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Exercise in a Pandemic, with Andrew Abernathy, Focal Fitness - Episode 50, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

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Exercise in a Pandemic, with Andrew Abernathy, Focal Fitness – Episode 50, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

Focal Fitness Owner Andrew Abernathy is welcomed by host Dr. Jim Morrow to discuss exercise and physical fitness challenges and solutions for a pandemic. Dr. Morrow also offers a Covid-19 update on the new vaccines and the latest information on Covid-19 mutations. “To Your Health” is brought to you by Morrow Family Medicine, which brings the care back to healthcare.

Morrow Family Medicine, a Member of Village Medical, is an award-winning, state-of-the-art family practice with offices in Cumming and Milton, Georgia. The practice combines healthcare information technology with old-fashioned care to provide the type of care that many are in search of today. Two physicians, three physician assistants and two nurse practitioners are supported by a knowledgeable and friendly staff to make your visit to Morrow Family Medicine, A Member of Village Medical one that will remind you of the way healthcare should be.  At Morrow Family Medicine, a Member of Village Medical, we like to say we are “bringing the care back to healthcare!”  The practice has been named the “Best of Forsyth” in Family Medicine in all five years of the award, is a three-time consecutive winner of the “Best of North Atlanta” by readers of Appen Media, and the 2019 winner of “Best of Life” in North Fulton County.

Village Medical offers a comprehensive suite of primary care services including preventative care, treatment for illness and injury, and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease. Atlanta-area patients can learn more about the practice here.

Dr. Jim Morrow, Morrow Family Medicine, and Host of “To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow”

Dr. Jim Morrow is the founder and CEO of Morrow Family Medicine. He has been a trailblazer and evangelist in the area of healthcare information technology, was named Physician IT Leader of the Year by HIMSS, a HIMSS Davies Award Winner, the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce Steve Bloom Award Winner as Entrepreneur of the Year and he received a Phoenix Award as Community Leader of the Year from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.  He is married to Peggie Morrow and together they founded the Forsyth BYOT Benefit, a charity in Forsyth County to support students in need of technology and devices. They have two Goldendoodles, a gaggle of grandchildren and enjoy life on and around Lake Lanier.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorrowFamMed/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/7788088/admin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/toyourhealthMD

The complete show archive of “To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow” addresses a wide range of health and wellness topics, and can be found at www.toyourhealthradio.com.

Show Notes

Covid-19 Vaccines and Mutations 

Why does the coronavirus change?

• Variants of viruses occur when there is a change (mutation) to the virus’s genes. 
  • it is the nature of RNA viruses such as the coronavirus to evolve and change gradually. 
• Mutations in viruses — 
  • including the coronavirus causing the COVID-19 pandemic — 
    • are neither new nor unexpected. 
    • All RNA viruses mutate over time, some more than others. 
    • For example, flu viruses change often, 
    • which is why doctors recommend that you get a new flu vaccine every year.
• We are seeing multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that are different from the version first detected in China
• one mutated version of the coronavirus was detected in southeastern England in September 2020. 
  • That variant, now known as B.1.1.7, quickly became the most common version of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom, accounting for about 60% of new COVID-19 cases in December. 
  • Other variants have emerged in South Africa, Brazil, California and other areas.

COVID-19 Variants: How are they different?

• There are 17 genetic changes in the B.1.1.7 variant from England. 
• There’s some preliminary evidence that it’s more contagious. 
  • Scientists noticed a surge of cases in areas where the new strain appeared.
• some of the mutations in the B.1.1.7 version seem to affect the coronavirus’s spike protein, 
  • which covers the outer coating of SARS-CoV-2 and give the virus its characteristic spiny appearance. 
  • These proteins help the virus attach to human cells in the nose, lungs and other areas of the body, causing COVID-19 illness.
• Researchers have preliminary evidence that some of the new variants, including B.1.1.7, seem to bind more tightly to our cells
  • This appears to make some of these new strains ‘stickier’ due to changes in the spike protein. 
  • Studies are underway to understand more about whether any of the variants are more easily transmitted.

Is there a new variant of the coronavirus that is more dangerous?

• so far, the news is somewhat reassuring. 
  • Although mutations may enable the coronavirus to spread faster from person to person, 
    • and more infections can result in more people getting very sick, 
    • overall, there is not yet clear evidence that any of these variants are more likely to cause severe disease or death. 
• it may be more advantageous for a respiratory virus to evolve so that it spreads more easily. 
  • On the other hand, mutations that make a virus more deadly may not give the virus an opportunity to spread efficiently. 
    • If we get too sick or die quickly from a particular virus, the virus has less opportunity to infect others. 
• One of the main concerns is whether any of the variants could affect treatment and prevention. 
  • Mutations may allow the coronaviruses to escape the antibodies in currently available therapies and those induced by vaccines. 
    • More data are needed to investigate this possibility.

Will there be more new variants of the coronavirus?

• Yes. 
  • As long as the coronavirus spreads through the population, mutations will continue to happen. 
    • in 2020, several mutations caught researchers’ attention and raised concern, but further study revealed no major changes in how the coronavirus behaves.
• New variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus are detected every week
  • Most come and go — some persist but don’t become more common; some increase in the population for a while, and then fizzle out. 
  • When a change in the infection pattern first pops up, 
    • it can be very hard to tell what’s driving the trend: 
      • changes to the virus, 
      • or changes in human behavior. 
      • It is worrisome that similar changes to the spike protein are arising independently on multiple continents.”

Will the COVID-19 vaccine work on the new strains?

• There is new evidence from laboratory studies that some immune responses driven by current vaccines could be less effective against some of the new strains.
• Whether that means that people who have gotten the COVID-19 vaccines could get sick with the new variants is not yet known. 
  • The immune response involves many components, 
    • and a reduction in one does not mean that the vaccines will not offer protection.”
• People who have received the vaccines should watch for changes in guidance from the CDC ,and continue with coronavirus safety precautions to reduce the risk of infection, such as mask wearing, physical distancing and hand hygiene.”
• “We deal with mutations every year for flu virus, and will keep an eye on this coronavirus and track it,” says Bollinger. “If there would ever be a major mutation, the vaccine development process can accommodate changes, if necessary, but we’re not yet at the point when we need to consider that,” he explains.

Regarding coronavirus variants, how concerned should we be?

• “Most of the genetic changes we see in this virus are like the scars people accumulate over a lifetime — incidental marks of the road, most of which have no great significance or functional role,” Ray says. “When the evidence is strong enough that a viral genetic change is causing a change in the behavior of the virus, we gain new insight regarding how this virus works.”
• “As far as these variants are concerned, we don’t need to overreact,” Bollinger says. “But, as with any virus, changes are something to be watched, to ensure that testing, treatment and vaccines are still effective. The scientists will continue to examine new versions of this coronavirus’s genetic sequencing as it evolves.”
• “In the meantime, we need to continue all of our efforts to prevent viral transmission and to vaccinate as many people as possible, and as soon as we can.”

Source:  Johns Hopkins