wuhan - coronavirus

[Ausmumof3]

So a very common theme/take with health people seems to be given the new data we’re going to need the boosters for the vaccines to have a fighting chance.  Aus third dose rate is currently at like 0.79 pc or similar and we are currently ineligible till six months. 

[Dmmetler]

I really hope the FDA lets teens get a booster soon (like approves if in the next week or so so tHe kids can get it over winter break). Almost all of them are either at or past 6 months, and they’re all Pfizer. I’m worried for my own teen, but also for my students, who were so happy about being able to get the shot last summer. With the governor not allowing mask mandates, schools are going to be a nightmare in Spring if Omicron is really as easily spread as it seems. 

[Acadie]

1 hour ago, Dmmetler said:

I really hope the FDA lets teens get a booster soon (like approves if in the next week or so so tHe kids can get it over winter break). Almost all of them are either at or past 6 months, and they’re all Pfizer. I’m worried for my own teen, but also for my students, who were so happy about being able to get the shot last summer. With the governor not allowing mask mandates, schools are going to be a nightmare in Spring if Omicron is really as easily spread as it seems. 

Totally agree. Dd15's basketball team has an outbreak with 5 cases, some Pfizer breakthrough. I'm especially concerned about how an older assistant coach will fare. No idea if he was vaxxed. So I see outbreaks among teens hitting unvaxxed AND unboosted adults hard this winter. 

Dd tested rapid negative but needs a PCR test to "return to practice without a mask." They suspended the program for a week, but I think it's absolutely bonkers to have athletes competing without masks this winter. They'd be lucky to get through the rest of the a season if everyone were boosted and masked, for heaven's sake! And that's not going to happen. So my kid will be the only one playing with a mask, and I'm checking with her pediatrician to see if there's any way she can qualify for a booster now. 

The mental health impacts for teens going into another Covid winter are just huge, especially with 2-dose vaccination no longer looking very protective. Dd waited so long and was so excited to finally get vaccinated! I really don't want to pull her from her sport, but don't feel comfortable with her playing unboosted and others unmasked.

And I'm just so mad we're in this spot yet again. 

[Ausmumof3]

 

[Ausmumof3]

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-provide-update-omicron-variant
 

And a slightly different result from Pfizer

• Preliminary laboratory studies demonstrate that three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine neutralize the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529 lineage) while two doses show significantly reduced neutralization titers 
• Data indicate that a third dose of BNT162b2 increases the neutralizing antibody titers by 25-fold compared to two doses against the Omicron variant; titers after the booster dose are comparable to titers observed after two doses against the wild-type virus which are associated with high levels of protection
• As 80% of epitopes in the spike protein recognized by CD8+ T cells are not affected by the mutations in the Omicron variant, two doses may still induce protection against severe disease
• The companies continue to advance the development of a variant-specific vaccine for Omicron and expect to have it available by March in the event that an adaption is needed to further increase the level and duration of protection – with no change expected to the companies’ four billion dose capacity for 2022

 

[Corraleno]

49 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

 

I find the results of this study extremely confusing. They appear to be using blood samples from 8 different groups, that were collected as part of 4 different (very small) studies in 4 different places, and which included people of vastly different ages — like the average age of one group was 28 and another was 87.5! 

This is the part that confuses me:

"Neutralization performed with sera from double (non-boosted) or triple BNT162b2-vaccinated (sampled 0.5 or 3 months after boosting) revealed an 11.4- , 37.0- and 24.5-fold reduction, respectively (Figure 1A). Sera from double mRNA1273-vaccinated (non-boosted) and additionally BNT162b2- boosted showed a 20- and 22.7-fold reduction in the neutralization capacity (Figure 1B). Poor neutralization against Delta and no efficacy against Omicron were observed using sera from heterologous ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 vaccinated individuals (Figure 1C). Additionally BNT162b2-boosted individuals showed a significant increase of NAb titers but a 27.1-fold reduction in neutralization against Omicron. (Figure 1C). Convalescent sera poorly neutralize VoCs, however in combination with vaccination provides superior protection. Neutralization of Omicron was 32.8-fold reduced using sera from double BNT162b2 vaccinated and infected individuals (Figure 1D)."

So it looks like they are saying that 2 doses of Pfizer with no booster had the least reduction in efficacy (11.4-fold reduction), while 2 shots of Pfizer plus a booster had the greatest reduction in efficacy (37-fold)?? And then they say that previous infection plus vaccination "provides superior protection" — but the reduction in efficacy for previous infection plus 2 shots of Pfizer was the 2nd worst of all the groups (32.8-fold reduction)?? BTW, the group with previous infection + 2 shots of Pfizer ranged in age from 68 to 93.

Can someone who is more adept at reading the graphs in this preprint clarify what exactly they are saying? Is the fact that the blood samples were collected from different groups, of different ages, in different studies irrelevant, or is this data just a mishmash of results that are really not comparable to each other?

Here is the actual preprint: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.07.21267432v1.full.pdf

 

[Syllieann]

18 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

I find the results of this study extremely confusing. They appear to be using blood samples from 8 different groups, that were collected as part of 4 different (very small) studies in 4 different places, and which included people of vastly different ages — like the average age of one group was 28 and another was 87.5! 

This is the part that confuses me:

"Neutralization performed with sera from double (non-boosted) or triple BNT162b2-vaccinated (sampled 0.5 or 3 months after boosting) revealed an 11.4- , 37.0- and 24.5-fold reduction, respectively (Figure 1A). Sera from double mRNA1273-vaccinated (non-boosted) and additionally BNT162b2- boosted showed a 20- and 22.7-fold reduction in the neutralization capacity (Figure 1B). Poor neutralization against Delta and no efficacy against Omicron were observed using sera from heterologous ChAdOx1 and BNT162b2 vaccinated individuals (Figure 1C). Additionally BNT162b2-boosted individuals showed a significant increase of NAb titers but a 27.1-fold reduction in neutralization against Omicron. (Figure 1C). Convalescent sera poorly neutralize VoCs, however in combination with vaccination provides superior protection. Neutralization of Omicron was 32.8-fold reduced using sera from double BNT162b2 vaccinated and infected individuals (Figure 1D)."

So it looks like they are saying that 2 doses of Pfizer with no booster had the least reduction in efficacy (11.4-fold reduction), while 2 shots of Pfizer plus a booster had the greatest reduction in efficacy (37-fold)?? And then they say that previous infection plus vaccination "provides superior protection" — but the reduction in efficacy for previous infection plus 2 shots of Pfizer was the 2nd worst of all the groups (32.8-fold reduction)?? BTW, the group with previous infection + 2 shots of Pfizer ranged in age from 68 to 93.

Can someone who is more adept at reading the graphs in this preprint clarify what exactly they are saying? Is the fact that the blood samples were collected from different groups, of different ages, in different studies irrelevant, or is this data just a mishmash of results that are really not comparable to each other?

Here is the actual preprint: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.07.21267432v1.full.pdf

 

They are doing their fold calculations against delta efficacy with the same vax history instead of against wild type shortly after vaccination.  So they are comparing two shots effectiveness against delta to two shots effectiveness against omicron.  Since that combo sucks the most against delta to begin with it shows (only) 11 fold difference.  Since boosters are more effective against delta, but apparently still suck against omicron, that shows a higher fold difference.  I don't think this was the best choice in displaying the data.  I would guess it will be recalculated with peer review input.  This is not encouraging and I totally don't believe the Pfizer ceo.

[Ausmumof3]

420 cases in NSW today.  

[Melissa Louise]

12 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

420 cases in NSW today.  

I really hope people adapt their behaviours and change Xmas plans if need be. I think we've just experienced the calm before the storm. 

Off to once again, try to convince everyone I know to get rid of their cloth masks, and replace with P2. Or at the very least, start double masking. 

[Ausmumof3]

14 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

I really hope people adapt their behaviours and change Xmas plans if need be. I think we've just experienced the calm before the storm. 

Off to once again, try to convince everyone I know to get rid of their cloth masks, and replace with P2. Or at the very least, start double masking. 

I bought N95s.  Tried wearing to tutoring and one of the kids with autism had a minor freak out and I can’t make myself heard.  Glad we made it to holidays at least. I’m undecided about a couple of end of year events we normally do.  One is Saturday so I really need to decide.  It should be mostly outdoors.

Edited December 8, 2021 by Ausmumof3

[Ausmumof3]

1232 cases for Vic and 9 deaths. 
seems we are definitely at the start of another wave even without omicron.  

[Ausmumof3]

It seems weird to me that 9 to 10 deaths a day is something we’re going to just accept.  We work so hard to get the road toll down and it’s far lower than that.

[Mrs Tiggywinkle]

50 of the 93 positive tests in my county yesterday are breakthrough cases.  Several are hospitalized(I know that because I took them to the hospital, but the health department doesn’t report the numbers of vaccinated and hospitalized).  
Boosters are available but they don’t seem to be as popular as the initial doses.  And the overall mentality is that if you’re vaccinated, there is no point in further Covid precautions because it’s all futile. People seem to just be over it.

[bookbard]

Just now, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

Boosters are available but they don’t seem to be as popular as the initial doses.  And the overall mentality is that if you’re vaccinated, there is no point in further Covid precautions because it’s all futile. People seem to just be over it.

My husband is like that. I really want him to get a booster as soon as possible (that will be next year) but I am afraid he won't. Because vaccination didn't solve 100% of issues, well that's it, it's all worthless. It's a rigid mindset and I would say many vaccine-hesitant people have a rigid mindset.

School finishes this time next week, cannot wait. Apparently masks are supposed to be off in a week but personally I doubt they'll go ahead with that, esp with omicron. 

[Melissa Louise]

11 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I bought N95s.  Tried wearing to tutoring and one of the kids with autism had a minor freak out and I can’t make myself heard.  Glad we made it to holidays at least. I’m undecided about a couple of end of year events we normally do.  One is Saturday so I really need to decide.  It should be mostly outdoors.

Same re Saturday. It's outdoors. At 5+ months post AZ I probably shouldn't be going anywhere. 

I'm grateful all my tutoring is on Zoom.

[bookbard]

Barnaby Joyce - deputy Prime Minister of Australia - has covid. He's in the USA at the moment. 

[Melissa in Australia]

7 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

It seems weird to me that 9 to 10 deaths a day is something we’re going to just accept.  We work so hard to get the road toll down and it’s far lower than that.

Some expert from some university( cannot remember who it was, but it was a lady scientist) spoke on the radio about the death rates in vic, she said it is mostly people in their 90s with many underlining conditions, mostly double dosed.

I haven’t seen a breakdown of numbers for a few days

but as people in their 90s do die of all sorts of things, and every single person who has covid when they die is counted …….  
 

I don’t know if this trying to put a positive spin on deaths or just factual.

[chocolate-chip chooky]

28 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I bought N95s.  Tried wearing to tutoring and one of the kids with autism had a minor freak out and I can’t make myself heard.  Glad we made it to holidays at least. I’m undecided about a couple of end of year events we normally do.  One is Saturday so I really need to decide.  It should be mostly outdoors.

I'm not sure what your comfort level would be, but I thought I'd mention this in case it is helpful.

Have you considered a face-shield while tutoring with students who benefit from seeing your mouth?  I've heard that this is what some teachers are using with their autistic students.

[Arcadia]

https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2021/12/08/kaiser-oakland-staffers-covid-omicron-outbreak/
“Eleven of 12 COVID-19 cases tied to an omicron variant outbreak in Alameda County are fully vaccinated and boosted staff members at Kaiser hospital in Oakland, according to a Kaiser Permanente spokesman.

… 

The Kaiser Oakland staff members, ranging in age from 18 to 49, had attended a wedding in Wisconsin during Thanksgiving weekend. One of those who attended the wedding had also just returned from international travel, according to public health officials.

“These staff members’ exposure to COVID-19 happened at a wedding out-of-state, not through their work at the medical center,” said Kaiser spokesman Karl Sonkin.”They are isolated at home with mild symptoms as reported by Alameda County, which is consistent with the reported severity experienced by other people who are vaccinated and contracted this illness.””

[Ausmumof3]

42 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I'm not sure what your comfort level would be, but I thought I'd mention this in case it is helpful.

Have you considered a face-shield while tutoring with students who benefit from seeing your mouth?  I've heard that this is what some teachers are using with their autistic students.

Not really because the data on face shields isn’t very promising.  I don’t think they would be effective against aerosols though they may work against droplets.  Plus I suspect he’d freak more about the face shield. Dad has a medical exemption for mask wearing tag so there might be more going on there. 
 

I’m done till mid-Jan and by then we should have a clearer picture of things.

[Melissa Louise]

44 minutes ago, chocolate-chip chooky said:

I'm not sure what your comfort level would be, but I thought I'd mention this in case it is helpful.

Have you considered a face-shield while tutoring with students who benefit from seeing your mouth?  I've heard that this is what some teachers are using with their autistic students.

Face shields are largely useless in terms of mitigation against an air borne illness. Masks are a tutoring problem, but face shields don't really solve it, unfortunately. 

[Melissa Louise]

1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Some expert from some university( cannot remember who it was, but it was a lady scientist) spoke on the radio about the death rates in vic, she said it is mostly people in their 90s with many underlining conditions, mostly double dosed.

I haven’t seen a breakdown of numbers for a few days

but as people in their 90s do die of all sorts of things, and every single person who has covid when they die is counted …….  
 

I don’t know if this trying to put a positive spin on deaths or just factual.

Death is not the only outcome of concern. I don't know if you have been following studies on long Covid, but frankly, that's of more concern to me than death. 

Gut effects, neurological effects, pulmonary fibrosis, diabetes - we should all be avoiding infection if we want to avoid disability. Even small increases in prevalence of these diseases will cost us, in a variety of ways. 

 

 

[SHP]

On 12/5/2021 at 6:31 PM, lewelma said:

This was written on my home ed board in reference to people complaining about the vaccine passports being discrimination. It was stated in a way that I have never heard before and really spoke to me.

"*Actual* *real* discrimination is when disabled people are excluded from spaces because of an inadequate health response which does not work to take their wellbeing into account. There is a a lot of abelism in this thread and it would serve us all well if we could all check our [health] privilege."

 

Thank you for sharing this. This was very helpful for me in finding the wording I needed for advocating for my family. 

[Longtime Lurker]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I bought N95s.  Tried wearing to tutoring and one of the kids with autism had a minor freak out and I can’t make myself heard.  Glad we made it to holidays at least. I’m undecided about a couple of end of year events we normally do.  One is Saturday so I really need to decide.  It should be mostly outdoors.

While we knew we would not be able to get DS23 (severe autism) to wear a mask himself, we worked very hard over the summer of 2020 to get him to tolerate others wearing masks. That has paid off as his school staff has worn masks since fall of 2020 and he is used to it. It was tough at first, though.

[Melissa Louise]

4 minutes ago, Longtime Lurker said:

While we knew we would not be able to get DS23 (severe autism) to wear a mask himself, we worked very hard over the summer of 2020 to get him to tolerate others wearing masks. That has paid off as his school staff has worn masks since fall of 2020 and he is used to it. It was tough at first, though.

Thank you for your efforts, and your ds' efforts. 

[Melissa in Australia]

29 minutes ago, Melissa Louise said:

Death is not the only outcome of concern. I don't know if you have been following studies on long Covid, but frankly, that's of more concern to me than death. 

Gut effects, neurological effects, pulmonary fibrosis, diabetes - we should all be avoiding infection if we want to avoid disability. Even small increases in prevalence of these diseases will cost us, in a variety of ways. 

 

 

Yes,  I am aware, I find it very sad  😢 

 I was trying to answer ausmum about the continual  daily death rate in Victoria.

which I also find very sad

[Ausmumof3]

35 minutes ago, Longtime Lurker said:

While we knew we would not be able to get DS23 (severe autism) to wear a mask himself, we worked very hard over the summer of 2020 to get him to tolerate others wearing masks. That has paid off as his school staff has worn masks since fall of 2020 and he is used to it. It was tough at first, though.

Thank you!

[Ausmumof3]

Canberra residents with long COVID given additional support

Canberra residents suffering from long COVID will be given support at a new post-COVID recovery clinic at the University of Canberra Hospital in Bruce.

Research suggests that up to a third of patients with COVID may end up with ongoing symptoms.

The head in rehab outpatients at the University of Canberra Hospital, Michelle Bennett, says the clinic will help people maximise their recovery.

"The clinic will be coordinated by rehabilitation medicine and then we will certainly have access to a number of allied health clinicians including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers," she said.
 

 

[Melissa Louise]

Booked my booster. 12 days to go. 

I hope it will still have some protection against serious illness with Omicron. 

[kbutton]

3 hours ago, Mrs Tiggywinkle said:

Boosters are available but they don’t seem to be as popular as the initial doses.  And the overall mentality is that if you’re vaccinated, there is no point in further Covid precautions because it’s all futile. People seem to just be over it.

This sounds like my parents' county, which is not that far away in PA. What's frustrating is that is has been less political than where I live, but their vaccination rate is lower!!! And people who aren't getting the booster but got the first sets of shots don't seem to have a good reason for avoiding the booster. They even say they aren't really reluctant about side effects. It makes no sense. 

[busymama7]

Information and logic is just so poor.  Someone said to my husband (being skeptical of the covid boosters) "there never before has been a vaccine that requires 3 doses".  For REALS. This man has kids.  They are vaccinated on the normal schedule. I assume he just never went to those appointments or paid attention to his kids shot records.  It's just so unbelievably annoying how little logic there is everywhere.  

[Bambam]

39 minutes ago, busymama7 said:

Information and logic is just so poor.  Someone said to my husband (being skeptical of the covid boosters) "there never before has been a vaccine that requires 3 doses".  For REALS. This man has kids.  They are vaccinated on the normal schedule. I assume he just never went to those appointments or paid attention to his kids shot records.  It's just so unbelievably annoying how little logic there is everywhere.  

I'm in my 50s. I just got another tetanus booster about 8 years ago. 
You need them every 10 years.  So... ask him when his last tetanus booster was. 

[prairiewindmomma]

4 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I bought N95s.  Tried wearing to tutoring and one of the kids with autism had a minor freak out and I can’t make myself heard.  Glad we made it to holidays at least. I’m undecided about a couple of end of year events we normally do.  One is Saturday so I really need to decide.  It should be mostly outdoors.

One of the things they are doing here is having staff wear a badge with a photo of them smiling. Since some with autism struggle with visual perception/facial recognition it reminds them who the person is and that they have friendly intent. 

[busymama7]

1 hour ago, Bambam said:

I'm in my 50s. I just got another tetanus booster about 8 years ago. 
You need them every 10 years.  So... ask him when his last tetanus booster was. 

No kidding. It was such an incredibly stupid thing to say.  People are so caught up in this not trusting the government or whatever that they have lost their minds. 

[lewelma]

NZ is at 88.6% double dose for age 12+. We might actually hit our 90% target by Christmas! We are going up about 1% per week at this point.

Aucklanders are being released next week but only if they are fully vaxed or have a negative covid test.  There will be police checkpoints on all the roads leading out (and there are not many because it is on an isthmus.)

And it looks like ALL the universities are going with vaccine mandates for faculty, staff, students, visitors, and contractors, which makes me feel so much better about my ds moving into the dorms in February.

 

[Melissa Louise]

[popmom]

5 hours ago, Melissa Louise said:

Booked my booster. 12 days to go. 

I hope it will still have some protection against serious illness with Omicron. 

I've been reading up. I believe even if the virus evades the antibodies produced, apparently the T cells produced are still effective. So maybe we can't avoid infection altogether, but I do think the vaccines will prevent severe illness even with Omicron. Honestly, after all I've read, I'm not going to go to life altering measures to avoid Omicron. The natural immunity acquired from infection from O. (which seems to be mostly mild symptoms so far)  along with the vaccines is probably the best protection ultimately. Clearly, it depends on an individual's risk factors. I say this knowing full well that long Covid is a risk. I already have CFS/ME that is currently manageable with meds. #unpopularopinion

Edited December 9, 2021 by popmom

[busymama7]

8 hours ago, popmom said:

I've been reading up. I believe even if the virus evades the antibodies produced, apparently the T cells produced are still effective. So maybe we can't avoid infection altogether, but I do think the vaccines will prevent severe illness even with Omicron. Honestly, after all I've read, I'm not going to go to life altering measures to avoid Omicron. The natural immunity acquired from infection from O. (which seems to be mostly mild symptoms so far)  along with the vaccines is probably the best protection ultimately. Clearly, it depends on an individual's risk factors. I say this knowing full well that long Covid is a risk. I already have CFS/ME that is currently manageable with meds. #unpopularopinion

What meds are you taking for CFS/ME? I have long covid but not that diagnosis yet although it is likely. 

[wathe]

Formal data on the Oslo Christmas party from Norwegian institute of public health.  It's worrisome.

Excerpt:

The preliminary analyses show:

• Of 111 participants at the Christmas party who were interviewed, 73% (80 people) were subsequently diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. Of these, 17 are confirmed with the omicron variant by sequencing as of December 8, 2021. Analysis of additional samples is ongoing, but it is assumed that most people who are ill are infected with the omicron variant.
• All except one of those who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 reported symptoms. Most reported symptom onset three days after the party.
• Over 70% of cases reported cough, lethargy, headache, sore throat and over half of them reported fever. No hospital admissions have been reported.
• Eight cases reported travel outside Norway during the two weeks before the Christmas party (different countries in Africa and Europe).
• In addition, infection has been detected among more than 60 people who visited the restaurant on the same evening as the party.

[Acadie]

8 minutes ago, wathe said:

Formal data on the Oslo Christmas party from Norwegian institute of public health.  It's worrisome.

Omicron is unbelievably contagious, that's for sure. Hoping hospitalizations from this event stay at zero. 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Acadie

[KSera]

45 minutes ago, wathe said:

Formal data on the Oslo Christmas party from Norwegian institute of public health.  It's worrisome.

Excerpt:

The preliminary analyses show:

• Of 111 participants at the Christmas party who were interviewed, 73% (80 people) were subsequently diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2. Of these, 17 are confirmed with the omicron variant by sequencing as of December 8, 2021. Analysis of additional samples is ongoing, but it is assumed that most people who are ill are infected with the omicron variant.
• All except one of those who were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 reported symptoms. Most reported symptom onset three days after the party.
• Over 70% of cases reported cough, lethargy, headache, sore throat and over half of them reported fever. No hospital admissions have been reported.
• Eight cases reported travel outside Norway during the two weeks before the Christmas party (different countries in Africa and Europe).
• In addition, infection has been detected among more than 60 people who visited the restaurant on the same evening as the party.

Disappointed to see (among other things, of course) that only 1 of 80 was asymptomatic. If that were to hold up in other omicron outbreaks, it would seem this variant causes more symptoms than previous ones, not less, though it doesn’t yet tell us anything about the risk of severe illness. 

[wathe]

8 minutes ago, KSera said:

Disappointed to see (among other things, of course) that only 1 of 80 was asymptomatic. If that were to hold up in other omicron outbreaks, it would seem this variant causes more symptoms than previous ones, not less, though it doesn’t yet tell us anything about the risk of severe illness. 

Right.  I think it's too early to know if Omicron causes more or less severe illness than Delta.  ICU and death are lagging indicators.  And (I think) so far cases have skewed young - travellers and young, socially mobile people.  I don't think it has hit our more vulnerable populations yet.

[KSera]

18 minutes ago, wathe said:

 And (I think) so far cases have skewed young - travellers and young, socially mobile people.  I don't think it has hit our more vulnerable populations yet.

That’s what I’m seeing. Even in South Africa, where it’s widespread, they have a much younger population. Unfortunately, I think it will take awhile for us to have a handle on whether the severity differs. (I read somewhere yesterday that the first US case of Covid-19 was detected on January 20, but the first death wasn’t until February 28.)

[Dmmetler]

FDA approves Pfizer booster for 16-17 yr olds

 

That covers L and my older teen students. Hoping 12-15 is next. 

[wathe]

40 minutes ago, KSera said:

That’s what I’m seeing. Even in South Africa, where it’s widespread, they have a much younger population. Unfortunately, I think it will take awhile for us to have a handle on whether the severity differs. (I read somewhere yesterday that the first US case of Covid-19 was detected on January 20, but the first death wasn’t until February 28.)

Yes.  The first death in my province was March 11, 2020.  Our first case was January 25.

[Acadie]

1 hour ago, Dmmetler said:

FDA approves Pfizer booster for 16-17 yr olds

 

That covers L and my older teen students. Hoping 12-15 is next. 

Anyone have info on boosters for 12-15 year-olds? I'm not finding anything and our pediatrician said they're just recruiting for clinical trials now, which suggests it will be a while. Could EUA speed things up? 

[Pawz4me]

I've just been skimming this thread, but I don't think this has been posted yet. It's a MAB treatment that's been approved for prophylactic use in the immune compromised --

FDA clears AstraZeneca's Covid antibody treatment for immunocompromised

Quote

The Food and Drug Administration authorized the first injectable monoclonal antibody cocktail for long-term prevention of Covid-19 among people with weakened immune systems before they have been exposed to the coronavirus. 

The FDA issued an emergency use authorization Wednesday for AstraZeneca’s antibody cocktail, Evusheld, for what is known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, against Covid-19. 

To date, such laboratory-produced antibodies have been authorized only as early treatment of Covid-19 or as preventive therapy for high-risk people immediately after close contact with someone who has tested positive.

Evusheld can be used as PrEP by people ages 12 and older who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and may not get adequate immune responses from a Covid vaccine. The therapy is also an option for the rare people who have histories of severe adverse reactions to a Covid vaccine or its components.

The AstraZeneca therapy involves getting preventive injections as often as every six months. According to a large placebo-controlled clinical trial, the cocktail is about 83 percent effective at preventing symptomatic disease during such an interval.

 

[ktgrok]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:22 AM, Kassia said:

That is correct.  They wouldn't give me phenergan at the hospital for that reason.  They wouldn't even give me pain meds.  I can't have morphine anyway because it makes me itch and the Dilaudid I was supposed to have suppresses respiration.  It was awful!  

 

For oral meds, I had good results with Nucynta. Less likely to cause vomiting than most opioids, and no itching. It's chemically more like Tramadol, but stronger, similar in strength to oxycodone. 

16 hours ago, busymama7 said:

Information and logic is just so poor.  Someone said to my husband (being skeptical of the covid boosters) "there never before has been a vaccine that requires 3 doses".  For REALS. This man has kids.  They are vaccinated on the normal schedule. I assume he just never went to those appointments or paid attention to his kids shot records.  It's just so unbelievably annoying how little logic there is everywhere.  

Right? And I saw someone say on facebook months ago that "we've never had a vaccine for a virus before". Um, what?????

[busymama7]

Never?!? No vaccine for viruses ever?!?  🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Matryoshka]

30 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Right? And I saw someone say on facebook months ago that "we've never had a vaccine for a virus before". Um, what?????

What the ever living heck did he think previous vaccines were for?  It's actually way more common to have vaccines for viruses than bacteria.