Category: COVID-19 / coronavirus

What could go wrong with the coronavirus vaccine?

What could go wrong with the coronavirus vaccine? I have opinions. I am not a virologist or an infectious disease specialist. I am just a doctor who has been following the pandemic in the journals and in the newspapers. But I am worried because there i…

We can’t breathe: black and brown trauma in COVID-19

The sirens wail as the ambulance approaches, bouncing off New York City skyscrapers and empty storefronts. They swirl around one building, sweeping up old paint chips and dust from centuries-old stairs. Inside on the third floor, a family paces around …

Feeling guilty for not being on the frontlines of the pandemic [PODCAST]

“Do all physicians and scientists not on the frontlines of this pandemic feel this, or is it unique to women? Women in medicine and science have long struggled with the sense of never having ‘done enough’ and have pushed themselves ev…

A dermatologist on the COVID-19 front lines

Let’s get the jokes out first. Yes, I am a dermatologist who is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic at my hospital, and no, you do not want me to intubate you. I’m a little different than most dermatologists. I also trained in internal medicine…

Giving birth during the COVID-19 pandemic: an obstetric anesthesiologist’s perspective [PODCAST]

Thank you for listening to the podcast. There were some audio difficulties during this interview, which I hope you can overlook. It certainly does not take away from Dr. Sheikh’s message and her wonderful interview. “‘It’s a strange t…

Questions you should ask before elective surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic

Many states are beginning to reopen, and hospitals are once again scheduling elective surgeries. The question on many patients’ minds is, “Should I undergo elective surgery right now?” Although 31 percent of people have chosen to delay care and 50 perc…

Why we must keep learning from the coronavirus pandemic

Looking back on the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, I hope that we are able to take away several lessons. Immediately after the virus showed up in the United States, many physicians without access to virus testing seemed to go straight to imagi…

COVID and mental health awareness in health care

I wake up in a cold sweat. It’s 4 a.m. “Are you awake?” The text goes to one of my colleagues and best friends. I call him brother. He responds as calmly and kindly as he always does. “Sure, what’s wrong?” I don&#821…

Coronavirus through a storytelling lens [PODCAST]

“Come with me on this journey, this very ancient journey. To experience the age-old story of a very modern foe. This foe is invisible; it is neither living nor dead. You cannot smell it, and you cannot taste it. While it is not alive, it can beco…

Body-shaming in the time of COVID

The severity of COVID appears to be increased in people with obesity. This may represent an opportunity to discuss the benefits of lifestyle change with overweight patients. However, if not done appropriately, the opportunity becomes transformed into j…