We continue to get an onslaught of lab and epidemiological data and the pieces of the puzzle are slowly coming together… Vaccine Effectiveness We now have 8 lab studies all largely saying the same thing: Omicron significantly reduces the number of neutralizing antibodies from a 2-dose mRNA series compared to previous variants.
Thank you as always. Question that seems like a bit of a repeat with a new ( ahem) variant: kids 5-11, given that thru just got their shots ( my daughter is just thru her 2 weeks following the second dose) any thoughts / data yet on how protected they are w 2 doses vs three, but maybe some reductions in need based on their immune systems and development generally. ( I know size was not the main issue before)
You were so helpful in the period prevaccine for kids when the world was back and we were not and not it feels like we are back here again, kids not able to be fully vaccinated when others are ( 3 doses) . Im hopeful maybe they need less?!
Is there any data coming about moderna and it's effectiveness against Omicron? I keep seeing Pfizer data. Is it the assumption that Moderna would be similar in its results?
When ones says that a variant is more transmissible, more contagious just exactly what does that mean? So with original COVID, it was said that if you spend 15 minutes with someone within 6 ft of each other you can catch it? Then I heard with Delta its more like 7 minutes. So does that mean that with Omicron its more like 2 minutes. Or is it that a person say walking in front of you and is talking to someone next to them, does that mean walking in their path is more likely to catch it where as with Delta is was more unlikely? I don't know why but when I hear this I just don't understand what it means to be more transmissible, more contagious and how? Just trying to figure out what is safe, what isn't. Thank you so much.
Is there any data showing longevity of antibodies and/or protection following a booster? Some people are already about 3 months out from theirs. What does this mean as they approach the 6 month mark if Omicron is in full swing by then... especially seniors and high risk individuals? Thanks!
As an FYI, the news today (Dec 14th) is that Oregon has 3 confirmed Omicron cases. You can count me in the "increasing vaccinations due to Omicron" - I wasn't feeling urgency to get the booster, but the data and your summaries gave a big nudge to my conscience. As others have said, thank you for your work in writing these summaries.
I have seen a few headlines about increased hospitalizations for children with Omicron. Is this a too early to tell situation or click bait driven? We do very little and my 2 yo has his trial appointment this week so we are hunkered til then to avoid any germs interfering with that, but I’m wondering if we should start canceling the very few things we have planned for the holidays if actual data is starting to show Omicron is landing this age group in the hospital. We are vaxxed boosted, brothers are vaxxed (9, 6)
If you got the two doses of Moderna and boosted with Moderna is that thought to be similar to Pfizer? I have seen reports that mixing may give you better boost? I took what I could get very gratefully. Thank you as always for your dedication to science and to the public.
doesn't even ~70% efficacy (against infection) with a booster for a variant as infectious as omicron (considered by some to be many times more infectious than delta which was double original covid) mean that even most people with boosters should expect to catch omicron (albeit symptoms should hopefully be extremely mild)?
Is there any guidance on boosters for those of us who received a 3-dose initial vaccine series due to being immune compromised? Is it still 6 months after the last dose?
Thank you for your useful information. I have a question about mutations. If based on its reproductive rate it can be assumed a large portion of the worlds population will be infected with Omicron, won't that provide for a lot of opportunity for mutation? If Omicron's symptoms are truly more mild, does that mean it can't mutate into a variant that is more dangerous. I appreciate any insight on this you may have.
This was a great post. Thank you! With the news about the vaccine for children under 5 being pushed back, what you are thinking in terms of their protection. Would two shots, even if they aren't fully effective, not be better than nothing?
As a parent of a 16-month old toddler, and an academic trying to do her job as well, I *really* appreciate your work, and am amazed at how you can keep doing it.
As a fellow parent of under-5 kids, I am sure you are waiting for the vaccine just as impatiently as I am. I also send my toddler to daycare, and even though her teachers are vaccinated and masked, we have had closures in the past few weeks because of positive cases among the kids, who are ineligible for vaccines (and too young to mask.) With the impending Omicron wave, what makes sense for daycare? Should we keep sending our kids to daycare (and that's not even a choice, honestly) or wait it out until the vaccines become available to them? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on it in light of the new information about Omicron, and any educated guesses on when the vaccine will be available for children under 5. I am terrified of long covid in young children.
My spouse is immunocompromised, we think to due to treatments for giant cell arteritis. She tests with zero antibodies after being boosted with Maderna. Is there a way, or any expectation, that her T cells or other immune system defenses are working? Where might we look for more informaiton for her situation. She feels like a ticking time bomb with the Omicron situation. We have heard of the recent approval of the AstraZeneca monoclona treatment for vulnerable people, and are hopeful for her to receive it soon.
Hi, Katelyn, thanks for the update. News.sky.com in the UK quotes health minister Sajid Javid saying that 200,000 are being infected each day with Omicron, already. I hope more Americans will avail of the world's best vaccines. Please also remember the millions who will need to be vaccinated too: Unicef give a vaccine campaign. It is great news that vaccines can take the sting from this virus's bite. We can hopefully keep each other safe.
When do you predict that hospitals will not be overloaded? This is most concerning to me. Needing to call in the National Guard, worn out health care workers...
Thank you as always. Question that seems like a bit of a repeat with a new ( ahem) variant: kids 5-11, given that thru just got their shots ( my daughter is just thru her 2 weeks following the second dose) any thoughts / data yet on how protected they are w 2 doses vs three, but maybe some reductions in need based on their immune systems and development generally. ( I know size was not the main issue before)
You were so helpful in the period prevaccine for kids when the world was back and we were not and not it feels like we are back here again, kids not able to be fully vaccinated when others are ( 3 doses) . Im hopeful maybe they need less?!
THANK YOU!
Is there any data coming about moderna and it's effectiveness against Omicron? I keep seeing Pfizer data. Is it the assumption that Moderna would be similar in its results?
When ones says that a variant is more transmissible, more contagious just exactly what does that mean? So with original COVID, it was said that if you spend 15 minutes with someone within 6 ft of each other you can catch it? Then I heard with Delta its more like 7 minutes. So does that mean that with Omicron its more like 2 minutes. Or is it that a person say walking in front of you and is talking to someone next to them, does that mean walking in their path is more likely to catch it where as with Delta is was more unlikely? I don't know why but when I hear this I just don't understand what it means to be more transmissible, more contagious and how? Just trying to figure out what is safe, what isn't. Thank you so much.
Is there any data showing longevity of antibodies and/or protection following a booster? Some people are already about 3 months out from theirs. What does this mean as they approach the 6 month mark if Omicron is in full swing by then... especially seniors and high risk individuals? Thanks!
As an FYI, the news today (Dec 14th) is that Oregon has 3 confirmed Omicron cases. You can count me in the "increasing vaccinations due to Omicron" - I wasn't feeling urgency to get the booster, but the data and your summaries gave a big nudge to my conscience. As others have said, thank you for your work in writing these summaries.
I have seen a few headlines about increased hospitalizations for children with Omicron. Is this a too early to tell situation or click bait driven? We do very little and my 2 yo has his trial appointment this week so we are hunkered til then to avoid any germs interfering with that, but I’m wondering if we should start canceling the very few things we have planned for the holidays if actual data is starting to show Omicron is landing this age group in the hospital. We are vaxxed boosted, brothers are vaxxed (9, 6)
If you got the two doses of Moderna and boosted with Moderna is that thought to be similar to Pfizer? I have seen reports that mixing may give you better boost? I took what I could get very gratefully. Thank you as always for your dedication to science and to the public.
doesn't even ~70% efficacy (against infection) with a booster for a variant as infectious as omicron (considered by some to be many times more infectious than delta which was double original covid) mean that even most people with boosters should expect to catch omicron (albeit symptoms should hopefully be extremely mild)?
Is there any guidance on boosters for those of us who received a 3-dose initial vaccine series due to being immune compromised? Is it still 6 months after the last dose?
Thank you for your useful information. I have a question about mutations. If based on its reproductive rate it can be assumed a large portion of the worlds population will be infected with Omicron, won't that provide for a lot of opportunity for mutation? If Omicron's symptoms are truly more mild, does that mean it can't mutate into a variant that is more dangerous. I appreciate any insight on this you may have.
This was a great post. Thank you! With the news about the vaccine for children under 5 being pushed back, what you are thinking in terms of their protection. Would two shots, even if they aren't fully effective, not be better than nothing?
Dear Dr. Jetelina,
As a parent of a 16-month old toddler, and an academic trying to do her job as well, I *really* appreciate your work, and am amazed at how you can keep doing it.
As a fellow parent of under-5 kids, I am sure you are waiting for the vaccine just as impatiently as I am. I also send my toddler to daycare, and even though her teachers are vaccinated and masked, we have had closures in the past few weeks because of positive cases among the kids, who are ineligible for vaccines (and too young to mask.) With the impending Omicron wave, what makes sense for daycare? Should we keep sending our kids to daycare (and that's not even a choice, honestly) or wait it out until the vaccines become available to them? I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on it in light of the new information about Omicron, and any educated guesses on when the vaccine will be available for children under 5. I am terrified of long covid in young children.
My spouse is immunocompromised, we think to due to treatments for giant cell arteritis. She tests with zero antibodies after being boosted with Maderna. Is there a way, or any expectation, that her T cells or other immune system defenses are working? Where might we look for more informaiton for her situation. She feels like a ticking time bomb with the Omicron situation. We have heard of the recent approval of the AstraZeneca monoclona treatment for vulnerable people, and are hopeful for her to receive it soon.
Hi, Katelyn, thanks for the update. News.sky.com in the UK quotes health minister Sajid Javid saying that 200,000 are being infected each day with Omicron, already. I hope more Americans will avail of the world's best vaccines. Please also remember the millions who will need to be vaccinated too: Unicef give a vaccine campaign. It is great news that vaccines can take the sting from this virus's bite. We can hopefully keep each other safe.
When do you predict that hospitals will not be overloaded? This is most concerning to me. Needing to call in the National Guard, worn out health care workers...
Hi! This is great, thank you! Any info on those with one J&J shot and one mRNA shot and how that pairing protects against omicron?