Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
Coronavirus updates October 2021
- Thread starter missy
- Start date
icy_jade
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- May 1, 2009
- Messages
- 6,131
i read this thing about Singapore today and hoped you were all ok
Stuff
www.stuff.co.nz
Thank you!
I think we are mostly ok.
Well… apparently endemic COVID means we’ll all get COVID eventually. Like cold or flu. And to stay home unless symptoms are severe. The elderly aren’t doing so well, and most of the deaths are from the above 60, both vaccinated and unvaccinated but definitely I think unvaccinated, pre-existing conditions and elderly is like a super high risk combination going by the reported deaths.
And we are opening up to various countries for travel.
I am vaccinated, and so is most of my family but I would probably feel much better about all these new rules once my kids are vaccinated (they are below 12). But since they are not, for now I’m still trying to be cautious and stay home more though it looks like COVID is hard to avoid. In any case I’m still in a WFH arrangement so I may not even go out once a week. Kids will go to school when they are allowed to, as I think it’s important since home based learning isn’t that effective at their age.
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2008
- Messages
- 14,828
In Canada the pcr covid test to come back to the states is almost the same as the price of the plane ticket home.
nuts.
Round trip was 330usd and covid test is ~$160usd. It was free in the US for anyone from anywhere no matter what status.
In most Canada provinces anyone get get a quick test for free and they will only give the results out verbally on the phone if you dont have a medical card. Both of which make it useless for travel to the US.
nuts.
Round trip was 330usd and covid test is ~$160usd. It was free in the US for anyone from anywhere no matter what status.
In most Canada provinces anyone get get a quick test for free and they will only give the results out verbally on the phone if you dont have a medical card. Both of which make it useless for travel to the US.
Last edited:
I saw some unenlightened soul speculating that all the unvaccinated health care workers will "start their own hospital." It will be tough because there won't be many doctors there -- just tons of hourly workers.
Not sure were that would be, too -- maybe the South or the upper Midwest?
This is really coming to a head in my not-so-great region of the country. There are a lot of people who, despite having heard this all loud and clear for months, still didn't think it would apply to them. They are about to lose their jobs and seem utterly perplexed by it.
- Joined
- May 17, 2014
- Messages
- 6,298
@icy_jade I'm super nervous about DS returning to school but must bite the bullet I guess.
It's either school or locked up child with possibly a host of mental issues. He's coped brilliantly so far but has definitely articulated that he wants to go back and believes that he will go off the rails at some point if locked up for longer.
He's such a champ. Got locked up in June and every month it was one more month! No tantrums the entire lockdown which is a bit of a miracle!!!
It's either school or locked up child with possibly a host of mental issues. He's coped brilliantly so far but has definitely articulated that he wants to go back and believes that he will go off the rails at some point if locked up for longer.
He's such a champ. Got locked up in June and every month it was one more month! No tantrums the entire lockdown which is a bit of a miracle!!!
icy_jade
Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- May 1, 2009
- Messages
- 6,131
I know! I keep telling my kids no to zoo, gardens by the bay, staycations etc and they will say “I know cos got virus right? Can we go when there is no more virus?”. And that’s it. No tantrums. That’s even though they see classmates who do go (due to parents have different risk tolerances). They can be so good sometimes. So proud of them.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
"
Do I need to still carry my bottle of hand sanitizer to use every time I touch a doorknob, etc.?
Early in the pandemic, there was much concern about contracting Covid-19 from surfaces found in everyday life — the pole on a subway car, a doorknob, a package from Amazon or a pen used to sign a receipt. Since then, science has shown that the virus that causes Covid spreads largely through airborne particles emitted by infected people in close proximity. That’s why measures like mask-wearing and social distancing (in addition to vaccines) are key to getting the pandemic under control.
“The risk of contracting Covid-19 from high-touch community surfaces is essentially negligible,” says Emanuel Goldman, a microbiologist at Rutgers University.
Goldman says that while studies have shown that some viral genetic material can be found on surfaces, it is typically in a degraded state that can’t cause an infection.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the chance of contracting Covid-19 from a surface to be less than 1 in 10,000.
“This is a very conservative estimate,” says Goldman. “In my view, the chances are a lot lower than even that.”
There’s nothing wrong with using hand sanitzer, but it probably doesn’t ward off Covid-19.
Linsey Marr, an expert on airborne transmission at Virginia Tech, says wearing masks indoors is far more important. Recent evidence has suggested that high-performance face coverings like N95 or K95 masks do an even better job preventing the spread of the virus.
So why are airlines, restaurants, transit authorities and companies bragging about how often they sanitize their surfaces? We can chalk that up to a little bit of hygiene theater, intended perhaps more for peace of mind than for any real preventative effect. That said, it's never a bad idea to wash your hands.
“If you have been out in public and touching a lot of surfaces, such as when riding public transit or using the restroom, then it's a good idea to wash your hands … which you should do anyway after using the restroom,” says Marr. "
Do I need to still carry my bottle of hand sanitizer to use every time I touch a doorknob, etc.?
Early in the pandemic, there was much concern about contracting Covid-19 from surfaces found in everyday life — the pole on a subway car, a doorknob, a package from Amazon or a pen used to sign a receipt. Since then, science has shown that the virus that causes Covid spreads largely through airborne particles emitted by infected people in close proximity. That’s why measures like mask-wearing and social distancing (in addition to vaccines) are key to getting the pandemic under control.
“The risk of contracting Covid-19 from high-touch community surfaces is essentially negligible,” says Emanuel Goldman, a microbiologist at Rutgers University.
Goldman says that while studies have shown that some viral genetic material can be found on surfaces, it is typically in a degraded state that can’t cause an infection.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates the chance of contracting Covid-19 from a surface to be less than 1 in 10,000.
“This is a very conservative estimate,” says Goldman. “In my view, the chances are a lot lower than even that.”
There’s nothing wrong with using hand sanitzer, but it probably doesn’t ward off Covid-19.
Linsey Marr, an expert on airborne transmission at Virginia Tech, says wearing masks indoors is far more important. Recent evidence has suggested that high-performance face coverings like N95 or K95 masks do an even better job preventing the spread of the virus.
So why are airlines, restaurants, transit authorities and companies bragging about how often they sanitize their surfaces? We can chalk that up to a little bit of hygiene theater, intended perhaps more for peace of mind than for any real preventative effect. That said, it's never a bad idea to wash your hands.
“If you have been out in public and touching a lot of surfaces, such as when riding public transit or using the restroom, then it's a good idea to wash your hands … which you should do anyway after using the restroom,” says Marr. "
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
"
Namibian Central Bank Governor Warns Against Vaccine Hesitancy
ByKaula Nhongo
October 9, 2021, 8:40 AM EDT
-
Hesitancy is slowing the rollout of vaccines against Covid-19 -
Aggressive inoculation campaign needed to revive tourism
A health worker prepares to administer a dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Windhoek, Namibia. Photographer: Xinhua News
https://twitter.com/share?text="Agg...bank-governor-warns-against-vaccine-hesitancy
Namibia’s central bank governor says vaccine hesitancy could prove “disastrous” for the southern African economy.
Hesitancy is slowing the rollout of vaccines against Covid-19 and putting economic growth at risk, Bank of Namibia Governor Johannes Gawaxab said at a public lecture late Friday. The regulator expects Namibia’s economy to expand 1.4% in 2021, before growth accelerates to a forecast 3.4% next year.
"
"
Thousands March in Rome to Protest Workplace Vaccine Rule
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (FRANCES D'EMILIO)October 9, 2021, 12:56 PM EDT Updated on October 9, 2021, 3:17 PM EDT
Demonstrators clash with anti-riot police officers during a protest against the obligation of green pass in Rome, Italy, on Oct. 9, 2021. Photographer: Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu Agency/Bloomberg
Rome (AP) -- Thousands of demonstrators marched down Rome's famous Via Veneto and other streets on Saturday, some smashing their way into a union office and clashing with police as they protested Italy's new “Green Pass” vaccination requirement for employees to enter their offices.
The certification is mandatory beginning on Oct. 15 and applies to public and private workplaces. Both employees and employers risk fines if they don’t comply. Public sector workers can be suspended if they show up five times without a Green Pass. The pass is already required in Italy to enter museums, theaters, gyms and indoor restaurants, as well as to take long-distance trains and buses or domestic flights.
"
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
And score another for Texas. 
apnews.com
"
October 9, 2021, 7:01 PM EDT Updated on October 9, 2021, 7:38 PM EDT
Allen West Photographer: Larry Marano/Getty Images
The antibodies are used to treat those in the early stages of a coronavirus infection.
GARLAND, Texas (AP) — Tea party firebrand Allen West, a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of Texas, said Saturday that he has received monoclonal antibody injections after being diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia.
The antibodies are used to treat those in the early stages of a coronavirus infection.
“My chest X-rays do show COVID pneumonia, not serious. I am probably going to be admitted to the hospital,” West wrote. “There’s a concern about my oxygen saturation levels, which are at 89 and they should be at 95.”
He also said his wife, Angela West, also tested positive and has received monoclonal antibodies. According to his Twitter account, Allen West did not get vaccinated against the virus, but his wife did.
Allen West on Thursday said he had attended a “packed house” Mission Generation Annual Gala & Fundraiser in Seabrook, Texas. On Saturday he tweeted that he is “suspending in-person events until receiving an all-clear indication.”
West is a former Texas Republican Party chair and Florida congressman. He announced in Julythat he would challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbot, who is running for a third term and has been endorsed by Donald Trump.
West’s announcement came a month after he resigned as chair of the Republican Party of Texas.
West won a U.S. House seat in Florida in 2010 and quickly became a tea party favorite and lightning rod, at one point accusing Democrats of having as many as 80 communists in their House caucus. He failed to win reelection in 2012.
He later moved to Texas and largely stayed out of the spotlight until running for chairman of the state GOP party last year.
West then began criticizing Republicans as much as Democrats, calling the GOP speaker of the Texas House a “traitor” for working across the aisle, then leading a protest outside Abbott’s mansion over coronavirus restrictions.
In October 2020, West took part in a protest outside Abbot’s home, criticizing the Republican governor’s executive orders — including a statewide mask mandate and lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those restrictions are no longer in place.
"
Allen West, Texas GOP gubernatorial hopeful, has COVID-19
A tea party firebrand who is running for the Republican nomination for governor of Texas says he has received monoclonal antibody injections after being diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia.
apnews.com
"
Allen West, Texas GOP Gubernatorial Hopeful, Has Covid
THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOctober 9, 2021, 7:01 PM EDT Updated on October 9, 2021, 7:38 PM EDT
Allen West Photographer: Larry Marano/Getty Images
Garland, Texas (AP) -- Tea party firebrand Allen West, a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of Texas, said Saturday that he has received monoclonal antibody injections after being diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia.The antibodies are used to treat those in the early stages of a coronavirus infection.
GARLAND, Texas (AP) — Tea party firebrand Allen West, a candidate for the Republican nomination for governor of Texas, said Saturday that he has received monoclonal antibody injections after being diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia.
The antibodies are used to treat those in the early stages of a coronavirus infection.
“My chest X-rays do show COVID pneumonia, not serious. I am probably going to be admitted to the hospital,” West wrote. “There’s a concern about my oxygen saturation levels, which are at 89 and they should be at 95.”
He also said his wife, Angela West, also tested positive and has received monoclonal antibodies. According to his Twitter account, Allen West did not get vaccinated against the virus, but his wife did.
Allen West on Thursday said he had attended a “packed house” Mission Generation Annual Gala & Fundraiser in Seabrook, Texas. On Saturday he tweeted that he is “suspending in-person events until receiving an all-clear indication.”
West is a former Texas Republican Party chair and Florida congressman. He announced in Julythat he would challenge Republican Gov. Greg Abbot, who is running for a third term and has been endorsed by Donald Trump.
West’s announcement came a month after he resigned as chair of the Republican Party of Texas.
West won a U.S. House seat in Florida in 2010 and quickly became a tea party favorite and lightning rod, at one point accusing Democrats of having as many as 80 communists in their House caucus. He failed to win reelection in 2012.
He later moved to Texas and largely stayed out of the spotlight until running for chairman of the state GOP party last year.
West then began criticizing Republicans as much as Democrats, calling the GOP speaker of the Texas House a “traitor” for working across the aisle, then leading a protest outside Abbott’s mansion over coronavirus restrictions.
In October 2020, West took part in a protest outside Abbot’s home, criticizing the Republican governor’s executive orders — including a statewide mask mandate and lockdowns due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those restrictions are no longer in place.
"
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
COVID-19 Booster Shots Now Surpassing Initial Vaccine Doses
Booster shots in the US are approaching 3 million, surpassing the number of first or second initial COVID vaccine doses in October.
www.medscape.com
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
Just realized you cannot read the article unless you’re a subscriber. Here it is.
“
October 08, 2021
The jump in booster shots during the past week has led to a modest increase in COVID-19 vaccinations in October, NBC News reported.
From Sept. 30 to Oct. 6, about 6.7 million total shots were administered, according to CDC data. Among those, about 2.7 million were booster shots, 2 million were second doses, and 2 million were first doses.
Nearly 400,000 people are getting a booster shot each day. About 288,000 people are starting their vaccination series each day, and about 276,000 people are becoming fully vaccinated each day.
As of Thursday, about 6.76 million booster shots had been given, the CDC reported. More than 4.3 million have gone to adults over age 65 years, and 2.4 million have gone to adults between ages 18 and 64.
An estimated 5 million boosters have been administered since the FDA authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech booster about 2 weeks ago for those ages 65 and older and high-risk adults, the CDC reported. What's more, about 1.4 million Moderna doses have been given since the FDA authorization in August allowed those with compromised immune systems to get an extra shot.
Johnson & Johnson filed for FDA authorization of a booster on Tuesday. Vaccine advisory committees for the FDA and CDC will meet next week to discuss boosters for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
More than 216 million Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, and 186 million are fully vaccinated. That means about 76% of the eligible population over age 12 has received at least one dose, while 66% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
On Thursday, Pfizer asked the FDA for emergency authorization of its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5-11. An FDA advisory committee will meet to discuss the shot for kids on Oct. 26.
It's not clear when the lower-dose shots will become available for children, though a ruling is expected by late November, The Associated Press reported”
“
COVID-19 Booster Shots Now Surpassing Initial Vaccine Doses
Carolyn CristOctober 08, 2021
The jump in booster shots during the past week has led to a modest increase in COVID-19 vaccinations in October, NBC News reported.
From Sept. 30 to Oct. 6, about 6.7 million total shots were administered, according to CDC data. Among those, about 2.7 million were booster shots, 2 million were second doses, and 2 million were first doses.
Nearly 400,000 people are getting a booster shot each day. About 288,000 people are starting their vaccination series each day, and about 276,000 people are becoming fully vaccinated each day.
As of Thursday, about 6.76 million booster shots had been given, the CDC reported. More than 4.3 million have gone to adults over age 65 years, and 2.4 million have gone to adults between ages 18 and 64.
An estimated 5 million boosters have been administered since the FDA authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech booster about 2 weeks ago for those ages 65 and older and high-risk adults, the CDC reported. What's more, about 1.4 million Moderna doses have been given since the FDA authorization in August allowed those with compromised immune systems to get an extra shot.
Johnson & Johnson filed for FDA authorization of a booster on Tuesday. Vaccine advisory committees for the FDA and CDC will meet next week to discuss boosters for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
More than 216 million Americans have received at least one vaccine dose, and 186 million are fully vaccinated. That means about 76% of the eligible population over age 12 has received at least one dose, while 66% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated.
On Thursday, Pfizer asked the FDA for emergency authorization of its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for ages 5-11. An FDA advisory committee will meet to discuss the shot for kids on Oct. 26.
It's not clear when the lower-dose shots will become available for children, though a ruling is expected by late November, The Associated Press reported”
- Joined
- May 15, 2014
- Messages
- 4,676
Well they don’t need doctors. They don’t take medical advice anyway.
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
This info is always being updated so I am sharing with you the most recent info.Though I have posted this before. But this contains updates you might be interested in.
www.consumerlab.com
"
How do the Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines compare?
In general, both the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines have shown overall efficacies greater than 90%, which makes these vaccines appear to be more effective than the J&J vaccine (which had efficacy of 72% in the U.S.). However, the FDA cautions against making comparisons, since head-to-head clinical trials did not occur for these vaccines. The vaccines were evaluated in different regions with different incidences of COVID-19 and viral variants (FDA, 2021).
***Nevertheless, several observational studies have compared the effectiveness of the Pfizer vs. Moderna vaccines against breakthrough infections and COVID-19-related hospitalization and found higher effectiveness for the Moderna vaccine. A review of health records of about 580,000 people in the U.S. fully vaccinated from December 14, 2020 to August 28, 2021 found that, when controlled for demographics, comorbid medical conditions, and other determinants of health, the risk of breakthrough infections was about 40% to 50% higher among those who received Pfizer compared to Moderna (Wang, World Psychiatry 2021).***
An analysis of data from 32,867 medical encounters across nine states in the U.S. showed that, from June to August, 2021 (when the Delta variant was the most common strain), vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospitalizations or emergency department/urgent care visits for COVID-19-like illness was greatest for Moderna (95% and 92%) followed by Pfizer (80% and 77%) then J&J (60% and 65%). The overall effectiveness of the three vaccines in preventing hospitalization was 76% among people 75 and older compared to 89% among those who were younger (Grannis, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021).
Similarly, a case-control analysis among nearly 3,700 adults admitted to hospitals in a network of U.S. hospitals from March 11 to August 15, 2021 found that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization was slightly higher for Moderna (93% effectiveness) than Pfizer (88%), and both mRNA vaccines were more effective against COVID-19 hospitalization than the J&J vaccine (71%). When vaccine effectiveness at 14 to 120 days after vaccination was compared with that at more than 120 days after vaccination, the Moderna vaccine continued to show similar effectiveness, while effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine significantly declined (77% at >120 days versus 91% at 14 to 120 days) (Self, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021).
The J&J vaccine may cause fewer and less severe side effects than the mRNA vaccines, possibly because it, unlike the two-dose mRNA vaccines, requires only one shot (which, in itself, can be advantageous to people with needle-phobia or who would have difficulty returning for a 2nd dose). For example, the percentage of people in the J&J pre-authorization trial who reported injection site pain was only 49%, compared to 92% for Moderna and 84% for Pfizer after the first or second dose. Similarly, fatigue was reported by 38% of people who received the J&J vaccine compared to 69% for Moderna and 63% for Pfizer after the first or second dose (FDA, Janssen VRBPAC Briefing Document; FDA, Moderna VRBPAC Briefing Document; FDA, Pfizer VRBPAC Briefing Document).
More details about efficacy and safety are provided below.
Although up to 15 million doses of the J&J vaccine were contaminated at manufacturing plant in Baltimore, these were not distributed according to a White House statement.
First dose efficacy
mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna):
Some data with the Pfizer vaccine showed that it had no efficacy in the general population until day 14, with the incidence of new infections actually increasing until day 8 after first-dose vaccination, which the researchers hypothesized may have been caused by vaccinated people being less cautious reducing exposure risk, highlighting the importance of adherence to safety measures even after being vaccinated (Hunter, medRxiv 2021 — preprint). The risk of new infections drops dramatically thereafter, with a 51.4% reduction in infections 13 to 24 days after the first dose relative to the first twelve days (Chodick, JAMA Netw Open 2021). On a day-by-day basis, the estimated effectiveness of the first dose was shown to increase each day from day 14 until day 21 — at which time the actual incidence of infection was reduced by 91% compared to the first 12 days (Hunter, medRxiv 2021 — preprint). This is consistent with a report from the UKthat re-analyzed cases of infection that occurred during the Pfizer pre-authorization trial on only days 15 through 21 after the first dose and found that the vaccine efficacy during this time interval was 89% compared to placebo.
During the first 78 days of COVID-19 vaccination in Tennessee, the rate of COVID-19-related hospitalizations among people older than 80 (75% of whom had received only the first dose) decreased by 80% and deaths fell by 95% compared to before vaccine rollout, suggesting (although not proving) that even one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination may reduce severe outcomes of COVID-19 (Roghani, medRxiv 2021 - preprint). Similarly, a study in the U.S. among 417 people ages 65 and older found that efficacy of mRNA vaccines (either Pfizer or Moderna) against hospitalization was 64% among those partially vaccinated (i.e., at least 14 days since the first dose but less than 14 days since the second dose), which was lower than the 94% efficacy among those fully vaccinated (i.e., 14 days or more since the second dose) (Tenforde, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021). Also, a study in the U.S. of 91,134 people who received an mRNA vaccine at least 14 days earlier, but not the second dose, showed 77% efficacy in preventing hospitalization and 64% efficacy in preventing death. Full vaccination resulted 96% efficacy in preventing hospitalization and 98.7% efficacy in preventing death (Vahidy, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
While this evidence strongly suggests that just one dose of an mRNA may provide significant protection against COVID-19 within three weeks, it is uncertain how long immunoprotection persists. As the second dose significantly boosts immune responses and is the basis for the vaccine's efficacy in clinical studies, people in the U.S. are recommended to get both doses of the mRNA vaccines.
Adenovirus vaccine (Johnson & Johnson):
Results from the ongoing, pre-authorization clinical trial among nearly 40,000 people, some of whom had stable pre-existing medical conditions or HIV infection and a small percentage of whom had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, found that, in the U.S., the vaccine was, respectively, 74% and 72% effective at preventing moderate and severe COVID-19 at two and four weeks after vaccination. Its efficacy against for severe/critical disease was 78% and 86% at two and four weeks, and its efficacy at preventing hospitalization was 93% and 100%. In countries such as South Africa, where the COVID-19 variant B.1.351 is much more common, the vaccine had higher efficacy at preventing moderate and severe disease at 4 weeks compared to 2 weeks (64% vs. 52%, respectively) (FDA Fact Sheet for Administering Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, 2021; FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee).
Although the specific duration of protection provided by the J&J vaccine is still uncertain, research suggests that protection against infection and hospitalization remains stable over at least several months. An analysis of insurance claims submitted in the U.S. from March 1 to July 31, 2021 among nearly 400,000 people vaccinated with J&J showed that effectiveness of the J&J vaccine was 79% against COVID-19 and 81% against COVID-19-related hospitalization, with lower effectiveness among people 50 and older compared to those younger than 50 (75% effectiveness against infection vs. 83%, respectively). Effectiveness remained similar when analyzed by month, suggesting stable protection (Polinski, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Furthermore, a small study of eight people showed that antibody and T cell responses remained stable for at least eight months after the single dose, with only small decline compared to the highest response observed at day 71 after vaccination. Neutralizing antibody responses against the Alpha, Kappa, Delta, Gamma, Epsilon (B.1.429) and Beta variants were higher at eight months after vaccination than at one month (Barouch, N Engl J Med 2021).
Second dose efficacy
Data from ongoing clinical trials and numerous real-world studies have shown, and continue to show, that the two-dose series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has high efficacy against severe illness and hospitalization. Evidence from the first several months after vaccine roll-out also showed the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to have high efficacy against mild to moderate disease, although more recent data suggests that efficacy against mild to moderate disease may wane over time.
Real-world data collected during the initial months after the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was authorized estimated the efficacy of the vaccine to be 87% to 96% against severe illness and 87% against hospitalization (Aran, medRxiv 2021 — preprint; Dagan, N Engl J Med 2021). Subsequent evidence from clinical trials and real-world data gathered six months or more after vaccination showed that the vaccines continue to provide protection against severe disease, with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines demonstrating 92% to 97% efficacy against severe illness and/or hospitalization (Thomas, medRxiv 2021 — preprint; State of Israel Ministry of Health, 7/5/21; Rosenberg, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021). An analysis of 4,732 cases of COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the U.S. showed that, between January 1 and June 30, 2021, unvaccinated people were 17 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than vaccinated people, although this declined to "10 times more likely" from June 27 to July 24, when Delta variant became prevalent (Havers, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Early studies conducted during initial months after vaccine roll-out estimated the two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series to be about 91% to 94% effective against symptomatic infection and about 90% effective against asymptomatic infection (Dagan, N Engl J Med 2021; Thompson, N Engl J Med 2021; Tang, JAMA 2021), with slightly lower (albeit still quite high) efficacy in older people (Bernal, medRxiv 2021 — preprint) and possibly higher efficacy in women than men, particularly among those who are older (based on higher antibody response in women than men) (Terpos, Am J Hematol 2021; Nace, medRxiv 2021 — preprint). [Interestingly, many of the adverse events associated with the mRNA vaccines also appear to be more common in women than men.]
Initial results from an ongoing study among 2,260 adolescents ages 12 to 15 also showed the Pfizer vaccine (administered between October 15, 2020 and January 12, 2021) to be highly effective against COVID-19 through March 13, 2021, with no cases of COVID-19 in the vaccinated group at 7 or more days after the second dose compared to 16 cases in the placebo group, suggesting a vaccine efficacy of 100%. Furthermore, immune response (measured using a serum neutralization assay at one month after the second dose) was found to be as good as that observed in immunized people ages 16 to 25 (Frenck, N Engl J Med 2021).
An analysis of data from Israel among adolescents ages 12 to 15 who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine during a time period when the Delta variant accounted for 93% to 99% of cases showed that efficacy of the vaccine against infection was 91.5% between days 8 to 28 after the second dose. Vaccine efficacy during the first week after the second dose was only 55.3%. None of the 177 vaccinated adolescents who got COVID-19 on days 1 to 28 after the second dose needed to be hospitalized compared to 33 of 9,969 unvaccinated people who become positive during that time period (Glatman-Freedman, Emerg Infect Dis 2021).
The AstraZeneca vaccine (a two-dose vaccine not available in the U.S.) was found to be 74% effective against symptomatic COVID-19, based on a clinical trial involving more than 26,000 people from August 28, 2020 and January 15, 2021. Interestingly, efficacy was slightly higher among those 65 and older compared to younger people (83.5% vs. 72.8%). Efficacy of the vaccine was 94.8% against emergency department visits and 94.2% against COVID-19-related hospitalizations (Falsey, N Engl J Med 2021).
Waning efficacy: More recent evidence suggests that mRNA COVID-19 vaccine efficacy against symptomatic and asymptomatic infection wanes over time, particularly for the Pfizer vaccine, although greater prevalence of the Delta variant in more recent months may be a contributing factor. For example, an analysis of data from 42,094 people included in Pfizer's ongoing phase 3 clinical trial showed that the Pfizer vaccine had 96.2% efficacy against COVID-19 when measured from seven days through up to six months after the second dose, but this decreased to 83.7% efficacy at four to six months after the second dose (Thomas, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Furthermore, surveillance data collected in Israel in June and July, 2021 showed that the Pfizer vaccine was only 64% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections and symptomatic illness, and the risk of breakthrough infections was more than twice as high for those who were vaccinated in January 2021 compared to those who were vaccinated in April 2021 (State of Israel Ministry of Health, 7/5/21; Mizrahi, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Similar trends of declining vaccine efficacy over time have been observed in the U.S. Surveillance data gathered from four hospitalization databases in the state of New York from May 3 to July 25, 2021 showed that, among fully vaccinated adults (>91% of whom had received Pfizer or Moderna), weekly vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 infection declined from about 92% at the beginning of May to about 80% at the end of July (Rosenberg, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021). Also, analysis of surveillance data reported to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network found that the estimated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine efficacy against infection among nursing home residents was 74.7% from March 1 to May 9, 2021, 67.5% from May 10 to June 20, and 53.1% from June 21 to August 1, 2021. This decline was similar among those vaccinated with either Pfizer or Moderna (Nanduri, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021).
Booster dose
For people who received the primary series of the Pfizer vaccine, booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine were authorized by the FDA on September 22, 2021 (FDA News Release, 9/22/21) and recommended by the CDC on September 24, 2021 for the following groups of people, to be administered at least 6 months after the two-dose series (CDC Statement on ACIP Booster Recommendations, 9/24/21):
According to comments from members of the CDC staff, a booster is not yet recommended for people who received a third dose. In addition, among fully vaccinated people who already had COVID-19, it is unclear if a booster dose provides additional protection. These latter individuals may still choose to get a booster dose but should first consider the potential benefits and risks.
The FDA and CDC have not yet reviewed data regarding boosters for people who initially received the Moderna vaccine. People fully vaccinated with Moderna are advised to wait for Moderna boosters to be authorized rather than trying to get a Pfizer booster.
Regulators have not announced plans to consider J&J boosters. Nevertheless, some experts have stated that people who received the J&J vaccine will likely need to receive a booster dose, and separate booster recommendations are expected for these individuals. Early studies among people who already received one dose of the J&J vaccine showed that a full booster dose of the J&J vaccine given six months after the first dose induced a nine-fold increase in spike-binding antibody levels compared to levels four weeks after the original dose. Even just a one-quarter dose was able to increase levels six- to eight-fold (Sadoff, medRxiv 2021 – preprint). Furthermore, according to a press release by J&J, a full booster dose of the J&J vaccine given 2 months after the first dose increased antibody levels four to six times higher than after the first dose and provided 100% protection against severe/critical disease and 94% protection against moderate to severe symptomatic disease compared to those given placebo when assessed 36 days after the second dose.
Interestingly, the approval of the Pfizer vaccine on August 23, 2021 (under the name Comirnaty) means that physicians can use their clinical judgement to prescribe to their patients for medically appropriate uses outside of its approved labeling, which may include booster doses, although vaccine administrators may decline to administer the vaccine for off-label use. The use of booster doses is common with other vaccines. For example, many childhood immunization schedules require three, four or even five doses to achieve sufficient immunity against the corresponding illness (CDC, Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedules 2021).
How much protection might boosters provide? Data from more than one million people in Israel who had been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine 5 to 6 ½ months earlier showed that those who received a booster dose of Pfizer had only 21% the risk of infection and 10% the risk of severe illness as those who did not receive a booster dose, when measured at least 12 days after the booster (Bar-On, N Engl J Med 2021). Similarly, other data from Israel found that the odds of testing positive for COVID-19 was 79% lower 2 to 3 weeks after receiving a booster dose compared to not receiving it (based on people ages 40 and older). There was no reduction in the risk of testing positive during the first week after the booster dose, and there was only modest benefit at 1 to 2 weeks after the booster dose, suggesting that it may take at least 2 weeks for greatest benefit (Patalon, medRxiv 2021 – preprint).
What are the side effects of a booster dose? According to data from ongoing research conducted by Pfizer, systemic side effects reported within 7 days of a booster dose (which was given about 7 to 8 months after the primary series) were mainly mild to moderate in severity and included fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain, joint pain, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. The frequency of these events was similar to or slightly less than those reported after the second dose of the primary series. One case of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) was reported within 2 months of the booster dose, but this was considered to be unrelated to vaccination (Gruber, ACIP Presentation 9/22/21).
An observational study in Israel among 1,344 people 18 and older who received a booster dose showed similar side effects to those noted above and these side effects faded in almost all vaccine recipients within three days of getting the booster. Side effects tended to be more common in females than males, and in younger than older people (Mofaz, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Why more than 6 months? Research shows that the vaccines protect against severe infection and hospitalization through six months, but there is evidence that efficacy against infection may begin to decline at around six months after the second dose — although having a longer duration between vaccine doses may help provide stronger and more persistent immunoprotection, as it gives the immune system time to mature (i.e., improve the quality of antibodies).
How to get the booster? Like the two-dose series, the booster dose is available for free. Identification or insurance is not be required, but people are advised to bring their vaccination card (the card given by the vaccination provider after the first shot). A person who never received this card or who lost the original can contact their vaccination provider or their state health department's immunization information system (IIS) to get a copy (state ISS information can be found on the CDC website). Also, anyone who enrolled in v-safe or VaxText after getting their first or second shot can access their vaccination information through those tools.
Unlike the initial rollout, when shots were given at mass vaccination sites, booster doses will likely be given at local pharmacies, workplaces, doctors' offices, community health centers, and other locations where COVID-19 vaccines are already being offered.
People in the U.S. will be able to find a vaccination site at Vaccines.gov. The site will include information about what vaccines are available at each vaccination site and what appointments are open. A toll-free number, 1-800-232-0233, will also be available. In addition, people who already used the text code 438829 or WhatsApp for vaccine information will automatically get a text message with information on boosters when the shot is recommended.
Although booster doses are likely to help protect against infection it is unknown if booster doses will make the virus less transmissible. In addition, rare side effects of a booster dose — particularly in younger people — is not well known.
Adverse events and safety monitoring
mRNA vaccines:
Adults:
Based on adverse reports from several million vaccinations in the U.S. through mid-January, 2021 the safety profiles of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in people 16 and older are consistent with the safety profiles observed during the pre-authorization clinical trials (CDC, COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Update 2021). As noted in the table above, the most common side effects for these mRNA vaccines have included injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever and nausea / vomiting. In rare cases, severe allergic reactions have occurred.
Interestingly, many of the adverse events associated with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, including anaphylaxis, appear to be more common in women than men (Gee, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021; Shimabukuro, JAMA 2021), possibly due to genetic and hormonal differences (such as estrogen's promotion of antibody production) that can lead to stronger immune responses in women (McCartney, J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2020; Scully, Nat Rev Immunol 2020). (Note: Women also appear to be more likely to experience "long COVID" — persistent symptoms months after infection — compared to men.)
Cases of heart inflammation (myocarditis) after the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine have been reportedmainly in male teens and young adults, typically within 4 days of getting the second shot (Shimabukuro, ACIP Meeting 6/23/21; Snapiri, Pediatr Infect Dis 2021; Rosner, Circulation 2021; Larson, Circulation 2021).
The FDA has added a warning statement to the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, noting that reports of adverse events following use of these vaccines suggest increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart), particularly after the second dose, with symptom onset typically occurring within a few days (FDA Fact Sheet for Administering Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine; FDA Fact Sheet for Administering Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine). The Ontario government has recommended that people ages 18 to 24 — particularly males — consider getting the Pfizer vaccine instead of the Moderna vaccine, as the risk of myocarditis appears to be slightly higher with Moderna. For instance, among males ages 18 to 24, approximately one case of myocarditis was reported per 5,000 second doses of the Moderna vaccine compared to one case per 28,000 second doses of the Pfizer vaccine (Public Health Ontario, 8/25/21). Similarly, in early October 2021, Sweden and Finland paused giving the Moderna vaccine to people 30 and younger, and Denmark did the same for those younger than 18. These restrictions were implemented based on results from an unpublished Nordic study that apparently showed the risk of myocarditis to be slightly higher with the Moderna vaccine than the Pfizer vaccine among men younger than 30. Affected individuals in these countries are being advised to get the Pfizer vaccine.
The long-term effects of this side effect are unclear, but short-term follow-up suggests that symptoms resolve for most people. However, if myocarditis is experienced after the first dose, experts recommend deferring the second dose until more information is known (Wallace, ACIP Meeting 6/23/21).
The benefit of vaccination is still believed to outweigh the risk of myocarditis. For instance, an analysis of data from Israel predicted that there are 2.7 extra cases of myocarditis for every 100,000 people vaccinated, although there are 11 extra cases per 100,000 people with COVID-19 (Barda, N Engl J Med 2021). Among males ages 16-17 years, 73 cases of myocarditis are predicted to occur for every million second dose of Pfizer, but these second doses are predicted to prevent 56,700 cases of COVID, 500 hospitalizations, 170 ICU admissions, and four deaths over a 120-day period in this age group. No deaths due to vaccine-related myocarditis have been reported to safety surveillance systems in the U.S. among adolescents and young adults (ages 16 to 29) (Rosenblum, ACIP Meeting 8/30/21). Several cases of fatality possibly due to vaccine-related myocarditis have been reported among adults in Europe and New Zealand, but in all cases the individuals were elderly or had concomitant diseases (European Medicines Agency, 7/9/21).
Numerous health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association, have jointly stated, "We strongly encourage everyone age 12 and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization to get vaccinated, as the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any harm...myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Statement Following CDC ACIP Meeting 6/23/21)."
Updated COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Should Know - ConsumerLab.com
Learn how the updated COVID-19 vaccines for 2023-2024 (Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer-BioNTech) differ from each other, who should get them, what the recommended dosing schedules are, and possible side effects.
www.consumerlab.com
"
How do the Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines compare?
In general, both the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines have shown overall efficacies greater than 90%, which makes these vaccines appear to be more effective than the J&J vaccine (which had efficacy of 72% in the U.S.). However, the FDA cautions against making comparisons, since head-to-head clinical trials did not occur for these vaccines. The vaccines were evaluated in different regions with different incidences of COVID-19 and viral variants (FDA, 2021).
***Nevertheless, several observational studies have compared the effectiveness of the Pfizer vs. Moderna vaccines against breakthrough infections and COVID-19-related hospitalization and found higher effectiveness for the Moderna vaccine. A review of health records of about 580,000 people in the U.S. fully vaccinated from December 14, 2020 to August 28, 2021 found that, when controlled for demographics, comorbid medical conditions, and other determinants of health, the risk of breakthrough infections was about 40% to 50% higher among those who received Pfizer compared to Moderna (Wang, World Psychiatry 2021).***
An analysis of data from 32,867 medical encounters across nine states in the U.S. showed that, from June to August, 2021 (when the Delta variant was the most common strain), vaccine effectiveness in preventing hospitalizations or emergency department/urgent care visits for COVID-19-like illness was greatest for Moderna (95% and 92%) followed by Pfizer (80% and 77%) then J&J (60% and 65%). The overall effectiveness of the three vaccines in preventing hospitalization was 76% among people 75 and older compared to 89% among those who were younger (Grannis, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021).
Similarly, a case-control analysis among nearly 3,700 adults admitted to hospitals in a network of U.S. hospitals from March 11 to August 15, 2021 found that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 hospitalization was slightly higher for Moderna (93% effectiveness) than Pfizer (88%), and both mRNA vaccines were more effective against COVID-19 hospitalization than the J&J vaccine (71%). When vaccine effectiveness at 14 to 120 days after vaccination was compared with that at more than 120 days after vaccination, the Moderna vaccine continued to show similar effectiveness, while effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine significantly declined (77% at >120 days versus 91% at 14 to 120 days) (Self, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021).
The J&J vaccine may cause fewer and less severe side effects than the mRNA vaccines, possibly because it, unlike the two-dose mRNA vaccines, requires only one shot (which, in itself, can be advantageous to people with needle-phobia or who would have difficulty returning for a 2nd dose). For example, the percentage of people in the J&J pre-authorization trial who reported injection site pain was only 49%, compared to 92% for Moderna and 84% for Pfizer after the first or second dose. Similarly, fatigue was reported by 38% of people who received the J&J vaccine compared to 69% for Moderna and 63% for Pfizer after the first or second dose (FDA, Janssen VRBPAC Briefing Document; FDA, Moderna VRBPAC Briefing Document; FDA, Pfizer VRBPAC Briefing Document).
More details about efficacy and safety are provided below.
Although up to 15 million doses of the J&J vaccine were contaminated at manufacturing plant in Baltimore, these were not distributed according to a White House statement.
First dose efficacy
mRNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna):
Some data with the Pfizer vaccine showed that it had no efficacy in the general population until day 14, with the incidence of new infections actually increasing until day 8 after first-dose vaccination, which the researchers hypothesized may have been caused by vaccinated people being less cautious reducing exposure risk, highlighting the importance of adherence to safety measures even after being vaccinated (Hunter, medRxiv 2021 — preprint). The risk of new infections drops dramatically thereafter, with a 51.4% reduction in infections 13 to 24 days after the first dose relative to the first twelve days (Chodick, JAMA Netw Open 2021). On a day-by-day basis, the estimated effectiveness of the first dose was shown to increase each day from day 14 until day 21 — at which time the actual incidence of infection was reduced by 91% compared to the first 12 days (Hunter, medRxiv 2021 — preprint). This is consistent with a report from the UKthat re-analyzed cases of infection that occurred during the Pfizer pre-authorization trial on only days 15 through 21 after the first dose and found that the vaccine efficacy during this time interval was 89% compared to placebo.
During the first 78 days of COVID-19 vaccination in Tennessee, the rate of COVID-19-related hospitalizations among people older than 80 (75% of whom had received only the first dose) decreased by 80% and deaths fell by 95% compared to before vaccine rollout, suggesting (although not proving) that even one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccination may reduce severe outcomes of COVID-19 (Roghani, medRxiv 2021 - preprint). Similarly, a study in the U.S. among 417 people ages 65 and older found that efficacy of mRNA vaccines (either Pfizer or Moderna) against hospitalization was 64% among those partially vaccinated (i.e., at least 14 days since the first dose but less than 14 days since the second dose), which was lower than the 94% efficacy among those fully vaccinated (i.e., 14 days or more since the second dose) (Tenforde, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021). Also, a study in the U.S. of 91,134 people who received an mRNA vaccine at least 14 days earlier, but not the second dose, showed 77% efficacy in preventing hospitalization and 64% efficacy in preventing death. Full vaccination resulted 96% efficacy in preventing hospitalization and 98.7% efficacy in preventing death (Vahidy, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
While this evidence strongly suggests that just one dose of an mRNA may provide significant protection against COVID-19 within three weeks, it is uncertain how long immunoprotection persists. As the second dose significantly boosts immune responses and is the basis for the vaccine's efficacy in clinical studies, people in the U.S. are recommended to get both doses of the mRNA vaccines.
Adenovirus vaccine (Johnson & Johnson):
Results from the ongoing, pre-authorization clinical trial among nearly 40,000 people, some of whom had stable pre-existing medical conditions or HIV infection and a small percentage of whom had previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, found that, in the U.S., the vaccine was, respectively, 74% and 72% effective at preventing moderate and severe COVID-19 at two and four weeks after vaccination. Its efficacy against for severe/critical disease was 78% and 86% at two and four weeks, and its efficacy at preventing hospitalization was 93% and 100%. In countries such as South Africa, where the COVID-19 variant B.1.351 is much more common, the vaccine had higher efficacy at preventing moderate and severe disease at 4 weeks compared to 2 weeks (64% vs. 52%, respectively) (FDA Fact Sheet for Administering Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, 2021; FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee).
Although the specific duration of protection provided by the J&J vaccine is still uncertain, research suggests that protection against infection and hospitalization remains stable over at least several months. An analysis of insurance claims submitted in the U.S. from March 1 to July 31, 2021 among nearly 400,000 people vaccinated with J&J showed that effectiveness of the J&J vaccine was 79% against COVID-19 and 81% against COVID-19-related hospitalization, with lower effectiveness among people 50 and older compared to those younger than 50 (75% effectiveness against infection vs. 83%, respectively). Effectiveness remained similar when analyzed by month, suggesting stable protection (Polinski, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Furthermore, a small study of eight people showed that antibody and T cell responses remained stable for at least eight months after the single dose, with only small decline compared to the highest response observed at day 71 after vaccination. Neutralizing antibody responses against the Alpha, Kappa, Delta, Gamma, Epsilon (B.1.429) and Beta variants were higher at eight months after vaccination than at one month (Barouch, N Engl J Med 2021).
Second dose efficacy
Data from ongoing clinical trials and numerous real-world studies have shown, and continue to show, that the two-dose series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine has high efficacy against severe illness and hospitalization. Evidence from the first several months after vaccine roll-out also showed the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines to have high efficacy against mild to moderate disease, although more recent data suggests that efficacy against mild to moderate disease may wane over time.
Real-world data collected during the initial months after the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine was authorized estimated the efficacy of the vaccine to be 87% to 96% against severe illness and 87% against hospitalization (Aran, medRxiv 2021 — preprint; Dagan, N Engl J Med 2021). Subsequent evidence from clinical trials and real-world data gathered six months or more after vaccination showed that the vaccines continue to provide protection against severe disease, with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines demonstrating 92% to 97% efficacy against severe illness and/or hospitalization (Thomas, medRxiv 2021 — preprint; State of Israel Ministry of Health, 7/5/21; Rosenberg, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021). An analysis of 4,732 cases of COVID-19-related hospitalizations in the U.S. showed that, between January 1 and June 30, 2021, unvaccinated people were 17 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than vaccinated people, although this declined to "10 times more likely" from June 27 to July 24, when Delta variant became prevalent (Havers, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Early studies conducted during initial months after vaccine roll-out estimated the two-dose mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series to be about 91% to 94% effective against symptomatic infection and about 90% effective against asymptomatic infection (Dagan, N Engl J Med 2021; Thompson, N Engl J Med 2021; Tang, JAMA 2021), with slightly lower (albeit still quite high) efficacy in older people (Bernal, medRxiv 2021 — preprint) and possibly higher efficacy in women than men, particularly among those who are older (based on higher antibody response in women than men) (Terpos, Am J Hematol 2021; Nace, medRxiv 2021 — preprint). [Interestingly, many of the adverse events associated with the mRNA vaccines also appear to be more common in women than men.]
Initial results from an ongoing study among 2,260 adolescents ages 12 to 15 also showed the Pfizer vaccine (administered between October 15, 2020 and January 12, 2021) to be highly effective against COVID-19 through March 13, 2021, with no cases of COVID-19 in the vaccinated group at 7 or more days after the second dose compared to 16 cases in the placebo group, suggesting a vaccine efficacy of 100%. Furthermore, immune response (measured using a serum neutralization assay at one month after the second dose) was found to be as good as that observed in immunized people ages 16 to 25 (Frenck, N Engl J Med 2021).
An analysis of data from Israel among adolescents ages 12 to 15 who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine during a time period when the Delta variant accounted for 93% to 99% of cases showed that efficacy of the vaccine against infection was 91.5% between days 8 to 28 after the second dose. Vaccine efficacy during the first week after the second dose was only 55.3%. None of the 177 vaccinated adolescents who got COVID-19 on days 1 to 28 after the second dose needed to be hospitalized compared to 33 of 9,969 unvaccinated people who become positive during that time period (Glatman-Freedman, Emerg Infect Dis 2021).
The AstraZeneca vaccine (a two-dose vaccine not available in the U.S.) was found to be 74% effective against symptomatic COVID-19, based on a clinical trial involving more than 26,000 people from August 28, 2020 and January 15, 2021. Interestingly, efficacy was slightly higher among those 65 and older compared to younger people (83.5% vs. 72.8%). Efficacy of the vaccine was 94.8% against emergency department visits and 94.2% against COVID-19-related hospitalizations (Falsey, N Engl J Med 2021).
Waning efficacy: More recent evidence suggests that mRNA COVID-19 vaccine efficacy against symptomatic and asymptomatic infection wanes over time, particularly for the Pfizer vaccine, although greater prevalence of the Delta variant in more recent months may be a contributing factor. For example, an analysis of data from 42,094 people included in Pfizer's ongoing phase 3 clinical trial showed that the Pfizer vaccine had 96.2% efficacy against COVID-19 when measured from seven days through up to six months after the second dose, but this decreased to 83.7% efficacy at four to six months after the second dose (Thomas, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Furthermore, surveillance data collected in Israel in June and July, 2021 showed that the Pfizer vaccine was only 64% effective in preventing COVID-19 infections and symptomatic illness, and the risk of breakthrough infections was more than twice as high for those who were vaccinated in January 2021 compared to those who were vaccinated in April 2021 (State of Israel Ministry of Health, 7/5/21; Mizrahi, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Similar trends of declining vaccine efficacy over time have been observed in the U.S. Surveillance data gathered from four hospitalization databases in the state of New York from May 3 to July 25, 2021 showed that, among fully vaccinated adults (>91% of whom had received Pfizer or Moderna), weekly vaccine efficacy against COVID-19 infection declined from about 92% at the beginning of May to about 80% at the end of July (Rosenberg, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021). Also, analysis of surveillance data reported to the CDC's National Healthcare Safety Network found that the estimated mRNA COVID-19 vaccine efficacy against infection among nursing home residents was 74.7% from March 1 to May 9, 2021, 67.5% from May 10 to June 20, and 53.1% from June 21 to August 1, 2021. This decline was similar among those vaccinated with either Pfizer or Moderna (Nanduri, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021).
Booster dose
For people who received the primary series of the Pfizer vaccine, booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine were authorized by the FDA on September 22, 2021 (FDA News Release, 9/22/21) and recommended by the CDC on September 24, 2021 for the following groups of people, to be administered at least 6 months after the two-dose series (CDC Statement on ACIP Booster Recommendations, 9/24/21):
- People 65 and older and those living in long-term care settings should get a booster shot
- People 50 to 64 with medical conditions that make them more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 should get a booster shot
- People 18 to 49 with medical conditions that make them more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 may get a booster shot
- People 18 to 64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure due to occupational or institutional setting may get a booster shot. Occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure include:
- First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
- Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
- Food and agriculture workers
- Manufacturing workers
- Corrections workers
- U.S. Postal Service workers
- Public transit workers
- Grocery store workers
According to comments from members of the CDC staff, a booster is not yet recommended for people who received a third dose. In addition, among fully vaccinated people who already had COVID-19, it is unclear if a booster dose provides additional protection. These latter individuals may still choose to get a booster dose but should first consider the potential benefits and risks.
The FDA and CDC have not yet reviewed data regarding boosters for people who initially received the Moderna vaccine. People fully vaccinated with Moderna are advised to wait for Moderna boosters to be authorized rather than trying to get a Pfizer booster.
Regulators have not announced plans to consider J&J boosters. Nevertheless, some experts have stated that people who received the J&J vaccine will likely need to receive a booster dose, and separate booster recommendations are expected for these individuals. Early studies among people who already received one dose of the J&J vaccine showed that a full booster dose of the J&J vaccine given six months after the first dose induced a nine-fold increase in spike-binding antibody levels compared to levels four weeks after the original dose. Even just a one-quarter dose was able to increase levels six- to eight-fold (Sadoff, medRxiv 2021 – preprint). Furthermore, according to a press release by J&J, a full booster dose of the J&J vaccine given 2 months after the first dose increased antibody levels four to six times higher than after the first dose and provided 100% protection against severe/critical disease and 94% protection against moderate to severe symptomatic disease compared to those given placebo when assessed 36 days after the second dose.
Interestingly, the approval of the Pfizer vaccine on August 23, 2021 (under the name Comirnaty) means that physicians can use their clinical judgement to prescribe to their patients for medically appropriate uses outside of its approved labeling, which may include booster doses, although vaccine administrators may decline to administer the vaccine for off-label use. The use of booster doses is common with other vaccines. For example, many childhood immunization schedules require three, four or even five doses to achieve sufficient immunity against the corresponding illness (CDC, Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedules 2021).
How much protection might boosters provide? Data from more than one million people in Israel who had been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine 5 to 6 ½ months earlier showed that those who received a booster dose of Pfizer had only 21% the risk of infection and 10% the risk of severe illness as those who did not receive a booster dose, when measured at least 12 days after the booster (Bar-On, N Engl J Med 2021). Similarly, other data from Israel found that the odds of testing positive for COVID-19 was 79% lower 2 to 3 weeks after receiving a booster dose compared to not receiving it (based on people ages 40 and older). There was no reduction in the risk of testing positive during the first week after the booster dose, and there was only modest benefit at 1 to 2 weeks after the booster dose, suggesting that it may take at least 2 weeks for greatest benefit (Patalon, medRxiv 2021 – preprint).
What are the side effects of a booster dose? According to data from ongoing research conducted by Pfizer, systemic side effects reported within 7 days of a booster dose (which was given about 7 to 8 months after the primary series) were mainly mild to moderate in severity and included fatigue, headache, chills, muscle pain, joint pain, fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. The frequency of these events was similar to or slightly less than those reported after the second dose of the primary series. One case of acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) was reported within 2 months of the booster dose, but this was considered to be unrelated to vaccination (Gruber, ACIP Presentation 9/22/21).
An observational study in Israel among 1,344 people 18 and older who received a booster dose showed similar side effects to those noted above and these side effects faded in almost all vaccine recipients within three days of getting the booster. Side effects tended to be more common in females than males, and in younger than older people (Mofaz, medRxiv 2021 — preprint).
Why more than 6 months? Research shows that the vaccines protect against severe infection and hospitalization through six months, but there is evidence that efficacy against infection may begin to decline at around six months after the second dose — although having a longer duration between vaccine doses may help provide stronger and more persistent immunoprotection, as it gives the immune system time to mature (i.e., improve the quality of antibodies).
How to get the booster? Like the two-dose series, the booster dose is available for free. Identification or insurance is not be required, but people are advised to bring their vaccination card (the card given by the vaccination provider after the first shot). A person who never received this card or who lost the original can contact their vaccination provider or their state health department's immunization information system (IIS) to get a copy (state ISS information can be found on the CDC website). Also, anyone who enrolled in v-safe or VaxText after getting their first or second shot can access their vaccination information through those tools.
Unlike the initial rollout, when shots were given at mass vaccination sites, booster doses will likely be given at local pharmacies, workplaces, doctors' offices, community health centers, and other locations where COVID-19 vaccines are already being offered.
People in the U.S. will be able to find a vaccination site at Vaccines.gov. The site will include information about what vaccines are available at each vaccination site and what appointments are open. A toll-free number, 1-800-232-0233, will also be available. In addition, people who already used the text code 438829 or WhatsApp for vaccine information will automatically get a text message with information on boosters when the shot is recommended.
Although booster doses are likely to help protect against infection it is unknown if booster doses will make the virus less transmissible. In addition, rare side effects of a booster dose — particularly in younger people — is not well known.
Adverse events and safety monitoring
mRNA vaccines:
Adults:
Based on adverse reports from several million vaccinations in the U.S. through mid-January, 2021 the safety profiles of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in people 16 and older are consistent with the safety profiles observed during the pre-authorization clinical trials (CDC, COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Update 2021). As noted in the table above, the most common side effects for these mRNA vaccines have included injection site pain, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever and nausea / vomiting. In rare cases, severe allergic reactions have occurred.
Interestingly, many of the adverse events associated with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, including anaphylaxis, appear to be more common in women than men (Gee, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021; Shimabukuro, JAMA 2021), possibly due to genetic and hormonal differences (such as estrogen's promotion of antibody production) that can lead to stronger immune responses in women (McCartney, J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2020; Scully, Nat Rev Immunol 2020). (Note: Women also appear to be more likely to experience "long COVID" — persistent symptoms months after infection — compared to men.)
Cases of heart inflammation (myocarditis) after the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine have been reportedmainly in male teens and young adults, typically within 4 days of getting the second shot (Shimabukuro, ACIP Meeting 6/23/21; Snapiri, Pediatr Infect Dis 2021; Rosner, Circulation 2021; Larson, Circulation 2021).
The FDA has added a warning statement to the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, noting that reports of adverse events following use of these vaccines suggest increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart), particularly after the second dose, with symptom onset typically occurring within a few days (FDA Fact Sheet for Administering Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine; FDA Fact Sheet for Administering Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine). The Ontario government has recommended that people ages 18 to 24 — particularly males — consider getting the Pfizer vaccine instead of the Moderna vaccine, as the risk of myocarditis appears to be slightly higher with Moderna. For instance, among males ages 18 to 24, approximately one case of myocarditis was reported per 5,000 second doses of the Moderna vaccine compared to one case per 28,000 second doses of the Pfizer vaccine (Public Health Ontario, 8/25/21). Similarly, in early October 2021, Sweden and Finland paused giving the Moderna vaccine to people 30 and younger, and Denmark did the same for those younger than 18. These restrictions were implemented based on results from an unpublished Nordic study that apparently showed the risk of myocarditis to be slightly higher with the Moderna vaccine than the Pfizer vaccine among men younger than 30. Affected individuals in these countries are being advised to get the Pfizer vaccine.
The long-term effects of this side effect are unclear, but short-term follow-up suggests that symptoms resolve for most people. However, if myocarditis is experienced after the first dose, experts recommend deferring the second dose until more information is known (Wallace, ACIP Meeting 6/23/21).
The benefit of vaccination is still believed to outweigh the risk of myocarditis. For instance, an analysis of data from Israel predicted that there are 2.7 extra cases of myocarditis for every 100,000 people vaccinated, although there are 11 extra cases per 100,000 people with COVID-19 (Barda, N Engl J Med 2021). Among males ages 16-17 years, 73 cases of myocarditis are predicted to occur for every million second dose of Pfizer, but these second doses are predicted to prevent 56,700 cases of COVID, 500 hospitalizations, 170 ICU admissions, and four deaths over a 120-day period in this age group. No deaths due to vaccine-related myocarditis have been reported to safety surveillance systems in the U.S. among adolescents and young adults (ages 16 to 29) (Rosenblum, ACIP Meeting 8/30/21). Several cases of fatality possibly due to vaccine-related myocarditis have been reported among adults in Europe and New Zealand, but in all cases the individuals were elderly or had concomitant diseases (European Medicines Agency, 7/9/21).
Numerous health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Heart Association, have jointly stated, "We strongly encourage everyone age 12 and older who are eligible to receive the vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization to get vaccinated, as the benefits of vaccination far outweigh any harm...myocarditis and pericarditis are much more common if you get COVID-19, and the risks to the heart from COVID-19 infection can be more severe." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Statement Following CDC ACIP Meeting 6/23/21)."
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
Thank you!
I think we are mostly ok.
Well… apparently endemic COVID means we’ll all get COVID eventually. Like cold or flu. And to stay home unless symptoms are severe. The elderly aren’t doing so well, and most of the deaths are from the above 60, both vaccinated and unvaccinated but definitely I think unvaccinated, pre-existing conditions and elderly is like a super high risk combination going by the reported deaths.
And we are opening up to various countries for travel.
I am vaccinated, and so is most of my family but I would probably feel much better about all these new rules once my kids are vaccinated (they are below 12). But since they are not, for now I’m still trying to be cautious and stay home more though it looks like COVID is hard to avoid. In any case I’m still in a WFH arrangement so I may not even go out once a week. Kids will go to school when they are allowed to, as I think it’s important since home based learning isn’t that effective at their age.
im glad your doing ok
here they are rushing through the approval for the under 12's to help boost our percentages
During the pandemic ive felt solidarity with Singapore, Taiwan and Australia - we are all island nations all be it different sizes and populations but we also seemed quite good at doing what we were to told to do to keep our fellow countrymen safe and we were all doing so well and were the envy of other nations
i find it worrying and upsetting to seeing case numbers rise
stay safe Icy
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
i see lots of kiddies of all different ages wearing masks (its only mandatory for 12 and over)
lots of kids are really good at doing the right thing
look how they embrace things like recycling and other environmental causes
im afraid i did not
- i came out if the womb more right wing than my parents combined- but we are living in a different time nowdays (and i acknowledge its my generation who should have done more because we did know better)but anyway i have faith in the kids to do the right thing
.....so long as most of their freinds are doing the right thing
im sure the mini Mellows and the mini Icys will do there upmost to keep themselves and their freinds safw
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
We love you Dolly
www.news.com.au
Dolly’s Covid plea: ‘We’re all just panicking’
Dolly Parton has made an emotional plea for the world not to “hesitate” and get the Covid-19 vaccine.
www.news.com.au
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
How Did Scandinavians Get Their Pre-Pandemic Lives Back?
Faith in government acknowledged as key driver of pandemic success
www.medpagetoday.com
"
How Did Scandinavians Get Their Pre-Pandemic Lives Back?
— Faith in government acknowledged as key driver of pandemic success
by Kristina Fiore, Director of Enterprise & Investigative Reporting, MedPage Today October 11, 2021All three Scandinavian countries -- Denmark, Sweden, and Norway -- have fully lifted COVID-19 restrictions and are, for the most part, back to a "normal" way of life.
"We have returned to the lives we lived before the pandemic by 99%," Filip Knop, MD, PhD, of the University of Copenhagen's Gentofte Hospital, told MedPage Today. "You still see more sanitizers around, but it's rare to see people use them. It is such a relief."
Denmark lifted all restrictions in mid-September, followed by Sweden and Norway, which ended restrictions at the end of the month. Despite that, the virus appears to be on the retreat in all three countries. The latest 7-day averages for cases were 552 (Denmark), 499 (Sweden), and 432 (Norway), with a 7-day average of one death in each country -- and falling.
While all three nations have similarities that contributed to their success -- such as high vaccination rates and high trust in government -- they've all taken somewhat different approaches. Notably, Sweden has the highest case count (1.2 million) and deaths per million (1,460), while Denmark (364,000 cases, 459 deaths per million) and Norway (194,000 cases, 159 deaths per million) fall far below that mark.
In Denmark, vaccination rates are excellent, at 86% for all those eligible (ages 12 and up), and 96% for all those over age 50, said Michael Bang Petersen, a political scientist who advised the Danish government on its pandemic approach.
No vaccine mandates were needed, he said, because of high trust in the authorities' management of the pandemic. "This trust has been incredibly high and completely stable" in Denmark, Petersen said on Twitter.
Knop echoed these sentiments, noting that Denmark's relatively high tax rates (most Danes pay around 50% in income tax, he noted) and low governmental corruption rates, along with its comprehensive provision of services and benefits to all citizens, such as free healthcare, education, and elderly care, narrows inequality to beneficial effect.
"This means that differences between rich and poor are small, the educational level of the general population is high, the general standard of living is high, and people trust each other and the authorities," he said. "This, combined with a high degree of societal solidarity, makes it logical for the vast majority of Danes to follow governmental recommendations."
He added that Danes rely on facts and are "not easily excited by conspiracy theories."
"Furthermore, information from the government has been transparent and we have a physical and digital infrastructure that provides an extremely effective framework for different kinds of interventional and preventive strategies, and allows everyone to monitor the effects of interventions," Knop told MedPage Today. "And when you see that the government-based recommendations are effective, it makes you trust and follow them."
While Sweden also has a similar baseline level of societal equality and trust in government, the latter during the pandemic has been lower there, Petersen said.
"What authorities do during the pandemic matters too," he noted, alluding to Sweden's initial decision to forgo large-scale lockdowns, at a cost of a higher number of deaths among the elderly, particularly those in care homes. Knop also believes a "different initial handling of the pandemic" led to the divergent outcomes between the countries.
Nonetheless, life looks normal in Sweden these days, too. Mozhu Ding, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, told MedPage Today that people actually stopped social distancing and wearing masks (Sweden never mandated the latter) "way before the restrictions were lifted."
Nearly 80% of people in Sweden ages 16 and up are fully vaccinated, with about 84% getting at least one dose, she said.
"Because of the high trust in the governmental agencies and institutions, the Swedish population got vaccinated en masse," Ding added. "Lifting restrictions is simply the government holding up its side of the bargain."
In Stockholm, many companies have returned to in-person work, and restaurants "are now fully packed and people eat happily together and chat without a worry. On the subway, mask wearers are few and sometimes get looks because it can be assumed that one didn't vaccinate and thus needs the protection."
While trust in officials' initial response to the pandemic may have wavered, trust in the country's vaccination program did not.
"Every Swede has the benefits of having free healthcare and a solid welfare package that they can call upon if they fell ill," Ding said. "Swedes have a genuine feeling that the social institutions are working for them and not exploiting them. Trust in government agencies and the healthcare system is a big part of Sweden's vaccination drive."
"Currently, people are experiencing the freedom that comes with getting vaccinated," she added. While that can change "if there are frequent breakthrough infections that erode confidence in vaccines," that's not currently observed and Sweden plans to introduce third doses to vulnerable populations.
In Norway, around 90% of eligible people are vaccinated, said Anne Spurkland, MD, a professor of immunology at the University of Oslo.
While her university still relies on some virtual learning, and commuter crowds are still smaller than they were before the pandemic, much of life is back to normal, with bars, restaurants, and concert venues fully open. Schools are fully open, and rapid antigen testing among children is common.
"I concur with the idea that we have to reopen and start to live our lives more like in pre-pandemic times, and just accept that COVID-19 exists and that we may contract it sooner or later," Spurkland told MedPage Today. "Since the majority of Norwegians are now vaccinated, in Norway the disease can now be compared more with the seasonal flu in terms of disease burden. Hopefully it will remain like that, but it remains to be seen."
All three Scandinavian nations are prepared for the possibility that the virus may not be through with them, and that a new variant could wreak havoc if it gets around the high levels of vaccinated immunity. Even if that happens, Scandinavians seem to be assured that their governments will get them through.
"Will the lifting of restrictions go well? Who knows," Petersen tweeted, noting that Sweden and Denmark didn't have a third wave. "New variants may emerge & restrictions reappear. Yet, from a behavioral perspective, I am optimistic about the future. Even with a 3rd wave, mutual trust should be high enough to pull thru."
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2014
- Messages
- 4,224
Can you not use the rapid tests or will the airlines not accept those? They are only $40 CAD and that's what most folks travelling use (to/from the US included).
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2008
- Messages
- 14,828
Has to be a pcr test.
If someone has a province med card its a much lower price even free in some cases.
I will look into it again.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2014
- Messages
- 4,224
Ah got it. Most people I know get them from shoppers, but it may not be a PCR (I think its rapid antigen), but sold privately, I thought $40 cad was super reasonable, $150 not so much!
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2008
- Messages
- 27,366
Just wanted to add that my neighbor that was in the hospital with Covid just left again in an ambulance. I hope he's going to be
ok. That's the 4th time he has left in an ambulance in the last month or so. He blew out his knee the first time and the last 3 times
have been due to Covid.
ok. That's the 4th time he has left in an ambulance in the last month or so. He blew out his knee the first time and the last 3 times
have been due to Covid
.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2013
- Messages
- 12,517
From a personal perspective, life is getting back to pre-Covid normal gradually.
However, Covid-19 is not over, in that I know of two people who have gone down with the Delta variant even though they were fully vaccinated with 2 doses of either AZ or Pfizer vaccines.
They attributed their relatively mild symptoms and quick recovery down to being fully vaccinated.
Whether I would be offered a booster soon remains to be seen, and I shall take it as soon as I can if offered.
I am still on course to visit my mum and brother in November 2021.
I am still wary of crowded indoor venues with lots of strangers, and am continuing with wearing a face mask on public transport and in crowded indoor areas.
Life is good.
DK
However, Covid-19 is not over, in that I know of two people who have gone down with the Delta variant even though they were fully vaccinated with 2 doses of either AZ or Pfizer vaccines.
They attributed their relatively mild symptoms and quick recovery down to being fully vaccinated.
Whether I would be offered a booster soon remains to be seen, and I shall take it as soon as I can if offered.
I am still on course to visit my mum and brother in November 2021.
I am still wary of crowded indoor venues with lots of strangers, and am continuing with wearing a face mask on public transport and in crowded indoor areas.
Life is good.
DK
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
From Bloomberg business dot com.
“
U.S. 2, Texas 0. That’s the score as far as two huge airlines are concerned when it comes to a governor trying to block federal vaccination requirements. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines said they will continue to follow federal mandates that employees be vaccinated against Covid-19, ignoring an order by Republican Governor Greg Abbott. In both Texas and Florida, were Abbott and Governor Ron DeSantis have repeatedly moved to block precautions meant to protect against the virus, a new study shows 22,000 people killed by the pathogen didn’t have to die. Here’s the latest on the pandemic. —David E. Rovella
“
“
U.S. 2, Texas 0. That’s the score as far as two huge airlines are concerned when it comes to a governor trying to block federal vaccination requirements. American Airlines and Southwest Airlines said they will continue to follow federal mandates that employees be vaccinated against Covid-19, ignoring an order by Republican Governor Greg Abbott. In both Texas and Florida, were Abbott and Governor Ron DeSantis have repeatedly moved to block precautions meant to protect against the virus, a new study shows 22,000 people killed by the pathogen didn’t have to die. Here’s the latest on the pandemic. —David E. Rovella
“
- Joined
- May 17, 2014
- Messages
- 6,298
This is us!!!! NSW!!!!
Look at the first dose numbers!!!!
We're not quite as awesome as the ACT but we're super populous so this is not bad!
I wish/hope we get to 95%!!!! Haha purely for state pride!
Look at the first dose numbers!!!!
We're not quite as awesome as the ACT but we're super populous so this is not bad!
I wish/hope we get to 95%!!!! Haha purely for state pride!
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2006
- Messages
- 11,220
Here’s a bit of good news: if you do get a breakthrough Covid case, there’s a good chance you won’t be as transmissible as an unvaccinated person with Covid: https://www.npr.org/sections/health...vaccines-breakthrough-infections-transmission
On the sort of personal news front, my husband is currently winging his way across the country. As we were talking about his route for the first day or two, he mentioned that he was not looking forward to one of his early fuel stops, where the operator is a very vocal conspiracy theorist.
As it turns out, that operator recently died… of Covid. His wife, who is now running the station, still scoffs at the idea of getting vaccinated.
On the sort of personal news front, my husband is currently winging his way across the country. As we were talking about his route for the first day or two, he mentioned that he was not looking forward to one of his early fuel stops, where the operator is a very vocal conspiracy theorist.
As it turns out, that operator recently died… of Covid. His wife, who is now running the station, still scoffs at the idea of getting vaccinated.
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
selfish young Aucklanders who dont give a stuff about the rest of us 
www.odt.co.nz
Party infuriates locked-down Aucklanders
Footage of a large party on Auckland's North Shore has infuriated people doing it tough in lockdown. Auckland is currently under Covid-19 alert...
www.odt.co.nz
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
i need to look away from the news and find something on netflex to watch
/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/nzme/TZDNCJGD6VT5JXCDJZG5EP36EU.jpg)
www.nzherald.co.nz
you know i dislike the govt more than anyone i know but i not only stayed home i got the jab (twice)
why do people not beleave the dept of health led by non politically appointed doctors etc but lap up all this poo on facebook ?
Who are the Kiwis holding out on getting vaxxed? Inside the Facebook groups
Dylan Reeve goes inside the online groups.
www.nzherald.co.nz
why do people not beleave the dept of health led by non politically appointed doctors etc but lap up all this poo on facebook ?
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2008
- Messages
- 54,275
| |||||
|
Daisys and Diamonds
Super_Ideal_Rock
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2019
- Messages
- 23,323
Avoiding a vaccine inequity replay
The prospect of Merck’s pill to treat Covid hitting the market soon is raising the question of who will get initial access to the drug and who won’t. A small group of countries is already lining up to buy molnupiravir, sparking worries that poorer regions that have struggled to vaccinate their populations could be left behind.
Efforts are under way to avert that scenario after the slow and inequitable rollout of vaccines. Merck is planning to substantially boost production and taking steps to ensure countries can get its treatment, including licensing it to generic-drug firms. The expected low cost of manufacturing and ease of use means it may play a pivotal role in developing nations.
Health advocates are anxious not to replay the disappointments of the Covax vaccine distribution program when it comes to Covid therapies. A global initiative to deploy treatments like molnupiravir is at risk of running into the same problems without pre-emptive action, according to an independent report commissioned by the World Health Organization.
“Have we learned our lesson?” says Rachel Cohen, North America regional executive director for the nonprofit Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative. “The majority of people in low- and middle-income countries haven’t been vaccinated and could potentially benefit tremendously from this treatment if they got it early enough.”
Merck’s molnupiravir
Merck
Several countries have rushed ahead to purchase the experimental drug. After the U.S. agreed in June to pay Merck about $1.2 billion for 1.7 million treatment courses, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand are among countries that have secured supplies. Other nations are in talks, along with the global health group Unitaid and its partners.
In April, Merck licensed the drug to several Indian companies, while the company is also in discussions with the Medicines Patent Pool. Merck has said it expects to produce 10 million courses by year-end and says it can meet global demand with its partners. “Substantially more” should become available next year, Merck said.
If the drug is authorized, its distribution will be closely watched. “The countries where we don’t have widespread access to vaccines are the exact same countries where treatment will be more urgently needed,” says Suerie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.—James Paton
phew
after waiting soooooo long for the vacine good to know we are a bit further up in the quee for this one
edit. yes im still worried about less well off countries who are not yet vaccinated
Did You Miss the Throwback Thursdays for May 2024?
Did You Miss the Throwback Thursdays for May 2024? - 05/28
300x240.png)