SCVNews.com | Opinion/Commentary: COVID-19: The Fine Print | Doctor’s Diary with Dr. Gene Dorio

[Sign Up Now] to Receive Our FREE Daily SCVTV-SCVNews Digest by E-Mail

Inside

Weather

Calendar

Today in
S.C.V. History

December 24

1965 - Signal newspaper owner Scott Newhall shows up for a duel (of words) with rival Canyon Country newspaper publisher Art Evans, who no-shows and folds his paper soon after [story]

COVID-19: The Fine Print | Doctor’s Diary with Dr. Gene Dorio

Dr. Gene Dorio | Thursday, Apr 9, 2020

Click Here to Get Our 'SCV This Morning' Newsletter

Tweet This

Facebook

Digg This

Bookmark

Stumble

RSS

A showcase for prescription medication can be seen on television daily promoting benefits, yet side effects are reserved at the end with barely audible voiceover warnings and unreadable fine print.

New drugs known as interleukin inhibitors are used for rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, eczema (skin disorder), and other immunologically based diseases. These commercials caution users that their immune system might be compromised, making one susceptible to invading organisms. Could one be COVID-19?

Certainly, pharmaceutical companies won’t provide this information to us, and in reality, they probably don’t have an answer. Some of my patients have done well on these medications – although they can be costly, likely from the TV commercial advertising budget – but could they now be more vulnerable to the coronavirus?

Studies should be undertaken.

Without these medications, some of my patients will suffer.

With them, could they die?

THIS COMMENTARY MIGHT BE A DANGER TO YOUR HEALTH.

Gene Uzawa Dorio, M.D., is a geriatric house-call physician who serves as president of the Los Angeles County Commission for Older Adults and Assemblyman to the California Senior Legislature. He has practiced in the Santa Clarita Valley for 32 years.

Comment On This Story

COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.

0 Comments

You can be the first one to leave a comment.

Click here to cancel reply.

Opinion Section Policy

All opinions and ideas are welcome. Factually inaccurate, libelous, defamatory, profane or hateful statements are not. Your words must be your own. All commentary is subject to editing for legibility. There is no length limit, but the shorter, the better the odds of people reading it. "Local" SCV-related topics are preferred. Send commentary to: LETTERS (at) SCVNEWS.COM. Author's full name, community name, phone number and e-mail address are required. Phone numbers and e-mail addresses are not published except at author's request. Acknowledgment of submission does not guarantee publication.

Ken Striplin | Fourth Year of the SC2025 Strategic Plan

Monday, Dec 23, 2024

The new year is just around the corner and with the change of the calendar, we will be in the homestretch of the city’s Strategic Plan, Santa Clarita 2025 (SC2025).

Ondré Seltzer | SCVEDC Celebrates 15 Years in 2025

Friday, Dec 20, 2024

Kathryn Barger | Keeping Up With Kathryn

Friday, Dec 20, 2024

Every year at my Foster Youth Holiday Party, it seems like the presents and kids’ smiles get bigger and bigger!

Laurene Weste | What Are You Thankful For This Holiday Season?

Thursday, Dec 19, 2024

Reflecting on this past year, there are so many things to be thankful for. Whether it is our health, happiness or the ability to live in a community as special as ours, I believe many of our residents would agree that Santa Clarita is a place where wonderful memories have been made and a unique place to call home.

Ken Striplin | Happy 37th Birthday Santa Clarita

Monday, Dec 16, 2024

This Sunday, Dec. 15, the city of Santa Clarita will mark its 37th birthday.

Jason Gibbs | All Aboard the Holiday Light Tour

Monday, Dec 9, 2024

The holiday season is a special time in Santa Clarita. As November comes to a close, you’ll begin to notice more and more dazzling lights illuminated and sprinkled throughout the city, a spectacular sight to see for long-time residents and visitors alike.

Latest Additions to SCVNews.com


CalArts Student Animators Win AEF Scholarships Four students from California Institute of the Arts Character Animation program have been awarded scholarships by ASIFA-Hollywood’s Animation Educators Forum for the 2024-25 academic year.	Holiday Joy Filled Santa Clarita Metrolink Express Train On Sunday, Dec. 15, nearly 2,000 people dressed in their favorite holiday outfits attended the Metrolink Holiday Express Train at the city of Santa Clarita’s Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Center in Canyon Country.	Public Health Warns Against Feeding Pets Raw Food The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is advising residents to not feed their pets raw food following a voluntary recall of Northwest Naturals Brand 2lb Feline Turkey Recipe Raw & Frozen Pet Food due to detection of H5 bird flu virus in product samples.	Beware Holiday Season Scams, Theft, Fraud The joy of the holiday season can quickly be ruined by scams, theft and fraud. Before you make a purchase or a donation it’s important to use caution. To help you navigate safely through the holidays	Jan. 20: MLK Day Unity Walk at Central Park The City of Santa Clarita invites the community to come together for a Unity Walk in celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day at Central Park, 27150 Bouquet Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, CA 91350, on Monday, Jan.20 at 8 a.m.	County Resources Available to Help Prepare for Upcoming Storm Season Are you ready for storm season? During heavy rain, Los Angeles County is particularly prone to flooding and erosion because so much of the land is paved over and debris can cause stormwater drains to become clogged or backed up.
CalArtians Nominated for 2025 Golden Globes Two CalArtian-directed films earned nods this year for Golden Globes in the Best Motion Picture – Animated category.	Jan 26: Mosaiq Creative Collective Feel Good Pop-Up Market The Mosaiq creative Collection will host a feel good pop-up market 11 a.m.- 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Venue Valencia, 28678 The Old Road Valencia, CA 91355.	Lady Mustangs Humbled by No. 1 Dordt Sometimes the best you can hope for when going against the best is to learn from the experience. And that's what The Master's University women's basketball team is hoping for after getting beat 97-77 by NAIA No. 1 Dordt University (IA) Wednesday, Dec. 18 on the final day of the Hope International Christmas Classic in Fullerton.	Recycle Trees After Holiday Season at City Drop-Off Locations Burrtec Waste Industries has partnered with the city of Santa Clarita to establish three convenient locations for residents to recycle live Christmas trees this holiday season.	Lady Cougars Come Back to Defeat Oxnard College 46-41 College of the Canyons women's basketball used a 22-point fourth-quarter outburst to get past host Oxnard College 46-41 on Tuesday, Dec. 17, winning its second game across its last three outings.	Rodriguez Earns All-American Honors as Five Cougars Named to All-State Team College of the Canyons freshman kicker Luis Rodriguez has been named to the 2024 California Community College Football Coaches Association All-America Team, while also joining the group of five Cougars earning All-State Team honors.
Today in SCV History (Dec. 24) 1965 - Signal newspaper owner Scott Newhall shows up for a duel (of words) with rival Canyon Country newspaper publisher Art Evans, who no-shows and folds his paper soon after [story]	NORAD Ready to Track Santa’s Flight for 69th Year NORAD monitors and defends North American airspace 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. On Dec. 24, NORAD has one additional mission: tracking Santa Claus as he makes his way across the globe delivering presents to children.	Last Chance to ‘Let It Glow, Let it Glow, Let It Glow’ The Santa Clarita Valley is ablaze with holiday lights and displays. Here are few of the most popular spots to see the lights. Some displays wrap up on Christmas night, others will run through New Year’s Day. See them before they are turned off until next year.	L.A. County Sheriff’s Department Awarded $2.2M Grant to Increase Safety on Roads The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will increase patrols throughout the community and provide other traffic safety programs to help reduce the number of serious injuries and deaths on roads.	Public Health Confirms Human H5 Bird Flu Case in L.A. County The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has confirmed a human case of H5 bird flu in an adult who was exposed to livestock infected with H5 Bird flu at a worksite.	CalArtian Filmmakers Premiere Works at International Film Festival Rotterdam 2025 The International Film Festival Rotterdam unveiled the first highlights of its 54th edition, set to take place in the Netherlands from Jan. 30 to Feb. 9. Among the lineup are world premieres by two filmmakers who graduated from California Institue of the Arts.
SCV Water Announces ACWA Edward G. ‘Jerry’ Gladbach Scholarship Established in honor of the late Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach, a past Association of California Water Agencies president, Santa Clarita Valley Water vice president and longtime local, the 2025/26 Edward G. “Jerry” Gladbach Scholarship application is available.	Volunteer for the 2025 Greater L.A. Homeless Count On Tuesday, Jan. 21, the city of Santa Clarita will partner with the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and the local nonprofit Bridge to Home for the 2025 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count.	L.A. County Secures $1M Grant to Bolster Beach Resilience Los Angeles County will receive $1 million from the California Ocean Protection Council to advance coastal resilience efforts to protect the county’s iconic beaches from climate change-accelerated erosion threats, the Department of Beaches and Harbors has announced.	Ken Striplin \| Fourth Year of the SC2025 Strategic Plan The new year is just around the corner and with the change of the calendar, we will be in the homestretch of the city’s Strategic Plan, Santa Clarita 2025 (SC2025).	FYI Holds Annual Holiday Party for Local Foster Youth Fostering Youth Independence held its annual holiday celebration for all the organization’s local foster youth and allies.	Today in SCV History (Dec. 23) 1997 - Five bodies found during grading of Northlake development in Castaic; determined to be Jenkins graveyard [story]