Dr Holly Gilbert

Why get the new COVID vaccine?

After living through a pandemic and watching friends and family die of COVID-19, you’d think everyone would be running to get the latest shot. And yet, they’re not. Many think COVID is now like a bad cold, so why get vaccinated?Others are leery of “too many vaccines”.

So, why get vaccinated? The reason why most people aren’t dying of COVID right now is BECAUSE THEY ARE VACCINATED. The antibodies they have from the vaccine are keeping them from getting very sick. If people stop getting vaccinated, they will lose that immunity. COVID keeps mutating. Without continued vaccination, we could face a situation where we lack immunity, at a time when there’s a deadly strain of COVID circulating. The morbidity and mortality of that scenario could be staggering. Further, studies have shown that the more times someone gets COVID, the more likely they are to get long COVID. Lastly, for those worried about vaccination, everything in medicine is a risk/benefit ratio. The risk of vaccination is extraordinarily low. The potential serious consequences of not being vaccinated are high.

The same logic goes for the Influenza (flu)vaccine. If we want to try and prevent a flu pandemic, we should all be getting vaccinated.

Please look back at history. Before the polio vaccine, people were crippled. Before the measles vaccine, people died of measles. If we lived back then, we’d be begging for a vaccine to protect ourselves.

We are so lucky to be living in a day and age where we have vaccines and incredible technology to save lives. Let’s not be foolish enough not to use the resources we have.

VACCINES: COVID, flu, RSV and more …

Part of my job is to make sure that people are up-to-date with their immunizations. I’ve decided to outline what vaccinations you should consider this fall. I hope you find this helpful.

1. Influenza (Flu) shot:
The flu shot is different every year. Last year’s vaccine won’t protect you against this year’s strain. Even with vaccine, you might still get the flu, but it will be much milder than if you weren’t vaccinated.

2. COVID vaccine:
The newest vaccine protects against the most recent strains. Immunity from vaccination wanes with time, so it is crucial to be revaccinated every year. Vaccines are in large part why we are not dying from COVID right now.

3. RSV:
Recommended for babies any anyone over 60

4. Pneumonia vaccine (prevnar 20):
Recommended for everyone 65 and over and high risk groups, under 65. Ask your doctor if you fall into a high risk group. Even if you’ve been vaccinated in the past with the older vaccines (pneumovax and prevnar 13 or 15), you may qualify for prevnar 20.

5. Shingrix:
Age 50 and over

6. Monkeypox:
For certain groups, at high risk for monkeypox

Other vaccines to discuss with you doctor:
Tdap (tetanus), Hepatitis A, hepatitis B

The media has made some people fearful of vaccines. We forget the days before vaccination. People were dying of the flu, measles and getting crippled by polio. We recently watched loved ones die of Coronavirus. Everything in life is a risk/benefit ratio. The risk of approved vaccines is negligible, the benefits are huge. Vaccines are life saving! Please protect yourself and others.

* please do not write back, commenting on your thoughts about vaccinations. This is just meant to serve as a guide and is not right for everyone. I respect everybody’s personal choices.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and stay well!

www.gilbertmd.com

COVID IS BACK! HOW CONCERNED DO WE NEED TO BE?

Just when we thought coronavirus was a thing of the past, it rears its ugly head again. So- It’s time to talk about COVID, again:

COVID numbers in the spring and summer were very low this year. In fact, I hadn’t seen any cases of Coronavirus in my practice until late August. Numbers were so low, that most people felt comfortable taking off their masks and living “normal lives”. Then, a new variant, Eris (EG.5) reared its ugly head. The good news about Eris is that it is not that different from Omicron. Thus, anyone who has had Covid should have natural immunity against this disease, and anyone who has been vaccinated, should also have protection. That is not to say that they cannot get Covid, but it should not lead to severe illness and hospitalization, in most cases.

Fast forward to the last week or two. A new variant BA.26.86, known as Pirola Has emerged. This variant has more that 30 mutations to its spike proteins compared to XBB.15, a variant of omicron. The spike protein is how the virus enters the cell. That means that there was a possibility that evade both natural immunity and protection from prior vaccines. We don’t yet know how contagious this new variant is or how significant this is going to be.

So how should we proceed to protect ourselves: The new vaccine should provide some protection against this variant, so everybody should get the new booster. We shouldn’t forget handwashing, elbow “handshakes” and masking in crowded places.

COVID is not going away. Yes, we need to live our lives, but we also need to watch the science carefully and change our behaviors accordingly.

I hope you all find this helpful and stay well!

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Primary Care Physician in Westchester, NY | Holly M. Gilbert, M.D. Do you need a primary care physician in Westchester, NY? Holly M. Gilbert, M.D., in Westchester, NY, takes all patients 16 and up. Call today.

Check out my latest blog:

How to Boost the Immune System

https://www.gilbertmd.com/blog

Why concierge medicine?

For much of my career, I was adamant that I would not do concierge medicine- and yet, here I am. Why is that and what has changed? The answer is simple: managed care has become an untenable model. Patients deserve great care and that can’t be achieved in a 15 minute, rushed office visit. It’s time to go back to the old fashion model.

So, what is our approach:

We offer personalized care. That means you see the same doctor every time, who knows you, and your history, extremely well. There is 24-7 access to the doctor and same day and next day appointments are guaranteed. Office visits are long and comprehensive. Telemedicine is available, as are house calls. There is rarely a wait time in the office and there are no phone trees! All visits can be Submitted to health insurance for out of network reimbursement.

We need to value our health! After all, if we are not healthy, what do we really have in life?

To learn more about our practice, please visit www.gilbertmd.com or call 914-437–8167.

The practice size is limited, to ensure personalized care, so if we are full, feel free to join our waiting list. We look forward to hearing from you!

In need of a COVID antigen or PCR before travel? Are you sick and think you might have COVID or the flu? Have you been bitten by a tick and don’t what to do? Are you traveling and need shots or malaria pills? Have you come back from another country, sick?

Dr Gilbert is an Infectious Disease doctor, specializing in Lyme Disease and concomitant tick borne infections, travel medicine, tropical medicine and COViD.

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COVID 19 TESTING: PCR or antigen. In need of COVID testing before travel, due to an exposure or because you are sick? Are you getting tested at a local clinic, but then you don’t know what to do? Would you like expert advise and guidance from an Infectious Disease doctor? We are a CLIA certified laboratory:
COVID RT-PCR: results in 30 min or next day COVID antigen: results in 15 minutes Testing available in NYC and Westchester: 212-686-4014 or www.Gilbertmd.com to book an appointment.

Personalized Medical Care comes to Westchester

Are you looking for a doctor who truly cares about your health and well being? Are you tired of phone trees and not being able to see your doctor, when you are sick? Do you have to wait three months to get a physical? Do you see a different doctor every time or maybe even an NP or PA? Well, if you are tired of that experience, look no further. Dr Gilbert strongly believes that the doctor-patient relationship is crucial for good care. Her visits are long and comprehensive and she offers same day appointments. She is available 24/7 for her patients; nobody has the experience of having to go to the emergency room because they couldn’t reach their doctor. Best of all, she specializes in Infectious diseases, so if you have COVID or just need COVID testing, she’s got you covered. She also specializes in Lyme disease and concomitant tick borne infections and travel medicine. To learn more about her wellness model, please visit: www.Gilbertmd.com 914-437-8167

Dr Holly Gilbert Our practice: personalized medical care, long office visits, same day appointments, no phone trees.