Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #108

[Bravo]

Glad your better beatrix. I had lower back pain with Covid.

 

[anneg]

SO got his 4th Moderna yesterday (2nd booster). He was fine for 6 hours and then a sudden onset of 102 fever and terrible body aches. It passed within 12 hours and now just a low grade fever and arm soreness. At this point, he said no more shots as this was the worst reaction yet.

Yikes! DH and I are scheduled to get Moderna for our 2nd booster this week. (All previous shots were Pfizer). I hope we don't have a reaction like that, but if we do, I hope it doesn't last very long. I have ibuprofen and acetaminophen on hand always and won't hesitate to take them. Also chicken soup!

I remember my DIL having 36 hours of feeling miserable after her first Moderna shot.

 

[weepingangel]

Glad your better beatrix. I had lower back pain with Covid.

Back pain (low or upper) is not an uncommon Covid symptom.
We just don’t hear as much about it I guess?

 

[anneg]

Dr. Birx had good information she shared on Face The


I know!!! Hardly recognized her- she let her hair grow- she looks so much better- must have been all that stress that is no longer present

She was smiling and animated in the interview, too.

 

[anneg]

I went ahead and got my 2nd booster about 10 days ago or so. I have never had a flu vaccine either. But I've never been concerned about the flu. I've had it once in my life and I had the mildest case in the house. I will say I had like no symptoms after the booster except a mildly sore arm. EXCEPT I had an excruciating lower back ache. I have lower back problems and my back had been drastically better after physical therapy. The day after my booster I was in excruciating pain and it was the worst it had been in a LONG time.

I did some googling and discovered tons of people asking about back pain after covid shots and found it listed as a rare side effect. I was terrified it was going to last and I was going to be basically crippled (that's how bad the pain was) but it got better after a few days. But good grief. I'm now wondering why it's causing that level of inflammation. Is it worth getting it again? Why the back pain? I was reminded that one vaccine was stopped due to serious spinal inflammation. I stopped reading about it after that. I did not need any more anxiety over the shot when I realized that could be a side effect.

But I'm now totally back to my normal self thankfully.

Thank goodness you recovered from the severe back pain!

 

[beatrixpotter]

Glad your better beatrix. I had lower back pain with Covid.

It's just so weird isn't it? I'm glad you are better as well!

 

[anneg]

Interesting interview. Dr. Birx said that because she has a 93 year old mother and young grandchildren, she is very careful about testing before she sees them. She wore a mask at last night's Correspondents Dinner, and now she will test for five days as she always does if she believes she had an exposure.

She said that statistically, about 15-20 people at the dinner last night were covid-19 positive, even though they had to show negative tests taken within 24 hours, so she considers last night's dinner to be an exposure event.

She also says that according to past surges, she expects that the southern US will have a surge this summer, and that the northern states will have a surge this fall/winter, a surge that will be accelerated from Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings.

So I guess more boosters in the fall, once the four month point passes and booster #2 wanes.

More from Dr. Birx (from transcript of interview):
[In response to the question "Do you think we are done with these massive waves of infection? --BBM]

DEBORAH BIRX: I like to look at the whole spectrum of the last two years. And so if you look at what we've been through, we went through a mini alpha variant surge in the same locations last year at this time. Then we went into that lull of May, where everybody thought it was over, and in middle of June, and then we had the predictable surge across the south.

And what you need to be looking at is global data. So I follow South Africa very closely. They're good about testing. They're good about sequencing and find their variants. They're on an up slope again. Each of these surges are about four to six months apart. That tells me that natural immunity wanes enough in the general population after four to six months that a significant surge is going to occur again.

And this is what we have to be prepared for in this country. We should be preparing right now for a potential surge in the summer across the southern United States because we saw it in 2020 and we saw it in 2021.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Wow, that's not general consensus right now. That's a warning. You think that's what's coming for the south? Is it this new variant?

DEBORAH BIRX: Well, each of these surges have been a slightly different variant because, yes, our immune system wanes. Now, who is carrying the virus that participates in these surges? We are. Vaccinated individuals, as well as unvaccinated individuals. And we have to make it very clear to the American people that your protection against infection wanes. So, if you're going to go see your grandmother or someone that has metastatic breast cancer, or someone under treatment for Hodgkin's Disease or a family member with down syndrome, you need to test before you go. If that area is in a surge, and if you assessed your risk, like we did last night, and make sure that you're negative.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And so what you're seeing in South Africa, you do think is a lead indicator of what may be coming here?

DEBORAH BIRX: Correct. What has happened each time is we've had a summer surge across the south and a winter surge that cross -- that starts in our northern plains and moves down, accelerated by Thanksgiving and the holidays of Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. And that's predictable.

------------
That scenario for the U.S. during the coming summer, fall, and winter is NOT what any of us want to happen! I plan to keep up with vaccinations and wear a mask according to my assessment of personal risk.

ETA: forgot this link: Transcript: Dr. Deborah Birx on "Face the Nation"

 

[beatrixpotter]

Back pain (low or upper) is not an uncommon Covid symptom.
We just don’t hear as much about it I guess?

I had heard it about specifically with the omicron variants but didn't remember it with the earlier ones. I had no idea it was a vaccine side effect though. It sounds like it is a pretty low chance with the vaccines. Though I guess that makes sense. I guess I can expect that when and if I get covid!

"The results showed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in the number of persons who reported bone and muscle pain after receiving the second dose of the vaccine (22, 17.7%) compared to the number of persons who reported bone and muscle pain after receiving the first dose (9, 3.8%) or both doses (7, 7.4%). There was a significant increase (p < 0.01) in the number of persons who reported whole body pain and joint pain after receiving the second dose of the vaccine, 8 (6.5%) and 5 (4.0%) compared to the number of persons who reported whole body pain and joint pain after receiving the first dose, 2 (0.8%) and 0 (0.0% or both doses, 5 (5.3%) and 1 (1.1%). After the first vaccine dose, 2 (0.8%) persons reported muscle pain, 3 (1.3%) reported bone pain, and 2 (0.8%) reported back pain. After the second vaccine dose, 1 (0.8%) person reported muscle pain, 1 (0.8%) reported muscle relaxation, 2 (1.6%) reported bone pain and 3 (2.4%) reported back pain. One person (1.1%) reported muscle pain after his first and second vaccine doses,"

Minor to Moderate Side Effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Amo | IJGM

 

[ilovewings]

I went ahead and got my 2nd booster about 10 days ago or so. I have never had a flu vaccine either. But I've never been concerned about the flu. I've had it once in my life and I had the mildest case in the house. I will say I had like no symptoms after the booster except a mildly sore arm. EXCEPT I had an excruciating lower back ache. I have lower back problems and my back had been drastically better after physical therapy. The day after my booster I was in excruciating pain and it was the worst it had been in a LONG time.

I did some googling and discovered tons of people asking about back pain after covid shots and found it listed as a rare side effect. I was terrified it was going to last and I was going to be basically crippled (that's how bad the pain was) but it got better after a few days. But good grief. I'm now wondering why it's causing that level of inflammation. Is it worth getting it again? Why the back pain? I was reminded that one vaccine was stopped due to serious spinal inflammation. I stopped reading about it after that. I did not need any more anxiety over the shot when I realized that could be a side effect.

But I'm now totally back to my normal self thankfully.

Sorry you had such a bad reaction... With my first booster I had some
Upper back pain that felt like muscle pain which I never had before that.
I didn't feel good for a,couple days. I am anxious about this 2nd booster
though I think I will get it. I don't know about getting boosters after
That--- I mean it just doesn't seem right or even necessarily safe to need a booster every four Months!

 

[beatrixpotter]

More from Dr. Birx (from transcript of interview):
[In response to the question "Do you think we are done with these massive waves of infection? --BBM]

DEBORAH BIRX: I like to look at the whole spectrum of the last two years. And so if you look at what we've been through, we went through a mini alpha variant surge in the same locations last year at this time. Then we went into that lull of May, where everybody thought it was over, and in middle of June, and then we had the predictable surge across the south.

And what you need to be looking at is global data. So I follow South Africa very closely. They're good about testing. They're good about sequencing and find their variants. They're on an up slope again. Each of these surges are about four to six months apart. That tells me that natural immunity wanes enough in the general population after four to six months that a significant surge is going to occur again.

And this is what we have to be prepared for in this country. We should be preparing right now for a potential surge in the summer across the southern United States because we saw it in 2020 and we saw it in 2021.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Wow, that's not general consensus right now. That's a warning. You think that's what's coming for the south? Is it this new variant?

DEBORAH BIRX: Well, each of these surges have been a slightly different variant because, yes, our immune system wanes. Now, who is carrying the virus that participates in these surges? We are. Vaccinated individuals, as well as unvaccinated individuals. And we have to make it very clear to the American people that your protection against infection wanes. So, if you're going to go see your grandmother or someone that has metastatic breast cancer, or someone under treatment for Hodgkin's Disease or a family member with down syndrome, you need to test before you go. If that area is in a surge, and if you assessed your risk, like we did last night, and make sure that you're negative.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And so what you're seeing in South Africa, you do think is a lead indicator of what may be coming here?

DEBORAH BIRX: Correct. What has happened each time is we've had a summer surge across the south and a winter surge that cross -- that starts in our northern plains and moves down, accelerated by Thanksgiving and the holidays of Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. And that's predictable.

------------
That scenario for the U.S. during the coming summer, fall, and winter is NOT what any of us want to happen! I plan to keep up with vaccinations and wear a mask according to my assessment of personal risk.

ETA: forgot this link: Transcript: Dr. Deborah Birx on "Face the Nation"

This is basically what I have been expecting as well. I think the only reason to think it won't continue is "hopium". We are all weary of it and ready to move on and focus on other things. But is there any reason to think we won't have more surges? Are there other places these waves have stopped?

 

[beatrixpotter]

Sorry you had such a bad reaction... With my first booster I had some
Upper back pain that felt like muscle pain which I never had before that.
I didn't feel good for a,couple days. I am anxious about this 2nd booster
though I think I will get it. I don't know about getting boosters after
That--- I mean it just doesn't seem right or even necessarily safe to need a booster every four Months!

Aren't they also basically becoming less and less effective? I mean we don't just keep offering the same exact flu shot every year regardless of flu strain. I guess I view this is as helpful now while I work on losing weight and improving my health in the meantime.

 

[MimosaMornings]

The tdap vaccine was worse than any of the Moderna shots for me. MOO

 

[anneg]

Aren't they also basically becoming less and less effective? I mean we don't just keep offering the same exact flu shot every year regardless of flu strain. I guess I view this is as helpful now while I work on losing weight and improving my health in the meantime.

I hope the Covid vaccines this fall will be more targeted, but it's got to be a challenge with the continuing mutations of the virus. I haven't researched this issue yet.

 

[ilovewings]

Aren't they also basically becoming less and less effective? I mean we don't just keep offering the same exact flu shot every year regardless of flu strain. I guess I view this is as helpful now while I work on losing weight and improving my health in the meantime.

I am so disappointed I figured three shots would be all I would need -- that we
Would then require an annual booster------ so now we learn that the vaccine
effectiveness wanes fairly quickly, depending on who to believe-----anywhere
Between a few weeks to 4 months!!!

 

[ilovewings]

I hope the Covid vaccines this fall will be more targeted, but it's got to be a challenge with the continuing mutations of the virus. I haven't researched this issue yet.

So if I get my 2nd booster in May, are we Going to require another one in the fall???

 

[MimosaMornings]

So if I get my 2nd booster in May, are we Going to require another one in the fall???

It’s likely.

 

[beatrixpotter]

I am so disappointed I figured three shots would be all I would need -- that we
Would then require an annual booster------ so now we learn that the vaccine
effectiveness wanes fairly quickly, depending on who to believe-----anywhere
Between a few weeks to 4 months!!!

It's pretty ridiculous. There is no other vaccine with that poor of efficacy that I'm aware of.

What's even more enraging is the downplaying of the risks of catching covid. Like the video link above saying we have good treatment now. Um, for famous and wealthy people. I don't know anyone given paxlovid and people don't get tested soon enough in general to get it. Forget if it's truly effective.

Now basically no one gets any treatment unless their oxygen drops too low. It's worse than it was this past winter before the new variants. And not dying is basically seen as a success, regardless of how crippled in health someone might end up.

As someone diagnosed in my teens with chronic fatigue syndrome and some new treat every 5-10 years I am so disgusted at the almost total lack of treatment. We put all our eggs in the vaccine basket. And if anyone pays any attention we all know we're being lied to over this.

It's time to move on. You can deal with your crippling poor health on your own dime now.

 

[Lilibet]

I haven’t read all posts recently, but has the “Test to Treat” program been discussed? It seems to make treatment widely available if you qualify. I’m not sure what the parameters are for dispensing the Rx, and it has to be started within five days of the start of symptoms. Positive home test results are accepted, so it seems one could test soon enough. The RiteAid pharmacy in my town of 22,000 participates in the program.

Test To Treat

 

[Cool Cats]

I haven’t read all posts recently, but has the “Test to Treat” program been discussed? It seems to make treatment widely available if you qualify. I’m not sure what the parameters are for dispensing the Rx, and it has to be started within five days of the start of symptoms. Positive home test results are accepted, so it seems one could test soon enough. The RiteAid pharmacy in my town of 22,000 participates in the program.

Test To Treat

Never heard of it, thanks for mentioning this.

How are you doing? You mentioned having some heart concerns due to your having Covid in 2020 I think it was, before vaccines. Hoping you are doing well.

 

[anneg]

Y'all, don't forget vaccine efficacy is not so much focused on avoiding infection as preventing severe illness and death. And the vaccines are working very well to do that. It's up to individuals to take steps to avoid exposure, as much as we can... and the vaccines will keep us from severe illness, having to be hospitalized, and dying. I call that very good efficacy. MOO