Coronavirus updates December 2021

[missy]

J&J's COVID Vaccine on the Way Out?​

— CDC panel demotes vaccine but stops short of recommending against use​

by Molly Walker, Deputy Managing Editor, MedPage Today December 16, 2021

Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines are recommended over Johnson & Johnson's for all adults, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) said on Thursday.
The ACIP voted 15-0 that either of the two mRNA vaccines are preferred over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for adults ages 18 and older. This interim recommendation applies to the vaccines both as a primary series and a booster dose. Previously, the committee had no preferential recommendation for any COVID vaccine.

Many committee members wanted more forceful language, such as "strongly preferred," but CDC staff noted that the strength of the recommendation would be communicated in the clinical considerations.
After the meeting, CDC endorsed these updated recommendations, noting that they follow similar recommendations from Canada and the U.K.
"The U.S. supply of mRNA vaccines is abundant -- with nearly 100 million doses in the field for immediate use," the agency said in a statement. "Individuals who are unable or unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine will continue to have access to Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine."
The change was due to updated data on the rare complication, thrombosis and thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) associated with the vaccine. The FDA updated their fact sheets for emergency use authorization (EUA) of Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine on December 14, adding a contraindication to the vaccine for adults with a history of TTS following either this vaccine or any other adenovirus-vectored vaccines, such as AstraZeneca's vaccine.

Moreover, they noted TTS was reported in men and women, in a wide range of age ranges, with the highest rate in women ages 30-49 (about 1 case per 100,000 doses). The agency added that about 15% of TTS cases were fatal.
ACIP did not recommend against the vaccine's use due to concerns that it would leave certain adults without protection, such as those with contraindications to mRNA vaccines, homeless individuals, prisoners, and those in rural areas.
"Legitimately, there are some people who might opt for the [Johnson & Johnson] vaccine even after being appropriately informed" about risks of TTS, "and I don't think that it's right for us to make that option unavailable to them," said Beth Bell, MD, of the University of Washington in Seattle.
Oliver Brooks, MD, of Watts HealthCare Corporation in Los Angeles, added that a recommendation against the Johnson & Johnson vaccine could have "worldwide implications that the United States ... [is] not recommending using this vaccine" which may be the only one available in some countries, he said.

Jamie Loehr, MD, of Cayuga Family Medicine in Ithaca, New York, likened the committee's choice to the "trolley problem" in ethics, noting that if the vaccine is taken away due to the risk of severe effects, it may put people at risk of severe effects from COVID-19 disease.
Other committee members were less equivocal.
"I cannot recommend a vaccine that's associated with a condition that may lead to death," said Pablo Sánchez, MD, of The Ohio State University – Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus. "I'm not recommending it to any of my patients' parents. I tell them to stay away from it."
However, liaison members said that having a preferential recommendation would help them when their patients ask about which vaccine they should get.
CDC staff presented more detailed data on the 54 cases of TTS in the U.S., and nine TTS deaths. Median age of cases was about 45, but ranged in age from 18 to 70. Thirty-seven cases were in women, and 83% were white. More than half (54%) of cases had cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST). All these cases occurred after one dose of the vaccine.

Median time from vaccination to symptom onset was 9 days. All patients were hospitalized, including 36 who were administered to the ICU. They stayed for a median of 9 days, and 37 were discharged home.
Among the nine deaths, all had features of severe CVST, seven with confirmed CVST and four received craniectomy or craniotomy for a brain hemorrhage. None received heparin.
Isaac See, MD, of the CDC, noted that median time from admission to death was 1 day.
"We've been struck when we've been doing these cases by how quickly the patient deteriorates," he said.
ACIP Chair Grace Lee, MD, of Stanford University, who was one of the strongest proponents for continuing to recommend the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for all adults after the pause in its use in April, said that the ACIP thought that early recognition of TTS and appropriate management might alleviate these cases.
"I don't think we ... had enough information to see what the outcome following TTS would look like," she said. "We've been presented information that suggests it really is challenging for us as clinicians to mitigate the risk of severe complications."
"In most cases, it's too rapid for much more to be done," See said.

 

[dk168]

According to one report, these are the 5 symptoms of Omicron:

1. A scratchy throat (as opposed to a sore throat)
2. Mild muscle aches
3. Extreme tiredness
4. A dry cough
5. Night sweats

Immediately after reading this, I performed a LFT and was negative.

The scratchy throat was likely to be the result of singing at the top of my voice last night at the festive get together with the choirs I participate (it was a good party).

The muscle aches and extreme tiredness were likely to be the result of standing about during a stint of static collection for a charity in the Brittox; working in the shop of another charity afterwards; and then being a helper for a Santa sleigh in a local area for the first charity that involved walking and collecting donations for 1.5h; all took place in one day yesterday.

I was so tired I could not find the energy to join the other choir members on the dance floor at the party last night after the Santa sleigh walk.

Night sweats were age-related, and I was surrounded by the pets, so nothing new there.

No dry cough though.

Taking it easy today, and I may pop into town for a drink or two later this evening if I feel up to it.

Stay safe everyone!

DK

 

[missy]

According to one report, these are the 5 symptoms of Omicron:

1. A scratchy throat (as opposed to a sore throat)
2. Mild muscle aches
3. Extreme tiredness
4. A dry cough
5. Night sweats

Same as menopause.

JK.



Seriously though, feel better @dk168
Sending you bucketloads of healing dust.
XOXO

 

[dk168]

Same as menopause.

JK.



Seriously though, feel better @dk168
Sending you bucketloads of healing dust.
XOXO

Tell me about it, especially night sweats, hence I discounted it!

I slept badly last night, despite taking 2 x 200mg Ibuprofen before going to bed.

Over did it a bit with the physical chores, and it was self-inflicted so no sympathy required.

DK

 

[missy]

Many NYC Broadway shows canceled due to surge in Covid cases.

Radio City Hall cancels the Rockettes 2021 season as Covid cases spike.

NY daily positivity rate is almost 8%.

 

[missy]

​

The latest​ The omicron variant is poised to rip across the United States in the coming weeks, upending daily life for huge swaths of the country. Cases from the hyper-transmissible new variant appear to be doubling every two days. Public health experts and government officials warn that the all-but-inevitable wave will overwhelm health systems still battling the delta variant and clobber communities where few people are vaccinated. With hospitalizations rising, sports leagues canceling games and colleges sending students home early, Americans are starting to feel an unpleasantly familiar sense of whiplash. Officials urged people to protect themselves as cases rise by getting the vaccines and boosters, getting tested and masking up. While omicron can more easily slip past immune defenses than other variants, boosters appear to prevent severe illness quite well. "The only real protection is to get your shots,” President Biden said this week. Early research on omicron has suggested that it may cause milder illness than other variants. But South Africa's health minister said Friday that the apparent mildness of some omicron infections could be attributed largely to protection provided by vaccines and past infections. Whatever the case, it's too early to lower our guard. Scientists are still trying to figure out how virulent omicron really is. What we do know is that it's extremely infectious and poses grave risks to the unvaccinated. We've heard a lot in the past few weeks about omicron's unusual assortment of mutations. To help us make sense of it, my colleagues Bonnie Berkowitz and Aaron Steckelberg have laid out everything we know about the variant's changes in a series of easy-to-follow graphics. Check out their work to see how omicron's mutations compare to past variants, and what they mean. Even with the new variant spreading, more than 100 million Americans are expected to travel between now and Jan. 2. Travel experts say a combination of confidence in the vaccines and pandemic fatigue is motivating people to accept a bit more risk and leave their holiday plans intact. News about omicron might put a small dent in travel, but mass cancellations probably won't happen. Omicron is expected to weaken some critical disease-fighting tools. But laboratory studies have shown that one type of monoclonal antibody treatment, sotrovimab, will hold up against the variant. It works by latching onto an area of the virus spike protein that is less likely to change than other virus components. Sotrovimab appears to work so well that the U.S. government is now stockpiling supplies so the treatment can be deployed when omicron becomes more prevalent. It can be hard to tell the difference between a cold, the flu and covid-19, especially if the symptoms are just beginning to hit you. Some early accounts indicate that omicron cases present more like a common cold — headaches, runny nose, sore throat — than the version of covid-19 we've grown accustomed to. If you do start feeling sick, one epidemiologist advises that it's best for now to assume you've got covid “until proven otherwise.” Stay home and keep away from others until you get test results. It's one more step that can help contain infections this winter. Other important news​ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines over the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, citing rare but potentially fatal blood-clot issues. Pfizer will test a third vaccine dose in young children after research showed that two doses didn't trigger an adequate immune response. It's a setback for pediatric vaccines that many had hoped would be available early next year. The World Health Organization added a ninth vaccine to its emergency use list. India's Covovax is now cleared for worldwide distribution. Colleges throughout the country are moving exams online, closing offices and canceling events amid the rise in cases.​

 

[GoldenTouch]

Our borders are open….
I’m heading for my booster needle on Christmas Eve. I hope I’m not feeling poorly on Christmas Day. I was very ill after my second dose.

 

[MMtwo]

I was exposed on December 5th, after a wonderful day of shopping with my adult daughter. Her boyfriend went to DC to a concert and came home right before we finished our shopping trip and lunch. I came in to their home to visit with her boyfriend and see my grand-puppies for a while. We chatted for about 1/2 hour and I went home.

Two days later he had symptoms and tested positive. My darling daughter tested positive on the 12th, and I tested negative on the 12th by PCR. Thankfully they (and I) are vaccinated, and I recently had my booster.

I don't know the type they had, but the boyfriend had a mild, but very symptomatic illness. Breathing felt uncomfortable, but his oxygen stayed fine. His sense of taste and smell has recovered. Darling daughter tested negative on the 11th at home. On the 12th she woke up sick with a fever, congestion, sore throat, and mild fever that was on and off for about three days. A PCR test on the 12th uncovered her infection. She is mostly recovered with sniffles.

The good news is that their quarantine will be over by the 25th. We will all get together for Christmas.

 

[DutchJackie]

Netherlands to go into strict Christmas lockdown

The Netherlands will go into a strict lockdown over the Christmas and New Year period to try to contain the highly- contagious Omicron coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday.

www.reuters.com

Netherlands to go into strict Christmas lockdown​

THE HAGUE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - The Netherlands will go into a strict lockdown over the Christmas and New Year period to try to contain the highly- contagious Omicron coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Saturday.

All non-essential shops and services, including restaurants, hairdressers, museums and gyms will be closed from Sunday until Jan. 14. All schools will be shut until at least Jan. 9.


"The Netherlands is again shutting down. That is unavoidable because of the fifth wave that is coming at us with the Omicron variant," Rutte told a televised news conference.

Other measures include a recommendation that households receive no more than two visitors and that gatherings outside are also limited to a maximum of two people.


A failure to act now would likely lead to "an unmanageable situation in hospitals", which have already scaled back regular care to make space for COVID-19 patients, Rutte said.

Infections in the Netherlands have dropped from record levels in recent weeks after the introduction of a nighttime lockdown late last month. The Omicron variant arrived as the country was already battling a wave in coronavirus infections.


Cases of the variant have surged since it was first found in the Netherlands three weeks ago, while hospitals are struggling with the large numbers of COVID-19 patients in their wards, near the highest levels this year.

Omicron is expected to become the most dominant variant of the virus in the Netherlands between Christmas and New Year's Eve, leading Dutch infectious disease expert Jaap van Dissel said.

While more than 85% of the Dutch adult population is vaccinated, fewer than 9% of adults have had a booster shot, one of the lowest rates in Europe.

On Saturday the National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) reported a total of over 2.9 million COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, with 20,420 reported deaths. There were 14,616 new infections reported in 24 hours.

 

[MamaBee]

I was exposed on December 5th, after a wonderful day of shopping with my adult daughter. Her boyfriend went to DC to a concert and came home right before we finished our shopping trip and lunch. I came in to their home to visit with her boyfriend and see my grand-puppies for a while. We chatted for about 1/2 hour and I went home.

Two days later he had symptoms and tested positive. My darling daughter tested positive on the 12th, and I tested negative on the 12th by PCR. Thankfully they (and I) are vaccinated, and I recently had my booster.

I don't know the type they had, but the boyfriend had a mild, but very symptomatic illness. Breathing felt uncomfortable, but his oxygen stayed fine. His sense of taste and smell has recovered. Darling daughter tested negative on the 11th at home. On the 12th she woke up sick with a fever, congestion, sore throat, and mild fever that was on and off for about three days. A PCR test on the 12th uncovered her infection. She is mostly recovered with sniffles.

The good news is that their quarantine will be over by the 25th. We will all get together for Christmas.

TG they are recovering quickly.

 

[ecf8503]

I went to the hairdresser today. She was wavering the last time I saw her about 6 weeks ago as to whether she was going to get the vaccine. Well she came down w covid around Thanksgiving and spent several days in the hospital. Now she says all the things - "it's no joke. I have a new respect for the hospital workers..." etc.

I'm glad she's doing better, but it makes me mad! If she had taken the vax she probably wouldn't have ended up in the hospital, using a bed that could have gone to someone else.

 

[missy]

Staying safe during the holidays (again)​

In this week's edition of the Covid Q&A, we look at socializing during the omicron wave. In hopes of making this very confusing time just a little less so, each week Bloomberg Prognosis is picking one question sent in by readers and putting it to experts in the field. This week's question comes to us from Susan in O’Fallon, Missouri. She asks: My husband and I are in our 70s and we’ve had two vaccines and a booster. We have friends who have had Covid but still aren’t vaccinated. Can we safely be around them socially? After skipping big celebrations during the first year of Covid, many of us are planning to gather with friends and loved ones for the holidays. Much has changed since December 2020. Vaccines have proved enormously effective in reducing severe illness and deaths. But resistance to shots by large swaths of the population combined with two major variants have put us in the midst of yet another wave. And little concrete data have emerged about the latest variant, omicron. No one wants to hear this, but nearly two years into the pandemic all of those variables mean caution is still paramount. “The safest way to visit with unvaccinated friends is to stay outdoors and try to maintain six feet of distancing even when outdoors,” says Jessica Justman, an epidemiologist at Columbia University Medical Center. “Even though these friends have had Covid-19, since they are unvaccinated, they have over twice the risk of getting reinfected as those who had Covid-19 and then were vaccinated.” Caution is still paramount during the second holiday season of the pandemic, health experts say. Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg For those of us in colder climates, practicing such precautions are a bummer. But, says Justman, “This is as much about protecting your friends as protecting yourself.” What little information we have about omicron suggests that it is indeed more contagious than previous versions of the virus but that vaccines still provide significant protection against severe disease. Most people hospitalized with Covid-19 are unvaccinated, meaning they are now among the most vulnerable groups of people. If an outdoor visit isn’t an option, rapid tests, while not always accurate, are a good second choice. The tests should ideally be done outdoors, and if anyone tests positive, they should leave immediately. “As we have done all along with Covid-19, these decisions require assessments about how important the event is and whether it’s worth the risk of a potential exposure,” says Justman, “especially now that we have the more contagious omicron variant in the mix.” Thanks to all of you for writing in this week! Next Sunday, we'll be answering the best question we receive again. So if you have any, we want to hear from you. Write to us at [email protected]—Kristen V. Brown

​ ​ ​ ​ Track the vaccines​

More Than 8.66 Billion Shots Given​ In total, 112 doses have been given for every 100 people around the world—but the distribution has been lopsided. Countries and regions with the highest incomes are getting vaccinated more than 10 times faster than those with the lowest. We’ve updated our vaccine tracker to allow you to explore vaccine rates vs Covid cases in a number of countries. See the latest here. A prepared Covid-19 vaccine dose in a syringe. Photographer: Waldo Swiegers/Bloomberg

What you should read​

The Dutch Roll Out Stricter Lockdown Measures Measures allow only supermarkets and essential shops to stay open. Beijing Says Student Tests Positive for Covid Infection comes 47 days before the Winter Olympics is due to begin. Omicron Cases Surge in New South Wales Health experts are supporting the reintroduction of mask mandates. Germany Tightens U.K. Travel Rules on Variant Many travelers to be banned, while others face mandatory quarantine. Hundreds of Thousands of Omicron Cases Daily The U.K. is suffering a record surge of Covid-19 infections.

 

[dk168]

The latest graph of the number of cases are causing significant concerns, a very steep exponential curve with no sign of reaching the peak yet!



DK

 

[mellowyellowgirl]

I just don't get it!!! I'm as shady as heck in terms of where I go (love a good buffet etc) but I really don't get people who won't take a rapid antigen test to make their family feel better or those who heckle other people for not showing up at gatherings.

Wtf is wrong with those people???? Yes, live, do whatever the hell you want but there is no need to push other people into it!!!!!

 

[MRBXXXFVVS1]

The latest graph of the number of cases are causing significant concerns, a very steep exponential curve with no sign of reaching the peak yet!



DK

I think there's some aspect of time for the peak, likely after mid-January. The #1 Christmas gift this year unfortunately will be Omicron..

I was reading that they expect virtually everyone to catch Omicron and it's only a matter of time. I hope my isolation will protect me and my family.

 

[Gloria27]

+ Massive protest against the pass and restrictions in all major European countries.

 

[missy]

"

Been writing a lot about omicron this month, including the attached story, and getting questions from friends and family. Wanted to share what we've reported and know, if helpful.

First: Omicron is real, and the reports of it being “milder” appear mostly based on the generally mild breakthrough cases in vaccinated and previously infected people.

If you've been vaccinated and boosted, there's reason to expect your omicron infection will lead to minimal symptoms.
If you haven't previously been infected, and you haven't been vaccinated, there's no reason to expect a "mild" case.

Second: Many, many people who are vaccinated or previously infected are going to test positive in the next few weeks, given omicron’s sheer transmissibility and ability to evade antibodies.

Every expert I've interviewed, including some of the nation's top health officials, has adjusted his or her mindset and now is mentally bracing to test positive after spending two years dodging the virus. "Breakthrough" cases are going to be normalized in a hurry, if they aren't already.

To put it very simply, while earlier forms of the virus got stopped at your body's front door if you were "fully vaccinated" or previously infected, omicron can get inside. Still, vaccines and boosters hold the power to defang the worst consequences of omicron and fight off infections. It’s possible that some folks reading this have omicron right now and don’t know it because their immune system is doing such a good job containing the infection and the symptoms are small or non-existent.

Boosters can specifically help by boosting your antibodies back to a level where there are enough of them, like bouncers at a club, to often keep omicron from getting inside.

Underlining that point: boosters are one of the best tools to fend off omicron, per every study so far.
We also have far better testing than in early 2020 — though the U.S. dropped the ball on ensuring access to rapid tests, as anyone hunting for a test now has experienced. There is one monoclonal antibody treatment that appears to still work against omicron, but it's in short supply.

So what does this mean, big-picture view?

Federal officials are bracing for U.S. infections to skyrocket into January 2022, with numbers that could top 500,000 new cases per day. (The previous peak was 250,000 cases per day in January 2021.) Some experts predict daily case rates that could be much higher, because so many vaccinated Americans are going to test positive, although we may not capture all the data from people taking at-home tests.

Even if only a small percentage of those people need hospital care, it will tax a health system that is already straining under pandemic fatigue and treating cases linked to the older delta variant. It's also going to be a psychological blow after the past two years of fighting the pandemic, and businesses, families and others will surely be racing to adjust plans.

Officials hope that the peak of the omicron wave will be over by early February.
The bulk of the pain will be felt by Americans who remain unvaccinated, have had immunity wane from prior vaccines and are yet to get boosted, or are immuno-compromised.

But anyone who swears that omicron will *surely* lead to a mild case in a vaccinated person is over-promising. Again, there's good reason to expect it, but we don’t have the data to know for sure. This variant was only detected a month ago.

Researchers are racing to keep up and study it in real-time.

And the picture from overseas isn't always clear, especially because the demographics in southern Africa, where omicron first exploded, don't line up perfectly with the older U.S. population.

We also need to wait and see before rendering a national verdict on omicron, as much as we all want it to be mild. A rise in covid cases is followed days later by a rise in hospitalizations, which is followed days later by a rise in deaths. This has been the consistent pattern for two years.

As a result, the next month in America could rival the worst days of the pandemic, as a sheer wave of cases crashes into our country. Every expert I spoke to is cutting back on scheduled plans, and several urged: don't take risks that could land you in a doctor’s office or hospital emergency room at a moment when demand on our health care system is going to surge.

If you are passing through an airport or train station, you are undoubtedly being exposed to someone with omicron at this point.

As someone who's been boosted and wears an N95 mask in public, I feel like I'm taking the best precautions I can. I'm also exhausted with the pandemic and had started to get back to hobbies like swimming, going to movies, having dinner with friends.

But for me, omicron means I'm going to pause some of those activities, and I'm going to resume double-masking when I'm in public. Even if infections are inevitable, I don't want to help omicron along, especially until we get more data in the coming weeks. And I don't want to unwittingly get sick and carry an infection to family members this holiday season.

It's been a hard two years, and I understand why so many are so frustrated this week. (I'm frustrated too, personally and professionally; as a reporter, I had a lot of non-covid stories I planned to tell this month.) I hope this post only provides clarity at a confusing time.

Best wishes for a safe holiday season, at a moment when we all could use some joyful news.

Dan Diamond




WASHINGTONPOST.COM
Omicron outbreak inducing whiplash for many Americans
Boosters appear to provide good protection, and studies suggest omic
https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...dn9z5iC7A_j62xdvIGxUuSimeG7kgshwRwcvgeCFQmWOM
"https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...dn9z5iC7A_j62xdvIGxUuSimeG7kgshwRwcvgeCFQmWOM

 

[Gloria27]

Missy, what is double-masking? I hope you don't mean putting one mask on top of another.

 

[missy]

Missy, what is double-masking? I hope you don't mean putting one mask on top of another.

What do I mean? I did not personally write that.
But if you look up what double masking means here is some info you might find helpful.
Do not wear 2 disposable masks over each other. Instead this is what you can do to help protect yourself and others.

COVID-19 and Your Health

Symptoms, testing, what to do if sick, daily activities, and more.

www.cdc.gov

"

• Wear one disposable mask underneath a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric. The second mask should push the edges of the inner mask snugly against the face and beard

2 ways to layer

• Use a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric.
• Wear a disposable mask underneath a cloth mask.
  • 
    
  • The cloth mask should push the edges of the disposable mask against your face
  • 
    
  • Wearing a multilayered cloth mask over a surgical mask or wearing a tightly fitted surgical mask substantially increased the level of protection.

Do NOT

Combine two KN95 masks
Combine two disposable masks.
"

Hope that clears it up for you Gloria.

 

[missy]

Moderna says its booster significantly raises the level of antibodies against Omicron. The shots used in most of the world outside the U.S. will probably not protect against Omicron infections. They do seem to prevent severe illness. Senators Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren said they had breakthrough infections.

Is it a cold or is it Covid? This season, sniffles come with anxiety. (Here’s what to do if you test positive.) And if you’re nervous about your holiday travel plans, you’re not alone.

 

[MMtwo]

I have really enjoyed Dr. Campbell's exploration of data on COVID-19, and more recently Omicron. No politics, just data analysis.

 

[Gloria27]

@ Missy, got it, just saw the quotation marks.

I have really enjoyed Dr. Campbell's exploration of data on COVID-19, and more recently Omicron.

When I posted one of his videos it was immediately removed and classed as conspiracy theory! It was the video about Gibraltar COVID cases in a 99% vaccinated population.

Guess it is only acceptable when it fits the mainstream narrative.

 

[MMtwo]

@Gloria27 that is strange. I find him pretty much main stream. He is not anti-vaxx or conspiracy driven.

 

[missy]

When I posted one of his videos it was immediately removed and classed as conspiracy theory! It was the video about Gibraltar COVID cases in a 99% vaccinated population.

Because that is untrue. 100% untrue.

Fact check: Vaccine not linked to COVID-19 deaths in Gibraltar

The claim that coronavirus deaths in Gibraltar have been caused by the vaccine, not the virus, has been shared on social media. This claim is false.

www.reuters.com

"

The claim that coronavirus deaths in Gibraltar have been caused by the vaccine, not the virus, has been shared on social media. This claim is false.




Reuters Fact Check. REUTERS
Examples can be seen (here , (here).

“Gibraltar is 2.6 square miles in size. On 6th January they had only 10 covid deaths in total. The vaccine arrived to the island on 10th January. By 20th of January there were 53 deaths. Today worldometer is showing that there are now 70 deaths. SEVENTY!! Why is no one talking about Gibraltar?”, the posts read.

The coronavirus vaccination programme began on Jan. 10 in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula (here).

By that date, there had been a total of 16 COVID-19 deaths recorded by the government (here).

By the 20th, this had increased to 53 (here), and to 70 seven days later (here).


But there is no evidence whatsoever that these deaths are linked to the roll out of the vaccine.

The increase appears to be part of an upward trend that started before the first vaccine dose was administered.

On Jan. 27, the government said in a statement that out of the more than 11,000 people who had been vaccinated, six had died for unrelated reasons (here).

“The Gibraltar Health Authority can confirm that there is no evidence at all of any causal link between these six deaths and the inoculation with the Pfizer vaccine”, the press release said. “Statements to the contrary on social media are entirely untrue.”

According to the government, these six people appear to have caught COVID-19 before they were vaccinated.


“Despite testing for COVID-19 before vaccination, the infection had not been detected in them at the time they were vaccinated, but in the days immediately after.”

These people were all aged between 70 and 100, the government said.

Reuters fact check has debunked similar claims about COVID-19 vaccine safety (here , here) and (here).

VERDICT​

False. There is no evidence that the increase in COVID-19 deaths in Gibraltar are in anyway linked to the vaccine.

This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.


"

 

[Gloria27]

Because that is untrue. 100% untrue.

Fact check: Vaccine not linked to COVID-19 deaths in Gibraltar

The claim that coronavirus deaths in Gibraltar have been caused by the vaccine, not the virus, has been shared on social media. This claim is false.

www.reuters.com

"

The claim that coronavirus deaths in Gibraltar have been caused by the vaccine, not the virus, has been shared on social media. This claim is false.




Reuters Fact Check. REUTERS
Examples can be seen (here , (here).

“Gibraltar is 2.6 square miles in size. On 6th January they had only 10 covid deaths in total. The vaccine arrived to the island on 10th January. By 20th of January there were 53 deaths. Today worldometer is showing that there are now 70 deaths. SEVENTY!! Why is no one talking about Gibraltar?”, the posts read.

The coronavirus vaccination programme began on Jan. 10 in Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsula (here).

By that date, there had been a total of 16 COVID-19 deaths recorded by the government (here).

By the 20th, this had increased to 53 (here), and to 70 seven days later (here).


But there is no evidence whatsoever that these deaths are linked to the roll out of the vaccine.

The increase appears to be part of an upward trend that started before the first vaccine dose was administered.

On Jan. 27, the government said in a statement that out of the more than 11,000 people who had been vaccinated, six had died for unrelated reasons (here).

“The Gibraltar Health Authority can confirm that there is no evidence at all of any causal link between these six deaths and the inoculation with the Pfizer vaccine”, the press release said. “Statements to the contrary on social media are entirely untrue.”

According to the government, these six people appear to have caught COVID-19 before they were vaccinated.


“Despite testing for COVID-19 before vaccination, the infection had not been detected in them at the time they were vaccinated, but in the days immediately after.”

These people were all aged between 70 and 100, the government said.

Reuters fact check has debunked similar claims about COVID-19 vaccine safety (here , here) and (here).

VERDICT​

False. There is no evidence that the increase in COVID-19 deaths in Gibraltar are in anyway linked to the vaccine.

This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team. Read more about our fact-checking work here.


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It wasn't about COVID deaths caused by vaccine, you didn't even watch the video.
Go to his page and watch the video first!

 

[Gloria27]

@Gloria27 that is strange. I find him pretty much main stream. He is not anti-vaxx or conspiracy driven.

Exactly, he isn't, and the video I posted was wrongfully deleted.
Missy replied to the video within 15 min of it being posted, the video was something like 24m long.
Nobody even bothered to check, it was deleted instantly and the above reply was given, see what Missy posted.

 

[MMtwo]

I just looked at the video, it just said that vaxxed populations can spread the disease. Same an NYC right now. This could have been Omicron. Gibraltar may have had a variant. There was a huge surge, but not a surge in death.

 

[missy]

It wasn't about COVID deaths caused by vaccine, you didn't even watch the video.
Go to his page and watch the video first!

Stop spreading lies. I watched the video before you ever linked it Gloria.
Thanks for your participation though. I welcome different points of view as long as they are credible.
I won't hesitate calling out misrepresentations of facts.

 

[Gloria27]

I just looked at the video, it just said that vaxxed populations can spread the disease. Same an NYC right now. This could have been Omicron. Gibraltar may have had a variant. There was a huge surge, but not a surge in death.

Yup, and it was deleted and the Missy's reply can be seen above.

Stop spreading lies. I watched the video before you ever linked it Gloria.
Thanks for your participation though. I welcome different points of view as long as they are credible.
I won't hesitate calling out misrepresentations of facts.

And what lies would that be?

 

[missy]

Yup, and it was deleted and the Missy's reply can be seen above.


And what lies would that be?

So many, where do I begin. I am not wasting energy on your poor behavior and misrepresentation of the facts.
You cannot even read properly. Or else you would see the answer in my post above. The very first line of my post in fact. LOL.
But once more for the those who have comprehension issues.
I saw that video long before you posted it Gloria.

The saying Ignorance is bliss has its appeal.
There are times I wish I could just ignore the facts too.
But that isn't who I am.
I prefer reality.