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We have choices — my choice is to love and protect others

Over many months of the pandemic, the discussion has focused on the rights of an individual’s personal decision to choose not to vaccinate, and take other precautions such as masking or quarantine in contrast to the public health and safety restrictions imposed by government. And you may wonder why I bring that debate up again We appear past that heated discussion as the fuss of the COVID crisis has seemed to wane, much as the immunity of the early wave of vaccinations may also be waning and the importance of staying up to date with the new bivalent boosters seems to be ignored. For ...

New York Times should apologize for ‘reporting’ on Hasidic schools

The New York Times published a sensational “investigation” on Sept. 11 trashing the New York Regional Hasidic Yeshiva Schools. The place to start, in understanding the expose, is to review the background of the reporters. One reporter brags about her background working for Politico and the Daily Beast. Her mother is a high ranking official at the New York Times itself. The other reporter has a similar background, claiming in his Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech that his job as a reporter is to help those, at least in his opinion, who need his assistance. Neither reporter makes any ...

COVID or flu or sinus? Oh my!

Let me set the stage. You go to bed feeling fine and the next morning you awaken to a cough and a bit of headache. The coffee lacks the usual wonderful aroma as it brews and you find you are dragging. So you ask yourself - what is this? Is it COVID? Sinus? Allergies? A cold? The flu? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), some or all of these symptoms apply to each of these health issues. Take Sinusitis. Symptoms can include headache and loss of smell but is generally accompanied by congestion, nasal drip and facial pressure. Both allergies and the ...

Examine the history of calling conservatives ‘extremists’

Shortly after completing my first draft of this article, I read David Troisi’s compelling coulmn posted in the Sun-Gazette’s Sept. 10 titled “Name-calling will not unite Americans — or win over future voters.” Mr. Troisi succinctly summarized his column with his closing line “Name calling is not a policy. It’s a strategy in place of a viable plan.” Mr. Troisi’s column sufficiently described the current strategy of the left, which is to paint Republicans as “haters,” “far-right extremists,” “dangers to our democracy” and “fascists” to name a few. I ...

Game-changing natural gas needs support

As the “Keystone State,” Pennsylvania has a long history as an energy powerhouse. That distinction remains true today thanks in large part to the development of the commonwealth’s prolific natural gas reserves. As second in the nation in overall production, natural gas has been a bright spot for the state’s overall economy, providing reliable, affordable and clean energy while supporting and creating tens of thousands of jobs and reducing our country’s reliance on foreign energy sources in the process. We’ve been seeing the positive impacts of the natural gas industry in ...

COVID-19 and older Americans

OK, I am a senior, and I am a physician. We seniors have and continue to make up the substantial majority of those who become seriously ill. We seniors overwhelm the healthcare system; we suffer greatly, and we die, leaving our lives incomplete and our families grieving our loss. What is best for folks my age regarding COVID now? What has changed? What is understood and what remains, well, muddled and confusing? Seniors have access to vaccines and boosters. Should they take them? I have spent many hours discussing this with patients. Some patients are unwilling to take even the initial ...