The latest installment of the #PWChat series centered the latest impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare professionals.
Below are the highlights from the chat. You can read the full transcript here, by scrolling through the questions and answers provided by participants in reverse chronological order.
Welcome to the latest #PWChat, with co-hosts @DrLindaMD & @DavidEpsteinMD on #COVID19. Our plan is to discuss the latest impacts of the pandemic on HCPs until 3pm EST, officially, but let’s keep the convo going well after! pic.twitter.com/Sk9G27FnJm
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
Q1: What has/have been the biggest impact(s) of #COVID19 on your day-to-day practice, be it in- or outpatient?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/AzMTtzZbBw
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A1 – The biggest impact of #COVID19 on my day-to-day practice in the pediatric urgent care has been the need to stay hypervigilant with personal protective equipment and maintaining safe practices to prevent transmission to myself and my family. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
That is difficult. It creates a different dynamic in the office. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
It may be more comfortable for them to wait in their car for an outpatient visit…but, it is tough on the flow for the office for sure.
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
That must be very difficult for families and the patients. It must be scary for them because they can’t be by their family member’s side or have family with them in the time of need. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
I agree. People are talking about it more and I think more bad information is being circulated. #PWchat
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) August 31, 2021
Q2: What’s your take on the #mask & #vaccination mandates being enforced lately by many school districts and private companies?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/Omx8Qhavwy
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A2. I think they are a good idea. Like it or not, we’re all in this together and our actions can put others at risk. The only way to protect kids under 12 is by being vaccinated ourselves and by universal mask wearing. #PWchat https://t.co/XlI5kPmYje
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) August 31, 2021
A patchwork approach to NPIs is insufficient. We need the federal government to step up; start with a vaccine mandate for air travel. #PWchat https://t.co/jW1XcOJjW4
— Michael S. Sinha, MD JD MPH (@DrSinhaEsq) August 31, 2021
A2 – Enforcement of #mask & #vaccination by many school districts & private companies is an important step in the right direction. I agree w/ precautions. Masking & vaccinating work. When the public health of many are jeopardized, certain measures need to be instituted. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
Q3: How can patients be convinced that the #COVID vaccines are safe, effective, and the best weapon against the #pandemic? Do you see vaccination rates improving any time soon? Why/why not?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/lBEWb5PKJ3
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A3. We can’t convince everyone. I find some people trust when we tell them we & our families r vaccinated. Others want data so I think we need to hear what our patients need to know. I think those on the fence are slowly getting the vaccine so it will change, but slowly. #PWchat https://t.co/dsUPEs8vTb
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) August 31, 2021
A3 – 1/2 – I think that the medical community needs to keep pushing accurate, reliable information out to the public about the vaccines. There is a lot of vaccine misinformation that needs to be countered. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
Yes, 100%. Look to groups like @ThisIsOurShot for strategic approaches to dissemination. #PWChat https://t.co/TRGAyBwIx4
— Michael S. Sinha, MD JD MPH (@DrSinhaEsq) August 31, 2021
Q4: Why do you think #COVIDvaccination rates are so low even among #healthcare professionals, and how can #VaccineHesitant patients be convinced of the utility of vaccination in light of this?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/uUyA71s8MD
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
Rates of vaccination among HCW still higher than that of the general public, but they are susceptible to the same channels of misinformation. Vaccine mandates in health care settings are the way to go (and have been upheld by courts). #PWChat https://t.co/c59kPtCDqm
— Michael S. Sinha, MD JD MPH (@DrSinhaEsq) August 31, 2021
I would have expected that the need to be fully vaccinated would have been made clear during the recruiting and selection process, and again during training. So I am at a loss as to why it suddenly emerges as an issue during a pandemic#PWChat
— Matthew Loxton (@mloxton) August 31, 2021
A4 – 1/2 – I think that vaccine rates are lower among some healthcare professionals because there may be a portion of them who feel that they are healthcare workers and they won’t get sick…because they are healthcare workers. It may be a bit of denial. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
A4 – 2/2 – Some say that the worst patients are doctors. Also, they may have succumbed to some of the misinformation themselves. It is hard to convince others to take a vaccine that you won’t take yourself. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
The majority of unvaccinated HC workers are not physicians. There are many in HC who treat HC delivery as “a job” with no inherent positive obligation to dedicate themselves to the guiding principles of health care-to care for others and prevent disease. #PWChat
— Elias Said, MD, FACEP (@MdFacep) August 31, 2021
Q5: What stories/angles do you wish the mainstream media was covering in regard to #COVID19?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/6DUJZhbJ8y
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A5 – 1/2 – That is a tough question. The mainstream media is covering a lot of stories with emotional context to gain viewership…from hospitals being overwhelmed to patients dying to medical professionals struggling with fatigue. #PWChat https://t.co/DDl1210yPg
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD)
A5 – 2/2 – I want to be informed of all of the medical issues and context of the pandemic, but there has been so much information for too long. I wears on you and I almost wish there was less coverage because it almost desensitizes one to the horrors of the pandemic. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
href=”https://twitter.com/DavidEpsteinMD/status/1432777139690958848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>August 31, 2021
A5. Burnout. We’re heading into a very really crisis where we’re not going to have enough nurses and/or doctors to take care of sick patients. It takes years to train a nurse or doctor. You can’t just hire new ones. #PWchat https://t.co/e9jSIreuIE
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) August 31, 2021
I agree, but I don’t think that the public truly will understand the crisis until it affects them (like COVID19) directly. The one thing that I’ve noticed in this pandemic is that people tend to see what they want to see…unfortunately. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
Q6: What do you want all Americans to know about #COVID19, be it how to help stop the spread, when & where to get vaccinated, things to expect, or something else?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/taubMyn4tF
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A6 – The thing that I want all Americans to know is that #COVID19 will not end until we work as a unit and protect each other. I mask, wash my hands, distance, and vaccinate to try to protect you as much as I try to protect myself. We are all in this together. #PWChat#pandemic https://t.co/F5HG6xiHkB
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
Q7: Why is there so much #misinformation being spread around #COVID-19? What can #healthcare professionals do to fight it? #PWChat pic.twitter.com/IAukuCngDZ
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A7 – 1/3 – There is a lot of misinformation because some people are afraid of something that they don’t fully understand (i.e., COVID19 and vaccines) and they want something that is easier to understand and doesn’t seem as “scary”. #PWChat https://t.co/k0LTILkg35
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
A7 – 2/3 – The misinformation or disinformation offers them an alternative explanation or treatment that falls in line with their understanding or beliefs. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
A7 – 3/3 – The best way that healthcare professionals can fight the misinformation and disinformation is to keep pushing accurate information out to the public, stay persistent, and try to explain things in a way that most people can understand it. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
1:4 American have had a vaccine hesitancy conflict at some point. the AMA joined the national organizations representing nurses and hospitals to release a public service announcement (PSA) urging the American public to get the COVID-19 vaccination when it is their turn. #PWChat
— Elias Said, MD, FACEP (@MdFacep) August 31, 2021
Some female HC workers are simply not current with safety as related to women’s health and vaccination in pregnancy or if contemplating pregnancy.
ACOG and MFM recently jointly endorsed vaccination in this group. The CDC and WHO also endorsed vaccination in pregnancy #PWChat— Elias Said, MD, FACEP (@MdFacep) August 31, 2021
A7. I think it’s become a political issue for many. People push an agenda to garner more attention/votes. We need to keep educating and getting more voices to speak up. #PWchat https://t.co/WkuDeQPPql
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) August 31, 2021
Q8: How would you address the concerns of patients who were vaccinated more than 6 months ago who fear they may not be protected from #COVID any longer?#PWChat pic.twitter.com/lAShleScio
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
A8 – 1/2 – I would let them know that many vaccines require boosters to optimally prepare the immune system and protect from future infections. For example, children require the DTaP vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, and Tdap at 11-12 year of age. #PWChat https://t.co/koZH1rOjw2
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
A8 – 2/2 – Booster vaccines are not unusual. We are still learning how long the vaccine maintains our immunity. With time, we will learn more about how the immune system responds to the vaccine and keeps us safe. #PWChat
— David Epstein, MD, MS, FAAP (@DavidEpsteinMD) August 31, 2021
A8. The studies so far indicate that the antibodies last at least that long. Whether a booster is needed is being studied and we should have a better answer soon. #PWchat https://t.co/djFWSYomcL
— Linda Girgis MD (@DrLindaMD) August 31, 2021
We’re officially out of time, but PLEASE, let’s keep this very important discussion going!
In the meantime, we give special thanks to @DrLindaMD & @MVP_Pediatric for co-hosting and thank you all for joining and providing great insights and thoughts!#PWChat pic.twitter.com/mhVlX6sBPe
— Physician’s Weekly (@physicianswkly) August 31, 2021
