I'm an Emergency Room Doctor
and Here's What Omicron Feels Like
By Lekhak - December 29, 2021
"In the ER ( Emergency Room) recently,
I've seen a lot of Covid."
Dr Craig Spencer, a New York ER doctor and Columbia Medicine's Director of Global Health in Emergency Medicine, has seen more Omicron patients than you. On Boxing Day, he tweeted, "I've seen a lot of Covid in the ER lately." "Why should anyone be vaccinated when so many people had recently become infected? And, if I've already had two Pfizer/Moderna or a shot of J&J, is a booster dose necessary?"
1. If You've Been Boosted…
"Every Covid patient I've seen who had a third 'booster' dose has seen just mild symptoms. I use the term "mild" to refer to a sore throat. There is a lot of throat soreness. There may be some muscle pain as well as fatigue. There are no breathing difficulties. There is no shortness of breath. It's all a little uneasy, but it's okay, "Dr Spencer expressed his thoughts.
2. If You Have Had Two Vaccine Doses
But Are Not Boosted…
"Most patients I've seen who had two doses of Pfizer/Moderna still experienced mild symptoms," Dr Spencer noted, "but more than those who had a third dose." "More fatigued. More fever. More coughing. A little more miserable overall. But no shortness of breath. No difficulty breathing. Mostly fine."
3. If You Have Had the One-Dose J&J…
"Most of the patients I've encountered who received one dosage of J&J and another dose of Covid were worse overall. It wasn't enjoying a few days (or longer), you'll be sick with a fever, "Dr Spencer expressed his viewpoint. "I'm tired and weak. There is some coughing and shortness of breath. But not one that necessitates a visit to the hospital. No one requires oxygen. This isn't good. However, it is not life-threatening."
4. If You Have Been Unvaccinated…
"Nearly every single patient I've seen who needed to be admitted for Covid was unvaccinated," Dr Spencer explained. "Everyone has a severe lack of oxygen. Every single person whose oxygen levels decreased while walking. Everyone who breathes regularly needs oxygen. The idea is that in the following days and weeks, you'll hear about many people taking Covid. Those who have been vaccinated and received a booster dose are likely to experience few side effects. Those who receive two doses may experience some additional symptoms, but they should still function normally. Those who received a single dose of J&J may experience more symptoms than those who have not been vaccinated. However, they will be better protected than those who have not been vaccinated (if you only received a single dose of J&J, please get another vaccine dose—preferably Pfizer or Moderna—as soon as possible!). However, as I've seen in the emergency room, the greatest burden continues..." Keep reading.
5. Who is Getting Serious Illness? Unvaccinated Folks
The most significant responsibility falls on "those who have not been vaccinated Those who have not received a single vaccination dosage. They're the ones who need oxygen the most. They're the ones who are most likely to get into trouble. They have the greatest chance of being admitted. With severe Covid, you're more likely to spend days or even weeks in the hospital. All of them are based on my recent ER shifts. Local and national data, on the other hand, demonstrate that the unvaccinated make for a relatively large proportion of individuals who develop severe disease, require hospitalization, and die from Covid." Dr Ashish Jha: "This from Dr Craig Spencer is what you need to know. How Omicron is affecting folks coming to ER. Boosted? A bad cold. Vaxxed/unboosted? Horrible cold. One dose J&J? Miserable, not life-threatening. Who is getting hospitalized for low oxygen, serious illness? Unvaccinated folks."
6. Final Word From the ER Doctor
