One Day MD | Evidence-Based Wellness

Coronaviruses range from the common cold to more severe infections such as SARS (SARS-CoV) and MERS (MERS-CoV) and the current Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2). As yet, there is no FDA-approved vaccine to prevent coronavirus infections. These both have FDA emergency use authorization. AFP / DOMINICK REUTER Two of the Covid-19 vaccines available in the US use messenger RNA technology to prevent or reduce the symptoms of Covid-19 infection.   This mRNA vaccine technology is new; the consequences of altered DNA, if any, are unknown. However,  others,  including the  CDC  said that the vaccine would not interact with DNA. Other scientists believe that mRNA vaccines can enter and permanently alter DNA.  Like DNA vaccines, RNA vaccines use part of the genetic code of the virus to get the immune system to respond.  An  article  currently in preprint (not yet peer reviewed) discusses a lab study in which some pieces of Covid-19 RNA were converted to DNA a...

If we’re going to rely on COVID-19 vaccines to bring an end to the pandemic, we need to maximise their effects. But one thing that risks undermining their protectiveness is nutritional deficiency, particularly in the elderly. Older people have  weaker immune responses  and are known to respond less well than younger adults to many vaccines, including the  seasonal influenza vaccine . This is partly down to frailty, which cannot be easily remedied, but can also be due to deficiencies in vitamins and minerals – known as micronutrients. For the immune system to fight off infection or generate good protection against a disease following vaccination, it needs a  variety of micronutrients . This is likely to be just as true for  COVID-19  as for other diseases. Given that malnutrition is  common among elderly people , raising their vitamin and mineral levels before they get vaccinated could be a way of boosting the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Powerin...

If you've managed to get an appointment for a coveted COVID vaccine, you probably want to make sure it goes as smoothly as possible. That's why experts are warning that there's one common habit that could actually make your COVID vaccine less effective. If you’re  taking two common over-the-counter medications , you could be setting yourself up for shorter immunity. Read on to discover which pills you shouldn’t pop before getting your COVID vaccine, and if you want to protect yourself  after  you receive your shot, know that  Dr. Fauci Says Doing This After Getting Vaccinated Is a Huge Mistake . In a new interview with ABC News,  Simone Wildes , MD, a member of Massachusetts’ COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Group and an infectious an infectious disease specialist at South Shore Medical Center, says that both ibuprofen, the effective ingredient in medications like Advil and Motrin, and acetaminophen, found in Tylenol, could actually  make the COVID vaccine less ef...

In 2020 - or the year that drew so many parallels to the dystopian sci-fi show Black Mirror that its creators decided to write a comedy instead - we were all in a race. A race to curb the novel coronavirus’ spread and “flatten the curve”; with dismal results . In 2021, we are yet in another race. A race to vaccinate the world. It was the news (or more likely, the miracle) we were eagerly waiting for: to have a functional vaccine against COVID-19 as soon as possible. And in less than a year since the WHO declared the state of pandemic, we have more than one such vaccine. Records were broken in vaccine development rates , we have the hope we were looking for and the unspoken prophecy was fulfilled. Now, several vaccines are approved in many countries and even by leading healthcare authorities; with millions of people already having been vaccinated. But this is not enough. We need billions to get their shot, or around 60-70% of the global population , to achieve herd immunity and stop t...

Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D. ( Consumerlab.com ) Two very effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 (caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2) from Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna are available and authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Here is what you need to know about them. Credit: New York Times KEY POINTS: When it becomes available to you, strongly consider getting the vaccine after talking with your doctor — current data shows it can help protect you The vaccine is free (for now) The cost of the vaccine will be covered by Medicare and most insurance plans, some even if received outside your network. However, certain alternative healthcare plans (ex: short-term limited duration insurance) may charge a copay. People who are uninsured can be vaccinated for free. Their healthcare providers will need to submit a reimbursement claim to the  Provider Relief Fund . You can't get COVID or spread it from the vaccine The mRNA vaccines don't contain virus. Th...