Here’s an update on our three, global public health emergencies. I’ve included an update on flu, too. COVID-19 Globally, deaths from COVID-19 are on the decline, again. During a media briefing last week, WHO Director General Tedros provided a reaction
I think Long Covid and other long-terms effects of infection (e.g., organ damage) need to be an important part determining whether or not we’re still in an emergency phase of the pandemic - or in a pandemic at all. It shouldn't be just about deaths, hospitalizations and healthcare capacity.
I got the updated booster as soon as possible and am counting the 14 days. But now with the other variants rising, are we still vulnerable? I was going to be dancing in the streets and going to movies and restaurants again after living like a monk.
So, what's your best "guess" about optimum timing for the Influenza shot this year ? Lots of experts up here in this part of the USA are advising us to perhaps hold off until we see local "activity" in the Minnesota data regarding new flu diagnoses. As for the "new COVID vaccine", what's an optimum delay in your view? We the goobers, hicks, and rubes are hearing in local news that some HUA (High University Authorities) in Minneapolis are personally taking the choice of WAITING until the end of October for their bivalent boosting.
Great report as usual, curious as to your thoughts on Dr. Monica Gandhi at the University of California to her statement that Covid is on par with the flu, and Dr. Shira Doron at Tufts University argues that many hospitalizations being blamed on COVID are really people hospitalized with COVID, not because of COVID. Thank you.
I'll say this until I'm blue in the face, but we really need to be channeling our activism to the US Preventive Services Taskforce to ensure that immunocompromised people have access to necessary mitigations.
Thank you, Dr Jetelina, for always so nicely summarizing what we should be focused on.
If BA.2.75.2 has the likelihood of immunity escape, is this just for people who have natural immunity, or does it also apply to the new bivalent booster? Do we have any real-world data on the new bivalent booster (i.e., people, not lab mice)? I'm planning to get the bivalent booster and flu shot at the beginning of November, hopefully a few weeks ahead of any possible winter surge, and to maximize protection during holiday travel and gatherings with my elderly loved ones.
If BA.2.75.2 is substantially different enough to cause concern, why not whip up a trivalent mRNA vaccine that contains in addition to what's in the current bivalent? Is it not that easy?
Many thanks Katelyn for a great update on four viruses first thing on a West Coast Monday! Regarding the new bivalent booster, last week's New England J published a study suggesting the bivalent (/BA.1 was tested, not /BA.5) we might not get as much protection from this booster as we did from earlier shots. BA.5 efficacy data in humans is still a few months away I'm guessing. Do you think this illustrates 'immune imprinting' (the body remains 'more interested' in responding to the ancestral strain)? How should this figure in to a decision on getting the bivalent booster (vs. continuing to be super-careful and waiting for human results)? Hopefully at the absolute minimum the bivalent will reduce chances of long Covid and extend protection from severe Covid. (likely the decision depends on several factors e.g. whether previously infected, risk factors, prior side-effects to Covid vaccines....). NEJM: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2208343.
If I am reading it correctly, the chart in the Flu section shows that the flu season was earlier than usual in Australia. I wonder if this correlates to an early flu season in the U.S.? I've only seen one chart, and it didn't have enough data points to draw any conclusions other than "Maybe".
Thank you as always for your dedication in reporting of the latest scientific news and facts. If you were infected in August (B.A. 5) are you protected against B.A. 4.6? I had my fourth shot in July and become infected for a second time. Clearly I am not due for the Bivalent yet, but would love to know if anyone knows if we are protected against B.A. 4.6.
It would make sense that as we start to vaccinate the highest risk groups for MPX, those at elevated risk but not yet vaccinated would start to show up as an increasing percentage of total cases. We saw this happen with COVID, as older folks were overwhelmingly vaccinated, the average age of hospitalized and fatal cases dropped. In France, total MPX cases are dropping but women make up a whopping 12.9% of cases. This means there probably is some escape from social networks of MSM, but some escape to non-MSM but close contacts, possibly female roommates of MSM or close female friends who may attend dance parties or crowded bars with close physical contact for possible exposure. This isn't to say this is happening more than it did before, but unless those close contacts are vaccinated, and under many places they aren't eligible for vaccination, they will represent an increasing percentage of cases, even as the total number of cases fall.
Is there any difference between Pfizer and Moderna bivalent boosters?
I had Pfizer for my original vaccine series. Then Pfizer for the first booster and Moderna for my second booster. Any thoughts on which would be better to do for the bivalent booster?
My husband has COVID19, positive test today. I took my first test just now--negative. But I told our doctor it was positive so we can pick up both Paxlovid doses now. We're 75 and 77, and I don't dare leave him to pick up a dose for myself if/when I need it.
I'll test myself every day or two. Curious how long my own Paxlovid will be OK to use if I don't need it right away. (I *expect* to need it, since our home is small and we're always together. )
Re: Bivalent booster: I understand it takes about 2 weeks to become effective. I'm wondering if there's any data on when protection peaks and how fast it drops off after that. Any info would be very useful. Thanks!!
I’d be interested in some useful stats to share with commenters in Yahoo comment sections who say - vaccines don’t work. And, “I’ve had COVID 3 times, no big deal and my elderly in-laws too.” I tend to point people to the Texas DSHS Covid cases and deaths by vaccination status dashboard, but they cannot believe that for July the risk of dying of Covid was 31x higher for unvaxxed Texans. Maybe if we compared it to flu deaths per year?
I think Long Covid and other long-terms effects of infection (e.g., organ damage) need to be an important part determining whether or not we’re still in an emergency phase of the pandemic - or in a pandemic at all. It shouldn't be just about deaths, hospitalizations and healthcare capacity.
I got the updated booster as soon as possible and am counting the 14 days. But now with the other variants rising, are we still vulnerable? I was going to be dancing in the streets and going to movies and restaurants again after living like a monk.
So, what's your best "guess" about optimum timing for the Influenza shot this year ? Lots of experts up here in this part of the USA are advising us to perhaps hold off until we see local "activity" in the Minnesota data regarding new flu diagnoses. As for the "new COVID vaccine", what's an optimum delay in your view? We the goobers, hicks, and rubes are hearing in local news that some HUA (High University Authorities) in Minneapolis are personally taking the choice of WAITING until the end of October for their bivalent boosting.
Great report as usual, curious as to your thoughts on Dr. Monica Gandhi at the University of California to her statement that Covid is on par with the flu, and Dr. Shira Doron at Tufts University argues that many hospitalizations being blamed on COVID are really people hospitalized with COVID, not because of COVID. Thank you.
I'll say this until I'm blue in the face, but we really need to be channeling our activism to the US Preventive Services Taskforce to ensure that immunocompromised people have access to necessary mitigations.
Thank you, Dr Jetelina, for always so nicely summarizing what we should be focused on.
If BA.2.75.2 has the likelihood of immunity escape, is this just for people who have natural immunity, or does it also apply to the new bivalent booster? Do we have any real-world data on the new bivalent booster (i.e., people, not lab mice)? I'm planning to get the bivalent booster and flu shot at the beginning of November, hopefully a few weeks ahead of any possible winter surge, and to maximize protection during holiday travel and gatherings with my elderly loved ones.
As usual, your summary is extremely helpful and very much appreciated. Thank you!
If BA.2.75.2 is substantially different enough to cause concern, why not whip up a trivalent mRNA vaccine that contains in addition to what's in the current bivalent? Is it not that easy?
Many thanks Katelyn for a great update on four viruses first thing on a West Coast Monday! Regarding the new bivalent booster, last week's New England J published a study suggesting the bivalent (/BA.1 was tested, not /BA.5) we might not get as much protection from this booster as we did from earlier shots. BA.5 efficacy data in humans is still a few months away I'm guessing. Do you think this illustrates 'immune imprinting' (the body remains 'more interested' in responding to the ancestral strain)? How should this figure in to a decision on getting the bivalent booster (vs. continuing to be super-careful and waiting for human results)? Hopefully at the absolute minimum the bivalent will reduce chances of long Covid and extend protection from severe Covid. (likely the decision depends on several factors e.g. whether previously infected, risk factors, prior side-effects to Covid vaccines....). NEJM: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2208343.
If I am reading it correctly, the chart in the Flu section shows that the flu season was earlier than usual in Australia. I wonder if this correlates to an early flu season in the U.S.? I've only seen one chart, and it didn't have enough data points to draw any conclusions other than "Maybe".
Thank you as always for your dedication in reporting of the latest scientific news and facts. If you were infected in August (B.A. 5) are you protected against B.A. 4.6? I had my fourth shot in July and become infected for a second time. Clearly I am not due for the Bivalent yet, but would love to know if anyone knows if we are protected against B.A. 4.6.
It would make sense that as we start to vaccinate the highest risk groups for MPX, those at elevated risk but not yet vaccinated would start to show up as an increasing percentage of total cases. We saw this happen with COVID, as older folks were overwhelmingly vaccinated, the average age of hospitalized and fatal cases dropped. In France, total MPX cases are dropping but women make up a whopping 12.9% of cases. This means there probably is some escape from social networks of MSM, but some escape to non-MSM but close contacts, possibly female roommates of MSM or close female friends who may attend dance parties or crowded bars with close physical contact for possible exposure. This isn't to say this is happening more than it did before, but unless those close contacts are vaccinated, and under many places they aren't eligible for vaccination, they will represent an increasing percentage of cases, even as the total number of cases fall.
Is there any difference between Pfizer and Moderna bivalent boosters?
I had Pfizer for my original vaccine series. Then Pfizer for the first booster and Moderna for my second booster. Any thoughts on which would be better to do for the bivalent booster?
My husband has COVID19, positive test today. I took my first test just now--negative. But I told our doctor it was positive so we can pick up both Paxlovid doses now. We're 75 and 77, and I don't dare leave him to pick up a dose for myself if/when I need it.
I'll test myself every day or two. Curious how long my own Paxlovid will be OK to use if I don't need it right away. (I *expect* to need it, since our home is small and we're always together. )
Does it have some sort of "best if used by" date?
Re: Bivalent booster: I understand it takes about 2 weeks to become effective. I'm wondering if there's any data on when protection peaks and how fast it drops off after that. Any info would be very useful. Thanks!!
I’d be interested in some useful stats to share with commenters in Yahoo comment sections who say - vaccines don’t work. And, “I’ve had COVID 3 times, no big deal and my elderly in-laws too.” I tend to point people to the Texas DSHS Covid cases and deaths by vaccination status dashboard, but they cannot believe that for July the risk of dying of Covid was 31x higher for unvaxxed Texans. Maybe if we compared it to flu deaths per year?