Super happy to be a subscriber! A question... I have pretty regular, extensive bloodwork that includes covid antibody testing. I had Moderna March 11 and April 10th. As of 9/3 my SARS-CoV-2 Semi-Quant Total Ab test was >2500 U/mL. Should I wait to get a booster until I see my antibodies waning?
Do we have any data on the immunity curve *after* a booster? As I qualify but my local conditions seem to be improving at the moment, I'm wondering whether to aggressively pursue a Moderna booster once it's approved (or Pfizer if they follow up with mix-n-match as an option) or if it makes any sense to delay slightly to match an expected immunity curve better to a potential winter wave.
Are booster studies always this half-assed? Pfizer at least has the benefit of real-world studies in Israel but it almost seems like these companies are putting the bare minimum effort knowing that there will be immense pressure to approve no matter what.
At least quotes like this don't give me any confidence:
“From a pragmatic point of view,” said Dr. Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa, “because we’ve already approved it for Pfizer, I don’t see how we can possibly not approve it for Moderna.”
Because this is a booster, we know it's safe. There's very little concern about that. The biggest question is the "need" and "when". I think the small studies are a reflection of how rapidly this pandemic evolves; we just don't have much time to wait for big studies. Although, like you said, I don't know what's stopping them. The authors of the huge mix and match study conducted a massive study in a matter of months in anticipation of needing a booster. So it can be done...
What’s your opinion regarding the simultaneous administration ( in different anatomical sites ) of COVID and Influenza shots ? Thanks.
it's safe! no need to delay either of them
https://www.lji.org/news-events/news/post/lungs-of-covid-19-survivors-teem-with-virus-fighting-memory-cells/
Super happy to be a subscriber! A question... I have pretty regular, extensive bloodwork that includes covid antibody testing. I had Moderna March 11 and April 10th. As of 9/3 my SARS-CoV-2 Semi-Quant Total Ab test was >2500 U/mL. Should I wait to get a booster until I see my antibodies waning?
Do we have any data on the immunity curve *after* a booster? As I qualify but my local conditions seem to be improving at the moment, I'm wondering whether to aggressively pursue a Moderna booster once it's approved (or Pfizer if they follow up with mix-n-match as an option) or if it makes any sense to delay slightly to match an expected immunity curve better to a potential winter wave.
Are booster studies always this half-assed? Pfizer at least has the benefit of real-world studies in Israel but it almost seems like these companies are putting the bare minimum effort knowing that there will be immense pressure to approve no matter what.
At least quotes like this don't give me any confidence:
“From a pragmatic point of view,” said Dr. Stanley Perlman of the University of Iowa, “because we’ve already approved it for Pfizer, I don’t see how we can possibly not approve it for Moderna.”
Or is it that when a vaccine is already considered safe, there's no real reason to doubt the safety of an extra dose?
Because this is a booster, we know it's safe. There's very little concern about that. The biggest question is the "need" and "when". I think the small studies are a reflection of how rapidly this pandemic evolves; we just don't have much time to wait for big studies. Although, like you said, I don't know what's stopping them. The authors of the huge mix and match study conducted a massive study in a matter of months in anticipation of needing a booster. So it can be done...
Thanks Dr. Jetelina, this makes the FDA's reaction make much more sense to me.