I’ve had at least 15 people ask me about monkeypox today. So, let me tell you what we actually know and allay your fears of flesh falling off your body and flying monkey nightmares like the Wizard of Oz gone rogue.
Researchers who love a good mystery, have been keeping watch on the appearance of the monkeypox virus that has occurred in a number of countries around the globe. This outbreak appears to be human to human contact predominantly in the homosexual population. As of last Friday, May 20, 2022, only twenty cases have been confirmed or are under investigation in the U.S. (Massachusetts and New York), U.K., Spain, Portugal, France, Canada, Sweden, and Italy.
Not all of those infected traveled to West or Central Africa where the disease is most common. It can jump to people from contact with animals. As was the case in 2003 when 47 humans were infected by pet prairie dog contact that were housed near animals imported from Ghana.
Transmission:
Monkeypox is not easily spread from human to human, unless it occurs in direct contact with body fluids or open lesions contaminating clothing or bedding. However, it is possible for respiratory droplet transmission based on the data we have. For droplet transmission, prolonged face-to-face contact may be required for transmission to occur (eg, within a six-foot radius for ≥3 hours).
Incubation:
The incubation phase of the virus is usually 7-14 days from the time of exposure, however, there have been cases ranging 5-21 days. Persons with a history of an animal bite or scratch may have a shorter incubation period than those with tactile exposures.
Symptoms:
The first symptoms to appear are flu-like symptoms, including fever, aches, and fatigue. Monkeypox infection will also involves swelling of the lymph nodes that will occur once the infection begins. In 2003, with illness in the 47 subjects that were evaluated, the predominant signs and symptoms were:
Rash (97 percent)
Fever (85 percent)
Chills (71 percent)
Enlarged lymph nodes (71 percent)
Headache (65 percent)
Body aches(56 percent)
Then, typically 1 to 3 days later — though sometimes longer – a maculopapular rash occurs that, then, evolved into vesicles, then pustules, which eventually crusted within a two- to three-week period. It often starts on the face before spreading to other parts of the body.
(http://www.uptodate.com/contents/monkeypox)
Illness typically lasts about 2 to 4 weeks.
Fatality Rate:
While the Congo Basin strain of monkey pox is thought to have a fatality rate of 10%, the West African strain — which was confirmed in the U.K. outbreak — has a fatality rate of about 1%.
Treatments:
There’s no proven treatment for monkeypox specifically, but the smallpox vaccine, newer antivirals, and vaccinia immune globulin can be used to help slow it down and prevent severity of infection.
The smallpox vaccine Jynneos (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex) is indicated for monkeypox. It’s an attenuated, live-virus vaccine incapable of replicating in the human body.
The federal government also reportedly has a stockpile of other smallpox virus vaccines that can be used. It is thought that people who received the small pox vaccine likely still have some immunity.
While there are no proven antivirals specific to monkey pox, cidofovir and brincidofovir may be used. According to the CDC, some in vitro and animal studies of these compounds have shown activity against poxviruses in general.
Another drug, tecovirimat (Tpoxx), is FDA approved for treating smallpox in an oral and now intravenous form. In the EU, tecovirimat is now indicated for monkey pox and is the treatment of choice by most physicians. It has been shown in animal studies to be effective in treating orthopoxvirus-induced disease, and human trials involving healthy subjects indicated the drug was safe and well tolerated with only minor side effects.
Needless to say, I’m not worried, and you shouldn’t be either.
Essential guide for you and your family in protecting yourself from Omicron . . .
Viruses get less virulent over time, not more virulent. We’ve demonstrated this over the last 100 years in the medical literature. And, according to the experts as of today, there is no evidence that Omicron is more severe or more infective.
Yet, Pfizer, Moderna and the other vaccine manufacture’s response is “let’s just double the vaccine dose.” They are recommending this because the “double dose” increases the antibody titer in the 309 people it was tested on.
For a vaccine that doesn’t prevent viral infection nor prevent viral transmission, just raising the antibody titer with a double dose is like saying “we should each wear two diapers so that your neighbor doesn’t get diarrhea.”
Over the last two years, clinical experience has demonstrated over and over that those who are the sickest from a COVID-19 infection are those who are obese, have elevated insulin levels and/or have significant lung disease. Reducing your weight, exercising and limiting your starch, sugar and carbohydrate intake have been the most powerful forms of prevention.
If you want prevention that works, read my article on how to prevent at treat COVID-19 here.
The first post-mortem case autopsy after vaccination has been published in the medical journals. An autopsy was completed on an 86 year old male after his first SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. It demonstrates some significant and worrisome findings.
In this particular case, the first dose of vaccine stimulated immunogenicity (a cascade of immune response) but no immunity. Spike protein (S1) antigen-binding showed significant levels for immunoglobulin (Ig) G through multiple organs of the body, but it did not stimulate nucleocapsid IgG/IgM antibodies.
What is concerning is that the mRNA from the vaccine which should remain in the region of the injection site was found in almost every organ of the body. When this occurs spike proteins will also be found in almost every organ of the body.
Figure 1. Synopsis of the relevant histological findings and the results of molecular mapping is presented. The histomorphology is obtained by standard hematoxylin and eosin reaction, except for the myocardium on the right side (Congo red staining). The magnification is shown by bars. Note that in the lungs, we also observed colonies of cocci (arrow) in granulocytic areas. In addition, the results of molecular mapping are given as evaluated cycle threshold values of the real-time polymerase chain reaction for SARS-CoV-2. Note that only in the olfactory bulb and the liver SARS-CoV-2 could not be detected.
This research implies that a significantly higher number of vaccinated people will be forming spike proteins that will bind the ACE2 receptors everywhere in the body. mRNA from the vaccine is supposed to stay in or around the injection site. When mRNA is found in every organ, it implies that spike proteins have significant potential to be present in every organ. It is the spike proteins that do the damage, cause infertility, and lead to antibody dependent enhancement (ADE) upon re-exposure to the infection.
These findings are worrisome because it implies there is a much higher probability of ADE and a much higher incidence of side effects from spike proteins like infertility. ADE allows for amplification of the cytokine cascade on subsequent COVID-19 exposures causing re-exposure to COVID-19 and it’s variants to be magnitudes more dramatic. If this is not just a rare isolated case, this has the potential to be globally destructive.
Because of these and other significant findings, I am still recommending that my patients consider vaccination only after fully understanding their individual risk and the potential for future problems.
Sadly, I’ve had patients over age 70 tell me “pneumonia is an old man’s best friend.” It is very true that pneumonia, the common cold, influenza and COVID-19 can all cause death in the older frail adult. This is not something new, though if you listen to CNN you may think death should never occur.
But, thousands of physicians and over 200 different journal articles within the last 11 months demonstrate that if you are treated with azithromycin and either hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin plus Zinc, Vitamin D, Niacin, Vitamin C and Melatonin, you improve your risk of survival of a COVID-19 infection by an additional 10-40%. 75% of those studies demonstrated significant improvement even when hydroxychloroquine was started late. Africa has a mortality rate (1.3 per 100,000) that is 100 percent lower than the US (120 per 100,000) because they have hydroxychloroquine available over-the-counter and many people take it “every Sunday” as preventative medication for malaria.
Mind you, these medications were never FDA approved for treatment with COVID-19. But, we as licensed physicians have the autonomy to use medication “off-label” as long as we have discussed the risks, side-effects and expectations of these medications and you are aware that they were never FDA approved.
I have treated hundreds of patients with these combinations with great success in my clinic over the last 11 months.
Yet, in the last two weeks Fry’s Pharmacies (Kroger Pharmacies) are now refusing to dispense hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin for any COVID related virus. Why? Because they can make a huge profit on the Experimental COVID-19 vaccine. Why dispense a generic medication when you can make twice the profit from a vaccine? However, this experimental vaccine’s effectiveness is still yet to be confirmed, and probably less effective on newer strains as stated by the Surgeon General this last week (https://news.yahoo.com/us-surgeon-general-covid-19-184157789.html).
In my opinion, this is malpractice on the part of Fry’s Pharmacy and malfeasance on the part of the pharmacist.
Until they issue a public apology to you and me, I recommending you and I stop using Fry’s Pharmacy all together. Any company that mandates the use of an Experimental Vaccine with a side effect profile experienced by up to 20% of those who receive it, and at the same time refuses to provide access to proven treatments overseen by a physician should not receive the business or the trust of the public. If your pharmacist refused to dispense these medications with a valid prescription from your doctor, please let me know.
The pharmacists claim they won’t dispense hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin “because the FDA has not approved their use for viral infections.” Yet, these drugs are safe enough to be over the counter in many other countries and because of the vaccine, this is all political. Both of these drugs have been use very safely for decades with millions of people around the world for multiple disease processes.
The FDA issued it’s updated statement on the use of ivermectin. “Ivermectin is an antiparasitic drug that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of onchocerciasis and strongyloidiasis. Ivermectin is not FDA-approved for the treatment of any viral infection. In general, the drug is well tolerated. It is currently being evaluated as a potential treatment for COVID-19.” These drugs are considered “generally safe” for multiple disease processes used over long periods of time, and yet, the politics and finances of this issue have now become more important than your health. Neither the FDA or the NIH has stated that these drugs are contrindicated, they just have not been approved, and because of that “they are not recommended.”
As of January 14, 2021, the NIH has stated that ” currently there are insufficient data to recommend either for or against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19. Results from adequately powered, well-designed, and well-conducted clinical trials are needed to provide more specific, evidence-based guidance on the role of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19.” Similar statements have been issued on hydroxychloroquine. However, “well conducted clinical trials” will not occur for some time, as these types of studies take years to be designed, funded and put into place. Because ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine are generic drugs, there is no incentive for any pharmaceutical company to run these types of studies. The FDA will never change it’s position for this same reason.
Any physician, organization or pharmacy that places politics and finances over your health and wellbeing and tries to get between the doctor and patient should experience you and I protesting with our wallets and our feet.
Two essential things come out of this. First, the CDC, FDA and NIH have shown us as a nation how untrustworthy they are. Second, if you and I are not vigilant, mandates for the use of an experimental and potentially dangerous vaccine will be come the “new normal.”
I recommend you go to https://stopmedicaldiscrimination.org/ and sign the petition to prevent travel companies, airlines and other businesses from mandating this and any other experimental vaccine. And, then tell Fry’s Pharmacy and any other pharmacist that plays politics with your health where they can put the rest of their medications.
Sources:
Kory P, et al., Review of the Emerging Evidence Demonstrating the Efficacy of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19. FLCCC Alliance; Version 5; Nov 28, 2020.
Rajter JC, et al. Use of Ivermectin is associated with lower mortality in hospitalized patients with corona-virus disease 2019. Chest Journal Open Access Jan 2021; 159(1): 85-92
Guilherme Dias de Melo, Françoise Lazarini, Florence Larrous, Lena Feige, Lauriane Kergoat, Agnes Marchio, Pascal Pineau, Marc Lecuit, Pierre-Marie Lledo, Jean-Pierre Changeux, Herve Bourhy, Anti-COVID-19 efficacy of ivermectin in the golden hamster. bioRxiv 2020.11.21.392639
Vora, Agam, et al. “White paper on Ivermectin as a potential therapy for COVID-19.” Indian Journal of Tuberculosis 67.3 (2020): 448-451.
Gorial, Faiq I., et al. “Effectiveness of Ivermectin as add-on Therapy in COVID-19 Management (Pilot Trial).” medRxiv (2020).
Scheim, David. “Ivermectin for COVID-19 Treatment: Clinical Response at Quasi-Threshold Doses Via Hypothesized Alleviation of CD147-Mediated Vascular Occlusion.” Available at SSRN 3636557 (2020)
Rajter, Juliana Cepelowicz, et al. “ICON (Ivermectin in COvid Nineteen) study: Use of Ivermectin is Associated with Lower Mortality in Hospitalized Patients with COVID19.” medRxiv (2020). medRxiv.org
Chowdhury, Abu Taiub Mohammed Mohiuddin, et al. “A comparative observational study on Ivermectin-Doxycycline and Hydroxychloroquine-Azithromycin therapy on COVID19 patients.” ResearchGate.net
NIH Statement on Ivermectin: https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/statement-on-ivermectin/
FDA Statement on Ivermectin: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/product-safety-information/faq-covid-19-and-ivermectin-intended-animals
COVID-19 testing in Arizona as of June 21, 2020 (azdhs.gov).
The media keeps stating that corona virus has “spiked” in Arizona. What they’ve not been saying is that the frequency with which Arizona doctors and hospitals are testing went from 2500 tests per day to almost 15,000 tests per day just after the first week in May. In fact, 17,663 tests were reported on yesterday alone.
Our testing frequency increase 600% in the last 6 weeks. Of course we are going to see increased numbers of positive tests. That is to be expected. Additionally, what you are not being told is that the number of positive tests has remained consistent around 8-10% of all those tested. We are not seeing a “spike.” We are getting a much clearer picture of the prevalence of this virus. And, the large majority of those being tested are under 45 years old, those with the least likelihood of severe symptoms.
The Virus Can Be Lethal, But So Is Influenza and Childhood Pneumonia
Don’t get me wrong, this virus has the potential to be lethal in 1-2% of those that are infected, those who are immuno-compromised, but the majority of those getting positive tests (98-99%) will quickly recover without significant problems. That is identical to influenza. And you can see from the graphic below that the majority of those who have died in Arizona are those over 65 years old with significant other disease risk factors.
As of this week, the CDC’s provisional death counts for COVID-19 from January to June 2020, excluding influenza, are 45,524. That’s still less than influenza numbers above.
809,000 children died in 2017 from bacterial pneumonia in 2017. That’s 2200 children that die every day from preventable pneumonia, yet we haven’t mandated masks for this epidemic.
As you can see below, death from COVID-19 has continued to decline, despite what the media is saying. If it were truely spiking, we would have seen a rise in COVID-19 deaths around June 6th-15th (Arizona’s Quarantine Orders ended on May 31st), giving a 7-14 day incubation period after people began working and interacting. Yet that isn’t what the Arizona Department of Health is reporting. The number of deaths continues to fall.
Death from coronavirus in Arizona as of June 21, 2020 (azdhs.gov)
12,285 people died in Arizona from heart disease in 2017 and 11,719 died from cancer. We know that high carbohydrate intake combined with high fat foods is the number one risk factor for both of these diseases, yet there has been no city or state mandate on these risk factors. And, we know that hyperinsulinemia (the underlying cause of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and most cancers) is the primary risk factor in severity of illness in COVID-19 patients.
I have yet to hear Governor Ducey or Mayor Hall issue an executive order on time spent in a bakery or proximity to Krispy Kreme.
Is Hospital Bed Space Still an Issue?
Possibly, but during our low point in hospitalization at the beginning of April in Arizona, hospitals were still at 60-70% of capacity. As of the writing of this article, Arizona is at 85% of capacity. This was to be expected.
Will we reach capacity over the next 2-4 weeks? Epidemiological projections claimed that even with quarantine of the state we would max out our hospital capacity in April. We didn’t even come close.
A Rise in COVID-19 Cases is Expected
St. Louis vs Philadelphia Quarantine vs No Quarantine – 1918 Spanish Flu Deaths
If you look at history, the only time where viral infection quarantine was incorporated into a city versus one that was not (St. Louis & Philadelphia), you will see that a rise in viral infection and death naturally occurred after removing the quarantine orders. This is visible in the red indicator at 80-110 days in St. Louis. Our rise in COVID-19 cases and fatalities is to be expected.
The whole point of this was to unload burden on hospital facilities, not stop the spread of infection all together, as that will never happen. The goal of decreased hospital burden has been accomplished.
Why All the Hype?
Your guess is as good as mine. I have wracked my brain as to why our leaders persist in forcing the average healthy American to feel anxious, fearful and insecure over a virus that is no more problematic than the flu.
Why would mandates for mask wearing occur 6 months after the outbreak of the virus occur when death rates are falling and data shows us that many people have already had this infection without knowing it? If you look at the cities in Arizona where mask and social distancing mandates have been enacted in the last week, you may recognize that these are the more progressive left leaning cities. This push to change the way we live our lives seems to come from this group and is amplified by the left-leaning media. Motive may revolve around the poll box in November.
Though you and I have felt this deeply in our homes and wallets, liberals running for office at all levels across the state and nation likely feel they have politically benefited from the outbreak of the coronavirus. The subsequent regulations on social distancing, mask wearing and business closures gave Democrat elected officials more power over individual lives and business operations than they have ever had before. Combine that with the ability to blame our current president for the economic consequences of the virus and you can see why some would salivate for another outbreak to rescue their hopes for unseating this president.
Is This A Method to Move Us to Main Streamed Contact Tracing?
A second reason for the hype could be a desire to move people to allow wide spread “contact tracing.” This is much like facial recognition software that we see used so often in the latest spy thrillers. However, contact tracing uses the GPS in your phone to track your location, travel and your contacts.
As of last month, contact tracing software was added to Android and IOS phones. Apple released iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 for iPhones, iPods, and iPads on May 20th. They went live alongside minor software updates for Apple TV and HomePod devices. The iOS update mainly adds new health-related features—most notably the much-discussed Exposure Notification API that was co-developed with Google to help local, regional, and national governments enact contact-tracing strategies to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. These are not automatically turned on, but you can find them under the privacy settings of your phone. Added without your consent, contact tracing and facial recognition cameras used individually or in coordination are arguable violations of human rights and rights to privacy.
Several Supreme Court cases have recognized a right to travel. For example, in Kent v. Dulles (1958), the court wrote, “The right to travel is a part of the ‘liberty’ of which the citizen cannot be deprived without due process of law under the Fifth Amendment. . . . Freedom of movement across frontiers in either direction, and inside frontiers as well, was a part of our heritage. . . . Freedom of movement is basic in our scheme of values.”
In addition to the right to travel, in Toomer v. Witsell (1948), the Supreme Court asserted that the act of shrimping (and, more generally, pursuing one’s livelihood) was protected by the Fourteenth Amendment’s Privileges and Immunities clause. (“Shrimping” means to fish for shrimp.)
And in the well-known case of Meyer v. Nebraska, the Supreme Court determined that constitutionally protected liberty “denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.”
There is a strong argument that the Constitution protects the freedom to move, travel, and do business. However, constitutional interests are not absolute, and argument arises that this could be limited by pressing public health interests, especially during a state of emergency. Hence the need for cities and states to declare “state of emergency” before enacting these orders.
In order for liberty-infringing public health laws to be constitutional, they must be the least restrictive means of protecting health. With regard to the novel coronavirus, this may not be the case.
A Change of American Values
There are those on the left who have a profound dislike for what you and I see as the traditional American culture and political mores of the United States. Remember Barack Obama’s words about those who “cling to Bibles and guns,” Hillary Clinton’s labeling of Trump supporters as “deplorable,” and the recent emphasis across the nation by many to get “transformational change?” Understand that it is not just mere reform or improvement the Democrats desire, they want a wholesale difference in the way Americans interact with each other, think and operate day-to-day.
Fear of your neighbor, because of unseen illness or skin color, makes you and I more likely to accept governmental regulation and vote for help at the ballot box. History has demonstrated this fact for hundreds of years. When the government appears smarter than your doctor, you’re more likely to vote for single payer health care. Think about it.
The following general measures are recommended to reduce transmission of infection:
Diligent hand washing, particularly after touching surfaces in public. Use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol is a reasonable alternative if the hands are not visibly dirty.
Respiratory hygiene (for example – covering the cough or sneeze).
Avoiding touching the face (in particular eyes, nose, and mouth).
Avoiding crowds (particularly in poorly ventilated spaces) if possible and avoiding close contact with ill individuals.
Cleaning and disinfecting objects and surfaces that are frequently touched. The CDC has issued guidance on disinfection in the home setting; a list of EPA-registered products can be found here.
Dr. Nally talks about each of these in his latest YouTube video below:
“Keep the carbs low and the fat high.”
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For more information about any of the things mention above and in other videos, you can find the links below:
There are a number of confusion and mixed messages in the community about wearing or using protective masks while out and about in the community while getting your essentials. Dr. Nally talks about the pro’s and con’s of wearing masks, the type of mask he recommends using currently and where you can find a pattern to make one. Check out his latest YouTube video below:
I have been seeing a large number of respiratory infections in my office over the last 3 weeks. These appear to be viral infections cause by Enterovirus D68 and have some significant respiratory consequences, especially in children with other lung problems.
Enterovirus Electron Micrograph
EV-D68 is one of more than 100 types of enteroviruses. It was first identified in California in 1962. Since then, EV-D68 infections has not been commonly reported in the United States. There have been very few reports of this virus in the last few years, however, the circulation of specific types of enteroviruses is often quite unpredictable, and different types of enteroviruses can be common in different years with no particular pattern. Most enterovirus infections in the United States tend to occur in the summer and fall. EV-D68, similar to other enteroviruses, is known to cause infections primarily in children but has been known to infect adults.
EV-D68 can shed from an infected person’s respiratory secretions, such as saliva, nasal mucus, or sputum. The virus likely spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or touches another surface. EV-D68 can cause mild to severe respiratory illness. Most of the children who have become very ill with EV-D68 infection in Missouri and Illinois had difficulty breathing, and some had wheezing. Many of these children had asthma or a history of wheezing.
Although there are no vaccines to prevent EV-D68 infections, clinicians should encourage their patients to follow these prevention steps:
• Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds;
• Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands;
• Avoid kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick; and
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.
Ensure that patients with asthma regularly take prescribed medications and follow guidance to maintain control of their illness. They should also take advantage of influenza vaccine when available, because people with asthma have a difficult time with respiratory illnesses.
Hopefully, you and your family won’t have a problem with this virus this year. Follow the steps above to help prevent its spread and see your doctor if you begin to show signs of serious illness like fever, shortness of breath, persisting cough or worsening flu-like illness that is not improving.
