S2, Ep 9- Should We Fear The Variant Omicron?

12/02/21 • 12 min

The majority of Americans have been vaccinated, including the millions of people who have already received an extra booster shot. But how will these vaccines protect us from the new variant Omicron?

“Take precautions, lets prepare ourselves by being calm and if we have to lose that calm and become crazy, we’ll deal with that when we have to deal with it,“ says Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

Among the highlights in this episode:

:52- Listener comment

1:41- Steven’s Thanksgiving was “tested”

2:35- Concerns of the new variant Omicron

2:51- Will our current vaccines hold up against Omicron?

3:27- Macintosh The Dog makes the first of many cameos

4:04- Leaders are making balanced statements about the new variant

4:30- Does mainstream media create unnecessary anxiety?

4:52- “Anticipatory Anxiety” over Omicron

5:26- People with underlying conditions fear the new variant

6:12- How do we prepare for Omicron?

6:28- Steven- “Lets prepare ourselves by being calm and if we have to lose that calm and become crazy, we’ll deal with that when we have to deal with it.”

7:01- Encourage people you know to get vaccinated and the booster shot

7:30- Latest vaccination rates of Americans

8:25- Children’s vaccines are easing anxiety and fear among parents

8:48- Steve’s curiosity of whether his children’s classmates are vaccinated

10:14- A look back at the positives of vaccinating Americans in the last year

11:32- What did our hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at GHLF. [email protected]

Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected]

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]

Catch up on all our episodes and our previous season at The Health Advocates.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The majority of Americans have been vaccinated, including the millions of people who have already received an extra booster shot. But how will these vaccines protect us from the new variant Omicron?

Among the highlights in this episode:

:52- Listener comment

1:41- Steven’s Thanksgiving was “tested”

2:35- Concerns of the new variant Omicron

2:51- Will our current vaccines hold up against Omicron?

3:27- Macintosh The Dog makes the first of many cameos

4:04- Leaders are making balanced statements about the new variant

4:30- Does mainstream media create unnecessary anxiety?

4:52- “Anticipatory Anxiety” over Omicron

5:26- People with underlying conditions fear the new variant

6:12- How do we prepare for Omicron?

6:28- Steven- “Lets prepare ourselves by being calm and if we have to lose that calm and become crazy, we’ll deal with that when we have to deal with it.”

7:01- Encourage people you know to get vaccinated and the booster shot

7:30- Latest vaccination rates of Americans

8:25- Children’s vaccines are easing anxiety and fear among parents

8:48- Steve’s curiosity of whether his children’s classmates are vaccinated

10:14- A look back at the positives of vaccinating Americans in the last year

11:32- What did our hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at GHLF. [email protected]

Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected]

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]

Catch up on all our episodes and our previous season at The Health Advocates.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Previous Episode

S2, Ep 8- To Boost Or Not To Boost

Studies show COVID vaccines wane over time, leading to a push for a booster, or an additional shot of the COVID vaccine. In this episode, we explore whether to get the booster, when to get it and how often.

“Needles are intimidating for sure and I definitely felt a lot safer after getting the third shot,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

Among the highlights in this episode:

:37- Listener comment, was someone taking a dig at Steven’s favorite baseball team?

1:24- Zoe and Steven are inspired by “Hamlet” and ask the key COVID booster shot question- to boost or not to boost?

2:38- Other country’s booster policies

2:50- Some health officials in the U.S. are not waiting for FDA to authorize boosters for all adults

3:34- Studies show vaccine effectiveness wane over time

4:37- Immunocompromised patients should consider a third shot

5:01- Zoe describes a conversation with her rheumatologist about getting a third booster shot

5:27- Steven “was in agony...wrapping myself in knots” over getting a third shot

6:35- Some experts not making a recommendation on a third shot yet

7:39- Potential to get regular booster shots

8:05- Could the public lose trust in the vaccines?

9:19- Dr. Fauci- booster could be part of the complete regimen

10:02- First email question- could those who oppose the vaccine be needle phobic?

10:27- McIntosh the dog makes another cameo

11:25- What did our hosts Steven and Zoe learn from this episode?

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark- Director of Policy at GHLF. [email protected]

Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at GHLF. [email protected]

We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to [email protected]

Catch up on all our episodes and the previous season. The Health Advocates

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Next Episode

S2, Ep 10- The Future of Drug Prices

There are many factors at play when addressing the cost of prescription drugs. A recent poll showing 83% of adults think the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable. In this episode, we examine several proposals being considered by Congress.

“So complicated. It seems like this could have really big implications for drug pricing and it will be interesting to see how this plays out especially because so many in our community rely on drugs to live meaningfully and daily life with their conditions,” says Zoe Rothblatt, Patient Advocate and Community Outreach Manager at the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

Among the highlights in this episode:

:48- Listener comment

1:24- Is the cost of prescription drugs reasonable?

1:50- “It’s expensive to be chronically ill”

2:06- Steve cites a poll showing 83% of adults think the cost of prescription drugs is unreasonable.

2:26- Congress considering the Build Back Better Act and how it relates to prescription drug prices

2:53- Status of the Build Back Better Act

3:11- Breaking down the 6 provisions in the Act which refer to drug prices

11:38- Politics of passing legislation

12:28- Schoolhouse Rock- How a bill becomes law

14:02- Latest on Omicron variant and vaccine

14:42- A look at Israel where majority of country has 3rd Pfizer vaccine