The Medical Thread: Vaccine Search / Staying Healthy / Treatments Etc

[Miezekatze]

Not thrilled about the prospect of a nasal vaccine but if it offers even better - as in more universal - protection and lasts longer, I'd sure take it.

On the subject of vaccines, an Omicron specific Pfizer shot will probably be ready by March. The article says it will also target other circulating vaccines. I hope it will also be effective against variants that may still emerge because otherwise, it seems a bit late. https://tinyurl.com/2p9e5j7a

I wonder how many people have ordered that vaccine and actually want it, I know Germany has.

The vaccine makers seem pretty unsure about whether it's actually needed.

 

[ballettmaus]

The vaccine makers seem pretty unsure about whether it's actually needed.

This vaccine was still pretty effective against Delta especially with the booster. I'd imagine that we get another variant (I'm hoping we don't but I'm not holding my breath) that has Omicron mutations, it could be needed. The question is effectiveness. Would it work as a booster or would we need at least two shots for it to be effective against a mutation that looked similar to Omicron?

I'm hoping that we'll get a universal vaccine before we have to find out.

 

[MacMadame]

Not thrilled about the prospect of a nasal vaccine but if it offers even better - as in more universal - protection and lasts longer, I'd sure take it.

I wonder if this would be better for flu vaccines too.

On the subject of vaccines, an Omicron specific Pfizer shot will probably be ready by March. The article says it will also target other circulating vaccines. I hope it will also be effective against variants that may still emerge because otherwise, it seems a bit late. https://tinyurl.com/2p9e5j7a

I suspect it will be okay even coming in March. I mean the news is all "Omicron, Omicron, Omicron" but Delta is still out there. I suspect Omicron will still be around in significant numbers at least in a number of places. Enough to need this Omicron-specific vaccine.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

I wonder if this would be better for flu vaccines too.


I suspect it will be okay even coming in March. I mean the news is all "Omicron, Omicron, Omicron" but Delta is still out there. I suspect Omicron will still be around in significant numbers at least in a number of places. Enough to need this Omicron-specific vaccine.

I got the nasal flu vaccine a few years when it was available. I didn’t mind it but it did make me congested.

 

[ballettmaus]

This NYT article talks about the option of an oral vaccine. (The article is about how the current vaccines don't seem to be a long-term answer.) https://tinyurl.com/29zfvfr8

 

[MacMadame]

Good article on how to safely reuse KN95 Masks

https://tinyurl.com/4c5vfvvr

 

[ballettmaus]

The OSHA vaccine mandate was blocked by the Supreme Court but left in place for healthcare facilities that receive federal funding. https://tinyurl.com/2p8w4kcp

 

[MacMadame]

This is a good summary of what we know about Omicron and also some advice if you get it:

COVID Q&A: What to do if you’re exposed to omicron

The surge in omicron cases is teaching us new things about the variant’s behavior. Here’s what you should know.

tinyurl.com

 

[Miezekatze]

Novavax still seems to be having delivery problems, first delivery to Germany now seems to be on February 26th, that's pretty late.

 

[aka_gerbil]

Novavax still seems to be having delivery problems, first delivery to Germany now seems to be on February 26th, that's pretty late.

France gets their doses end of January and plans to start using in early February. Italy will also get theirs by end of January. Same with Austria. I’m not sure why Germany is lagging.

 

[Miezekatze]

I reread and apparently it's February 21st, but still late. Maybe we ordered to late, paid less, ...but then I don't think there are THAT many people waiting for it, but for the ones who do, it would of course be better if they got it before our Omicron wave peaked, I suppose by end of February the worst will be over and many will have been infected.

 

[mocha-ice]

I got my booster yesterday! It was nice because my friend and I scheduled it at the same time so we were able to chit chat a bit while waiting the 15 minutes.

My two original doses were Pfizer and my booster was Moderna. Side effects were pretty rough overnight - chills, nausea, headache and just felt like crap. This morning just a headache and my arm is super sore.

 

[MacMadame]

How accurate are those antigen tests, anyway?

WaPo: They relied on rapid coronavirus tests to gather safely. Some wish they hadn’t.​

https://tinyurl.com/2ts34pak

(If it's behind a paywall, let me know and I'll do a gift link instead.)

 

[once_upon]

I was reading that article while getting my hair done.

I thought it was fairly well known that at home tests may have false negatives.

 

[MacMadame]

I was reading that article while getting my hair done.

I thought it was fairly well known that at home tests may have false negatives.

It's well known here on FSU, for sure! But I suspect we are more tapped in than the average person.

We ordered our 4 free tests and have 3 boxes (so 6 tests) coming today that we paid for. But I'm not sure how we will use them given their false-negative rates. Most likely we will use them to determine if we have a cold/flu vs YKW. Though since I am now permanently WFH, and CA has a mask mandate, I am not sure how we'll even catch such lowly non-YKW diseases.

 

[Dave of the North]

Canada has approved Paxlovid

YKW pill

Great news, but ...

"I think it will be an effective tool in high-risk individuals if they can get tested quick enough to be able to be in the window for therapeutic benefit," said Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious diseases physician and senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore. "

The five day window will be hard to manage with the delays in testing.

 

[once_upon]

It's well known here on FSU, for sure! But I suspect we are more tapped in than the average person.

We ordered our 4 free tests and have 3 boxes (so 6 tests) coming today that we paid for. But I'm not sure how we will use them given their false-negative rates. Most likely we will use them to determine if we have a cold/flu vs YKW. Though since I am now permanently WFH, and CA has a mask mandate, I am not sure how we'll even catch such lowly non-YKW diseases.

We have 5 boxes (2 tests each), I have some on order, plus placed the order from the Gov site. We are planning on several trips and while the rapid tests seem to need a high viral load to detect Omicron, it is the best we have at the moment.

I do intend to continue to use them.

I found out today, my hair stylist is a vaccine hesitant person. I dont know who her doctor is and they are having infertility issues, she says her doctor doesn't recommend it right now. It's the fertility questions for her. I figure if I hound her, it won't be useful and won't convince her. She and her husband had c0vid in October 2020. I just have to wear my mask, give her facts.

 

[nlloyd]

I found out today, my hair stylist is a vaccine hesitant person. I dont know who her doctor is and they are having infertility issues, she says her doctor doesn't recommend it right now. It's the fertility questions for her. I figure if I hound her, it won't be useful and won't convince her. She and her husband had c0vid in October 2020. I just have to wear my mask, give her facts.

For me this would just not be worth the risk. It is possible to become infected with Omicron after Delta, as you likely know, and I wouldn't want to put myself at risk of Omicron, even though I am vaccinated.

 

[Aceon6]

she says her doctor doesn't recommend it right now.

That’s interesting. If I understood correctly, one of the most well known fertility clinics in the Boston area isn’t doing IVF on unvaccinated patients because pregnant women with the crud have such a high hospitalization/intubation rate.

 

[once_upon]

That’s interesting. If I understood correctly, one of the most well known fertility clinics in the Boston area isn’t doing IVF on unvaccinated patients because pregnant women with the crud have such a high hospitalization/intubation rate.

I agree. I'm not sure about her doctor, but remember this is Trump country

 

[Parsley Sage]

a fully vaccinated friend of mine is almost 20 weeks pregnant after undergoing IVF.

 

[MacMadame]

An article on why we don't have new vaccines for new variants:

Why don’t we have COVID-19 vaccines for new variants?

Experts debate whether new vaccine formulas can prevent infection and disease spread and whether it’s worth trying when they remain effective against severe illness.

tinyurl.com

(It's supposed to be free but if it's behind a paywall, let me know and I'll add excerpts)

 

[MacMadame]

Perspective on YKW and being immunocompromised:

There's one population that gets overlooked by an 'everyone will get COVID' mentality

The roughly 7 million Americans who are immunocompromised — including many people with disabilities — live with much higher risk of COVID-19, and near-constant vigilance.

tinyurl.com

 

[Dave of the North]

Sweden decides against recommending vaccinating kids 5-11

Not recommending kids vaccine

High risk kids can get the vaccine.

Interesting that they have 101 people in intensive care out of about 700,000 cases in January, but Ontario has about 600 in intensive care out of 250,000 cases in January.

(the Sweden case number is eyeballed from the Worldometer curve, Ontario's I got from the CTV site)

 

[Allskate]

For me this would just not be worth the risk. It is possible to become infected with Omicron after Delta, as you likely know, and I wouldn't want to put myself at risk of Omicron, even though I am vaccinated.

Yes it is: https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/26/mor...on-cases-are-reinfections-study-suggests.html

I think it's so sad that there are pregnant women refusing to get vaccinated. A friend's sister in law finally got pregnant after five years of trying, and she chose not to get vaccinate. And to have a baby shower.

 

[Miezekatze]

Sweden decides against recommending vaccinating kids 5-11

Not recommending kids vaccine

High risk kids can get the vaccine.

Interesting that they have 101 people in intensive care out of about 700,000 cases in January, but Ontario has about 600 in intensive care out of 250,000 cases in January.

(the Sweden case number is eyeballed from the Worldometer curve, Ontario's I got from the CTV site)

In Germany (and I think France) the vaccine is also only recommended for kids 5-11 with risk factors (and kids who live together with people with high risk factors).

But here parents can still decide to vaccinate their kids, even without the full recommendation (it's the same with other vaccines here, for example the flu vaccine is only recommended for people over 60 and some groups who work in jobs with lots of contacts, but other people can still choose to get it anyway).

I think about 17% of children between 5 and 11 have gotten at least one shot here in Germany.

 

[Dave of the North]

In Germany (and I think France) the vaccine is also only recommended for kids 5-11 with risk factors (and kids who live together with people with high risk factors).

But here parents can still decide to vaccinate their kids, even without the full recommendation (it's the same with other vaccines here, for example the flu vaccine is only recommended for people over 60 and some groups who work in jobs with lots of contacts, but other people can still choose to get it anyway).

I think about 17% of children between 5 and 11 have gotten at least one shot here in Germany.

In NB it's close to 56%. I expect they were hoping for more considering schools are reopening Monday.

 

[skategal]

In NB it's close to 56%. I expect they were hoping for more considering schools are reopening Monday.

It’s 66% here in NS and we are second only to Newfoundland who has 75% done.

 

[Miezekatze]

I didn't really expect more than 20 % in Germany without a recommendation and even with a recommendation I don't think we'd reach more than 50% in this age group, but our schools haven't been closed this winter yet.

 

[million$momma]

Interesting that they have 101 people in intensive care out of about 700,000 cases in January, but Ontario has about 600 in intensive care out of 250,000 cases in January.

In Ontario you can currently only get tested if you are high risk or admitted to the hospital. If you have symptoms but they are 'mild' you are assumed to be ill with it and told to isolate. The number of cases hasn't dropped in reality, it's gone up. They are just only testing the at risk, most likely to die from this population...