New infections in Tennessee from SARS-CoV2 were 3,278, 1996, and today 1587, with 17 deaths since Friday, and hospitalizations were up to 1,719 patients. Positivity today was 16.65%.
The big concern in Tennessee right now is hospital capacity for pediatric cases. Thankfully, kids normally do not need frequent hospitalization, so we don't normally need a lot of capacity. The delta variant is stretching capacity, and this is being superimposed on an RSV outbreak that is unusual for this time of year.
Given that children under 12 are not eligible for either the vaccine or the monoclonal antibody treatments, most of what we have to offer is supportive care.
Children 10 and under have been understood to have very low numbers of ACE2 receptors. I wonder if there is something about the delta variant that is making it use receptors other than ACE2, or if the impacted children are in the 10-12 age group.
That being said, the Tennessee Covid Dashboard only lists 14 pediatric ICU admissions statewide and 7 kids on ventilators, so I'm not sure what to believe.
Obviously, we don't want our kids getting sick.
But if those numbers are correct, we're not pushing capacity because of Covid. I welcome any corrections.
Stay healthy!
I'm on a weekend night call schedule this weekend, which always leaves me feeling under-rested and generally icky.
But I wanted to remind you that outdoor exercise without screens is really good for your mental health.
Go outdoors, preferably into the woods.
Get in tune with those surroundings, the sights, the sounds, the smells, even the movement of air and the varying temperatures as you walk.
We were made to be outdoors.
We were definitely not made to work in cubicles.
One Degree!
What you want from your body will dictate what you need to set as goals, and the goals will determine what you'll end up having to change to attain them.
I've spoken many times about systems being better than goals, and my position has not changed.
But goals are easier to discuss and to understand, so for this week, we'll be very specific about goals.
Do you want more muscle mass?
Do you want to be stronger?
Do you want to run faster?
Do you want to gain weight?
Do you want to lose weight?
Do you want to improve general fitness?
Do you want longevity?
Do you want strong bones?
Do you want to earn a Black Belt?
Understanding the benefits and costs of each particular goal may help you decide what you want.
For example, if you want to compete in body-building competitions, you'll not be doing the same thing as if you were focused on longevity. Same with strength competitions.
But general fitness and longevity go fairly well together.
Running is great but will increase the likelihood of needing knee or hip ...
I'll make this one short and to the point.
Spring time change is hard on all of us. Having to get up an hour early doesn't make going to bed an hour earlier much easier.
Yes, it's nice to have more productive time in the evening.
But it's at the cost of forcing us out of be an hour earlier, as we all know.
Our challenge is to adjust our circadian rhythm to match the world's expectations around us.
My main strategy is supplementing with a dose of melatonin about a half hour before I need to be asleep. It helps most people fall asleep more readily.
If you need a nap during your day, take it between mid-morning and early afternoon. Limit it to 20 minutes.
Taking a longer or later nap may make it even harder to get off to sleep in time.
All of the other normal advice applies even moreso: