I am an avid reader of your blog from Germany and I have a question: I am considering the possibility of receiving a COVID-19 booster twice a year to minimize my risk of symptomatic infection, even though I am „only“45 years old and generally healthy. My thinking is that there is a risk of Long Covid after every infection, while the vaccine is generally safe and provides some protection against symptomatic infection, albeit for only a few months or so.
If these assumptions are true, it would follow that receiving Covid boosters every 6 month or so could be a viable strategy to minimize Long Covid risk. Also, thanks to socialised medicine, I get my Covid boosters for free, as many times as I like. Does my thinking make sense – generally speaking for "youngish" people?
Long Covid is a concern of mine as well. I would be interested in this answer even though I'm an American who is only able to receive one shot per year. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this wonderful weather report. I am an associate director of a community choir and having good, scientifically based, accurate information for us is essential. Singing is wonderful for your health overall, but it's also one of the most dangerous things to do when airborne diseases are rampant so you're just a lifesaver to our little organization. We thank you so much for your work!
Thank you for this good summary/update re Pneumococcal vaccines. Two questions: (1) In your info re coverage of strains by various vaccines, PPSV23 (the only one that I've received) is not mentioned. Could you address this? (2) Your updated chart is very helpful, but I'm looking for more details. CDC is shown as the source, but there's no link. Could you provide a *link* to the appropriate CDC webpage? I could find *something* relating to vaccines on the CDC's website, but given the CDC website's less-than-perfect organization, I'm not certain that I'd find the particular webpage that is your source. Thanks again!
Thanks for your wonderful questions. It's really confusing. The PPSV23 is at the bottom of the chart (at the very bottom row). Here is a link of the current recommendations from CDC that may provide more context for you. https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/hcp/vaccine-recommendations/index.html
Thank you. To clarify, my question re PPSV23 concerned your bullet points introduced by the statement, "This has generated a variety of options." PPSV23 is not listed in those bullet points. Thanks for the link and for all of your great work!
I absolutely love the weekly weather report! It helps inform my decisions regarding wearing a mask. Thank you so much! My only concern is that as we approach a wave, different parts of the country will have a different forecast. It would be ideal if we could get weather forecasts for various areas of the country, especially for Covid. Thanks for taking the time to consider this.
Absolutely. Once things start heating up again, I will start my State of Affairs again which will dive into the different regions. My goal is also to have a YLE at each state (eventually!) If you're in New York, we already have one which is diving deep into trends for New Yorkers. https://www.yourlocalepidemiologist.co/offshoot/new-york
It appears the researchers at CUNY expect all their subjects to have smart phones. My wife and I do not, along with about a third of seniors and disabled folks. So what's "smart" about that?
And DJT is promising to give that Kennedy person authority over all the health related government agencies. And Elon is going to destroy the economy. We. Are. Doomed.
There is only one approved by FDA. I covered this in a previous The Dose: "In related news, FDA authorized the first Covid/flu combo test outside of emergency use (Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test)." You can find the link embedded right under the Weather Report https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/the-dose-this-weeks-public-health-17a
I read your article about RFK Jr and his MAHA agenda several weeks ago. I can't find that issue at this point so I'm reaching out on this thread. I share your concerns about RFK Jr in general and his MAHA plan in particular. I did wonder about your assertion that there are no proven benefits for organic foods. This is an older article from 2018 but it suggests that there are benefits in cancer reduction (up to a 25% reduction) Baudry, Julia et al., “Association of Frequency of Organic Food Consumption With Cancer Risk,” JAMA Internal Medicine, 2018, 178:12, 1597-1606. I also choose organic foods for myself to decrease pesticide exposure for agricultural workers and soil health. I don't recommend organic foods in general because choosing organic is cost prohibitive for many people. There are so many improvements to overall nutrition that can be made without the added price of organic foods. Those that stand out are food security, decreasing sugary beverages, junk foods and fried, fatty foods and increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Would you comment on the article mentioned above.
Thank you for all that you do to help us sort through our information rich environment that comes with a hefty dose of mis and disinformation.
I share the desire to avoid pesticide consumption, and have not yet read the JAMA article, but wonder at "association". Association is interesting, but does not by itself indicate cause and effect. I believe it is very difficult to tease out in studies with those who eat organically as they generally have numerous other healthy habits! Was an effort made to control for that do you know in this particular study?
I was confused by the presentation of the pneumonia vaccines. Did the second column imply that if one had received the vaccine from col. 1 then one year or more later one should receive another (different one?) what was the meaning of the different options (A or B)? Was one preferable? In the list of my previous vaccinations, I received Pneumococcal Polysaccahride in 2012 and then Pneumococcal Conjugate 13-Valent exactly a year later in 2013. How do these correspond to the ones on the list, and, more importantly, do I need to follow up now with one on the list, and if so, which one?
Im sure many of your readers would benefit from some clarification here.
YLE, this question is a little bit “out there” but here goes. I enjoy watching the Polar Bear clubs where peeps of all ages, men and women, take a dip into ice cold water during the middle of winter. They do this in Scandinavia too, usually accompanied with a hot suana (and perhaps a shot of vodka). Does this have a positive effect on the immune system? When I was a kid back in the 1950s, my mom would let me play in the cold in light clothes for a while to “get used to it” and strengthen my resistance to catching a cold. Several other kids of my generation had the same experience. I’ve had a lot of colds since then, but it seems like a lot fewer than most. Perhaps it’s just plain old fresh air.
I joined that study after seeing it on Those Nerdy Girls. So far I’ve been sick once but was negative for all they test for. This will be my third covid related study, I did one on immune response to the covid booster in immunocompromised, and one on covid rebound. I love studies:) As a nurse, I always found pneumococcal vaccine recs to be confusing, that hasn’t changed. It looks like I’m all set with one Prevnar 20 as an under 50 with an immunocomprising condition
Dear Dr. Jetelina,
I am an avid reader of your blog from Germany and I have a question: I am considering the possibility of receiving a COVID-19 booster twice a year to minimize my risk of symptomatic infection, even though I am „only“45 years old and generally healthy. My thinking is that there is a risk of Long Covid after every infection, while the vaccine is generally safe and provides some protection against symptomatic infection, albeit for only a few months or so.
If these assumptions are true, it would follow that receiving Covid boosters every 6 month or so could be a viable strategy to minimize Long Covid risk. Also, thanks to socialised medicine, I get my Covid boosters for free, as many times as I like. Does my thinking make sense – generally speaking for "youngish" people?
I appreciate your work very much.
Kind regards
Michael
Germany
Long Covid is a concern of mine as well. I would be interested in this answer even though I'm an American who is only able to receive one shot per year. Thanks!
Thank you so much for this wonderful weather report. I am an associate director of a community choir and having good, scientifically based, accurate information for us is essential. Singing is wonderful for your health overall, but it's also one of the most dangerous things to do when airborne diseases are rampant so you're just a lifesaver to our little organization. We thank you so much for your work!
Thanks for including the H5N1 update about the pig infection. I actually saw coverage of it on my *local* news here in San Diego.
San Diego represent! :)
Thanks for the information about the CUNY study. I just emailed them.
They will be thrilled!
Great newsletter (as always). Thank you for the science and your compassion.
Thank you for this good summary/update re Pneumococcal vaccines. Two questions: (1) In your info re coverage of strains by various vaccines, PPSV23 (the only one that I've received) is not mentioned. Could you address this? (2) Your updated chart is very helpful, but I'm looking for more details. CDC is shown as the source, but there's no link. Could you provide a *link* to the appropriate CDC webpage? I could find *something* relating to vaccines on the CDC's website, but given the CDC website's less-than-perfect organization, I'm not certain that I'd find the particular webpage that is your source. Thanks again!
Thanks for your wonderful questions. It's really confusing. The PPSV23 is at the bottom of the chart (at the very bottom row). Here is a link of the current recommendations from CDC that may provide more context for you. https://www.cdc.gov/pneumococcal/hcp/vaccine-recommendations/index.html
Thank you. To clarify, my question re PPSV23 concerned your bullet points introduced by the statement, "This has generated a variety of options." PPSV23 is not listed in those bullet points. Thanks for the link and for all of your great work!
I absolutely love the weekly weather report! It helps inform my decisions regarding wearing a mask. Thank you so much! My only concern is that as we approach a wave, different parts of the country will have a different forecast. It would be ideal if we could get weather forecasts for various areas of the country, especially for Covid. Thanks for taking the time to consider this.
Absolutely. Once things start heating up again, I will start my State of Affairs again which will dive into the different regions. My goal is also to have a YLE at each state (eventually!) If you're in New York, we already have one which is diving deep into trends for New Yorkers. https://www.yourlocalepidemiologist.co/offshoot/new-york
Wonderful! Thank you so much! I am so grateful to you for your work on this!
Thanks for all you do! Just FYI infants now receive the PCV 20 vaccine (updated in the past year from PCV 13). Sincerely, a pediatrician.
Ohhh thank you! Editing now
Thanks for the information on pneumococcal vaccines for over 65!
Specifically, the booster info.
It appears the researchers at CUNY expect all their subjects to have smart phones. My wife and I do not, along with about a third of seniors and disabled folks. So what's "smart" about that?
And DJT is promising to give that Kennedy person authority over all the health related government agencies. And Elon is going to destroy the economy. We. Are. Doomed.
We're NOT doomed if he loses! Please help get out the vote!
I already see combination at-home tests for Covid/Flu A+B for sale on Amazon by companies like iHealth. Are those not FDA approved?
There is only one approved by FDA. I covered this in a previous The Dose: "In related news, FDA authorized the first Covid/flu combo test outside of emergency use (Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test)." You can find the link embedded right under the Weather Report https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/the-dose-this-weeks-public-health-17a
Dear Dr. Jetelina,
I read your article about RFK Jr and his MAHA agenda several weeks ago. I can't find that issue at this point so I'm reaching out on this thread. I share your concerns about RFK Jr in general and his MAHA plan in particular. I did wonder about your assertion that there are no proven benefits for organic foods. This is an older article from 2018 but it suggests that there are benefits in cancer reduction (up to a 25% reduction) Baudry, Julia et al., “Association of Frequency of Organic Food Consumption With Cancer Risk,” JAMA Internal Medicine, 2018, 178:12, 1597-1606. I also choose organic foods for myself to decrease pesticide exposure for agricultural workers and soil health. I don't recommend organic foods in general because choosing organic is cost prohibitive for many people. There are so many improvements to overall nutrition that can be made without the added price of organic foods. Those that stand out are food security, decreasing sugary beverages, junk foods and fried, fatty foods and increasing consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Would you comment on the article mentioned above.
Thank you for all that you do to help us sort through our information rich environment that comes with a hefty dose of mis and disinformation.
Sincerely,
Karen
Bend, OR
I share the desire to avoid pesticide consumption, and have not yet read the JAMA article, but wonder at "association". Association is interesting, but does not by itself indicate cause and effect. I believe it is very difficult to tease out in studies with those who eat organically as they generally have numerous other healthy habits! Was an effort made to control for that do you know in this particular study?
Dr. Jetelina,
I was confused by the presentation of the pneumonia vaccines. Did the second column imply that if one had received the vaccine from col. 1 then one year or more later one should receive another (different one?) what was the meaning of the different options (A or B)? Was one preferable? In the list of my previous vaccinations, I received Pneumococcal Polysaccahride in 2012 and then Pneumococcal Conjugate 13-Valent exactly a year later in 2013. How do these correspond to the ones on the list, and, more importantly, do I need to follow up now with one on the list, and if so, which one?
Im sure many of your readers would benefit from some clarification here.
YLE, this question is a little bit “out there” but here goes. I enjoy watching the Polar Bear clubs where peeps of all ages, men and women, take a dip into ice cold water during the middle of winter. They do this in Scandinavia too, usually accompanied with a hot suana (and perhaps a shot of vodka). Does this have a positive effect on the immune system? When I was a kid back in the 1950s, my mom would let me play in the cold in light clothes for a while to “get used to it” and strengthen my resistance to catching a cold. Several other kids of my generation had the same experience. I’ve had a lot of colds since then, but it seems like a lot fewer than most. Perhaps it’s just plain old fresh air.
This isn’t out there at all!! Good question, I actually wrote about it last year. Scroll down and you can find out about ice baths https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/how-to-and-not-to-boost-your-immune?utm_source=publication-search
I joined that study after seeing it on Those Nerdy Girls. So far I’ve been sick once but was negative for all they test for. This will be my third covid related study, I did one on immune response to the covid booster in immunocompromised, and one on covid rebound. I love studies:) As a nurse, I always found pneumococcal vaccine recs to be confusing, that hasn’t changed. It looks like I’m all set with one Prevnar 20 as an under 50 with an immunocomprising condition