Dr. Marc Siegel calls the congressman-elect’s death a ‘rare situation,’ reacts to recent coronavirus news on ‘Fox & Friends.’
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Were going to turn to a Fox
news, alert right now,
sad news:
a 41 year old, Louisiana,
congressman Elect Luke, let Letlo
has died from Covid 19,
the shocking news confirmed by
his family last night, just ten
days after he tested positive
for the virus,
Jason thats, a tough story,
the congressman Elect, leaves
behind his wife and two very
young children.
Griff Letlow is the first
member or member Elect of
Congress to die from the
coronavirus.
Letlow was set to be confirmed
on Sunday.
We want to bring in now a Fox
news, medical contributor,
Dr Marc Siegel,
good morning, Dr Siegel.
This is tough news, sad news.
We have to bring you on,
but what can you tell us about
what has happened?
First of all, this is a
reminder that the virus comes in
two phases that first you get
the virus.
The second is you get the
inflammation from the virus,
even though, as we have
documented over and over
vast majority of the time, its
elderly people that die of this
or obese and the congressman was
neither
but from what his doctor is
reporting Griff. He had this
since December. 19Th
it looked like he was out of the
woods, but then he was
transferred to Louisiana State
University Icu, and then he went
down hill
and it looked like it was his
heart
rather than his lungs.
We have always focused on the
lungs
the inflammation on the lungs. We
need to say more, it can effect
the heart.
This is very unusual.
I dont want people out there to
think this is common.
It does not appear from what im
hearing that he had underlying
conditions.
This just remind you that this
virus is somewhat unpredictable
and can be quite tragic.
Is it yeah?
It is definitely unpredictable
so sad.
I know when my husband and I
heard the news this morning. We
just thought he worked so hard
on this whole year to win his
election and have this happen to
him?
I again just want to give you
another opportunity. This makes
people very frightened because
he was so young.
Most of us would not think
somebody without underlying
conditions that this could
happen to
do. You think that this is, you
know, a sign of maybe a
different strain of covid, or
what are your thoughts on that?
No, I dont think that,
because the strain we are about
to talk about is more
transmissible, but not more
severe
does not cause more severe
outcomes.
He also, I want to point out,
got remdesivir the antiviral
treatment that we use
steroid. We use in later stages
to damp down on that
inflammation.
That has been quite helpful.
This is definitely a very, very
rare situation.
Again our heart goes out to his
family,
but its not something. I want
the public to say now, im not
out of the im at risk too.
It can happen, we dont know
for sure he didnt have
underlying conditions.
Will
that can predispose to this,
but it looks like it was just a
rare situation.
Genetically everyone is
different.
Some people respond to this
virus differently than others.
Some boost the immune response.
They need and others dont
its a reminder to get early
care
to get the best possible care.
The vast majority of the time
you are going to be fine,
Jason Doctor. I want to get
your thoughts on what Colorado
health officials are confirming
its the first: U Dot S case of the
new highly infectious strain of
the coronavirus.
What do we need to know about
this?
Well, Jason. You know what we
need to know about this.
This is the opposite side of the
coin that we dont need to
panic here,
because this strain we hear the
word mutation
and we get really worried.
I want everyone to know that
over the course of a pandemic,
new strains always mutate,
they always change
and they almost definitely will
change in the direction of
something that is more easily
transmissible that gives the
virus a survival advantage.
Here is something you are not hearing the seventeen other countries
hearing the seventeen other countries
so far, only in southern edge
gland thats been the case
crucial. We do that testing
the one thing about this
17 year old in Colorado we
havent yet figure Ifed out if
its linked to travel to the,
U Dot, K and all other seventeen countries.
It was always linked to travel
to the United Kingdom
im sure we are going to find
that out here. It hasnt taken
root. Here
we are testing it
isolating it
want it to becoming a
predominant strain because it
spreads so
more easily
Griff. There is good news
breaking overnight coming out of
the: U Dot K.
That is their approval of the
use of the objection, Farad
Astrazeneca Covid 19 vaccine,
which is,
I think, thats freight news I dont think we have spent.
I dont think we have spent
enough time how exciting one
vaccine in five years,
unbelievable.
We are getting at least three
now in nine month.
There is also this criticism
Griff about the first two.
Only eleven million doses have been
sent out so are if a and only
two and a half million people
have gotten it
guess what thats a lot of
people to get a brand new
vaccine in a week or two.
Now here is another vaccine,
Oxford vaccine, coming from a
really really excellent Vaccine
Institute
the Jenner Institute in the
United Kingdom and London,
it looks like its about ninety percent,
effective, which isnt, quite at
the level of the other two, the
fires and Moderna
its really really good
and has the advantage of
something that you could ship
around easily and doesnt have
to be stored in the cold,
its going to be easier to get
it into areas where you cant
get the other two vaccines
poor, poorer neighborhoods around
the world.
This vaccine will be used a lot
its based on another
revolutionary concept.
It actually uses a virus from a
chimpanzee by the way in order
to deliver the genetic pay load,
its been used in Ebola,
its been tested,
its safe,
its effective,
its exciting
Rachel. Yes, it definitely is
exciting,
Dr Siegel, its exciting, to see
you because you illuminate so
much on this and take so much of
the fear out of this pandemic.
Thank you so much for joining
us happy new year to you.
Thank you Rachel.
Thank you guys.
Transcript generated on 2020-12-30.