Dr. Norman Estin of Doctors On Call Urgent Care still urges residents to get vaccinated or boosted for protection against COVID-19. He noted, “Any pharmacy… and it’s FREE!”

WEST MAUI — Dr. Norman Estin, the founder of Doctors On Call Urgent Care, is well-known to West Maui for having developed and coordinated a Rapid Testing Program for the coronavirus pandemic and for having worked closely with the State of Hawaii to develop the vaccination program to help protect the public.

The last time we talked with Dr. Estin, in January of this year, he correctly predicted that the emergence of the Omicron variant would be the beginning of the end to a lot of pandemic restrictions. People would get mild cases, build up immunity, and life would start to return to what it used to be.

We caught up with him this week between offices.

Lahaina News: So where are we right now with this pandemic?

Dr. E.: It depends on where you are and who you ask. For instance, case numbers, especially of the new sub-variant BA.2, are rising all over Europe, in 46 American cities, and here on Maui. Philadelphia is going back to mask mandates, and the CDC has extended the mask mandate for public planes, busses, taxis, etc., until at least early May.

This new BA.2 is 30 percent more catchy than even Omicron was, which itself was twice as catchy as the Delta strain that was so deadly last year. Fortunately, the BA.2 strain isn’t usually as serious, and the vaccines do work against it.

But it is a worry because of the numbers involved. Huge cities all over Asia are being literally locked down because of it. Shanghai has 24 million people — closed up! Can you believe that? Part of that is that China has a zero-tolerance policy. They don’t want anyone at all sick, in a hospital, or dying. That kind of policy just won’t fly at this time in the U.S.

Lahaina News: What does this mean for Hawaii and Maui?

Dr. E.: Our case numbers will definitely be going up, with all the travelers coming in from all over the USA and now the whole world. We don’t even require testing or vaccination to get into the state anymore… it’s kind of crazy. The Ukrainian war is part of it in that it deflected interest, attention and federal money from the pandemic, some of it permanently.

We’re vulnerable personally because not enough of us got vaccinated or received the booster, and we will keep getting exposed as more and more visitors come to the islands. So, we’ll need to keep testing locally, and we’ll have sick people that are hopefully not seriously ill or dying. There’s very little chance of overwhelming the hospital here unless a really new dangerous strain of the virus emerges.

Lahaina News: What can we do on Maui?

Dr. E.: The good news is we live and work mostly in open and well-ventilated places. Air circulation, ventilation and air filtration are the most important things with airborne germs like the coronavirus. When in doubt, open the windows, turn on the fans, open the doors, go outside.

There’s never been a case of a super-spreader-type event that was outside in a ventilated area, field, stadium, etc.

On the other hand, if you are indoors in a crowded room with a lot of people, especially strangers, and if there is any loud talking, shouting, cheering or singing, then you want to think about wearing a mask to cut down on the spread of the virus and other germs. For how long? Try to think of it as a good habit to get into in general, like people do all over Asia.

Lahaina News: How about those new pills to treat or cure COVID?

Dr. E.: There are two, Paxlovid and Molnupiravir. They are for people at high risk for serious illness or complications, like the elderly or those with serious medical conditions. They’re free. The Federal Government bought 22 million doses to give out, but we can’t seem to get any of them here — go figure.

Lahaina News: So what are the key take-home messages for our readers at this time?

Dr. E: COVID is still a really big deal, even if not in the headlines. We have close to 1,000 people die of it every day in this country alone; 25 percent of people who get COVID have symptoms for YEARS — they have “Long COVID,” and they always will. There is no cure, and there is none in sight.

Remember, there is no such thing as the “Long Flu.” You do NOT want to get COVID. Get vaccinated if you haven’t, and get a booster if you haven’t yet. Any pharmacy… and it’s FREE!

Lahaina News: What’s new with you?

Dr. E: Doctors On Call is going to roll out “Drive-Up Urgent Care” at our Kahului Office next to Whole Foods at the Maui Mall. Fast, easy, safe. Stay in your car and get treated right there. People don’t want to be in a crowded waiting room with coughing strangers. We come to YOU! Not for everything, but it’s the easiest way for most minor medical problems, prescriptions, etc. Drive up, drive out!