Coronavirus

[Slipstream]

Anyone know how this compares to the Moderna bivalent booster?

Sorry no-one has replied yet. Here's a GoodRx webpage that has some nice info and good links:

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-boosters

If safety is an issue, Moderna has had slightly more cardiovascular complications than Pfizer, especially in younger men.

I'm curious to know how the Novavax vaccine is working. Initial impressions were spotty, but now it sounds promising. If anyone has info on the Novavax and how it compares to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, that would be great!

 

[Slipstream]

Another great Medcram video, this time on why some people never get symptomatic COVID-19:

It gets into the weeds, but has some fascinating postulations.

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Sorry no-one has replied yet. Here's a GoodRx webpage that has some nice info and good links:

Unfortunately no information on antibody levels or efficacy here.

It’s pretty remarkable that this info still does not exist for the different bivalent boosters (comparing the different manufacturers). Maybe soon!

 

[Dave EV]

Sorry no-one has replied yet. Here's a GoodRx webpage that has some nice info and good links:

https://www.goodrx.com/conditions/covid-19/covid-19-boosters

If safety is an issue, Moderna has had slightly more cardiovascular complications than Pfizer, especially in younger men.

I'm curious to know how the Novavax vaccine is working. Initial impressions were spotty, but now it sounds promising. If anyone has info on the Novavax and how it compares to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, that would be great!

I don't see any real information there that allows one to compare the Moderna vs Pfizer bivalent vaccines. I actually find the website very confusing in general.

The increased risk of myocarditis may not be prevalent in the bivalent version of the Moderna vaccine, for example - just don't have the data and there's nothing on that webpage that says otherwise.

Still seems safest to use Pfizer if you're a male under 30, though. Otherwise I'd either prefer Moderna over Pfizer, or perhaps alternate brands every shot. Of course, always best to get the one that's available!

The Novavax vaccine appears to be nothing special compared to the other two. Their bivalent version also seems sub-par compared to Pfizer / Moderna, but I also haven't done much research there. Again, if that's what was available, that wouldn't stop me from getting it.

 

[Slipstream]

Unfortunately no information on antibody levels or efficacy here.

It’s pretty remarkable that this info still does not exist for the different bivalent boosters (comparing the different manufacturers). Maybe soon!

Yes, sorry about that. I too would like to know antibody and efficacy levels. A weak reference, to be sure.

If you haven't already I recommend watching that Medcram video I just posted. It mentions that antibody levels may not be as critical as T cell activity. Very interesting video.

 

[madodel]

Of course masks work.
Universal masking leads to fewer covid cases in schools, study finds

 

[Slipstream]

I don't see any real information there that allows one to compare the Moderna vs Pfizer bivalent vaccines. I actually find the website very confusing in general.

The increased risk of myocarditis may not be prevalent in the bivalent version of the Moderna vaccine, for example - just don't have the data and there's nothing on that webpage that says otherwise.

Still seems safest to use Pfizer if you're a male under 30, though. Otherwise I'd either prefer Moderna over Pfizer, or perhaps alternate brands every shot. Of course, always best to get the one that's available!

The Novavax vaccine appears to be nothing special compared to the other two. Their bivalent version also seems sub-par compared to Pfizer / Moderna, but I also haven't done much research there. Again, if that's what was available, that wouldn't stop me from getting it.

Study comparing Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, J&J, and natural immunity. Not bivalents though...

 

[scottf200]

New CDC variant Nowcasts:
- BQ.1 and BQ 1.1 are 20% and 44% of new cases respectively, continuing to grow
- More heterogeneity of subvariants than in previous months
- BA.5 down to 29.7%
- Now listing BN.1 at 4.3%

Via:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1591099788862308352

 

[DrGriz]

Of course masks work.
Universal masking leads to fewer covid cases in schools, study finds

Saw this too. Most of those kids were probably wearing relatively ill-fitting procedure masks. Think about how much better it would have been had they worn N95 masks that fitted pretty well (short of fit testing, but at least sized for the person).

With the high level of immune escape from variants coming in the next few months, masks are going to be the most reliable and best tool in one's arsenal.

 

[DrGriz]

...antibody levels may not be as critical as T cell activity...

This concept's important. Antibodies flag the target. T Cells are the missiles that destroy it.

 

[DrGriz]

New VA study in Nature Medicine shows that, whether or not you are vaccinated, having survived Covid doesn't make you superman, nor does it protect you from long term complications.

Patients with reinfections tended to have more complications in various organ systems both during their initial illness and longer term, and they were more likely to be diagnosed with long covid than people who did not get another infection. The findings applied regardless of people’s vaccination status or whether they were boosted.

Compared with people who experienced only one infection, those who were reinfected had a twofold increased risk of death, threefold increased risk of hospitalization, twofold increased risk of long covid, threefold increase in risk of heart problems and blood clotting disorders, and twofold increased risk of fatigue.

Acute and postacute sequelae associated with SARS-CoV-2 reinfection - Nature Medicine

A new analysis using US Department of Veterans Affairs databases showed that reinfection is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, hospitalization and a wide range of long COVID complications in individuals who have had SARS-CoV-2 compared to those with no reinfection.

www.nature.com

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/10/covid-reinfection-complications/?utm_campaign=wp_the7&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_the7&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F384fe39%2F636e385c7e2620469f0b2c93%2F5a6e82f6ae7e8a5223242162%2F40%2F63%2F636e385c7e2620469f0b2c93&wp_cu=4d65285296d0e42ccc0a9a492c4ee77c%7C2619A78923A0C5CCE050007F01005AD1

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Study comparing Pfizer, Moderna, Novavax, J&J, and natural immunity. Not bivalents though...

Vaccine-acquired immunity is natural immunity.

Infection-acquired immunity is also natural immunity.

(And the video does not use the term natural immunity, at least in the headlines, which is good.)

Yeah, bivalent data definitely hard to find.

 

[DrGriz]

Almost missed this one! SCOTUS says TSA can mandate masks. Would love to see everyone wearing masks in airports and airplanes.

Supreme Court Allows TSA To Issue Mask Mandates

The Supreme Court let stand a Court of Appeals ruling that the TSA “plainly has the authority” to address transportation safety and security.

www.forbes.com

 

[Dave EV]

New VA study in Nature Medicine shows that, whether or not you are vaccinated, having survived Covid doesn't make you superman, nor does it protect you from long term complications.

Exactly the opposite, in fact - subsequent infections seem to leave you with more issues, not fewer.

Almost missed this one! SCOTUS says TSA can mandate masks. Would love to see everyone wearing masks in airports and airplanes.

Supreme Court Allows TSA To Issue Mask Mandates

The Supreme Court let stand a Court of Appeals ruling that the TSA “plainly has the authority” to address transportation safety and security.

www.forbes.com

ALL public transport and medical offices/buildings, IMO. Grocery and drug stores, too. Basically any place that people have to go to get their essentials for living.

On top of this, additional building standards for ventilation and filtration should be designed to further reduce risk. This will not only reduce COVID spread, but also all other airborne diseases, allergies, etc.

 

[Slipstream]

Vaccine-acquired immunity is natural immunity.

Infection-acquired immunity is also natural immunity.

(And the video does not use the term natural immunity, at least in the headlines, which is good.)

Yeah, bivalent data definitely hard to find.

Meant natural infection (as the video title says), not natural immunity.

Curious on when boosters will be regularly recommended for immune-competent people. Every 4/5/6 months? Will we ever get to an annual shot (like the flu shot?).

 

[DrGriz]

Meant natural infection (as the video title says), not natural immunity.

Curious on when boosters will be regularly recommended for immune-competent people. Every 4/5/6 months? Will we ever get to an annual shot (like the flu shot?).

Very good question. Depends in part on whether or not they find a more stable vaccine target than the spike protein. If they can come up with that, it means fewer updates.

So, nobody knows yet. New vaccine technology, new virus. Brave new world.

 

[heltok]

So is this the time when China finally gives up on zerocovid? Or do we get more months of heavy restrictions?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1591963329819422720

 

[DrGriz]

So is this the time when China finally gives up on zerocovid? Or do we get more months of heavy restrictions?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1591963329819422720

We were just discussing this. Do they know something? Or are they just stubborn?

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

We were just discussing this. Do they know something? Or are they just stubborn?

I think they are just trying to avoid 1 million dead or so (probably the max they would see but a bit hard to say exactly).

Extrapolation of New Zealand gives 500k or so. But they have better vaccines. And probably better coverage.

 

[DrGriz]

I think they are just trying to avoid 1 million dead or so (probably the max they would see but a bit hard to say exactly).

Extrapolation of New Zealand gives 500k or so. But they have better vaccines. And probably better coverage.

That is a good point. They obviously do have a lot of people at risk. They may feel that the hit to their economy from zero tolerance, even in a post vaccine era, is warranted.