IMO, it's a mistake to think you are protected by virtue of vaccinations against covid-19, any strain. It mutates really fast, I heard faster than flu or anything. You'll have some protection from the vaccinations. It's gonna help if you're exposed, but you could still get really sick. Mask if you're at risk of exposure. That will reduce your viral load if exposed. That would help a ton in fighting it off.I have had 6 covid vaccinations. I think I am pretty much protected.
Yes, I think its going to mutate so fast that every 6 months would be a much better option than annually. That also depends on what researchers can do with the vaccine as well. How quickly can they develop a vaccine after determining that a new variant presents a risk and needs a new vaccine formulation?What I heard was that annually yes, I am hoping for 2/year. I'd get both for sure. Who knows where we're going from here? If immunity wears off fast enough, annual may not fly.
There is work being done on a universal Covid vaccine. Last I looked, they are trying to target the stem between the large spherical virus body and the protein spikes (current vaccines are targeting these spike proteins). This is because the stem is pretty much conserved between strains. The drawback is finding a particle that can convince your body to make antibodies small enough to fit into that space between the spikes and the virus body is tricky. The benefit of never needing to change the vaccine should be obvious--it will always be up to date with the strain that is predominant.Yes, I think its going to mutate so fast that every 6 months would be a much better option than annually. That also depends on what researchers can do with the vaccine as well. How quickly can they develop a vaccine after determining that a new variant presents a risk and needs a new vaccine formulation?
Hey, if you think NY Times readers are dumb, well, where do you go for smarts? Here? Like you said, you didn't even know there were comments to be had reading the NY Times. How smart are you?
Smarty pants, wow, there's the last word.I don't go to the comments section "for smarts". Rando's spouting off gibberish with their anecdotal whataboutism's.
How smart am I? Smart enough to realize to not read and put faith into the comments section of random publications.
I did read what the journalist had to say, did you?
- For many people, the more immunity you’ve built up — through infection, vaccination or both — the milder your symptoms will probably be, Dr. Gordon said. Some people may become infected with JN.1 and experience such mild symptoms that they don’t even realize they are ill, she said. People with compromised immune systems or underlying medical conditions, though, may still have strong symptoms.
7? I've gotten them all but I'm pretty sure I'm only up to 5. Never gotten the Rona, will keep getting boosted. I've had known direct and long exposure multiple times too.Husband and I have had every shot that's been available. Seven in all. So far, as well as we can determine, neither of us has had covid. Knock on wood.
She'll be qualified for this year's booster if she wants a mid-year boost to immunity. Spring time would be halfway to the next booster.She didn't get boosted this year because she caught it right before the boosters came out.
Current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines provide moderate efficacy against severe disease8,9 but minimal to no efficacy against the acquisition of infection with Omicron subvariants1,2. A key problem is that intramuscular immunization with mRNA and adenovirus-vector-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines does not typically induce robust mucosal immunity10,11.
I'm much in favor of an annual Covid vaccination in the fall, but recognize that the vast majority of Americans DGAF anymore. So honestly I don't see the point of a mid-year booster unless a massive wave of Covid hits. I'm not saying don't get one, but what are you trying to achieve?
If those specific countries aren't masking, then I don't feel so bad about Muricans any more.5 vaccines in and 3 infections so far...
I noticed that only very few people are masking up, i was just in Singapore/Thailand/Vietnam/HongKong/Australia and NZ and saw very few people masked up, less than 5% maybe, same thing on planes
7? I've gotten them all but I'm pretty sure I'm only up to 5. Never gotten the Rona, will keep getting boosted. I've had known direct and long exposure multiple times too.
Not getting sick. My job doesn't just give out sick time left and right. I was sick for a week with Covid before and it took out all my sick time in one swoop.I'm not saying don't get one, but what are you trying to achieve?
I'm on medication that reduces my immune system. It isn't reduced to nothing (unless I ingest the medication directly), but the medication is intended to suppresses some of my immune system. I also have relatives that are on more fully immunosuppressant drugs (after an organ transplant) and relatives that have most of the underlying risk factors that make them likely to be hospitalized (or worse).So honestly I don't see the point of a mid-year booster unless a massive wave of Covid hits. I'm not saying don't get one, but what are you trying to achieve?
10/6/2023 Update
The US government is no longer purchasing COVID-19 vaccines; therefore, the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program has ended.
Nice straw man. I never argued against your ability or anyone's to get a mid-year vaccine. I specifically encouraged seniors and immunocompromised to get the Covid jab annually; unfortunately many elderly Americans are not. I also suggested that if a big wave of Covid hits, then there's more value to a mid-year vaccination.I'm on medication that reduces my immune system. It isn't reduced to nothing (unless I ingest the medication directly), but the medication is intended to suppresses some of my immune system. I also have relatives that are on more fully immunosuppressant drugs (after an organ transplant) and relatives that have most of the underlying risk factors that make them likely to be hospitalized (or worse).
What am I trying to achieve? (1) Since my immune system is weakened, to give it the best shot that I can. (2) Reduce the amount of virus I spread to those relatives. Vaccines are proven to be helpful with both of those. Are vaccines 100% effective at fully eliminating all problems? Certainly not. But they both reduce the incidents of transmission and reduce the severity of the disease when transmission does occur. And since the vaccine effectiveness starts dwindling around the 3-month mark, annual vaccinations leaves ~9 months of higher risk.
What are you trying to achieve by arguing against my ability to get a mid-year vaccine?
As for the rest of your post, the US Federal government no longer buys vaccines for the general public. That ended more than 4 months ago. It still buys it for federal workers, vets, etc like any other vaccine though (just not for the general public). https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/vaccination-provider-support.html
Nice straw man. I never argued against your ability or anyone's to get a mid-year vaccine. I specifically encouraged seniors and immunocompromised to get the Covid jab annually; unfortunately many elderly Americans are not...I encourage you or anyone to get a mid-year vaccine if you wish to.
Please read and reread the three underlined sections. In your first post, you didn't see the point of mid-year and argued for once a year. I'm glad that now you encourage mid-year vaccines, because that is not what your first post said or implied.So honestly I don't see the point of a mid-year booster unless a massive wave of Covid hits. I'm not saying don't get one, but what are you trying to achieve? Most experts remind us that the true end goal are milder outcomes, and nearly everyone by now has T cell immunity on their side. (If you're over age 70 or immunocompromised, then you should get vaccinated every fall.)
I read and reread them and I still have no idea where he said you shouldn’t be able to get a vaccine whenever you want if you so desire. He even explicitly said “I’m not saying don’t get one” re: mid-year booster ..Please read and reread the three underlined sections. In your first post, you didn't see the point of mid-year and argued for once a year. I'm glad that now you encourage mid-year vaccines, because that is not what your first post said or implied.
My comments are in line with what Dr. Paul Offit has said, but people have misconstrued his comments as overly negative toward Covid vaccines. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a lot of developed nations didn't even have a fall 2023 Covid vax campaign. The US CDC kind of stands out in its advocacy at this point, and I'm actually OK with that. I think it's rather unfortunate the percentage of seniors who got the latest jab is pretty damn low.Please read and reread the three underlined sections. In your first post, you didn't see the point of mid-year and argued for once a year. I'm glad that now you encourage mid-year vaccines, because that is not what your first post said or implied.
He said he didn't see the point of mid-year vaccines. You are correct that it doesn't explicitly say you shouldn't get one. But that sure reads to me as an argument against getting it mid-year. He even said the once per year vaccines should be for the over 70 and immunocompromised group. That certainly isn't an endorsement for getting mid-year vaccines either.I read and reread them and I still have no idea where he said you shouldn’t be able to get a vaccine whenever you want if you so desire. He even explicitly said “I’m not saying don’t get one” re: mid-year booster ..
I'm slightly immunocompromised and would like the ability to get a mid-year vaccine*. The statement of "If you're over age 70 or immunocompromised, then you should get vaccinated every fall." sure didn't read to me like you are endorsing me to get a mid-year vaccine. In fact, it reads like you think I should get one just every fall.For you to then suggest I had argued against your ability to get a mid-year jab is nonsense. I don't know your medical background or anyone else's, nor am I a doctor, to be making targeted medical advice.
You're putting extra words into my statements that just aren't there, nor implied. I'm encouraging the most at risk classes to get vaccinated every fall, because a lot of them are not. I am NOT saying those are the only people who should get Covid jabs, or that is the ONLY time they should do it.I'm slightly immunocompromised and would like the ability to get a mid-year vaccine. The statement of "If you're over age 70 or immunocompromised, then you should get vaccinated every fall." sure didn't read to me like you are endorsing me to get a mid-year vaccine. In fact, it reads like you think I should get one just every fall.
I'm sorry but I don't know of Paul Offit nor do I follow Zorba. So if there are important references there I missed them.
I'm going to riff off this and it isn’t particularly aimed at you!I'm in the pro-vaccine camp but most people who have been vaccinated against Covid have contracted Covid. Some before 3 months have passed, others later on. Many multiple times.
Out of curiosity, what did the NHS do with the new Covid jab this past season? Was it strongly promoted and was it available to all who wanted it, or just some?I'm going to riff off this and it isn’t particularly aimed at you!
Vaccines won’t stop you catching something. They aren’t a magic barrier that prevents a virus from touching you!
What they do is give your body a heads up at what to expect when a particular virus infects you, and then your immune system can get straight to work munching up the virus rather than wasting time working out what the hell is going on!
Obviously for this to happen you have to actually have the virus in your system. If you’re lucky your immune response will handle the infection before you know you have it and even if you still get a bad dose then you can be assured that it would have been worse if your body had let the virus multiply while it worked out what was happening!
I've seen quite a few people die from COVID, I'm fairly fit and well but I absolutely will have all the vaccines after having worked through the first waves of COVID.
I had mine at the hospital (as I have with all my other jabs) and that was offered to all frontline staff (we get annual flu jabs at the same time).Out of curiosity, what did the NHS do with the new Covid jab this past season? Was it strongly promoted and was it available to all who wanted it, or just some?