Okay, this update is heavy but important. As always, peach boxes=additions since my last table update. Explanations and data sources are below. Moderna Works against B.1.617 variant (here) Working against all variants of concern (here) for at least 6 months. It’s important to note that this study was only 6 months long, meaning Moderna likely lasts longer. This is great news.
ah, thank you for the lots-of-good-news update! And for the table that finally gave me a picture of what '5-fold decrease' actually means mathematically - whew, not as scary as the number sounded to me! One picky detail on your vaccine table - Pfizer should now be 12+ rather than 16+, yes?
In a future post, could you address transmission by vaccinated people and what studies so far have shown? It seems as if there have been statements made by experts that this type of transmission is extremely low to non-existent, and that we know this for sure. From what I can find, the data indicates this type of transmission is likely low, but it's not yet definitive as to how low or if it's actually non-existent.
Now that the CDC has stopped posting breakthrough data for anything but death and hospitalization, there’s no place to see the latest stats on mild and asymptomatic rates for each vaccine and each variant. Such infections can lead to long Covid. The newest data on mild/long COVID is concerning. Anything you could include would be most welcome. Ditto anything on effectiveness/length of protection in those 65+.
Thank you so much as always, Katelyn. Do you know why there would be such a difference between Pfizer and Moderna efficacy with the one dose? Add that to asymptomatic reduction percent difference, and could we not say that Pfizer is outperforming Moderna, or am I correct that Moderna is showing a bit higher efficacy with the UK and S Africa variant? (this could help people now that there is better ability to choose your vaccine, or to choose which one you get a booster for down the line). Also, is the data now comparable between the two in terms of length of time studied and where studies were performed? I notice in your chart you mention location for some data (e.g. Qatar, Israel) but not for others...
From a journalist friend in India: “ Covaxin (is) the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India", but I think that's actually Covishield. Covaxin is the indigenously developed vaccine; the two use different mechanisms.”
I checked and he’s right - please correct the label
You said "Moderna was 98.7% effective against death after both doses." Can you explain what "effective against death" means and how it differs from the death rate for those who get the virus and don't have the vaccine?
ah, thank you for the lots-of-good-news update! And for the table that finally gave me a picture of what '5-fold decrease' actually means mathematically - whew, not as scary as the number sounded to me! One picky detail on your vaccine table - Pfizer should now be 12+ rather than 16+, yes?
Table still says ages 16+ for Pfizer.
In a future post, could you address transmission by vaccinated people and what studies so far have shown? It seems as if there have been statements made by experts that this type of transmission is extremely low to non-existent, and that we know this for sure. From what I can find, the data indicates this type of transmission is likely low, but it's not yet definitive as to how low or if it's actually non-existent.
Now that the CDC has stopped posting breakthrough data for anything but death and hospitalization, there’s no place to see the latest stats on mild and asymptomatic rates for each vaccine and each variant. Such infections can lead to long Covid. The newest data on mild/long COVID is concerning. Anything you could include would be most welcome. Ditto anything on effectiveness/length of protection in those 65+.
https://academic.oup.com/cid/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cid/ciab408/6276644
Thank you so much as always, Katelyn. Do you know why there would be such a difference between Pfizer and Moderna efficacy with the one dose? Add that to asymptomatic reduction percent difference, and could we not say that Pfizer is outperforming Moderna, or am I correct that Moderna is showing a bit higher efficacy with the UK and S Africa variant? (this could help people now that there is better ability to choose your vaccine, or to choose which one you get a booster for down the line). Also, is the data now comparable between the two in terms of length of time studied and where studies were performed? I notice in your chart you mention location for some data (e.g. Qatar, Israel) but not for others...
From a journalist friend in India: “ Covaxin (is) the AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in India", but I think that's actually Covishield. Covaxin is the indigenously developed vaccine; the two use different mechanisms.”
I checked and he’s right - please correct the label
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55748124
You said "Moderna was 98.7% effective against death after both doses." Can you explain what "effective against death" means and how it differs from the death rate for those who get the virus and don't have the vaccine?