Author Archives: ceopate

Let’s first clear up a technicality: it is not actually the origins of COVID-19 that is at the center of the debate. We know that COVID-19 is a disease that is caused by a virus named SARS-CoV-2 (an acronym for severe acute respiratory syndrome – coronavirus followed by the number 2 because the first severeContinue reading “How are non-scientists to understand the COVID origins debate?”

I was shocked to read a news release from the Oregon Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority issued on March 3, 2023. Oregon will lift mask requirement for health care settings April 3 (govdelivery.com). The title of the memo is “Oregon will lift mask requirement for health care settings April 3.” There areContinue reading “A Fateful Decision”

With the 1/30/23 announcement that the Biden administration plans to end the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration in May, what does this mean for the public, for state governments and health care providers? Answer: Much more than you probably realize. Background The Trump administration issued the COVID-19 national emergency and the public health emergency (PHE)Continue reading “What are the implications of ending the federal public health emergency declaration?”

Should we permit it and if not, what should we do about it? The case of Ryan Cole It is hard to imagine that we all have not said something to others at some point in our life that was misinformation. At times, we have all been misinformed. Perhaps, if you are as old asContinue reading “Medical Disinformation”

I have been writing a blog series about the post-acute sequelae of COVID-19. My plans were to cover the many systems and organs of the body and what we have learned as to the Long-term health consequences some people may suffer following infection and why. I started with the nervous system. However, while I haveContinue reading “Long COVID”

Part III In Part I of this series focused on the neurological long-term consequences of COVID-19, I reviewed what we know so far about anosmia (loss of smell) and parosmia (abnormal sense of smell). In Part II, I reviewed what we know about cognitive defects following COVID-19, or what many refer to as “brain fog.”Continue reading “Neurological Sequelae of COVID-19”

Practical tips and information We all are excited about the upcoming holidays and seeing friends and family, but are in the midst of high levels of RSV and influenza transmission and the beginning of a new COVID-19 surge. There is important new information you should keep in mind, and additional planning to be done inContinue reading “Important Holiday Travel/Gathering COVID-19 Update and Health Advice”

Part II – Cognitive Impairment (Brain Fog) (See end for a summary of key take-aways) In my last blog piece, we began an in-depth review of some of the neurological signs, symptoms and diseases that can follow COVID-19. That piece focused on one of the most common symptoms I get asked about – loss ofContinue reading “Neurological Signs, Symptoms and Diseases following COVID-19”

Part I – Anosmia (loss of smell) and Parosmia (distorted smell) (see end for a summary of key take-aways) To all the followers of my blog, I am sorry that it has been so long since I last posted. I am going to pick up again in the series of blog posts on the long-termContinue reading “Neurological Signs, Symptoms and Diseases following COVID-19”

We are well into my blog series on the health consequences of COVID-19 to survivors, including long COVID or PASC. In prior parts of this series, we have discussed what long COVID or PASC is, the fact that not all health consequences from infection with SARS-CoV-2 fit within this category, the potential magnitude of theContinue reading “The Pathogenesis of Long COVID”