Omicron anecdata?

[mommyoffive]

CDC identifies possible safety issue with Pfizer's updated Covid-19 vaccine but says people should still get boosted (msn.com)

 

UPDATE 1-U.S. FDA, CDC see early signal of Pfizer bivalent COVID shot's link to stroke (msn.com)

[BeachGal]

22 hours ago, popmom said:

I appreciate you sharing about it!

Do you find that it's drying to your nose--being that it's alcohol based? I have Sjogren's (I'm dry, dry, dry), so I cannot imagine putting alcohol in my nose lol. I'm wondering if I could make a diy version. Put the benzalkonium chloride in a gel of hyaluronic acid or something like that. 

The NanoBio Protect is not drying at all, ime at least. You might be more sensitive.

I have not seen any instructions for making a diy benzalkonium chloride nasal spray, probably because it could be risky if too much is used. I think only very small amounts are used in sprays like Nozin.

If you need something not drying, you could make your own iota carrageenan (IC) saline nasal spray. (It is not sold in the US.) IC will form into a gel. In the linked nasal spray recipe, it’s barely a gel, just slightly. It’s pretty easy to make.  Here are the YouTube instructions:

https://youtu.be/G45B72HQE6U

Tips if you decide to make it:

• I use Druids Grove iota carrageenan, must be iota, from Amazon. About 1/8 teaspoon per 200 ml saline solution.
• Sodium chloride solution, sterile, that would be used in a nebulizer. Use fresh, unopened container.
• Buy more small nasal spray bottles than you’re planning to fill because it’s likely 1-2 will not spray well. Of course, wash and sterilize containers and spray parts before filling with IC spray.
• Use IC spray before exposure if possible.

I rarely use the diy IC spray much anymore. My favorite is the NanoBio Protect or Nozin and also Xlear with grapefruit seed extract. So far, so good!

[Arcadia]

11 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

CDC identifies possible safety issue with Pfizer's updated Covid-19 vaccine but says people should still get boosted (msn.com)

 

UPDATE 1-U.S. FDA, CDC see early signal of Pfizer bivalent COVID shot's link to stroke (msn.com)

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/bivalent-boosters.html
“Following the availability and use of the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines, CDC’s Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), a near real-time surveillance system, met the statistical criteria to prompt additional investigation into whether there was a safety concern for ischemic stroke in people ages 65 and older who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent. Rapid-response investigation of the signal in the VSD raised a question of whether people 65 and older who have received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent were more likely to have an ischemic stroke in the 21 days following vaccination compared with days 22-42 following vaccination.

This preliminary signal has not been identified with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent. There also may be other confounding factors contributing to the signal identified in the VSD that merit further investigation. Furthermore, it is important to note that, to date, no other safety systems have shown a similar signal and multiple subsequent analyses have not validated this signal:

• A large study of updated (bivalent) vaccines (from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna) using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services database revealed no increased risk of ischemic stroke
• A preliminary study using the Veterans Affairs database did not indicate an increased risk of ischemic stroke following an updated (bivalent) vaccine
• The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) managed by CDC and FDA has not seen an increase in reporting of ischemic strokes following the updated (bivalent) vaccine
• Pfizer-BioNTech’s global safety database has not indicated a signal for ischemic stroke with the updated (bivalent) vaccine
• Other countries have not observed an increased risk for ischemic stroke with updated (bivalent) vaccines

Although the totality of the data currently suggests that it is very unlikely that the signal in VSD represents a true clinical risk, we believe it is important to share this information with the public, as we have in the past, when one of our safety monitoring systems detects a signal. CDC and FDA will continue to evaluate additional data from these and other vaccine safety systems. These data and additional analyses will be discussed at the upcoming January 26 meeting of the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.”

[Mom_to3]

I don't know how good of an idea it is to spray BAK into your nose regularly. I know it is used in tiny amounts in eyedrops, and can be damaging to the cornea over time, so perhaps it might damage nasal tissue in the long run?

[BeachGal]

9 hours ago, Mom_to3 said:

I don't know how good of an idea it is to spray BAK into your nose regularly. I know it is used in tiny amounts in eyedrops, and can be damaging to the cornea over time, so perhaps it might damage nasal tissue in the long run?

Blue Willow is the company that makes NanoBio Protect which contains BAK. They donated 20,000 to 40,000 bottles to HCWs in the US early on in the pandemic and claim that there were no problems at about 4-6 months after distribution. I can’t find any longer term results, though.

The BAK in NanoBio Protect and Nozin is probably okay because the solutions contain only a very small amount of it. The solution is also created for the tissue in the nose. NanoBio does not contain alcohol but Nozin does. Both are applied with a q-tip about 1/2” into the nostril.

https://seed.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2021-01/bluewillow-nih-success-story-20200630.pdf

Quote

NanoBio Protect is an over the counter nasal antiseptic that reduces
the risk of respiratory infection. BlueWillow CEO David Peralta
describes it as “alcohol-free hand sanitizer for your nose.” The product
is made up of very small oil-based droplets that can permeate skin inside the nose but don’t go much further, meaning it’s effective for hours but stays in an area where viruses or bacteria gain entry into our bodies. The oiliness of the droplets allows them to stick to and destroy pathogens. In laboratory studies, NanoBio Protect destroyed different types of bacteria and viruses, including the virus that causes COVID-19.

Blue Willow, which receives funding from the NIH, is the company that makes NanoBio but they also work on nasal vaccines, including one for Covid as well as RSV, Anthrax and a few others. (They are an off shoot of U of Michigan.) They are pretty knowledgeable about creating safe nasal solutions.

On a tangent, Blue Willow’s Covid nasal vaccine had some positive results last March but they still have a ways to go:

https://www.biospace.com/article/releases/bluewillow-biologics-and-medigen-vaccine-biologics-announce-positive-results-for-intranasal-covid-19-booster-candidate-in-pre-clinical-studies/

****

I did a quick Amazon search and now see there is finally a povidone iodine nasal spray for sale in the US on Amazon for $20. Still a lot of money, imo. That’s another nasal spray option.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by BeachGal

[mommyoffive]

https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/covid-19-vaccines-and-sudden-deaths?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=281219&post_id=95071657&isFreemail=true&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo0MzgwODk0MCwicG9zdF9pZCI6OTUwNzE2NTcsImlhdCI6MTY3Mzk2NDQ2NSwiZXhwIjoxNjc2NTU2NDY1LCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjgxMjE5Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.sK3xikFvS-6NIh4l53d5l3dOt0bnku5Uzcyq7S9RAFk&utm_medium=email

 

Long Covid Weekly: #28 - Long Covid Weekly Newsletter (substack.com)

[mommyoffive]

Long COVID: major findings, mechanisms and recommendations | Nature Reviews Microbiology

[mommyoffive]

Hybrid Immunity: Why It Is Highly Effective Against Covid And Hospitalization (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

The science (and business) behind COVID-19 disinformation. And what to do about it. (substack.com)

 

Do rapid antigen tests detect the latest COVID-19 variants? (substack.com)

[mommyoffive]

** NEW** Conditional recommendation for ten days of isolation for individuals who are symptomatic due to SARS-CoV-2 infection; and five days of isolation for individuals who are asymptomatic with SARS-CoV-2 infection (published 13 January 2023).

Clinical management of COVID-19: Living guideline, 13 January 2023 (who.int)

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

22 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

** NEW** Conditional recommendation for ten days of isolation for individuals who are symptomatic due to SARS-CoV-2 infection; and five days of isolation for individuals who are asymptomatic with SARS-CoV-2 infection (published 13 January 2023).

Clinical management of COVID-19: Living guideline, 13 January 2023 (who.int)

I wish they’d still force companies to pay Covid time or have states do it.  NY has a paid sick leave requirement but all you get is 40 hours a year.  That won’t cover 10 days of isolation, and a lot of people don’t have vacation time or can’t afford that much unpaid time.

So they’ll go to work and possibly continue to spread it.

[mommyoffive]

FDA says Covid vaccines will probably get an annual update but most people will likely need only one shot (msn.com)

 

World Economic Forum: Here Are All The Covid-19 Precautions At Davos 2023 (forbes.com)

 

The Gig is Up, and It Feels Weird - by Jessica Wildfire (substack.com)

 

Long Covid: #29 - Viral Persistence? (substack.com)

[TCB]

I am so frustrated and angry at our complete lack of ability, as a community/society, to realize, that in order to get out of this intact with good health, we must do everything we can to improve ventilation and air quality in our public areas!

There is so much information available now, about the possible medium term, and long term affects of Covid. If we think longer term, even if some of these things turn out not to be correct, we can only improve our health anyway, by improving shared air.

My frustration is increased right now because my dd is working in a preschool as part of her SLP grad course, and she tells me that almost all the kids there are sick. The students can’t wear masks because of the therapy they have to do with the kids. 

I should put a JAWM on this post because I am really not in the mood to hear a bunch of minimizing crap. How we can think that it is ok for small children to be virtually continuously sick I don’t know.

[mommyoffive]

People's CDC COVID-19 Weather Report: January 23, 2023 (substack.com)

 

 

 

 

Deaths: The week of January 18, at least 3,953 people died of COVID nationally. This is a stubbornly high death toll for a pandemic the government has declared “over.” 

[mommyoffive]

Why are there no eggs? Avian flu and keeping human risk low (substack.com)

[mommyoffive]

Is it OK to use Flonase, allergy sprays, saline mist, or Neti pots before I take a COVID-19 rapid test or will it change my results? (substack.com)

 

And in case anyone wants to look at stats, this one is still updated.

Covid in the U.S.: Latest Maps, Case and Death Counts - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

[mommyoffive]

COVID-19 Is No Longer a Public Health Emergency (msn.com)

 

New Study Shows 4 Categories of Long COVID Symptoms To Watch Out for—Do These Signs Sound Familiar? (msn.com)

 

WHO head ‘very concerned’ about rising COVID deaths ahead of meeting to end—or extend—global public health emergency (msn.com)

 

 

[mommyoffive]

[wathe]

On 1/24/2023 at 12:23 PM, TCB said:

I am so frustrated and angry at our complete lack of ability, as a community/society, to realize, that in order to get out of this intact with good health, we must do everything we can to improve ventilation and air quality in our public areas!

There is so much information available now, about the possible medium term, and long term affects of Covid. If we think longer term, even if some of these things turn out not to be correct, we can only improve our health anyway, by improving shared air.

My frustration is increased right now because my dd is working in a preschool as part of her SLP grad course, and she tells me that almost all the kids there are sick. The students can’t wear masks because of the therapy they have to do with the kids. 

I should put a JAWM on this post because I am really not in the mood to hear a bunch of minimizing crap. How we can think that it is ok for small children to be virtually continuously sick I don’t know.

100%

Here's my prediction: Clean indoor air will eventually become standard in public indoor spaces - a kind of expected public good.   Just like clean water, toilet facilities, fire suppression systems, food safety practices, etc.  There is momentum already: Belgium and France have already passed legislation.

It will start with government spaces (schools, libraries, city hall, government offices etc).  Then be pushed to privately-owned publicly accessible spaces (stores, gyms, movie theatres, restaurants).  There will be government subsidies to help cover the cost of re-fitting ventilation systems.  Occupancy permits and capacity will be tied ventilation capacity.  Inspections (like current fire or food safety inspections).  Mandated real-time display of clean air metrics (CO2, and maybe also PM2.5, PM10) to keep businesses honest (to ensure the ventilations system is turned on).  New ventilation standards for new construction.

I really believe that all of this will come to pass.  More socialist countries will get it done first.  Capitalist countries will have to follow in order to keep up -- the economic cost of a constantly sick population will be too high.

It's only a matter of time.  More time than I'd like, but inevitable, I think.

[Harriet Vane]

10 minutes ago, wathe said:

100%

Here's my prediction: Clean indoor air will eventually become standard in public indoor spaces - a kind of expected public good.   Just like clean water, toilet facilities, fire suppression systems, food safety practices, etc.  There is momentum already: Belgium and France have already passed legislation.

It will start with government spaces (schools, libraries, city hall, government offices etc).  Then be pushed to privately-owned publicly accessible spaces (stores, gyms, movie theatres, restaurants).  There will be government subsidies to help cover the cost of re-fitting ventilation systems.  Occupancy permits and capacity will be tied ventilation capacity.  Inspections (like current fire or food safety inspections).  Mandated real-time display of clean air metrics (CO2, and maybe also PM2.5, PM10) to keep businesses honest (to ensure the ventilations system is turned on).  New ventilation standards for new construction.

I really believe that all of this will come to pass.  More socialist countries will get it done first.  Capitalist countries will have to follow in order to keep up -- the economic cost of a constantly sick population will be too high.

It's only a matter of time.  More time than I'd like, but inevitable, I think.

With my whole heart I pray this will happen. 

[KSera]

On 1/24/2023 at 9:23 AM, TCB said:

There is so much information available now, about the possible medium term, and long term affects of Covid. If we think longer term, even if some of these things turn out not to be correct, we can only improve our health anyway, by improving shared air.

 

Good Guardian column on this same topic this morning:

We are all playing Covid roulette. Without clean air, the next infection could permanently disable you

[Ausmumof3]

Refs in several states in Aus are increasing again. They aren’t back to 1, but up on last week meaning we’re at the part of the wave that starts flattening out before increasing again. Most likely variant driven. This seems less than ideal given school goes back next week as that’s like to accelerate things.

Just in case anyone in Aus is wanting to assess the risks over the next few weeks.

[mommyoffive]

Annual COVID-19 booster? FDA cliff notes (substack.com)

 

FDA advisers raise doubts about moving to yearly Covid boosters (msn.com)

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

FDA advisers raise doubts about moving to yearly Covid boosters (msn.com)

I really hope they go to something flexible...say, a yearly shot and then allowing people who would be at risk for more complications or immune-compromised to have a booster if they are facing a planned hospitalization where they are likely to be exposed, going to camp, etc. 

And lets just make masks a universal precaution in hospitals already! 

[Acadie]

Wow--in this study prevalence of Long Covid was 36% of George Washington University students & faculty who tested positive. Median age was 23, and median number of LC symptoms was 4. Authors note most had no underlying conditions (75.2%) and did not seek medical care when they tested positive (96.6%). 

The study spans the time before vaccines were required on campus, and after. Haven't had time to parse out what they say the difference in prevalence based on vaccination status.

Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in University Setting

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/3/22-1522_article

ETA: the prevalence does surprise me somewhat, but generally tracks with the fact that I keep hearing people describe post-Covid health issues that sound like a list of Long Covid symptoms to me, which they don't attribute to Long Covid. 

Edited January 27, 2023 by Acadie

[kbutton]

8 minutes ago, Acadie said:

ETA: the prevalence does surprise me somewhat, but generally tracks with the fact that I keep hearing people describe post-Covid health issues that sound like a list of Long Covid symptoms to me, which they don't attribute to Long Covid. 

Even people who are not Covid-deniers seem to do this. I do wonder if some are worried that maybe the Covid-cautious will be blamey, so they just don't say they think it's long Covid.

[mommyoffive]

My 7-month-old baby has had COVID, flu, and RSV. I'm angry, but I also know I did my best. (msn.com)

I can't imagine how hard it was to have a newborn this winter plus having older (but young children) on top of that.  

[Mom_to3]

On 1/27/2023 at 1:58 PM, Acadie said:

Wow--in this study prevalence of Long Covid was 36% of George Washington University students & faculty who tested positive. Median age was 23, and median number of LC symptoms was 4. Authors note most had no underlying conditions (75.2%) and did not seek medical care when they tested positive (96.6%). 

The study spans the time before vaccines were required on campus, and after. Haven't had time to parse out what they say the difference in prevalence based on vaccination status.

Postacute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in University Setting

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/29/3/22-1522_article

ETA: the prevalence does surprise me somewhat, but generally tracks with the fact that I keep hearing people describe post-Covid health issues that sound like a list of Long Covid symptoms to me, which they don't attribute to Long Covid. 

The follow up survey only has a response rate of 32% with the groups of respondents and nonrespondnents not identical (more of the covid-pos faculty than students respondend, for instance). And it would not be surprising that those with long term issues would be more likely to respond (they should have used an incentive to submit, like lottery drawings or gift cards lol!) Nevertheless, this is quite a substantial finding for what is generally considered a low-risk and highly vaccinated group. I had always wondered why my university did not do a survey to see if covid is really as harmless as they claim, or if people think it affects their ability to do their work.

[mommyoffive]

It's Time for the Scientific Community to Admit We Were Wrong About COIVD and It Cost Lives | Opinion (msn.com)

 

WHO maintains public health emergency on COVID but sees 'inflexion point' ahead (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

Long Covid Weekly #30: Covid Roulette (substack.com)

[mommyoffive]

Why this year's COVID is different, according to experts (msn.com)

[mommyoffive]

Study Finds Covid A Leading Cause Of Death Among Children And Adolescents. Here’s How To Stay Safe (msn.com)

[KSera]

12 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

Why this year's COVID is different, according to experts (msn.com)

This article was a little weird because it was written very recently, but it used a lot of stats that are really outdated—like the percentage of US adults that have had Covid, which it took from a 2021, pre-omicron publication, and the percentage of Americans fully boosted which it way overstated because it looks like it was actually stating the percentage who had had any booster at all after the original series. 

[Corraleno]

2 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

It's Time for the Scientific Community to Admit We Were Wrong About COIVD and It Cost Lives | Opinion (msn.com)

That is just a blatantly political screed written by a random med student in Texas, claiming that the scientists and officials who advocated for masks, distancing, vaccines, etc., are "paternalistic elites" too entrenched in "groupthink" to admit they were wrong and whose terrible advice "violated the autonomy" of self-reliant Americans and "resulted in thousands if not millions of preventable deaths." He blames Fauci, the CDC, and the scientists who agreed with them, for the current level of political polarization, distrust of the healthcare system, plummeting vaccine rates, rising depression and suicide, increasing income inequality, rising gun violence, and "catastrophic loss of educational attainment."

Of course he provides zero evidence to back up his argument, or to support the idea that "letting it rip" would have somehow prevented the millions of deaths he blames on the "self-appointed elites." It's pure gaslighting.

[KSera]

22 minutes ago, Corraleno said:

That is just a blatantly political screed written by a random med student in Texas

That’s how that one read to me as well. 

[Mom_to3]

My 90 year old father with congestive heart failure, high BP etc. abroad is in very bad shape from covid (not shortness of breath). It's his 6th day of symptoms, with the first 3 days barely a runny nose. Can't take Paxlovid. Am worried that this is the end for him - or if not, that he will never be able to get out of bed again and be in diapers. For my mother it got worse from day 5-8, with day 8 by far the worst, overall still "mild" (though the worst illness that she recalls), but she had had the bivalent booster about 3 months prior. Any other recent experiences how long the current Omicron lasts/progression of symptom severity for the very old and frail? Only 3 shots, the last a bit over a year ago (don't ask).

[regentrude]

6 hours ago, Corraleno said:

That is just a blatantly political screed written by a random med student in Texas, claiming that the scientists and officials who advocated for masks, distancing, vaccines, etc., are "paternalistic elites" too entrenched in "groupthink" to admit they were wrong and whose terrible advice "violated the autonomy" of self-reliant Americans and "resulted in thousands if not millions of preventable deaths." He blames Fauci, the CDC, and the scientists who agreed with them, for the current level of political polarization, distrust of the healthcare system, plummeting vaccine rates, rising depression and suicide, increasing income inequality, rising gun violence, and "catastrophic loss of educational attainment."

Of course he provides zero evidence to back up his argument, or to support the idea that "letting it rip" would have somehow prevented the millions of deaths he blames on the "self-appointed elites." It's pure gaslighting.

Yes, this article was without any substance. A medical student speaking for the scientific community ("we") is ludicrous.
Also, science and public health policy are not the same thing.

[mommyoffive]

U.S. to end COVID-19 emergency declarations on May 11 (msn.com)

[KSera]

2 hours ago, Mom_to3 said:

My 90 year old father with congestive heart failure, high BP etc. abroad is in very bad shape from covid (not shortness of breath). It's his 6th day of symptoms, with the first 3 days barely a runny nose. Can't take Paxlovid. Am worried that this is the end for him - or if not, that he will never be able to get out of bed again and be in diapers. For my mother it got worse from day 5-8, with day 8 by far the worst, overall still "mild" (though the worst illness that she recalls), but she had had the bivalent booster about 3 months prior. Any other recent experiences how long the current Omicron lasts/progression of symptom severity for the very old and frail? Only 3 shots, the last a bit over a year ago (don't ask).

I’m sorry to hear your dad is feeling so poorly. When you say not shortness of breath, what symptoms are making him so ill? I don’t have any personal anecdotes, but I hope he turns the corner very soon and feels much better. 

[mommyoffive]

The world isn't ready for the next pandemic, which could be 'just around the corner,' global health organization warns (msn.com)

 

We're Sitting Ducks for Bird Flu - by Jessica Wildfire (substack.com)

Whelp.  I want someone to tell me this isn't true, but I no that isn't the case.

 

 

People’s CDC COVID-19 Weather Report - People's CDC (substack.com)

The Weather: Transmission levels remain high, with 92.82 percent of the population living in areas with substantial or higher transmission. Rates are particularly high in the South, part of the Midwest, and the East Coast, with lower levels in the West.

[Mom_to3]

2 hours ago, KSera said:

I’m sorry to hear your dad is feeling so poorly. When you say not shortness of breath, what symptoms are making him so ill? I don’t have any personal anecdotes, but I hope he turns the corner very soon and feels much better. 

He is coughing too, but the troublesome symptoms so far are weakness (he can no longer get off his chair), lack of appetite, vomiting, very high blood pressure (the vomiting started before the very high blood pressure). None of it seems unusual for covid for the elderly...but just wondering if there is any hope this will turn around for the better quickly (I've had other elderly relatives who recently caught covid, but am not sure of the exact timeline of their progression, and none were in as bad a shape as my father is to begin with). Not sure if we should be hoping for a quick death at this point (after a few days of immobility, he probably won't be able to regain enough strength to resume walking).

Also thinking that my mother would have been in much much worse shape if I hadn't fought with her to get the last two boosters.

 

[Ausmumof3]

I went to work unmasked tonight. I’m starting to feel increasingly self conscious about masking and it was a night with not many kids on so thought maybe it wouldn’t matter. First kid was coughing the whole time 😬

I wish it didn’t feel like I was being an extremist just for wanting to play it safe.

[KSera]

1 hour ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I wish it didn’t feel like I was being an extremist just for wanting to play it safe.

Relate. 

[Harriet Vane]

4 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I went to work unmasked tonight. I’m starting to feel increasingly self conscious about masking and it was a night with not many kids on so thought maybe it wouldn’t matter. First kid was coughing the whole time 😬

I wish it didn’t feel like I was being an extremist just for wanting to play it safe.

I can relate to this so much! It's an act of will to put the mask on and I struggle with it even though I know it's needed and appropriate. 

I wish it didn't have to be this hard. 

[mommyoffive]

4 hours ago, Ausmumof3 said:

I went to work unmasked tonight. I’m starting to feel increasingly self conscious about masking and it was a night with not many kids on so thought maybe it wouldn’t matter. First kid was coughing the whole time 😬

I wish it didn’t feel like I was being an extremist just for wanting to play it safe.

I feel you.  

[mommyoffive]

The COVID Public Health Emergency Is Ending. These Benefits Will Also End (msn.com)

When the declaration lapses, responsibility for COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatment will technically shift to individuals and their health insurance companies.

The retail price of Pfizer's two-dose COVID vaccine is expected to quadruple from the current government rate, from $30 per shot to between $110 and $130. 

Paxlovid, which has been shown to be nearly 90% effective in reducing the risk of a severe COVID disease, will also no longer be free. A course of the drug currently costs the US government $530, according to Kaiser Health News, but that's at a bulk discount. 

Pfizer, which manufactures Paxlovid, has not said what the retail price would be.

Special waivers for Medicaid and Medicare requirements that have been in place throughout the pandemic will also come to an end when the public health emergency expires. (The omnibus passed in December allows states to start disenrolling people from Medicaid in April.)

Close to 18 million people could be dropped from Medicaid when the emergency ends, according to the Urban Institute, though many will qualify for other government programs or employer-sponsored health insurance. 

State Medicaid plans will continue to cover COVID vaccines and tests ordered by a physician, but treatments and at-home testing may come with an out-of-pocket expense.

"People will have to start paying some money for things they didn't have to pay for during the emergency," Jen Kates, senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation, told CNN. "That's the main thing people will start to notice."

Most vaccinations will continue to be covered for individuals with private insurance. But they, too, may have to pay for treatment once the federal supply of monoclonal antibody treatments runs out.

They may also have a copay for lab work and have to pay for vaccinations from out-of-network providers, CNN reported.  

Hospitals have been receiving a 20% increase in Medicare payment rates when treating COVID patients, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a boost that will expire when the state of emergency ends.

[mommyoffive]

Michael Hiltzik: Our greedy vaccine makers - Los Angeles Times (latimes.com)

[wathe]

11 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

 

Paxlovid, which has been shown to be nearly 90% effective in reducing the risk of a severe COVID disease, will also no longer be free. A course of the drug currently costs the US government $530, according to Kaiser Health News, but that's at a bulk discount. 

Pfizer, which manufactures Paxlovid, has not said what the retail price would be.

 

This bit is infuriating. It is so very misleading, bordering on misinformation.

Paxlovid showed 89% RRR in unvaccinated, covid-naive people with risk factors, in a trial that was methodologically tweaked to favour benefit.  That population doesn't even really exist anymore.  That's the study from which the oft quoted "90% effective" number comes from.  EPIC-HR

The only other RTC that we have was done in vaccinated with risk factors or unvaccinated without, was halted for futility.  Results were by press release only.  The study was never published or per reviewed, and likely never will be. EPIC-SR

All other data is based on observational association.  Which must be interpreted with extreme caution:  People aged 60+ who get paxlovid do better than people who don't in these studies.  But that's not necessarily causal:  the population who seek out paxlovid might have done better anyway - perhaps they take better care of their health, are better supported, have social determinants of health in their favour.  This matches my clinical experience:  the people who come to clinic seeking paxlovid were mostly going to do well anyway.  Our highest risk pts*(homeless, or no supports, or multiple co-morbidities that are poorly controlled, or disorganized, or chaotic lives, social determinants of health not in their favour, or all of these) do not get paxlovid because they do not present for it, and were mostly going to do worse anyway.   It is not possible to magic away every possible confounder with statistical wizardry in observational studies (though they try). The only way to tease out the difference is with an RTC, which, at this stage, we will never get.  

Tamiflu, tamiflu, tamiflu.  History rhymes.

*excluding immune-compromise

[wathe]

Adding that both RTC's above were pharma funded and pharma run.

We really need for EPIC-SR to be published.  But, I strongly suspect that it really does show that the drug was ineffective.  Which would not be good for Pfizer.  So quite it's self-serving for them to not publish it.

Infuriating indeed.

[mommyoffive]

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