Enjoy summer while you can, because it won’t be long before flu season starts, and the risks of COVID-19 and RSV go up as well.
Dr. Gary Kaplan, who practices in McLean, says this is the new normal: “COVID-19 is with us always and henceforth, evermore.” It’s not as tied to the seasons as a virus like the flu is, so it “just waxes and wanes,” Kaplan says, to varying intensity in different parts of the country.
The challenge now, Kaplan says, is the question of: “If you get sick, what do you have?” COVID-19, RSV, the flu, and a simple mild upper respiratory infection “all look very much alike.” But the responses to each one are different — especially in the case of COVID-19, since post-COVID syndrome “can be highly disabling,” Kaplan says. Flu kills 30 million people a year, and RSV can create severe problems, including long-term asthma.
Get a Test
“You can’t assume. You have to test,” Kaplan says. “The assumption is, if you only have a mild upper respiratory infection, it’s not COVID, and that’s not correct.”
“We know that the vaccine reduces your risk of developing long COVID by about 15 percent. We also know that if you get COVID and we treat you with Paxlovid, that in itself seems to reduce the risk of long COVID again by about another 15 percent. And if we give you Metformin for 10 days, that seems to reduce the risk of long COVID by about 80 percent. So there are things we can do once we know what the bug is, in order to treat you to get the best possible outcome.”
There are home tests for COVID and flu, but otherwise, Kaplan says you can seek testing at an urgent care center.
Vaccines
Kaplan says the other important thing to keep in mind is the importance of vaccines. “The whole objective of vaccinations is not necessarily to prevent you from getting the disease, but to lessen the impact of that disease. Vaccines save lives,” Kaplan says.
He says that the COVID vaccine might not be as important for people in their 20s and early 30s. “There’s a risk of cardiomyopathy, but the risk of cardiomyopathy is less than the risk of getting COVID and developing cardiomyopathy — dramatically so.”
Kaplan also acknowledges that those at risk of anaphylaxis or a condition called Guillain-Barre should talk to their doctors. “Any vaccine is capable of causing complications, but if you look at the number of complications versus the risk of the disease itself, no contest. The reality of the matter is, for the majority of people, the vaccines save lives.”
Kaplan says: “Don’t smoke; getting seven, eight hours of sleep on a regular time schedule is one of the best protectors of the immune system. Exercise is the best anti-inflammatory for our bodies and helps boost the immune system on a regular basis. Watching your diet: Don’t eat processed foods; don’t drink alcohol — all of those things weaken our immune system.”
“There’s some suggestion that a multivitamin may be helpful in some people. Vitamin D is essential for a healthy, functioning immune system. You should have your vitamin D measured,” he suggests.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Long-COVID Recovery Services
If you are experiencing symptoms beyond six weeks of being diagnosed with COVID-19, learn more about our Long-COVID Recovery Services to regain your strength, energy, and vitality. Click here for more information.
During a recent Kaplan webinar on the immune system—covering what happens when it becomes dysregulated and how that affects healing—one of the best questions came from a woman in her 40s. She asked, “How do I know if what I’m experiencing is Long COVID… or perimenopause?”
Honestly? It’s a great question—and a hard one. Because here’s the truth: the symptoms can look nearly identical.
Both can make you feel like your body has betrayed you—exhausted, foggy-headed, moody, anxious, and just off. A 46-year-old patient recently said it best:
“I feel like I’m dragging from the second I wake up. I forget names, lose my keys, and I’m hot all the time—then I wake up drenched in sweat. My sleep’s a mess. Sometimes I get a strange burst of energy, but then feel like I could pass out. My hair’s falling out, my nails are brittle, and no matter what I do, my midsection keeps growing.”
She looked at me and asked, “Am I sick? Or is this just getting older?”
That question sits at the center of what so many women are grappling with.
What Is Perimenopause?
Menopause is defined as 12 months without a period. Perimenopause is the hormonal lead-up—and it can last up to a decade. But it’s not a graceful winding down. It’s hormonal whiplash—a surge, then a drop, then another surge.
That rollercoaster can cause:
Mood swings
Brain fog and memory issues
Hot flashes and night sweats
Insomnia
Fatigue
Anxiety and palpitations
Midsection weight gain
And too often, it’s brushed off as “just stress” or “just aging.”
Meanwhile… Long COVID Can Look Strikingly Similar
At the Kaplan Clinic, we see this daily. Long COVID can cause:
Persistent fatigue
Autonomic dysregulation (palpitations, dizziness, energy crashes)
Brain fog
Insomnia
Hair thinning
Anxiety and mood shifts
Hormonal imbalance
Temperature swings
Here’s the kicker: Women ages 35 to 55—prime perimenopause years—are also among the most affected by Long COVID.
So yes, you can be navigating both. Even with normal labs.
So What’s Next?
There’s no single test that gives you a neat answer. But there is a way forward.
We develop a unique plan based on you, but above all else: we listen. You deserve more than vague reassurance or being handed a reflexive antidepressant.
Because so many women today are living in bodies caught between transitions: hormonal, immunological, and emotional. If this story feels familiar, you’re not alone.
Schedule an appointment. Let’s sort through the gray and help you find your way back to yourself.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Let’s be honest—therapy has become more normalized. Insurance often covers it, the stigma has lessened, and many of us have spent time on a couch (or a Zoom screen) working through life’s challenges.
But what if you’ve already done therapy for years? Or you’re skeptical, because talking doesn’t seem to fix what’s broken in your body?
That’s where EMDR comes in.
EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing—was developed in the late 1980s by Francine Shapiro to help veterans with PTSD. But today, it’s used far beyond classic trauma cases. Many of us walk around with unresolved stress—chronic, buried, or subtle—that keeps our nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight. And that’s a major barrier to healing.
At the Kaplan Center, we take a holistic and integrative approach to care—yes, we focus on sleep, nutrition, hormones, and toxins—but also on how your past experiences shape your body’s stress response. Because no matter how well we treat the physical layers, if the nervous system is still stuck in survival mode, progress stalls.
EMDR can be a game-changer.
EMDR or the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model seems to tap into your brain’s inherent ability to heal so that past experiences are processed in a more healthy way. When something overwhelming happens and your brain doesn’t fully integrate the memory, it can get “stuck” creating anxiety, triggers, even physical symptoms. EMDR helps “unstick” those memories so your nervous system can finally reset.
If you’ve read The Body Keeps the Score, you would understand: Unprocessed stress doesn’t just live in your head—it lives in your body.
So what does EMDR actually do? It helps the brain reprocess distressing memories or patterns so they’re no longer so triggering. It’s not traditional talk therapy. It’s structured, short-term, and highly effective. At our center, our therapist Jodi Brayton uses EMDR to help patients with chronic pain and illness regulate their nervous systems and finally start to recover.
So if you’re stuck in your healing journey, or you’ve done all the right things but still feel unwell, maybe it’s time to consider this therapy that works at the intersection of mind and body. Not because you’re “crazy,” but because your body is trying to heal, and sometimes it needs your brain’s help to get there.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Dr. Kaplan Spoke to Northern Virginia Magazine About COVID, Flu, and Immunity — Here’s What You Should Know
/in COVID-19, Featured Press, News, Wellness/by Kaplan CenterComing Around Again: A NoVA Doctor Gives Advice on Preparing for COVID, Flu, RSV
Dr. Gary Kaplan offers guidance on testing, treatment, and how you can help protect yourself from illness.
By Rick Massimo, August 13, 2025
Enjoy summer while you can, because it won’t be long before flu season starts, and the risks of COVID-19 and RSV go up as well.
Dr. Gary Kaplan, who practices in McLean, says this is the new normal: “COVID-19 is with us always and henceforth, evermore.” It’s not as tied to the seasons as a virus like the flu is, so it “just waxes and wanes,” Kaplan says, to varying intensity in different parts of the country.
The challenge now, Kaplan says, is the question of: “If you get sick, what do you have?” COVID-19, RSV, the flu, and a simple mild upper respiratory infection “all look very much alike.” But the responses to each one are different — especially in the case of COVID-19, since post-COVID syndrome “can be highly disabling,” Kaplan says. Flu kills 30 million people a year, and RSV can create severe problems, including long-term asthma.
Get a Test
“You can’t assume. You have to test,” Kaplan says. “The assumption is, if you only have a mild upper respiratory infection, it’s not COVID, and that’s not correct.”
“We know that the vaccine reduces your risk of developing long COVID by about 15 percent. We also know that if you get COVID and we treat you with Paxlovid, that in itself seems to reduce the risk of long COVID again by about another 15 percent. And if we give you Metformin for 10 days, that seems to reduce the risk of long COVID by about 80 percent. So there are things we can do once we know what the bug is, in order to treat you to get the best possible outcome.”
There are home tests for COVID and flu, but otherwise, Kaplan says you can seek testing at an urgent care center.
Vaccines
Kaplan says the other important thing to keep in mind is the importance of vaccines. “The whole objective of vaccinations is not necessarily to prevent you from getting the disease, but to lessen the impact of that disease. Vaccines save lives,” Kaplan says.
He says that the COVID vaccine might not be as important for people in their 20s and early 30s. “There’s a risk of cardiomyopathy, but the risk of cardiomyopathy is less than the risk of getting COVID and developing cardiomyopathy — dramatically so.”
Kaplan also acknowledges that those at risk of anaphylaxis or a condition called Guillain-Barre should talk to their doctors. “Any vaccine is capable of causing complications, but if you look at the number of complications versus the risk of the disease itself, no contest. The reality of the matter is, for the majority of people, the vaccines save lives.”
Boost Your Immunity
Even with a vaccine on board, there are steps you can take to boost your immune system.
Kaplan says: “Don’t smoke; getting seven, eight hours of sleep on a regular time schedule is one of the best protectors of the immune system. Exercise is the best anti-inflammatory for our bodies and helps boost the immune system on a regular basis. Watching your diet: Don’t eat processed foods; don’t drink alcohol — all of those things weaken our immune system.”
A lot of supplements claim to boost your immune system, but only a few, Kaplan says, actually do.
“There’s some suggestion that a multivitamin may be helpful in some people. Vitamin D is essential for a healthy, functioning immune system. You should have your vitamin D measured,” he suggests.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Long-COVID Recovery Services
If you are experiencing symptoms beyond six weeks of being diagnosed with COVID-19, learn more about our Long-COVID Recovery Services to regain your strength, energy, and vitality. Click here for more information.
“Why Do I Feel Like Crap?”: The Overlap Between Long COVID and Perimenopause
/in Menopause, Women's Health/by Kaplan CenterDuring a recent Kaplan webinar on the immune system—covering what happens when it becomes dysregulated and how that affects healing—one of the best questions came from a woman in her 40s. She asked, “How do I know if what I’m experiencing is Long COVID… or perimenopause?”
Honestly? It’s a great question—and a hard one. Because here’s the truth: the symptoms can look nearly identical.
Both can make you feel like your body has betrayed you—exhausted, foggy-headed, moody, anxious, and just off. A 46-year-old patient recently said it best:
“I feel like I’m dragging from the second I wake up. I forget names, lose my keys, and I’m hot all the time—then I wake up drenched in sweat. My sleep’s a mess. Sometimes I get a strange burst of energy, but then feel like I could pass out. My hair’s falling out, my nails are brittle, and no matter what I do, my midsection keeps growing.”
She looked at me and asked, “Am I sick? Or is this just getting older?”
That question sits at the center of what so many women are grappling with.
What Is Perimenopause?
Menopause is defined as 12 months without a period. Perimenopause is the hormonal lead-up—and it can last up to a decade. But it’s not a graceful winding down. It’s hormonal whiplash—a surge, then a drop, then another surge.
That rollercoaster can cause:
And too often, it’s brushed off as “just stress” or “just aging.”
Meanwhile… Long COVID Can Look Strikingly Similar
At the Kaplan Clinic, we see this daily. Long COVID can cause:
Here’s the kicker: Women ages 35 to 55—prime perimenopause years—are also among the most affected by Long COVID.
So yes, you can be navigating both. Even with normal labs.
So What’s Next?
There’s no single test that gives you a neat answer. But there is a way forward.
At the Kaplan Center, we begin with a comprehensive evaluation:
We develop a unique plan based on you, but above all else: we listen. You deserve more than vague reassurance or being handed a reflexive antidepressant.
Because so many women today are living in bodies caught between transitions: hormonal, immunological, and emotional. If this story feels familiar, you’re not alone.
Schedule an appointment. Let’s sort through the gray and help you find your way back to yourself.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Why People Are Turning to EMDR (and Why You Might Want to Too)
/in Mental Health, Treatments/by Kaplan CenterLet’s be honest—therapy has become more normalized. Insurance often covers it, the stigma has lessened, and many of us have spent time on a couch (or a Zoom screen) working through life’s challenges.
But what if you’ve already done therapy for years? Or you’re skeptical, because talking doesn’t seem to fix what’s broken in your body?
That’s where EMDR comes in.
EMDR—Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing—was developed in the late 1980s by Francine Shapiro to help veterans with PTSD. But today, it’s used far beyond classic trauma cases. Many of us walk around with unresolved stress—chronic, buried, or subtle—that keeps our nervous system stuck in fight-or-flight. And that’s a major barrier to healing.
At the Kaplan Center, we take a holistic and integrative approach to care—yes, we focus on sleep, nutrition, hormones, and toxins—but also on how your past experiences shape your body’s stress response. Because no matter how well we treat the physical layers, if the nervous system is still stuck in survival mode, progress stalls.
EMDR can be a game-changer.
EMDR or the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model seems to tap into your brain’s inherent ability to heal so that past experiences are processed in a more healthy way. When something overwhelming happens and your brain doesn’t fully integrate the memory, it can get “stuck” creating anxiety, triggers, even physical symptoms. EMDR helps “unstick” those memories so your nervous system can finally reset.
If you’ve read The Body Keeps the Score, you would understand: Unprocessed stress doesn’t just live in your head—it lives in your body.
So what does EMDR actually do? It helps the brain reprocess distressing memories or patterns so they’re no longer so triggering. It’s not traditional talk therapy. It’s structured, short-term, and highly effective. At our center, our therapist Jodi Brayton uses EMDR to help patients with chronic pain and illness regulate their nervous systems and finally start to recover.
So if you’re stuck in your healing journey, or you’ve done all the right things but still feel unwell, maybe it’s time to consider this therapy that works at the intersection of mind and body. Not because you’re “crazy,” but because your body is trying to heal, and sometimes it needs your brain’s help to get there.
We are here for you, and we want to help.
Our goal is to return you to optimal health as soon as possible. To schedule an appointment please call: 703-532-4892 x2
Research on the benefits of EMDR:
Vock S, Tesarz J. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in pain therapy: Potentials, mechanisms and clinical applications for chronic pain with traumatic background. Schmerz. 2025 Aug;39(4):278-286. German. doi: 10.1007/s00482-025-00890-w. Epub 2025 Jun 30. PMID: 40586918.
Rentinck EM, van Mourik R, de Jongh A, Matthijssen SJMA. Effectiveness of an intensive outpatient treatment programme combining prolonged exposure and EMDR therapy for adolescents and young adults with PTSD in a naturalistic setting. Eur J Psychotraumatol. 2025 Dec;16(1):2451478. doi: 10.1080/20008066.2025.2451478. Epub 2025 Jan 21. PMID: 39835632; PMCID: PMC11753006.
Novo Navarro P, Landin-Romero R, Guardiola-Wanden-Berghe R, Moreno-Alcázar A, Valiente-Gómez A, Lupo W, García F, Fernández I, Pérez V, Amann BL. 25 years of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): The EMDR therapy protocol, hypotheses of its mechanism of action and a systematic review of its efficacy in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Rev Psiquiatr Salud Ment (Engl Ed). 2018 Apr-Jun;11(2):101-114. English, Spanish. doi: 10.1016/j.rpsm.2015.12.002. Epub 2016 Feb 11. PMID: 26877093.
Valiente-Gómez A, Moreno-Alcázar A, Treen D, Cedrón C, Colom F, Pérez V, Amann BL. EMDR beyond PTSD: A Systematic Literature Review. Front Psychol. 2017 Sep 26;8:1668. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01668. PMID: 29018388; PMCID: PMC5623122.