Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #112

[acutename]

Florida discourages use of mRNA Covid vaccines in older adults

In updated guidance to health care providers, Florida health officials advise that "non-mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and treatment" should be prioritized.

www.nbcnews.com

Even as the Covid wave in Florida continues, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is once again advising against the mRNA vaccines: this time in the most vulnerable residents.

In updated guidance for health care providers released Thursday, the Florida Health Department and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo questioned the safety and effectiveness of the mRNA Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, including for older adults and people with underlying health problems. “Any provider concerned about the health risks associated with Covid-19 for patients over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions should prioritize patient access to non-mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and treatment,” according to the state guidance...

Novavax is supposed to not be an mRNA treatment; have not heard if it was released/available yet.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Florida discourages use of mRNA Covid vaccines in older adults

In updated guidance to health care providers, Florida health officials advise that "non-mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and treatment" should be prioritized.

www.nbcnews.com

Even as the Covid wave in Florida continues, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration is once again advising against the mRNA vaccines: this time in the most vulnerable residents.

In updated guidance for health care providers released Thursday, the Florida Health Department and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo questioned the safety and effectiveness of the mRNA Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, including for older adults and people with underlying health problems. “Any provider concerned about the health risks associated with Covid-19 for patients over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions should prioritize patient access to non-mRNA Covid-19 vaccines and treatment,” according to the state guidance...

Ladapo is a quack.

 

[Lilibet]

<modsnip - quoted post was political>

Ladapo is a quack.

A quack with a huge ego who thinks he knows better than the CDC.

 

[sds71]

The state Department of Health has sent subpoenas to more than 100 school districts asking for vaccination records of about 750 children, as it continues to investigate the extent of what it alleges was widespread falsification of childhood vaccination records by a former Amityville nurse practitioner.

Parents in Westchester County have filed petitions to quash subpoenas that the health department sent to the districts seeking vaccination records as part of its investigation of Julie DeVuono and her former practice, Wild Child Pediatrics.

One judge has denied the attempt to quash a subpoena, but two others issued temporary orders until the cases could be reviewed further.

State subpoenas vaccine records for about 750 kids tied to Amityville nurse, prompting court challenges

Parents in the Glen Cove, East Islip, East Quogue, Northport-East Northport, Massapequa and Bellmore districts — as well as one in Westchester County — have filed petitions to quash subpoenas.

www.newsday.com

 

[Gemmie]

I thought I'd share this chart with everyone about vaccine intervals from the CDC. I've decided to get mine 3X a year now/every 4 months, since efficacy wanes at around 4 months. I've included a SS of the top part of my email from the CDC as proof/source, as I have no other way to provide proof of source from a personal email. Chart pasted below that in its entirety. I outlined in red where I think likely a lot of us are to make it easier. Obviously if that doesn't pertain to your situation find the section that does.

Proof of email (snippet of it):


Entire chart:





† People ages 18 years and older who received 1 or more doses of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, NOT including 1 dose of any 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine, should receive 1 dose of any 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech) at least 8 weeks after the last dose. Additional doses may then be administered following the guidance in the table.

‡ This COVID-19 vaccine history refers to previous receipt of 3 doses of mRNA vaccine from the same manufacturer (i.e., Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) for initial vaccination followed by 1 or more additional doses of Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech, excluding receipt of 2024–2025 vaccine for any previous doses.

This information can also be found on CDC’s website at URL: Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC

We hope this information is helpful. If you need further assistance, please reach out via our online form at www.cdc.gov/info or call us at 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

Sincerely,
Amber
CDC-INFO Correspondence Team

 

[anneg]

I thought I'd share this chart with everyone about vaccine intervals from the CDC. I've decided to get mine 3X a year now/every 4 months, since efficacy wanes at around 4 months. I've included a SS of the top part of my email from the CDC as proof/source, as I have no other way to provide proof of source from a personal email. Chart pasted below that in its entirety. I outlined in red where I think likely a lot of us are to make it easier. Obviously if that doesn't pertain to your situation find the section that does.

Proof of email (snippet of it):
View attachment 531929

Entire chart:

View attachment 531930
View attachment 531931
View attachment 531932

† People ages 18 years and older who received 1 or more doses of Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, NOT including 1 dose of any 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine, should receive 1 dose of any 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech) at least 8 weeks after the last dose. Additional doses may then be administered following the guidance in the table.

‡ This COVID-19 vaccine history refers to previous receipt of 3 doses of mRNA vaccine from the same manufacturer (i.e., Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) for initial vaccination followed by 1 or more additional doses of Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech, excluding receipt of 2024–2025 vaccine for any previous doses.

This information can also be found on CDC’s website at URL: Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC

We hope this information is helpful. If you need further assistance, please reach out via our online form at www.cdc.gov/info or call us at 1-800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).

Sincerely,
Amber
CDC-INFO Correspondence Team

Thanks, Gemmie. So since I just got the Pfizer 2024-25 vaccine last week, if I followed your plan I would get additional doses in January and May, then the updated vaccine in September 2025. Sounds reasonable to me, as a person approaching age 80. I wish the protection from the vaccine lasted longer, though.

 

[Gemmie]

Thanks, Gemmie. So since I just got the Pfizer 2024-25 vaccine last week, if I followed your plan I would get additional doses in January and May, then the updated vaccine in September 2025. Sounds reasonable to me, as a person approaching age 80. I wish the protection from the vaccine lasted longer, though.

Yes, that's exactly the schedule I'll now be on (Sep/Jan/May). Sorry I didn't say that in my post, I guess I thought I had included it since I had done so in an email I sent to friends and family about me going form 2X to 3X a year, and why. My bad. Thanks for saying what I failed to! lol

As for a vaccine that lasted longer.... I hear ya but it's not possible, unfortunately.

Ever wonder why some shots last a lifetime while other vaccines need a booster dose a few months or years later?

[snip]

"If a virus replicates quickly, it has a chance to produce more mutations, also known as variants. The more variants emerge, the harder it is to make a vaccine that will create lasting immunity, because the target keeps moving," she explains.

Ethan Smith, a pharmacist at Cedars-Sinai, agrees: "If a virus is stable, that gives us a big advantage. Measles is an example of a stable virus that is unlikely to replicate, so scientists could predict that immunity would last a long time, which it does."

More at the source: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/why-vaccine-boosters.html

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

I got the Novavax vaccine. This one has been reported to have milder side effects than the other ones, and that was the case for me. I have taken all the other ones available in the US, and have always had bad arm pain and flu symptoms for at least the first two days after. With this one, I had barely any arm pain, less than even for the flu shot, and only very mild fatigue and aches.

So anybody for whom side effect are a concern, might want to look into this one.

 

[Gemmie]

I got the Novavax vaccine. This one has been reported to have milder side effects than the other ones, and that was the case for me. I have taken all the other ones available in the US, and have always had bad arm pain and flu symptoms for at least the first two days after. With this one, I had barely any arm pain, less than even for the flu shot, and only very mild fatigue and aches.

So anybody for whom side effect are a concern, might want to look into this one.

Another thing folks might to take into consideration is efficacy.

The Novavax vaccine is the only non-mRNA updated COVID vaccine that has been available in the U.S. This vaccine is a protein adjuvant that had a 90% efficacy in its clinical trial, performing almost as well as the mRNA vaccines in their early trials.

Moderna & Pfizer (mRNA) has 95%.

Comparing the COVID-19 Vaccines: How Are They Different?

Keeping up with COVID-19 vaccines can be a daunting task. To help people keep up, Yale Medicine mapped out a comparison of the most prominent ones.

www.yalemedicine.org

 

[otto]

Local (Canada/Provincial) news is that the influenza-covid vaccine will be available in mid-October. I've been thinking about wearing a mask again, at least until I have the vaccine update. It's been a long time since I had a covid vaccine.

The virus seemed to become weaker, or so we wanted to believe. I read something about a new strain in Europe that is emerging as a strong variant that needs a vaccine. Does that make sense? Are we in for another wave of covid that will overwhelm health care systems, or is this about pharmaceutical wealth?

 

[Gemmie]

Local (Canada/Provincial) news is that the influenza-covid vaccine will be available in mid-October. I've been thinking about wearing a mask again, at least until I have the vaccine update. It's been a long time since I had a covid vaccine.

The virus seemed to become weaker, or so we wanted to believe. I read something about a new strain in Europe that is emerging as a strong variant that needs a vaccine. Does that make sense? Are we in for another wave of covid that will overwhelm health care systems, or is this about pharmaceutical wealth?

That's the first I've heard that the combo flu-covid vaccine will be available in less than a month. Everything I've read and posted about says 2025, maybe even 2026. Can you share your link as that's quite interesting so I'd like to read about it. Like... which vax maker, etc.

Here's mine:

Moderna President Stephen Hoge said the drugmaker hopes to launch the combination shot for the autumn respiratory disease season in 2025. “If not 2025, then 2026,” he said.

Moderna says its combination Covid and flu vaccine works well in late-stage trial

The drugmaker hopes to launch the shot for the fall respiratory disease season in 2025.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[otto]

That's the first I've heard that the combo flu-covid vaccine will be available in less than a month. Everything I've read and posted about says 2025, maybe even 2026. Can you share your link as that's quite interesting so I'd like to read about it. Like... which vax maker, etc.

Here's mine:

Moderna President Stephen Hoge said the drugmaker hopes to launch the combination shot for the autumn respiratory disease season in 2025. “If not 2025, then 2026,” he said.

Moderna says its combination Covid and flu vaccine works well in late-stage trial

The drugmaker hopes to launch the shot for the fall respiratory disease season in 2025.

www.nbcnews.com

I am just hearing that more caution might be necessary in the Winter, unsure what to believe. Something that is not available to Canadians is mentioned, but there will be coverage for short term variants. I'm curious about what is not available, and why?

Maybe I misunderstood, and it's not one vaccine with both Influenza and Covid, but two immunizations at the same time. Both bacteria in one vaccine seems like an invitation to have a plague where the common cold means death.

"The province notes that the recently approved updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine will not be available to Albertans as it is not being domestically manufactured.

"As confirmed by Novavax, Nuvaxovid will not be available on the private market, and there will be no option for Albertans to purchase the vaccine," the office of the minister said in the statement.

Last week, the federal health agency also approved Moderna's new COVID-19 vaccine(opens in a new tab) that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.

The new formulation of the mRNA vaccine, called Spikevax, targets the KP.2 Omicron subvariant. Health Canada said it has secured enough supply of COVID-19 vaccines to meet provincial and territorial demand for the fall and winter."

COVID-19 vaccines expected to be available in Alberta by mid-October

Alberta's fall respiratory virus immunization program, including COVID-19 vaccines, is expected to begin in mid-October.

calgary.ctvnews.ca

 

[Gemmie]

I am just hearing that more caution might be necessary in the Winter, unsure what to believe.

Usually more caution is necessary in the winter as people have gone from a lot of outdoor activities, to holing up indoors due to the weather. There's covid, flu, and RSV going around. However, for this upcoming winter the CDC is expecting it to not be as bad as last year. So we're talking about 2 different things here. Annual seasonality, and this year vs previous (and future) years.

CDC expects the upcoming fall and winter respiratory disease season will likely have a similar or lower number of combined peak hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV compared to last season.

Note that this chart is for hospitalization, not cases, but I'm thinking if hospitalizations are lower, so are cases.


Experts believe there's a roughly 80% chance that the hospitalization burden for COVID-19, influenza, and RSV combined at their peak during the 2024-25 season will be similar to or lower than last season. The 2017-18 bar provides context for a severe season pre-pandemic; 2017-18 RSV data does not include pediatric hospitalizations. Data are from RESP-NET.

2024-2025 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook

CDC’s Respiratory Disease Season Outlook uses expert judgment, historical data, and scenario model

www.cdc.gov

Something that is not available to Canadians is mentioned, but there will be coverage for short term variants. I'm curious about what is not available, and why?

Maybe I misunderstood, and it's not one vaccine with both Influenza and Covid, but two immunizations at the same time. Both bacteria in one vaccine seems like an invitation to have a plague where the common cold means death.

Sounds like that's likely the case because the vax maker's haven't come up with a combo (both flu and covid in 1 shot) until hopefully fall of 2025, maybe 2026. Most people are manually "combo-ing" by getting 2 vaccines in the same visit.

It's not about which country you live in (availability), it's about the vax maker(s) coming up with a vaccine, testing it, getting approval, etc. It's too soon by at least a year for a combo vaccine according to Moderna.

On June 10, Moderna reported that its combination COVID-19/influenza shot generated even better immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza than those elicited by existing, separate vaccines.

Both of the shots used in the study are experimental. The COVID-19 portion relies on a slightly different form of SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein than the existing vaccine.

More here explaining the differences in the formula of the combo vax vs individual vax's: A Combined Flu and COVID-19 Shot May Be Coming

Last week, the federal health agency also approved Moderna's new COVID-19 vaccine(opens in a new tab) that protects against currently circulating variants of the virus.

Major vax makers started updating the formula every fall starting back with the 2023-2024 formula, as it's no longer necessary to include the original strain in the formula since it's been long gone and Covid is mutating up the ying yang. Also, they want to include what's currently going around. Not as current as I wish they were but Covid is mutating faster than vaccines can get approved and produced.

The new formulation of the mRNA vaccine, called Spikevax, targets the KP.2 Omicron subvariant. Health Canada said it has secured enough supply of COVID-19 vaccines to meet provincial and territorial demand for the fall and winter."

COVID-19 vaccines expected to be available in Alberta by mid-October

Alberta's fall respiratory virus immunization program, including COVID-19 vaccines, is expected to begin in mid-October.

calgary.ctvnews.ca

Yep. The CDC approved it on 8/22/24 and it became available in early September. Obviously it can't be everywhere at once. Roll outs take some time. I got mine last week and I've decided to now be on a 3X a year schedule, a change from 2X a year. (every Sept when the new formula comes out, then Jan and May). That's more in line with the waning efficacy (~4 months) so think it's a smart thing for me to do. Wish I had thought of that earlier but better late than never! lol

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Free COVID tests are coming back. Here’s how to get yours

The Department of Health and Human Services is offering to mail four test kits to any household that wants them.

www.detroitnews.com

Coronavirus infections have come roaring back this year, prompting the Biden administration to renew one of its earliest responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Free at-home test kits delivered via the mail.

The Department of Health and Human Services is offering to mail four test kits to any household that wants them. You can sign up for a shipment at covidtests.gov at the end of this month, the department says.

The at-home tests involve swabbing the inside of your nose to collect a sample, mixing the sample with the included reagent, placing drops of the resulting solution on a test strip, then waiting 15 to 30 minutes for the results...

 

[gremlin444]

CDC expects the upcoming fall and winter respiratory disease season will likely have a similar or lower number of combined peak hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV compared to last season.

Note that this chart is for hospitalization, not cases, but I'm thinking if hospitalizations are lower, so are cases.

I follow several epidemiologists on substack. The problem is that as of May 1, hospitals are no longer required to report Covid hospitalizations to a central tracking site.

Since most people who are testing positive are doing so on home tests, there is little to no accurate "official" data on cases of non hospitalized Covid. About the most accurate data is the wastewater tracking that some cities/counties do.

In my area the wastewater showed high numbers this summer and then another mini spike right after schools started. It's starting to dip back down, and it's predicted that of course we'll see another spike after Thanksgiving and then over the winter holidays.

 

[Gemmie]

I follow several epidemiologists on substack. The problem is that as of May 1, hospitals are no longer required to report Covid hospitalizations to a central tracking site.

Since most people who are testing positive are doing so on home tests, there is little to no accurate "official" data on cases of non hospitalized Covid. About the most accurate data is the wastewater tracking that some cities/counties do.

In my area the wastewater showed high numbers this summer and then another mini spike right after schools started. It's starting to dip back down, and it's predicted that of course we'll see another spike after Thanksgiving and then over the winter holidays.

Yeah, I was NOT happy when all the daily tracking stopped a few years ago. I used to collect data daily and charted it out. Even if I didn't do that it's still nice to know how much Covid is out there!!! And with all the home testing, which doesn't get reported as often as they should, numbers are way off IMO. I think it's why a lot of people are acting like Covid is over. It's not in your face as much as it used to be news-wise. As one of the only masker's in town, it's frustrating.

It's like the majority have gone back to business as usual like it's over, but it's NOT over. It's very frustrating.

 

[gremlin444]

Yeah, I was NOT happy when all the daily tracking stopped a few years ago. I used to collect data daily and charted it out. Even if I didn't do that it's still nice to know how much Covid is out there!!! And with all the home testing, which doesn't get reported as often as they should, numbers are way off IMO. I think it's why a lot of people are acting like Covid is over. It's not in your face as much as it used to be news-wise. As one of the only masker's in town, it's frustrating.

It's like the majority have gone back to business as usual like it's over, but it's NOT over. It's very frustrating.

The only ways I have a sense of what the prevalence of Covid is like around here in a relatively real time way (I live in a small suburb directly touching Chicago) are:
1) wastewater tracking numbers
2) having a teen at the high school (as in he tells me if lots of kids are absent from a class, what he hears at school, etc...not official word from the school)
3) being on several local Facebook groups for moms

 

[Gemmie]

The only ways I have a sense of what the prevalence of Covid is like around here in a relatively real time way (I live in a small suburb directly touching Chicago) are:
1) wastewater tracking numbers
2) having a teen at the high school (as in he tells me if lots of kids are absent from a class, what he hears at school, etc...not official word from the school)
3) being on several local Facebook groups for moms

My wastewater stats are 2 wks behind. And to find out which variants that's a month behind.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Yeah, I was NOT happy when all the daily tracking stopped a few years ago. I used to collect data daily and charted it out. Even if I didn't do that it's still nice to know how much Covid is out there!!! And with all the home testing, which doesn't get reported as often as they should, numbers are way off IMO. I think it's why a lot of people are acting like Covid is over. It's not in your face as much as it used to be news-wise. As one of the only masker's in town, it's frustrating.

It's like the majority have gone back to business as usual like it's over, but it's NOT over. It's very frustrating.

The last two times that DH and I got Covid boosters, the pharmacy was no longer updating vaccine cards that were given to patients in the early days of the pandemic. They no longer forward Covid injection reports to physicians, either. Seems we're on the "honor" system these days in telling our PCPs that we have had the latest Covid shot. It's also impossible to know who gets Covid shots any more or when someone got their last one.

I started physical therapy last week for an issue I've had for a while with my right shoulder. The pre-treatment questionnaire included questions about Covid shots but didn't ask for proof of said shots. When registering in person on my first day of therapy, I was asked about foreign travel but that was the only Covid reference. Masks are not required but there have been some patients and some therapists wearing them. Signage in the waiting area and in the gym indicates that patients with symptoms of illness SHOULD NOT be there and should reschedule therapy sessions until they are well. Therapists wipe down equipment and machines after each patient has used them. There is social distancing in the gym area, and patients are never close to one another during therapy sessions.

 

[Gemmie]

The last two times that DH and I got Covid boosters, the pharmacy was no longer updating vaccine cards that were given to patients in the early days of the pandemic. They no longer forward Covid injection reports to physicians, either. Seems we're on the "honor" system these days in telling our PCPs that we have had the latest Covid shot.

I am TOTALLY for this!!!! My dr won't give more than once a year. I was like... "Huh? The CDC says they can be given more often than that if you're over 65 and/or have preexisting conditions". The nurse's response? "We don't go by the CDC recommendations. Our staff makes that determination and they said once per year".

Errrr... excuse me? So the next time (6 mo later) I went to a local pharmacy and was stressed wondering if covid vaccines will some day be like prescriptions. You know, like how you can't get meds without a prescription. What if it comes to that? It's NONE of my doctors business!!! If the CDC recommends it, then I should have the right to get it. Period. End of story.

And yeah... I need to find a new physician. Her and I do NOT see eye to eye. She wouldn't even help me get out of jury duty. Time to kick her to the curb.

It's also impossible to know who gets Covid shots any more or when someone got their last one.

I started physical therapy last week for an issue I've had for a while with my right shoulder. The pre-treatment questionnaire included questions about Covid shots but didn't ask for proof of said shots. When registering in person on my first day of therapy, I was asked about foreign travel but that was the only Covid reference.

Interesting...