Partnering with the Doctor for Better Health with Dr. Ajoy Kumar of Dedicated Senior Medical Center Part 2

In this episode of Cafecito with Rosalie, Dr. Kumar continued to talk about the COVID-19 vaccines and how partnering with doctors could provide better health. Dr. Ajoy Kumar and the Dedicated Senior Medical Center wanted to improve the quality of life of seniors. Amid the pandemic, they are helping seniors through education about COVID vaccinations.

Dr. Ajoy Kumar talks about the possible side effects of taking the COVID vaccine. Side effects could include local reaction of pain, swelling, and redness on the vaccinated arm. This could last for a few hours, and you could take Tylenol and drink a lot of fluids to minimize the effect. There is also a systemic reaction that could be felt in your whole body, but this varies person-to-person. A systemic reaction could include fever, fatigue, headache, body aches, and joint pain. 

It is reported that 82–89% of the vaccinated population have experienced at least one local symptom. 55 to 83% also reported that they experienced one systemic reaction that was of mild to moderate severity in the first three days after the vaccine, and usually it was resolved within 1-3 days. Dr. Kumar also reiterated that symptoms vary person to person. Some people have never experienced post-vaccine symptoms while others have.

To ensure their safety after vaccination, people are expected to wait 15 to 30 minutes after their shots to ensure that they don’t have a severe allergic reaction, which is sometimes evident by difficulty breathing. Most vaccines have polyethylene glycol (PEG) components, and only a  minority of people are allergic to such components. Dr. Kumar stated that vaccinated people shouldn’t worry as medical staff are on hand to deal with any symptoms that may arise.

Dr. Kumar is vaccinated as he believes that doctors should be a role model for their patients. He advises every patient to never mix and match COVID vaccine shots. Dr. Kumar also said that people should not let their finances be an obstacle to getting vaccinated since a lot of states, non-government organizations, and insurance companies cover the cost of the COVID vaccine.

Rosie asked about the do’s and don’ts for vaccinated people. Dr. Kumar said that there is nothing different for them to do as we have not yet achieved herd immunity. The goal is to have 70% to 90% of the US population vaccinated . Currently, Florida has 3,437,933 vaccinations administered. To date, 1,082,141 people are fully vaccinated. Amazingly, females outnumbered males. Of the fully vaccinated, only 106,530 are Hispanic, 55,090 are Afro-American, and only 3,717 vaccinated individuals are American-Indian. Given this information we could assume that Florida is falling behind as most of its people are still unvaccinated due to fear of the vaccine. Therefore, he shared that educating and empowering people about vaccinations is key. Help people feel less scared about the COVID vaccine and by doing so we can achieve herd immunity sooner. 

Dr. Ajoy asserts that until we achieve herd immunity, we still have to accept the new normal. To go back to the pre-COVID situation, we need everyone’s effort. Dr. Kumar believes that repeated vaccinations would occur since we don’t know how long the variants and vaccines will be effective. Soon everyone will get booster shots like those for the flu and pneumonia. Dr. Kumar shared that the death rate is higher among people over 65 years old. Dr Kumar’s family members are very afraid to go out, but he advises them to be vigilant rather than scared.

As Covid related protocols are less restrictive at this time, people should still remain vigilant, especially when attending outside events. Dr. Kumar wants everyone to be less afraid of the virus and instead be mindful and aware of it and your surroundings. He advises that if there are only 6–10 people at an event, you should attend and keep your distance and wear a mask. If there are more than 10 people, he discourages anyone from attending, even if it is a family gathering. Such events can become super spreaders. He also encourages people to walking outdoors with a mask on.

Dr. Ajoy Kumar and the Dedicated Senior Medical Center work to make the lives of senior patients better. They take care of the elderly and serve them like VIPs. Rather than having a transactional relationship, Dr. Kumar and the Dedicated Senior Medical Center want to have a transformational relationship. He believes they are achieving that through their current efforts around COVID.

 

#SeniorCare  #Patient #Senior #Coronavirus #Covid19 #Vaccine #SevereIllness #HerdImmunity #EmergencyUseAuthorization #Indian #CareerChange #Advocacy

 

Email  │   Website  │   Facebook