Covid Vaccination?

[DianaCox]

Health care workers first.

Then teachers?

Then older people who are most at risk. That’s where my dad, Charles and I might get to have it.

I’m not keen on getting it before March or April. I want the new FDA management and outside scientists to review the longer-term data first. And me. But if it’s reasonably safe and effective, I’m in.

I’m a bit wary of the mRNA vaccines, because it has never been used as a vaccine before. But more about efficacy that danger, and the early data looks very good.

I’m tired of being locked down, but not enough to risk getting out and about without a vaccine.

 

[DianaCox]

If you want to follow a Twitter feed of a premiere vaccinologist at the bleeding edge of this research, who has an excellent Twitter feed with explanations at many levels, follow Florian Krammer.
https://mobile.twitter.com/florian_krammer
I listened to this half hour podcast tonight, which was very helpful and encouraging. He feels that there is a good chance the pandemic will start to come under control by late spring. If true, Memorial Day will be a big deal.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/44IdzjjuEhmQmT2mUNopyi?nd=1

 

[DianaCox]

This is a new very preliminary study of an adenovirus vaccine (chimpanzee adenovirus which can’t replicate in the body, encoding spike protein) which had good antibody response in older adults.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/...al&utm_source=twitter&hss_channel=tw-27013292

 

[Webmommy]

I hope they vaccinate those who are high risk after health care workers including those people don’t think have any value like those with developmental disabilities. The death rate for them is over 50% and for children with developmental disabilities it’s 3x the risk for dying as their typically developing peers. People in state residential buildings, group homes, nursing homes, assisted living and jails and prisons are being hit hard and are often ignored and thought to be invisible. We have already failed at protecting them so I don’t have much hope that they will be considered to be at the top. It’s depressing, really.

 

[hilary1617]

I hope they vaccinate those who are high risk after health care workers including those people don’t think have any value like those with developmental disabilities. The death rate for them is over 50% and for children with developmental disabilities it’s 3x the risk for dying as their typically developing peers. People in state residential buildings, group homes, nursing homes, assisted living and jails and prisons are being hit hard and are often ignored and thought to be invisible. We have already failed at protecting them so I don’t have much hope that they will be considered to be at the top. It’s depressing, really.

I agree - those with disabilities and in residential facilities are among the hardest hit and should be at the top of the line for vaccination. It's heartbreaking.

December 3 is the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities. This year they are focusing on COVID relief.
https://www.un.org/en/observances/day-of-persons-with-disabilities

 

[Georgepds]

I’m going to wait a bit to see the data. Pfizer’s vaccine sounds effective from the news reports, but to say the data supporting it is thin would be an understatement.

• The time period that was measured was literally a week:
  • “According to the trial’s protocol, the vaccine comes in two doses, which are given three weeks apart. The researchers waited at least seven days after the second dose had been administered to see who contracted COVID-19 in real life, assuming each group practiced comparable risk-taking behaviors.”
• What ages does it work for? At what dosage? Old people like me need a 4X flu shot.
• How long is it effective?
• What do they MEAN by effective? It apparently doesn’t mean preventing infection:
  • “It’s also unclear if the vaccine simply prevented symptoms in mild or moderate cases, or if it reduced severe outcomes.”
• Are vaccinated infected people contagious, even if not seriously ill or even asymptomatic?? This is really critical information.

One other major concern I have: the Pfizer vaccine is the first ever mRNA vaccine. I’m not a fan of being a guinea pig if I have other options. There are “regular” protein antigen vaccines right on Pfizer’s heels. And at least one is a single injection with no special storage requirements like Pfizer’s -70°C.

Imma gonna wait for the data.

Re : "What do they MEAN by effective? It apparently doesn’t mean preventing infection:"


You might like this article describing the difference between efficacy (results in the trial population) and effectiveness ( results in the greater world)


My read is there is sometimes a difference because the trial population is usually healthier than the world at large

"Efficacy is just a measurement made during a clinical trial. “Effectiveness is how well the vaccine works out in the real world,” said Naor Bar-Zeev, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.Nov "


Are Covid-19 Vaccines Really 95% Effective? https://nyti.ms/3pKdDV7

 

[JackieOnLine]

I'm supposed to get it next Thursday. I am irrationally extra anxious I'm going to catch the virus just before I get both shots on board.

 

[Larra]

Hang in there, JackieOnLine ! That's less than a week away. You can make it.

 

[hilary1617]

@Jackie, so glad you are able to get it!

 

[southernlady]

I'm supposed to get it next Thursday. I am irrationally extra anxious I'm going to catch the virus just before I get both shots on board.

So glad you can get it. We found out today that the son in law brought it home from his office to our daughter and grandson. Both daughter and son in law tested positive. She’s asymtomatic, he is running a fever. It hit 104 last night.

 

[JackieOnLine]

oh, I'm sorry Liz. I hope he gets better soon.

 

[DianaCox]

We are waiting for AZ/Maricopa County to get its act together and get the first responders and nursing home residents vaccinated, and to decide the next priorities. The CDC has recommended that people over 75 should be next, but AZ hasn’t changed its prioritization correspondingly. Dad also potentially has access through the VA, but we’d have to take him downtown for that - no in-home vaccination. I think I’d rather have him vaccinated at a drive-through location when they get that organized.

Charles and I remain priority 1C, based on being over 65.

 

[aaa]

My friend, a nurse in Oregon, is getting a *** on 12.28.2020.

 

[DianaCox]

A person who went to work while sick is likely the cause of two separate Covid-19 outbreaks in Oregon
https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/23/us/oregon-covid-superspreader-action-trnd/index.html

 

[Spiky Bugger]

We are waiting for AZ/Maricopa County to get its act together and get the first responders and nursing home residents vaccinated, and to decide the next priorities. The CDC has recommended that people over 75 should be next, but AZ hasn’t changed its prioritization correspondingly. Dad also potentially has access through the VA, but we’d have to take him downtown for that - no in-home vaccination. I think I’d rather have him vaccinated at a drive-through location when they get that organized.

Charles and I remain priority 1C, based on being over 65.

MrSue and I just registered with the VA website. It is not a reservation, but they promise to keep us posted
on availability.

Interestingly, two of our closest major VA facilities are not using the same vaccine. So we choose which vaccine by choosing which facility.