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4 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Google translate version from here

First publication: Another cardiologist, about 70 years old, contracted from the verified cardiologist from Sheba Hospital, who is suspected of being a carrier of variant Omicron - both vaccinated with 3 doses. The first patient returned from a conference in England last Wednesday, and until he felt symptoms And visited two more conferences

Not sure on the reliability of the source - anyone with Israel connections know?  Being infected in spite of triple vax is worrying, if true.

To me, how worried I would be would depend on the severity of the symptoms.  A 70 year old who was still able to go to two more conferences seems to have had very mild symptoms?  Having it mutate to something more mild is one of the scenarios we've wished for, correct? 

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6 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

To me, how worried I would be would depend on the severity of the symptoms.  A 70 year old who was still able to go to two more conferences seems to have had very mild symptoms?  Having it mutate to something more mild is one of the scenarios we've wished for, correct? 

That would be nice.  Or even if vaccinated people have mild symptoms.  

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17 minutes ago, SHP said:

Interesting. My child's specialist, the children's hospital, and the national board for that specialty have not yet suggested that the under 18's get the 3rd shot. 

Unless they have changed it, the definition of immune compromised is very narrow. High risk, as they originally approved for adults, is much broader, and I'd like to see that as an option for teens as well-ideally within the next month so that they can get boosted before returning to school in Jan. 

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From ABC 
BREAKING: The ABC has confirmed there is now a fifth case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in NSW.

The case is a woman in her 30s who arrived in Sydney on Saturday, before new travel restrictions were in place.

She had travelled to at least two southern African countries prior to arriving.

It is understood she has visited several venues on the NSW Central Coast.

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1 hour ago, Mom_to3 said:

Has anybody's 5-11 year old had their second dose already? Ours are coming up, and am a bit worried about side effects for one of them (work commitments)... 

Ours will tomorrow, and I’ll update. I think we had a thread for that, somewhere.

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1 hour ago, Mom_to3 said:

Has anybody's 5-11 year old had their second dose already? Ours are coming up, and am a bit worried about side effects for one of them (work commitments)... 

Dd11 had her second dose today.  Other than some arm pain when it was time for her to do the dishes, she has been fine. :)

I know a lot of times symptoms don't happen until the next day, so we'll see how she feels tomorrow.

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4 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Australia currently has 5 cases of omicron in quarantine in the country all of whom were double vaxed and all have mild or no symptoms.

I'm wondering if in most countries where omicron has been just very recently imported, we're going to see almost all of the initial cases in fully vaccinated people because of the selection effect of those being the only people able to travel by air. It seems to me it will take a few weeks to see if the transmission rates differ between vaccinated and unvaccinated people (one thing that makes me sad and angry is the people who you can tell are just hoping and hoping that the vaccines don't hold up to this variant, so they can gleefully proclaim they were right (though they weren't). So sick.)

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4 hours ago, Dmmetler said:

Unless they have changed it, the definition of immune compromised is very narrow. High risk, as they originally approved for adults, is much broader, and I'd like to see that as an option for teens as well-ideally within the next month so that they can get boosted before returning to school in Jan. 

Mine fits that narrow definition of immune compromised, sadly. At one point I had to print that out as well as part of my kids medical record and took a highlighter to both and handed that plus a letter from the doctor to support accommodations that aligned with what the CDC and WHO recommended for everyone. 

The pandemic and the responses have me rather jaded. 

 

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2 hours ago, Mom_to3 said:

Has anybody's 5-11 year old had their second dose already? Ours are coming up, and am a bit worried about side effects for one of them (work commitments)... 

Yep, my 3 had their 2nd shot a few days ago.  No side effects whatsoever for them.  They had nothing for the first shot either.

Edited by mommyoffive
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6 hours ago, Syllieann said:

Israel began boosting 12+ in August for anyone five months since the second dose.  I haven't heard of ill effects of a change in policy since then so I presume they aren't having big issues with side effects.  In the US 12+ can get an additional dose via self-attestation of immune compromised condition.  Some parents might "misunderstand" or interpret too broadly what constitutes immune compromised.  I think I've read that eczema and allergies are both related to immune dysfunction.

Do you have more info on this?  Have you done it? Or known anyone that has?  I haven't heard of 12 -17 year olds getting boosted at all.  

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1 minute ago, mommyoffive said:

Do you have more info on this?  Have you done it? Or known anyone that has?  I haven't heard of 12 -17 year olds getting boosted at all.  

I haven’t heard of anyone having this opportunity, either. We will be at a community vaccination site tomorrow, and I intend to ask in person. We have been unable to register online—since he’s 17, we aren’t able to click past that screen to attest to his medical status.

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2 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Do you have more info on this?  Have you done it? Or known anyone that has?  I haven't heard of 12 -17 year olds getting boosted at all.  

My 12 yo is only at 4 months but I expect the cdc to drag it's enormous, unwieldy feet in approving boosters for them.  I'm sure it will be about two months late.  Whether or not I will be able to boost him at 6 months is a factor in my decision on when to schedule my younger kids for their second dose, so I've been looking into my options.  This would not technically be a booster, so no, you wouldn't have heard of it.  It would technically be an additional dose in the primary series for someone who is immune compromised.

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7 hours ago, Syllieann said:

Israel began boosting 12+ in August for anyone five months since the second dose.  I haven't heard of ill effects of a change in policy since then so I presume they aren't having big issues with side effects.  In the US 12+ can get an additional dose via self-attestation of immune compromised condition.  Some parents might "misunderstand" or interpret too broadly what constitutes immune compromised.  I think I've read that eczema and allergies are both related to immune dysfunction.

Thanks for the info.

COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People | CDC

 

Edited by mommyoffive
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@Ausmumof3

Pre-departure tests were negative https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/all-staff-on-sia-flight-from-spore-to-sydney-that-had-two-cases-of-omicron-covid-19-strain

”The travellers departed from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov 27 via Flight SQ481 and arrived at Changi Airport the same day for their transit flight, said MOH, adding that their pre-departure Covid-19 tests were negative”

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https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKBN2IE0OZ
“LISBON (Reuters) -Portugal detected 13 cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Monday, all involving players and staff of top division soccer club Belenenses SAD, one of whose players recently returned from South Africa, health authority DGS said. 

The diagnoses were made after the Lisbon club played a Primeira Liga match against Benfica on Saturday that started with only nine Belenenses players on the pitch because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

….

Belenenses defender Cafu Phete tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from international duty in South Africa on Nov. 17, and he and 12 others at the club were confirmed on Monday to be infected with the Omicron variant, which was first detected last week in southern Africa.

DGS chief Graça Freitas told broadcaster SIC that nearly all Belenenses players had been vaccinated against COVID-19, adding that all their high- and low-risk contacts would get tested. 

A club spokesman said most of those infected were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, and that 44 players and staff were self-isolating and waiting to repeat tests. 

The Benfica and Belenenses presidents said that, had they not played the match, they risked being penalised for an "unjustified absence". They blamed the league and DGS for not postponing the game.“

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1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

@Ausmumof3

Pre-departure tests were negative https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/all-staff-on-sia-flight-from-spore-to-sydney-that-had-two-cases-of-omicron-covid-19-strain

”The travellers departed from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov 27 via Flight SQ481 and arrived at Changi Airport the same day for their transit flight, said MOH, adding that their pre-departure Covid-19 tests were negative”

I keep being confused by the timing on some of these positives from flights. I don’t know how long before the flight the tests were taken and whether they were PCR or lateral flow. I’m not sure if the thought is that they contracted it before getting on the flight or that they contracted it on flight and had positive tests that quickly after. That would seem odd and a bit concerning. All the flights I’ve seen that happen with have been long flights though. Then again, a large portion of flights leaving South Africa are long flights as they are leaving the continent altogether.

Edited by KSera
So many typos
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14 minutes ago, KSera said:

I keep being confused by the timing on some of these positives from flights. I don’t know how long before the flight the test were taken and whether they were PCR or lateral flow. i’m not sure if the thought is that they contracted it before getting on the flight or that they contracted it on flight and had positive tests that quickly after. That would seem odd and a bit concerning. All the flights I’ve seen that happen with have been long flights though. Then again, A large portion of flights leaving South Africa are long flights as they are leaving the continent altogether.

The flight itself was about 10hr 25 mins from Johannesburg to Singapore. No idea when the pre departure tests were done by the travelers. 

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34 minutes ago, wathe said:

I think that for a lot of countries, pre-departure tests can be done up to 72h before the flight.  So plenty of time to become infected between the test time and the departure time.

Yeah, I understand logistically why they do it that way, but it doesn’t make very good public health sense to me. Three days is a lot of time for someone to convert from negative to positive. A negative PCR within 72 hours combined with a negative lateral flow within hours of boarding would make more sense if you really wanted to catch as many cases as possible before boarding. 

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11 hours ago, Dmmetler said:

I am really hoping the FDA gets a move on and lets high risk teens be boostered. Schools are incubators, and many Southern states now have passed state laws and executive orders basically removing closing schools to prevent spread from the toolbox entirely. 16-17 yr olds mostly were able to be vaccinated in Spring (some high risk ones in Winter or early Spring), and 12-15 in Summer. They're all at or coming up to 6 months quickly-with Christmas coming and a new variant that is probably here already. 

 

 

11 hours ago, Spryte said:

Yes, I am anxious about that as well. DS is very high risk, and will be 18 in Jan, so he can’t be boosted until then, but by then it will have been 10 months for him.

 

9 hours ago, SHP said:

Interesting. My child's specialist, the children's hospital, and the national board for that specialty have not yet suggested that the under 18's get the 3rd shot. 

 

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Do you have more info on this?  Have you done it? Or known anyone that has?  I haven't heard of 12 -17 year olds getting boosted at all.  

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna7019
“WASHINGTON — Pfizer is expected to seek authorization this week for a Covid-19 vaccine booster for teenagers 16 and 17 years old, a source familiar with the process said Monday.

If it is granted emergency use authorization, the additional Pfizer-BioNTech shot would be the first vaccine booster for teens younger than 18.”

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5 hours ago, KSera said:

I'm wondering if in most countries where omicron has been just very recently imported, we're going to see almost all of the initial cases in fully vaccinated people because of the selection effect of those being the only people able to travel by air. It seems to me it will take a few weeks to see if the transmission rates differ between vaccinated and unvaccinated people (one thing that makes me sad and angry is the people who you can tell are just hoping and hoping that the vaccines don't hold up to this variant, so they can gleefully proclaim they were right (though they weren't). So sick.)

I haven't seen that. I am seeing  reports on media here hoping that this variant is a milder version- the mutation that people were hoping might happen. that doesn't make people so sick, but activates their immune system to respond and takes over from the more deadly variants. This would be a huge thing for countries that have a very low vaccinate rate. 

isn't that what immunologists were  hoping would happen - and something that has happened  in the past to other similar illnesses? or am I completely off base here?

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4 hours ago, KSera said:

Yeah, I understand logistically why they do it that way, but it doesn’t make very good public health sense to me. Three days is a lot of time for someone to convert from negative to positive. A negative PCR within 72 hours combined with a negative lateral flow within hours of boarding would make more sense if you really wanted to catch as many cases as possible before boarding. 

We’ve actually just gone back to this model because people weren’t getting their results before coming across the border.  I agree though.  Ideal would be two tests one at 72 and one before departure 

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2 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I haven't seen that. I am seeing  reports on media here hoping that this variant is a milder version- the mutation that people were hoping might happen. that doesn't make people so sick, but activates their immune system to respond and takes over from the more deadly variants. This would be a huge thing for countries that have a very low vaccinate rate. 

isn't that what immunologists were  hoping would happen - and something that has happened  in the past to other similar illnesses? or am I completely off base here?

There’s speculation that that may happen but there’s no guarantees.  Many viruses like polio etc don’t mutate to become less problematic.  At this point from what I can see that’s based on one misquote from a doctor and a lot of speculation - no evidence that it’s more or less severe.  Hospitalisations are up in the area is was detected but that could just be a feature of more cases.

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6 hours ago, Arcadia said:

@Ausmumof3

Pre-departure tests were negative https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/all-staff-on-sia-flight-from-spore-to-sydney-that-had-two-cases-of-omicron-covid-19-strain

”The travellers departed from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov 27 via Flight SQ481 and arrived at Changi Airport the same day for their transit flight, said MOH, adding that their pre-departure Covid-19 tests were negative”

Thanks.  There’s a lot coming in which typically we’ve only seen with big outbreaks like the UK variant and then Delta.  

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6 hours ago, Arcadia said:

 

 

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna7019
“WASHINGTON — Pfizer is expected to seek authorization this week for a Covid-19 vaccine booster for teenagers 16 and 17 years old, a source familiar with the process said Monday.

If it is granted emergency use authorization, the additional Pfizer-BioNTech shot would be the first vaccine booster for teens younger than 18.”

Yep, heard that on the news.  It doesn't help my teens however.  😞  I feel like the 12-15 year olds are left in a bad spot. 

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10 hours ago, Spryte said:

I haven’t heard of anyone having this opportunity, either. We will be at a community vaccination site tomorrow, and I intend to ask in person. We have been unable to register online—since he’s 17, we aren’t able to click past that screen to attest to his medical status.

Both of mine are over 18, but I went to the CVS site to try and it worked for a hypothetical 13 year old if I chose third dose instead of booster and clicked the box they were compromised. I was able to get to choose an appointment time and day and it brought up available appointments. 
 

FTR, all four of us (ages 20-48) here were boosted before it was opened up to everyone and no one ever asked us at our appointments what our medical reason was for doing so. Three of the four of us had valid reasons anyway but I wanted Dh boosted as well. 

Edited by Joker2
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7 minutes ago, Joker2 said:

Both of mine are over 18, but I went to the CVS site to try and it worked for a hypothetical 13 year old if I chose third dose instead of booster and clicked the box they were compromised. I was able to get to choose an appointment time and day and it brought up available appointments. 
 

FTR, all four of us (ages 20-48) here were boosted before it was opened up to everyone and no one ever asked us at our appointments what our medical reason was for doing so. Three of the four of us had valid reasons anyway but I wanted Dh boosted as well. 

Oh! Thanks! I always forget about the third dose wording. I may try that.

 

ETA: we have immunology on board with this kid, we aren’t trying to sneak something over on anyone.

Edited by Spryte
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Just now, mommyoffive said:

Yep, I did that too and saw that it was letting me do it.  ARe you going to do it?  

I will talk to the “vaccinate our state” people today when we are all there for DD’s second shot. 
 

Yes, I would absolutely get DS a third shot if at all possible, and his doc is on board with that. We just haven’t been able to make it happen with the online scheduling. I am immune compromised, too, and still always forget about the third dose wording. 

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3 minutes ago, Spryte said:

You? Will you do it?

Heavily thinking about it right now and leaning towards yes.  My 13 and 15 year old are at 6 months early December.   With them letting 16 year olds do it, then I feel like my 15 year old (16 in a few months) needs that protection too.  And with Israel having already done it.....

I didn't even know this was an option until last night. 

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When I went to book my third dose, some websites (notably Costco) wouldn’t allow me to book. I had to show a letter from my rheum to the pharmacist at the retail chain I went to to show I qualified, and was able to book only by showing up in person. The rollout has been very inconsistent and sites have been slow to update. 

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When I got my third dose at Walgreens all I had to do was check a box that I was immune compromised. Then after I saw my PCP in October I noticed that she'd specifically listed "immunodeficient due to medication" under my conditions. I wonder if more and more providers are doing that so the patient does have easy proof if needed?

Edited by Pawz4me
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1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

I wonder why they are not, but Walgreen/Cvs are?

I don’t know. It looks like they aren’t doing it for anyone under 18, immune issues or not. It had a similar statement re: boosters for under 18, but that was expected. 
 

I will try to book through Walgreens instead.

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8 hours ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I haven't seen that. I am seeing  reports on media here hoping that this variant is a milder version- the mutation that people were hoping might happen. that doesn't make people so sick, but activates their immune system to respond and takes over from the more deadly variants. This would be a huge thing for countries that have a very low vaccinate rate. 

isn't that what immunologists were  hoping would happen - and something that has happened  in the past to other similar illnesses? or am I completely off base here?

That’s a hope, and it’s what I hope, but it can just as easily go the other way. So until we know, we don’t know. I wasn’t talking about news media hoping for the vaccines to not work against omicron—that would be really bizarre—I’m talking about anti-vaxers all over social media. That’s what I was saying was sick. 

3 hours ago, lauraw4321 said:

Moderna CEO said the vaccines will struggle against omicron.  😞

I’m never a fan of this kind of statement coming from the CEO of a vaccine company, rather than one of the scientists. So far, I haven’t seen any scientists saying we have any definitive knowledge on this yet. Most are optimistic the vaccines will still be effective against severe illness and death, particularly for those who have been boostered. Hopefully we will have more definitive information soon. 

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8 hours ago, Spryte said:

Small frustrating update: I just went to our state’s vaccination site, and they are not doing third doses for immune compromised under 18s. “3rd dose (only for immunocompromised individuals 18 years and older)” 
 

 

Our 12 year old just got his second shot late October, so we are not facing this yet, and by the time we do, it will be well into spring, so hopefully cases will be heading back down. But has anybody considered just going to a site under a slightly different name (say middle name etc.) to get another shot for their at risk teens? Especially with the additional uncertainty due to Omicron, and cases really taking off in a lot of states with the holidays...In my state, we've never been asked for any identification because of course they want everybody to get a vaccination.

If a booster were risky for young teens, we would know by now thanks to Israel (they are really doing the world a service there with their vaccination and booster program!).

Edited by Mom_to3
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