Dear Readers,
The medical profession has devoted tremendous resources to battling and preventing the COVID-19 virus since early 2020. Rightly so, vaccinations, masks, lockdowns, new treatments, and social distancing have dominated the world’s attention. But, there’s more to the virus than the virus.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, a notable increase in mental illness has been documented across all age and socio-economic groups. Tidewater is fortunate to have psychiatrists, therapists, primary care physicians, and hospitals that are adjusting their practices, hiring clinicians, and even building new facilities to meet the mounting needs for more care. In this section, Jewish News speaks with Debra Mayer of Jewish Family Service, Dr. Michael Weissman, and Dr. Carl Peterson of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters about the state of local mental health services. The articles begin on page 16.
For some, COVID isn’t over after it’s over. The interview on page 20 with Dr. Lisa Barr discusses, among other topics, a pain management approach to long-haul COVID.
The focus on COVID, however, didn’t mean other conditions and illnesses have been ignored for two years. Always looking forward, Dr. Alan Wagner, a nationally recognized ophthalmologist who specializes in vitreoretinal surgery, is currently conducting trials for an FDA-approved study into gene therapy to halt or even reverse certain blinding eye conditions including macular degeneration, diabetic eye disease, and stroke inside the eye. Read about this groundbreaking treatment on the next page.
We hope you find these articles informative and that they might even encourage you to seek medical care if you need it.
Stay healthy,
Terri Denison
Editor