Omicron anecdata?

[SHP]

10 hours ago, KSera said:

It came across as snarky and uninformed when it said that people at low risk of serious disease who are still concerned about Covid should discuss their risk with a mental health professional. Therapists and other mental health professionals  are not likely to be well-versed in what someone’s risk of long Covid or other post Covid sequelae are. Why would I talk to a therapist about it? I pay attention to what scientists and doctors actually working with the disease are saying. A large number are appalled that so many are pretending we aren’t still in a pandemic with a very elevated number of excess deaths still. I see many, if not most of them encouraging people to continue to take precautions such as wearing a mask indoors, ventilating and cleaning the air. 

I am not shocked that they are telling people to talk to a mental health professional at all. I have noticed a shift in recent years towards telling people, especially adults, that they just need coping skills rather than getting tests to flesh out any other medical conditions or trying treatments. It feels more like the goal is to gaslight people into not having medical problems.

Chronic pain? Coping skills! You don't need to have more testing and possibly PT to see if there is any under lying cause or a way to help the pain. (I pushed hard for PT and to see different providers until I finally hit the one that could help me, I have two types of scoliosis. There are treatments. I do not need to live in pain.)

Tettinnitus? Coping skills! No education or treatment. (One of our adult kids was told this. I am still fuming. There is no way that audiologist wasn't aware of treatment options.)

And what really passes me off: 

Anxiety over a very real threat, say working in an overcrowded, poorly ventilated classroom with no masking or other mitigation measures while schools threaten parents with truancy charges if a kid misses 6 days of school so the parents knowingly send a sick kid in or the parent's employer has a policy that they cannot call off before shift or they will be fired but if the school calls them to pick up a sick kid that is fine so parents send their kids to school knowing they are sick while Covid is rapidly spreading through the school.

 

Coping skills is a band-aid, not the solution. I am not saying coping skills are a bad thing, not at all. I am saying they are not the solution. We know what the solution is and it is not to act as though those who are listening to the science have a mental illness.

[KSera]

4 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Immune protection is boosted by B.1.1.529 (Omicron) infection in the triple-vaccinated, previously infection-naïve individuals, but this boosting is lost with prior Wuhan Hu-1 imprinting.

Am I reading this correctly that they’re finding an Omicron infection confers greater immunity in fully vaccinated people who never had the original strain? I had wondered if it made a difference whether someone was exposed to the original strain via vaccine or infection, and this seems to indicate that actual infection has a bigger issue with OAS than the vaccine does. 

[BlsdMama]

I apologize for jumping in, but thought this thread was the best place to ask…

 

It’s Day 3 for me and my fever dropped to 100.6 (from 103) and I feel markedly better. Does anyone know the natural course for critical patients? I can contact my neurologist today and request a treatment but I’m wondering if it’s necessary? Or if I’d be silly to not get treatment despite feeling better?

[Starr]

I m so glad you are feeling better. Even so I would call your doctor. It doesn’t always follow a straight course. 

[cintinative]

26 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

I apologize for jumping in, but thought this thread was the best place to ask…

 

It’s Day 3 for me and my fever dropped to 100.6 (from 103) and I feel markedly better. Does anyone know the natural course for critical patients? I can contact my neurologist today and request a treatment but I’m wondering if it’s necessary? Or if I’d be silly to not get treatment despite feeling better?

Given your neuro condition I would definitely contact your neurologist to let them know what is going on.  I don't want to scare you but I have heard anecdotal stories of people's condition changing very rapidly. Since I don't know how COVID interacts with your neuro disease, I think it is best to ask an expert about how to proceed.  I am so very sorry you are sick! 

 

[mommyoffive]

Covid-19 Booster Shots Targeting Omicron Authorized, Likely to Be Offered Soon (msn.com)

The action by the Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday permits people 12 years and older to receive an additional shot of the vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE, and people 18 and older to receive a Moderna Inc. booster at least two months after their most recent dose.

 

The clearance marks the first changes to the composition of the Covid-19 vaccines since their distribution began in the U.S. in December 2020.

The action also makes the booster doses widely available, rather than limiting them to people who are at high risk of developing severe disease, as earlier booster authorizations had done.

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by mommyoffive

[Mom_to3]

The real oddity is that the updated booster won't be available as a primary series.  To me it seems they no longer want to reach out to unvaccinated people. Indeed, quite the opposite - this IMO discourages anyone from starting to get vaccinated. Is this because they don't have the money to buy enough shots for all (2 updated shots plus an updated booster for an unvaxxed person is a lot of shots)? I am sure they justify this because they don't have the data that would justify the updated shot as a primary series - which is of course silly, because an updated shot is better than no shot at all. 

[Ausmumof3]

10 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

I apologize for jumping in, but thought this thread was the best place to ask…

 

It’s Day 3 for me and my fever dropped to 100.6 (from 103) and I feel markedly better. Does anyone know the natural course for critical patients? I can contact my neurologist today and request a treatment but I’m wondering if it’s necessary? Or if I’d be silly to not get treatment despite feeling better?

I’m so glad you are feeling better! I do think contacting the neurologist would be a good idea, they may know more on what to look out for to warrant treatment.

[wathe]

12 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

I apologize for jumping in, but thought this thread was the best place to ask…

 

It’s Day 3 for me and my fever dropped to 100.6 (from 103) and I feel markedly better. Does anyone know the natural course for critical patients? I can contact my neurologist today and request a treatment but I’m wondering if it’s necessary? Or if I’d be silly to not get treatment despite feeling better?

Acute covid illness: Median time to hospitalization is 7-8 days post-symptom onset.

That matches my anecdotal experience of pt's doing relatively well, then relatively abrupt deterioration around day 6-9.

These days this mostly applies to  unvaxed and immune-compromised people though (don't know if that applies to you).  

We aren't seeing very many fully immunized, immune-competent patients getting critically ill with acute covid anymore. (We are, however, seeing lots of acute covid illness tipping patients with chronic co-morbidities into acute exacerbations of those - DKA, COPD, dehydration and dizzy, dehydration and falls/broken hip etc, despite being fully immunized and immune-competent)

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

U.S. life expectancy drops sharply, the second consecutive decline - STAT (statnews.com)

[mommyoffive]

'Largest score decline' in reading for nation's 9-year-olds, first-ever drop in math (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

Cdc committee is meeting about bivalent boosters today.

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices- ACIP (ibm.com)

video

 

ACIP September 1-2, 2022 Presentation Slides | Immunization Practices | CDC

 

 

[mommyoffive]

 

[mommyoffive]

More kids are repeating a grade. Is it good for them? (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

More kids are repeating a grade. Is it good for them? (msn.com)

Interesting article. I think that having more options and having less stigma (as the pandemic has allowed) are both good things. 

[mommyoffive]

“ Moderna's Miller says the company is studying boosters in kids 6 to 17 yo and expect to file to @US_FDA by the end of Sept. The study on children 6 months to 5 years is expected to be concluded by the end of the year.

[Ausmumof3]

6 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

'Largest score decline' in reading for nation's 9-year-olds, first-ever drop in math (msn.com)

Sadly I believe this. So many kids here seem massively behind. And we only had two terms that had a delayed starts of a couple of weeks in SA, I think it’s more the overall stress levels and so many disruptions with teachers being away. Kids getting put into classes way below their grade level etc.

[Ting Tang]

23 hours ago, Mom_to3 said:

The real oddity is that the updated booster won't be available as a primary series.  To me it seems they no longer want to reach out to unvaccinated people. Indeed, quite the opposite - this IMO discourages anyone from starting to get vaccinated. Is this because they don't have the money to buy enough shots for all (2 updated shots plus an updated booster for an unvaxxed person is a lot of shots)? I am sure they justify this because they don't have the data that would justify the updated shot as a primary series - which is of course silly, because an updated shot is better than no shot at all. 

I'm not sure how much I missed since I was away, but I just read my state of 15 million is only getting 580,000 of these boosters.  I don't know if that is a grand total or what, but I was hoping to be able to get another booster soon.  I feel like I am on my own.  I do not understand why the initial vaccines won't be changed, either?  

 

[Mom_to3]

2 hours ago, Ting Tang said:

I'm not sure how much I missed since I was away, but I just read my state of 15 million is only getting 580,000 of these boosters.  I don't know if that is a grand total or what, but I was hoping to be able to get another booster soon.  I feel like I am on my own.  I do not understand why the initial vaccines won't be changed, either?  

 

May I ask which part of the country generally? I had read somewhere earlier that there were considerations to allocate based on perceived demand? 

Also, is that  perhaps just the initial allocation? I have heard absolutely "nothing" about allocations or even if the state is opening up clinics again (we can only get boosters at pharmacies and doctors' offices now - and I imagine those slots will be hard to come by for the next couple of weeks. 

[bookbard]

3 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

Sadly I believe this. So many kids here seem massively behind. And we only had two terms that had a delayed starts of a couple of weeks in SA, I think it’s more the overall stress levels and so many disruptions with teachers being away. Kids getting put into classes way below their grade level etc.

Yes I think the Naplan post lockdown showed higher results, if I remember correctly. It's been downhill since then due to the disturbed classes meaning a lot of kids aren't getting consistent teaching. I wish someone would do an investigation and see whether there's some class/wealth thing going on, as my friend in a wealthy Sydney suburb has basically had no disruptions, whereas some schools in the western suburbs have had major issues - I wonder whether it's about relief teachers being available or richer schools having more funds for relief teachers?

[Ting Tang]

53 minutes ago, Mom_to3 said:

May I ask which part of the country generally? I had read somewhere earlier that there were considerations to allocate based on perceived demand? 

Also, is that  perhaps just the initial allocation? I have heard absolutely "nothing" about allocations or even if the state is opening up clinics again (we can only get boosters at pharmacies and doctors' offices now - and I imagine those slots will be hard to come by for the next couple of weeks. 

I'm in Illinois.  I just thought that was a very low number, but I also know only a small percentage of people have gotten their first boosters. 

[mommyoffive]

27 minutes ago, Ting Tang said:

I'm in Illinois.  I just thought that was a very low number, but I also know only a small percentage of people have gotten their first boosters. 

Do you have a link to that article??  I am hoping that it isn't the same for my state.  From what I read it was kind of better to wait further into fall, but if they don't have that many to begin with, maybe it is better to get it asap.

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

[mommyoffive]

CDC Maps

[mommyoffive]

CDC advisers recommend updated coronavirus booster shot for fall (msn.com)

Advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday recommended that millions of Americans, including those as young as 12, should get an omicron-targeting coronavirus booster shot to bolster defenses against serious illness and death during a potential fall or winter rise in covid-19 cases.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky is expected to endorse the recommendation on the reformulated vaccine within hours, allowing some clinicians, pharmacies and other providers to begin administering shots as early as this weekend.

[Jean in Newcastle]

8 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

CDC Maps

Can you explain the extreme difference between community risk and individual risk?  Is individual risk just high because of the Russian roulette aspect of people not taking precautions?  Does your individual risk profile change if you are masking and are twice boosted?  

[mommyoffive]

8 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Can you explain the extreme difference between community risk and individual risk?  Is individual risk just high because of the Russian roulette aspect of people not taking precautions?  Does your individual risk profile change if you are masking and are twice boosted?  

Health Experts Worry That CDC Covid-19 Maps, Measures May Be Misunderstood (forbes.com)

Focusing on the Community Levels map would be like using a weather map from March to determine what to wear today. Life coaches frequently say, “don’t live in the past,” so why should that be done with Covid-19? A county’s Covid-19 level qualifies as “low” when there has been less than 200 cases per 100,000 people, the number of new Covid-19 admissions per 100,000 people has been less than 10, and the percentage of staffed inpatient beds in use by Covid-19 patients has been less than 10% over the previous 7 days

When it comes to Covid-19 precautions, the Community Transmission maps offer much more relevant info than the Community Levels ones. On these maps, a county is considered “low “when the number of new cases per 100,000 persons has been less than 10 and the percentage of positive Nucleic Acid Amplification (NAAT) tests has been less than 5% over the past 7 days. The level moves up to “moderate” if the first measure has gone up to the 10 to 49.99 range or the second measure has moved up to the 5% to 7.99% range. “Substantial” means that either the first measure has been in the 50 to 99.99 range or the second has been in the 8% to 9.99% range. When the first measure has reached 100 or the second has reached 10%, transmission levels then would qualify as “high.”

 

 

What's the COVID risk in your area? CDC maps leave some people confused : Shots - Health News : NPR

Edited September 2, 2022 by mommyoffive

[KSera]

9 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

 

I’m interested to know more about the small number of serious events after the pediatric vaccines. We know they weren’t myocarditis, but do we know what they were and if they are considered related or incidental?

20 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Can you explain the extreme difference between community risk and individual risk?  Is individual risk just high because of the Russian roulette aspect of people not taking precautions?  Does your individual risk profile change if you are masking and are twice boosted?  

The articles explain in better detail, but it’s basically the difference between hospitals being overwhelmed (community risk) vs you personally being at risk for catching it (individual risk). If you want to know when the risk of catching it is high, then the individual risk map is the one you want. Many fewer people are being hospitalized now, so it takes a lot for community risk to get high. That doesn’t mean there’s not a super high risk of catching it many places though, you’re just likely to find a hospital bed available if you do so.

[Mom_to3]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

Do you have a link to that article??  I am hoping that it isn't the same for my state.  From what I read it was kind of better to wait further into fall, but if they don't have that many to begin with, maybe it is better to get it asap.

I still haven't found much (anything) locally, but the nytimes explains a bit:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/health/covid-omicron-vaccines.html

"Hundreds of thousands of updated vaccine doses were being delivered around the country on Thursday, the C.D.C. said. Providers nationwide are expected to have millions by Labor Day, the agency said, though some doctors have said they were told that initial supply would be small in their areas."

My guess - it's an initial supply issue a bit reminiscent of the early days of the first vaccine. In a few weeks, it will likely be easily available. Like you, I am also wondering when we should go for it - especially since the 5-11 year old group won't be eligible yet (I hate this!! We haven't once felt "safe" as a family this pandemic, as the younger ones only became eligible once Omicron had already taken off), and we have no idea how much this new vaccine will prevent transmission. Also, this may well be the last booster for quite a long while (any hope it will get us through what will likely be an ugly winter? If we do get sick with covid, is it better now, while Pax and hospitals are still somewhat available, or when medical care will be extremely hard to come by this winter with both covid and flu circulating at extreme levels). Of course, both DH and I are back to in-person work...so there is that. Who knows what the best decision is.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Mom_to3

[mommyoffive]

2 minutes ago, Mom_to3 said:

I still haven't found much (anything) locally, but the nytimes explains a bit:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/01/health/covid-omicron-vaccines.html

"Hundreds of thousands of updated vaccine doses were being delivered around the country on Thursday, the C.D.C. said. Providers nationwide are expected to have millions by Labor Day, the agency said, though some doctors have said they were told that initial supply would be small in their areas."

My guess - it's an initial supply issue a bit reminiscent of the early days of the first vaccine. In a few weeks, it will likely be easily available. Like you, I am also wondering when we should go for it - especially since the 5-11 year old group won't be eligible yet (I hate this!! We haven't once felt "safe" as a family this pandemic, as the younger ones only became eligible once Omicron had already taken off), and we have no idea how much this new vaccine will prevent transmission. Also, this may well be the last booster for quite a long while (any hope it will get us through what will likely be an ugly winter? If we do get sick with covid, is it better now, while Pax and hospitals are still somewhat available, or when medical care will be extremely hard to come by this winter with both covid and flu circulating at extreme levels). 

Yep, Yep, yep. 

I hate this too.  From something I posted a bit back said that they thought to hold off until Nov or December because the biggest boost was the 1 month after the shot.  I hate this choice too.  It is like ok put it off and wait and you could get covid by then.  Or get it sooner and then be not as well protected during the heights.  Just feel like a choice you need to have your magic 8 ball out to figure it out.

[mommyoffive]

Fall Boosters ACIP Meeting: Cliff notes (substack.com)

 

Bottom line

 

Everyone aged 12+ years old should get a booster this fall. It is safe. And we are more confident than not that it will be better than the previous vaccine. It will not be the silver bullet, but will no doubt help greatly on an individual and population level through the winter months. Protect yourself and those around you.

Love, YLE

P.S. Everyone should get a booster. But, we can be data driven on when to get this vaccine based on vaccination status, age, previous infections, etc. I will write a post for tomorrow to explain my thinking. Too much for one day. Stay tuned.

[mommyoffive]

Considerations for your fall booster - by Katelyn Jetelina (substack.com)

Lots of good stuff here.  This is what I am going to go off of.

How long after infection/last vaccine should you booster?

How much longer to delay should take into account: individual risk (age, comorbidities); degree in which you don’t want to miss an event (because you’re sick) or an event is high risk (wedding, family vacation); and/or not wanting to be sick in general (for example, if someone depends on you). I recommend the following:

• <2-3 months since infection/vaccination: Wait.

• 3-4 months since infection/vaccination: Consider a booster if you’re high risk, or have an event. (Get your booster 2 weeks before this event for optimal protection).

• 4-6 months since infection/vaccination: Get your booster at some point.

• 6+ months since infection/vaccination: Get your booster ASAP. This includes me—I haven’t been infected, and I had my booster last November.

• Does it matter if you had a BA.1, BA.2, or BA.5 infection?

   

  A previous Omicron infection (BA.1 or BA2) does protect well against BA.5. By now we have real world data from Portugal, Qatar, and Denmark. But, regardless, everyone will benefit from a bivalent booster in one way or another.

  First, a booster will increase neutralizing antibodies, at least temporarily, to help prevent infection and transmission. It’s not perfect, but we hope this will last for 6 months.

  Second, a booster will help your secondary line of defense differently, depending on type of previous infection:

• BA.1 infection: An infection during the first Omicron wave (December, January, February) means you likely had a BA.1 infection. In the Omicron family, BA.1 is farthest from BA.5 (see tree below). This means your B-cells can be updated to remember BA.5.

• 

• BA.2 infection: BA.2 is closer to BA.5. This means your B cells looks more like BA.5 than, for example, BA.1. Because it’s close, the booster will solidify BA.2 immunity and widen protection to other BA.2 variants. The booster will also provide immunity to BA.5 for future protection.

• BA.5 infection: A booster will reactivate your B cells. This will theoretically ensure longer term protection against BA.5.

•  

  Mixing and matching

   

  If you’ve only had an entire Moderna series, you may see marginal benefit from getting a Pfizer bivalent booster (and vice versa). But, to be honest, the science is mixed and isn’t very strong. So, my official recommendation is to just get the vaccine that is most easily accessible.

  There is one case in which I think it does matter: If you’re a male and under the age of 30, your risk of myocarditis is higher. I would go for a Pfizer, as it has less RNA than the Moderna vaccine and will theoretically decrease risk.

•  

  What about a Novavax booster?

   

  About 14,000 Americans have gotten the Novavax primary series, thus far. Novavax says that their bivalent booster should be authorized for emergency use soon. The Novavax series works great. But, I wouldn’t necessarily wait for it. As I’ve written before, mixing your mRNA primary series with Novavax just doesn’t show the additional benefit we hoped it would.

  Kids under 12

   

  For those 5-11 years old, the bivalent vaccine should be coming by the end of the year. If your child is eligible now for their third dose, I personally wouldn’t wait for the bivalent. I would get them up-to-date now so they are fully protected in school. They can get the updated booster once it’s available.

  For those under 5, the plan is not clear. We’re still waiting on dose 3 data for Moderna (I am expecting this any day), but this data will be for BA.1 dose 3 (not a BA.5 bivalent vaccine). No word yet on a fall booster after the primary Pfizer series (which would equate to dose 4). As a parent, I will keep tabs on this.

• What about mixing with other vaccines, like the flu vaccine?

   

  You can get the flu vaccine (and other routine vaccines) and bivalent booster at the same visit. It’s recommended to administer in different arms.

• The CDC recommends spacing the COVID-19 booster with Jynneos (monkeypox vaccine), especially in young men, 4 weeks apart. If there is need for Jynneos in terms of an outbreak, don’t wait! But consider delaying the booster after Jynneos. This is based on the fact that myocarditis is higher among the second generation monkeypox vaccine (called ACAM2000), and we don’t know why. We haven’t seen these safety signals with Jynneos (third generation monkeypox vaccine), but we are proceeding with caution.

Edited September 2, 2022 by mommyoffive

[PaxEtLux]

Dumb question, but Dr. Hive knows all.
 

I'm eager to get the omicron-specific vaccine booster when it it available, but I'm curious to know if it has a different name than the non-specific booster?  When we sign up today, we are offered the choice of J&J, Moderna, Pfizer, and booster or initial.  Will there be a different name for the new booster, or will all the new boosters after some date be the new ones?

[kokotg]

I've been checking websites for appointments, and it looks like I could drive 45 minutes or so to Atlanta and get a booster as soon as today, but there's nothing closer yet. I definitely want boosters as soon as possible for all of us (it's been a long time, we haven't had covid as far as I know, and my husband teaches high school so has close contacts pretty much constantly)...but I'm happy waiting a few days if it means I can get one closer. But I'm nervous about supply. I have college kids in 2 different cities now, so I'm also fretting about them. I did read yesterday that it looks like Moderna will be releasing some promising results from trials (maybe just the ones on mice?) that suggest this booster might be longer lasting than the previous ones. That would be awfully nice; I'm really not a fan of the "alternate covid and boosters every few months" plan. That was rambly. ANYWAY.

[kokotg]

5 minutes ago, PaxEtLux said:

Dumb question, but Dr. Hive knows all.
 

I'm eager to get the omicron-specific vaccine booster when it it available, but I'm curious to know if it has a different name than the non-specific booster?  When we sign up today, we are offered the choice of J&J, Moderna, Pfizer, and booster or initial.  Will there be a different name for the new booster, or will all the new boosters after some date be the new ones?

I believe that all boosters starting now will be the new ones. They stopped offering the old ones as soon as it was clear the bivalent ones would be authorized soon. 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, PaxEtLux said:

Dumb question, but Dr. Hive knows all.
 

I'm eager to get the omicron-specific vaccine booster when it it available, but I'm curious to know if it has a different name than the non-specific booster?  When we sign up today, we are offered the choice of J&J, Moderna, Pfizer, and booster or initial.  Will there be a different name for the new booster, or will all the new boosters after some date be the new ones?

It will be after a certain date. I would just ask my health care provider though if the new stock is in because Pfizer is still waiting for instructions from the government on where to sent the new vaccines.

55 minutes ago, kokotg said:

I believe that all boosters starting now will be the new ones. They stopped offering the old ones as soon as it was clear the bivalent ones would be authorized soon. 

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-granted-fda-emergency-use-authorization

“The companies will supply the original and bivalent vaccines under their existing supply agreement with the U.S. government. Booster vaccinations for individuals 12 years of age and older are anticipated to start subject to and after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorse a potential recommendation by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Pfizer and BioNTech will begin shipping bivalent doses as directed by the U.S. government. Eligible U.S. residents will continue to receive the vaccine for free, consistent with the U.S. government’s commitment to free access to COVID-19 vaccines.”

[mommyoffive]

Walgreens has new bivalent booster up.

Appointments as early as 9/7

[mommyoffive]

EXPLAINER: Should you get a new COVID booster? If so, when? (msn.com)

[kokotg]

I've got appointments at a CVS tomorrow (not in Atlanta! closer!) for me and DH. I know this is silly and it doesn't really matter, but my 16 year old is at Dragon Con this weekend with his friend, and I'd love to have a booster before he comes home with con germs 🙂 (they are requiring masks, which is nice, but....so many people!)

[kokotg]

1 hour ago, Arcadia said:

It will be after a certain date. I would just ask my health care provider though if the new stock is in because Pfizer is still waiting for instructions from the government on where to sent the new vaccines.

https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-granted-fda-emergency-use-authorization

“The companies will supply the original and bivalent vaccines under their existing supply agreement with the U.S. government. Booster vaccinations for individuals 12 years of age and older are anticipated to start subject to and after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorse a potential recommendation by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). Pfizer and BioNTech will begin shipping bivalent doses as directed by the U.S. government. Eligible U.S. residents will continue to receive the vaccine for free, consistent with the U.S. government’s commitment to free access to COVID-19 vaccines.”

When I checked CVS's website a couple of days ago they had stopped scheduling boosters at all and just had an announcement up that they were waiting for instructions. The CDC recommendation happened yesterday and today it let me schedule boosters (I wasn't eligible for a second booster with the original ones, so it has to be the new ones...although I'll definitely ask and make sure before they poke me!)

[mommyoffive]

If anyone needs covid tests, Walgreens makes it super easy. Put in your info and insurance, and they check and see how many insurance will cover and bill them just like with a RX.

https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/otc

[mommyoffive]

3 minutes ago, kokotg said:

I've got appointments at a CVS tomorrow (not in Atlanta! closer!) for me and DH. I know this is silly and it doesn't really matter, but my 16 year old is at Dragon Con this weekend with his friend, and I'd love to have a booster before he comes home with con germs 🙂 (they are requiring masks, which is nice, but....so many people!)

Let us know how it goes and how you feel afterwards.

[kokotg]

1 minute ago, mommyoffive said:

Let us know how it goes and how you feel afterwards.

will do. we both had very mild reactions to the first 3 (4 in DH's case)--pretty much just a day of mild fatigue for me--so hoping for the same this time.

[kokotg]

Does anyone have experience getting a booster without a physical copy of your vaccine card? I forgot to send DS's with him to college, but he has a picture of it. Is the data any more centralized now than it used to be? ETA: I'm looking to schedule one for him at a CVS, and he had his last booster at a different CVS, so I'd think there'd be a record in their system anyway?

Edited September 2, 2022 by kokotg

[kbutton]

16 minutes ago, kokotg said:

When I checked CVS's website a couple of days ago they had stopped scheduling boosters at all and just had an announcement up that they were waiting for instructions. The CDC recommendation happened yesterday and today it let me schedule boosters (I wasn't eligible for a second booster with the original ones, so it has to be the new ones...although I'll definitely ask and make sure before they poke me!)

Do you know if you can choose Moderna or Pfizer? We've had ours done at various CVS locations, and they've not let us choose past the initial series--they ask what you've had so far and then assign you the same one again. 

[kokotg]

17 minutes ago, kbutton said:

Do you know if you can choose Moderna or Pfizer? We've had ours done at various CVS locations, and they've not let us choose past the initial series--they ask what you've had so far and then assign you the same one again. 

I don't think it asked me...I just checked and it will be Moderna, which is all we've had so far. But I don't know if that's because it's what we've had before or just because it's what they have.