Fantastic Vaccine Results in US

[Nords]

Most of those restrictions have been done away with for mil members. I also wasn't able to donate for YEARS because of my travels and adventures across the globe but became eligible again a few months ago.

https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/83743/...0, the U.S. Food,and 1996 from donating blood.

Great to know! Time to get back to donating blood.

Thanks!

My spouse and I haven't been able to donate for over 20 years either, and we were pretty stoked to see that most of the restrictions were lifted.

Our local bloodmobile still hasn't updated their screening criteria, but they're getting to it and will put out a press release.

Then I read this:
"For instance, FDA guidelines do not permit donation by individuals who have spent three months or more cumulatively in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1996."
Well, crap. Holy Loch, Scotland is presumably still on the list.

 

[JoeWras]

Well, crap. Holy Loch, Scotland is presumably still on the list.

If Gibralter and Isle of Man are on the list, surely Scotland is.

 

[dirtbiker]

Still looking for the article but it stated that mRNA treatments had never made it past stage 1 testing before this vaccine. That's what I meant when I said rejected. Hopefully I'll find it.

Moderna has a number of mRNA treatments/vaccines now entering or into phase 2 trials. Not making it past stage 1 (yet) does not mean rejected. Phrasing is quite important in this case.

https://www.modernatx.com/pipeline

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Ref your comment about Apos folks catching covid more severely, I read yesterday about a NEW study saying they have done a better wider study and found this to NOT be the case. I think it was retrspective and looked at like 6 mos worth of cases in England or some such. I apologize I dont have the link.

Your blood donation is to be commended, I know locally we have a HUGE shortage both in the civilian and military blood banks. Interesting all of the blood from one of our local bases goes downrange, therefore the other bases have to come up with the blood to be used locally by the military hospital (and the hospital being excellent they get almost all of the major trauma from the civilian community as well, think major car wrecks etc)

 

[RetMD21]

This is a little concerning to me: "promoted blood coagulation and pathological thrombus formation."

This hypothetical concern is from back in early December 2020 since then the mRNA vaccines have proven to have a very good side effect profile

 

[Alan]

DD sent me this today. It's a neat moving visual graph over time charting the % of people vaccinated over time against the moving 7-day average of Covid infections per million. Starts in December and ends April 1st. Just another data point comparing the infection rate against % of people vaccinated in various countries.


https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeau...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

 

[Markola]

DD sent me this today. It's a neat moving visual graph over time charting the % of people vaccinated over time against the moving 7-day average of Covid infections per million. Starts in December and ends April 1st. Just another data point comparing the infection rate against % of people vaccinated in various countries.





https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeau...urce=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

That’s genius. Thanks.

 

[Montecfo]

Many experts believe that immunity/protection will turn out to last at least a year and probably longer.

Really good news about effectiveness against the South Africa variant. We already know that it is effective against the B117 variant because Israel had 80% B117 cases during its successful vaccination program.

Yes. In fact there is evidence from prior coronavirus infections of some immune response even more than a decade on. Will be interesting to see experience with this one.

 

[Koolau]

I think there are concerns about them being forged.

Apparently people have faked test results to enter countries for instance which require recent negative test results.

The Vaccine card I received has enough information to validate it as a passport IF the governmental body requiring the passport (for whatever: entry, not wearing a mask, etc.) has ACCESS to the records by name of the recipient. No one could fake a Covid passport in their name because the records (such as lot number) wouldn't match. Other than inertia, I see no overwhelming barrier to creating Covid passports. YMMV

 

[Badger]

The Vaccine card I received has enough information to validate it as a passport IF the governmental body requiring the passport (for whatever: entry, not wearing a mask, etc.) has ACCESS to the records by name of the recipient. No one could fake a Covid passport in their name because the records (such as lot number) wouldn't match. Other than inertia, I see no overwhelming barrier to creating Covid passports. YMMV

What if it turns out that the vaccines are not effective after a year and there needs to be annual boosters? A regular passport only has to be renewed every 10 years. Would a Covid passport have to be renewed annually? Seems that it would open a "can of worms".



Cheers!

 

[Aerides]

Probably a good idea if we stick to the vaccine results, but avoid "but what if the government" because so much is unknown, and it will only lead to an unproductive discussion.

 

[CaptTom]

What if it turns out that the vaccines are not effective after a year and there needs to be annual boosters?

One scenario that's been floating around is that the virus will continue to mutate as the population develops some level of herd immunity. At some point we could be doing annual Covid shots just like the current annual flu shot.

At that point it will (finally) be more like the flu; kills a certain number of people each year but most of us either deal with the symptoms or get the shot.

Personally, I'd get the shot. All any of us can do is play the odds. But most people don't understand statistics. That's why they can be unafraid of Covid but afraid of the vaccine. Nothing in life is without risk, but this is a case where the risks are well-known and one is far riskier than the other.

 

[audreyh1]

What if it turns out that the vaccines are not effective after a year and there needs to be annual boosters? A regular passport only has to be renewed every 10 years. Would a Covid passport have to be renewed annually? Seems that it would open a "can of worms".

Cheers!

This doesn’t concern me at all. Seems very straightforward, not a can of worms.

 

[Koolau]

What if it turns out that the vaccines are not effective after a year and there needs to be annual boosters? A regular passport only has to be renewed every 10 years. Would a Covid passport have to be renewed annually? Seems that it would open a "can of worms".



Cheers!

Yeah, I'm sure there are details to work out, but since there are dates on when one received their shots, expiry could easily be set, based on current data. Of course, what I'm hoping for is that we only need it for a year. Let us all hope that Covid is more or less gone in a year from now. A big YMMV caveat, of course.

 

[CaptTom]

Of course, what I'm hoping for is that we only need it for a year. Let us all hope that Covid is more or less gone in a year from now. A big YMMV caveat, of course.

About 13 months ago we were all thinking/hoping it would be over in a couple of weeks.

If I had to bet, my money would be on it always being here, with annual boosters. Just the fact that 40% of the people refuse to get vaccinated will guarantee that it continues circulating and mutating.

 

[donheff]

About 13 months ago we were all thinking/hoping it would be over in a couple of weeks.

If I had to bet, my money would be on it always being here, with annual boosters. Just the fact that 40% of the people refuse to get vaccinated will guarantee that it continues circulating and mutating.

A DARPA guy on 60 Minutes says we are on the verge of a universal Coronavirus vaccine. No more Covid, no more SARS, no more common colds. That would be nice.

 

[audreyh1]

A DARPA guy on 60 Minutes says we are on the verge of a universal Coronavirus vaccine. No more Covid, no more SARS, no more common colds. That would be nice.

That sure would be nice!

We still have a whole world to get vaccinated.

 

[Chuckanut]

Just the fact that 40% of the people refuse to get vaccinated will guarantee that it continues circulating and mutating.

I am not sure about that 40% being a fact. IMO, we won't know what the true refusal rate is until there is plenty of vaccine to go around, getting it is easy, and at least 6 months have gone by. Even then we probably need to factor out those who have been infected and therefore may not need the vaccine. Perhaps I am naive, but I suspect that a year from now the true refusal rate will be 10%, maybe less.

I can't imagine something as nasty as Covid having a 40% refusal rate by those still not infected. A few badly infected friends and relatives, scattered here and there, will be enough to convince most people they need the shot. I know that when I heard about a very fit and active friend, 10 years younger than me, being stuck in bed for a month due to Covid, that sure convinced me to get the vaccine ASAP.

 

[audreyh1]

I also agree that refusal rate will eventually be way lower, maybe approaching 10% by my gut instinct, LOL! But that still leaves children under 12 which is a significant percentage of the population. Maybe vaccines will be approved for them by late 2021.

I can't imagine something as nasty as Covid having a 40% refusal rate by those still not infected. A few badly infected friends and relatives, scattered here and there, will be enough to convince most people they need the shot. I know that when I heard about a very fit and active friend, 10 years younger than me, being stuck in bed for a month due to Covid, that sure convinced me to get the vaccine ASAP.

Exactly, and this B117 variant being more virulent means those unvaccinated are more likely to have an unpleasant experience.

 

[ivinsfan]

I also agree that refusal rate will eventually be way lower, maybe approaching 10% by my gut instinct, LOL! But that still leaves children under 12 which is a significant percentage of the population. Maybe vaccines will be approved for them by late 2021.

On the kids by 2021 I agree my DD's pediatrician had the same estimate. In our state they can compel kids to be vaccinated to attend public schools.


Something troubling to me it that we are still daily seeing deaths in nursing homes and assisted living in MN. They started vaccinating there in early Jan so either these people have been sick for months on end, or did not choose to get vaccinated at all. Those residents literally have bullseyes on their backs, so it's baffling to me that they would decline vaccine. I mean, you are elderly and confined to a NH, what's the upside in not getting vaccinated?

 

[cathy63]

A DARPA guy on 60 Minutes says we are on the verge of a universal Coronavirus vaccine. No more Covid, no more SARS, no more common colds. That would be nice.

Did the DARPA guy really say a coronavirus vaccine would get rid of the common cold? That seems like an oversell.

"Common cold" is a catch-all term for infections caused by lots of different viruses. To get rid of it, we would really need vaccines for rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, better coverage for influenza viruses, etc. Coronavirus colds are a minority.

 

[JoeWras]

Something troubling to me it that we are still daily seeing deaths in nursing homes and assisted living in MN. They started vaccinating there in early Jan so either these people have been sick for months on end, or did not choose to get vaccinated at all. Those residents literally have bullseyes on their backs, so it's baffling to me that they would decline vaccine. I mean, you are elderly and confined to a NH, what's the upside in not getting vaccinated?

Our friend who volunteers as a nurse has been doing "mop up duty" to nursing homes, administering vaccines. She doesn't know the reasons, just that some people still need vaccines.

I can see a few scenarios:
- Was sick with something else when the clinic came through
- Was sent to the hospital for a while for another condition (happens a lot!)
- The clinic simply ran out and wasn't able to get everyone

 

[Gumby]

Our friend who volunteers as a nurse has been doing "mop up duty" to nursing homes, administering vaccines. She doesn't know the reasons, just that some people still need vaccines.

I can see a few scenarios:
- Was sick with something else when the clinic came through
- Was sent to the hospital for a while for another condition (happens a lot!)
- The clinic simply ran out and wasn't able to get everyone

It is my understanding that there is substantial turnover in the population of nursing homes, so there are currently many residents who were not yet there when the vaccination clinic was held in January.

 

[ivinsfan]

It is my understanding that there is substantial turnover in the population of nursing homes, so there are currently many residents who were not yet there when the vaccination clinic was held in January.

Certainly could be a reason, I hope it's not that people don't want to be vaccinated. We've had vaccine open for 65 and over since early Feb.

 

[harllee]

On the kids by 2021 I agree my DD's pediatrician had the same estimate. In our state they can compel kids to be vaccinated to attend public schools.


Something troubling to me it that we are still daily seeing deaths in nursing homes and assisted living in MN. They started vaccinating there in early Jan so either these people have been sick for months on end, or did not choose to get vaccinated at all. Those residents literally have bullseyes on their backs, so it's baffling to me that they would decline vaccine. I mean, you are elderly and confined to a NH, what's the upside in not getting vaccinated?

In my mother's Continuing Care Community about 95% of the residents have been vaccinated and about 80% of the staff. Since the end of Feb there have been ZERO Covid cases. Prior to the vaccine there were 5-10 cases per week. The reason that it is not 100% of the residents vaccinated is that there is always new residents coming in and they have to arrange vaccines for them. There is also a few incapacitated people for whom they have not been able to get the consents yet and there are a few people undergoing chemo or radiation whose doctors have recommended they finish the treatment prior to getting the vaccine. They are working on getting 100% of the staff vaccinated and there is some reluctance on behalf of the staff but the cash bonuses they gave for getting the vaccine is helping with the reluctance. But even once 100% get vaccinated there could still be some deaths in the nursing home because the vaccines are not 100% effective.