Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #102

[BetteDavisEyes]

Effectiveness of Pfizer's Covid pill confirmed in further analysis, company says (nbcnews.com)

The company applied for emergency use authorization for the oral antiviral in November.

Additional data from Pfizer's clinical trial of its oral Covid-19 antiviral drug confirm the treatment's high level of effectiveness, the company said in a news release Tuesday.

In the final analysis of its Phase 2/3 clinical trial, the antiviral, called Paxlovid, was found to be 89 percent effective at preventing high-risk people from being hospitalized or dying from Covid, the company said.

The findings are consistent with the results of the interim analysis the company released last month, although the full data have not been made public for scientists to review. Pfizer halted its clinical trial based on the interim results and submitted an application to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization several weeks later.

The FDA has not scheduled a meeting of its advisory committee to review the application...

 

[MrX]

Can you say arrogant and clueless, but he is right, much of the country
is living life like there is no pandemic---today my husband and I spent
2 hours at T Mobile-- I was the only person with a mask-- The people in Florida for
sure live like there is no pandemic

As someone who lives, and has lived, since the beginning, like the author, I think he hits on an interesting point. On this forum we tend to think that everyone's decisions are based on Covid - whether being cautious or willfully reckless. The reality, as he states, is that for most people Covid doesn't factor into their daily calculus. As followers of the pandemic, we assume other people do, as well - for example, that the unmasked people in T-Mobile made a conscious decision to not wear a mask that day. I think the author is correct that , in reality, they would be honestly shocked that they were noticed, let alone being commented about on a Covid forum.

 

[neesaki]

I haven't seen any concerns that people are getting heart inflammation issues with the flu vaccine. And I don't think the flu vaccine is as strong as the Covid vaccinations, nor were they hurried out and rushed with such a short time frame, before we began giving them to ur entire population.

Also, AFAIK, the flu vaccine companies have released their safety research data. They have not gone to court to try and withhold it for 75 more years, like Pfiser is currently doing. [ lawsuit=I linked it upthread a little]

They also haven’t demanded , and received, immunity from law suits due to deaths and health issues as a result of the vaccine, like this one.

 

[Cool Cats]

My family got sick with COVID and had no idea what to do — Letters

Last week, my 56-year-old brother and his wife and four children contracted COVID. Both my brother and his wife had been vaccinated, one with J&J, and one with Pfizer around June.

My brother tested positive and then waited five days at home with cold symptoms because he figured he was vaccinated, and suddenly, the sixth day, went into fever and loss of oxygen levels.

His wife insisted that he go to the ER. He waited and suffered in the ER for five hours, among elderly and others, while the ER knew he was positive. He left and went to another hospital, where he got seen pretty quickly and put into a room.

Questions:

Why do few people know what to do and think they can wait it out? I've heard when it gets worse, it's almost too late.

After divulging anyone is positive, why are they told to go sit among all others?

Why can't hospitals get beepers (like restaurants do) or text you in the car when they're ready for you? Wouldn't it keep everyone safer and if you had to vomit, it's out the car door, not on the ER floor?

My brother got the monoclonal antibodies from Regeneron in a shot and was up and about within one day. Why not promote people that are positive to come right in and get that, instead of pushing vaccines?

I just feel if this is a pandemic, the country should be consistent across the board, and know the same information. It's difficult to browse the CDC site. Post this memo on pharmacy windows, post offices and places everyone sees and goes to.

 

[CrimeAway]

I was happy to go and receive my 3rd shot. But what I am now questioning is Fauci announcing that it might be a yearly booster from now on. Do I want my 6 yr old granddaughter to receive this shot every year from now on? I am not feeling comfortable with that, at this point.

I can understand your concerns about needing an annual Covid 19 vaccine. Hopefully, that will not end up being needed.

Currently, we do not know exactly what level of antibodies (and/or B & T cells) are needed for protection against infection and disease. This is called the "correlate of immunity". (Usually antibodies are measured rather than B & T cells, because antibodies can be measured more easily; with a simple blood sample.)

This makes it difficult to predict exactly how many vaccine doses are needed for the initial series (some think that the booster dose, should be thought of as a third in the initial series). It's also not known exactly how long protection will last. It's possible that the third vaccine given 6 months after the second dose MAY produce a longer and stronger level of protection than the first two doses. All JMO.

Since this is a brand new virus, there's still a lot the scientists are discovering as we go through this pandemic. I'm trying to skim MSM on the subject, and listen to my trusted science sources instead. It helps keep me somewhat sane

 

[Grouse]

Why do few people know what to do and think they can wait it out? I've heard when it gets worse, it's almost too late.

RSBM.

Wow, is she really suggesting everyone who test positive presents to hospital before their symptoms worsen??

 

[Grouse]

I can understand your concerns about needing an annual Covid 19 vaccine. Hopefully, that will not end up being needed.

Currently, we do not know exactly what level of antibodies (and/or B & T cells) are needed for protection against infection and disease. This is called the "correlate of immunity". (Usually antibodies are measured rather than B & T cells, because antibodies can be measured more easily; with a simple blood sample.)

This makes it difficult to predict exactly how many vaccine doses are needed for the initial series (some think that the booster dose, should be thought of as a third in the initial series). It's also not known exactly how long protection will last. It's possible that the third vaccine given 6 months after the second dose MAY produce a longer and stronger level of protection than the first two doses. All JMO.

Since this is a brand new virus, there's still a lot the scientists are discovering as we go through this pandemic. I'm trying to skim MSM on the subject, and listen to my trusted science sources instead. It helps keep me somewhat sane

I read an interesting article on this earlier today --> Omicron: Why do boosters work if two doses struggle?

"Two doses of some vaccines offer almost no protection from an Omicron infection, although they should still greatly reduce the risk of becoming so ill you need hospital care

The vaccines were all developed to fight the first form of the virus that emerged two years ago.

So can a third or "booster" dose of those original vaccines make the difference or has Omicron already outwitted the protection they can give?

Fortunately for us - while the contents of the syringe may be identical, a booster is not just more of the same for the immune system.

The protection you're left with after the third dose is bigger, broader and more memorable than you had before."

 

[Cool Cats]

RSBM.

Wow, is she really suggesting everyone who test positive presents to hospital before their symptoms worsen??

Yup.

She is promoting treatment over vaccine. Convenient argument.

My brother tested positive and then waited five days at home with cold symptoms because he figured he was vaccinated, and suddenly, the sixth day, went into fever and loss of oxygen levels.

Why not promote people that are positive to come right in and get that, instead of pushing vaccines?

 

[CrimeAway]

Yup.

She is promoting treatment over vaccine. Convenient argument.

My brother tested positive and then waited five days at home with cold symptoms because he figured he was vaccinated, and suddenly, the sixth day, went into fever and loss of oxygen levels.

Why not promote people that are positive to come right in and get that, instead of pushing vaccines?

Hospitals are busy enough as it is, not to mention the cost of a hospital visit $$$$$ JMO.

 

[musicaljoke]

RSBM.

Wow, is she really suggesting everyone who test positive presents to hospital before their symptoms worsen??

One of our local First Nations communities has an outbreak of covid with 120 active cases. Each family where there is a positive case is given a pulse oximeter with instructions to call 911 or go to the hospital emergency centre if their blood O2 levels drop below 94%. In addition, the local public health office contacts each person once a day to see how they are doing.

There's been a disturbing pattern of finding that people are nearly finished their quarantine period when suddenly their symptoms deteriorate, so the specific instructions about when to get to the hospital are helpful. All the cases are the Delta variant. The chief posted a message stating that it has been only unvaccinated people who have had to go to the emergency centre.

Another cool thing that the community is doing is that they are porch dropping activity packages for homes with kids. This week it's gingerbread houses to decorate and the kids can post pictures for a contest.

 

[indicolite22]

My brother got the monoclonal antibodies from Regeneron in a shot and was up and about within one day. Why not promote people that are positive to come right in and get that, instead of pushing vaccines?

SBM. Prevention is cheaper than treatment. Vaccines protect most people from getting seriously ill. Treatment is available for the rest.

Price comparison:

...the cost of Moderna's vaccine is $15.40 per dose, Pfizer's $19.50, and Johnson & Johnson's $14.50.
Regeneron's monoclonal antibody treatment for COVID-19, known as REGEN-COV, costs the U.S. government $2,100 per dose.

Fact Check: Regeneron monoclonal antibody costs government $2,100 per dose

 

[musicaljoke]

In case anyone is looking for Pfizers clinical trial data and results,. they can check here:

Clinical Trial Data and Results | Pfizer

or here

Home - ClinicalTrials.gov

or here

https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/search?query=covid-19

 

[SouthAussie]

<RSBM>
This makes it difficult to predict exactly how many vaccine doses are needed for the initial series (some think that the booster dose, should be thought of as a third in the initial series).

I heard a couple of days ago, when they announced that we only have to wait 5 months for a booster, that they are considering making the "fully vaccinated" status to mean having had three doses of the vaccines (in Australia). Your first two shots plus the booster.

Source: Ch7 TV News

 

[MajorHoople]

Disgraced former NY Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered by NY state commission to return memoir proceeds | Daily Mail Online

"Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was ordered Tuesday to turn over the proceeds from his pandemic book deal - an estimated $5.1 million - to the state Attorney General's office within the next 30 days, following a probe by a state ethics panel.

The profits from Cuomo's 'American Crisis: Leadership Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic' came into question in October, when The Joint Commission on Public Ethics (JCOPE) announced that they were conducting an internal inquiry into its approval of Cuomo's 2020 book.

Last month, after analyzing the methods Cuomo used to prepare the tell-all, the ethics agency voted to revoke its prior approval of the book, which allowed the since disgraced politician to earn outside income from its sales while in office, concluding that Cuomo violated pledges to not use state resources or government staffers during its preparation.

In the memoir, Cuomo touted himself as a hero in regards to his handling of the pandemic."

Additionally Cuomo faces criminal probes by the FBI and the Brooklyn US Attorney's office over Covid-19 nursing homes deaths."

 

[ilovewings]

Well you can blow me over with a feather; went to Publix - getting ingredients together to make sloppy joe and guess what? no chili sauce- not any throughout the entire Publix system--- of all things to have a shortage of--- I am majorly disappointed - so ordered some from Amazon- and paid a pretty penny but at least we will have it

 

[anneg]

Cornell University covid cases: Ithaca campus shuts down after surge - CNN

....There were 469 active student cases as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Cornell's online Covid dashboard, and an overall positivity rate of 3.01% for the week of December 6, among the students tested.

President Martha Pollack said that the university's Covid-19 lab team detected evidence of the Omicron variant "in a significant number of Monday's positive student samples."
....

 

[Cool Cats]

Well you can blow me over with a feather; went to Publix - getting ingredients together to make sloppy joe and guess what? no chili sauce- not any throughout the entire Publix system--- of all things to have a shortage of--- I am majorly disappointed - so ordered some from Amazon- and paid a pretty penny but at least we will have it

Yes!

Same here on other items.

 

[indicolite22]

Only 19% of Europeans include their government among their most trusted sources of reliable information on Covid-19 vaccines, according to a survey conducted in May 2021 by the European Barometer, a collection of cross-country public opinion surveys conducted regularly on behalf of the EU's institutions.

Even before the pandemic, vaccine hesitancy in Europe was strongly correlated to a populist distrust of mainstream parties and governments.

Essentially, people who trust institutions need no convincing in the face of a pandemic; people who don't are unlikely to be influenced at all.

In a paper published by the journal Psychological Medicine in October, Michele Roccato and Silvia Russo from the University of Turin argue that their study shows "people with a populist orientation tend to refuse the Covid-19 vaccine, in line with previous research showing that vaccine refusal is often politicized, but that its politicization is not limited to the traditional left-right cleavage."

And the divide in opinion over pandemic measures is no longer about extreme left and extreme right, said French political scientist Jean-Yves Camus, but "between the mainstream and the periphery."

"It's much more about the extreme," Camus said. "The most extreme fringe groups taking advantage of the pandemic to say: 'This virus is fake, there is no pandemic and you are being tricked by your governments. It's a worldwide conspiracy of your national governments. They are using the pandemic to infringe on your individual rights and using vaccination passes to have your personal data,' and so on."

Why Europe's fight against the pandemic is about to get much more dangerous - CNN

 

[Grouse]

Each family where there is a positive case is given a pulse oximeter with instructions to call 911 or go to the hospital emergency centre if their blood O2 levels drop below 94%. In addition, the local public health office contacts each person once a day to see how they are doing.
.

That makes sense to use the O2 levels. My wife is asthmatic and we had a couple of nasty scares over the summer - she had two really bad and lengthy colds/chest infections in a row with barely 10 days in between (tested negative on both lat flow and PCR and, eventually, responded to steroids and antibiotics thankfully - the doctor had basically told us to call emergency services if it didn't). So we now have an oximeter, £12.99 from my local pharmacy.

 

[Satchie]

Cornell University covid cases: Ithaca campus shuts down after surge - CNN

....There were 469 active student cases as of Tuesday afternoon, according to Cornell's online Covid dashboard, and an overall positivity rate of 3.01% for the week of December 6, among the students tested.

President Martha Pollack said that the university's Covid-19 lab team detected evidence of the Omicron variant "in a significant number of Monday's positive student samples."
....

It (delta and omicron) seems to be spreading on campuses in Canada, too. Just as exams finish and they all go home for Christmas...