by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 18, 2022 | Yahoo News
In a tuxedo with the microphone in hand, in a ballroom filled with over 400 family and friends, I spoke. “Planning a wedding is hard enough, but planning a wedding during a pandemic has been the greatest professional and personal challenge of my life.” I am an...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 17, 2022 | fox13
SHELBY COUNTY, Tenn. — COVID cases are continuing to decline in Shelby County, but don’t let your guard down just yet. A new subvariant of omicron, called BA.2, is starting to spread around the U.S., and experts fear this could cause a spike in cases. “We may never...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Dec 3, 2021 | Articles in Newspapers, Commercial Appeal
The omicron variant discovery has brought concern to people across the globe. Dr. Manoj Jain gives further details about how to protect yourself....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 15, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
If we do not act now, the worst may be yet to come in the pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccine mandate is the right step for Tennessee and the nation. It’s 9/11 and I am standing on ground zero. No, not ground zero of 9/11/2001 but 9/11/2021. No, not in New York City, but...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jul 23, 2021 | fox13
JACKSON, Miss. — The new Delta variant is causing COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations to spike in Mississippi. This variant is particularly dangerous for people who are immunocompromised even if they are fully vaccinated. On Friday, the Mississippi Department of...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jul 22, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
One in three persons in Mississippi are fully vaccinated compared to two in three in Massachusetts. In Massachusetts the virus can barely find susceptible people to infect while in Mississippi the virus has a free-for-all. For 25 years I lived in Massachusetts. Then...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jun 30, 2021 | ABC24
New medical study says COVID-19 vaccine could protect against the virus for years in some people. MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A new report suggests the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines could provide years of protection from the virus. A Memphis infectious disease doctor says...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jun 24, 2021 | ABC24
“Overall, that low case count is the fact that we have vaccinated a lot of people from the alpha variant,” said infectious disease expert Dr. Manoj Jain. MEMPHIS, Tenn — Local 24 is keeping you informed with the latest information surrounding COVID-19 and new...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jun 24, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Question: Living in the mid-south, should we be concerned about the delta variants? Answer: Absolutely yes. Though to most people, it may seem that the pandemic is over and that we are done with the virus, this is not the case. The virus is not done with...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 17, 2021 | ABC24
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Local 24 News anchor Katina Rankin talks with Infectious disease specialist Dr. Manoj Jain on mask mandates, COVID-19 vaccines for kids 12 and older, and the new health directive from the Shelby County Health Department. View Video Source:...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 6, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Vaccine is our best bet to keep our children safe and we have already seen the success of so many childhood disease like measles and chickenpox from vaccines. Questions: Should I have my 12 year old child vaccinated for COVID-19?Answer: Yes. Once the FDA gives...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 29, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
If we are to get ahead of the virus, we need to respond rapidly for testing and tracing. Hundreds of COVID-19 infections per day are a public health emergency. While we may want to think that the pandemic is behind us, our recent experience tells us that this is not...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 15, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
The FDA and CDC both recommend the pause of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine after six Americans had blood clots after taking the vaccine. Question: Should I be concerned about blood clots after the vaccine? Answer: You should be aware, but not...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 1, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
In cities in Brazil where it originated, the P1 mutant strain has caused devastation with a huge number of COVID-19 cases as well as hospitalization. Question: What is the P1 mutant strain? Answer: The COVID-19 virus changes each time it replicates in a cell....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 23, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
One case found at the university led to 29 mutant strains cases. On Feb. 20 we saw our last case of the mutant UK strain on campus. In the following weeks over a thousand tests have been negative. We are entering a new phase of our war against the COVID-19 virus in...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 11, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
There are still aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine that still need to be determined but it still remains the best defense in our fight against COVID-19. Here’s what you need to know after you’re fully vaccinated. If I am vaccinated can I gather with others...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 4, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Over two millennia ago, the great Greek tragedian Sophocles said “Look and you will find it – what is unsought will go undetected.” This holds true today. In the Memphis regional area, local laboratory directors looked. We conducted COVID-19 testing with...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 26, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
There are various reasons why COVID-19 cases have seen a decline. Dr. Manoj Jain breaks those reasons down and also gives additional insight to your other concerns. Question: Why are the daily COVID-19 case numbers declining so fast? Answer: I wish I knew for certain....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 18, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Question: Should I send my children to in-person school? Answer: Yes. It has been a year since many children have not attended in person school, the educational and psychological risk outweighs the risk from the coronavirus. Last March we did not know much about the...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 11, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Masks work because they reduce the transmission of virus filled aerosol droplets from infected person to an uninfected person. Question: Does double masking really help reduce the transmission of Covid infection? Answer: Absolutely yes. For nearly 6 months, I have...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 4, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Question: Do we have the new mutant variant strain in Memphis?Answer: Yes. Over the past months, our local laboratories have been randomly looking at the genetic code of the COVID-19 viruses, a process called sequencing. Over 450 COVID-19 viruses have been sequenced...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 21, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Vaccine side effects can be lumped into three major categories: Mild such as body ache and soreness in the arm, moderate such as headache and severe that may cause shortness of breath. “Memphis healthcare professionals overcome difficulties during COVID-19...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 19, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Though there are questions raised regarding the vaccines’ safety and efficiency, it still remains the best defenses in the fight against COVID-19. Vaccine expert anticipates vaccine distribution to improve, despite rough start. Dean of the School of Public...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 14, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
Our battle against the virus is both an individual and collective effort: our individual immune systems and our public health system. Question: How does our immune system work to fight COVID-19? Answer: Our immune system is our greatest and best defence against the...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 7, 2021 | Commercial Appeal
This week Dr. Jain tackles your questions regarding the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and how Shelby County plans to give it out. Question: Why is there so much confusion over the vaccination at the federal, state and local level? Answer: The covid...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Dec 24, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
These high numbers of cases are translating to an increasing number of deaths. I along with Dr. Fridtj of Thomas did a rough calculation of the projected deaths in Shelby County for the next two months. As of Dec. 18 over 800 people in Shelby County have died of...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Dec 17, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
Dr. Jain answers your questions regarding the recently distributed COVID-19 vaccines. Question: Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine? Answer: As the vaccine becomes available to our healthcare workers and first responders—I got my shot on Friday—many in the general...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Dec 10, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
Q: What do I need to do if I am COVID-19 Positive? Answer: One in 22 Americans have become positive for COVID-19. Each day in Shelby County, about 450 people receive news that their COVID-19 test is positive. It is important to know how you can help yourself and...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Nov 5, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
In large gatherings such as family events, holiday parties, athletic competition, or church congregations one person can spread to an average of 15 persons or more. Question: How many people can catch COVID-19 from one infected person? Answer: If there is no masking...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 26, 2020 | Articles in Newspapers, Harvard Business Review.
To fight Covid-19, the United States must be open to ideas from everywhere, including developing countries. Sometimes less-wealthy countries can offer simple, low-tech solutions that are highly effective at containing infectious diseases. In an earlier article, I...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 15, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
We have taken the defensive during COVID-19 by washing hands, wearing masks and social distancing. But breakthroughs in how we test for the virus could put us in the offensive. For months we have been on the defense against COVID-19. We are masking, distancing and...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 21, 2020 | uncategorized
The opening of private and county schools is essential to the opening of the workplace and our economy. Few have recognized the critical importance of opening our county and private schools in the strategy to open our workforce and the economy. With children at home,...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 4, 2020 | COVID-19, uncategorized
Dr. Manoj Jain leads a discussion of the details behind reopening our city and offers guidance to physician practices as they seek to...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 1, 2020 | COVID-19, uncategorized
In the new normal there will be three types of people: COVID infected, COVID immune and COVID susceptible, and two types of tests used to classify us all. Based on our COVID status a person may be in isolation, able to do certain front-line jobs or be wearing a mask...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 22, 2020 | COVID-19, uncategorized
After implementing social distancing through a lockdown, but before deploying a vaccine, the single best tool we have to contain the COVID-19 pandemic is contact tracing. Countries that have been successful outliers in halting the virus’s spread, like...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 9, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
For any city or community to even begin a conversation about reopening, it will first need to achieve some basic milestones. Reopening America will be difficult, much like the entry of a space shuttle in the atmosphere or the experiencing of bends by a diver...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 25, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
Coronavirus Response PowerPoint presentation by Dr. Manoj Jain and Alisa Haushalter. Source: Commercial Appeal
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 24, 2020 | ABC24, ABC24, Interview Videos
Dr. Manoj Jain answers questions regarding the COVID-19 pandemic Infectious disease specialist Dr. Manoj Jain answers questions about coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. Monday, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland issues a “safer at home” executive order. Here is that...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 24, 2020 | Interview Videos, WREG
How long will this last? That is the question people ask most frequently about the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer this question, we need to understand the major factor which is fueling the pandemic. It is people. People connecting to people allows the virus...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 24, 2020 | fox13, Interview Videos
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The City of Memphis’s Infectious Disease Doctor and Epidemiologist Dr. Manoj Jain said Mayor Jim Strickland’s decision to stop all non-essential business by Tuesday evening was the right call. Dr. Jain said it is what is needed right now to stop...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 23, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
How much for how long will this last? That is the question people ask most frequently about the COVID-19 pandemic. To answer this question we need to understand the major factor that is fueling the pandemic: It is people. People connecting to people allows the...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 16, 2020 | Commercial Appeal
Wow, who could have imagined that a 120-nanometer particle would jolt financial markets by trillions of dollars, or bring a country and the world to a shutdown, or even humble the most powerful of political leaders to declare a national emergency. No longer are...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 12, 2020 | COVID-19
Click here
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 3, 2020 | COVID-19, uncategorized
With the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, spreading across the globe, we must stand on fact instead of panic. Often I wonder if we — and the stock markets — are overreacting to the Coronavirus, COVID-19, epidemic (not declared as a pandemic). Other...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 25, 2020 | Daily Memphian
The coronavirus recently named COVID-19 has exited China and created local outbreaks in South Korea, Israel, Iran and Italy. Many experts believe that it will soon cross the ocean and establish in a city in America if it has not already done so. I agree. Manoj...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 19, 2020 | Daily Memphian
The newly named and identified coronavirus, COVID-19, worries me. If the virus enters the general population in cities across the globe as it has done in Wuhan, China, then day-to-day lives in the affected cities will be greatly disrupted. As an infectious disease...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 3, 2020 | Daily Memphian
You have a fever and a cough. How do you know if this is the flu or the new coronavirus that is sweeping across continents and upheaving travel and daily plans of millions if not billions of individuals? The answer is simple. If you live in the United States as of...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 22, 2018 | Commercial Appeal
On the third day of the new year, I was standing in a dimly lit lecture hall in front of 150 first- year medical students at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center talking about “wellness.” At that moment I thought, a decade from now, these young minds,...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 20, 2018 | Articles in Newspapers, WREG
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – – Oddly enough, these dangerous conditions actually have a silver lining. It turns out, this cold weather is helping fight the flu. Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease consultant, says kids packed together in a classroom can be...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 18, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
A friend recently asked me, “Where do we go from here?” The friend was referring to our impasse with healthcare in America. The Democrats have failed to repair the Affordable Care Act, and the Republicans have failed to repeal or replace it. With the status quo, I can...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 14, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma were canaries in the coal mine of what is happening to our changing climate. Let anyone who denies climate change and the human contribution to it be forewarned. No one can prove a direct cause-effect relationship between 3-to-7...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Aug 12, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
Next month when our youngest child leaves for college, the biggest change may not be in his life but in ours. We are done with dropping them off at school, or giving them driving lessons, or helping them with difficult homework assignments: We will officially become...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jun 17, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
A few years ago when my oldest child was graduating from high school, I was asked to give the baccalaureate talk for the graduating class. I thought hard. What words of advice do I want to share with these young adults as they begin their journeys into adulthood?...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 27, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
For two decades, I have waved goodbye and dropped off my children at school, and said these simple words to them, “Be good, be kind, save the world.” Last week I uttered these words and waved goodbye for the final time as the last of our three children prepared to...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 13, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
Last week a new mother of twins in Columbus, Ohio, sent a text message to her doctor: “Adam and I would like to introduce you to Ava Jain Cullum and Piper Jain Cullum. Their middle name was a no-brainer since we are so thankful for the huge role you had in getting...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 16, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
A few months ago, I wrote about walking 10,000 steps per day to remain fit and healthy. Just a few weeks later, a new study was published which suggested we needed to up our goal to 15,000 steps. The study published in The International Journal of Obesity looked at...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 26, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
With war in the Middle East and missile testing in the Far East, the world is not a peaceful and compassionate place. But our day-to-day lives need not be that way. Here in Memphis, we have many opportunities to cultivate compassion. Last month, Dan Harris, a...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 5, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
In just the past few months, we have seen the greatest upset, the greatest comeback, and the greatest flub in modern history on the grandest of stages of politics, sports and entertainment. You know what I am talking about: Hillary Clinton’s unexpected defeat in the...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 19, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
At this time in history it may serve us well to reflect on the tortuous past, the harrowing present and the unpredictable future of health care in America. First and foremost we must recognize we do not have “a health care system” — rather our health care is delivered...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 5, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
When my wife asked me to take the bucket of clean laundry upstairs to the bedroom, I did it with zest. Why? Because it was no longer a chore; rather, now it was a path towards reaching 10,000. Ten thousand what, you ask? Ten thousand steps. After the holidays, when I...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 22, 2017 | Commercial Appeal
Last week, we said goodbye to President Barack Obama, and soon we will say goodbye to Obamacare. Eight years ago, when the tumultuous health care reform journey began, we could not have imagined the roller coaster ride it would take. The Affordable Care Act (aka...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Dec 18, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Have you ever dreamed of being a force for good, so that you can impact the lives of future generations? The good may come from whatever work you do as a teacher, a factory worker, or an engineer. I believe we all can be such a force for good. I know many who are...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Nov 13, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Obamacare died on election night, and Trumpcare was born. With a majority of his party in the House and Senate, President-elect Donald Trump has a free hand, much like Barack Obama did eight years earlier, to craft the healthcare roadmap for the nation for decades to...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Nov 13, 2016 | Huffington Post
The pain is silent, subtle and gnawing, like that of being overlooked for a promotion, or being rejected by your dream college. Over 60 million Americans who voted for Hillary Clinton may be groping for a way to overcome such a pain after the stunning loss of their...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Nov 6, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
If you are like us, you are exasperated with the roller-coaster ride and the vitriol of the presidential race. Many of us feel the opposing candidate is so deeply flawed that he or she represents a real danger to the country. And being generally caring and...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 30, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
It’s that time of year. No, I am not talking about elections, the flu, or holiday shopping — but rather weight gain. The myth is that Americans gain 5 to 10 pounds during the holiday season. And while it’s entirely possible, it is perhaps not that bad. The weight gain...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 16, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
As a doctor, I am often encountered with the dilemma of trying to tease out normal behavior from the abnormal — or “pathologic” as we call in medical lingo. For example, depression after the death of a loved one is normal, but if it leads to suicide or years-long...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 2, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
For me, the saddest part of the 2016 presidential election is not that we have two of the most disliked presidential candidates in history but that so little attention is being paid to health care. You may have noticed that health care rarely comes up in campaign...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 18, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
When you are 70 years old, you are bound to have some medical problems, so I am not sure why the media and the public are making a hoopla about the medical histories of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. For an elderly patient, my usual medical dictation reads...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 4, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Last week, thousands of my physician colleagues and I received a letter from the U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy. He asked us to change our behavior in prescribing pain medicines. Around the same time, I was seeing a middle-aged man who had been admitted to the...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Aug 22, 2016 | NPR
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/279332104″ params=”auto_play=true&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”300″...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Aug 21, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
For this week’s column, I had been writing about the health care reform plans of the presidential nominees until the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared a “travel advisory” to the Miami Beach area due to Zika virus....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jul 31, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Over the past two weeks, I, like millions of Americans, watched the Republican and Democratic national conventions. As politicians, celebrities and ordinary people made compelling arguments to vote for their candidate, I felt like a ping-pong ball bouncing from right...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jul 10, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
A recent Time magazine article suggesting that we should treat “gun violence as a disease” rather than just as a crime got me thinking. I vividly recall the debate several decades ago when alcoholism was suggested to be a disease and not just a behavior...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jun 26, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
I began one of the longest days of the year with a sun salutation — a mountain pose, the lunge, the downward dog, the plank pose, baby cobra, child’s pose, powerful pose (essentially a squat) and back -to-the-mountain pose. June 21, the day close to the summer...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jun 11, 2016 | Huffington Post
Manoj Jain MD MPH and Mark Muesse Ph.D If you are like us, you are exasperated with the rollercoaster ride and the vitriol of the presidential race. Many of us feel the opposing candidate is so deeply flawed that he or she represents a real danger to the country. And...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 29, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Last week, when I stubbed my toe on our family room coffee table, a throbbing pain ensued. Over the next two to three days, as the bruise turned pink and then purple, the pain persisted. During the same time, I had a case of the blues. I am overstressed at work with...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 15, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Mississippi ranks 50th in the nation in infant mortality, 50th in physical activity, 50th in heart disease deaths and 49th in overall health. We in Tennessee rank only slightly better, prompting one of my public health colleagues to remark, “Thank God for...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 8, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
When I first saw Lashondia Palmer, 41, in Baptist Memorial Hospital’s intensive care unit, she looked as if she were in a torture chamber. On a special bed rotated at 180 degrees, she was facing the floor, with a dozen black belts and blue pads strapped to hold...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | May 1, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Last week, Stephanie Morris, a nurse in the intensive care unit, stopped me. In the hospital, Stephanie cares for the sickest of sick patients, but at home she cares for her two children, ages 8 months and 2 years. And with the outbreak of measles, she is concerned...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 26, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Amid an unprecedented outbreak of six measles cases in Shelby County, parents are asking questions about potential exposure to the infection. Dr. Manoj Jain, an infectious disease doctor who also writes a column for The CA, answers common questions about measles....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 17, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Some years ago, when a biologist studying mosquito-borne viral illnesses returned from abroad to his home in Colorado, he became ill with fever, rash, joint pain and body ache. Soon his wife, too, became ill with similar symptoms. The children remained healthy. The...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Apr 3, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
At a time when our lives are filled with news of violence, it seems appropriate to talk about peace. With the attacks in Paris, San Bernardino and Brussels fresh in our memory, with Sandy Hook, Charleston and the Wisconsin Temple shooting not yet faded from our...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 20, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
When he turned 45, Mitch Alsup bought a red Corvette. Mitch is a quick-talking guy with dirty blonde hair and a short, trim physique. He has a ready smile and is willing to share his story. “As a kid, I use to go down to the Chevrolet dealership and sit in a...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Mar 6, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
I am about to place my plate in the sink, until I see a single pea left on my plate. I recall a recent article in National Geographic that stated that one-third of all the food we produce is wasted. I have a Zen moment, and think of the journey the pea made to reach...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 21, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Last week, an old friend of mine, Arun Gandhi, came to Memphis to speak at Rhodes College on “Conscious Compassion and Commitment — Ingredients of a Peaceful Society.” Arun is well suited for this: He is the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, the mentor to Dr....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Feb 7, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
Every few years it seems a new virus captures the public’s attention. Over a decade ago, it was SARS, which had people in Hong Kong wearing masks, then it was avian flu, then H1N1, then the West Nile virus, and then Ebola, and now it is Zika. We don’t know...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 24, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
It’s Jan. 1, 2016, and I just landed in New Delhi, India, for a medical conference. The city of 16 million, like any other city, has large factories, miles of concrete structures, traffic gridlock and millions of cars spewing pollution. And today, like every...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jan 6, 2016 | Commercial Appeal
At peak time, 6 p.m., the average 911 call answer time is 150 seconds. In June, 10,000 youths participated in athletic activities. In August, 244 complaints about potholes were resolved in an average of 11 days, with over 60 percent in less than 5 days. This data...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Dec 13, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
A grandmother develops a boil which turns out to be a difficult-to-treat staph infection (MRSA). She needs high-powered antibiotics. A middle-aged man who received a blood transfusion decades ago now has hepatitis C and needs anti-viral medicine. A young woman with...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Nov 30, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
Last month, a house was being built in the Uptown neighborhood — not by construction workers, but by the former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter; the future Mayor of Memphis, Jim Strickland; and dozens of other volunteers. The volunteers, many of whom...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Nov 1, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
I am standing in line at the lunch buffet at my hospital and I have an option: a red meat steak entree or an eggplant parmesan. If each day I choose the red meat or a processed meat entree, I increase my chance of colorectal cancer by almost 20 percent. If I am...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 19, 2015 | Washington Post
A few summers ago during a week-long vacation, I started playing a mind game. In the mornings, I would sit outside on a comfortable deck chair, surrounded by the shrill call of cicadas, and gaze across the lawn into the trees. After getting settled, I would close my...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 19, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
I am standing at the kitchen counter and conducting a simple demonstration. In a tall glass of carbonated water, I begin to add teaspoons of sugar. I put in one and then two teaspoons (this is what I add to my tea or coffee). Then I add three and then four teaspoons....
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Oct 4, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
Pencil marks dot up the white door frame of my 16-year-old son’s room. The highest is at 5-feet-8 inches, and it reads “Dad.” Just last month one evening, my son stood tall against the door frame, and I reached above my shoulder. We posted it...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 20, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
On International Peace Day, commit to nonviolence in your own life For years, I had driven by it, admiring the architecture, but I had never visited it until this summer. The building, one of the newest and most beautiful in Washington, D.C, is on Constitution Avenue...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 18, 2015 | Huffington Post
For years, I had driven by it, admiring the architecture, but I had never visited it until this summer. The building, one of the newest and most beautiful in Washington DC, is on Constitution Avenue near the Lincoln and the Vietnam Veterans Memorials. Completed in...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Sep 4, 2015 | Huffington Post
Last month, a deeply religious man in India ended his life in a way that has been practiced for millennia by devout members of the Jain religion. His death made headlines when a state court in Rajasthan declared the practice, known as Santhara, illegal. The Jain...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Aug 24, 2015 | Huffington Post
It was a week into my elderly patient’s hospital admission when he began to have fever and profuse diarrhea, some 10-12 bowel movement a day. The diagnosis was not hard to make: a stool test showed he had C difficile. Another patient, a thin women in her late...
by Dr. Manoj Jain | Jul 27, 2015 | Commercial Appeal
This summer’s Disney-Pixar movie “Inside Out” makes us think about our thinking. But, I wonder, first of all, “can we even think about our thoughts?” In fact, over the summer with campers at Lausanne Collegiate School, from junior kindergarten to seventh grade, I was...
