The omicron variant discovery has brought concern to people across the globe. Dr. Manoj Jain gives further details about how to protect yourself. https://www.tennessean.com/videos/opinion/columnists/david-plazas/2020/11/18/tennessee-voices-conversation-dr-manoj-jain/6229123002/ Q: How worried should we be about the omicron variant? A: I have a healthy respect for this variant named omicron. I evaluate each variant based on three criteria: transmissibility, severity […]
Omicron variant has reached America. How to protect yourself and what to expect | Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial appeal
December 3, 2021 by
Tennessee has become ground zero for COVID-19 cases. Vaccine mandates will prevent further devastation | Opinion – Commercial appeal
September 15, 2021 by
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 in the […]
Mississippi health leaders recommend COVID-19 booster shots for high-risk groups – Fox13Memphis
July 23, 2021 by
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 Health asked for people labeled as high risk to get a booster shot. Dr. Manoj Jain […]
COVID-19 vaccine disparity between Mississippi and Massachusetts useful example for Tennesseans | Opinion – Commercial appeal
July 22, 2021 by
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 for 25 years, I worked in a hospital in Mississippi. I know […]
The Delta variant has made it way to Shelby County. What should we know? | Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
June 24, 2021 by
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 us. There is still a great deal of background […]
Infectious disease specialist weighs in on teens getting COVID-19 vaccines, loosening of mask mandates, and new health directive – ABC24
May 17, 2021 by
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: ABC24
Why early contact tracing is key to stopping next coronavirus wave | Opinion – Commercial Appeal
April 29, 2021 by
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 the case. Michigan, Brazil and […]
What to know about Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution pause | Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
April 15, 2021 by
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 concerned. Of the three vaccines available it is only the Johnsons and Johnson […]
What to know about the P1 mutant COVID-19 strain in Shelby County | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
April 1, 2021 by
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. Sometimes, these changes make the virus more easy to transmit, more […]
How testing and contact tracing protected University of Memphis students from COVID-19 mutant strains | Opinion – Commercial Appeal
March 23, 2021 by
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 Shelby County. With […]
Here’s what you need to know after you get fully vaccinated | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
March 11, 2021 by
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 without a mask?Yes, being vaccinated has benefits. The Centers for […]
Search and ye shall find: testing, sequencing and the search for variant coronavirus cases | Opinion – Commercial Appeal
March 4, 2021 by
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 sequencing to identify mutant strains, and we found them. Since Jan. 1, we sequenced […]
Why are the daily COVID-19 case numbers declining so fast? | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
February 26, 2021 by
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. It is likely a mish-mash of many factors. First, the […]
Should I send my child back to in-person school? | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
February 18, 2021 by
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 spread of the COVID-19 among children and in school settings. […]
How effective is double-masking against COVID-19? | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
February 11, 2021 by
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 been double masking when I see my Covid positive patients at the hospital or at […]
What to know about the new variant coronavirus strain | Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
February 4, 2021 by
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 at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center Laboratory under Dr. Colleen Jonsson. […]
What side effects should I expect after taking COVID-19 Vaccine? | Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
January 21, 2021 by
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 pandemic” Question: I am planning to get the vaccine, what side effects should I expect? Answer: Good […]
The choice is clear: get the COVID-19 vaccine or the virus | Opinion – Commercial Appeal
January 19, 2021 by
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 Health at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Dr. Paul Erwin, anticipates vaccine distribution will continue to […]
How does our immune system work to fight COVID-19? A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
January 14, 2021 by
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 virus. The reason COVID-19 is causing so much infection is because it is […]
Should I get the COVID-19 vaccine? | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
December 17, 2020 by
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 population are wondering if they should get the vaccine in the coming months? Each person has […]
What do I need to do if I’m COVID-19 positive? | A Q&A with Dr. Manoj Jain – Commercial Appeal
December 10, 2020 by
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 others be safe, even when you […]
Global Crowdsourcing Can Help the U.S. Beat the Pandemic – Harvard Business Review.
October 26, 2020 by
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 discussed how U.S. health care organizations are borrowing lessons from Asia and Africa to fight Covid-19. Looking further, […]
Success of America’s economy depends on smart, safe reopening of our schools | Opinion – Commercial Appeal.
May 21, 2020 by
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, parents cannot go to work. Without parents being in essential […]
Infectious disease specialist answers questions about coronavirus | ABC24
March 24, 2020 by
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 order: Safer at Home Executive Order: What You Need to Know To further combat the spread of COVID-19, […]
Infectious disease doctor says extreme level of social distancing is necessary to fight spread of COVID-19 | Fox13
March 24, 2020 by
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 the future spread of COVID-19. He said the extreme practice of social […]
What’s the ‘new normal’ with coronavirus? – Commercial Appeal : Opinion
March 16, 2020 by
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 we in denial that our lives will go on as usual. We […]
Here’s what would happen if COVID-19 entered a city – Daily Memphian #coronavirus
February 25, 2020 by
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 Jain: Epidemiologist: Why I fear the coronavirus COVID-19 What will […]
Epidemiologist: Why I fear the coronavirus COVID-19 – Daily Memphian #coronavirus
February 19, 2020 by
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 doctor, I care for patients with illnesses like tuberculosis, HIV, influenza and […]
‘Do I have coronavirus or the flu?’ The answer is simple – Daily Memphian #coronavirus
February 3, 2020 by
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 Feb. 1, 2020, there […]
