Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #102

[beatrixpotter]

I hesitated to post this because it's such a breathtaking statement from Dr. Jonathan Reiner when he quotes German Health Minister Hans Spahn during a CNN interview today.

"It's not just a good idea to get a third dose. This should be mandatory."

He refers to German health minister Jens Spahn saying that this winter, you'll either be vaccinated, recovering from covid, or dead. "I think that's true in the US."

Geesh.
Source: https://mobile.twitter.com/JReinerMD

That's so effing brutal. I'm already over 2 months out from my booster. So it looks like me and my ample fat backside will be totally screwed by the time Omicron arrives. Even if I personally totally self isolate at home the rest of my family can not.

 

[CrimeAway]

Interview with Moderna chairman about Omicron and vaccines:

 

[pocketaccent]

Just saw an article in the Daily Mail , which I cannot post from my tablet--
the jist of the article is that the efficacy of Pfizer and Moderna drops quite a bit
after 120 days-- you may want to locate tbe article and post it. They studied veterans
over a period of months. Dr Fauci is talking about a 4th booster- I am beginning to
think the weakness of this vaccine is its shelf life

Here it is. (very informative)

Effectiveness of the vaccines at preventing hospitalization from Covid drops after 120 days | Daily Mail Online

The ability of the COVID-19 vaccines to prevent severe illness and hospitalization wanes over time, a CDC study finds.

Researchers at the agency found that the effectiveness of severe illness prevention drops from as high as 89 percent to as low as 75 percent 120 days after the second shot of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is received.

The data was gathered by the agency from February to September, though, meaning the Omicron variant had not yet been discovered at the time.

...
The CDC researchers gathered data from 1,900 fully vaccinated veteran patients at five Veterans Affairs hospitals around the country.
....

 

[WichitaFalls]

That's so effing brutal. I'm already over 2 months out from my booster. So it looks like me and my ample fat backside will be totally screwed by the time Omicron arrives. Even if I personally totally self isolate at home the rest of my family can not.

Beatixpotter, I know I'm two months out from my booster and have an ample backside as well. Covid has thrown us curve after curve but not all the predictions have come true. I remember when schools went back to in person thinking we're in big trouble but big trouble didn't happen. For now we're in that hold your breath and wait (way too many times the past two years) period. Time will tell. Hang in there and thanks for making me laugh while relating to the ample backside comment.

 

[CrimeAway]

This Week In Virology's (TWIV) latest episode includes discussion of Covid vaccine timing and immune response and whether a longer interval between the first 2 doses leads to a stronger response. This touches on the current recommendation for a third booster dose, and the pros and cons of extending the interval between dose 1 & 2. Also, a paper looking at immune responses to vaccination following infection is discussed. It seems that the mRNA vaccines may have been better (?) if they had originally been designed to be given as a series of 3, but of course in a pandemic, scientists were trying to get effective vaccines out to the public ASAP. JMO.

ETA links:
AAAS

Higher Antibody Response Is Generated With a 6- to 7-Week (vs Standard) Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Vaccine Dosing Interval

Strong humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 Spike after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination with a 16-week interval between doses - ScienceDirect

 

[JayWill]

That's so effing brutal. I'm already over 2 months out from my booster. So it looks like me and my ample fat backside will be totally screwed by the time Omicron arrives. Even if I personally totally self isolate at home the rest of my family can not.

I don't think that is true. You still have some immunity from the two shots and everyone will not get covid in the next two months. MOO.

 

[jjenny]

Beatixpotter, I know I'm two months out from my booster and have an ample backside as well. Covid has thrown us curve after curve but not all the predictions have come true. I remember when schools went back to in person thinking we're in big trouble but big trouble didn't happen. For now we're in that hold your breath and wait (way too many times the past two years) period. Time will tell. Hang in there and thanks for making me laugh while relating to the ample backside comment.

Well, we are in big trouble.
Covid cases are up, especially in states with cold weather. A lot of cases are happening in schools.

 

[IceIce9]

Interesting to hear the travelers' reports above. We are staying home for the holidays. Concern about air travel and omicron are big factors--even tho we are triple vaccinated. Last June we drove to Vermont to celebrate a grandson's graduation from high school, and I thought it was likely we would be able to fly up for Christmas, but I'm glad we decided not to do it. Except for the part about not being with our family, of course.

I fly for work, and my travel has been greatly reduced since COVID began. Pre-COVID I used to average four flights a week. Now I have only flown about a dozen times in the past year.

 

[WichitaFalls]

Well, we are in big trouble.
Covid cases are up, especially in states with cold weather. A lot of cases are happening in schools.

I understand that we're (the world) currently in a pretty bad state and that schools are reporting covid cases

I'm in Dallas and going back to school here in August did not produce the rise in cases that was possible/feared. It was in the 80s here today so we haven't been forced indoors so our numbers although slightly higher aren't as dire as some of the northern states. I wasn't as clear as I could have been. Thanks for your clarification, I always enjoy your posts.

 

[IceIce9]

Just saw an article in the Daily Mail , which I cannot post from my tablet--
the jist of the article is that the efficacy of Pfizer and Moderna drops quite a bit
after 120 days-- you may want to locate tbe article and post it. They studied veterans
over a period of months. Dr Fauci is talking about a 4th booster- I am beginning to
think the weakness of this vaccine is its shelf life

I have the feeling we will be needing COVID booster shots every six months for some time to come. Hope I am wrong about that.

 

[CrimeAway]

I wonder how much testing is being done in school age children in the US.

Here is information about the UK and schools, from the BBC:

Omicron: How are pupils being kept Covid-safe?

 

[CrimeAway]

I have the feeling we will be needing COVID booster shots every six months for some time to come. Hope I am wrong about that.

I think that the jury is still out on that, but JMO

 

[jjenny]

I understand that we're (the world) currently in a pretty bad state and that schools are reporting covid cases

I'm in Dallas and going back to school here in August did not produce the rise in cases that was possible/feared. It was in the 80s here today so we haven't been forced indoors so our numbers although slightly higher aren't as dire as some of the northern states. I wasn't as clear as I could have been. Thanks for your clarification, I always enjoy your posts.

Yea, my cold weather state isn't doing well at all. Southern states are doing better right now, presumably because winter there is mild.

 

[Arkay]

Well, we are in big trouble.
Covid cases are up, especially in states with cold weather. A lot of cases are happening in schools.

I fortunately retired from teaching shortly before Covid was recognized, but many of my friends are still teaching. Just today, one of them told me that in her pre-k class, Covid has been ricocheting around. Those kids are four years old, can't be vaccinated---one child got it from her mother and has spread it. The pre-k classes as well as the 5th grade classes just transitioned to remote learning, since it's in 5th grade as well.
I worry for my grandchildren. The eldest is vaccinated, but not my two little ones. And yes, it's cold here and so most people are spending the majority of time indoors again.

I do blame the unvaccinated, but also those who are getting lazy about masks. I had a doctor's appointment today, and some of the patients in the waiting room had their masks on their chins. Not only that, but one of the receptionists was not wearing a mask. At a doctor's office! During a pandemic! With four signs on the front windows saying "no entry without a mask."

I was the crazy woman asking, then complaining, then yelling that they all needed masks. I complained inside to the doctor and he sort of shrugged it off.

I've seen this doctor for over 20 years and am thinking of firing him. How could a doctor's office be so nonchalant and ignorant?

A lot more diligence is required so those of us who are careful can go back to normal life.

IMO.

 

[WichitaFalls]

Yea, my cold weather state isn't doing well at all. Southern states are doing better right now, presumably because winter there is mild.

Alarm bells are sounding again (I started noticing them the day after Thanksgiving). We in the south will see increases in cases and hospitilizations in the near future, I'm sure of it. We've had our first two cases (today) of Omicron with two young people that both had two doses of Pfizer with no recent travel which says community spread is here. I hope and pray for best case scenaro for everyone but being a person that doesn't like surprises, I'm prepared for the same heartbreak we felt when the first wave of covid hit.
I'm so grateful for this site and the people that post.

 

[anneg]

I fortunately retired from teaching shortly before Covid was recognized, but many of my friends are still teaching. Just today, one of them told me that in her pre-k class, Covid has been ricocheting around. Those kids are four years old, can't be vaccinated---one child got it from her mother and has spread it. The pre-k classes as well as the 5th grade classes just transitioned to remote learning, since it's in 5th grade as well.
I worry for my grandchildren. The eldest is vaccinated, but not my two little ones. And yes, it's cold here and so most people are spending the majority of time indoors again.

I do blame the unvaccinated, but also those who are getting lazy about masks. I had a doctor's appointment today, and some of the patients in the waiting room had their masks on their chins. Not only that, but one of the receptionists was not wearing a mask. At a doctor's office! During a pandemic! With four signs on the front windows saying "no entry without a mask."

I was the crazy woman asking, then complaining, then yelling that they all needed masks. I complained inside to the doctor and he sort of shrugged it off.

I've seen this doctor for over 20 years and am thinking of firing him. How could a doctor's office be so nonchalant and ignorant?

A lot more diligence is required so those of us who are careful can go back to normal life.

IMO.

I agree with you. The idea of you ranting about masks in the doctor's office, though, is rather amusing! Did everyone just ignore you? ...Sigh.

 

[cujenn81]

I am sorry to hear about your sister being sick and possible exposure to Covid. All of the adults in my immediate family are boostered and had minor side effects from either Pfizer or Moderna booster.
I hope your sister feels better soon.

I third and fourth the well wishes for your sister!

I received the Pfizer vaccine for my first two jabs and Moderna for my booster.

Pfizer Vaccine #1: no side effects

Pfizer Vaccine #2:

- mild soreness around injection site
onset: 6 hours post injection
duration: few days

- mild fever ; 99.9F
onset: 18-20 hours post injection
duration: 3-4 hours

- body aches
onset: 18-20 hours post injection
duration: 8-10 hours

- fatigue
onset: 18-20 hours post injection
duration: 24 hours

Moderna Booster:

- moderate swelling and soreness around injection site
onset: 6 hours post injection
duration: a day or two

- moderate to severe fatigue and body aches
(you know—that general “I’ve been hit by a truck” feeling)
onset: 18 hours post injection
duration: 36 hours

- severe swelling of the lymph node under the arm that received the injection
onset: 24 hours post injection
duration: the better part of a week

TBH, the swollen lymph node was the worst part for me. That mess really HURTS! Yet… despite the unpleasant side effects, I still believe it’s worth getting a boost and would gladly do it again. A day or two of dealing with aches and pains is certainly a walk in the park compared to having COVID.

 

[MimosaMornings]

I fortunately retired from teaching shortly before Covid was recognized, but many of my friends are still teaching. Just today, one of them told me that in her pre-k class, Covid has been ricocheting around. Those kids are four years old, can't be vaccinated---one child got it from her mother and has spread it. The pre-k classes as well as the 5th grade classes just transitioned to remote learning, since it's in 5th grade as well.
I worry for my grandchildren. The eldest is vaccinated, but not my two little ones. And yes, it's cold here and so most people are spending the majority of time indoors again.

I do blame the unvaccinated, but also those who are getting lazy about masks. I had a doctor's appointment today, and some of the patients in the waiting room had their masks on their chins. Not only that, but one of the receptionists was not wearing a mask. At a doctor's office! During a pandemic! With four signs on the front windows saying "no entry without a mask."

I was the crazy woman asking, then complaining, then yelling that they all needed masks. I complained inside to the doctor and he sort of shrugged it off.

I've seen this doctor for over 20 years and am thinking of firing him. How could a doctor's office be so nonchalant and ignorant?

A lot more diligence is required so those of us who are careful can go back to normal life.

IMO.

Are the schools masking there?

My doctor wears a mask and face shield and so does much of the staff.
I’m grateful for their diligence.

 

[Arkay]

I agree with you. The idea of you ranting about masks in the doctor's office, though, is rather amusing! Did everyone just ignore you? ...Sigh.

Are the schools masking there?

My doctor wears a mask and face shield and so does much of the staff.
I’m grateful for their diligence.

@anneg I was clearly annoying everyone. One guy said he can't wear a mask because he can't breathe, another told me to mind my own business. Everyone else ignored me, but I did have a huge argument with the receptionist. I could not fathom that someone surrounded by potentially ill people all day could be so ignorant. And how my doctor allowed it! But I did make a scene.
@MimosaMornings our schools do mask. It’s hard for four year olds though. Also, since they no longer can go to the cafeteria, classes now eat lunch in the classroom with the teacher. Obviously they can’t wear masks then.
I’m really grateful as well that your doctor and staff seem to know what they’re doing and care for the well-being of those around them.

 

[JaneEyre]

I fortunately retired from teaching shortly before Covid was recognized, but many of my friends are still teaching. Just today, one of them told me that in her pre-k class, Covid has been ricocheting around. Those kids are four years old, can't be vaccinated---one child got it from her mother and has spread it. The pre-k classes as well as the 5th grade classes just transitioned to remote learning, since it's in 5th grade as well.
I worry for my grandchildren. The eldest is vaccinated, but not my two little ones. And yes, it's cold here and so most people are spending the majority of time indoors again.

I do blame the unvaccinated, but also those who are getting lazy about masks. I had a doctor's appointment today, and some of the patients in the waiting room had their masks on their chins. Not only that, but one of the receptionists was not wearing a mask. At a doctor's office! During a pandemic! With four signs on the front windows saying "no entry without a mask."

I was the crazy woman asking, then complaining, then yelling that they all needed masks. I complained inside to the doctor and he sort of shrugged it off.

I've seen this doctor for over 20 years and am thinking of firing him. How could a doctor's office be so nonchalant and ignorant?

A lot more diligence is required so those of us who are careful can go back to normal life.

IMO.

Oh, Arkay, I'm with you on this.