The following interview is courtesy of Special Guests.
We are faced with lots of new questions as the COVID pandemic continues: Back to school? Wear a mask? Virus Mutations? Cases Skyrocketing? Our guest is Dr. Charles Page, a surgeon from Texas who is here to help us make sense of what appears to be so nonsensical.
Q&A:
1) Dr. Page, can you give us a big picture of where we are in the pandemic?
Answer: The wave is progressing from the epicenter (NYC) out into the rest of the US. In my opinion, this is not a Second Wave or a mutated virus but a progression of the same virus.
2) The number of coronavirus cases is skyrocketing, primarily because of increased testing availability. How does the death toll correlate to this increase in cases?
Answer: Fortunately, the death toll hasn’t followed that pattern. The death rate is stable. That’s good news. At the present our ICU’s and hospitals(at least in Texas) are not overwhelmed with cases. No need for panic.
3) What about a vaccine?
Answer: We are still getting closer to a vaccine. The NIH started enrollment for people to receive vaccines in clinical studies (as of 7/8/20).
The COVPN (Covid Prevention Trials Network). Bringing together these four groups to begin phase 3 clinical trials will streamline the process for a vaccine.
4) Can you give us your opinion on the safety of reopening schools in the fall?
Answer: We have to base our opinions on facts—not feelings (or politics). There are several international studies that show it is safe for kids to return to school. Studies in Iceland, China and New Zealand showed that: children are particularly resilient to the disease (they have minimal symptoms) and for some reason, they rarely transmit COVID to others. This has been corroborated by multiple studies.
5) So, what’s the issue?
Answer: Kid’s immune systems are more resilient than those of adults. Their systems are in the phase of processing and developing immunity to new pathogens. Isolation/quarantine may, in the long run, be more harmful. I feel comfortable having my 12 and 18-year-old kids go back to school —without a mask.
6) What do you think about masks?
Answer: There’s not a lot of science behind wearing a mask. We are still in uncharted waters. Most of the studies done are in hospitals and health care institutions. With that being said, in many states (like Texas) it’s the law. Our states haven’t flip-flopped. If you recall, at the onset of the pandemic, we were short on resources and didn’t have enough masks. Now we do. The literature confirms that masks catch many respiratory droplets, keeping them from spreading in the air. So if someone has disease, it diminishes the spread. But wearing a mask doesn’t keep you from getting the disease.
About Dr. Charles Page
Dr. Page is the best guy to see on the worst day of your life. He is a surgeon from Texas and co-host of the podcast, “Life’s about Living,” a show for retirees and Boomers.
His book, A Spoonful of Courage for the Sick and Suffering, is a compilation of faith-based inspirational stories helping the ill see the possibilities in their problems.
Visit his website HERE.
