CDC has approved 4th vaccine dose for some people

[Alan]

Harlee, great news about your husband!

+1

Excellent news.

 

[Koolau]

I saw the article about the German man getting the 87 vaccine shots so he could get fake vaccine cards and sell them. I wonder what affects all these vaccines had on him? If I remember the article correctly he was caught because he went twice to the same place for the shots and the staff recognized him. Not too bright.

Good friend who was a counselor at a prison had planned to write a book upon his retirement. His working title was "We Ain't In Here 'Cause We Smart."

 

[Chuckanut]

I don't know if Europe had employers mandating vaccine. There were quite a few here that did mandate vaccines for their employees.

My state (IOW the governor under his Emergency Powers) mandated vaccination for many if not most state workers. People who didn't get it, got fired.

 

[yakers]

Just got my 4th shot, (second booster). Trying to stay ahead f things and be in shape for Europe travel next month.

 

[audreyh1]

I read today that Moderna has a promising new multi- variant booster that combines mRNA derived from original strain and Beta. Initial tests show that it works well against Omicron as Omicron is descended from Beta. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ooster-effective-against-variants/7364984001/

I don’t know when it will be available. It will probably take a while. Maybe it’s for this fall?

 

[Koolau]

I read today that Moderna has a promising new multi- variant booster that combines mRNA derived from original strain and Beta. Initial tests show that it works well against Omicron as Omicron is descended from Beta. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ooster-effective-against-variants/7364984001/

I don’t know when it will be available. It will probably take a while. Maybe it’s for this fall?

By then, it will be shot 5 for me. I'm not going to wait. YMMV

 

[Scuba]

I read today that Moderna has a promising new multi- variant booster that combines mRNA derived from original strain and Beta. Initial tests show that it works well against Omicron as Omicron is descended from Beta. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ooster-effective-against-variants/7364984001/

I don’t know when it will be available. It will probably take a while. Maybe it’s for this fall?

By then, there will likely be a new variant that this doesn’t work against. That is my concern with booster after booster. It seems that there is always a newer variant around the corner that the current vaccine hasn’t been developed for. I got the first booster, but haven’t yet gotten the next one due to this concern. COVID rates are so low in my area now that it seems rather pointless to get another shot now.

I usually do get a flu shot so if there is a newer booster this fall that I can get, I’ll probably do that.

 

[harllee]

By then, there will likely be a new variant that this doesn’t work against. That is my concern with booster after booster. It seems that there is always a newer variant around the corner that the current vaccine hasn’t been developed for. I got the first booster, but haven’t yet gotten the next one due to this concern. COVID rates are so low in my area now that it seems rather pointless to get another shot now.

I usually do get a flu shot so if there is a newer booster this fall that I can get, I’ll probably do that.

Scuba you have recently posted that your husband is recovering from heart surgery. If it were me I would get the second booster now to protect my husband.

 

[audreyh1]

By then, there will likely be a new variant that this doesn’t work against. That is my concern with booster after booster. It seems that there is always a newer variant around the corner that the current vaccine hasn’t been developed for. I got the first booster, but haven’t yet gotten the next one due to this concern. COVID rates are so low in my area now that it seems rather pointless to get another shot now.

I usually do get a flu shot so if there is a newer booster this fall that I can get, I’ll probably do that.

We just don’t know. Right now there seem to be an expanding symphony of Omicron variants which this compound booster would still address.

It doesn’t bother me if we get to the annual flu vaccine scenario. There may be many shorter steps on the way there.

It’s also interesting that this compound booster addresses Omicron by derivations from an anscertor variant almost a year older.

 

[Scuba]

Scuba you have recently posted that your husband is recovering from heart surgery. If it were me I would get the second booster now to protect my husband.

This thought had crossed my mind since it’s been almost six months since our booster. I decided I will ask his cardiac surgeon about the next booster when we see him next week. I’m also wondering if/when DH should have it.

 

[ivinsfan]

This thought had crossed my mind since it’s been almost six months since our booster. I decided I will ask his cardiac surgeon about the next booster when we see him next week. I’m also wondering if/when DH should have it.

Well my DH had a pacemaker swap out and they wanted no covid vaccine for at least 4 weeks before and after the procedure. They. made a point of saying that. In all honesty this really made me start to question what they might not be sharing about vaccine and heart irritations. We are well over 6 months out and don't plan to reboost.

 

[explanade]

There was a STAT article saying that WHO still lists 150 vaccines in development.

https://www.statnews.com/2022/04/19/six-covid-mysteries-including-how-it-will-evolve/#vaccines

However, odds are that most of them will never be commercialized. They'd have to pay for expensive large trials and then invest a lot of capital in getting large-scale manufacturing ramped up.

The first to market vaccines have probably discouraged other entrants, unless they truly can offer something that current mRNA technology can't offer.

The outlook for therapeutics may be better. Paxlovid if it holds up may dominate the market but there's still a business opportunity for others to try to get to market. Paxlovid manufacturing is complex and takes a long time so there's an opening for others to try to compete.

It may ultimately take public investment to dig into better vaccines. For instance, mRNA vaccines may not be good enough for children under 5 yet. The other day they delayed EUA of Moderna for under 5 vaccinations.

 

[Aerides]

Well my DH had a pacemaker swap out and they wanted no covid vaccine for at least 4 weeks before and after the procedure. They. made a point of saying that. In all honesty this really made me start to question what they might not be sharing about vaccine and heart irritations. We are well over 6 months out and don't plan to reboost.

I wouldn't have that concern, but even when I got my first shot I was aware to avoid cortizone injections 4 weeks before/after, as they can interfere with vaccine efficacy.

So it's probably less about what the vaccine means to the procedure, but the other way around. And just good practice to avoid having the body "working" on more than one thing at a time.

 

[explanade]

they also say don't take Tylenol or Advil before the shots because they could reduce vaccine efficacy.

So it shouldn't be surprising that a major procedure could also impact vaccine efficacy.

 

[ivinsfan]

they also say don't take Tylenol or Advil before the shots because they could reduce vaccine efficacy.

So it shouldn't be surprising that a major procedure could also impact vaccine efficacy.

It wasn't a major procedure it was an under the skin inpatient non general anesthesia generator swap out. But when you have a pacer replaced this is always a small chance you might need a lead replacement which is placed directly into your heart muscle.


The exact wording was "we don't want you getting vaccinated". I was given no indications it was about vaccine efficacy.

 

[ivinsfan]

I wouldn't have that concern, but even when I got my first shot I was aware to avoid cortizone injections 4 weeks before/after, as they can interfere with vaccine efficacy.

So it's probably less about what the vaccine means to the procedure, but the other way around. And just good practice to avoid having the body "working" on more than one thing at a time.

Cortisone is a whole different discussion as to the way it works in your body. I found it interesting as one of DH's female cousins starting getting bursts of very rapid heartbeats within days of getting vaccine number three.



One has to make these decisions for themselves and we really don't feel much of an urgency to get number 4 ATM. I guess we'll all learn more as the Covid saga continues and continues.

 

[Calico]

I had my first booster back on 10/2/21. I got my second booster this afternoon. All four shots I've had were Pfizer.

I finally got off my keister today to get the booster, because in the next 3-6 weeks I have a dental appointment, a full dermatology check, and a haircut scheduled, all of which are up close and personal (by my own definition).

Better safe than sorry.

I am just at the 4-hour mark and no side effects so far. I had zero side effects from the first booster, so expect (hope) that will be the case this time too.

 

[Dash man]

On 4/14 I got my fourth shot. On 4/20 I had Covid symptoms and tested positive. I guess I didn’t need the fourth shot. I must have super immunity now! [emoji23]

 

[harllee]

This could all be a coincidence but my 90 year old mother had Covid back in early February and since then had been having memory problems, like she had brain fog. About a week ago mother had her fourth booster of Pfizer and over the weekend suddenly her memory seems much better. Could the booster have knocked out some remaining Covid virus that was causing her memory problems? Or maybe she is just getting over her covid memory fog? Whatever, I am glad to have my sweet mother back and hope it lasts.

 

[Turbo29]

This could all be a coincidence but my 90 year old mother had Covid back in early February and since then had been having memory problems, like she had brain fog. About a week ago mother had her fourth booster of Pfizer and over the weekend suddenly her memory seems much better. Could the booster have knocked out some remaining Covid virus that was causing her memory problems? Or maybe she is just getting over her covid memory fog? Whatever, I am glad to have my sweet mother back and hope it lasts.

"How is the vaccine helping some long-haulers?
As many as 30 to 40% of those who get the vaccine have reported improvements to their symptoms. “I’ve heard from people who say they no longer have ‘brain fog,’ their gastrointestinal problems have gone away, or they stopped suffering from the shortness of breath they’ve been living with since being diagnosed with COVID-19,” says Iwasaki."


Why Vaccines May Be Helping Some With Long COVID

 

[Koolau]

"How is the vaccine helping some long-haulers?
As many as 30 to 40% of those who get the vaccine have reported improvements to their symptoms. “I’ve heard from people who say they no longer have ‘brain fog,’ their gastrointestinal problems have gone away, or they stopped suffering from the shortness of breath they’ve been living with since being diagnosed with COVID-19,” says Iwasaki."


Why Vaccines May Be Helping Some With Long COVID

Wow, this is (potentially) very good news. I hope it can be proven completely. I've lost most of my fear of the virus (now that we know how to protect ourselves and I'm up to date on vaccine) but nagging me is long Covid.

I recall many years ago how my mom was doing okay at home with her Alzheimers. I had to go over every day to insure she took her meds, breathing treatments and had eaten her meals-on-wheels, etc. But, she was very capable for many things on her own. She got a UTI and pneumonia , all which landed her in the hospital. That was it. She never went home and spent the last couple of years in a nursing home, unable to look after herself in many ways.

I realize how her situation is so different than Covid, but my personal theory is that major infections compromise many body systems. Some can lead to devastating consequences - as long Covid appears to be doing in some folks. YMMV as always.

 

[captain3d]

It seems unlikely that the vaccine would fix any symptoms as it is not a treatment drug. It is only a part of the virus.

 

[explanade]

Main thing they track with boosters is that antibodies, particularly neutralizing antibodies, are generated.

But they can't easily track T cells, which is what kills virus and infected cells.

You'd think if boosters were having effect on long covid, it would be the latter action which improves long covid, not neutralizing virions which haven't attached to cells yet.

 

[harllee]

It seems unlikely that the vaccine would fix any symptoms as it is not a treatment drug. It is only a part of the virus.

But the vaccine booster increases your antibodies which could help your body fight any residual long covid virus remaining in your body

 

[captain3d]

The booster only triggers the body to produce its own antibodies. It does not increase them directly.

But if it helps it is good news