Imperfect vaccines still best option to avoid hospitalization

Dear Dr. Roach: If a patient has been fully vaccinated with one of the COVID-19 vaccines and develops symptoms of COVID-19 and tests positive, does this patient need to quarantine/isolate? — C.K.

Dear C.K.: If a person has COVID-19, they need to be isolated for 10 days after the onset of symptoms. Whether they had the vaccine or not — they are potentially infectious.

No vaccine is perfect, and cases have popped up. However, the risk of developing COVID-19 is much lower after vaccination and their effectiveness at reducing the need for hospitalization or the odds of dying from COVID-19 are even greater.

Dear Dr. Roach: I’m an 81-year-old male. I have asymptomatic atrial fibrillation. Two trips to the hospital for cardioversions were canceled because I am only in AFib 20% of the time. If I simply do nothing, should I be concerned? — W.H.

Dear W.H.: Atrial fibrillation is a disturbance of the normal heart rhythm. Instead of a reliable beat from the atria, chaotic electrical activity creates an irregular heart rate.

There are two major problems with having atrial fibrillation. The first is that the heart rate can sometimes get so fast that it causes symptoms or even damage to the heart if it persists.

The second problem is that if the atria don’t contract, the blood can pool and clot, putting a person at risk for embolism.

The cardiologist must choose between controlling the rhythm or the rate.

The alternative is making sure the heart rate is in a safe range most of the time by wearing a device e and using medication.