ItsMainelyYou
Ideal_Rock
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Will you get the Covid 19 Booster vaccine when it is available to you?
- Thread starter missy
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Get better soon, @ItsMainelyYou !!!! Sorry you're feeling bad, but thanks for the laugh!!!
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@ItsMainelyYou, Did you get the Moderna or Pfizer booster shot?
ItsMainelyYou
Ideal_Rock
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Moderna, half dose as that is all they offered, exactly six months out. It's kicking me in the ass a bit at the moment with some lethargy and tiny sinus headache just like last time. I expect it'll be business as usual tomorrow.
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@ItsMainelyYou , I hope you feel better quickly. That third Moderna booster really kicked my butt too. You will probably feel much better tomorrow.
CMN
Brilliant_Rock
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MamaBee
Super_Ideal_Rock
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Thank you @missy! I don’t know how I missed this. I already bought shields from Amazon. I figured if I had to test everyone I didn’t want them sneezing in my face..@MamaBee
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I’ll check out your link. Mine are probably not the best.
MamaBee
Super_Ideal_Rock
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I wish it kicked my butt. I wonder what that means. I bet my immune system is a dud..
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I am totally pro vaccination but just wanted a winge to say the Moderna booster that I had yesterday afternoon has really knocked me around. Whole body aches, arm and hand numb this morning, sore eyeballs for a short while, hot and cold body temperature changes, and a lovely bout of vomiting.
I am sorry it affected you so much but just think of all the lovely antibodies you are making. My DH had no symptoms after the vaccines and he had no antibodies either. I had fever and chills etc and my antibodies are through the roof. Since he had no antibodies and many risk factors his doctor wanted him to get another vaccine which he did. This time he had a bit of tiredness and achey arm. We shall see if he makes antibodies or not after this last one. All this to say it is good to get a reaction. IMO. From my research this is my conclusion. That is not to say if you dont get a reaction you aren't protected. There is more to it than antibodies but antibodies are important. And while no reaction isnt necessarily bad a reaction could be a good sign. IMO.
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Quick update. 7 days after testing positive for Covid I tested negative. I only had mild symptoms for about 3 days, lower backache, mild congestion. I have been vaccinated and boosted (3rd dose). Honestly, I would have never thought I had covid had I not tested. It was not even as bad as most colds I've had. I am pretty sure it must have been omicron due to the symptoms and duration. My daughter who is 12 and vaccinated had even fewer symptoms.
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COVID Booster Protection May Wane in About 10 Weeks, New Data Show
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Booster shot protection against symptomatic COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant appears to fade in about 10 weeks, according to new data from Britain.
U.K. health officials shared the data just before Christmas and noted that there haven't been enough severe cases of the Omicron variant to calculate how well boosters protect against severe disease. But they believe the extra shots provide significant protection against hospitalization and death.
"It will be a few weeks before effectiveness against severe disease with Omicron can be estimated," U.K. Health Security Agency officials wrote in the report. "However, based on experience with previous variants, this is likely to be substantially higher than the estimates against symptomatic disease."
Since countries began reporting Omicron cases in November, multiple studies have suggested the variant is better at escaping antibodies from vaccination and previous infection, according to The New York Times . The U.K. report adds to that, noting that both the initial vaccine series and booster doses were less effective and faded faster against the Omicron variant than the Delta variant.
Among those who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, a booster of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine was 60% effective at preventing symptomatic disease 2 to 4 weeks after the shot. But after 10 weeks, the Pfizer booster was 35% effective, and the Moderna booster was 45% effective. (The AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized in the U.S., but the Johnson & Johnson shot uses a similar technology, The New York Times reported.)
Among those who received three Pfizer doses, vaccine effectiveness was 70% about a week after the booster but dropped to 45% after 10 weeks. At the same time, those who received an initial two-dose series of the Pfizer vaccine and then a Moderna booster seemed to have 75% effectiveness up to 9 weeks.
The report was based on an analysis of 148,000 Delta cases and 68,000 Omicron cases in the U.K. through Dec. 20. So far, the U.K. health officials wrote, Omicron infections appear to be less severe and less likely to lead to hospitalization than Delta infections. At that time, 132 people with lab-confirmed Omicron had been admitted to hospitals, and 14 deaths had been reported among ages 52-96.
"This analysis is preliminary because of the small numbers of Omicron cases currently in hospital and the limited spread of Omicron into older age groups as yet," the report said.
The reinfection rate has also increased for the Omicron variant, the report found. Among the 116,000 people who had an Omicron infection, about 11,000 -- or 9.5% -- were linked to a previous confirmed infection, which is likely an undercount of reinfections. In the data analyzed, 69 Omicron cases were a third episode of COVID-19 infection, and 290 cases occurred 60-89 days after a first infection.
"
"
Booster shot protection against symptomatic COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant appears to fade in about 10 weeks, according to new data from Britain.
U.K. health officials shared the data just before Christmas and noted that there haven't been enough severe cases of the Omicron variant to calculate how well boosters protect against severe disease. But they believe the extra shots provide significant protection against hospitalization and death.
"It will be a few weeks before effectiveness against severe disease with Omicron can be estimated," U.K. Health Security Agency officials wrote in the report. "However, based on experience with previous variants, this is likely to be substantially higher than the estimates against symptomatic disease."
Since countries began reporting Omicron cases in November, multiple studies have suggested the variant is better at escaping antibodies from vaccination and previous infection, according to The New York Times . The U.K. report adds to that, noting that both the initial vaccine series and booster doses were less effective and faded faster against the Omicron variant than the Delta variant.
Among those who received two doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, a booster of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine was 60% effective at preventing symptomatic disease 2 to 4 weeks after the shot. But after 10 weeks, the Pfizer booster was 35% effective, and the Moderna booster was 45% effective. (The AstraZeneca vaccine is not authorized in the U.S., but the Johnson & Johnson shot uses a similar technology, The New York Times reported.)
Among those who received three Pfizer doses, vaccine effectiveness was 70% about a week after the booster but dropped to 45% after 10 weeks. At the same time, those who received an initial two-dose series of the Pfizer vaccine and then a Moderna booster seemed to have 75% effectiveness up to 9 weeks.
The report was based on an analysis of 148,000 Delta cases and 68,000 Omicron cases in the U.K. through Dec. 20. So far, the U.K. health officials wrote, Omicron infections appear to be less severe and less likely to lead to hospitalization than Delta infections. At that time, 132 people with lab-confirmed Omicron had been admitted to hospitals, and 14 deaths had been reported among ages 52-96.
"This analysis is preliminary because of the small numbers of Omicron cases currently in hospital and the limited spread of Omicron into older age groups as yet," the report said.
The reinfection rate has also increased for the Omicron variant, the report found. Among the 116,000 people who had an Omicron infection, about 11,000 -- or 9.5% -- were linked to a previous confirmed infection, which is likely an undercount of reinfections. In the data analyzed, 69 Omicron cases were a third episode of COVID-19 infection, and 290 cases occurred 60-89 days after a first infection.
"
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SparklieBug
Brilliant_Rock
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I read a similar article via my news feed this morning. This is so interesting. I'm scheduled for a booster tomorrow morning. My first vaccine was AstraZeneca, second was Moderna, and I believe that the pharmacy carries Moderna for the booster.
I'm very curious to see where the science is after the 10-week time period. This all points to ongoing changes as a) the virus mutates, and b) our understanding of the effects of vaccine upon virus. Or the effects of the mutating virus and a lack of vaccine, for that matter.
There was another interesting article where the CDC had changed its quarantine/isolation times from ten to five days, based on when the virus is most transmissible. (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1227-isolation-quarantine-guidance.html)
Given that Omicron is supposedly milder, even though more transmissible, I'm wondering (hoping!) that it's now going the way of the Spanish Flu—here, amongst us, but relatively innocuous.
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Looks like their may be an Omicron specific booster in March. Maybe.
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Moderna CEO Says Data for Omicron-Specific Shot Likely Available in March
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(Reuters) - Moderna Inc's vaccine candidate against the Omicron coronavirus variant will enter clinical development in the next few weeks and the company expects to be able to share data with regulators around March, CEO Stephane Bancel said on Monday.
"The vaccine is being finished ... it should be in the clinic in coming weeks. We are hoping in the March timeframe to be able to have data to share with regulators to figure out next steps," Bancel said at the World Economic Forum's virtual Davos Agenda conference.
Moderna is also developing a single vaccine that combines a booster dose against COVID-19 with its experimental flu shot.
Bancel said the best case scenario was the combined COVID/flu vaccine would be available by the fall of 2023, at least in some countries.
"Our goal is to be able to have a single annual booster so that we don't have compliance issues where people don't want to get two to three shots a winter."
Many countries are already offering a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to their citizens, especially to older individuals and those who are immunocompromised, while Israel has started offering its citizens a fourth dose.
Earlier in January, Moderna's CEO said people may need a fourth shot in the fall of 2022 as the efficacy of boosters against COVID-19 was likely to decline over the next few months.
However, booster programs have met with skepticism from some disease experts over whether, and how widely, additional doses should become available, including the European Union's drug regulator, which has expressed doubts about the need for a fourth booster dose.
Speaking at the same event, top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said there was no evidence that repeat booster doses would overwhelm the immune system.
"Giving boosters at different times, there is really no evidence that's going to hinder (immune response)."
Fauci said the goal should be to have a booster that induces a response against multiple potential variants.
"
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Israel is giving all their citizens 60 and older and all those who are immunocompromised a fourth vaccine.
Has anyone here gotten a fourth? Is anyone thinking about it?
Personally I am waiting just because the data as I see it isn't 100% clear that a fourth is worth it. Risk vs benefits. But I reserve the right to change my mind when new evidence comes to light.
www.webmd.com
"
Jan. 18, 2022 -- A fourth shot of the COVID-19 vaccine boosts antibodies but doesn’t provide enough protection to prevent infections from the Omicron variant, according to new research at an Israeli hospital.
The preliminary results, released on Monday, challenge the idea of giving a second booster dose to slow the spread of the coronavirus, according to USA Today.
“Despite increased antibody levels, the fourth vaccine only offers a partial defense against the virus,” Gili Regev-Yochay, MD, director of the hospital’s infection prevention and control units, told reporters.
“The vaccines, which were more effective against previous variants, offer less protection versus Omicron,” she said.
In a clinical trial, 274 medical workers at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv received a fourth vaccine dose in December -- 154 got the Pfizer vaccine and 120 got the Moderna vaccine -- after previously getting three Pfizer shots.
Both groups received a boost in antibodies that was “slightly higher” than after the third shot, Regev-Yochay said. But when compared to a control group that didn’t receive the fourth dose, the extra boost didn’t prevent the spread of Omicron.
“We see many infected with Omicron who received the fourth dose,” Regev-Yochay said. “Granted, a bit less than in the control group, but still a lot of infections.”
Some public health officials in Israel say the campaign for fourth doses is still worthwhile, according to The Times of Israel. The vaccine still works well against the Alpha and Delta variants, Regev-Yochay said, and a fourth shot should go to older adults and those who face higher risks for severe COVID-19.
Hours after releasing the preliminary results, Sheba Medical Center published a statement calling for “continuing the vaccination drive for risk groups at this time, even though the vaccine doesn’t provide optimal protection against getting infected with the variant.” News outlets reported that the hospital was pressured into issuing the statement after Israel’s Health Ministry didn’t like the release of the early study results, The Times of Israel reported.
The second booster “returns the level of antibodies to what it was at the beginning of the third booster,” Nachman Ash, MD, director of Israel’s Health Ministry, told Channel 13 TV in Israel, according to The Associated Press.
“That has great importance, especially among the older population,” he said.
As of Sunday, more than 500,000 people in Israel had received fourth doses since the country began offering them last month to medical workers, immunocompromised patients, and people ages 60 and older, the AP reported. At the same time, the country has faced a recent coronavirus surge that has led to record-breaking numbers of cases and rising hospitalizations.
On Tuesday, the Israeli government said it would shorten the mandatory quarantine period from 7 days to 5 days, the AP reported.
“This decision will enable us to continue safeguarding public health on the one hand and to keep the economy going at this time on the other, even though it is difficult, so that we can get through this wave safely,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said.
"
Has anyone here gotten a fourth? Is anyone thinking about it?
Personally I am waiting just because the data as I see it isn't 100% clear that a fourth is worth it. Risk vs benefits. But I reserve the right to change my mind when new evidence comes to light.
COVID-19 Vaccines
Vaccines are seen as one of the best ways to stop COVID-19. Learn more about the types of vaccines, including the newly approved Novavax.
www.webmd.com
"
Fourth Vaccine Shot Less Effective Against Omicron, Israeli Study Says
By Carolyn Crist
Jan. 18, 2022 -- A fourth shot of the COVID-19 vaccine boosts antibodies but doesn’t provide enough protection to prevent infections from the Omicron variant, according to new research at an Israeli hospital.
The preliminary results, released on Monday, challenge the idea of giving a second booster dose to slow the spread of the coronavirus, according to USA Today.
“Despite increased antibody levels, the fourth vaccine only offers a partial defense against the virus,” Gili Regev-Yochay, MD, director of the hospital’s infection prevention and control units, told reporters.
“The vaccines, which were more effective against previous variants, offer less protection versus Omicron,” she said.
In a clinical trial, 274 medical workers at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv received a fourth vaccine dose in December -- 154 got the Pfizer vaccine and 120 got the Moderna vaccine -- after previously getting three Pfizer shots.
Both groups received a boost in antibodies that was “slightly higher” than after the third shot, Regev-Yochay said. But when compared to a control group that didn’t receive the fourth dose, the extra boost didn’t prevent the spread of Omicron.
“We see many infected with Omicron who received the fourth dose,” Regev-Yochay said. “Granted, a bit less than in the control group, but still a lot of infections.”
Some public health officials in Israel say the campaign for fourth doses is still worthwhile, according to The Times of Israel. The vaccine still works well against the Alpha and Delta variants, Regev-Yochay said, and a fourth shot should go to older adults and those who face higher risks for severe COVID-19.
Hours after releasing the preliminary results, Sheba Medical Center published a statement calling for “continuing the vaccination drive for risk groups at this time, even though the vaccine doesn’t provide optimal protection against getting infected with the variant.” News outlets reported that the hospital was pressured into issuing the statement after Israel’s Health Ministry didn’t like the release of the early study results, The Times of Israel reported.
The second booster “returns the level of antibodies to what it was at the beginning of the third booster,” Nachman Ash, MD, director of Israel’s Health Ministry, told Channel 13 TV in Israel, according to The Associated Press.
“That has great importance, especially among the older population,” he said.
As of Sunday, more than 500,000 people in Israel had received fourth doses since the country began offering them last month to medical workers, immunocompromised patients, and people ages 60 and older, the AP reported. At the same time, the country has faced a recent coronavirus surge that has led to record-breaking numbers of cases and rising hospitalizations.
On Tuesday, the Israeli government said it would shorten the mandatory quarantine period from 7 days to 5 days, the AP reported.
“This decision will enable us to continue safeguarding public health on the one hand and to keep the economy going at this time on the other, even though it is difficult, so that we can get through this wave safely,” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said.
"
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SparklieBug
Brilliant_Rock
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As a follow-up, I was really tired the first day of the booster (Moderna), and had a tender injection site for two more days. Energy levels returned by day two.
I'm less inclined to do a fourth shot, like you, @missy, depending on how things unfold. My DH will likely do a fourth due to being immunocompromised.
I now know quite a few people who contracted Omicron and symptoms ranged from mild cold-like effects, to heavier flu-like effects with a blazing headache. None had horrible adverse effects, everyone survived. So, again, musing on the idea that unless one has some underlying health issue, perhaps this latest variant effects are waning? Hope so...
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- 15,589
Previously double dosed with AZ then had my Pfizer booster a week ago. Had 4-5hrs the following day feeling blah but other then that I was fine.
Husband had exactly the same experience over the weekend. Australia just reduced its booster waiting time to 3mths at a government immunization hub but prior to this change a week ago, it was 4mths so this is what husband and I based ours on.
Husband had exactly the same experience over the weekend. Australia just reduced its booster waiting time to 3mths at a government immunization hub but prior to this change a week ago, it was 4mths so this is what husband and I based ours on.
My parents had their booster shots yesterday, dad got AZ and mom got Moderna. Her blood pressure was high at that time, so the doctor gave her medication and she had to wait for about an hour before her jab. They were just a little bit sleepy on first day, but other than no side effect whatsoever.
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Opinion | The New Kid on the Covid-Vaccine Block
Novavax, up for FDA authorization, will be a good booster option.www.wsj.com
The New Kid on the Covid-Vaccine Block
Novavax, up for FDA authorization, will be a good booster option.
"
I’m usually cautious about prescribing new vaccines and treatments for my patients. For a year after the Food and Drug Administration’s 2017 approval of Shingrix, GlaxoSmithKline’s vaccine for shingles, I was reluctant to administer it, choosing to wait for the thousands of people who took it in the clinical trial to turn into millions in the real world. But now that I’m confident it’s well-tolerated and effective, I offer it to any patient over 50.
With the Covid emergency I suspended my practice of waiting and began recommending the mRNA vaccines as soon as they were available. I’m very glad I did. But Covid fatigue, fear of novel technology, and a sense that the mRNA vaccines may not be up to the task against future variants have held many people back from taking the vaccine in the first place or getting a booster.
There will soon likely be an alternative. Novavax last month applied to the FDA for emergency-use authorization of its “protein adjuvant” Covid shot—the same technology on which Shingrix is based. The Novavax shot has already been approved in other countries, including the U.K.
Data released by the company in December shows immune protection against the Omicron variant. An Oxford study found it to be effective against Omicron when given as a booster following another Covid vaccine, including those from Pfizer and Moderna.
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The Novavax vaccine is based on tried and true technology. It involves growing the virus’s spike protein in moth cells and then combining it with an adjuvant, a chemical that amplifies the protein’s effect on the immune system. Whereas the mRNA vaccines signal human cells to make part of the protein, Novavax injects it directly as a “nanoparticle,” which induces a robust immune response (antibodies and T-cells). Side effects appear to be minimal: flulike symptoms, headache, temporary fatigue and pain at the injection site.
There are several reasons to think that Novavax may give a more powerful boost than a third or fourth mRNA shot. For one thing, the nanoparticle includes the whole spike protein, which could provoke a more complete immunity. So could the glycosylation of the spike—the addition of a sugar molecule in insect cells, which isn’t what the virus is expecting. Perhaps most important, the adjuvant (known as Matrix-M1), which comes from the inner bark of a Chilean soapbark tree, is very high in quality and has been used to make a malaria vaccine effective.
If you take Novavax as your original vaccine, would there be an advantage to an mRNA booster? Not likely, since the Novavax vaccine is already introducing the spike protein of the virus into the body—unless the mRNA shot was specifically designed to target an emerging variant.
The Omicron wave is receding fast, but other variants could emerge. The more vulnerable people who are vaccinated and boosted, the sooner the pandemic will be over. The FDA should act expeditiously to authorize an important tool we need in our armamentarium against Covid.
Dr. Siegel is a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and a Fox News medical correspondent.
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D
danusia
Guest
DH and I got our boosters in November. I had no reaction (same as 1st 2 shots), DH was a bit tired and achy after 2nd shot and booster.
However, my 27 yo DD developed myocarditis after her Pfizer booster at the end of December. She had a mild reaction to her first shot and then the 2nd one was pretty bad with fever around 100 to 102 for 2 to 3 days with chills, sweats, headache. Booster at the end of December she had a high fever again, sweats, chills, headache that lasted a few days, nausea. In her words she felt much worse after the booster than her 2nd shot. Once these symptoms went away, she felt rapid heartbeats throughout the day. After about 5 days of this she went to her gp. He swore that it was not from the vaccine and something else was wrong. He did refer her to a cardiologist. She wore a 24 hr holter monitor and had an echocardiogram. Monitor picked up the rapid beat throughout the 24 hr period she wore it. Echo showed fluid around the heart. Today cardio told her it was myocarditis.
She says that the rapid heartbeats have decreased a bit. She is scheduled to have another echo done in 3 months. She asked the doctor if he would report this to the CDC and he did not know if he should or not. He will look into it.
So are we really getting the truth about side effects from this vaccine? Cardiologist told my DD not to get anymore boosters etc and perhaps she she be tested for antibodies and then he and she will make a decision. I just pray that this does not cause any permanent damage to her heart.
However, my 27 yo DD developed myocarditis after her Pfizer booster at the end of December. She had a mild reaction to her first shot and then the 2nd one was pretty bad with fever around 100 to 102 for 2 to 3 days with chills, sweats, headache. Booster at the end of December she had a high fever again, sweats, chills, headache that lasted a few days, nausea. In her words she felt much worse after the booster than her 2nd shot. Once these symptoms went away, she felt rapid heartbeats throughout the day. After about 5 days of this she went to her gp. He swore that it was not from the vaccine and something else was wrong. He did refer her to a cardiologist. She wore a 24 hr holter monitor and had an echocardiogram. Monitor picked up the rapid beat throughout the 24 hr period she wore it. Echo showed fluid around the heart. Today cardio told her it was myocarditis.
She says that the rapid heartbeats have decreased a bit. She is scheduled to have another echo done in 3 months. She asked the doctor if he would report this to the CDC and he did not know if he should or not. He will look into it.
So are we really getting the truth about side effects from this vaccine? Cardiologist told my DD not to get anymore boosters etc and perhaps she she be tested for antibodies and then he and she will make a decision. I just pray that this does not cause any permanent damage to her heart.
tigertales
Shiny_Rock
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Glad you posted this, there's a lot of gaslighting regarding the subject of side effects.
I'm watching his chanel as well, very informative, down to earth discussions.
The one about the BMJ fact checking and Ventavia scandal are painting a good picture of what's going on.
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I won't comment regarding the above video but to say get your info from credible sources.
February 15, 2022
"
Several long COVID symptoms could be linked to the effects of the coronavirus on a vital central nerve, according to new research being released this spring.
The vagus nerve, which runs from the brain into the body, connects to the heart, lungs, intestines, and several muscles involved with swallowing. It plays a role in several body functions that control heart rate, speech, the gag reflex, sweating, and digestion.
Those with long COVID and vagus nerve problems could face long-term issues with their voice, a hard time swallowing, dizziness, a high heart rate, low blood pressure, and diarrhea, the study authors found.
Their findings will be presented at the 2022 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in late April.
"Most long COVID subjects with vagus nerve dysfunction symptoms had a range of significant, clinically-relevant, structural and/or functional alterations in their vagus nerve, including nerve thickening, trouble swallowing, and symptoms of impaired breathing," the study authors wrote. "Our findings so far thus point at vagus nerve dysfunction as a central pathophysiological feature of long COVID."
Researchers from the University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol in Spain performed a study to look at vagus nerve functioning in long COVID patients. Among 348 patients, about 66% had at least one symptom that suggested vagus nerve dysfunction. The researchers did a broad evaluation with imaging and functional tests for 22 patients in the university's Long COVID Clinic from March to June 2021.
Of the 22 patients, 20 were women, and the median age was 44. The most frequent symptoms related to vagus nerve dysfunction were diarrhea (73%), high heart rates (59%), dizziness (45%), swallowing problems (45%), voice problems (45%), and low blood pressure (14%).
Almost all (19 of 22 patients) had three or more symptoms related to vagus nerve dysfunction. The average length of symptoms was 14 months.
Six of 22 patients had a change in the vagus nerve in the neck, which the researchers observed by ultrasound. They had a thickening of the vagus nerve and increased "echogenicity," which suggests inflammation.
What's more, 10 of 22 patients had flattened "diaphragmatic curves" during a thoracic ultrasound, which means the diaphragm doesn't move as well as it should during breathing, and abnormal breathing. In another assessment, 10 of 16 patients had lower maximum inspiration pressures, suggesting a weakness in breathing muscles.
Eating and digestion were also impaired in some patients, with 13 reporting trouble with swallowing. During a gastric and bowel function assessment, eight patients couldn't move food from the esophagus to the stomach as well as they should, while nine patients had acid reflux. Three patients had a hiatal hernia, which happens when the upper part of the stomach bulges through the diaphragm into the chest cavity.
The voices of some patients changed as well. Eight patients had an abnormal voice handicap index 30 test, which is a standard way to measure voice function. Among those, seven patients had dysphonia, or persistent voice problems.
The study is ongoing, and the research team is continuing to recruit patients to study the links between long COVID and the vagus nerve. The full paper isn't yet available, and the research hasn't yet been peer-reviewed.
"The study appears to add to a growing collection of data suggesting at least some of the symptoms of long COVID is mediated through a direct impact on the nervous system," David Strain, MD, a clinical senior lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School, told the Science Media Centre.
"Establishing vagal nerve damage is useful information, as there are recognized, albeit not perfect, treatments for other causes of vagal nerve dysfunction that may be extrapolated to be beneficial for people with this type of long COVID," he said.
Sources:
EurekAlert!: "Pilot study suggests long COVID could be linked to the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the vagus nerve."
Science Media Centre: "Expert reaction to conference abstract looking at long COVID and the vagus nerve."
"
Long COVID Symptoms Linked to Effects on Vagus Nerve
Carolyn CristFebruary 15, 2022
"
Several long COVID symptoms could be linked to the effects of the coronavirus on a vital central nerve, according to new research being released this spring.
The vagus nerve, which runs from the brain into the body, connects to the heart, lungs, intestines, and several muscles involved with swallowing. It plays a role in several body functions that control heart rate, speech, the gag reflex, sweating, and digestion.
Those with long COVID and vagus nerve problems could face long-term issues with their voice, a hard time swallowing, dizziness, a high heart rate, low blood pressure, and diarrhea, the study authors found.
Their findings will be presented at the 2022 European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in late April.
"Most long COVID subjects with vagus nerve dysfunction symptoms had a range of significant, clinically-relevant, structural and/or functional alterations in their vagus nerve, including nerve thickening, trouble swallowing, and symptoms of impaired breathing," the study authors wrote. "Our findings so far thus point at vagus nerve dysfunction as a central pathophysiological feature of long COVID."
Researchers from the University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol in Spain performed a study to look at vagus nerve functioning in long COVID patients. Among 348 patients, about 66% had at least one symptom that suggested vagus nerve dysfunction. The researchers did a broad evaluation with imaging and functional tests for 22 patients in the university's Long COVID Clinic from March to June 2021.
Of the 22 patients, 20 were women, and the median age was 44. The most frequent symptoms related to vagus nerve dysfunction were diarrhea (73%), high heart rates (59%), dizziness (45%), swallowing problems (45%), voice problems (45%), and low blood pressure (14%).
Almost all (19 of 22 patients) had three or more symptoms related to vagus nerve dysfunction. The average length of symptoms was 14 months.
Six of 22 patients had a change in the vagus nerve in the neck, which the researchers observed by ultrasound. They had a thickening of the vagus nerve and increased "echogenicity," which suggests inflammation.
What's more, 10 of 22 patients had flattened "diaphragmatic curves" during a thoracic ultrasound, which means the diaphragm doesn't move as well as it should during breathing, and abnormal breathing. In another assessment, 10 of 16 patients had lower maximum inspiration pressures, suggesting a weakness in breathing muscles.
Eating and digestion were also impaired in some patients, with 13 reporting trouble with swallowing. During a gastric and bowel function assessment, eight patients couldn't move food from the esophagus to the stomach as well as they should, while nine patients had acid reflux. Three patients had a hiatal hernia, which happens when the upper part of the stomach bulges through the diaphragm into the chest cavity.
The voices of some patients changed as well. Eight patients had an abnormal voice handicap index 30 test, which is a standard way to measure voice function. Among those, seven patients had dysphonia, or persistent voice problems.
The study is ongoing, and the research team is continuing to recruit patients to study the links between long COVID and the vagus nerve. The full paper isn't yet available, and the research hasn't yet been peer-reviewed.
"The study appears to add to a growing collection of data suggesting at least some of the symptoms of long COVID is mediated through a direct impact on the nervous system," David Strain, MD, a clinical senior lecturer at the University of Exeter Medical School, told the Science Media Centre.
"Establishing vagal nerve damage is useful information, as there are recognized, albeit not perfect, treatments for other causes of vagal nerve dysfunction that may be extrapolated to be beneficial for people with this type of long COVID," he said.
Sources:
EurekAlert!: "Pilot study suggests long COVID could be linked to the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the vagus nerve."
Science Media Centre: "Expert reaction to conference abstract looking at long COVID and the vagus nerve."
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Boosters 90% Effective at Preventing Omicron Hospitalizations
Carolyn Crist"
Booster shots of the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines appear to be highly effective at preventing hospitalizations due to the Omicron variant, according to three new CDC studies published on Friday.
The extra doses were 90% effective at keeping people out of the hospital after infection and 82% effective at preventing emergency department and urgent care visits.
"These reports add more evidence to the importance of being up to date with COVID vaccinations," Rochelle Walensky, MD, director of the CDC, said Friday during a news briefing by the White House COVID-19 Response Team.
Data from Israel and other countries have suggested that booster shots can prevent severe illness and hospitalization, but it hasn't been clear until now whether extra doses would have the same effect in the U.S. In the three CDC studies, researchers reviewed millions of cases and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and deaths during the Delta and Omicron waves.
In one study, researchers analyzed hospitalizations and visits to emergency departments and urgent care clinics in 10 states between the end of August 2021 and beginning of January 2022. Vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization with Omicron fell to 57% for those who had received their second dose more than 6 months earlier. A booster shot restored protection to 90%.
In a second study, researchers analyzed nearly 10 million COVID-19 cases and more than 117,000 deaths reported at 25 state and local health departments between April and December 2021. Cases and deaths were lower among people who had received a booster dose, as compared with those who were fully vaccinated but not boosted. Cases and deaths were even lower among boosted Americans than among those who were unvaccinated.
In a third study, which was published in JAMA, the journalof the American Medical Association, researchers looked at data from more than 70,000 people who got tested for COVID-19. A third dose provided more protection against infections with symptoms than two doses or no doses. Full vaccination and boosters protected less against the Omicron variant than against the Delta variant.
The CDC also released data on Thursday that showed unvaccinated adults ages 65 and older who are infected with COVID-19 are 49 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are vaccinated and have received booster shots. Among ages 50 and older, unvaccinated adults are 45 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who are vaccinated and boosted.
"There are still millions of people who are eligible for a booster dose and have not yet received one," Walensky said Friday. "As we continue to face the Omicron variant, representing over 99% of infections in the United States today, I urge all who are eligible to get their booster shot to get it as soon as possible."
Sources
White House: "Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials," Jan. 21, 2022.CDC: "Effectiveness of a Third Dose of mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19-Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Predominance -- VISION Network, 10 States, August 2021-January 2022," "COVID-19 Incidence and Death Rates Among Unvaccinated and Fully Vaccinated Adults with and Without Booster Doses During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Emergence -- 25 U.S. Jurisdictions, April 4-December 25, 2021," "Rates of laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 hospitalizations by vaccination status."
JAMA: "Association Between 3 Doses of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine and Symptomatic Infection Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron and Delta Variants."
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Infectious Disease>COVID-19 Vaccine
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Vaccinated people are less likely to get so-called long COVID, while those infected while unvaccinated may recover from persistent symptoms faster if they get the shot, a U.K. Health Security Agency review determined.
Fully vaccinated people who became infected with COVID-19 were roughly half as likely to have any symptoms lasting more than a month, 78% less likely to have symptoms lasting 12 to 20 weeks, and 13% less likely to have at least one symptom at 6 months, according to six of the eight studies summarized in a rapid evidence briefing document.
One preprint study of moderate quality suggested the opposite -- a more than twofold higher risk of symptoms at 4 weeks from the date of diagnosis versus unvaccinated participants -- but it wasn't clear why this study contradicted the rest, the document noted, calling for more analysis.
In studies that broke down symptoms individually, there was lower likelihood of developing olfactory dysfunction and significantly lower risk at 6 months for anosmia, fatigue, hair loss, interstitial lung disease, myalgia, and "other" pain.
These findings are likely an underestimate of the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing long COVID, since the studies included only vaccinated people who were infected, not those who had infection prevented entirely, the document pointed out.
The review also found that people who already had long COVID but then got vaccinated were more likely to have improvement in symptoms -- either immediately or in the weeks afterward -- compared with those who remained unvaccinated, although most had no change in symptoms and a small number had worsening after vaccination.
The one study that looked at timing of vaccination suggested that getting the shot sooner was much better than later in terms of likelihood of symptom improvement.
"These studies add to the potential benefits of receiving a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination," said Mary Ramsay, MBBS, head of immunization at the U.K. agency, in a statement. "Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from serious symptoms when you get infected and may also help to reduce the longer-term impact."
An estimated 2% of the U.K. population reported COVID symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks after infection as of Dec. 6, 2021, well into the Omicron wave of the pandemic.
According to a prior review of mobile app data tracking cases in U.S., U.K., and Swedish populations, symptoms persisted in up to 13% of infected individuals at 1 to 2 months and in 2.6% for 3 months or longer. Potentially more reliable data from clinic-based assessments suggested that 33% to 98% of survivors have symptoms for at least a month after infection.
The U.K. Health Security Agency analysis included a total of 15 studies of long COVID: four from the U.S., four from the U.K., two from India, two online with participants in multiple countries, and one each from France, Indonesia, and Israel. Full vaccination was universally considered two doses of a two-dose vaccine series or one of a single-dose vaccine.
The document cautioned that all of the studies considered were observational. "As there are many differences between people who are and are not vaccinated, there is a risk in all these studies that factors other than vaccination status may have influenced the results (in any direction)," it pointed out.
Additionally, the studies varied widely in their definition of long COVID, and the rapid review precluded pooled or meta-analysis of the findings together.
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Long COVID Less Likely in the Vaccinated
— Even getting vaccinated after infection appears to help, review concludes
by Crystal Phend, Contributing Editor, MedPage Today February 16, 2022"
Vaccinated people are less likely to get so-called long COVID, while those infected while unvaccinated may recover from persistent symptoms faster if they get the shot, a U.K. Health Security Agency review determined.
Fully vaccinated people who became infected with COVID-19 were roughly half as likely to have any symptoms lasting more than a month, 78% less likely to have symptoms lasting 12 to 20 weeks, and 13% less likely to have at least one symptom at 6 months, according to six of the eight studies summarized in a rapid evidence briefing document.
One preprint study of moderate quality suggested the opposite -- a more than twofold higher risk of symptoms at 4 weeks from the date of diagnosis versus unvaccinated participants -- but it wasn't clear why this study contradicted the rest, the document noted, calling for more analysis.
In studies that broke down symptoms individually, there was lower likelihood of developing olfactory dysfunction and significantly lower risk at 6 months for anosmia, fatigue, hair loss, interstitial lung disease, myalgia, and "other" pain.
These findings are likely an underestimate of the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing long COVID, since the studies included only vaccinated people who were infected, not those who had infection prevented entirely, the document pointed out.
The review also found that people who already had long COVID but then got vaccinated were more likely to have improvement in symptoms -- either immediately or in the weeks afterward -- compared with those who remained unvaccinated, although most had no change in symptoms and a small number had worsening after vaccination.
The one study that looked at timing of vaccination suggested that getting the shot sooner was much better than later in terms of likelihood of symptom improvement.
"These studies add to the potential benefits of receiving a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination," said Mary Ramsay, MBBS, head of immunization at the U.K. agency, in a statement. "Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from serious symptoms when you get infected and may also help to reduce the longer-term impact."
An estimated 2% of the U.K. population reported COVID symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks after infection as of Dec. 6, 2021, well into the Omicron wave of the pandemic.
According to a prior review of mobile app data tracking cases in U.S., U.K., and Swedish populations, symptoms persisted in up to 13% of infected individuals at 1 to 2 months and in 2.6% for 3 months or longer. Potentially more reliable data from clinic-based assessments suggested that 33% to 98% of survivors have symptoms for at least a month after infection.
The U.K. Health Security Agency analysis included a total of 15 studies of long COVID: four from the U.S., four from the U.K., two from India, two online with participants in multiple countries, and one each from France, Indonesia, and Israel. Full vaccination was universally considered two doses of a two-dose vaccine series or one of a single-dose vaccine.
The document cautioned that all of the studies considered were observational. "As there are many differences between people who are and are not vaccinated, there is a risk in all these studies that factors other than vaccination status may have influenced the results (in any direction)," it pointed out.
Additionally, the studies varied widely in their definition of long COVID, and the rapid review precluded pooled or meta-analysis of the findings together.
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Past, Present, Future: The Meaning of Three-Stone Engagement Rings
Past, Present, Future: The Meaning of Three-Stone Engagement Rings - 04/14
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