Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #109

[Teche]

Pretty sure in most of Europe, the government is still providing these for free. Why does the US often resist taking care of its own people?

It’s sad to see because I know of many people who don’t have transportation to/from testing sites for free Covid testing. Most of the sites in our parish discontinued testing clinics. Our state is experiencing a terrible surge. I’d prefer free tests and treatment for positive cases instead of providing college tuition repayment waivers for now.

The free masks from designated drugstores in our state never materialized. Thankfully, our family could afford to purchase masks after homemade cloth masks were no longer recommendated.

 

[Sundog]

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/30/health/paxlovid-efficacy-seniors

Paxlovid, the Covid-19 treatment made by Pfizer, reduced hospitalizations and deaths in older patients during the Omicron surge in Israel earlier this year, but made no difference for patients under 65 at high risk for severe disease, new research has found.

The study is one of the first published examinations of the real-life effectiveness of Paxlovid against the Omicron variant, now the dominant version of the coronavirus. Pfizer’s trials of Paxlovid were conducted during a surge of the Delta variant last year, and included only unvaccinated individuals.

The new study did not address another pressing mystery: how often patients experience “rebound” cases of Covid after taking the drug. Jill Biden, the first lady, exited a second isolation period on Monday after her infection returned following a course of Paxlovid.

Deaths were significantly reduced in the older patients treated with Paxlovid. Only two of 2,484 treated patients died, compared with 158 of the 40,337 untreated patients, a risk reduction of 79 percent.

The drug had little effect on younger adults, however, making no significant dent in deaths or hospitalizations, which were as low in this group as among the older treated patients.

Two things stand out for me in this article. First is that I wonder why they didn't keep data on rebound cases of those who took Paxlovid, and their ages and other demographics, versus those who didn't have a rebound case.

Second, this study was done apparently during the delta variant stage of the pandemic, and delta was a particularly aggressive variant, so the results seem to be positive with regard to the impact of Paxlovid on those who took it.


Edited to correct mess of posts replying to. Sorry for earlier version.

 

[Sundog]

US clears updated COVID boosters targeting newest variants

U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain.

apnews.com

Interesting that you only have to wait 2 months between last booster and new bivalent vaccine shot this fall. I wonder why they reduced the waiting time from four months between boosters to two months from the time of the last vaccine or booster shot to the time when you are eligible to get this new bivalent vaccine shot.

Also, it sounds like the CDC's and FDA's priority this time around is to try to stop infection, not just hospitalization and death for high risk patients. So there is a different goal post. I wonder if that means that those who have received the vaccine and the two most recent boosters really need the new bivalent booster. Sounds like they are still doing studies to get more information on this, but recommending the bivalent shot to seniors just in case.

Well, I will be eligible for the bivalent booster at the end of September, just in time to add it to the annual flu shot.

 

[anneg]

Interesting that you only have to wait 2 months between last booster and new bivalent vaccine shot this fall. I wonder why they reduced the waiting time from four months between boosters to two months from the time of the last vaccine or booster shot to the time when you are eligible to get this new bivalent vaccine shot.

Also, it sounds like the CDC's and FDA's priority this time around is to try to stop infection, not just hospitalization and death for high risk patients. So there is a different goal post. I wonder if that means that those who have received the vaccine and the two most recent boosters really need the new bivalent booster. Sounds like they are still doing studies to get more information on this, but recommending the bivalent shot to seniors just in case.

Well, I will be eligible for the bivalent booster at the end of September, just in time to add it to the annual flu shot.

Last fall, I got the first booster and my flu shot at the same time. Perhaps I'll do the same this year. As a "Covid virgin" and an elderly person, I'd like to keep avoiding the virus and the possibility of developing Long Covid.

 

[cujenn81]

It’s sad to see because I know of many people who don’t have transportation to/from testing sites for free Covid testing. Most of the sites in our parish discontinued testing clinics. Our state is experiencing a terrible surge. I’d prefer free tests and treatment for positive cases instead of providing college tuition repayment waivers for now.

The free masks from designated drugstores in our state never materialized. Thankfully, our family could afford to purchase masks after homemade cloth masks were no longer recommendated.

Really? Almost all of our grocery stores and pharmacies have free masks on display by the door for customers to use or take as they enter the store.

 

[margarita25]

Dear Dr. Tedros (Doc T), Dr. Mike Ryan, Dr. Maria & WHO Team,

Thank you for your continued amazing humanitarian efforts and service, and for keeping us updated and helping guide us through these most difficult times.

Margarita

 

[ilovepierre]

Health Canada has just approved Moderna’s Omicron specific booster. Shouldn’t be too long before they do the same with Pfizer.

I’ve already gotten my most recent booster. I wonder if I’ll have to wait the 5-6 months to get the new one or if the waiting period will be shortened so those who want it can get it earlier.

 

[Teche]

Really? Almost all of our grocery stores and pharmacies have free masks on display by the door for customers to use or take as they enter the store.

Those masks are available to shoppers However, certain drugstores were designated to give away a small supply of N95 masks. I’ve checked with several pharmacies and none had received their masks to provide to the public.
This was an initiative that was going to be provided by the federal government when the homemade masks were no longer recommended as a protection against Covid. This initiative was reported by the media.

CNN reported it in Jan.2022.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Those masks are available to shoppers However, certain drugstores were designated to give away a small supply of N95 masks. I’ve checked with several pharmacies and none had received their masks to provide to the public.
This was an initiative that was going to be provided by the federal government when the homemade masks were no longer recommended as a protection against Covid. This initiative was reported by the media.

CNN reported it in Jan.2022.

Locally, the government issued N95 masks were distributed at Meijer and Kroger. We got a package of 3 at Meijer and were offered another pack of 3 at Kroger but turned them down because we already had some and wanted to make sure that there were enough for all who wanted them. The masks are very uncomfortable, so neither of us has ever used them.

 

[Sundog]

Locally, the government issued N95 masks were distributed at Meijer and Kroger. We got a package of 3 at Meijer and were offered another pack of 3 at Kroger but turned them down because we already had some and wanted to make sure that there were enough for all who wanted them. The masks are very uncomfortable, so neither of us has ever used them.

We got free masks at Kroger and Meijer, also, but as you mentioned, the N95 masks they were giving away were very uncomfortable. I have used them when I have had to, but they are the molded kind of N95 masks and are really uncomfortable.

 

[Sundog]

Health Canada has just approved Moderna’s Omicron specific booster. Shouldn’t be too long before they do the same with Pfizer.

I’ve already gotten my most recent booster. I wonder if I’ll have to wait the 5-6 months to get the new one or if the waiting period will be shortened so those who want it can get it earlier.

From the MSM article posted above, apparently it is a 2 month waiting time between booster and new bivalent vaccine shot.

ETA link

US clears updated COVID boosters targeting newest variants

U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain.

apnews.com

 

[Teche]

We got free masks at Kroger and Meijer, also, but as you mentioned, the N95 masks they were giving away were very uncomfortable. I have used them when I have had to, but they are the molded kind of N95 masks and are really uncomfortable.

CVS, Walgreens, Target, Super1 nor Walmart in our city received them. I checked numerous time. I purchased a couple of boxes for my family via Amazon and shared some with a lady who has serious health challenges and a limited income.

 

[cujenn81]

Those masks are available to shoppers However, certain drugstores were designated to give away a small supply of N95 masks. I’ve checked with several pharmacies and none had received their masks to provide to the public.
This was an initiative that was going to be provided by the federal government when the homemade masks were no longer recommended as a protection against Covid. This initiative was reported by the media.

CNN reported it in Jan.2022.

Ohhhh okay, gotcha! I never even heard about this.

 

[neesaki]

China seems to still be locking people down wherever. Ikea. Really?

Shanghai Covid: Ikea shoppers flee attempt to lock down store

Video shows people running out of the store in Xuhui district as guards tried to shut them in.

www.bbc.com

I can’t imagine being locked down in a big store, away from my home and family, with a bunch of strangers. I don’t blame those poor people for fleeing !

 

[Sundog]

"Many Americans now view the Covid-19 pandemic as endemic, meaning it won’t likely cause unexpected disruptions to daily life, even as 400 people in the U.S. die each day from the virus. At that rate, Covid-19 is on track to become the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer, though strategies exist to significantly reduce the number of deaths." BBM Quote is from today's (September 2, 2022) Forbes -Daily Dozen (sorry , having trouble bringing over the link)​

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

How, where and when to get updated Covid booster shots targeting BA.5

The CDC recommended updated boosters, which target the original virus as well as the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants, for adults and teens on Thursday.

www.nbcnews.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended Thursday that teenagers and adults get updated booster shots from Pfizer or Moderna. The shots — also known as bivalent vaccines —are designed to target both the original coronavirus strain and the currently circulating omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

The decision follows a similar recommendation from a panel of independent advisers to the CDC, which voted in favor of the shots Thursday.

The CDC's recommendation means the shots can now be administered to the public. But a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said people likely won't start getting updated boosters until after Labor Day...

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

While it seems that DH and I would be eligible for the bivalent vaccine, we had our second Pfizer boosters on July 16, so it seems too soon to get yet another injection. We will get our annual flu shots next month and hold off on the new boosters until late fall/early winter. JMO

 

[Lilibet]

While it seems that DH and I would be eligible for the bivalent vaccine, we had our second Pfizer boosters on July 16, so it seems too soon to get yet another injection. We will get our annual flu shots next month and hold off on the new boosters until late fall/early winter. JMO

We got our second Pfizer booster in May, so I think we will aim for the middle of this month and get our flu shots at the same time. A local pharmacist recommended several years ago that we get our flu shot in mid to late September when the university students arrive back in our small town. He had noticed that they seemed to bring the flu with them. I used to wait until early November.

 

[ilovepierre]

I usually get my flu shot in October. Fingers crossed the bivalent vaccine is available here by then and I can both at the same time.

 

[Teche]

Is it being reported that the newest vaccine version has only been tested on mice. I’m vaccinated and boosted. Is anyone concerned that there have been no human trials?