Coronavirus Update and Vaccine Side Effects with Dr. Jamie Qualls and Dr. Paul Thomas

Coronavirus Update for January 26th, 2021

Today, Dr. Paul Thomas and Dr. Jamie Qualls of Plum Health DPC discuss the Coronavirus pandemic and what’s happening in Detroit and Southeast Michigan with regard to the Coronavirus.

There have been 551,080 cases of Coronavirus in Michigan and there have been 14,326 deaths from coronavirus. In context, losing that many people to COVID 19 is like losing the entire population of Rochester with a population of 13,162, Wixom with a population of 13,902, or Harper Woods with a population of 13,895.

Age Groups Affected by the Coronavirus

The age group with the highest number of cases are those between 20 and 29 years. There have been about 103,956 cases in this age group and 54 deaths. The age group with the highest number of deaths are those 80 years old or older. In those 80 years of age or older, there have been 27,327 cases and 6,675 deaths.

The death rate among the elderly in Michigan is staggering. If you are 80 years of age or older and you are infected by the coronavirus, there’s about a 24% chance of dying from COVID (6,675 deaths among 27,327 cases).

That’s why it’s so important that the elderly (those 75 years of age and older) are prioritized for vaccine access.

Coronavirus Vaccines Administered (So Far)

So far, about 19 million first doses have been given out in the United States and about 3 million people in the US have received both doses of the COVID 19 vaccine. In Michigan, about 730,000 vaccines have been administered. You can dive into the nitty gritty at the Michigan Coronavirus vaccine dashboard.

Coronavirus Vaccine Side Effects

With the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, there is understandably much apprehension about its potential side effects. According to the CDC, some of the most common side effects reported are pain and swelling at the region of injection, as well as fevers, fatigue, chills, and muscle aches. (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html)

The CDC recommends taking an over the counter medication like ibuprofen or Tylenol to reduce the discomfort of these side effects. It’s also recommended to drink plenty of fluids and get adequate rest. Most of these side effects resolve on their own within a few days. These side effects are likely a result of your body responding to the vaccine and mounting an immune response, which is a sign that the vaccine is doing its job (https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2020/coronavirus-vaccine-side-effects/).

Side effects from the COVID vaccine may cause recipients to miss a day or two of work, but typically resolve without further intervention.

Cough, shortness of breath, rhinorrhea, sore throat and loss of taste or smell are not typical following vaccination. If you develop these symptoms, the CDC recommends staying home from work pending evaluation for possible causes including COVID-19.

There have been reports of people developing a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine. The CDC recommends seeking immediate medical attention in the event of an allergic reaction. It is important to keep in mind that these reactions, though serious, are relatively rare, seeing as tens of thousands of people have been vaccinated without severe reactions. (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7002e1.htm)

Finally, it’s important to recognize that side effects from all vaccines are common. The seasonal flu shot, for example, can cause fever, fatigue, and muscle aches, amongst other vaccines. The important thing is to weigh the temporary discomfort of such side effects to the long term benefits: a potentially high level of protection from a disease that has killed more than 1.6 million people globally.

Final Thoughts

As always, wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain a minimum of 6 feet of physical distance between yourself and others, and limit unnecessary travel, trips, and crowded areas.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week,

-Dr. Paul Thomas and Dr. Jamie Qualls of Plum Health DPC

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor in Farmington Hills, Michigan

Shout out to Dr. Jamie Qualls, family physician and frontline healthcare worker. 👩🏼‍⚕️

Dr. Jamie has been helping us serve patients at our Plum Health DPC office in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

She is diligent, caring, and an excellent physician - we're lucky to have her serving and healing patients in our broader community. 🏥

Thank you Dr. Qualls for all that you do, and in helping us deliver affordable and accessible care in Detroit and beyond. 💉 💊 🌱

Jamie Qualls, DO is a trusted family medicine doctor in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She operates Plum Health DPC - Farmington and is accepting new patients.

Jamie Qualls, DO, MPH is both a family medicine physician and a master of public health. She is able to take care of patients individually and the greater community with her additional training. She is passionate about forming strong relationships with her patients. Her clinical interests include community and public health, chronic disease prevention and reversal using a food as medicine approach, LGBTQ-friendly medicine, and osteopathic manipulative medicine for chronic musculoskeletal issues. She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her residency training at Ascension Providence Hospital.

Thanks for reading,

-Dr. Paul Thomas with Plum Health DPC

Dr. Jamie Qualls is Changing the Game for Primary Care in Farmington Hills

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family medicine doctor taking care of patients in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She started practicing with Plum Health DPC in July 2020 and she has already created some excellent health care experiences for her patients.

She uses a membership model for health care, also known as the direct primary care model, to make health care affordable and accessible for her patients. This allows her to spend more time with each of her patients and it allows her to use that time to come up with the best possible treatment plans for her patients.

Dr. Jamie Qualls often takes a wholistic approach to patient care, incorporating dietary recommendations to help her patients achieve their desired health goals. You can meet with Dr. Jamie Qualls and learn more about her approach by scheduling a consultation, here:

Dr. Qualls focuses on delivering not only excellent health care, but also an excellent health care experience. Here’s what one of Dr. Jamie Qualls patients had to say about their experience at Plum Health DPC in Farmington Hills, MI:

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family medicine doctor in Farmington Hills Michigan. She uses a membership model for health care, also known as the direct primary care model, to make health care affordable and accessible for her patients.

Family Medicine Doctor Accepting New Patients in Farmington Hills Michigan

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor practicing in Farmington Hills Michigan with Plum Health DPC. She is accepting new patients.

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a family medicine doctor accepting new patients in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She is a Board Certified Family Medicine doctor who completed her residency here in Southeast Michigan at Ascension Providence Hospital. She is a graduate of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. Jamie Qualls practices full time at the Plum Health DPC office in Farmington Hills, Michigan - the address is 25882 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 200B, Farmington Hills, MI 48336.

As a family medicine physician, Dr. Jamie Qualls has a broad scope of practice. She helps patients manage chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, asthma, COPD, and many more. Dr. Qualls is also proficient in caring for urgent concerns, like urinary tract infections, laceration repairs, ingrown toenails, strep throat, viral gastroenteritis, and others.

Finally, Dr. Qualls excels at integrating plant based nutrition into her care plans to produce optimal health outcomes for her patients. Dr. Qualls can collect blood work in the office to test for cholesterol levels, thyroid disorders, electrolyte imbalances, and kidney or liver disorders. She can also coordinate imaging studies that may be needed to make an accurate diagnosis.

To become a patient of Dr. Qualls, please sign up here.

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor Accepting New Patients in Farmington Hills

Dr. Jamie Qualls is a Family Medicine Doctor Accepting New Patients in Farmington Hills, Michigan

Dr. Jamie Qualls has joined the team at Plum Health DPC. She is accepting new patients at our new location in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Dr. Jamie Qualls is trained in Family Medicine and she takes care of patients of all ages and stages, from birth to children, from adolescence to adulthood, from older adults to the elderly. She focuses on using plant-based nutrition to help her patients heal themselves by using food as medicine.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day,

-Dr. Paul Thomas MD