@Calliecake I’m happy your brother got his vaccine. I’m wondering if doctors test for antibodies after the vaccine for people like your brother. It would be really good information to know.
MamaBee - was thinking of you today. My friend said she got a third dose at CVS. She just walked into Target and asked about a dose. Was told they were thawing vials and could take her in 20 minutes. Was given paperwork to fill out and honestly answered "no" when it asked if she was immunocompromised. Pharmacy tech/pharmacist did not even look at her answer, gave her a third dose.
@missy Did he elaborate? I’m wondering if it means there are other factors that would mean you are protected even if the antibodies are low.
Friday’s San Francisco Chronicle has an opinion p which argues that most of us don’t need booster shots, and it’s more important for everybody’s sake (including ours) to get the available doses out to the rest of the world. I’m afraid I don’t have the ability to cut and paste on my cell phone, but here are some excerpts:
[The author starts by laying out a scientific rationale based on how vaccines work and how our body develops memory cells that produce the antibodies needed and that can adapt to address new strains of the virus.]
“ This is one reason why most of us won’t need a third booster shot to be protected from variance. Memory B cells, once generated, are long lasting. A 2008 Nature study found that survivors of the 1918 influenza pandemic were able to produce antibodies from memory B cells when exposed to the same influenza strain nine decades later.
T cell immunity generated by the vaccines protects us even further. Data from La Jolla Immunology Institute and UCSF show that the T cell response from the Pfizer vaccine is strong across all the variance. Think of the spike proteins that Covid latches onto as being comprised of 100 houses a T cell covers each house to protect you against severe disease the Delta variant has 13 mutations along the spike proteins so 13 of those T cells won’t work. But there are still 87 T cells remaining to protect your “houses” against severe disease. This is why most immunologist do not think there will be a variant that can evade the robust response of our T cells.”
The whole article can be found here. The Chronicle has a very low pay wall – which I have already hit - but I think you can read at least one article per month: https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion...ans-we-may-never-eradicate-COVID-16429343.php
I will acknowledge that the author, who is an infectious disease doctor and professor of medicine, has been controversial in that some other experts considered her projections about how Covid will become normalized as being too optimistic. I don’t have the knowledge or background to be able to evaluate her scientific explanation, but I am planning to reach out to a friend who probably does. I’ll let you know what he says.
Antibody levels are one piece of the puzzle when it comes to fighting Covid, but they don't tell the whole story when it comes to immunity.
Our immune system is complicated, and doesn't just have one weapon. There are neutralizing antibodies, other kinds of antibodies, memory B cells and T cells.
Antibodies are important. They bind to and coat the surface of the virus to prevent it from invading a cell. But they don’t last long (no definitive data on how long yet) and it’s not clear to what extent Covid antibodies protect us.
Then there are B and T cells which are special white blood cells (lymphocytes) that work together to fight an infection and can remember how to fight it off in the future. And they outlast antibodies.
It’s complicated but basically antibodies aren’t the end all be all. There’s a whole team to fight infections.
Immunological mechanisms of vaccine-induced protection against COVID-19 in humans - Nature Reviews Immunology
This Progress article summarizes our current understanding of the immune mechanisms of protection induced by the available COVID-19 vaccines. The authors compare vaccine-induced antibody responses following one or two doses of different vaccines and consider the relative importance of...www.nature.com
@MamaBee FYI
I have received the booster dose and had only a sore arm. It of course worries me that a third moderna shot didn't have any side effects but I am grateful my Dr made sure me and all his patients who qualify were covered.
Too many lives have been taken too soon already. I am so grateful for the vaccines
@tkyasx78 I’m happy you and your family got the third vaccine…You don’t need a reaction. I‘ve been told that by my doctor..It’s working…
I hope it is!
None of my family members have had the 3rd shot yet. They don't have immunosuppressive issues that would qualify.
I have several high risk family members but they have to wait as right now since advanced age and most chronic illnesses are not recommended for a booster at this time.
Although I am pretty sure that once they qualify they will all get their shot.
A few of my friends had already got their 3rd shots. They don't care you just walk in and they'll give you the jab. I think companies like CVS will be reimbursed $60 per jab from our government.MamaBee - was thinking of you today. My friend said she got a third dose at CVS. She just walked into Target and asked about a dose. Was told they were thawing vials and could take her in 20 minutes. Was given paperwork to fill out and honestly answered "no" when it asked if she was immunocompromised. Pharmacy tech/pharmacist did not even look at her answer, gave her a third dose.
I have heard the same - that many pharmacies are giving them no questions asked. I'm not sure where they're getting that direction, butA few of my friends had already got their 3rd shots. They don't care you just walk in and they'll give you the jab.
Yes im interested in moderna as my first 2 were Pfizer if there isn't a variant specific one available..
Canada has been mixing them as well as other countries and so far it looks like its going ok.
I have heard the same - that many pharmacies are giving them no questions asked. I'm not sure where they're getting that direction, but
Instead of saying Graves which she might know I said Basedow’s disease. It sounded more serious. I was surprised she asked so many questions. I thought because of HIPAA they weren’t supposed to ask.
I hope your husband did well with his third Pfizer. Did he get a reaction?
@wildcat03 I received my #3 Moderna shot today! I didn’t have to lie..The only think I had to do was stretch the truth a little when the tech asked me if my doctor wanted me to get the third vaccine. She didn’t know..but if she knew I wanted it she would be okay with it. I didn’t say I was immunocompromised..I said I had an immune disorder..She asked me which one…Instead of saying Graves which she might know I said Basedow’s disease. It sounded more serious. I was surprised she asked so many questions. I thought because of HIPAA they weren’t supposed to ask.
I hope your husband did well with his third Pfizer. Did he get a reaction?
So glad you got it!!
Husband felt a little tired and achey starting about 26 hours after his shot. That was 5 pm. By the next morning he felt fine. Didn't take anything for his symptoms. He had the same reaction and same timeline with his second shot.
I really would like my third Moderna but given the intensity of my symptoms with dose 2 and the fact that I am caring for a newborn (and nursing round the clock) I'm hoping that the booster dose of 50 mcg gets approved. If not I will probably wait until just before I go back to work in November with the hope that baby will be sleeping slightly longer stretches (a girl can dream).
I’m so glad you got the shot @MamaBee.
My brother got the third shot. His doctor didn’t really give him an option. He told he needed it and he was getting it. Within two minutes of this conversation he had the shot. I’m so relieved he has it.