Coronavirus Megathread 14: The B Side

Link to previous thread.

Thanks Lez!

I rarely talk about COVID these days. It's not that I want to think it no longer poses a threat, but it's just that I find that I can live my life just fine with the minor inconvenience of wearing a mask aboard planes and public transport. Shaking hands, hugging friends, standing close to someone.. it just doesn't feel weird anymore.

I think being vaccinated and boosted, together with the much milder Omicron variant (compared to the original virus of early 2020) puts one more at ease.

Still looking forward to the day we can forego masks altogether, of course.

Thank you ElderLez. Hope you and your wife had a pleasant Easter.

Is anyone getting the 2nd booster? For all the other Covid shots I got them as soon as I was eligible but I haven't got the 2nd booster yet. I have not had Covid so I will eventually get the 2nd booster, I was just waiting a bit to see if they had to change it due to new variants.

It was a lovely Easter R3. And my wife is Jewish so we got to celebrate (and eat, and eat) all weekend. I hope you had a nice Easter as well.

Dutchie, I have to think about COVID every day because of what I do IRL, but I feel the same way you do about just living my life with the addition of the mask aboard trains, in public restrooms etc. I will be happy to ditch masks altogether when we get to that point though. I hope we get an intranasal vaccine soon. I think that (plus Paxlovid and evusheld) will get us as a society back to blissfully coughing in public unmasked.

My doctor told me that I could probably wait until Fall to get the 2nd booster, but I think I'll likely get it soon. I just need to schedule it to have a sick day afterwards since I've needed one after all my previous shots. Also, I'm considering getting Moderna this time to mix it up (previous 3 have been Pfizer).

Interesting in that in the past week or so, I'm starting to see more people with masks indoors again. Also, I picked up a new pair of eye glasses today and the office was requiring masks, and when I had my exam a few weeks ago, I don't think it was a requirement.

No more mask mandates for travelers

Mandates dropped

Lez R5 That’s the first time I hear of an intranasal vaccine. I suppose many more vaccines could be administered that way?

Anti-vaxxers still won’t be persuaded, I’m afraid.

All these assholes claiming we should live with COVID won't address the fact that means, for a huge number of people, living with Long COVID.

I posted this on megathread 13, but here you go. The current vaccines are fabulous, but they leave the front door open.

Remember...

This is a little tangential but if you are interested; General Accounting Office report on political interference at HHS agencies.

Oy governmental accountability office not general accounting office.

There isn't a big enough "oh dear" in all the world for that.

This seems like it is important and should be more widely known. Pulse oximeters three times more likely to give wrong results in black people than white people.

That’s a recurring theme with many, many devices - both medical and non-medical: The test groups are often comprised of only/mostly white people.

Time Magazine:

Two recent case studies highlight how unpredictable the virus that causes COVID-19 can be. The first describes a 31-year-old fully vaccinated and boosted health care worker in Spain who tested positive for the Omicron variant just 20 days after being infected by Delta, in what’s thought to be the shortest documented time between COVID-19 cases.

The second details what’s believed to be the longest active COVID-19 infection doctors have seen yet: an immunocompromised patient in the U.K. had a case lasting 505 days. While both cases are extreme outliers, they highlight how much researchers still have to learn about the virus.

Yeah, R16, it's racist that white skin is more transparent.

Nice little twist of what I was going for, R18.

If all medical devices were sized for petite women because all of the test groups were drawn from women shopping for size five shoes I’d be thrilled and the rest of you’d be at increased risk of death. And of course what would allow such silliness to occur other than bias?

R18 unless you were in charge of recruitment for the oximeter trials I don’t understand why you are acting so defensive. Medical devices should give accurate results for all users and if they don’t they need to be fixed. And while they are being fixed providers need to know that the results are more likely to be wrong for certain groups. Pulse oximeter readings are often used to determine whether or not to hospitalize someone and whether to provide other medical treatments. And that can determine whether someone lives or not. A human life outweighs whatever culture war nonsense about don’t say race is being pushed at the moment.

Information about sub variants with an emphasis on BA.4 and BA.5.

I've been very careful, though not perfect for over two years, isolating, masking and social distancing. I guess I was COVID weary, and sure as shit when I was careless in a crowd 3 weeks ago, I got it. I'm double vaxxed and had one booster. Let me tell you, you don't want to get this. It knocked me on my butt with body aches, extreme fatigue, sore throat and a hacking cough. I still haven't completely recovered. I guess I'm lucky that I didn't get the original variant and was vaxxed. Still, you don't want to get this.

Hope you feel better, R22.

It isn't done with us, even if we are done with it. A sobering message from you.

from ElderLez's link about the sub variants: studying whether lineages BA.4 and BA.5 escape immunity from COVID-19 vaccines and previous infections.

That's what really concerns me. And that I cannot get a 2nd booster because I am too young. Probably the last time I will whine about being too young for something in my lifetime.

My 54 year old colleague double vaxxed, single booster, got it 3 weeks ago. She’s still a mess, migraines, can’t remember words on team calls and lost her voice. She is worried about long term cognitive effects. Get double boosted if you can even if it lessens severity a little it’s worth it.

There is a chartable uptick today in the Mayo Clinic's numbers, even as they've made it harder to see any trends. at the moment, the only state not on the East Coast with higher numbers is Colorado.

The adagio here is that a 4th shot (2nd booster) won't do anything for the <40 crowd, but it's recommended for those working healthcare, or the elderly / those with a compromised immune system.

It's been 4 months to the day since I had my booster. Summer will probably be relatively tame again, but I just wonder if it would still make sense for me to get that 4th shot in, say, September/October — almost a year after the 3rd jab.

adagE

Not adagio.

RE my link at R13 I’ve read the detailed portion of the report now and it is fascinating that they had no cooperation from CBER staff at the FDA (biologics so the group that oversaw the monoclonal antibodies I think) and that most FDA staff who did cooperate wanted a lawyer present.

[quote] I went into it thinking that [the risk] was going to be most pronounced and evident in people who smoked a lot or had diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, or some [other] risk factors. What we found is that even in people who did not have any heart problems start with, were athletic, did not have a high BMI, were not obese, did not smoke, did not have kidney disease or diabetes—even in people who were previously healthy and had no risk factors or problems with the heart—COVID-19 affected them in such a way that manifested the higher risk of heart problems than people who did not get COVID-19.

Paxlovid

ElderLez What do you make of the Hepatitis cases in children? Do you believe it could be co-infection with an Adenovirus+a Covid strain? Some interesting theories floating around...especially the one that we may be witnessing a mutated new strain of Adenovirus.

I don’t know enough yet to have an opinion R32.

[quote] Some interesting theories floating around...especially the one that we may be witnessing a mutated new strain of Adenovirus.

Laurie Garrett: Just did an interview with the BBC about this. Less than half the sick children have tested + for #adenovirus 41, so while it may be correlated, it's by no means proven to be causative. With 1 child dead & at least 17 needing liver transplants, this is an urgent mystery.

[quote]I don’t know enough yet to have an opinion [R32]

Wait, isn't this DataLounge?

(Kidding.)

That's one of the reasons Elderlez has a fan club, but I thought the same thing, R35.

ElderLez works in mysterious ways, R35.

Her wonders to perform.

Somewhat tangential, but I expect some posters will be interested. (NEIDL!) I missed about 40 minutes in the middle myself because of an overlapping meeting and am looking forward to seeing what I missed.

R32 sorry I took so long to respond. In my mind I had answered you, but apparently my fingers didn’t get the message.

The Guy Injecting Urine for COVID Has Been Arrested

Cases going up. Next week should be interesting.

Going up, and up, and up thanks to the unvaxxed and the unmasked. Fuck them both.

I tested positive for covid 2 days ago. I had symptoms and did a self-test. fever and chills and sore throat (a little) so far.

Does anyone know how soon after I recover will I be able to go the dentist?

R43 once you test NEGATIVE two days in a row, you should be fine to see the dentist. Add another day if you want to be extra safe.

And, at least tell the dentist if you do go. I mean, can't you just wait a couple weeks to be sure not to pass anything along? Of course, you probably caught it because you weren't wearing a mask when around other people, so you probably don't care that much.

Cheer ElderLez, no rush. It's very mysterious, and widespread. Whatever it may be, I wonder if adults are infected/affected by it, yet we don't develop the Hepatitis?

R44, thank you for the info.

“According to the White House, there are now more than 2,000 test-to-treat locations around the country where people can get tested for COVID-19 and, if a prescriber says they need it, [bold]immediately get antiviral pills. COVID.gov has a new locator tool,[/bold] making it easier to find these services quickly.

"The nation's medicine cabinet is full of effective treatments, we have free at-home tests, high quality masks, vaccines and boosters all available, so the website brings all these tools together and makes it convenient,"

[quote]immediately get antiviral pills. COVID.gov has a new locator tool, making it easier to find these services quickly.

Just searched my county. There are two test-to-treat locations within 60 miles. Don't know that I'd consider that "easy" for people who don't have regular doctors.

Amazing that some of the highest infection rates in the country are in upstate rural NY state counties.

It's that Troy bathhouse everyone on here is going to.

I don't even know if there are numbers that would tell me how things are, really. It would seem there is a spike in motion right now, but since there are so many testing at home, and it has been declared over, who knows for sure.

I'd have to go 80 miles for the test and dose. I am hoping they get Paxlovid at a local pharmacy, but they have not yet. Rural NW.

Should you get anti viral pills if you are not in high risk category?

Found out last week that my co-worker's 1 year old grandbaby tested positive for Covid. Has had cold symptoms, so they got her tested. They've been babysitting and Grandma is positive (minor cold symptoms) and last I heard Grandpa is still negative. Looks like baby might have spread it to the grandma. The grandparents are in their 60, pretty sure they're vaccinated/boosted. Don't know about health state of the parents.

I know you'll want to extend your thoughts and prayers to Michele Bachmann, who has been "struggling with COVID pretty severely lately."

And I would do just that if I gave a fuck.

r49 & r52

The reason for the distance is that pharmacies must have a licensed health care provider on staff to prescribe (one stop, test to treatment). This is not as common in rural areas.

[bold]Test-to-Treat pharmacies are not the only way to get the medication[/bold]. If you have a regular doctor, call them first. Urgent care and your local community health clinic/department of health, next.

Essentially, what should be simple is cumbersome, due to overlapping regulations and agencies. There is work being done on these problems but am not sure where we stand on progress.

The linked locator will find your nearest community health center

To find out if medications to treat COVID-19 are right for you, you have options:

* Talk to your healthcare provider * Visit a test to treat location * Contact your local community health center or health department

Familiarize yourself with high-risk criteria so that, if the provider is hesitant to prescribe, you’ll be able to advocate for yourself.

The other covid thread has been paywalled (Covid IS big. It's the pictures that got small. ).

A very kind DLer posted the info for test and treat. I went to a CVS minute clinic earlier and got the drugs for free. I had the positive self test pic on my phone as proof. I am not immunocompromised so I don't think they were gonna give it to me at first. However, I smoked in the past so they gave it to me.

today is my fourth day. low grade fever, tired, a little cough with phlegm. felt like shit until I took advil.

Oh, I’m so happy it worked out, r59! Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Thank you R60! I love you!!!

I love you, r61!

Everybody please see r48, r57, and r58 for info on how to get anti-virals. They’re plentiful and easy to get now!

New York City raised its COVID alert level to medium on Monday as cases surpassed a rate of 200 per 100,000 people in the five boroughs. Manhattan and Staten Island, respectively, have the highest transmission rates per 100,000 residents, the latest health data show, but it's the first borough that is having a disproportionate impact on the city's overall rolling new case rate.

Despite so much enthusiasm for ditching the masks, after mandates are dissipating, on planes, transport, shops, etc... There still is good evidence that masking offers statistically significant protection from infection, even on airplanes. I was about to post this video in another thread which has become closed to me, but I hope those without [italic] strong political opinions [/italic] consider the message.

Some repeatedly claim due to the HEPA filtration, and the 50% covid-free high altitude air that they're not necessary. The following shows the benefit.

Thanks for whining and getting the other Covid thread paywalled. Cunt. Beyond sick of your shit.

R65 Posting relevant medical information doesn't necessarily make me a cunt. Your reaction however to the SCIENCE is more than a bit disconcerting. There exists no HEPA filters on subway cars, hence my original point that masking helps in crowded spaces is entirely accurate. I don't fare to breathe your breath as it is, you toxic troll!

I had zero to do with having that thread closed. I'd only posted four times in a thread with over 300 replies, so stop being a child here.

^care to

Got the paxlovid too through my PCP because of a helpful person on the other covid thread. Starting it today.

Hope it helps R68!

R65 is obviously a newbie troll since those other threads have been getting paywalled regularly when they hit a certain number of posts for about two fucking years at this point.

Anyone else notice the "waaaaaah, masks take aways ma freedums" crowd has gone quiet as the cases skyrocket yet again? As predicted. Morons.

[quote]Anyone else notice the "waaaaaah, masks take aways ma freedums" crowd has gone quiet as the cases skyrocket yet again?

No, one just started another thread to bash those concerned about covid.

But, R71, they were endlessly posting one after the other on all the covid related threads. They are slowly going quiet. They've accomplished their Putin-assigned mission to get idiots to not wear a mask in the middle of a highly contagious pandemic. There work is done here since the idiots happily complied with their orders.

R70 Cheers mate. Well sadly we still have an especially persistent one amongst us. I can't help but think of that Janis Joplin song "Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose"... or something like that...That attitude didn't work out too well for her in the end either. RIP Janis

Another way to easily spot these types is that they're both incessantly and inordinately angry. They say shite like we're not fully participating in life due to our masks, and that we ought to temain indoors, but they're deeply aggrieved there's scientific evidence posted in defence of masking. I'm certain he thinks Dr. Seheult is a cunt as well.

R72 Four posts cretin. Try harder next time!

R72 Sorry about my reply, thought the cretin was accusing me of dominating that thread again.

I had to dump those side Covid threads and just stick to the main numbered ones because of all the bullshit on there from the anti-maskers. Same old troll crap. Not worth anyone's time. Let them get their jollies in those and leave this one to actual news.

Another COVID thread deteriorates into a cat fight between two ancient dykes.

BA.2.12.2

The b side to the b side.

Deep Cut!

Yikes. Another reason to avoid Covid - and to get the Shingles vaccine.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) suggested in a recent interview that Covid vaccines “may” give people AIDS, but that more research on the matter is necessary. Johnson sat down with Todd Callender, whom the Wisconsin Examiner described as an anti-vaccine attorney.

Callender shared a wild theory with the senator: Covid shots are intentionally spreading HIV/AIDS to people who receive them. Callendar called the actions of the FDA “criminal,” and suggested action be taken against public health authorities.

Johnson replied, “You’ve gotta do one step at a time, everything you say may be true, but right now the public [wrongly] views the vaccines as largely safe and effective, that vaccine injuries are rare and mild.”

As of Friday, a total of 37 of 62 counties in New York fell under the high-risk category. Just two weeks ago, only 10 counties were “high risk,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance.

Send in the clowns

Now I am going to be singing that song in my head all day.

R83, well, of course

New York City could bring back Covid mask mandate, vaccine checks if hospitals come under pressure .”

Suddenly, everyone I know who had avoided Covid are catching it, 5 in 2 cities, all vaxxed and boosted. I told them it wasn't over.

[quote] New York City could bring back Covid mask mandate, vaccine checks if hospitals come under pressure .”

Yes, the CDC changes its mask guidance by making hospitalizations a big part of it. This means COVID is still spreading like wildfire but unless people get hospitalized, there will be no mask mandate.

Severe Covid-19's brain impact is like aging 20 years, study suggests

Cognitive impairment resulting from severe Covid-19 is equivalent to 20 years of aging and losing 10 IQ points, according to a recent study published in eClinicalMedicine.

Slightly tangential

Mary! (Klotman)

my friend tested positive for covid and made an appt at the CVS minute clinic. But 2 hrs before his appt, he received a call from the nurse from there that if he was there to get the antiviral pills, he won't be able to get it. She said she was not comfortable prescribing it, she's telling people she won't even recommend her own mother to take it.

My friend's didn't go but his symptoms are mild so far. just running nose and discomfort in his throat.

I read that some people's symptoms came back after taking the pills.

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Wow that’s pretty messed up R91.

That is so bizarre. Does she have the authority to do that?

Okay, I hope the asshole who said I was being a Mary! for wondering if people were going to start dropping dead of blood clots reads that!

I've heard about symptoms "coming back" after Paxlovid, but some people think that suggests that means it's simply not long enough of a course of drugs.

9 deaths out of 19 million shots *does* make you a MARY! r95.

[quote]There have been 60 confirmed cases, including nine fatalities, through March 18, 2022 from the nearly 19 million doses administered nationwide.

This article doesn't seem to discourage prescribing Paxlovid, but I wonder if this is why the nurse referenced at R91 is being so cautious:

Donoghue, his wife and her 95-year-old mother have all been infected with COVID in the past month. All three received Paxlovid, felt better and tested negative on rapid tests for four or five days. Then their symptoms returned and every one Tested positive again.

“The symptoms the second time around are milder,” Donoghue said. “In some ways, we feel that Paxlovid did his job. This removed the extreme symptoms of the first round and very quickly reduced in all three cases.

However, some infectious disease specialists, while still promoting the benefits of Paxlovid, have expressed concern that the rebounds they see and hear about may indicate patients after completing treatment – and testing negative and subsequently positive, again – may still be infectious and Transmitting the virus to others.

“If you have a rebound after 12 days and you are back at work and not wearing a mask, are you still contagious?” Said Dr. Kathryn Stephenson, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and a physician of infectious disease at Beit Israel Deacons Medical Center. “If you test positive on a rapid antigen test, you have a decent amount of viruses and Probably an infectious amount of viruses, “she said.

Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant that manufactures Paxloid, noted in documents submitted last fall to federal regulators for its emergency use license that “some subjects have appeared to have a rebound at SARS-COV-2 RNA levels around day 10 or day 14.” But said. That “currently there are no clear signals” the virus has developed a resistance to one of Paxlowid’s primary components. The documents say that Pfizer will continue to analyze the data.

I didn't realize the article I cut-and-paste(d) had so many typos (within the article).

Here's a more recent (and grammatically correct) article on the same subject:

Some doctors have recently reported on medical blogs and social media that their Covid-19 patients have improved after taking Paxlovid — and even tested negative — only to have symptoms flare up again a few days later. The rebound may occur just four or five days after treatment, although symptoms appear to be milder the second time around. You may develop a sore throat, runny nose or chills, for instance. But there is not enough data yet for experts to say how often this phenomenon occurs or who’s at risk of a rebound.

R97, my comment about people dropping dead of blood clots a few years after having Covid was not specific to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine but to Covid in general. As we've said before, nobody knows nothin' 'bout the 'rona.

Is paxlovid being reserved solely for the elderly and then immunocompromised or should everyone use them?

Judging from Twitter, it depends on where you live, what your doctor believes and how persistent you are in the face of possible resistance, R101.

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The White House is preparing for as many as 100 million Americans to get infected with COVID-19 during a wave this fall and winter, but warns there will not be enough vaccines or treatments to protect everyone unless Congress provides new funding.

This compares with the roughly 130-140 million Americans who are estimated to have been infected over the omicron wave this winter, which led to a significant spike in deaths.

NY Gov. Kathy Hochul tests positive for COVID-19

Long Covid is ‘continuing to increase,’ experts say. Here’s how to know if you have it — and what to do about it

I was planning on waiting until the Fall before getting my 2nd booster, but 2 people I know have been diagnosed with Covid this week, and both are vaccinated & boosted. So, I wonder if their immunities were waning. (I do not know about their masking.)

So, I've scheduled my 2nd booster for this Friday evening. Hopefully I'll get in a good night's sleep before any side effects occur. Sticking with Pfizer as I know what to expect. Saturday may be a vegging on the couch type of day.

NIH director confirms agency hid early COVID genes at request of Chinese scientists

Hmm if it isn’t human subject genetic data, it isn’t generally required to destroy or return all copies after accessing so I am going to assume moire than one researcher outside NIH has that data on their computers from before it got pulled back: They *probably* signed a data transfer use agreement that precluded re-sharing, but maybe not.

Just got my second booster this evening. I'm hoping that by booking an 8pm appointment that I'll get a good night's sleep in before any side effects start. May mess up my weekend, though.

Metro Detroit is High Risk again. No mandates yet, but they're recommending masking indoors again.

Same with Portland, Or, R111.

r109- I *adore* moire, ElderLez!

They will never bring back mask mandates because of the whiny babies.

the lecture

R113/Doris, I saw that too, and I am in the midst of working with moire in a gown for a production, so I especially noticed. 24 yards of apple green moire- it is a period piece, and I am in heaven. Even costume staff gets to "work from home" sometimes these days.

Oh dear!

Now if only I had been discussing a material transfer agreement instead of a DTUA, I could have made it work. Thank you for your kind corrections R113 and R116. It’s a great fabric, but not COVID related one would hope. Enjoy R116

Hope you are feeling OK R110

Long Island also back up to high. This week on the Long Island Rail Road on one of my morning commutes a maskless conductor kicked off a man with a bike because it was “against the rules.”

ECDC upgrades B.4 and B.5 to variants of concern.

I'm getting on a plane to NYC in 5 weeks. Hoping against hope that airlines reinstate the mask mandate, but I truly think that ship has sailed.

[quote]I truly think that ship has sailed.

Yep. Sixteen counties in my state are now considered high risk (up from one county last week) and positivity rates in many areas exceed 20%, but the health dept. says only that "the CDC recommends that residents should take precautions and wear masks while in public and indoors."

Why aren't the antimaskers fighting against those horrible, discriminatory, criminal 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' policies? We can kick people out of every single indoor space in the country for not wearing shoes because they might spread athlete's foot. But covid? That's fine. Just cough and spew all over the place.

Article in the Lancet about possible cause of severe acute hepatitis outbreaks in children.

Mask mandates are back, for some.

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Like a Spearhoeven Krispie!

A good overview of where we are now. (Spoiler: We're in the shit.)

"First, this family of Omicron variants with functional impact indicates more rapid evolution of the virus than what we have seen previously. Very few of the thousands of variants since late 2019 have led to significant spikes of cases around the world—only 4 (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta) before Omicron. But now multiple Omicron subvariants are outcompeting one another, predominantly because of more immune evasion, such that BA.2 with 30% more transmission overtook BA.1, and BA.2.12.1 (in parallel to BA.4 and BA.5) has a substantial transmission advantage over BA.2. To put this in context, Dr. Linfa Wang recently opined: "Based on its immunological profile, it should be called SARS-3".

Second, it is about the reduction in vaccine effectiveness that we are now encountering. Obviously, a breakdown of protection from transmission occurred with Omicron with “breakthroughs” in people with vaccination occurring quite commonly. That, and reinfections, were an unusual phenomenon (~1%) before Omicron. Now we are seeing people with 4 shots who are getting breakthrough infections, even at 1-2 weeks from their most recent shot, when there should be the maximal level of neutralizing antibodies induced. That’s not a good sign, relative to the 95% vaccine effectiveness we had against symptomatic infections against the ancestral, D614G, Alpha, and Delta (with a booster) strains.

But it’s worse than that. Because we have relied (and taken for granted) on vaccines to protect us from severe disease—to prevent hospitalizations and deaths. Prior to Omicron we could, with a booster, assume there was well over 90-95% vaccine effectiveness vs severe disease. It is clear, however, from multiple reports, including the UK Health Security Agency and Kaiser Permanente that this level of protection has declined to approximately 80%, particularly taking account the more rapid waning than previously seen. That represents a substantial drop-off: instead of a gap or “leak” of 5%, it is about 4-fold at 20%. And we don’t yet know how well vaccines are still holding up with the BA.2.12.2 and BA.4/BA.5 variants. Likely similar to BA.1 and BA.2 because we haven’t seen substantial increases in hospitalizations, but no data are yet available and it’s still early. "

Great. Just great news.

Whatever happened with this?

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R128 operation warp speed is over so I expect the DOD is fighting with the FDA regarding the design of the Phase 2 trial. Phase 1 is just safety so I wouldn’t expect to see much publicity around the results. That is assuming they’ve even gotten to the FDA to look at the results of the Phase 1 study.

As much as OWS is responsible for half of my gray hair, they really need to bring it back.

Also Sylvia/R127 while I generally get cranky when people call variants strains, I totally agree with Dr. Wang that Omicron is its own beast and should have been treated as such from the get-go.

Thank you ElderLez.

Why is ElderLez's original post grayed out? Has this thread attracted a number of covidiot trolls, since I haven't visited it in some time? Sometimes, Muriel will gray out threads which display unusual (troll) posting patterns.

I think this thread has been relatively troll free.

Obviously there are some posters who don’t like me and I expect that they’ve pushed the freaks and flames button. The same thing happened on the last megathread.

We need intranasal vaccines, and we need them yesterday.

From your lips to the FDA’s ears.

If you ask me, the inclusion/exclusion criteria make enrollment for trials of new vaccines difficult to enroll.

I appreciate the posts ElderLez and Sylvia.

Theory that the hepatitis being seen in kids is a result of an adenovirus on top of covid that hasn't been completely cleared from the body:

Wonder what other maladies lurk, waiting to be triggered?

ElderLez, I assume you know about this trial?

This is the traditional way of making vaccines, using an inactivated virus, and if it works it will ve a huge step in the continuing fight against COVID-19 because that technology is cheap and already in use all around the world.

Using an inactivated virus also "presents" more of the virus' genome to the immune system rather than just the spike protein (as is the case with the current mRNA vaccines), This gives our immune system more epitopes to target which might prevent immune-escape because the virus can't mutate every part of itself at once without becoming unviable.

But of course Sylvia!

I’d be the first to volunteer, but my Crohn’s disease makes me ineligible. Still keeping my fingers crossed I can take it eventually. 10-20 doses per egg

"Lots of new COVID-19 vaccines, drugs & tests are in the pipeline, but Congress has not approved a covid bill, USG is tapped out, and Ashish Jaha says, ""The U.S. government and no one in the United States is in negotiations with these companies," to buy, because there's no $$$."

According to a well written post in the Daily Mail comment section, the kids are getting hepatitis due to the viral shedding from vaccines that contain the adenovirus delivery system, which are primarily the Astro Zeneca and J&J vaccines. The UK which was primary Astro Zeneca has the highest incidents or did. I think the US has more cases but we are a bigger country. Israel who is almost all Pfizer is not experiencing this with their children. It makes sense. I doubt it's from the family dog or because the kids of weekend immunity. There is no way they would ever say anything even if they knew, at least for a few more years.

[quote]the kids of weekend immunity

An After School Special

The average age of the kids getting hepatitis is 2, so no, the hepatitis is not secondary to vaccinations since kids that age aren’t vaccinated in any country.

[quote]the kids are getting hepatitis due to the viral shedding from vaccines that contain the adenovirus delivery system, which are primarily the Astro Zeneca and J&J vaccines. It makes sense.

"That reasoning is flawed on multiple counts. First, it fundamentally misunderstands how adenoviral vectors work in the COVID-19 vaccines. The vaccine viruses are modified to no longer be harmful — and they don’t replicate inside cells, so you can’t be infected with the adenovirus from the vaccine. The virus is simply a way to deliver to cells the instructions to make the coronavirus spike protein, which is what the immune system responds to to provide protection.

Second, there’s no indication that any of the kids with hepatitis have received the J&J vaccine. It’s not authorized for use in children in the U.S., and the company confirmed to FactCheck.org that it’s not authorized for kids anywhere in the world.

Third, the specific adenovirus that has been identified in multiple hepatitis cases in children is human adenovirus type 41. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a modified type 26 virus. (The AstraZeneca Oxford COVID-19 vaccine, which also uses a viral vector design, is only authorized for adults in places such as the U.K., and uses a chimpanzee adenovirus.)

To propose a link to the J&J vaccine on this basis is illogical and ignores all available evidence."

it can't be the vaccine. I read that the kids who have the liver problems are too young to get vaxxed. They think it might be covid related. who knows?

One theory is that the kids had covid and hadn't cleared it entirely when they were infected with an adenovirus. The combo triggered hepatitis.

Who knows what other ugly surprises await those who had covid?

That appears to be r142's only post...

Well, thank you for dropping the new Propaganda Talking Points here on DL early, R142. Thanks, also, to ElderLez and friends for the immediate debunking.

This is why I keep this set of threads on watch. Like the "Treason" threads, they are fascinating at how much DL knows, and how there are dedicated trolls here, even HERE, spreading their lies relentlessly. I am glad they get shut down on this thread quickly. Other Corona threads are just full of the roaches.

One word, r149...Flit.

I like the Dr. Suess art. Thanks, Doris. I was feeling cranky earlier.

The CDC has changed its stance on a second booster for 50+ from "option" to "urge," citing “a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans.”

Animals

Please not little bunnies!

r154 - How about big ones, Sylvia?

Saw this today. Anyone here able to give insight?

Looks like boosters are still more protective, but the gap is narrower than it was over the winter.

It’ll be interesting to see how BA.4 and 5A.5 compete with BA.2.12.1, which is now the dominant variant in the US.

Thanks, ElderLez.

The CDC says 20% of under-65s and 25% of over-65s who had covid develop long covid.

Covid vaccines, while holding up strong against hospitalization and death, offer little protection against long Covid, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Nature Medicine.

Compared to an unvaccinated individual, the risk of long Covid in a fully vaccinated individual was cut by only about 15 percent, the study found.

R159 And yet, they don't give a flying fuck about it.

Jeff Bridges says

[quote] Covid Made My Cancer Look Like Nothing

[quote] Jeff Bridges is opening up about his serious bout with Covid, saying he came “pretty close to dying” and noting that “Covid made my cancer look like nothing.”

[quote] “The doctors kept telling me, ‘Jeff, you’ve got to fight. You’re not fighting.’ I was in surrender mode. I was ready to go. I was dancing with my mortality."

[quote] I was dancing with my mortality.

It's better than dancing with a stranger.

I think Rhode Island is finally off the increasing cases list. (For realz this time, not just my wishful thinking)

The West Coast is heating up.

Well, shit. Husband came back Wednesday evening from his conference with a sinus drip (but he frequently has a sinus drip), home test was neg but we isolated as best we could anyway. His PCR from yesterday came back poz. He's 4x vaxxed so it hasn't escalated beyond the sinus drop and mild aches so far. *fingers crossed*

ElderLez, any tips for isolating in a small home? He's been wearing N95s around me, except for meals, which we eat near an open window and door. I hope the pets don't pass it between us.

We took turns eating Sylvia, we didn’t eat any meals or drink coffee together. And we both wore masks during the day. Our apartment is just two rooms, but it’s a duplex so we’d switch floors to keep apart as needed. And of course we slept separately. It was a MISERABLE 10 days. But as hardcore as that sounds, she was sick starting on Friday and we didn’t start isolating from each other at all until Monday so for her most infectious days we were breathing all over each other.

Best wishes for your hubby and for you.

Thanks EL. Luckily his office is in our basement anyway (along with a futon for sleeping.)

"Bottom line: the pandemic is not over, and it's NOT getting milder."

I mean, aside from the trolls, is anyone at all surprised that it is not over? Nor milder?

Sylvia, I hope your man gets better and you avoid it all together.

Good luck, Sylvia. Hoping your husband gets better quickly and you manage to dodge it!

Oh keep him in the basement for sure! (Do you have a new pet? I only remember Seamus. I hope I remembered the correct name)

A little look back from Mike Lauer.

R172 We have three cats in addition to Seamus.

When I got covid, my partner got it 3 days later...tried to keep him from getting it but it was not possible.

The current BA.2/BA2.12.1 wave is the 2nd highest case burden for the US pandemic; we're likely only capturing 5-10% of the real number of cases.

Lisa Scimens and her husband John Moss were elated in early May to finally be going on a European odyssey to celebrate their 30th anniversary.

But what started off as the perfect trip, ended up with Scimens and Moss quarantining in a hotel in Germany with COVID-19, uncertain of when they can get home.

Scimens and Moss were in Berlin when Moss, 66, felt a bad head cold coming on. Two days later, Scimens, 59, started to get a runny nose and cough. Both tested positive. Thecouple, who are fully vaccinated and double boosted against COVID-19, have been been stuck in isolation at their hotel in Berlin ever since, their journey derailed.

Wait? You mean, they went on an international trip during one of the highest waves of a pandemic and got sick???? Whaaaaaat? How could that possibly happen???

Fucking morons.

R174/Sylvia we were completely incapable of keeping Puccini away from either one of us. I think cats *might* be easier, but, if anything, the dog was extra snuggly.

I hope your husband is starting to feel better.

R177 I WISH I could be trapped in Germany with no means to return to the US, ever!

No you don't.

Gavin Newsom tests positive for COVID

Billy Crystal tests positive.

I'd forgotten that Billy Crystal was alive.

Not a Broadway baby, Sylvia?

Ron DeSantis' Administration Clears Him Of Accusations Of Covering Up COVID Deaths

The United States is recording more than 100,000 infections a day — at least five times higher than this point last year — as it confronts the most transmissible versions of the virus yet. Immunity built up as a result of the record winter outbreak appears to provide little protection against the latest variants, new research shows. And public health authorities are bracing for Memorial Day gatherings to fuel another bump in cases, potentially seeding a summer surge.

It’s a far cry from a year ago, with predictions of a “hot vax summer” uninhibited by covid concerns. Back then, coronavirus seemed to teeter on the brink of defeat as cases plummeted to their lowest levels since spring 2020 and vaccines became widely available for adults. Even the vaccinated and boosted now grudgingly accept the virus as a formidable foe that’s here to stay as governments abandon measures to contain it.

[quote]Even the vaccinated and boosted now grudgingly accept the virus as a formidable foe that’s here to stay as governments abandon measures to contain it.

A formidable foe that only reached Omicron and it's newest subvariants because assholes wouldn't wear masks or get vaccinated. We could have held this at bay and turned it into something that would have small, localized outbreaks that would need to be contained. We could have stopped the unending production of newer and newer variants by having everyone be vaccinated. But, instead, the ignorant pieces of shit who wouldn't mask or get vaccinated have powered up Covid beyond what it needed to be. They should be ashamed of themselves but they are too fucking stupid.

The last guy quoted in the article at R186 makes me want to bash his head in with a bar stool.

No one in my small town is masked, and we are at 18% positivity rate. Our Governor isn't running for re-election, so I am not sure why she isn't mandating masks.

[quote] Lisa Scimens and her husband John Moss were elated in early May to finally be going on a European odyssey to celebrate their 30th anniversary. But what started off as the perfect trip, ended up with Scimens and Moss quarantining in a hotel in Germany with COVID-19, uncertain of when they can get home.

Ha! Karma Chameleon's a bitch!

Husband is feeling much better, but still testing positive on home tests after 5-6 days of symptoms. I did a PCR test Sunday and have thus far evaded the 'rona.

So happy to hear that Sylvia!

If anyone else is concerned about infection at home, this explains how to make a cheap and effective air filter. Useful for those dealing with wildfire smoke, also.

Glad to hear you’re both doing well, r191.

'I couldn’t take it any more' Lionel Messi opens up on Covid-19 hell and reveals his lungs were affected and he was unable to run

Two million people in the UK are thought to be living with long Covid.

About two in five of those with long Covid, or 826,000 people, noted that infection was at least a year ago while one in five, or 376,000 people, said it was at least two years ago. In addition, 71% of those with long Covid said their symptoms had a negative impact on their day-to-day activities, with 20% saying activities had been “limited a lot”

For ElderLez. Dogs' ability to detect COIVD around 97%.

Just another tool to stop spread that absolutely no one will use.

Ooh, maybe all the Terminators had Covid in the future! Fuck. Now we know what our future holds.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the one thing I've noticed seems to be missing from the narrative these days is people getting Covid from this new strain and either having no symptoms or ver very mild ones. It seems to be hitting nearly everyone about the same (bad, bad flu with lingering issues) and a small percentage needing to go to the hospital.

So are we out of the phase where some people may not experience any symptoms? If so, that's certainly not an improvement.

R198 Tons of people (mostly the vaccinated) are getting mild symptoms that they can easily pass off as "just allergies" and go about their business, infecting everyone on their merry way. Which has been adding fuel to the "it's just a cold!" gaslighting narrative. My husband's symptoms never progressed beyond a head cold.

No one knows what portion will go on to have Long Covid and/or future heart troubles.

Ugh, I have to fly in 2 weeks. I'm in first class in a row by myself (and it cost an obscene amount) and I will be double masked and never take it off. But man, I wish I didn't have to go.

Thanks, Sylvia. I felt like I had stopped hearing the stories of- I had covid and I didn't have any symptoms, etc.- stories that we'd been hearing with Delta and the first v of Omicron.

I was just talking to my therapist about this because I am concerned about a recurrence of the cancer I was treated for 6 years ago. He was trying to make me recognize that I'd gotten through it before. I told him- Yes, but that was before Trump was elected and Covid came around. I actually had hope then. Now I have no faith in anything. That people are so stupid they have allowed this virus to get to the point where it is unstoppable is just beyond my comprehension. I never thought we were this fucking stupid.

The COVID sniffing doggies are awesome, so much better than those silly temperatures checks.

So happy to hear that your husband didn’t get any worse Sylvia. I don’t know what conference he attended, but anecdotally I’ve heard that the APA conference in New Orleans may have been a superspreader event. (Eight thousand attendees!)

R201, if the cancer recurs, and you don’t have a contraindication, you need to get on Evusheld. Like Paxlovid it is being under prescribed, but it is a miracle drug.,

Thank you, ElderLez. I'm going to look that up right now!

R202 He attended Digestive Disease Week in San Diego, I think it had seven thousand. Still testing positive after nine days of symptoms.

The United States is now in its fourth-biggest Covid surge, according to official case counts – but experts believe the actual current rate is much higher.

America is averaging about 94,000 new cases every day, and hospitalizations have been ticking upward since April, though they remain much lower than previous peaks.

About one in five – 22% – of adult New Yorkers likely had Covid between 23 April and 8 May, according to a preprint study. That would mean 1.5 million adults in the city had Covid in a single two-week period – far higher than official counts during that time.

San Diego is such a beautiful city. At least your husband contracted COVID somewhere scenic.

I am so over virtual conferences. A few weeks ago I was cursing having to attend another on-line FDP meeting and hearing that they wouldn’t be in person until May 2023 at the earliest, but then I hear about all the people who got infected at in-person meetings recently and I thank my lucky stars.

Two actors died today of Covid-related illnesses. Brad Johnson, who was 62 (and likely an anti-vaxxer) and Charles Siebert, who was 84. Johnson was involved in Kirk Cameron's Jesus Freak movies, so I'm guessing he was a moronic Trumper. No loss there.

Brad Johnson was very handsome in his heyday. Was he an anti-vaxxer?

It seems so, yes.

Also couldn't act for shit.

I got covid last month and it took 10 days before testing negative. same for my partner.

[quote]Correct me if I'm wrong, but the one thing I've noticed seems to be missing from the narrative these days is people getting Covid from this new strain and either having no symptoms or ver very mild ones.

Most of the asymptomatic cases were caught when people had to take mandatory tests for things like concerts, workplaces, sporting events, plays, etc. Now that no one is requiring proof of any vaccinations or tests, all of those cases are going unrecognized. The real numbers of infections now is most likely beyond comprehension and the fact that you can just get reinfected pretty quickly means covid is completely out of control at this point.

[quote]Correct me if I'm wrong, but the one thing I've noticed seems to be missing from the narrative these days is people getting Covid from this new strain and either having no symptoms or ver very mild ones.

Yes, I'm sure Brad Johnson and Charles Siebert had very mild deaths.

Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said today that at the current pace of increases in local Covid-related hospitalizations, the county will move into the federal government’s “high” virus activity category within a few weeks, possibly by the end of June. Ferrer has frequently said — and repeated Thursday — that that would trigger a return of mandatory indoor mask wearing in the county, a requirement that was dropped on march 3 of this year.

The Bay Area’s largest county, Alameda, announced Thursday it will return to mandatory masking in indoor public spaces.

The CDC is analyzing more than 100 deaths that could be attributed to long Covid by looking at death certificates from across the country over the last two years.

The review is the first of its kind and indicates that long Covid and the health complications associated with it could lead to death. NCHS is set to publish preliminary data from its analysis in the coming days.

R212, I don't understand your cunty response. Do you know how to read?

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Great news R216. I hope the FDA approves it soon.

Pos, but not pos.

Yes?

Hi WaPo- they gave up on it 5 months ago.

Just a coincidence...

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[quote]China isn't sharing data on first wave of infections

And why not? The cover-up in the beginning and the ongoing refusal to cooperate with scientists in figuring out what we're dealing with points to a lab leak. What's to hide if the virus came from nature and is no one's fault? The world should be furious.

One more point...if the virus did come from bats, China was warned a decade ago by its own scientists of the potential for a deadly pandemic virus if bats continued to be consumed, and they strongly advised against this practice. Would that be the reason for the secrecy? I hope this came from nature because at least there will be some sort of eventual predictability about it. But there are, unfortunately, strong reasons to suspect it was a lab leak. Hopefully we'll find out it was from nature.

What difference does it make at this point, unless they're going to nuke China?

The difference would be pressure for a possible worldwide regulatory framework for research regarding pathogens of pandemic potential. Over-regulating that research when done in the US or paid for by US government sources while the the EC and CCP funding sources are all unregulated is a recipe for disaster.

That said the CCP might just be hiding a catastrophic initial response to a naturally occurring event.

"In early May, 27-year-old Hayley Furmaniuk felt tired and a bit congested, but after rapid-testing negative for the coronavirus two days in a row, she dined indoors with friends. The next morning, her symptoms worsened. Knowing her parents were driving in for Mother’s Day, she tested again—and saw a very bright positive.

Which meant three not-so-great things: She needed to cancel with her parents; she had likely exposed her friends; a test had apparently taken three days to register what her vaccinated body had already figured out."

i am traveling to nyc this coming week and taking 4 double boxes of tests with me and will test every day. Of course, one of the reasons I'm being so generous about it is that the CDC just sent me four more boxes on the government a week ago and they all expire in early August so I may as well use them.

Safe travels R228.

The below is super frustrating.

Chair of UCSF Dept. of Medicine Bob Wachter says his 64-year-old vaxxed and double boosted wife took Paxlovid for her "fairly mild" covid infection and now has long Covid.

Bob is making quite the leap there, isn't he.

Well, shit. Months ago I purchased tickets to an early July performance of "Richard III" (and a morning lecture -- I'm a Richard III junkie) at the Shakespeare festival in Stratford, ON expressly BECAUSE at that time they said masks would be required of all attendees. I thought, "It's Canada! Canadians are responsible, they won't bait and switch me!"

Wrong.

"As of June 22, the wearing of masks will be strongly recommended but not required for patrons of our theatres....Our patron surveys indicate a significant decline in the number of people seeking a mandatory mask policy at the Festival as more and more businesses lift their mask requirements. This change coincides with a decline in case numbers and the lowest test-positivity rate in the province since 2021."

Excuse me if that isn't reassuring. 1. People travel from all over for this festival, and 2. if testing is anything like the US, it has ground to a halt and low numbers are only indicative of low testing. Fuck this society.

I got an MRI this morning and they asked me to take my mask off because of the metal nose clip in it. I totally understand why, but I wish I would have thought about that beforehand and found something else to use.

Fauci got COVID! he's been vaxed 4 times~

And has mild symptoms.

This is theoretically a big step forward.

After five weeks of declining coronavirus deaths, the number of fatalities reported globally increased by 4% last week.

The U.N. health agency said there were 8,700 COVID-19 deaths last week, with a 21% jump in the Americas and a 17% increase in the Western Pacific.

Coronavirus cases continued to fall, with about 3.2 million new cases reported last week, extending a decline in COVID-19 infections since the peak in January. Still, there were significant spikes of infection in some regions, with the Middle East and Southeast Asia reporting increases of 58% and 33% respectively.

The number of coronavirus patients in serious condition in Israel reached 140 on Friday, marking a near 70% rise since last week, with health experts warning that the current situation was “unstable.”

While Israel has seen rising infection numbers for a few weeks, a rise in seriously ill patients marks a real concern as the country deals with the spread of the new variant BA.5, with experts warning that hospitals may need to reopen COVID wards.

R236 Theoretically, yes. But I can't conceive of any situation in which the average Joe would be able to obtain such a test. I'd love to have one!

The return of COVID cruises!

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I thought there is no coivd immunity? You can get it over and over again?

R242 You are correct. You may have limited immunity but only to the variant by which you were infected. Caught Omicron ba.1? Guess what, ba.4 doesn't GAF!

[quote]I thought there is no coivd immunity? You can get it over and over again?

Yes ... and it's not necessarily milder in subsequent infections.

"Compared to people with first infection, reinfection contributes additional risks of all-cause mortality, hospitalization, and adverse health outcomes in the pulmonary and several extrapulmonary organ systems (cardiovascular disorders, coagulation and hematologic disorders, diabetes, fatigue, gastrointestinal disorders, kidney disorders, mental health disorders, musculoskeletal disorders, and neurologic disorders).

The risks were evident in those who were unvaccinated, had 1 shot, or 2 or more shots prior to the second infection.

The risks were most pronounced in the acute phase, but persisted in the post-acute phase of reinfection, and most were still evident at 6 months after reinfection.

People continue to experience neurological problems six months after recovering from a COVID-19 infection, finds a recent study from the University of California San Diego. In fact, scientists say most coronavirus long-haulers battle brain-related issues.

The findings are part of a long-term study tracking the progression of neurological symptoms in people with long COVID. Not only do neurological symptoms persist, the researchers also found never-before-seen motor coordination and cognitive issues in long-haulers.

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I'm wondering if the future variants will make the current home tests useless.

Good article on where we really are now.

"In 2018, while reporting on pandemic preparedness in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I heard many people joking about the fictional 15th article of the country’s constitution: Débrouillez-vous, or “Figure it out yourself.” It was a droll and weary acknowledgment that the government won’t save you, and you must make do with the resources you’ve got. The United States is now firmly in the débrouillez-vous era of the COVID-19 pandemic."

This just could not have gone any worse than it has.

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I'm wondering if the issues with Paxlovid are the dose, not the medication itself. Similar to stopping an antibiotic too soon, the virus isn't totally gone when the dosing regimen stops. Maybe people who are vaccinated need a longer dose.

The "rebound" of symptoms after apparent improvement is a common trait of COVID, regardless of whether they have been taking Paxlovid. The recurrence usually resolves itself without needing any additional treatment/prescribed medication.

Yeah the dead cat bounce has been a thing since day one of the pandemic. That said a lot of that was related to immune overreaction and some (but far from most) people are testing positive after having tested negative so I do think the number of treatment days is probably too short. Nonetheless, I know a lot of people personally who have taken Paxlovid at this point and they’ve all done really well and the only complaint I’ve heard is the weird taste.

How many Paxlovid users are getting the rebound? I'd read a very small percentage (less than 5%) but it seems more common than that.

And when does it occur, how far out from the first day of symptoms?

It can happen a few days or even a week or two after the symptoms abate, R254, regardless of whether you are taking Paxlovid or not.

Article from the Lancet about risk by BMI.

Slightly chubby whores continue to rejoice.

T-cell depletion after repeated covid infections - anecdotal, but ...

Rates jump in the UK. Was the Jubilee a Super Spreader?

yeah, heard Omicron 5 is wreaking havoc in Portugal.

Jesus Christ, she's gotten Covid FIVE FUCKING TIMES in two years? Is she licking random people's nasal passages??

[quote]Is she licking random people's nasal passages?

Pics please.

"Contrary to the myth that we are sliding into a comfortable evolutionary relationship with a common-cold-like, friendly virus, this is more like being trapped on a rollercoaster in a horror film. There’s nothing cold-like or friendly about a large part of the workforce needing significant absences from work, feeling awful and sometimes getting reinfected over and over again, just weeks apart.

And that’s before the risk of long Covid. While we now know that the risk of long Covid is somewhat reduced in those who become infected after vaccination, and also less in those from the Omicron than the Delta wave, the absolute numbers are nevertheless worrying."

Hospitals with the highest COVID burden the first year of the pandemic in 19 US cities.

The story behind hydroxychloroquine is weirder than I knew.

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Covid was the #1 cause of death in Americans age 45-54 last year.

[quote]Covid was the #1 cause of death in Americans age 45-54 last year.

And the #2 cause of death in 35-44 year olds.

So much for being a disease of the old and infirm.

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Despite the >16% increase in US Covid hospitalizations (1,300 more added yesterday) over the past 10 days, a 17.5% test positivity, and extremely high community transmission, the CDC has yet to issue a BA.5 warning.

And they never will.

I’ve been trying to link to the FDA notice regarding pharmacists being allowed to dispense Paxlovid without a doctor’s prescription, but I keep getting a rejection. Anyway it’s a thing.

was in whole foods and they got rid of the plastic barriers at cashiers.

My county is taking down its COVID dashboard.

[quote]My county is taking down its COVID dashboard.

Just in time for the ascendance of BA.5, "the worst version of the virus that we've seen."

NYC DOH urges mask wearing again as COVD-19 cases rise

The city Health Department is once again recommending that New Yorkers wear masks indoors and in large gatherings outside amid rising COVID-19 rates even though hospitalizations and deaths remain low.

The advisory — not a requirement — was made in a tweet released by the Health Department on Friday.

“We’re currently seeing high levels of COVID-19 in NYC. To help slow the spread, all New Yorkers should wear a high-quality mask, such as an N95, KN95 or KF94 in all public indoor settings and around crowds outside,” the tweet said.

The average COVID positivity rate in the Big Apple over the past seven days is 15.2%, according to the Health Department.

The US Centers for Diseases Control lists all five of the city’s boroughs as high risk and recommends wearing a mask indoors in public as a new COVID variant appears to be making its way through the city.

Some public health experts warn that BA.5 subvariant, originating in South Africa and then Portugal, could be the worst strain of omicron seen yet, given its apparent capacity to escape prior immunity and transmit more readily, NBC New York reports.

But the relatively vaccinated city is not at a crisis level with residents being stricken with severe illness, data show.

Key figure: only 79 people were hospitalized daily in city facilities over the past seven days, occupying about 6% of hospital beds, the Health Department reports.

Neighborhoods with positivity rates that exceeded 20 percent according to the health department map tracking system include: Upper East Side/Yorkville in Manhattan; Wakefield/Woodlawn and Throgs Neck in the Bronx: New Dorp/Todt Hill, Graniteville and Elm Park on Staten Island; Bath Beach/Dyker Heights in Brooklyn; Arverne/Broad Channel and Edgemere in the Rockaways and Douglaston-Little Neck, East Elmhurst, Richmond Hill/South Ozone Park and Ozone Park in Queens.

Another vaccine option in the US.

Damnit I just gave up and got Pfizer yesterday.

Bump

Has anyone managed to get the new vaccine?

My big update is that my husband finally stopped coughing every time he speaks. Took six weeks from initial infection.

Oh gosh Sylvia, how awful for him and you. I am glad to hear he turned that corner.

Mask mandates popping up again: Athens-Clarke County in Georgia, California's San Diego Unified School District and UC Irvine. UCLA has extended its mandate and now recommends all campusgoers to be tested once a week.

CDC Recommends Novavax’s COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults

Media Statement

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 19, 2022

Contact: Media Relations (404) 639-3286

Today, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation that Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine be used as another primary series option for adults ages 18 years and older. Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine, which will be available in the coming weeks, is an important tool in the pandemic and provides a more familiar type of COVID-19 vaccine technology for adults. Having multiple types of vaccines offers more options and flexibility for the public, jurisdictions, and vaccine providers.

Protein subunit vaccines package harmless proteins of the COVID-19 virus alongside another ingredient called an adjuvant that helps the immune system respond to the virus in the future. Vaccines using protein subunits have been used for more than 30 years in the United States, beginning with the first licensed hepatitis B vaccine. Other protein subunit vaccines used in the United States today include those to protect against influenza and whooping cough (acellular pertussis).

The following is attributable to Dr. Walensky:

“Today, we have expanded the options available to adults in the U.S. by recommending another safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine. If you have been waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine built on a different technology than those previously available, now is the time to join the millions of Americans who have been vaccinated. With COVID-19 cases on the rise again across parts of the country, vaccination is critical to help protect against the complications of severe COVID-19 disease.”

Sorry, not sure why the link didn't work.

Went to my boss' home today to work with him for a few hours. He and his wife are both in their early-mid 70s, have yet to have Covid, but are out there kicking up their heels as if we're not currently going through the most highly contagious strain yet. I got a text from him 45 min ago that they both tested positive tonight. I wear a mask the entire time I'm there, no matter what, and mostly I am in another room, but he's so fucking useless that he calls me into his office every 10 min because he can't understand the computer. He puts a mask on when i come in, but he doesn't wear one all the time.

How long before I know if I have it?

The death rattle could be a clue.

Your boss is Exhibit A of: Boomers who need to retire or die. Do you feel sick yet? Take a home test in three days, but don't trust a negative. Take another in 5 days.

Meanwhile... HAHA. Fuck everyone to do with airlines.

Two new studies provide more evidence that the coronavirus pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China market where live animals were sold – further bolstering the theory that the virus emerged in the wild rather than escaping from a Chinese lab.

The research, published online Tuesday by the journal Science, shows that the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market was likely the early epicenter of the scourge that has now killed nearly 6.4 million people around the world. Scientists conclude that the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, likely spilled from animals into people two separate times.

[quote] Your boss is Exhibit A of: Boomers who need to retire or die. Do you feel sick yet? Take a home test in three days, but don't trust a negative. Take another in 5 days.

He said to me last night you should test immediately and then get on Paxlovid. I said- You do know that if you infected me, I'm not gonna know immediately, so thanks for three days of massive stress. I'm billing him for the cost of the at home tests (since the ones the gov't sent me all expired two months after I got them).

It's weird, I had a premonition yesterday that I should not go over there, but I skipped Friday because something came up and I didn't want to do that to him twice in a row. Always listen to your gut.

COVID CASES USA 7-DAY AVG

128,731 July 26 2022

56,996 July 26 2021

DEATHS 7-DAY AVG

432 July 26 2022

275 July 26 2021

7 days in and I am still testing negative. My boss, OTOH, still sounds like he's on death's door.

Good news on both counts!

All of my coworkers are away at an in-person conference, sharing pictures of all the fun they're having manning their booth and going out for drinks. It's queasy-making.

I take a home test three times a day and continue testing if I get a false negative because I know I'm positive. FYI : I've had seven booster shots and look forward to my eighth.

[quote]Elder-Lez By Proxy

Ignorant Fucking Douche Nozzle by birth

[quote] Good news on both counts!

Thanks, Sylvia! He called me yesterday to see if I had tested positive. I told him no. Then I asked him to please send my pay over since I wouldn't be seeing him for at least another week and it was the first of the month and he hemmed and hawed because he doesn't feel well. I told him that it's not my fault I can't come to the office to get paid. It takes 15 seconds to send money via paypal.

I have bills to pay.

My 86-year old dad just tested positive. We’ve been trying to protect my parents and my wife’s parents for the last two years by being extra cautious. He was infected at funeral of his dearest friend, which turned into a long boozy Belgian lunch with 100 guests. He has a low grade fever, fatigue, a sore throat and is ‘coughing like a crow’, as he put it. My mom’s memory is deteriorating so we have to remind her several times a day that she’ll have to stay inside. I’m nervous about their health, although they got their second booster a few weeks back, so I’m hoping they’ll be fine.

"The team’s results reflect similar findings from an analysis of nearly one million Danish health records that found COVID-19 patients were more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, as well as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and bleeding in the brain. Cases of Parkinson’s, or Parkinson’s-like conditions, following positive testing for COVID-19 have also been reported in Israel, Spain and Italy."

COVID CASES USA 7-DAY AVG

118,432 AUG 04 2022

96,055 AUG 04 2021

DEATHS 7-DAY AVG

489 AUG 04 2022

415 AUG 04 2021

This potential antibody/antiviral treatment sounds very promising.

Massachusetts apparently opted out of test to treat. In fact you can’t even get a prescription from an MD in an urgent care clinic, it has to be your primary care doctor in the Bay State. That’s some BS.

Oh and they won’t accept out of state prescriptions so good luck if you are visiting from out of state.

Japan offering omicron vaccines in Oct.

Good for Japan.

Personally, sadly, I’ve crossed the two line rubicon.

Uh oh. Hope this is a mild case for you ElderLez. How are you feeling?

My sister and her husband both just tested positive. She sent us a picture of her positive 2-line test and said "it looks like we're both pregnant".

Oh, ElderLez, I'm so sorry. I hope you're doing okay. Get well soon!

R304 Nooooooooooooooooooooo! Any clue where you caught it? I hope you're ok.

Thanks everyone. I caught it in a campground in New England on a family reunion vacation. (I stayed in a cabin) one cousin arrived sick a a couple days before it ended, announced he was positive as we were packing out and six of us ended up testing positive after we got home, including my mother.

I was surprised how poorly I felt and how quickly it progressed Sunday night given that I had gotten that fourth shot three weeks prior. The only medically concerning symptom though was tachycardia. Anyway I got Paxlovid right away and I am much better today and my heart rate is normal again. My mother tested positive earlier and started treatment the day before me and she was already better yesterday.

I am trying not to infect my wife so back to masking while I work from home again this week.

I hope you've deleted that cousin from the Xmas card list, ElderLez. Glad you're feeling better.

LOL, I feel like the last person left who still sends Christmas cards so that’ll be a big loss for him.

A little long COVID article.

ElderLez, how are you feeling?

Pretty good! I managed to not infect my wife (yay!) and I’ve been asymptomatic and tested negative since Thursday morning.

Isolation ended Saturday morning so I took the dog on his three mile constitutional and discovered I still have some exercise intolerance. Hopefully that will resolve quickly.

ElderLez: I am 68 yo male and walk 4 miles 6 times a week. I have become quite familiar with exercise intolerance. If or ANY reason I take more than one day off at a time, I find it hard to take my usual walk for a few days.

Ah good to know ancient of gays. I’ve been off schedule first with the Arkansas wedding and then the New England trip and finally being confined to the apartment. And being in a rest deficit from having to work while Ill didn’t help. So the exercise intolerance might not be a direct result of the COVID.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

Great article

As I was reading that article Sylvia my mother called to inform me she has a rebound case.

Well damn.

If anything happens to my mother, that cousin really is going to be off my Christmas card list.

Also wtf NHLBI about getting the PASC treatment studies off the ground. Transfer the oversight to NIAID if you can’t work faster.

Japan's BA.5 wave deaths are now higher than any previous variant and still rising sharply.

More than half of people—56%—who are infected with the Omicron variant are not aware of their infection, either because they did not experience any symptoms of COVID-19 or felt only mild symptoms they attributed to a cold or allergies.

Am I wrong to think that is a good thing r323?

How long does the severe congestion, fatigue, and cough last?

Because I’m on week 3 and have taken the antivirals, and am still coughing up green stuff and testing positive .

[quote]Am I wrong to think that is a good thing [R323]?

It's not good for stemming the spread of the virus to people not lucky enough to be asymptomatic.

it's still going around. First lady got it and a couple of days ago, a house painter who was supposed to paint my place got it and can't do the job.

I got covid in May, I went to see 2 bands in MSG (indoor area for those who don't know) just last month. I didn't get it again. I did wear a mask but it wasn't on the whole time coz I was drinking etc. MSG has stated that they have the filters etc.

I just went to a concert at an outdoors stadium and it packed, esp lots of crowding at the concession stands. I was one of the very few people with a mask on. I think I only saw 2 other people wearing masks. So far, I'm feeling great. not sick, fingers crossed.

Also I've taken subways, trains, cabs...not many are wearing masks sadly.

My sister, who I mentioned in R305 is still testing positive and still has a cough. Her husband still has a cough, but is testing negative. This is after about 10 days. Hope they're not "long covid" cases. They're both obese and she is diabetic, so that may be a factor.

R305/R329 I am so sorry to hear about your sister and brother-in-law. I have a colleague at work (also obese) who took 14 days to start testing negative, but he seems to be fine now so there’s hope that they won’t be long haulers. Coughing sucks though and can be self perpetuating. Best wishes that they are both better soon.

Bump

Has anybody seen any studies on people getting the Novavax vaccine after having received the mRNA shot/boosters?

No and I’d be super interested to see that.

I am getting my antibodies tested today and I am eager to see what level they are at now given that I have gotten both the second booster and the actual disease since the last test.

Having worked in Big Pharma, I have to say that I'm not surprised (for many different reasons)

New study on Paxlovid:

[quote] Pfizer’s COVID-19 pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults, while still reducing the risk of hospitalization and death for high-risk seniors, according to a large study published Wednesday.

[quote] The researchers found that Paxlovid reduced hospitalizations among people 65 and older by roughly 75% when given shortly after infection. That’s consistent with earlier results used to authorize the drug in the U.S. and other nations.

[quote] But people between the ages of 40 and 65 saw no measurable benefit, according to the analysis of medical records.

Shit

Thank goodness it doesn't look like it is spreading Sylvia. Might be something in the building.

Have you guys used up all your cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers?

Do hand sanitizers expire? can you still use them if they have expired? what about hydrogen peroxide? aloe vera gel? and rubbing alcohol?

Director Paul Schrader is in the hospital with Covid.

[quote] Schrader now has COVID and is bedridden in a hospital with pneumonia and breathing difficulties. It’s crushing to hear this, but he can pull through.

[quote] If you remember, Schrader filmed his latest movie, “The Master Gardener,” with an oxygen tank in hand and even refused to go to the hospital during the last week of production. At the Venice premiere of the film, he cryptically stated that it would be his "last rodeo”.

Schrader is 76 years old. "He wrote or co-wrote screenplays for four Martin Scorsese films: Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ, and Bringing Out the Dead."

It's been a while since hearing about anybody getting that ill with Covid. A reminder that Covid is still very real.

Alzheimer’s Disease Risk 50–80% Higher in Older Adults Who Caught COVID-19

[quote] Older people who had a COVID-19 infection show a considerably higher risk—as much as 50% to 80% higher than a control group—of developing Alzheimer’s disease within a year. This is according to a new research study of more than 6 million patients aged 65 and older.

[quote] Researchers report that people 65 and older who contracted COVID-19 were substantially more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease in the year following their COVID diagnosis. Furthermore, the highest risk was observed in women at least 85 years old. The study was published on September 13, 2022, in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.

R341 Jesus H Christ!

Got my bivalent booster and my very first ever flu shot on Saturday. Other than sore arm, all good. Don't usually get the flu shot because I never get the flu, but unfortunately, my cancer that had been in remission for 6 years has come back and I want to be as armed against serious illness as possible.

Good luck R343. Got my booster last week with no ill effects. Flu shot coming up this week.

And in today's Unsurprising News

Kick that cancer back to the curb R343 and best wishes to you and Sylvia on getting the bivalent booster, My wife got hers today.

Has anyone managed to get Novavax?

Thank you, ElderLez (and Sylvia)! Much appreciated. : )

A little off topic, but if anyone is interested, here's a link to the most recent NSABB public meeting on the Dual Use Research of Concern and ePPP/P3CO/GOF and possible regulatory framework updates.

guys, I've fallen off in terms of following up on the news. esp regarding the new booster shots.

I will be traveling around xmas time...

I want to get booster shot but are they all offering the omicron specific ones now or are they still offering the old ones?

Quadruple-vaccinated Pfizer boss, 60, tests positive for Covid for the second time in a MONTH

Pfizer boss Dr Albert Bourla has tested positive for Covid for the second time in a month.

The 60-year-old — who has been vaccinated four times with his company's shot — last had the virus in mid-August.

He revealed on Twitter Saturday he had tested positive again but was 'feeling well and symptom-free'.

Dr Bourla said he had not yet had Pfizer's new bivalent vaccine which is designed to work better against Omicron variants.

He used his back-to-back positive tests to warn people not to be complacent, adding: 'While we've made great progress, the virus is still with us.'

It is unusual for someone to catch Covid twice in such a short time period. Natural infection is thought to provide strong protection for several months.

A faulty test or leftover virus from the previous infection are normally the reasons people test positive in quick succession.

However, a small number of people do suffer genuine reinfections within short time periods. Those with weakened immune systems are thought to be at higher risk.

Dr Bourla said he had not got his fifth vaccine because Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines say people should wait three months after a Covid infection.

During his infection last month, the CEO was given a course of Pfizer's oral Covid antiviral treatment Paxlovid.

R349 In the US, pretty much all major drug store chains are offering the updated booster. I got mine at Walgreens.

I'm so disgusted with the current minimization attitude at every level that I can't compose a coherent post about it, which is why I've been so quiet for weeks.

Maybe this will put a smile on your face Sylvia. I know that I was happy to see it even if it only one state.

Oh yeah, well we've allowed this virus to mutate so much that new variants can now evade all existing antibody treatments! Frown back on.

R353, damn!

FUCK CHINA!!!

bump

Remember when we used to have good news on these threads from time to time? I guess we still need these threads though, as real information is getting ever-harder to find since most governments have decided to 100% capitulate to COVID. Gaslighting is the order of the day!

In addition to the WW and FF buttons we need an "EEK that is FUCKING ALARMING" button.

Dr Anthony Fauci has warned of a 'twindemic' this winter as cases of the flu surge in the US - quadrupling over the past two months.

Latest official data shows there were more than 1,000 patients with flu in the week ending October 1 — up 303 per cent compared to the first week of August.

This is a vast underestimate because the US does not routinely test for influenza in the same way as Covid.

Test positivity — the share of swabs for the virus that are coming back positive — has risen from 0.49 per cent to 2.5 per cent in the same time.

Dr Fauci said Monday that the nation should keep its guard up in the coming months as cases of both the flu and Covid are expected to rise.

Cases and hospitalization for the flu and related illnesses often surge in cold weather months were people spend more time indoors - which makes it easier for viruses to spread.

But Covid cases are currently plummeting in the US. The nation is averaging 42,000 daily cases, dropping more than 60 per cent from the 100,000 per day average in early August.

The flu largely vanished in recent years as viral interference from Covid and pandemic-related restrictions and mask orders stopped its spread.

We have a ways to go, particularly as we enter the winter, which will be complicated by the influenza season,' Dr Fauci told CNN Newsroom.

'So there's no time, ma'am, to let down our guard right now, for certain.

'As we get into the colder months, where any respiratory disease, COVID or anything else, always has the risk of an uptick as you enter into the late fall/winter months. … Influenza is a problem.'

Experts are on high alert about the virus after it made a resurgence in the southern hemisphere - which typically has a flu season that runs from April to October.

Australia suffered its worse flu season in a half-decade this year, with peak case rates reaching heights three times higher than usual. It also struck unusually early.

In New Zealand, flu cases this year returned to pre-pandemic normal after two years of stark decreases.

This is not the first warning of a twindemic that US officials have issued.

Many feared the flu would make an imperious return in 2021 after being near-non-existent in 2020 - which never transpired.

An uptick of the common flu is already starting to be felt in late September, though.

The CDC reported 969 cases during the week ending on October 1, and 757 the week before.

Only 223 cases were recorded during the last full week of August, ending on August 20 - marking a massive shift in prevalence of the flu.

Hospitalizations caused by the flu, while rare, are largely among the elderly and children under-four - the groups that usually face the highest risk from the virus.

Dr Luis Ostrosky, chief of infectious diseases with UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann, told DailyMail.com in September that peak figures often reached in late-January were instead being detected in early fall.

'We’re in for a rough flu season this year,' Dr Ostrosky told DailyMail.com

‘We haven’t peaked yet. We are starting to see the numbers rise up very early.'

While the flu returns this fall, Covid seems to be receding.

The virus has had devastating surges during the fall in winter months of recent years, but has so far failed to show any growth in September and October.

Daily infections have tumbled from over 100,000 per day in August to 42,000 a day in October.

An expected summer surge, fueled by the BA.5 variant that now makes up nearly every case in the nation, failed to materialize as well.

This led to the CDC dropping daily Covid data reporting last week.

Not up to snuff: AstraZeneca's nasal spray Covid vaccine FAILS to protect against virus despite hopes it could stop infections and replace painful injections

The University of Oxford — which is developing and running trials of the vaccine — said only a minority of patients mounted an immune response.

Even those who did react to the jab had lower antibody levels than someone given a shot-in-the-arm vaccination.

It is another blow for AstraZeneca which has so far failed to break the US vaccine market — after concerns about its original jab's link to blood clots.

Researchers across the world have placed high hopes on nasal spray vaccines because they may have the potential to stop Covid infections entirely.

It was thought that prompting an immune response directly in the airways would be able to shut the virus down before it spreads to the rest of the body.

But Dr Sandy Douglas, who ran the UK-based AstraZeneca trial, said the spray did not perform 'as well as we had hoped'.

China and India have already approved nasal spray Covid jabs, although there is no public data on how well they work.

The US has spent billions purchasing more than 800million doses of Covid vaccines, but a third of Americans are still yet to get their first shots.

It was hoped that nasal vaccines could offer an alternative inoculation because they are easy to administer and don't cause pain.

Scientists also believed they might 'enhance' protection because they target the lining of the nose, where the virus infects first.

But today's results — thought to be the first on a nasal spray for Covid — suggest more research is needed.

America does not use the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine — which is based on an adenovirus rather than mRNA — although it is approved in many European countries.

In the Phase I clinical trial scientists recruited 30 healthy volunteers who had not previously been vaccinated.

The purpose of the study was to perfect the dosage size and timing.

All received a first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine as a nasal spray, and half also got a second dose.

These were given as low, medium or high doses.

Blood tests and swabs showed 'little evidence' all those who got one dose had an immune response.

After the second spray just four participants — or 30 per cent of the total — had evidence of an immune response.

But this was much weaker than that triggered by standard vaccines.

In a second arm of the trial, 15 double-vaccinated people were given the nasal spray as a booster dose.

But again this did not appear to trigger an immune response — with antibody levels remaining 'indistinguishable' from the unvaccinated individuals.

No adverse safety effects were spotted during the trial.

The results were published today in the journal eBioMedicine.

Dr Douglas, from Oxford University's Jenner Institute, said: 'The nasal spray did not perform as well in this study as we had hoped.

'One possibility is simply that the majority of the nasal spray vaccine ends up being swallowed and destroyed in the stomach – delivery to the lungs could avoid that.

'A further challenge is that researchers don’t fully understand the relationships between the strength and types of immune responses within the airways and protection against infection.'

She called for more research into these vaccines, to determine whether another method could help develop a nasal version.

'[Our results] were quite different from recent data from China, which has suggested good results can be achieved by delivery of a similar vaccine,' she said.

'A nasal spray vaccine has recently been approved for intranasal use in India and we are looking forward to the peer-reviewed publication of the clinical trial data used to support that.'

China gave emergency approval for a nasal spray Covid vaccine — from CanSino Biologics Inc — last month.

CanSino said studies indicated that its vaccine induced a strong immune response, although trial data is yet to be released.

Unlike AstraZeneca's it is given via a nebuliser device, a machine that turns a liquid into a fine mist that is then breathed in.

India's health ministry also approved a nasal spray Covid vaccine last month by Bharat Biotech.

Astra Zeneca sucks.

We made so much progress so quickly and now every day is like festivus where I just want to air grievances about regulatory inertia.

Hey, is the person who asked me about polyethylene glycol (PEG) allergies over a year ago still here? Based on the CDC site It looks like Novavax doesn't contain it. Now if I could just find the link to the locations giving out Novavax for us.

I think I found it!

I feel so checked out of what's happening with Covid these days, partially because I'm dealing with the cancer recurrence, but also, I feel like no one is covering it in the media anymore. It's like everyone decided it was over.

I did give a fellow patient the finger in a doctor's waiting room yesterday, though, because the bitch refused to put on a mask (the only one who wouldn't).

Shanghai has shut down schools, gyms and bars due to covid.

But, will they give the Novavax vaccine to people who have had the mRNA vaccines?

I got my flu shot a few days ago. I don't react to those other than a sore arm. Didn't want to do both together as I tend to need a sick day after these Covid vaccines, and it's hard to schedule an off-work day right now (and I don't want to be sick over a weekend, but that may be only option for the next month or so)

Pfizer and BioNTech Announce Positive Early Data From Clinical (Human) Trial of Omicron BA.4/BA.5-Adapted Bivalent Booster

(This is early data from the human trials. Previous studies were based on 8 mice. A number of doctors/scientists had voiced concern that the human data should have been available before the Omicron booster was ever authorized for use, but the arrival of the full human studies this month or next should help with that concern.)

From Reuters10-13-22

[quote] Pfizer (PFE.N) and its German partner BioNTech said their COVID-19 vaccine booster, adapted for the BA.4 and the BA.5 subvariants of Omicron, generated a strong immune response and was well-tolerated in testing on humans.

[quote] In a joint statement on Thursday, the companies said data from roughly 80 adult patients showed the booster dose led to a substantial increase in neutralizing antibody levels against the BA.4/BA.5 variants after one week.

[quote]In a joint statement on Thursday, the companies said data from roughly 80 adult patients showed the booster dose led to a substantial increase in neutralizing antibody levels against the BA.4/BA.5 variants after one week.

Let's hope it also offers some protection against today's emerging variants.

R364 sending you warm wishes on beating cancer.

I am scheduled to get the first Novavax shot at the end of the month. Technically, it’ll be off-label. Fingers crossed that that they don’t give me a hassle. It will be a little less than 90 days since I had COVID.

ElderLez, please update us on your Novavax experience.

Thank you, ElderLez. Yes, please do let us know!

Still never had Covid? Thank your genes: Three in 10 people have a genetic quirk that blocks infection

Researchers from the University of Oxford have found that people who have a particular mutation produce a larger antibody response after getting vaccinated.

Around 30 to 40 per cent of people have the gene, known as HLA-DQB1*06. The boosted protection might be enough to block out infections entirely.

It may partly explain why some people never get the virus, even when family members come down with the virus.

The US has the highest number of confirmed cases of any country in the world at 179million, the equivalent of more than half of the entire population.

This is likely an underestimate, however, because testing was patchy at the start of the outbreak and some people never take a test.

Yet, anecdotally there are many stories of people whose entire families come down with the virus and they avoid an infection – even after sharing a bed with someone who is sick.

This group of people have been dubbed ‘never Covid’ and scientists have never quite worked out how they managed it.

Lead researcher Dr Alexander Mentzer said: ‘We have seen a wide variation in how quickly people test positive for Covid after vaccination.

‘Our findings suggest that our genetic code may influence how likely this is to happen over time.’

The scientists examined blood samples from people in five different trials, which looked at 1,600 adults who received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine as their initial shot.

Individuals with the gene had more antibodies – proteins that protect against foreign invaders – in their blood compared to those without the quirk.

They also looked at a collection of people who took Covid tests every week for over a year since their first shot.

People with the HLA-DQB1*06 gene were more unlikely to suffer a ‘breakthrough infection’ over the 12 months — where people came down with mild Covid symptoms post-shot.

Co-lead researcher Professor Julian Knight added: ‘From this study we have evidence that our genetic make-up is one of the reasons why we may differ from each other in our immune response following Covid vaccination.’

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine.

'Most vaccine-resistant Covid strain ever' sends case numbers soaring in Singapore and is already in the US — but it's 'killing just TWO people per day'

A new Covid variant that is feared to be the 'most vaccine-resistant yet' has sent case numbers soaring in Singapore — and it is already in the US.

The mutant strain — dubbed XBB — is another spin-off of the Omicron variant and has been blamed for Singapore's infection numbers doubling in the past fortnight.

It has accumulated mutations in its receptor binding domain, a key part of the spike protein where virus-fighting antibodies dock and block infections.

Changes to this spot make the virus less recognizable to the immune systems of people who are vaccinated or have been infected with Covid previously.

Sounding the alarm over the new variant, Johns Hopkins University's Dr Amesh Adalja said: 'It is likely the most immune-evasive [to date].'

But there is no evidence that it is more likely to cause severe disease or death compared to its parent or sister strains - which have all proven to be mild for most.

Just two people are dying in Singapore per day from Covid, figures show.

While in the past there have been just one or two dominant global variants, the virus now appears to have splintered into a swarm of closely-related sub-variants.

They all derive from the Omicron strain which sent worldwide case numbers to record highs and they all contain similar mutations.

Just last months, scientists were worried about BA.275, which took off in South Asia. In the US, the BA.4.6 and BF.7 sub-strains have been slowly growing.

And in recent weeks, BQ1.1 started to take off in Europe, and looks like the frontrunner to become the continent's dominant strain this fall.

So far, at least three infections of XBB have been spotted in the US and 16 other nations including Australia, India and the UK.

Singaporean scientists estimate it is 30 per cent milder than the previously dominant BA.5 Omicron strain.

'XBB' is formed of two variants scientifically named BJ.1 and BA.2.75 which have merged.

It was first detected in India back in August, authorities said, but did not spark a wave until now.

Covid variants can merge — in a process scientifically known as recombination — if they infect the same cell in the same person at the same time, and then swap genes.

There have been several recombinant variants already — such as 'Delta-plus' last year — but none have led to a major surge in infections.

Instead, most quickly die out because the merger has left them less infectious than their rivals.

But XBB appears to be the most successful yet, and is behind 54 per cent of infections in Singapore, up from 22 per cent a week ago.

One possible cause for concern is that Singapore's reinfection rate has risen dramatically since the arrival of XBB - from 12 to 17.5 per cent of all cases.

It is not clear yet if this is simply due to waning vaccine protection.

But officials already expect the wave to peak in mid-November, making it a short and steep - but crucially mild - wave.

It comes as America struggles to turbo-charge its winter vaccination drive despite warnings of another Covid wave.

The US is currently rolling out a bivalent vaccine to all over-5s, which is designed to protect against Covid variants BA.5 and BA.5.

It is unclear whether it will also protect against XBB, although scientists say it will still help to refresh people's immunity.

Just six per cent of people who are eligible have come forward so far, a month after the program started.

Last week eligibility was expanded from over-12s to over-5s, with American health chiefs saying they should also get jabs.

But the move goes against that in other nations which are quietly raising the age limit for their Covid jabs amid concerns over side-effects like heart inflammation and limited evidence that it will benefit children

OK, so you'll be able to get Novovax as a 3rd shot booster to the mRNA primary series, but what if you've already had mRNA as boosters?

Eagerly awaiting that info as well r374.

In everything first three threads is new again, here's a little NEIDL drama. Geneticist who serves on an SBIR review panel are you still here?

"McComsey, who has spent the last two decades studying HIV, said that the data they have found so far paints a picture that is eerily familiar.

“Now I just look at it, and I’m like gosh, it’s like a déjà vu,” McComsey said.

If the idea that the behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus might have any similarities to HIV is news to you, you aren’t alone. But McComsey said that for the HIV researchers who have made the crossover to studying this new coronavirus, the similarities that emerged were unmistakable.

To be clear, McComsey isn’t suggesting that the viruses themselves are similar. Coronaviruses are not retroviruses like HIV, nor are they sexually transmitted like HIV. But it’s the way they make the people they infect sick that caught her attention. It hides in the body and continues to wreak havoc in the various organ system by driving inflammation and disrupting the immune response."

Hoping that the new booster acts like the other initial/boosters, as I can time this according to how I'll likely react to it. So, I've made my appointment for Pfizer booster this Friday morning. This way I can get through the workday before I start feeling like crap, and hopefully will get the worst of the side effects out of the way by mid-day Saturday so it won't f-up my entire weekend.

People who caught mild Covid had increased risk of blood clots, British study finds

People who caught mild cases of Covid-19 during the first year of the pandemic had a higher risk of developing blood clots than those who were not infected, according to a large study published by British scientists this week.

Patients with mild Covid, defined as those not hospitalized, were 2.7 times more likely to develop blood clots, according to the study published in the British Medical Journal’s Heart on Monday. They were also 10 times more likely to die than people who did not have Covid.

Scientists affiliated with Queen Mary University of London followed 18,000 people who caught Covid during the first year of the pandemic and compared their health outcomes with nearly 34,000 people who didn’t contract the virus.

Participants were tracked until they developed cardiovascular disease, died or until the study ended in March 2021. Most of the study was conducted before the vaccines rolled out in the Britain in December 2020.

While people with mild Covid had an increased risk of blood clots, patients hospitalized with the virus had a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease in general. The risk of cardiovascular disease for mild and severe cases was highest in the first 30 days after infection but continued later.

In addition, patients hospitalized with Covid were 28 times more likely to develop blood clots, 22 times more likely to suffer heart failure and17 times more likely to have a stroke, according to the study. Overall, they were over 100 times more likely to die than people who didn’t have Covid.

The scientists said their findings highlight the importance of monitoring even people who had mild Covid for cardiovascular disease over the long term.

“Our findings highlight the increased cardiovascular risk of individuals with past infection, which are likely to be greater in countries with limited access to vaccination and thus greater population exposure to COVID-19,” the authors of the study wrote.

No shit, DL finds.

High hopes were riding on the new Omicron boosters this autumn. But they may not work any better than the original.

[quote] New Omicron boosters that were initially touted as offering better protection against more recent COVID strains may not be any more effective than the original jabs, according to two new studies published this week.

[quote] Those who received the new Omicron booster as their fourth COVID shot had a similar immune response to a variety of COVID variants as those who received a fourth shot of the original vaccine, according to a study from Columbia University and the University of Michigan, published Monday.

[quote] A Harvard University–affiliated paper released Tuesday came to the same conclusion: that the original vaccine and updated booster performed very similarly. Both “markedly” increased antibody response, though not the response of T cells—the oft neglected other half of the immune system that doesn’t prevent infection, but can reduce the severity of it.

[quote] Both papers cite “immune imprinting” as a potential reason for the new booster’s inability to outperform the original vaccine. It’s a phenomenon in which an initial exposure to a virus—say, the original strain of COVID, by infection or vaccination—limits a person’s future immune response against new variants.

Here's a CNN article about the booster imprinting issue mentioned in r381 .

Michael Worobey, a professor at the University of Arizona who studies the evolution of viruses and the origins and control of pandemics says:

[quote] Worobey says that when the strains are combined as they are in the updated boosters, they actually end up competing. The body’s response to the original strain is so strong, it will end up blocking the updated portion of the vaccine from stimulating those blank slate B cells against the newer variants and reshaping the immune response.

[quote] Thus, imprinting will complicate efforts to keep up with the virus, he says. We may need different kinds of vaccine technologies if the virus ever changes so much that it outcompetes our immunity altogether.

Well, that just sucks. Why should I bother getting this booster on Friday when it's only effective against the original strain, which really doesn't exist anymore.

The CNN article says that even though the new booster is not more effective against the new variants than the old booster, the new booster will stimulate formation of antibodies that might not be present if your last booster was 6 months ago or something. So even if it is a disappointing formulation that is not necessarily better than the old booster, it could still provide more protection this winter through the stimulation of new antibodies that had diminished since the last booster you received months ago.

But then why did we need a new formula? Why not just give us another shot of the same old?

It's just all BS. I went to get my novavax shot this morning and no dice; the pharmacist refused to provide it since it wasn't my first shot. I wish I were the type of person who could just lie.

[quote] But then why did we need a new formula? Why not just give us another shot of the same old?

One of the studies that indicates that the new booster may not be any more effective than the old booster was based on 20 people, and that study has not been peer reviewed yet. Even so, many people in the field apparently don't think the results are shocking or surprising, so the results and conclusions may hold. But the big problem: there isn't enough time to do all the testing that is needed and that they want to do and still protect people this winter. So shoot first, ask questions later becomes Vaccinate now, release test results later. Because Time.

"Prime & Spike" (i.e. follow up traditional vaccines with a nasal booster) shows great promise in mice. No doubt the GOP will say there's no money to fund a trial in humans.

Well for what it's worth, I got my Covid booster this morning. Right on schedule, at about 10 hours later and I have the fever chills.

Hoping to feel normal-ish by mid-day Saturday so I can enjoy the rest of the weekend.

Proof: Ivermectin doesn't do shit...

NEW YORK (AP) — The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tested positive again for COVID-19.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky had mild symptoms Sunday and is isolating at her home in Massachusetts, the CDC said Monday.

Walensky, 53, first tested positive on Oct. 21. She took a course of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, and later tested negative. But the symptoms returned and Walensky is again in isolation, working and holding virtual meetings, the CDC said.

Paxlovid has proven effective at preventing serious disease and death among those at highest risk, including older people and those who are immune compromised. But the pill appears to provide little or no benefit for younger adults. Some who take the drug have experienced a return of symptoms after completing Paxlovid’s five-day regimen of pills.

CDC officials said Walensky is up to date on her vaccines.

Walensky took over the CDC in January 2021. She is one of several U.S. health officials who have gotten COVID-19.

___

The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Got my booster today, no side effects

No kidding. All you have to do is look at the hospitals overflowing with kids getting severely ill from viruses that they could normally recover from at home.

"By dysregulation Leonardi means three effects of COVID:

The hyperactivation of many T cells, which can prematurely age them

The exuberant function of those hyperactivated T cells, which can then cause organ damage

The exhaustion of those hyperactivated T cells, which implies they aren’t winning the battle against viral proteins they are supposed to defeat.

In other words, argues Leonardi, T cells are becoming hyperactivated by SARS-CoV-2 and are prematurely aging, harming organs, and becoming exhausted trying to rid the body of an immune-evasive virus."

Operation Slow as Molasses

Operation Mass Disabling Event

There are a gazillion Covid threads again, so I thought I'd track down the main Megathread to ask...

How long after someone starts testing negative after a Covid infection would you trust hanging out with them again?

My sister was diagnosed with Covid a few days before Christmas. After taking Paxlovid is finally testing negative (12/27). When should I be safe hanging out with her again, either riding in car or staying at her or my house?

R396 I'd give it a few more days to make sure she doesn't experience rebound symptoms (common with Paxlovid), then if she's still neg after that, you should be fine.

Maybe New Years Eve?

R398 Probably, unless she's throwing a NYE party with lots of guests.

This is purely anecdotal, but it was over a week between when I was symptomatic and testing positive and when my rebound occurred, with resumption of both symptoms and testing positive. That said in my entirely unscientific opinion I doubt I was infectious during either the "lull" or the rebound.

In ACE receptor news....

They'd better hurry up with that drug because new variant XBB 1.5 has even better ACE 2 receptor binding ability.

"The superior growth advantage of XBB.1.5 has been well-documented by many colleagues @JPWeiland @LongDesertTrain@EricTopol. Here I'll add some experimental data: 1) XBB.1.5 is equally immune evasive as XBB.1, but 2) XBB.1.5 has a much higher hACE2 binding affinity."

But COVID is over so no biggie....

US to require all travelers from China to test negative for COVID before being allowed into country starting Jan 5

Video from emergency rooms shows severity of Chinese COVID surge

^ My hooha is starting to get wet again!

Yep, my sister has a rebound infection. Fortunately, we did NOT meet over NYE.

Swell..

"XBB.1.5 will likely increase the frequency of COVID Eye infections

XBB.1.5 has a much stronger ability to infect people, w/enhanced binding to ACE-2 receptors. We have these in our nose & lungs. Importantly, we have ACE-2 receptors in our eyes & ears."

"I’m concerned because of the putative ability of XBB.1.5 to have increased capacity to infect cell types that express even lower levels of ACE2. This will increase tropism and possibly persistence in cell types that are long lived.

Please protect yourselves and others by wearing N95 masks. I am truly concerned about the #longCOVID wave that follows this infection."

someone I know got covid. He feels normal.

My boss currently has Covid and she's been out of work the the entire past week. We all work from our homes, so it's not just that she's isolating, she has been that ill.

People with age-related macular degeneration have a 25% increased risk of respiratory failure or death due to COVID, which is higher than other well-known risk factors such as type 2 diabetes (21%) or obesity (13%).

Countries should consider recommending passengers wear masks on long-haul flights to counter the latest Omicron subvariant given its rapid spread in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday.

Passengers should be advised to wear masks in high-risk settings such as long-haul flights. "This should be a recommendation issued to passengers arriving from anywhere where there is widespread COVID-19 transmission."

"As the United States enters its third full covid winter, a top administration official is warning that the permanence of the coronavirus in the disease landscape could mean brutal and long-lasting seasonal surges of cold-weather illnesses for years to come, resulting in hospitals struggling to care for non-covid emergencies and unable to give patients timely, lifesaving treatments."

R412 I'm not blaming the messenger, but what a shitty half-assed suggestion. ANY flight can become long haul, if you're sitting on the runway waiting for takeoff, or delayed for a tech crisis. And that's when the air is the least filtered.

The unprecedented infectiousness of XBB.1.5 prompted renewed calls for public caution Friday from New York City health officials, who announced the latest omicron descendant, widely believed to be behind the latest case wave, now accounts for nearly three-quarters of all coronavirus circulating across the five boroughs.

City health officials also noted that XBB.1.5 may be more likely to infect people who have been vaccinated or already had COVID -- a reality that Dr. Ashish Jha, head of the White House COVID Task Force, acknowledged last week.

As Jha put it, if you haven't had COVID since July or were last vaccinated prior to the bivalent update in September, "Your protection against an XBB.1.5. infection is not that great."

“I am worried that we are going to have, for years, our health system being pretty dysfunctional, not being able to take care of heart attack patients, not being able to take care of cancer patients, not being able to take care of the kid who’s got appendicitis because we’re going to be so overwhelmed with respiratory viruses for … three or four months a year,” White House covid-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha told the Washington Post.

He described a scenario in which the typical winter logjam of patients begins much earlier than usual — in August or September — because of the coronavirus. It’s a darker scenario than the administration has portrayed in the past, and one Jha said most Americans have yet to realize.

“I just think people have not appreciated the chronic cost, because we have seen this as an acute problem,” Jha said. “We have no idea how hard this is going to make life for everybody, for long periods of time.”

Pandemic is over everyone!

To recap

Word on the street (OK Beckers, not the street) is that XBB.1.16 has now outcompeted all other variants in India and is all that is left there. It’s only one change different than former champ 5. I suspect (hope?) that we’ve reached peak Omicron infectivity.

[quote]B-sides that became more famous than the A-Sides

"God Only Knows" - the Beach Boys

Super excited about this.

Good, since they've dropped the ball on everything else. It's literally the least they can do.

Fingers crossed we have a nasal spray vaccine with FDA approval this time next year.

How are you doing Sylvia? Hope all is well.

Surviving, EL. Still COVID-free, still N95 masking everywhere. My mother and her elderly brothers all finally gave it to one another this winter. The doctor at the Urgent Care in my mother's Trumpy town wrote her a prescription for Ivermectin! I nearly had an apoplexy over that.

Crazy about the Ivermectin prescription! Did the MD even offer Paxlovid?

Glad to hear you are still disease free.

[quote]My mother and her elderly brothers all finally gave it to one another this winter.

They all made it through okay, I hope?

[quote] Crazy about the Ivermectin prescription! Did the MD even offer Paxlovid?

Nope, I had to tell her to call her real doctor for the Paxlovid. But yes, they all made it through unscathed, though my mother had the cough for two months.

Thank goodness they were all fine in the end.

There was an interesting article on Lab safety in China in the WaPo today..

My husband and I are the only ones we know who have never gotten COVID (knock on wood). We're vaxxed and boosted, of course, but so were many of the friends, neighbors and family members who have had COVID at least once.

Fortunately it's not the death sentence it was before the vaccine, but it's just so strange we've remained unaffected.

I'm trying to figure out how I can scam a second booster (it's been over six months since mine) before traveling next month.

Any luck Sylvia?

I haven't read this yet, but posting here if anyone is interested. I'll comment after reading if I think anything is actually new information.

R431 Yes, actually. I went to the CVS where I'd gotten my last "original recipe" dose in April 2022 and told them that I had never had a bivalent shot. They had no record of my first bivalent from fall of '22, because I got that at a Walgreens, and I told them I'd lost my card. Easy!

Nothing shocking in the report.

[quote]Almost all IC agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not genetically engineered. Most agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not laboratory-adapted; some are unable to make a determination. All IC agencies assess that SARS-CoV-2 was not developed as a biological weapon.

Appropriate in many threads.

So true!

FWIW, there’s a little bit of a firestorm going on in NIH peer review circles. It seems some nudnik must have used Chatgpt to review their grants for them and NIH came out with a reactionary policy without really thinking through the wording that inadvertently bans things like grammarly.

COVID is officially endemic and ovah(ish); excess deaths are gone entirely or only at 1% based on the methodology you use and deaths per day in the US are running about 80. (Deaths are almost exclusively in anti-vaxxers now so interesting if/how it might influence election results in very tight races)

On the science front, they’ve identified the genetic mutation that prevent symptomatic illness.