for me to ride out of my area, maybe 50 miles or so, to get the Moderna?

[00:18:25] Bill Walsh: Mm-hmm. Doctor, that's a question we hear a lot about, you know, mixing and matching. Is that, is that OK? Is that healthy?

[00:18:32] Tom Frieden: It's OK. In fact, we had hoped that mixing and matching might be even better because you were kind of covering different bases with your vaccine. The best available data now suggests that it's no better, it's no worse. So I would say get the vaccine that's readily available to you. Both Pfizer and Moderna have the bivalent boosters available. The availability of Pfizer is a little more right now. But if you got Moderna before, I wouldn't hesitate at all to get Pfizer now, or vice versa, or to continue with the same one. The vaccine that's going to work the best is the one that you get when you can.

[00:19:13] Bill Walsh: All right. Good advice. Thanks so much. Karen, who do we have up next?

[00:19:18] Karen Chong: Sure, next up we have Barbara from Washington, who has a question about safety.

[00:19:23] Bill Walsh: Barbara, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question. Hey, Barbara, go ahead with your question. Do we have Barbara? We should take another question. All right, Karen, why don't we take another caller?

[00:19:49] Karen Chong: Sure, no problem. So we have a question from Charles from Minnesota, asking about attending a family gathering and about what he can do to protect himself. Let me get Charles for you.

[00:20:01] Bill Walsh: Charles, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:20:04] Charles: Yes, I need to attend a family reunion indoors in the middle of October. Very few, if any, of the people there will be masked. So my wife and I are wondering, other than getting our boosters, which we already have done, and wearing KN95 masks, what else can we do to protect ourselves from being infected at this family gathering?

[00:20:28] Bill Walsh: That's a great question, Charles, and I'm sure it's a question on other people's minds as we head into the holiday season. Dr. Frieden, do you have any advice?

[00:20:35] Tom Frieden: It is a great question, and the way I think about this for myself, my family, and patients I speak with is, think of the risks and the benefits of the different activities that you're going to do. If you're going to go to the grocery store, and you're worried about getting infected, there's probably not a lot of harm to wearing a mask or respirator at the grocery store. If, on the other hand, you're meeting with a grandchild, and you really want to interact, you probably don't want to wear a mask. So a lot of this has to do with your personal calculation of your risks and your benefits, your medical situation — are you immunosuppressed, are you medically frail? There are some things that we can do, obviously, if others aren't masked. We need to up our mask game. And I do recommend that you try out not just the KN95s, but even the N95. N95 is the most protective of the three kind. The KN95 is the next-most protective, and then a cloth or surgical mask is less protective than that. So when others aren't masked, it's important to up your mask game. The other thing is ventilation. Ventilation makes a really big difference. You mentioned indoors. Obviously, if you can do things out of doors, there are almost no infections out of doors. There's rare exceptions of that in very enclosed spaces or very packed crowds, but generally, there's so much air outdoors that the virus is diluted and less of a risk to you. You can open the windows, as long as it's not too hot or cold out, to increase ventilation in that way. And then, if you're at an event and you're trying to further reduce your risk, what some people do is, you may want to not eat or eat quickly or eat outside or separate from the others, and the other time have your mask on, preferably a well-fitting N95 mask.

[00:22:36] Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks so much Dr. Frieden. And thanks for all your questions. We're going to take more of your questions shortly. And just as a reminder, if you'd like to ask a question press *3 on your telephone keypad. Doctor, we know you have to go, but we really appreciate your time and all the great information. And thanks, too, to the COVID Collaborative. It's a team of leading experts in health education and the economy that develops recommendations, leads vaccine education, and works with state and local leaders across America. They helped connect us today with Dr. Frieden. Doctor, thank you so much for being here today.

[00:23:14] Tom Frieden: Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure and an honor, and thank you for the work that you do.

[00:23:18] Bill Walsh: All right. Thanks so much. Let me now turn to our two additional expert guests. Two and a half years after the start of the pandemic, it's worth taking stock of how it's affected all of us. As a nation, we've lost an enormous amount — more than a million lives. These were our friends. They were our family. As individuals, we also feel the loss of time spent with loved ones over holidays, vacations that were canceled, more time in isolation than we ever could have expected. As we emerge from the pandemic, it’s helpful to think about how the adversity has affected our lives. And for that, we turn to Sandra Clark, who knows a thing or two about finding meaning in adversity. Sandra is the CEO of StoryCorps. Established in 2003, StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization that seeks to preserve and share humanities stories. Welcome to our program today, Sandy.

[00:24:15] Sandra Clark: Oh, thank you so much, Bill. It's a pleasure to be here.

[00:24:18] Bill Walsh: All right. We're delighted to have you. You'll be joined by Dr. Anand Parekh. Dr. Parekh is the chief medical advisor at the Bipartisan Policy Center, and he will be discussing the future impact of COVID, particularly as we enter flu season. Welcome back to our program, doctor.

[00:24:38] Anand Parekh: Thanks so much, Bill. Great to be on with all of you today.

[00:24:41] Bill Walsh: OK, and thanks to both our guests for … they're going to take your questions shortly. But Sandy, let me begin with a few questions for you. How do purpose and adversity shape our life stories?

[00:24:56] Sandra Clark: Wow. They're most certainly intertwined. And you know, as hard as it is sometimes, you know, purpose often comes out of diversity. And I think we found that particularly in these last few years, you know — they've given us a reason to be every day. And, you know, not being in control of our lives, I think, has reminded us of who and what has mattered the most. And that sometimes can lead to better things. And so one of the, I think, beauties of StoryCorps stories, and these are stories, you know, powerful wisdom from everyday people, is that, you know, it reminds us, one, that we are not alone. And we also hear all the time when people hear StoryCorps stories, particularly on NPR, that they have to pull the car over to the side of the road because they fill with such emotion and reflection. And I think it's because the recording's often, you know, they inspire us, they give us perspective and hope, and they activate something in us that makes us think about how we can make our families, communities, and the nation, better. And, you know, there's lots and lots of stories — countless stories before the pandemic and most certainly now of how people have triumphs over adversity too.

[00:26:13] Bill Walsh: Well, let's get some practical advice from you. How can someone use the circumstances of the past three years to create a new chapter in their life story? Can you give us some practical steps people can take?

[00:26:27] Sandra Clark: Sure. You know, I myself made a career change joining StoryCorps in February. And sometimes, you know, these are entirely new chapters that we create for ourselves. And at other times it's just, you know, really thinking about how we live our old, old chapters better. And so I think sometimes we feel that there's a lot of pressure to, you know, make these, you know, huge changes. And really it starts with small steps. I think a good starting point is to really just do some self-reflection and to ask ourselves, you know, what have we been putting off that now maybe is the time to take a forward step. How do we connect to people we know and don't know, and how can we learn new things? And one of the beauty of StoryCorps conversations is, you know, it makes us take a quiet moment to pose some important questions to ourselves. But the most important thing is to actually take a step. And sometimes that's telling someone what you're thinking.

[00:27:33] Bill Walsh: All right. That's a start of a, no doubt, a great conversation that maybe ends up on StoryCorps. Let's turn to you, Dr. Parekh. According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 5 people who had the virus will ultimately experience persistent symptoms of what's been called long COVID. Are we able to more precisely define and treat long COVID, and what should people do if they think they or a loved one is suffering from it?

[00:28:01] Anand Parekh: You know, Bill, unfortunately, there's no precise definition of long COVID. What we know is that many people continue to have symptoms from COVID after several weeks. In most cases, the symptoms disappear in a matter of days, a week or two. But more and more Americans with COVID are experiencing symptoms many weeks out. So in general, if you're still experiencing symptoms four weeks or out, that's sort of a sign that you're having an inadequate recovery. And individuals are reporting general symptoms like tiredness or fatigue, post-exertional malaise, which essentially means the symptoms get worse after physical or mental effort. Respiratory symptoms like difficulty breathing and cough, neurological symptoms like headache and sleep problems. It's not really known yet what the cause of this is. Is it a reactivation of the virus? Is it the immune system being in hyperdrive, leading to inflammation? So we don't quite know the cause. Unfortunately, there is no test for this, no diagnostic criteria. I think it's important for doctors to rule out other conditions. But the treatment right now is really focused on symptom management, and everyone is presenting with different symptoms it seems. And so my best advice is, if indeed you have COVID, and your symptoms have not gone away after a month, it's a good time to visit your primary care physician, who can recommend a personal management plan for you based on the symptoms you're experiencing. Until we can really find out what the cause of this is and what are the treatments for it, symptom management is really most important right now.

[00:30:00] Bill Walsh: OK, well, let me follow up on that. Some say that to combat long COVID, we need an initiative like Operation Warp Speed, which famously accelerated the development of COVID vaccines. What's your view on that?

[00:30:14] Anand Parekh: Well we certainly need accelerated research efforts by the public sector and the private sector. I think that the good point here, Bill, is that there's a lot of activity in both sectors right now. The NIH, the National Institutes of Health, the CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, have both launched major initiatives, studies called the Recover Study, the Inspire Study, to identify what are those risk factors and causes of long COVID and what are potential treatments? So there's a lot of ongoing research through the federal government. The private sector, leading academic institutions have also come together to study long COVID. The last point I'll make, Bill, is all of these efforts, they're always looking for individual experiences. Whether you've had long COVID-19 symptoms, if you've had COVID-19 and recovered — all of that information is really critical to helping scientists study these symptoms. So, if anyone on the call is interested in volunteering for a study, I know that federal agencies, as well as the private sector, are always looking for individuals to participate in these important clinical studies.

[00:31:32] Bill Walsh: OK, very good, Doctor. Thanks so much. Now we were just talking to Sandra Clark of StoryCorps about dealing with adversity in our lives. Let's share a brief StoryCorps excerpt about a family remembering Lola Tan. Lola was born in the Philippines and survived the Japanese occupation of World War II. She eventually came to the U.S. to help care for her grandchildren. She died in 2016. In this brief interview, Lola's grandson and her daughter, Kenneth and Olivia, discuss her imprint on their family.

[00:32:10] [audio clip]

[00:32:10] Kenneth: I think I learned from Lola that there’s a difference between your job and your work. Your job is something you leave behind at the end of a day, but your work is everything you leave behind at the end of a lifetime. Lola, she didn’t have the most glamorous jobs, but I think her work was all of us.

[00:32:30] Olivia: It’s her love for us that I remember most. It was not so much of hugging or saying “I love you,” but it was all the things she did. You’re right, we are, we are her work.

[00:32:46] [end of audio clip]

[00:32:49] Bill Walsh: Hmm, Sandy, like this story, many of StoryCorps' best stories are intergenerational — parent and child, a grandparent and grandchild, with wisdom being handed down and sometimes it's being handed up. Why do you focus on these relationships and these stories? What's their importance?

[00:33:10] Sandra Clark: Well, Bill, you know, the intergenerational stories are some of my favorites. And I picked Lola's story to share because there's just so much wisdom and thinking about our job versus our work and what we really want to leave behind. You know, one of the main reasons that people participate in StoryCorps interviews, is really, you know, wanting to make sure that wisdom is passed down from generation to generation. And these, by the way, can be archived, are archived with the Library of Congress if you choose. So, you know, generations well down the road can hear your voice and hear your wisdom. You know, we learned some things from parents and grandparents, but also, you know, there's something about questions and wonderment from kids that bring out so much in us too. And Kenneth Tan actually came back after being cared for by Lola, came back to take care of her when she needed her family the most. And so that kind of, you know, circular caring. I think, is also something so important. For your audience who may not know how StoryCorps works, I just want to share a little bit of how it goes. You know, StoryCorps invites people to record an interview with someone they care about, and it could be a grandparent, a friend, a teacher, just somebody who had an impact in your life, and someone you want to say, you know, you matter to me. You and your partner will record — and these are usually 40-minute interviews and conversations that you're talking to each other. And you can do this through the StoryCorps app, or an in-person onsite recording. So we have an Airstream bus that actually travels to 10 cities across the country every year. We’re right now in Utah and heading to Las Vegas next. And these conversations, you get a copy of the recording, and the copy goes to the Library of Congress, if you choose. So it'll be preserved well into the future for future generations. And then we share out many of these stories on our website, on social media platforms. You can certainly hear them on NPR once a week. We have a podcast, and we also do these wonderful animations out of some of our stories.

[00:35:28] Bill Walsh: Well, that's great. I look forward to those programs every Friday on NPR. They really are a highlight. Well, thank you so much for that, Sandy. Now it's time to address more of your questions. Please press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with AARP staff and get in the queue to ask your question live. Karen, who do we have next on the line?

[00:35:52] Karen Chong: Hey, Bill, we have Julia from Utah talking about the surge. Hold on one second.

[00:35:59] Bill Walsh: Hey, Julia. Welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:36:03] Julia: Yes. I was just wondering how prepared are we if we get a big new surge, in light of the health care problems with a lot of health care people leaving due to being overwhelmed or due to the vaccine mandate that had been imposed.

[00:36:20] Bill Walsh: Hmm. That's a great question, Julia. Dr. Parekh, can you take that one on.

[00:36:27] Anand Parekh: Sure, I can do so. And certainly, we’ve seen staff shortages in hospitals across the country, particularly related to nurses. You know the best thing that we can do for the health care sector is to prevent hospitalizations from COVID in the first place. And so when I think about the surge — are we prepared? — that’s really a question back to all of us, whether we all will commit to using the tools that have been provided to us, number one, as Dr. Frieden said, staying up to date with vaccinations. Number two, making sure that you use tests if you have symptoms. Number three, ensuring that you have a quick access to treatment if you’re eligible. If you do turn positive, knowing when to appropriately wear a high-quality mask, what types of settings. These tools that we use are our best chance to really not only reduce deaths from COVID-19, reduce surges, but also to protect our health care system so they don’t see the surges that I don’t think any of us want to see.

[00:37:41] Bill Walsh: OK, very good. And doctor, you mentioned just a moment ago as we were talking about long COVID symptoms, you had urged people to take part in clinical trials. I just wanted to give our listeners a website where they can find out more about that. That website is at the National Institutes of Health, and it is RecoverCOVID.org. RecoverCOVID.org. Go there to find out more about clinical trials related to long COVID. Karen, who do we have up next?

[00:38:15] Karen Chong: Hey there, so we have Alex from New York, and he's got a question about — so important nowadays — about mental health.

[00:38:22] Bill Walsh: Hey Alex, welcome to the program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:38:26] Alex: Yeah. Thank you for taking my question. One of the things that I've seen over the past two years is, with a lot of people I know, just seeing the impact on people's mental health, and how in some people, it really deteriorated. And, you know, the well-meaning advice to people to stay indoors, to older people, may not have been, may not have been good in the long run because some people just stayed in, became more and more isolated and stopped taking care of themselves.

[00:39:12] Bill Walsh: Yeah.

[00:39:12] Alex: And so I've, and there are things you can do, there are things that help people in that situation, you know, humor, talking, talking to other people .. for some, faith in a loving God. And but I've, yeah, I just would like you, if you could address that.

[00:39:36] Bill Walsh: Yeah, yeah, Alex. That's a great question. Thanks so much for asking it. I wonder, maybe both our experts can weigh in on this. Sandy, I wonder if this has come up in StoryCorps stories you've heard over the last two years — the mental health impacts of COVID and the isolation that Alex was talking about.

[00:39:56] Sandra Clark: Yeah, Bill, I mean, absolutely. You know, one of the worst aspects of the pandemic was, is isolation for, for many. And not just for the elderly, but also for young people too. And when the pandemic started, you know, the StoryCorps interviews, which we used to record face-to-face, we knew we couldn't do that anymore. And knowing how essential, you know, human connection is and how effective these StoryCorps conversations are in helping people feel more connected, we created a StoryCorps Connect, which is a remote way for people to connect with each other and to share their stories so they don't feel so alone. So, you know, you can look at the StoryCorps.org website and find out more information about StoryCorps Connect, but also our app allows people to connect with each other and interview. And there's something about the, you know, the quietude of those conversations. There's so many things we don't share with the people who are closest to us sometimes. And so, you know, being able to connect through an app and really have an intentional conversation can help mitigate loneliness and also give hope.

[00:41:09] Bill Walsh: Yeah. And doctor, I wonder if you could also address Alex's question. In our own survey data, we've seen increases in depression and sleeplessness, anxiety among older adults, largely during the COVID pandemic period and tied to isolation. Do you have any clinical advice on that front?

[00:41:28] Anand Parekh: Yeah, you know, I agree with Sandy — social isolation and loneliness and depression, particularly in older adults, was a challenge even before the pandemic. But the pandemic simply exacerbated that. So I think working with your doctor, or working with community-based organizations, you know finding different ways to connect virtually as well as otherwise to peers — all of those things help us with conditions such as anxiety as well as depression. So I think the messaging also is very important with respect to the pandemic, and that’s why I do say now … we don’t have to think about the pandemic all the time anymore. Let’s just make sure that we don’t forget about these tools. So I think all of those messages are important. I will also add one public service announcement for those individuals who are in crisis, who are having a behavioral health crisis. There’s now a new national crisis hotline number, 988. This number is now live all across the country, and individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis can call that number, and they’ll be routed to counselors as well as triage, depending upon their level of need. So I think that’s important that all older adults, all Americans know that that 988 number is now live.

[00:42:55] Bill Walsh: Yep. Thanks so much for mentioning that. What a great resource. We're going to take more listener questions in just a moment, but before we do, let's get an update from Capitol Hill. In addition to sharing information and resources, AARP advocates for issues that affect you the most. To get a quick update on how AARP is fighting for you, I want to bring in my AARP colleague, Government Affairs Vice President Megan O'Reilly. Welcome to the program, Megan.

[00:43:24] Megan O'Reilly: Happy to be here, Bill.

[00:43:25] Bill Walsh: All right. I want to ask about a few important issues today, but let's start with some good news. Of course, last month, historic prescription drug reforms passed the House and Senate and were signed into law.

[00:43:38] Megan O'Reilly: Yes, prescription drug reform is a huge victory for older Americans. After decades of calling on Congress to make prescription drugs more affordable, AARP has won the fight for Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and help seniors save money on their medications. The new law will also put an annual $2,000 limit on how much seniors on Medicare Part D will have to pay out of pocket for their medications. And it penalizes drugmakers that increase prices faster than the rate of inflation. Finally, the new law cap costs of Medicare-covered insulin at $35 a month, and it eliminates out-of-pocket costs for most vaccines under Medicare, such as the shingles vaccine. These are huge wins.

[00:44:23] Bill Walsh: Well, that's just wonderful news, Megan. And, of course, that important $2,000 limit on out-of-pocket spending kicks off in 2025. You know, we're also entering election season right now. What is AARP’s focus heading into the November election?

[00:44:41] Megan O'Reilly: First, I want to remind folks that AARP is strictly nonpartisan and always has been. We don't endorse or give money to candidates. That said, we're working hard to make sure that candidates pay attention to older Americans and address the issues that are most important to them. Voters aged 50 and above will likely make up the majority of the electorate in November, as they have in all recent elections. We're also making sure our members and the public know where and when to vote. A lot of states have had changes to their voting rules since the last election, so we're doing a lot of education and outreach to explain what's different and what stays the same. In addition to election pages on aarp.org, this month's issue of the AARP Bulletin also details how you can vote in your state.

[00:45:30] Bill Walsh: Yeah, check out that AARP Bulletin. It's an excellent issue. Now, AARP recently conducted research that focuses specifically on women ages 50 and above. The research was called “She's the Difference: The Power of Older Women Voters.” And the poll showed some important findings, didn’t it?

[00:45:51] Megan O'Reilly: It did. You know, women over the age of 50 are a critical voting demographic. They make up nearly 27 percent of registered voters, and more than 8 in 10 turned out to vote in 2020. This group also makes up the biggest block of swing voters. Older women may not always feel seen or appreciated, but they are here, they are strong, and they will make their voices heard. Elected leaders and political candidates would be wise to listen and understand the needs and concerns of women aged 50 and above, and indeed all older Americans.

[00:46:24] Bill Walsh: OK, thanks for that update, Megan. Now, before I let you go, I want to ask about the current state of COVID in America's nursing homes. For those living and working in skilled nursing facilities, this pandemic is far from over.

[00:46:40] Megan O'Reilly: Sadly, that's correct. AARP's Nursing Home COVID Dashboard shows that COVID still has a deadly grip on the nation's nursing homes with the number of deaths and cases among residents and staff nationwide rising for the fourth consecutive month. For the four weeks ending on Aug. 21, there were more than a 100,000 new COVID cases identified in nursing homes, with about 1 out of every 22 residents testing positive. In addition, the rate of nursing home resident deaths nationwide increased by about 30 percent, compared to the previous numbers. Tragically, more than 1,000 nursing home residents and more than 100 staff died from COVID during this four-week period.

[00:47:23] Bill Walsh: What should people do if they have a loved one in a nursing home?

[00:47:27] Megan O'Reilly: Our numbers show that only a little more than half of nursing home residents nationwide are up to date with their COVID vaccinations and considered fully protected. With cold weather and flu season upon us, we must do everything we can to protect our loved ones. A big part of that is prioritizing vaccines and boosters. Don't take for granted that your loved one has received theirs. Follow up with their care providers and make a plan.

[00:47:52] Bill Walsh: All right. Great advice. Thanks for being here today, Megan. And if our listeners want to stay on top of AARP’s advocacy efforts, how can they find out the latest?

[00:48:02] Megan O'Reilly: We encourage everyone to go online and search “AARP Fighting for You.” That'll lead you to the daily roundup of all the latest advocacy news on our work with Congress and across the country. You can also search “AARP Fierce Defender” and find a host of updates and money-saving resources.

[00:48:22] Bill Walsh: OK, “AARP Fierce Defender.” Thanks very much for being with us today, Megan. And we are going to take some more listener calls in just a moment. But first I had a question for our experts. Sandy, I was just talking to Megan about caring for our loved ones. As we emerge from the pandemic, what's the one question we should be asking our loved ones.

[00:48:47] Sandra Clark: Oh wow, that's a great question, Bill. There's so many questions, but I think, you know, the gift of listening is very powerful. And what would you share with future generations in our family about this time, and what have you learned? I think there's so much that, you know, can be gained from hearing from someone in their own voice about how they have processed this time, and sort of the lessons that they want to share with their families going forward.

[00:49:15] Bill Walsh: OK, thanks. Great advice. Now it's time to take more of your questions for Sandra Clark, the CEO of StoryCorps, and Dr. Anand Parekh. Please press *3 at any time on your telephone keypad to be connected with an AARP staff member and get in the queue to ask your question live. Karen, who do we have on the line now?

[00:49:39] Karen Chong: Hey, Bill, so we actually have an online question, I think for Sandy from StoryCorps. “How can we encourage relatives to share family stories if they're reluctant?”

[00:49:49] Bill Walsh: Sandy, how about that one?

[00:49:52] Sandy Clark: Thank you. I love that question. You know, I can't say enough about how we should act now, as we've all learned that tomorrow's not promised. And so, you know, we should really approach it with a finite period of time to capture these stories — as someone who didn't get my own mother and father's voices captured. I think just to say you're important to me. And it means everything for us and those coming after us to hear your story in your voice; it's the most priceless gift you can give us. And, you know, to make this easier, you can go to StoryCorps.org. And really, we even have a set of questions if you need some prompts to get the conversation started. And then they can also look at the many, many stories that, I mean — about 600,000 people have been recorded since we began StoryCorps. And so they can look and see this wonderful, beautiful collection of people who have shared their stories as well.

[00:50:55] Bill Walsh: OK, thanks so much. We'll have to check that out. StoryCorps.org. Karen, who is next on the line?

[00:51:04] Karen Chong: So we have Jean from Illinois, who wants to talk about vaccines versus immunity from having had COVID. Here you go.

[00:51:14] Bill Walsh: All right, well, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:51:18] Jean: Yes. I would just like to hear a doctor address the comparison between getting COVID, whether it be a mild case or hospitalization and surviving. So your body has already developed its own immunity toward it, and I'd like to compare the efficacy of that as opposed to the vaccines. I'm not, I mean the boosters, excuse me, I'm not anti-vaccine. I've had, you know that. And most people where we live have, if not all. But then my question is basically more geared toward the boosters.

[00:51:53] Bill Walsh: Mm. Thanks so much for that. Yeah, go ahead. Thanks so much for that question. I think a lot of people do wonder about so-called natural immunity versus the effectiveness of the boosters. And doctor, I wonder if you could address that.

[00:52:07] Anand Parekh: Sure, I’m happy to do so. So both vaccine-induced immunity, as well as natural immunity, can be and are protective against COVID-19. Most studies demonstrate that vaccine-induced immunity is more robust than natural immunity. It lasts longer. It’s more effective. But the single-most important reason why, if you had to choose — you would always choose vaccine-induced immunity as opposed to natural immunity — is no one wants to take the risk of going through COVID-19. We just talked about long COVID as well. Studies show that if you’re vaccinated, the chance for long COVID are less. So we don’t want to take the risk for any of us to experience COVID, and that’s another reason why vaccine-induced immunity is so important. At this point, in terms of boosters, and the recommendation is that this new bivalent booster — which will protect us against not only the original strain but the newer omicron strain — is recommended in adults, particularly older adults, as long as it’s been two months since you’ve received that last booster. And I think that is really the scientific recommendation and consensus — that to protect ourselves as we come to this wintertime, that it’s best to get that vaccine. In the short term, it’ll also help prevent infection. But over the long term, it’s the most durable way to protect us from severe illness and that’s what, I think, we all want to avoid.

[00:53:46] Bill Walsh: All right, doctor. Thanks so much for that. Karen, let's take another question.

[00:53:53] Karen Chong: [inaudible] ... who has a question about just how many vaccines and boosters are right. Here we go.

[00:53:59] Bill Walsh: Hi, welcome to our program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:54:03] Female caller: Hello, can you hear me?

[00:54:04] Bill Walsh: I sure can go ahead with your question.

[00:54:06] Karen Chong: OK. If you've had the two vaccines, Moderna, and you've also had the two boosters. And the last booster was the 1st of June, do you still need to take the new booster that's out now, the omicron vaccine? And if so, how long after your last booster? And also, if you've had cortisone injections or some steroid injections for arthritis pain, do you need to wait a certain period of time before you can take the omicron vaccine? And this is also in regard to a 15-year-old child as well, who has Crohn's and is taking Remicade infusions for Crohn's.

[00:55:05] Bill Walsh: Well, let's, yeah, thanks so much for that question, those two questions. Let’s go ahead and ask the doctor about that. Doctor?

[00:55:13] Anand Parekh: Well, and thanks for both of those questions. And I think, in particular, to the second question related to steroids. And I believe this is for a 15-year-old child. It’s best to consult with the child's physician as to the timing of the corticosteroid shot as well as the bivalent booster. But the recommendation now is, and for a 15-year-old, the Pfizer — Moderna is 18 and older — so this would be the Pfizer vaccine. But if an individual is out more than two months since the last vaccine — so in this case, I think it's more than two months; it would have been about four months — then yes, they are eligible. And, in this particular case, given the child is immunosuppressed or has a chronic condition such as Crohn's, I think it would be advisable to get this booster over the next few weeks, particularly before we get into the winter season.

[00:56:18] Bill Walsh: OK. Thanks so much for that, doctor. Karen, let's take another call.

[00:56:23] Karen Chong: Sure, we have Marcia from California, and she's got questions about reactions to the vaccine.

[00:56:29] Bill Walsh: Hi, welcome to the program. Go ahead with your question.

[00:56:33] Marcia: OK, I'm 98 years old. My son is 74 years old. He got the COVID about three months ago. I never got it from him, and I still have no symptoms. I don't have it. But he has residual effects that's ongoing now, mostly in regard to his breathing. He says he can't sleep at night, and when he does get to sleep, all of a sudden, his nose clogs up and then he wakes up and he goes into a panic attack. He's afraid he's going to die, and he can't get his breath. And then he can't go back to sleep. And it's just a vicious circle. And is there any suggestions for him? He takes the inhaler and everything else he knows to do, but nothing works.

[00:57:33] Bill Walsh: Yeah, well, let's ask the doctor. Doctor, it sounds like what she's describing may be the symptoms of long COVID.

[00:57:40] Anand Parekh: Yes, it could very well be. And first I want to, you know, thank the caller and am so glad that she is in good health. And in terms of her son, and I'm sure the son's physician is looking into this — ruling out other conditions that could masquerade for long COVID. But he certainly could have exactly what we were describing on the call, or earlier, long COVID — which is not very well precisely defined yet. And really the treatment for these symptoms are really anything we can do to manage them. So for example, if it is related to difficulty breathing, there's something called pulmonary rehabilitation that helps with breathing. If it's related to sleep, there are perhaps things that can be done to alleviate the sleep symptoms. But it's really working through with the physician to create a personal management plan to try to get at those most debilitating symptoms. Until we can, until the research can better ascertain exactly what is going on and why it's going on so we can prevent it in the first place and have better treatments. So right now it's really all about managing the key symptoms, and that's what individuals should be talking to their personal physician about.

[00:59:02] Bill Walsh: Right, and our caller said she was 98. I sure hope that she's up to date on her vaccines and boosters to protect herself from these ongoing symptoms her son seems to be experiencing. All right, well this has been an informative discussion. I want to thank all of our guests for their information and insights, and thank you our AARP members, volunteers, and listeners for participating in the call today. AARP, a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization, has been working to promote the health and well-being of older Americans for more than 60 years. In the face of this crisis, we're providing information and resources to help older adults and those caring for them protect themselves from the virus, prevent its spread to others while taking care of themselves. All the resources referenced today, including a recording of the Q&A event, can be found at aarp.org/coronavirus beginning tomorrow, Sept. 30. Go there if your question was not addressed, and you'll find the latest updates as well as information created specifically for older adults and family caregivers. We hope you learned something that can help keep you and your loved ones healthy. Please join us again on Nov. 10 for another tele-town hall on COVID-19. Thank you and have a good day. This concludes our call.

 

Teleasamblea de AARP

Vacunas, temporada de gripe y nuestras historias

 

 

Participan:

 

Tom Frieden, M.D.: CEO, Resolve to Save Lives, exdirector de los Centros

para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades

 

Sandra Clark: directora ejecutiva, StoryCorps

 

Anand Parekh, M.D.: asesor médico principal, Bipartisan Policy Center

 

Megan O'Reilly: invitada especial, vicepresidenta, AARP

 

Karen Chong: organizadora, vicepresidenta, AARP

 

Bill Walsh: moderador, vicepresidente, AARP

 

 

Bill Walsh: Hola, soy el vicepresidente de AARP, Bill Walsh. Y quiero darles la bienvenida a este importante debate sobre el coronavirus. Antes de comenzar, si desean escuchar esta teleasamblea en español, presionen *0 en el teclado de su teléfono ahora.

 

[En español]

 

Bill Walsh: AARP es una organización de membresía no partidista y sin fines de lucro que ha estado trabajando para promover la salud y el bienestar de los adultos mayores durante más de 60 años. Ante la pandemia mundial de coronavirus, AARP brinda información y recursos para ayudar a los adultos mayores y a quienes los cuidan. Por supuesto, todos anhelamos el regreso a la normalidad, incluido el tiempo con familiares y amigos y volver a viajar en nuestras comunidades. Pero para muchos, estas actividades continúan ausentes por el riesgo de infección por COVID-19. Estamos viendo un aumento de infecciones en el norte de Europa. Y a medida que entramos en otoño e invierno en este país, hemos visto un aumento de infecciones en los últimos dos años.

 

Hoy escucharemos a un impresionante panel de expertos hablar sobre estos temas y otros. También recibiremos una actualización del Capitolio sobre la legislación que afecta a los adultos mayores. Si han participado en alguna de nuestras teleasambleas en el pasado, saben que es similar a un programa de entrevistas de radio y que tienen la oportunidad de hacer su pregunta en vivo. Para aquellos de ustedes que se unan a nosotros por teléfono, si desean hacer una pregunta, presionen *3 en el teclado de su teléfono para conectarse con un miembro del personal de AARP que anotará su nombre y su pregunta y los colocará en una fila para hacer esa pregunta en vivo. Si participan por medio de Facebook o YouTube, pueden publicar su pregunta en los comentarios.

 

Hola, si acaban de unirse, soy Bill Walsh, de AARP y quiero darles la bienvenida a este importante debate sobre la pandemia mundial del coronavirus. Estaremos hablando con los principales expertos y respondiendo sus preguntas en vivo. Para hacer una pregunta, presionen *3 y si participan por medio de Facebook o YouTube, dejen su pregunta en la sección de comentarios. Hoy nos acompañan invitados destacados, incluido el exdirector de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades, la directora ejecutiva de StoryCorps y el asesor médico principal del Bipartisan Policy Center. También nos acompañará mi colega de AARP, Karen Chong, quien ayudará a facilitar sus llamadas. Este evento se está grabando y podrán acceder a la grabación en aarp.org/elcoronavirus 24 horas después de que terminemos. Nuevamente, para hacer una pregunta, presionen *3 en cualquier momento en el teclado de su teléfono para conectarse con un miembro del personal de AARP. O si participan por medio de Facebook o YouTube, dejen su pregunta en los comentarios. Ahora me gustaría dar la bienvenida a nuestro invitado, Tom Frieden, M.D., quien es el director ejecutivo de la organización sin fines de lucro Resolve to Save Lives. La organización trabaja para prevenir enfermedades del corazón y prepararse para epidemias. El Dr. Frieden es el exdirector de los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. Bienvenido al programa, doctor.

 

Tom Frieden: Muchas gracias. Es muy agradable estar aquí.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien, estamos encantados de tenerlo. Y un poco más tarde se unirán a nosotros Sandra Clark, directora ejecutiva de StoryCorps y el Dr. Anand Parekh, asesor médico principal del Bipartisan Policy Center. Solo como recordatorio para nuestros oyentes, para hacer una pregunta, presionen *3 en el teclado de su teléfono o déjenla en la sección de comentarios en Facebook o YouTube. Arranquemos directamente. Dr. Frieden, estamos viendo aumentos repentinos de COVID-19 en el norte de Europa que en el pasado también precedieron a aumentos en EE.UU. Y, por supuesto, EE.UU. ha visto aumentos repentinos de COVID-19 devastadores en otoño e invierno durante los últimos dos años. Actualmente, hay alrededor de 400 muertes por COVID-19 cada día en EE.UU. y la gran mayoría son adultos mayores. Otra oleada de otoño e invierno podría resultar en que decenas de miles de adultos mayores pierdan la vida. ¿Cuál es el panorama para el resto del año? ¿Y qué medidas son más críticas para que los adultos mayores eviten el contagio?

 

Tom Frieden: Muchas gracias por la pregunta. Lo primero que hay que tener claro es que nadie le puede decir con certeza qué va a pasar con la COVID-19 dentro de uno o dos meses. Tenemos que tener humildad cuando se trata de este virus y simplemente no lo sabemos con certeza. Lo que sí sabemos es que hay cosas que puede hacer para protegerse a sí mismo y a su familia. En primer lugar, lo más importante es mantenerse al día con sus vacunas. Ahora tenemos lo que se llama un refuerzo bivalente, refuerzo contra la vieja cepa y la nueva cepa de COVID-19. Todos deberían recibir un refuerzo, especialmente las personas mayores. Si está al día con sus vacunas, es mucho menos probable que termine enfermo en el hospital o gravemente enfermo. Lo segundo que puede hacer es hacerse la prueba rápidamente si enferma. Y si tiene COVID-19, hágase tratar. Paxlovid es muy eficaz para reducir el riesgo de enfermedad grave o muerte. Y luego, para las personas que tienen un sistema inmunitario debilitado o que están particularmente preocupadas por la COVID-19, lo mejor es protegerse en ciertas situaciones con una mascarilla N95. Pero lo más importante que se debe hacer es estar al día con sus vacunas. Estas vacunas son notablemente eficaces para mantener a las personas fuera del hospital y con vida. Y muy pocas personas las han recibido.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, muchas gracias por eso. La semana pasada, el presidente dijo que la pandemia había terminado, sentimiento que fue afirmado por el secretario de Salud de EE.UU., Xavier Becerra. Solo me pregunto si dos cosas pueden ser ciertas, ¿puede terminar la pandemia y todavía tener una importante necesidad de mitigar la COVID-19?

 

Tom Frieden: Bueno, en primer lugar, si alguien sufre de COVID-19 prolongada, la pandemia no ha terminado para esa persona. Si es una de esas personas en el hospital con COVID-19, no ha terminado para usted. Si alguien se encuentra en un país del mundo que no tiene suficiente acceso a vacunas o medicamentos, ciertamente no ha terminado para él. Y si en un mes o un año llega una nueva variante que sea mortal y evite la protección de nuestras vacunas, la pandemia seguirá existiendo. Pero también se da el caso de que la gente ha vuelto a una nueva forma de vivir con la COVID-19. Que la COVID-19 no está gobernando e interrumpiendo nuestras vidas en EE.UU. como antes. Sigue siendo una emergencia mundial, sigue siendo una grave amenaza para la salud. El hecho de que algo ya no esté en la fase de pandemia no significa que no siga siendo un problema grave. Tenemos muchos problemas de salud que no son pandemias y siguen siendo peligrosos y mortales.

 

Bill Walsh: Correcto. Buen punto. Quiero decir, no queremos que la gente baje la guardia, para nada. Y como menciona, se han levantado las precauciones de COVID-19 e incluso las tasas de vacunación contra la influenza son más bajas que los niveles previos a la pandemia. Los expertos advierten que esta temporada de gripe podría ser difícil. ¿Qué tan importante es una vacuna contra la gripe? ¿Deben las personas mayores solicitar la vacuna contra la gripe en dosis altas?

 

Tom Frieden: La vacunación contra la gripe es muy importante. No sabemos lo que deparará esta temporada de gripe. Lo único que se puede predecir sobre la gripe es que es impredecible. Sabemos que lo mejor que uno puede hacer para protegerse contra la gripe es vacunarse. Ahora, la vacuna contra la influenza, aunque es mejor que cualquier otra cosa que tenemos para la gripe, no es tan eficaz como desearíamos que fuera. De hecho, la vacuna contra la COVID-19 es mucho mejor para la COVID-19 que la vacuna contra la gripe lo es para la gripe. Pero aún así, la vacuna contra la gripe es importante. Y hay alguna evidencia de que la vacuna de dosis más alta es mejor para las personas mayores. Por lo tanto, se recomienda para las personas mayores, pero lo más importante es que se vacunen contra la gripe y, si uno es mayor o está en riesgo, la dosis más alta puede ser mejor.

 

Bill Walsh: Muchos de nuestros oyentes pueden haber escuchado muchos consejos sobre vacunas, vacúnese contra la gripe como acaba de decir, vacúnese contra la COVID-19, vacúnese contra la ómicron, vacúnese contra la culebrilla. ¿Existe alguna preocupación por recibir todas estas vacunas a la vez?

 

Tom Frieden: La mayor preocupación es que la gente no las entienda. Tenemos demasiadas personas que están en hospitales y que están mortalmente enfermas porque no fueron vacunadas contra una enfermedad prevenible. Como médico, escucho lo que los pacientes dicen sobre sus preocupaciones. Pero estas vacunas son notablemente seguras y notablemente eficaces. Yo las recibo, me aseguro de que mi madre de 93 años las reciba. Me aseguro de que mi familia las reciba. Si observa lo que hacen los médicos, casi todos los médicos se vacunan. Y eso es porque vemos que las vacunas funcionan. Vemos que son seguras. Vemos que son eficaces y vemos las tragedias que ocurren cuando las personas no se vacunan.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien. Bueno, ahora llegó el momento de abordar sus preguntas sobre el coronavirus y las vacunas con el Dr. Tom Frieden. Como recordatorio, presionen *3 en cualquier momento en el teclado de su teléfono para conectarse con un miembro del personal de AARP para compartir su pregunta en vivo. Y como recordatorio, si desean escuchar este programa en español, presionen *0 en el teclado de su teléfono ahora.

 

[En español]

 

Bill Walsh: Ahora me gustaría invitar a mi colega de AARP, Karen Chong, para ayudar a facilitar sus llamadas. Bienvenida, Karen.

 

Karen Chong: Hola, Bill. Muchas gracias por recibirme en esta importante conversación. Las llamadas se están acumulando, así que no quiero robar demasiado tiempo. En primer lugar, tenemos a Craig de Minnesota que tiene una pregunta sobre los tiempos de las vacunas de refuerzo de las que acabamos de hablar.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Craig, continúe con su pregunta.

 

Craig: Hola, y gracias por atender mi llamada. Tal vez cambie mi pregunta si tengo tiempo. Simplemente cuánto tiempo... Sé esta respuesta. Cuánto tarda la vacuna en hacer efecto el nuevo... ¿Cuánto tarda en hacer efecto el nuevo refuerzo? Me vacuné, y mañana serán dos semanas. Y creo que eso es lo que se necesita, ¿verdad?

 

Bill Walsh: ¿Dr. Frieden?

 

Tom Frieden: Eso es correcto.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí, dos semanas.

 

Tom Frieden: Eso es correcto. Se necesitan aproximadamente dos semanas para que el refuerzo sea completamente eficaz. Ese es un punto importante. Y lo que sabemos es que los refuerzos son realmente eficaces para mantener a las personas fuera del hospital y que no se enfermen gravemente. Después de unos meses, son mucho menos eficaces para evitar que se infecte. Pero, por supuesto, nos encantaría que previniera la infección. Pero eso no sería hasta ahora algo que sea de larga duración. Lo que es más duradero es la protección contra enfermedades graves. Y eso, francamente, es lo que es aún más importante.

 

Bill Walsh: Ahora, doctor, Craig había preguntado acerca de las vacunas de refuerzo, ¿es la misma historia con la nueva vacuna contra ómicron?

 

Tom Frieden: Las dos... La vacuna de dos dosis, la llamada vacuna bivalente, se puede usar como refuerzo, cualquiera puede recibirla, los adultos pueden recibirla. Está disponible ahora. Parece brindar una protección más amplia y esperamos una protección más prolongada. No sabemos lo que nos deparará el futuro. No sabemos si va a ser una vacuna anual o algo más. Pero lo que sí sabemos es que para protegerse ahora, habría que vacunarse. Están disponibles ampliamente. Son seguras y eficaces. Y son eficaces contra una gama más amplia de las diferentes cepas de COVID-19 que existen.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, gracias. Karen, volvamos a las líneas. ¿A quién tiene ahora?

 

Karen Chong: Claro. A continuación tenemos a Patricia, de Naperville. Ella tiene una pregunta sobre el tiempo.

 

Bill Walsh: Hola, Patricia, continúe con su pregunta para el doctor.

 

Patricia: Hola, recibí mi cuarta dosis de refuerzo el 8 de junio. Serán unos cuatro meses desde que la recibí. Estoy inmunocomprometida de varias maneras diferentes. Tengo anemia hemolítica autoinmune, tengo una enfermedad hepática en tercera etapa sin cáncer. Soy diabética, etc., etc. Me pregunto si debería esperar tal vez otro mes más o menos antes de ponerme las inyecciones porque he tenido reacciones a todas ellas que no fueron graves, pero por lo general mucha fatiga durante un semana o incluso dos, mucho dolor en el brazo y bla, bla, bla, náuseas, falta de apetito, etc. ¿Las personas que tienden a tener reacciones y que tienen problemas deberían esperar un poco más o deberíamos recibirla de inmediato?

 

Bill Walsh: De acuerdo. Bueno. Dr. Frieden.

 

Tom Frieden: Excelente pregunta. Va cuatro meses, es un buen momento para pensar en recibir la vacuna que debería durar esta temporada. Es una vacuna más amplia. Así que le dará una cobertura más amplia que la que tenía antes. Si ha tenido COVID-19, eso realmente aumenta su reacción, así que si tiene COVID-19, no recomiendo que nadie se contagie de COVID-19 por esta o cualquier otra razón. Pero si ha tenido COVID-19, eso prolongará un poco su inmunidad de la última vacuna. Pero, en general, se recomienda un período de cuatro meses, como máximo seis meses, para vacunarse. Obviamente, debe hablar con su propio médico sobre esto, pero no sería demasiado pronto para obtenerla ahora. Y dado que, como mencionó la primera persona que llamó, tarda aproximadamente dos semanas en hacer efecto, y nos aproximamos al otoño, que podemos tener más casos. Si miramos los casos que surgen en Europa ahora, generalmente hemos seguido lo que sucedió allí, por unas pocas semanas, o un mes o dos. Sería un buen momento para vacunarse. Nuevamente, preferiría que consulte con su propio médico. Pero si han pasado cuatro meses de la última dosis, si no ha tenido COVID-19 en el medio, es buen momento para vacunarse. Ciertamente no esperaría más de seis.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, suena bien. Karen, volvamos a las líneas. ¿A quién tenemos ahora?

 

Karen Chong: Sí. A continuación, tenemos un pequeño cambio. Tenemos a Bonnie, de Alabama, quien pregunta sobre una reacción a la vacuna contra la gripe.

 

Bill Walsh: Hola Bonnie, haga su pregunta.

 

Bonnie: Sí, señor. Muchas gracias. Mi vacuna contra la gripe que...

 

Bill Walsh: Se corta...

 

Bonnie: Y no pude llegar a la misma fácilmente. Y me pregunto si el otro farmacéutico...

 

Bill Walsh: Su línea se estaba cortando. Tal vez, Karen, ¿quiere probar con otra llamada?

 

Karen Chong: Sí, lo siento.

 

Bill Walsh: Ah, está bien.

 

Karen Chong: Podemos probar con otra persona que llama, Gail de California. Tiene una pregunta sobre la vacuna para niños.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, Gail, continúe con su pregunta. Bienvenida a nuestro programa. Hola, Gail, bienvenida a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Gail: Oh, lo siento.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí.

 

Gail: Hola. ¿Es segura y se ha probado lo suficiente para que un niño reciba la nueva vacuna de refuerzo?

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, Dr. Frieden. Sí.

 

Tom Frieden: Eso es genial... Otra excelente pregunta. Y ciertamente es comprensible que nos preocupemos por cualquier vacuna y particularmente con nuestros hijos, queremos asegurarnos de que sea segura. Todo lo que hemos visto sugiere que será segura y eficaz. La única preocupación que hemos tenido sobre la seguridad de las vacunas para las personas más jóvenes ha sido con una de las vacunas para hombres adolescentes y adultos jóvenes donde aproximadamente uno en un millón tenía algo de inflamación alrededor del corazón que en realidad desapareció con el tiempo. Sin embargo, el riesgo de ese tipo de vacuna es menor que el riesgo de la propia COVID-19. Así que sin duda, hable con su médico, hable con su pediatra. Pero todos los datos que hemos visto sugieren que las vacunas son seguras y eficaces, incluso para los niños.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, muy bien. Gracias por eso, doctor. Karen, tomemos otra llamada.

 

Karen Chong: Gracias, estoy pensando en dos preguntas que acabo de tener. Norma de Florida tiene una pregunta sobre... Oh, no, simplemente desapareció. Lo lamento. Norma de Florida tiene una pregunta sobre el cambio de fabricante de vacunas.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, Norma. Bienvenida a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Norma: Mi pregunta es que mi vacuna la hizo la empresa Moderna. Y en el área en la que vivo, allí, no hay Moderna, solo tienen Pfizer. ¿Está bien cambiar? ¿O es mejor para mí viajar fuera de mi área tal vez 50 millas más o menos para obtener la Moderna?

 

Bill Walsh: Doctor, esa es una pregunta sobre la combinación. ¿Está bien? ¿Es eso saludable?

 

Tom Frieden: Está bien. De hecho, esperábamos que mezclar y combinar pudiera ser aún mejor porque estábamos cubriendo diferentes bases con la vacuna. Los mejores datos disponibles ahora sugieren que no es mejor ni peor. Entonces diría que reciba la vacuna que está disponible para usted. Tanto Pfizer como Moderna tienen refuerzos bivalentes disponibles. Hay una leve mayor disponibilidad de Pfizer en este momento. Pero si antes recibió Moderna, no dudaría en absoluto en se vacune con Pfizer ahora o viceversa o seguir con la misma.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien.

 

Tom Frieden: Y la vacuna que va a funcionar mejor es la que recibe cuando puede.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Buen consejo. Muchas gracias. Karen, ¿a quién tenemos ahora?

 

Karen Chong: Claro. A continuación tenemos a Bárbara, de Washington, que tiene una pregunta sobre seguridad.

 

Bill Walsh: Bárbara, bienvenida a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta. Hola, Bárbara, continúe con su pregunta. ¿Tenemos a Bárbara? Deberíamos tomar otra pregunta. Muy bien, Karen, ¿por qué no tomamos otra llamada?

 

Karen Chong: Sí, seguro, no hay problema. Tenemos una pregunta de Charles, de Minnesota, acerca de asistir a una reunión familiar y qué puede hacer para protegerse. Déjame conectar a Charles.

 

Bill Walsh: Charles, bienvenido a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Charles: Sí, necesito asistir a una reunión familiar en casa de alguien a mediados de octubre, muy pocas de las personas allí estarán usando mascarillas. Entonces, mi esposa y yo nos preguntamos, además de recibir nuestros refuerzos, que ya hemos hecho, y usar mascarillas KN95, ¿qué más podemos hacer para protegernos de la infección en esta reunión familiar?

 

Bill Walsh: Esa es una gran pregunta, Charles. Y estoy seguro de que es una pregunta en la mente de otras personas a medida que nos acercamos a la temporada navideña. Dra. Frieden, ¿tiene algún consejo?

 

Tom Frieden: Es una excelente pregunta. Y la forma en que pienso en esto para mí y mi familia y los pacientes con los que hablo es considerar los riesgos y los beneficios de las diferentes actividades que va a hacer. Si va a ir a la tienda de comestibles y le preocupa infectarse, probablemente no sea malo usar una mascarilla en la tienda de comestibles. Si, por el contrario, se encuentra con un nieto y realmente quiere interactuar, probablemente no quiera usar una mascarilla. Entonces, mucho de esta decisión tiene que ver con el cálculo personal de los riesgos y los beneficios, su situación médica, ¿está inmunodeprimido y es médicamente frágil? Hay algunas cosas que podemos hacer. Obviamente, si otros no están usando mascarillas, debe usar una usted. Y le recomiendo que pruebe no solo la KN95 sino también la N95, ¿verdad? La N95 es la más protectora de los tres tipos. La KN95 es la siguiente más protectora, y luego una mascarilla de tela o quirúrgica es menos protectora que eso. Entonces, cuando otros no están usando mascarilla, es importante mejorar su juego de mascarillas. La otra cosa es la ventilación, con la ventilación hay una gran diferencia. Mencionó que la reunión será adentro. Obviamente, si puede hacer cosas al aire libre, casi no hay infecciones al aire libre. Hay raras excepciones de eso en espacios muy cerrados o multitudes muy grandes. Pero, en general, hay tanto aire al aire libre que el virus se diluye y representa menos riesgo para uno. Puede abrir las ventanas siempre que no haga demasiado calor o frío para aumentar la ventilación de esa manera. Y luego, si uno está en un evento y está tratando de reducir aún más su riesgo, lo que algunas personas hacen es no comer o comer rápido o comer afuera o separarse de los demás y el resto del tiempo tener la mascarilla puesta, preferiblemente una mascarilla N95 bien ajustada.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, muchas gracias, Dr. Frieden. Y gracias por todas sus preguntas. Vamos a responder más de sus preguntas en breve. Y solo como recordatorio, si desean hacer una pregunta, presionen *3 en el teclado de su teléfono. Doctor, sabemos que tiene que irse, pero realmente apreciamos su tiempo y toda la excelente información. Y gracias también a la Colaborativa COVID-19. Es un equipo de expertos líderes en educación para la salud y la economía que establece recomendaciones, lidera la educación sobre vacunas y trabaja con líderes estatales y locales en todo Estados Unidos. Nos ayudaron a conectar hoy con el Dr. Frieden. Doctor, muchas gracias por estar aquí hoy.

 

Tom Frieden: Muchas gracias. Ha sido un placer y un honor. Y gracias por el trabajo que hacen.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Muchas gracias. Permítanme pasar ahora a nuestros otros dos invitados expertos. A dos años y medio del inicio de la pandemia, vale la pena hacer un balance de cómo nos ha afectado a todos. Como nación, hemos perdido una enorme cantidad de más de un millón de vidas. Estos eran nuestros amigos, eran nuestra familia. Como individuos, también sentimos la pérdida del tiempo que pasamos con nuestros seres queridos durante las vacaciones, las vacaciones que se cancelaron, más tiempo de aislamiento del que podríamos haber esperado. A medida que salimos de la pandemia, es útil pensar en cómo la adversidad ha afectado nuestra vida. Y para eso recurrimos a Sandra Clark, que sabe sobre cómo encontrarle sentido a la adversidad. Sandra es la directora ejecutiva de StoryCorps. Establecida en el 2003, StoryCorps es una organización sin fines de lucro que busca preservar y compartir las historias de la humanidad. Bienvenida a nuestro programa de hoy, Sandy.

 

Sandra Clark: Oh, muchas gracias, Bill. Es un placer estar aquí.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Estamos encantados de tenerla. Nos acompañará el Dr. Anand Parekh. El Dr. Parekh es el principal asesor médico del Centro de Políticas Bipartidistas, y hablará sobre el impacto futuro de la COVID-19, en particular cuando entremos en la temporada de gripe. Bienvenido de nuevo a nuestro programa, doctor.

 

Anand Parekh: Muchas gracias, Bill. Es genial estar con todos ustedes hoy.

 

Bill Walsh: De acuerdo, y gracias a nuestros dos invitados porque responderán sus preguntas en breve. Pero Sandy, déjeme comenzar con algunas preguntas para usted. ¿Cómo es que el propósito y la adversidad moldean nuestras historias de vida?

 

Sandra Clark: Bueno, sin duda están entrelazados y, por más difícil que sea a veces, el propósito a menudo surge de la diversidad. Y creo que descubrimos que, particularmente en estos últimos años, nos dan una razón para existir todos los días. Y, ya sabe, no tener el control de nuestra vida, creo que nos ha recordado quién y qué ha importado más. Y eso a veces puede conducir a cosas mejores. Y creo que una de las cosas lindas de las historias de StoryCorps, y estas son historias, ya sabe, poderosa sabiduría de la gente común, es que, nos recuerda que no estamos solos. Y también escuchamos todo el tiempo cuando las personas escuchan historias de StoryCorps, particularmente en NPR, que tienen que detener el automóvil a un lado de la carretera porque están llenas de emoción y reflexión. Y creo que es porque las grabaciones a menudo nos inspiran, nos dan perspectiva y esperanza y activan algo en nosotros que nos hace pensar en cómo podemos mejorar a nuestras familias, comunidades y la nación. Y hay muchas, muchas historias, innumerables historias, antes de la pandemia y, sin duda, ahora de cómo las personas también han triunfado sobre la adversidad.

 

Bill Walsh: Bueno, vamos a recibir algunos consejos prácticos. ¿Cómo puede alguien usar las circunstancias de los últimos tres años para crear un nuevo capítulo en la historia de su vida? ¿Puede darnos algunos pasos prácticos que la gente pueda seguir?

 

Sandra Clark: Claro, ya sabe, yo misma hice un cambio de carrera al unirme a StoryCorps en febrero y, a veces estos son capítulos completamente nuevos que creamos para nosotros mismos. Y en otros momentos, se trata realmente de pensar en cómo vivir mejor nuestros viejos capítulos. Y creo que a veces sentimos que hay mucha presión para hacer estos grandes cambios. Y realmente comienza con pequeños pasos. Creo que un buen punto de partida es simplemente hacer un poco de reflexión y preguntarnos, ¿qué hemos estado posponiendo? Que ahora tal vez sea el momento de dar un paso adelante. ¿Cómo nos conectamos con personas que conocemos y no conocemos? ¿Y cómo podemos aprender cosas nuevas? Y una de las conversaciones hermosas de StoryCorps es que nos hace tomar un momento de tranquilidad para plantearnos algunas preguntas importantes. Pero lo más importante es realmente dar un paso. Y a veces eso significa decirle a alguien lo que está pensando.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien, ese es el comienzo de una... Sin duda, una gran conversación que tal vez termine en StoryCorps.

 

Bill Walsh: Vayamos con usted, Dr. Parekh. Según los CDC, aproximadamente una de cada cinco personas que tuvo el virus experimentará síntomas persistentes de lo que se conoce como COVID-19 prolongada. ¿Podemos definir y tratar con mayor precisión la COVID-19 prolongada? ¿Y qué deben hacer las personas si creen que ellas o un ser querido la padecen?

 

Anand Parekh: Bill, desafortunadamente no hay una definición precisa de COVID-19 prolongada. Lo que sabemos es que muchas personas continúan teniendo síntomas de COVID-19 después de varias semanas. En la mayoría de los casos, los síntomas desaparecen en cuestión de días, a la semana o dos. Pero cada vez más personas con COVID-19 experimentan síntomas muchas semanas después. Entonces, en general, si uno todavía tiene síntomas cuatro semanas después o más, eso es una especie de señal de que está teniendo una recuperación inadecuada. Y las personas reportan síntomas generales como cansancio o fatiga, malestar posterior al esfuerzo, lo que esencialmente significa que los síntomas empeoran después del esfuerzo físico o mental, síntomas respiratorios como dificultad para respirar y tos, síntomas neurológicos como dolor de cabeza y problemas para dormir. Todavía no se sabe realmente cuál es la causa de esto, ¿es una reactivación del virus? ¿Es el sistema inmunitario que está hiperactivo lo que lleva a la inflamación? No sabemos muy bien la causa. Desafortunadamente, no existe una prueba para este criterio de diagnóstico. Creo que es importante que los médicos descarten otros trastornos. Pero el tratamiento en este momento se centra realmente en el control de los síntomas. Y todo el mundo se presenta con diferentes síntomas. Entonces, mi mejor consejo es que si uno realmente tiene COVID-19 y sus síntomas no han desaparecido después de un mes, es un buen momento para visitar a su médico de atención primaria, quien puede recomendar un plan de manejo personal basado en los síntomas que está experimentando. Hasta que podamos averiguar realmente cuál es la causa de esto y cómo tratarlo, el control de los síntomas es realmente lo más importante en este momento.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, déjeme continuar con eso. Algunos dicen que para combatir la COVID-19 prolongada, necesitamos una iniciativa como Operation Warp Speed, que aceleró la creación de vacunas contra la COVID-19. ¿Cuál es su opinión sobre eso?

 

Anand Parekh: Ciertamente necesitamos iniciativas de investigación acelerada por parte del sector público y el sector privado. Creo que lo bueno aquí, Bill, es que hay mucha actividad en ambos sectores en este momento. Los NIH, los Institutos Nacionales de Salud, los CDC, los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades han lanzado importantes iniciativas. Estudios llamados RECOVER, el estudio INSPIRE para identificar cuáles son esos factores de riesgo y causas de COVID-19 prolongada, y cuáles son los posibles tratamientos. Por lo tanto, hay una gran cantidad de investigaciones en curso mediante el Gobierno federal. Las principales instituciones académicas del sector privado también se han unido para estudiar la COVID-19 prolongada. El último punto que mencionaré, Bill, son todos estos esfuerzos, siempre están buscando experiencias individuales, ya sea alguien que haya tenido síntomas prolongados de COVID-19, si tuvo COVID-19 y se recuperó, toda esa información es realmente crítica para ayudar a los científicos a estudiar los síntomas. Entonces, si alguien en la llamada está interesado en ofrecerse como voluntario para un estudio, sé que las agencias federales y el sector privado siempre están buscando personas para participar en estos importantes estudios clínicos.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, muy bien, doctor. Muchas gracias. Ahora, estábamos hablando con Sandra Clark de StoryCorps sobre cómo lidiar con la adversidad en nuestra vida. Compartamos un breve extracto de StoryCorps sobre una familia que recuerda a Lola Tan. Lola nació en Filipinas y sobrevivió a la ocupación japonesa de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Eventualmente vino a Estados Unidos para ayudar a cuidar a sus nietos. Murió en el 2016. En esta breve entrevista, el nieto de Lola y su hija, Kenneth y Olivia, hablan sobre la huella que dejó en su familia.

 

Kenneth: Creo que aprendí de Lola que hay una diferencia entre su empleo y su trabajo. Su empleo es algo que deja de lado al final del día. Pero su trabajo es todo lo que deja al final de su vida. Lola no tenía los empleos más glamurosos, pero creo que su trabajo éramos todos nosotros.

 

Olivia: Es su amor por nosotros lo que más recuerdo. No era tanto de abrazar o decir te amo. Pero era todo lo que ella hacía. Tiene razón. Somos... Somos su trabajo, su obra.

 

Bill Walsh: Sandy, como esta historia, muchas de las mejores historias de StoryCorps son intergeneracionales, un padre, un hijo, un abuelo, un nieto con sabiduría que se transmite a las generaciones siguientes y, a veces, se transmite a las anteriores. ¿Por qué se enfoca en estas relaciones, en estas historias? ¿Cuál es su importancia?

 

Sandra Clark: Bueno, Bill, las historias intergeneracionales son algunas de mis favoritas. Y elegí la historia de Lola para compartir porque tiene mucha sabiduría y pensar sobre nuestros empleos versus nuestro trabajo y lo que realmente queremos dejar atrás. Ya sabe, una de las principales razones por las que la gente participa en las entrevistas de StoryCorps es realmente querer asegurarse de que la sabiduría se transmita de generación en generación. Y estas entrevistas, por cierto, se pueden archivar en la Biblioteca del Congreso, si así lo desean. Entonces, las generaciones más adelante pueden escuchar su voz y escuchar su sabiduría. Aprendimos algo de padres y abuelos. Pero también, hay algo acerca de las preguntas y el asombro de los niños que también sacan a relucir mucho. Y Kenneth Tan en realidad regresó después de que Lola lo cuidara y volvió para cuidarla cuando ella más necesitaba a su familia. Y ese tipo de cuidado circular, creo que también es algo muy importante. Para la audiencia que quizás no sepa cómo funciona StoryCorps, solo quiero compartir un poco sobre cómo funciona. Ya sabe, StoryCorps invita a las personas a grabar una entrevista con alguien a quien aprecian, podría ser un abuelo, un amigo, un maestro, simplemente alguien que tuvo un impacto en su vida y alguien a quien quiera decirle, ya sabe, me importas. Alguien grabará con su pareja y generalmente son entrevistas y conversaciones de 40 minutos en las que están hablando entre ellos. Y pueden hacerlo a través de la aplicación StoryCorps o en persona, grabando en el lugar. Tenemos un autobús Airstream que viaja a 10 ciudades de todo el país cada año. Ahora mismo está en Utah y se dirige a Las Vegas a continuación. Y estas conversaciones, obtiene una copia de la grabación, y la copia va a la Biblioteca del Congreso si uno así lo desea. Por lo tanto, se conservará bien para las generaciones futuras. Y luego compartimos muchas de estas historias en nuestro sitio web, en las plataformas de redes sociales. Ciertamente puede escucharlas en NPR una vez a la semana. Tenemos un pódcast y también hacemos estas maravillosas animaciones de algunas de nuestras historias.

 

Bill Walsh: Bueno, eso es genial. Espero con ansias esos programas todos los viernes en NPR. Realmente se destacan. Bueno, muchas gracias por eso, Sandy. Ahora es el momento de abordar más de sus preguntas. Presionen *3 en cualquier momento en el teclado de su teléfono para conectarse con el personal de AARP y ponerse en la lista para hacer su pregunta en vivo. Karen, ¿a quién tenemos ahora en la línea?

 

Karen Chong: Bill, tenemos a Julia, de Utah, que pregunta sobre el aumento. Espere un segundo.

 

Bill Walsh: Hola, Julia, bienvenida a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Julia: Sí, me preguntaba qué tan preparados estamos si surge un gran aumento, teniendo en cuenta los problemas de atención médica, con muchas personas de atención médica que se van debido a la sobrecarga o debido al mandato de vacunación que había sido impuesto.

 

Bill Walsh: Esa es una gran pregunta, Julia. Dr. Parekh, ¿puede encargarse de responder?

 

Anand Parekh: Claro, puedo hacerlo. Y, ciertamente, hemos visto escasez de personal en los hospitales de todo el país, particularmente en relación con las enfermeras. Lo mejor que podemos hacer por el sector de la salud es prevenir las hospitalizaciones por COVID-19 en primer lugar. Entonces, cuando pienso en el aumento ¿estamos preparados? Esa es realmente una pregunta para todos nosotros. Si estamos... Si todos nos comprometemos a usar las herramientas que se nos han proporcionado. Número uno, como dijo el Dr. Frieden, mantenerse al día con las vacunas; número dos, asegurarse de hacerse pruebas si se tienen síntomas; número tres, asegurarse de tener acceso rápido al tratamiento si es elegible, si da positivo, saber cuándo usar apropiadamente una mascarilla de alta calidad en qué tipo de entornos. Estas herramientas que usamos son nuestra mejor oportunidad para realmente no solo reducir las muertes por COVID-19, reducir los picos, sino también proteger nuestro sistema de atención médica para que no vean los picos que no creo que ninguno de nosotros quiera ver.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, muy bien. Y doctor, usted mencionó hace un momento, mientras hablábamos de los síntomas prolongados de COVID-19, que instaría a las personas a participar en ensayos clínicos. Solo quería brindarles a nuestros oyentes un sitio web donde puedan obtener más información al respecto. Ese sitio web está en los Institutos Nacionales de Salud y es retrieveCOVID-19.org, retrieveCOVID-19.org. Vayan allí para obtener más información sobre los ensayos clínicos relacionados con la COVID-19 prolongada. Karen, ¿a quién tenemos ahora?

 

Karen Chong: Hola. Tenemos a Alex, de Nueva York, y tiene una pregunta, tan importante hoy en día, sobre la salud mental.

 

Bill Walsh: Hola, Alex, bienvenido al programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Alex: Sí, gracias por responder mi pregunta. Una de las cosas que he visto en los últimos dos años con muchas personas que conozco, solo ver el impacto en la salud mental de las personas y cómo en algunas personas realmente se deterioró. Y el consejo bien intencionado para las personas mayores de quedarse en casa puede no haber sido bueno a largo plazo porque algunas personas se quedaron cada vez más aisladas y dejaron de cuidarse a sí mismas.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí.

 

Alex: Entonces tengo un problema. Y hay cosas que puede hacer, hay cosas que ayudan a las personas en esa situación, humor, hablar con otras personas tener algo de fe en un Dios amoroso. Y... Pero yo... Sí, solo me gustaría que pudieran abordar eso.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí, sí. Alex, esa es una excelente pregunta. Muchas gracias por preguntar. Me pregunto si nuestros dos expertos pueden intervenir en esto. Sandy, me pregunto si esto ha surgido en las historias de StoryCorps que ha escuchado en los últimos dos años sobre los impactos en la salud mental de la COVID-19 y el aislamiento del que hablaba Alex.

 

Sandra Clark: Sí, Bill, absolutamente. Uno de los peores aspectos de la pandemia es el aislamiento para muchos, y no solo para los ancianos, sino también para los jóvenes. Y cuando comenzó la pandemia, la entrevista de StoryCorps que solíamos grabar cara a cara, sabíamos que ya no podíamos hacer eso. Y sabiendo lo esencial que es la conexión humana y lo eficaces que son las conversaciones de StoryCorps para ayudar a las personas a sentirse más conectadas, creamos StoryCorps Connect, que es una forma remota en que las personas se conectan entre sí y comparten sus historias para no sentirse solas. Entonces, pueden consultar el sitio web storycorps.org y obtener más información sobre StoryCorps Connect. Pero también, nuestra aplicación permite que las personas se conecten y se entrevisten, y hay algo en eso, la quietud de esas conversaciones. Hay tantas cosas que no compartimos con las personas más cercanas a nosotros a veces. Entonces, poder conectarse a través de una aplicación y realmente tener una conversación intencional puede ayudar a mitigar la soledad y también dar esperanza.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí. Y doctor, me pregunto si también podría abordar la pregunta de Alex, en los datos de nuestra propia encuesta, hemos visto aumentos en la depresión, el insomnio y la ansiedad entre los adultos mayores, en gran parte durante el período de la pandemia de COVID-19 y relacionados con el aislamiento. ¿Tiene algún consejo clínico?

 

Anand Parekh: Sí, estoy de acuerdo con Sandy, el aislamiento social, la soledad y la depresión, particularmente en los adultos mayores, era un desafío incluso antes de la pandemia, la pandemia simplemente exacerbó eso. Así que creo importante trabajar con un médico o trabajar con organizaciones comunitarias, encontrar diferentes formas de conectarse virtualmente y de otra manera con sus compañeros. Todas esas cosas nos ayudan con problemas como la ansiedad y la depresión. Creo que mandar mensajes también es muy importante con respecto a la pandemia. Y es por eso que digo, ya no tenemos que pensar en la pandemia todo el tiempo. Asegurémonos de no olvidarnos de estas herramientas. Creo que todos esos mensajes son importantes. También agregaré un anuncio de servicio público para aquellas personas que están en crisis, que están teniendo una crisis de salud conductual: ahora hay una nueva línea directa nacional de crisis, el número 988. Este número ahora está disponible en todo el país y las personas que están experimentando una crisis de salud mental pueden llamar a ese número, serán enviados a consejeros y a diagnóstico, dependiendo de su nivel de necesidad. Así que creo que es importante que todos los adultos mayores, todas las personas sepan que ese número 988 ya está activo.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí. Muchas gracias por mencionar eso. Qué gran recurso. Vamos a responder más preguntas de los oyentes en un momento. Pero antes de hacerlo, obtengamos una actualización de Capitolio. Además de compartir información y recursos, AARP aboga por los problemas que más nos afectan. Para escuchar una actualización rápida sobre cómo AARP está luchando por ustedes, quiero traer a mi colega de AARP, la vicepresidenta de Asuntos Gubernamentales, Megan O'Reilly. Bienvenida al programa, Megan.

 

Megan O’Reilly: Un placer estar aquí, Bill.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Hoy quiero preguntar sobre algunos temas importantes. Pero empecemos con algunas buenas noticias. Por supuesto, el mes pasado, se aprobaron reformas históricas de medicamentos recetados en la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado y se convirtieron en ley.

 

Megan O’Reilly: Sí, la reforma de medicamentos recetados es una gran victoria para los adultos mayores. Después de décadas de pedirle al Congreso que haga que los medicamentos recetados sean más asequibles, AARP ha ganado la lucha para que Medicare negocie precios más bajos de medicamentos y ayude a las personas mayores a ahorrar dinero en sus medicamentos. La nueva ley también establecerá un límite anual de $2,000 sobre cuánto tendrán que pagar de su bolsillo las personas mayores en Medicare Parte D por sus medicamentos. Y penaliza a los fabricantes de medicamentos que aumentan los precios más rápido que la tasa de inflación. Finalmente, la nueva ley limita los costos de la insulina cubierta por Medicare a $35 por mes y elimina los costos de bolsillo para la mayoría de las vacunas bajo Medicare, como la vacuna contra la culebrilla. Estas son grandes victorias.

 

Bill Walsh: Bueno, eso es simplemente una noticia maravillosa, Megan y, por supuesto, ese importante límite de $2,000 en gastos de bolsillo comienza en el 2025. También estamos entrando en la temporada electoral en este momento, ¿cuál es el enfoque de AARP ahora que entramos a las elecciones de noviembre?

 

Megan O’Reilly: Primero, quiero recordarles a las personas que AARP es estrictamente no partidista y siempre lo ha sido: no apoyamos ni damos dinero a los candidatos. Dicho esto, estamos trabajando arduamente para asegurarnos de que los candidatos presten atención a los adultos mayores y aborden los problemas que son más importantes para ellos. Los votantes de 50 años o más probablemente constituirán la mayoría del electorado en noviembre, como lo han hecho en todas las elecciones recientes. También nos estamos asegurando de que nuestros socios y el público sepan dónde y cuándo votar. Muchos estados han tenido cambios en sus reglas de votación desde la última elección. Así que estamos trabajando con mucha educación y divulgación para explicar qué es diferente y qué permanece igual. Además de las páginas electorales en aarp.org, la edición de este mes de AARP Bulletin también detalla cómo pueden votar en su estado.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí, consulten AARP Bulletin. Es un número excelente. Ahora, AARP realizó recientemente una investigación que se enfoca específicamente en mujeres de 50 años o más. La investigación se llamó She's the Difference: The Power of Older Women Voters. Y la encuesta tuvo algunos resultados importantes, ¿no es así?

 

Megan O’Reilly: Así es. Las mujeres mayores de 50 años son un grupo demográfico crítico para votar, representan casi el 27% de los votantes registrados y más de ocho de cada 10 votaron en el 2020. Este grupo también constituye el bloque más grande de votantes indecisos. Es posible que las mujeres mayores no siempre se sientan vistas o apreciadas, pero están aquí, son fuertes y harán que se escuche su voz. Los líderes electos y los candidatos políticos deberían escuchar y comprender las necesidades y preocupaciones de las mujeres de 50 años o más y, de hecho, de todos los adultos mayores.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, gracias por la actualización, Megan. Ahora, antes de dejarla ir, quiero preguntarle sobre el estado actual de la COVID-19 en los hogares de ancianos de Estados Unidos. Para aquellos que viven y trabajan en centros de enfermería especializada, esta pandemia está lejos de terminar.

 

Megan O’Reilly: Lamentablemente, eso es correcto. El panel de control de COVID-19 de los hogares de ancianos, de AARP, muestra que la COVID-19 todavía tiene un control mortal sobre los hogares de ancianos del país, con un número de muertes y casos entre los residentes y el personal en todo el país aumentando por cuarto mes consecutivo. Durante las cuatro semanas que terminaron el 21 de agosto, se identificaron más de 100,000 nuevos casos de COVID-19 en hogares de ancianos, y aproximadamente uno de cada 22 residentes dio positivo. Además, la tasa de muertes de residentes de hogares de ancianos en todo el país aumentó alrededor de un 30% en comparación con las cifras anteriores. Trágicamente, más de 1,000 residentes de hogares de ancianos y más de 100 miembros del personal murieron a causa de la COVID-19 durante este período de cuatro semanas.

 

Bill Walsh: ¿Qué deben hacer las personas si tienen un ser querido en un hogar de ancianos?

 

Megan O’Reilly: Nuestros números muestran que solo un poco más de la mitad de los residentes de hogares de ancianos en todo el país están al día con sus vacunas contra la COVID-19 y se consideran completamente protegidos. Con el clima frío y la temporada de gripe a la vuelta de la esquina, debemos hacer todo lo posible para proteger a nuestros seres queridos. Una gran parte de eso se trata de priorizar las vacunas y los refuerzos. No dar por sentado que un ser querido ha recibido su atención, hacer un seguimiento con sus proveedores de atención y elaborar un plan.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Buen consejo. Gracias por estar aquí hoy, Megan. Y para nuestros oyentes que quieren estar al tanto de las iniciativas de promoción de AARP, ¿cómo pueden enterarse de las últimas noticias?

 

Megan O’Reilly: Alentamos a todos a conectarse en línea y buscar AARP Fighting for You. Eso los conducirá al resumen diario de las últimas noticias de promoción sobre nuestro trabajo con el Congreso y en todo el país. También pueden buscar AARP Fierce Defender y encontrar una gran cantidad de actualizaciones y recursos para ahorrar dinero.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, AARP Fierce Defender. Muchas gracias por estar con nosotros hoy, Megan. Y vamos a recibir más llamadas de oyentes en un momento. Pero primero tenía una pregunta para nuestros expertos. Sandy, estaba hablando con Megan sobre el cuidado de nuestros seres queridos. A medida que salimos de la pandemia, ¿cuál es la pregunta más importante que deberíamos hacer a nuestros seres queridos?

 

Sandra Clark: Oh, guau. Esa es una gran pregunta. Hay tantas preguntas. Pero creo que, el don de escuchar es muy poderoso. ¿Y qué compartirías con las generaciones futuras de nuestra familia sobre este tiempo y qué ha aprendido? Creo que hay mucho que se puede ganar al escuchar a alguien en su propia voz sobre cómo han procesado este tiempo y las lecciones que quieren compartir con sus familias en el futuro.

 

Bill Walsh: Está bien, gracias. Buen consejo. Ahora es el momento de tomar más de sus preguntas para Sandra Clark, directora ejecutiva de StoryCorps y el Dr. Anand Parekh. Presionen *3 en cualquier momento en el teclado de su teléfono para conectarse con un miembro del personal de AARP y ponerse en la lista para hacer su pregunta en vivo. Karen, ¿a quién tenemos en la línea ahora?

 

Karen Chong: Hola, Bill. Creo que tenemos una pregunta en línea para Sandy de StoryCorps. ¿Cómo podemos animar a los familiares a compartir historias familiares si se muestran reacios?

 

Bill Walsh: Sandy, ¿qué tal si responde?

 

Sandra Clark: Gracias. Me encanta esa pregunta. No puedo poner suficiente énfasis en cómo debemos actuar ahora, ya que todos hemos aprendido que el mañana no está prometido. Entonces, ya sabe, realmente deberíamos abordarlo como un período de tiempo finito para capturar las historias de alguien que no capturó las voces de mi madre y mi padre. Creo que simplemente decir "eres importante para mí. Y significaría mucho para nosotros". Y aquellos que vienen después de nosotros, escuchar su historia en su voz, es el regalo más invaluable que nos pueden dar. Y, para hacer esto más fácil, puede ir a storycorps.org y tiene un conjunto de preguntas si necesitan algunas indicaciones para comenzar la conversación. Y luego también pueden mirar las muchas, muchas historias, quiero decir, tenemos 600,000 personas que han sido grabadas desde que comenzamos StoryCorps. Y entonces pueden mirar y ver esta maravillosa y hermosa colección de personas que también han compartido sus historias.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, muchas gracias. Tendremos que ver eso. storycorps.org. Karen, ¿quién es el siguiente en la línea?

 

Karen Chong: Tenemos a Jean, de Illinois, que quiere hablar sobre vacunas versus inmunidad por haber tenido COVID-19. Aquí va.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien. Bien, bienvenida a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Jean: Sí, solo me gustaría escuchar a un médico abordar la comparación entre contraer COVID-19, ya sea un caso leve u hospitalización y sobrevivir. Que su cuerpo ya ha adquirido su propia inmunidad hacia ella. Y me gustaría comparar la eficacia de eso con la de las vacunas. No soy, quiero decir, los refuerzos, no soy antivacunas. Yo la recibí. Y la mayoría de la gente donde vivimos también, no todos. Pero mi pregunta está básicamente más orientada a los refuerzos.

 

Bill Walsh: Muchas gracias por eso. Sí, adelante. Muchas gracias por esa pregunta. Creo que mucha gente se pregunta acerca de la llamada inmunidad natural frente a la eficacia de los refuerzos. Y doctor, me pregunto si podría abordar eso.

 

Anand Parekh: Seguro, con gusto. Tanto la inmunidad inducida por la vacuna como la inmunidad natural pueden ser protectoras contra la COVID-19. La mayoría de los estudios demuestran que la inmunidad inducida por la vacuna es más robusta que la inmunidad natural, dura más y es más eficaz. Pero la razón más importante por la que, si tuviera que elegir, siempre elegiría la inmunidad inducida por la vacuna en lugar de la inmunidad natural, es que nadie quiere correr el riesgo de pasar por la COVID-19. Acabamos de hablar también sobre la COVID-19 prolongada. Los estudios demuestran que si uno está vacunado, las posibilidades de contraer COVID-19 prolongada son menores. Entones, no queremos correr el riesgo de que ninguno de nosotros tenga COVID-19. Y esa es otra razón por la que la inmunidad inducida por la vacuna es tan importante. En este punto, en términos de refuerzos, la recomendación es que este nuevo refuerzo bivalente que nos protegerá no solo contra la cepa original, sino contra la cepa de ómicron más nueva, se recomienda en adultos, particularmente en adultos mayores, siempre que hayan pasado dos meses desde que haya recibido el último refuerzo. Y creo que esa es realmente la recomendación científica y el consenso de que para protegernos a medida que llegamos a este invierno, es mejor vacunarse. A corto plazo, también ayudará a prevenir infecciones. Pero a largo plazo, es la forma más duradera de protegernos de enfermedades graves. Y eso es lo que creo que todos queremos evitar.

 

Bill Walsh: Muy bien, doctor. Muchas gracias por eso. Karen. Tomemos otra pregunta.

 

Karen Chong: Hay alguien que tiene una pregunta sobre cuántas vacunas y refuerzos son los correctos. Aquí vamos.

 

Bill Walsh: Hola, bienvenido a nuestro programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Oyente: Hola, ¿puede oírme?

 

Bill Walsh: Claro que puedo. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Oyente: Está bien. Si uno ha recibido las dos vacunas Moderna y también ha recibido los dos refuerzos, y el último refuerzo fue el 1.° de junio. ¿Aún necesita recibir el nuevo refuerzo que está disponible ahora, la vacuna contra ómicron? Y si es así, ¿cuánto tiempo después del último refuerzo? Y también si ha recibido inyecciones de cortisona o algunas inyecciones de esteroides para el dolor de la artritis, ¿debe esperar un cierto período antes de poder recibir la vacuna contra ómicron? Y esto también aplica en lo que respecta a un niño de 15 años, que tiene la enfermedad de Crohn y está tomando infusiones de Remicade para la enfermedad de Crohn.

 

Bill Walsh: Bueno, vamos a... Sí, muchas gracias por esa pregunta, esas dos preguntas. Preguntemos al médico sobre eso. ¿Doctor?

 

Anand Parekh: Bueno, gracias por ambas preguntas. Y creo que en particular por la segunda pregunta relacionada con los esteroides. Creo que es mejor que un niño de 15 años consulte con su médico y pregunte los tiempos de la inyección de corticosteroides y el refuerzo bivalente. Pero la recomendación ahora para niños de 15 años es Pfizer, Moderna es para mayores de 18 años. Así que recomendaría la vacuna de Pfizer. Pero si pasaron más de dos meses de la última vacuna de la persona, en este caso creo que hace más de dos meses, habrían sido unos cuatro meses, entonces sí, son elegibles. Y en este caso en particular, dado que el niño está inmunodeprimido o tiene una enfermedad crónica como la enfermedad de Crohn, creo que sería recomendable recibir este refuerzo durante las próximas semanas, especialmente antes de que entremos en la temporada de invierno.

 

Bill Walsh: Bien, muchas gracias por eso, doctor. Karen, tomemos otra llamada.

 

Karen Chong: Claro, tenemos a Marsha, de California, y tiene preguntas sobre las reacciones a la vacuna.

 

Bill Walsh: Hola, bienvenida al programa. Adelante con su pregunta.

 

Marsha: Bien, tengo 98 años, mi hijo tiene 74 años. Se contagió de COVID-19 hace unos tres meses. Nunca me contagié de él. Y no tenía síntomas, así que no lo tengo. Pero tiene efectos residuales en curso ahora, principalmente en lo que respecta a su respiración. Dice que no puede dormir por la noche. Y cuando se duerme, de repente se le tapa la nariz. Y entonces se despierta y sufre un ataque de pánico. Tiene miedo de morir y no puede respirar. Y luego no puede volver a dormir. Y es solo un círculo vicioso. Cualquier sugerencia para él, toma el inhalador, y todo lo demás que sabe hacer, pero nada funciona.

 

Bill Walsh: Sí. Bueno, preguntémosle al médico. Doctor, parece que lo que está describiendo pueden ser los síntomas de una COVID-19 prolongada.

 

Anand Parekh: Sí, muy bien podría ser. Primero, quiero agradecer a la persona que llamó y me alegro de que esté bien de salud. Y en términos de su hijo, estoy seguro de que el médico del hijo está investigando esto para descartar otras enfermedades que podrían enmascararse como COVID-19 prolongada. Pero ciertamente podría tener exactamente lo que describimos en la llamada anterior, COVID-19 prolongada, que aún no está definida con mucha precisión. Y realmente, el tratamiento para los síntomas es realmente, cualquier cosa que podamos hacer para controlarlos. Entonces, por ejemplo, si está relacionado con la dificultad para respirar, hay algo que se llama rehabilitación pulmonar que ayuda con la respiración. Si está relacionado con el sueño, tal vez se puedan hacer cosas para aliviar los síntomas del sueño. Pero realmente se tiene que trabajar con el médico para crear un plan de manejo personal para tratar de llegar a esos síntomas más debilitantes hasta que la investigación pueda determinar mejor exactamente qué está pasando y por qué está pasando, para que podamos prevenirlo, en primer lugar, y tener mejores tratamientos para eso. En este momento, se trata realmente de controlar los síntomas clave y de eso es de lo que las personas deberían hablar con su médico personal.

 

Bill Walsh: Correcto, y la persona que llamó dijo que tenía 98 años. Espero que esté al día con sus vacunas y refuerzos para protegerse de estos síntomas continuos que su hijo parece estar experimentando. Está bien. Bueno, esta ha sido una discusión informativa. Quiero agradecer a todos nuestros invitados por su información y sus puntos de vista, y gracias a nuestros socios, voluntarios y oyentes de AARP por participar en la llamada de hoy. AARP, una organización de membresía, no partidista y sin fines de lucro, ha estado trabajando para promover la salud y el bienestar de los adultos mayores durante más de 60 años. Ante esta crisis, brindamos información y recursos para ayudar a los adultos mayores y a quienes los cuidan a protegerse del virus y evitar que se propague a otros, mientras se cuidan a sí mismos. Todos los recursos a los que se hizo referencia hoy, incluida una grabación del evento de preguntas y respuestas, se podrán encontrar en aarp.org/elcoronavirus a partir de mañana, 30 de septiembre. Vayan allí si su pregunta no fue respondida y encontrarán las últimas actualizaciones, así como información creada específicamente para adultos mayores y cuidadores familiares. Esperamos que hayan aprendido algo que pueda ayudarlos a ustedes y a sus seres queridos a mantenerse saludables. Vuelvan a participar el 10 de noviembre en otra teleasamblea sobre la COVID-19. Gracias, que tengan un buen día. Aquí concluye nuestra llamada.