My husband and I both have RSV. (We tested positive) We are both 75. And I will tell you it is the worst virus we have ever had. It has been a week now and we are still miserable and coughing. It has gone to our lungs, my husband worse than I and we have seen the doctor who is keeping tabs on us. We did not get the vaccine. And I so wish that we had...
Why are they being selective on who can get the RSV vaccine if it is increasing? I'm 60 and tried to get it at my pharmacy, but the pharmacist quizzed me and said that since I didn't have a chronic condition, I couldn't get it.
Anecdotally, I know of 8 people who recently had or now have C19. All received boosters in autumn. Several have received good relief via paxlovid. None were hospitalized, thankfully.
Just read a study from the Cleveland Clinic that "people with any type of Covid infection were twice as likely to have a major cardiac event such as heart attack, stroke or even death, for up to three years after diagnosis." Still no mention of masking up...one of the best ways we have to protect ourselves. I'm sorry that it's not a popular opinion therefore not discussed here, or only occasionally during a holiday and a spike, but going to the store, the pharmacy, the bank etc. without a mask right now is just asking to get sick. My heart hurts for all the children that will end up with damage and/or Long Covid simply because adults haven't cared enough.
Thanks SO much for winter virus info! For some reason, Oregon doesn't include the U.S. map on their weekly flu report this year (used to)...& we're so high here now! Does that mean Oregon might come down sooner on flu than other states?
Also, I know 2 older folks (80 plus & NOT in long term care facilities) who have had pneumonia recently/now...one who might have had it twice. I know you had a pneumonia vaccine chart earlier, but could you include pneumonia in the winter viruses (& yeah, I know not all pneumonia is viral....how to tell, actually? And how do you know if someone with pneumonia is contagious?). And further, I've had the 2 pneumonia vaccines, but wonder if I should get a 3rd one? Could you repeat info on that in an upcoming newsletter? (I was a little confused...)
On RSV: I haven't got the vaccine yet (am 81, live alone). I don't get out much & am not around babies or young kids. So didn't think it was a priority. Would it be a good idea, tho, to get it in the next month or 2? Or wait till August/Sept.?
On Covid, I still mask....wish you might give masking updates for others (when/where/if)! I know masking isn't a popular topic, but, to me, masking was a big learning from the pandemic! It makes sense in the winter virus season, at least, to wear one, & especially for older folks!
And then there's norovirus...am really frightened by, big fear! Why is it abnormally high this year? Is there any vaccine in the pipeline for this very creepy, difficult virus??
Thank you for this very helpful summary of the updated FDA guidance! Would love your take on the “alcohol causes cancer” advisory.
Also, I would really appreciate your perspective on something else, as well, regarding food regulation and public health. The FDA says their latest rules are aligned with the latest advances in dietary science. But the science isn’t really that new, right? From concerns about added sugars to understanding avocados are healthy and vitamins are best in naturally healthy whole foods rather than extracted and eaten in isolation or fortified fruit loops… how new is the science, really? I am not a dietitian but I read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food book 15+ years ago, so the evidence must be at least that old. Which makes me wonder: is the FDA always ~20 years behind? Is there newer science that I don’t know about as a layperson consumer? And should food industry lobbying be banned?
I appreciate your updates! Thanks to the guidance of you and other wise scientists, I remain fully up-to-date on all vaccines, and continue to enjoy superb health as I creep toward 70. In the past 5 years, I’ve had one sinus infection (I’m susceptible due to allergies and sinus issues) and an extraordinarily mild case of COVID (which was neutralized quickly with paxlovid). I try to share sound advice with others, but it too often falls on deaf ears. (As witnessed by the hour-long waits at the pharmacy that I suffer through to get Zyrtec D; a maintenance drug.) We can still do better!
Looking ahead, I am profoundly concerned by an administration that believes we are over-regulated. If regulations are eliminated, will we know whether eggs are contaminated with salmonella, whether drinking water is safe after a hurricane, if OTC’s have been contaminated, and so on. Nothing has happened yet, but I am hoping you will be able to offer some guidance to your readers if the dominoes begin to fall.
Flu A infected half my family over Christmas. I tested and quickly quarantined the sick people to rooms with hepa filters running. My husband got it from my daughter after not masking when taking her to urgent care 🙄 He saw I didn’t get despite spending time in the room with him because I kn95 masked and washed my hands well after. I had dropped the ball on getting flu vaccines this year for us. I remedy that for the half that didn’t get sick and got them for us on Monday. I had gotten the asthmatics (me and the other non flu person) vaccinated for Covid already. I need to get the other two in for shots.
I don't know if this is the correct forum for asking a COVID question, but here goes:
What is your recommendation for those contemplating flying in mid-April 2025? I assume (N95) masking in terminals and other crowded areas is a good idea, and perhaps wearing the mask until we've been in the air for a half-hour or so, to enable time for the cabin air to turn over through the filtration system.
Does this sound like overkill, prudent, or not nearly enough?
I’d be interested in seeing anything that looks at how well the Novavax JN.1 vaccine performed. There were some academic discussions on the pros and cons of the Novavax JN.1 vs mRNA KP.2 vaccines. I was intrigued by the arguments, and realize we can’t predict the future, so am curious…what happened?! FWIW I chose Novavax because I get fewer side effects with it vs mRNA, and not for any of the academic pros/cons arguments.
I read part of the COVID booster study you provided a link to saying it provided additional protection. It illustrates one of the valid criticisms of such studies which is a major conflict of interest. Look at the "Competing Interest Statement"
"Haley J. Appaneal has received research funding from Pfizer. Vrishali V. Lopes has no competing interest to declare. Laura Puzniak, Evan J. Zasowski, Luis Jodar, and John M. McLaughlin are employees and shareholders of Pfizer Inc. Aisling R. Caffrey has received research funding from AbbVie, Merck, and Pfizer."
So some authors doing the study were shareholders of Pfizer, which paid for the study. They had an obvious conflict of interest. The more publicity this study gets, the more COVID boosters get sold, the more the authors who are shareholders of Pfizer benefit from the reported positive results. The lead author is essentially a Pfizer employee doing a study on a Pfizer COVID booster.
And there was a typical COVID shot study practice even non-scientists like me have learned to look for. The study could have been affected by who was excluded, which was quite a long list:
"...patients were excluded if they (1) did not have at least one visit to the VA Healthcare System in the previous 12 months, (2) had another prior positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the 90 days prior to their ARI episode, (3) received a KP.2 vaccine other than BNT162b2, (4) received BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine within 8 weeks of a prior COVID-19 vaccine dose, (5) received BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine within 14 days prior to their ARI episode, (6) received BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine but the date of administration was unknown, or (7) received a COVID-19 antiviral (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir, or molnupiravir) within 30 days prior to their ARI episode. Patients could contribute more than one ARI episode to the study if the episodes were more than 30 days apart."
So if a patient got the Pfizer booster shot within 14 days prior to becoming sick enough to go to the hospital with COVID, then they were excluded from this study. Why was that done? The booster shot being promoted could have contributed to them going to the hospital with COVID. I've seen data from Georgia showing adverse effect like this right after a person got a COVID shot.
This has been seen in a lot of COVID studies and one of the things that affects the reported beneficial results. A patient that gets a COVID shot and then gets COVID right away is counted as "unvaccinated" in official data. In the official California data the negative outcomes showed up right after the first booster shots were given out. The excuse I got from a believer was that the first people to get those boosters were the immunocompromised, so naturally the booster did not help them and they died of COVID more than the others even though they got the booster shots.
Here's what happened in the official California data. During a big COVID wave the first boosted group did better than the other 2 groups - the unvaxed and those that only had the first 2 shots, the original "vaxed" group. So this was touted all over the media, saying get the booster shots. But then after that COVID wave subsided the boosted group started doing worse than the simply vaxed group. Why did that happen? There were a few media stories about it, with so called "experts" guessing why that happened. But they all said get the booster shots anyway. This negative effect from the boosters persisted, so what Los Angeles county did was to eliminate the 3 original groups for comparison, and combined the boosted with the simply vaxed into one group to compare to the unvaxed. Presto! Problem solved! No more questions from the public. Now only 2 groups for the public to see. I believe the CDC did the same thing with their presentation of the data.
What is in this study: discussion about how many people are refusing to take more COVID booster shots. One of the reasons - negative effects after people take them, something the study does not go into.
Thanks for this round up of all the latest data in an easily read guide. We’ve had our Vaccines, Flu, RSV, and C-19. So far so good but I recently stocked up on masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant.
Both my husband and I received the RSV vaccine in October of 2023. We are both 77 years, and I volunteer one day per week at Children's Health Hospital in Dallas. Should I have gotten another RSV vaccine this past autumn? I did get both the flu and Covid -19 vaccines again in October 2024.
My husband and I both have RSV. (We tested positive) We are both 75. And I will tell you it is the worst virus we have ever had. It has been a week now and we are still miserable and coughing. It has gone to our lungs, my husband worse than I and we have seen the doctor who is keeping tabs on us. We did not get the vaccine. And I so wish that we had...
As usual vital and relevant information grounded in scientific reality. Keep on keening on, doc!!!
Why are they being selective on who can get the RSV vaccine if it is increasing? I'm 60 and tried to get it at my pharmacy, but the pharmacist quizzed me and said that since I didn't have a chronic condition, I couldn't get it.
A couple of questions for the YLE crew…
The wife and I are in our 70s. We had the fall shot first week of October '24. Is a followup shot recommended after 4–6 months?
Will there be a new shot soon for the new X variant?
Once Booby Kennedy takes over health does he have the ability to impose his anti–vaccine BS on the CDC or will the research and reporting carry on?
Thanks.
Anecdotally, I know of 8 people who recently had or now have C19. All received boosters in autumn. Several have received good relief via paxlovid. None were hospitalized, thankfully.
Just read a study from the Cleveland Clinic that "people with any type of Covid infection were twice as likely to have a major cardiac event such as heart attack, stroke or even death, for up to three years after diagnosis." Still no mention of masking up...one of the best ways we have to protect ourselves. I'm sorry that it's not a popular opinion therefore not discussed here, or only occasionally during a holiday and a spike, but going to the store, the pharmacy, the bank etc. without a mask right now is just asking to get sick. My heart hurts for all the children that will end up with damage and/or Long Covid simply because adults haven't cared enough.
I live in a state where wastewater levels of Covid are climbing. At church today, I was the only one who masked... and I'm the priest!
Thanks SO much for winter virus info! For some reason, Oregon doesn't include the U.S. map on their weekly flu report this year (used to)...& we're so high here now! Does that mean Oregon might come down sooner on flu than other states?
Also, I know 2 older folks (80 plus & NOT in long term care facilities) who have had pneumonia recently/now...one who might have had it twice. I know you had a pneumonia vaccine chart earlier, but could you include pneumonia in the winter viruses (& yeah, I know not all pneumonia is viral....how to tell, actually? And how do you know if someone with pneumonia is contagious?). And further, I've had the 2 pneumonia vaccines, but wonder if I should get a 3rd one? Could you repeat info on that in an upcoming newsletter? (I was a little confused...)
On RSV: I haven't got the vaccine yet (am 81, live alone). I don't get out much & am not around babies or young kids. So didn't think it was a priority. Would it be a good idea, tho, to get it in the next month or 2? Or wait till August/Sept.?
On Covid, I still mask....wish you might give masking updates for others (when/where/if)! I know masking isn't a popular topic, but, to me, masking was a big learning from the pandemic! It makes sense in the winter virus season, at least, to wear one, & especially for older folks!
And then there's norovirus...am really frightened by, big fear! Why is it abnormally high this year? Is there any vaccine in the pipeline for this very creepy, difficult virus??
Thanks again for your good updates and info!
Thank you for this very helpful summary of the updated FDA guidance! Would love your take on the “alcohol causes cancer” advisory.
Also, I would really appreciate your perspective on something else, as well, regarding food regulation and public health. The FDA says their latest rules are aligned with the latest advances in dietary science. But the science isn’t really that new, right? From concerns about added sugars to understanding avocados are healthy and vitamins are best in naturally healthy whole foods rather than extracted and eaten in isolation or fortified fruit loops… how new is the science, really? I am not a dietitian but I read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food book 15+ years ago, so the evidence must be at least that old. Which makes me wonder: is the FDA always ~20 years behind? Is there newer science that I don’t know about as a layperson consumer? And should food industry lobbying be banned?
I appreciate your updates! Thanks to the guidance of you and other wise scientists, I remain fully up-to-date on all vaccines, and continue to enjoy superb health as I creep toward 70. In the past 5 years, I’ve had one sinus infection (I’m susceptible due to allergies and sinus issues) and an extraordinarily mild case of COVID (which was neutralized quickly with paxlovid). I try to share sound advice with others, but it too often falls on deaf ears. (As witnessed by the hour-long waits at the pharmacy that I suffer through to get Zyrtec D; a maintenance drug.) We can still do better!
Looking ahead, I am profoundly concerned by an administration that believes we are over-regulated. If regulations are eliminated, will we know whether eggs are contaminated with salmonella, whether drinking water is safe after a hurricane, if OTC’s have been contaminated, and so on. Nothing has happened yet, but I am hoping you will be able to offer some guidance to your readers if the dominoes begin to fall.
Flu A infected half my family over Christmas. I tested and quickly quarantined the sick people to rooms with hepa filters running. My husband got it from my daughter after not masking when taking her to urgent care 🙄 He saw I didn’t get despite spending time in the room with him because I kn95 masked and washed my hands well after. I had dropped the ball on getting flu vaccines this year for us. I remedy that for the half that didn’t get sick and got them for us on Monday. I had gotten the asthmatics (me and the other non flu person) vaccinated for Covid already. I need to get the other two in for shots.
I don't know if this is the correct forum for asking a COVID question, but here goes:
What is your recommendation for those contemplating flying in mid-April 2025? I assume (N95) masking in terminals and other crowded areas is a good idea, and perhaps wearing the mask until we've been in the air for a half-hour or so, to enable time for the cabin air to turn over through the filtration system.
Does this sound like overkill, prudent, or not nearly enough?
I’d be interested in seeing anything that looks at how well the Novavax JN.1 vaccine performed. There were some academic discussions on the pros and cons of the Novavax JN.1 vs mRNA KP.2 vaccines. I was intrigued by the arguments, and realize we can’t predict the future, so am curious…what happened?! FWIW I chose Novavax because I get fewer side effects with it vs mRNA, and not for any of the academic pros/cons arguments.
Excellent! I've just forwarded to my list of family and friends.
BTW: There is a lot of confusion RE latest Covid vaccines. Continuing to inform: PRICELESS!
I read part of the COVID booster study you provided a link to saying it provided additional protection. It illustrates one of the valid criticisms of such studies which is a major conflict of interest. Look at the "Competing Interest Statement"
"Haley J. Appaneal has received research funding from Pfizer. Vrishali V. Lopes has no competing interest to declare. Laura Puzniak, Evan J. Zasowski, Luis Jodar, and John M. McLaughlin are employees and shareholders of Pfizer Inc. Aisling R. Caffrey has received research funding from AbbVie, Merck, and Pfizer."
So some authors doing the study were shareholders of Pfizer, which paid for the study. They had an obvious conflict of interest. The more publicity this study gets, the more COVID boosters get sold, the more the authors who are shareholders of Pfizer benefit from the reported positive results. The lead author is essentially a Pfizer employee doing a study on a Pfizer COVID booster.
And there was a typical COVID shot study practice even non-scientists like me have learned to look for. The study could have been affected by who was excluded, which was quite a long list:
"...patients were excluded if they (1) did not have at least one visit to the VA Healthcare System in the previous 12 months, (2) had another prior positive SARS-CoV-2 test in the 90 days prior to their ARI episode, (3) received a KP.2 vaccine other than BNT162b2, (4) received BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine within 8 weeks of a prior COVID-19 vaccine dose, (5) received BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine within 14 days prior to their ARI episode, (6) received BNT162b2 KP.2 vaccine but the date of administration was unknown, or (7) received a COVID-19 antiviral (nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, remdesivir, or molnupiravir) within 30 days prior to their ARI episode. Patients could contribute more than one ARI episode to the study if the episodes were more than 30 days apart."
So if a patient got the Pfizer booster shot within 14 days prior to becoming sick enough to go to the hospital with COVID, then they were excluded from this study. Why was that done? The booster shot being promoted could have contributed to them going to the hospital with COVID. I've seen data from Georgia showing adverse effect like this right after a person got a COVID shot.
This has been seen in a lot of COVID studies and one of the things that affects the reported beneficial results. A patient that gets a COVID shot and then gets COVID right away is counted as "unvaccinated" in official data. In the official California data the negative outcomes showed up right after the first booster shots were given out. The excuse I got from a believer was that the first people to get those boosters were the immunocompromised, so naturally the booster did not help them and they died of COVID more than the others even though they got the booster shots.
Here's what happened in the official California data. During a big COVID wave the first boosted group did better than the other 2 groups - the unvaxed and those that only had the first 2 shots, the original "vaxed" group. So this was touted all over the media, saying get the booster shots. But then after that COVID wave subsided the boosted group started doing worse than the simply vaxed group. Why did that happen? There were a few media stories about it, with so called "experts" guessing why that happened. But they all said get the booster shots anyway. This negative effect from the boosters persisted, so what Los Angeles county did was to eliminate the 3 original groups for comparison, and combined the boosted with the simply vaxed into one group to compare to the unvaxed. Presto! Problem solved! No more questions from the public. Now only 2 groups for the public to see. I believe the CDC did the same thing with their presentation of the data.
What is in this study: discussion about how many people are refusing to take more COVID booster shots. One of the reasons - negative effects after people take them, something the study does not go into.
Thanks for this round up of all the latest data in an easily read guide. We’ve had our Vaccines, Flu, RSV, and C-19. So far so good but I recently stocked up on masks, hand sanitizer and disinfectant.
Both my husband and I received the RSV vaccine in October of 2023. We are both 77 years, and I volunteer one day per week at Children's Health Hospital in Dallas. Should I have gotten another RSV vaccine this past autumn? I did get both the flu and Covid -19 vaccines again in October 2024.