Coronavirus

[Freed Roger]

Yeah, I'm probably going to go to CVS drive through and get tested tomorrow. Do I need a doctor recommendation or appointment? I guess I will research it.

no recommendation. yes on appt

[Fat_Bulldog]

Yeah, I'm probably going to go to CVS drive through and get tested tomorrow. Do I need a doctor recommendation or appointment? I guess I will research it.

no recommendation. yes on appt

Thanks

[mikechamp]

Creeping closer and closer...

Pfizer vaccine moves closer to getting the OK in the US

U.S. regulators Tuesday released their first scientific evaluation of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and confirmed it offers strong protection, setting the stage for the government to green light the biggest vaccination effort in the nation’s history.

The analysis by Food and Drug Administration scientists comes ahead of a Thursday meeting where the agency's independent advisers will debate if the evidence is strong enough to recommend vaccinating millions of Americans. A final FDA decision and the first shots could follow within just days.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/u-regulators ... 18437.html

[Fat_Bulldog]

The vaccine... It's only effective for about 3 months? Is that right? Do people get shots several times a year? How does this work?

[heyzeus]

The vaccine... It's only effective for about 3 months? Is that right? Do people get shots several times a year? How does this work?

I don't think it's fully known yet how long the vaccines will be effective (or, for that matter, how long immunity may last if you've had covid). I've read some epidemiologists who think it's likely that the vaccine will confer longterm immunity, but it has to be studied.

[GeddyWrox]

That's my understanding too, Zeus. Spot on.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

The vaccine... It's only effective for about 3 months? Is that right? Do people get shots several times a year? How does this work?

I'll try to recap where we're at as shortly as possible.

Some roundabout numbers from the Moderna trial and I think Pfizers is similar. I haven't paid much attention, so these may have been updated but this is what I remember.

30K people were given two doses. Half with two doses of placebo, half with two doses of the vaccine. So, 15K in each group.

After a month and a little more in the placebo group:
185 symptomatic cases
~10 severe cases
1 death

In the vaccine group:
11 symptomatic cases
0 severe cases
0 deaths

The generally accepted science behind the mRNA vaccines is that it delivers non-replicating RNA that instructs the recipients cells to make the spike protein from the Sars-Cov-2 virus. The body does so and then the immune system studies it and attacks it hence creating the immune response. Part of the immune response is producing antibodies.

You can think of antibodies like a condom that cover the spike protein and in essence prevent it from impregnating (entering) blood cells rendering it unable to reproduce/replicate.

Antibodies wear off after some period of time, say, 3-6 months. But with antibodies floating around in the body ready to wrap up the spike protein that is now recognized after the vaccine, it's a pretty good bet that a certain degree of immunity is present.

The question then becomes, after antibodies fade and the virus is encountered, will the immune system which now recognizes the spike protein be able to ramp up antibody production as well as other arms of the immune system to kill the virus before the recipient becomes 1. critically ill and/or 2. infectious.

That remains to be seen. But, there's reason to be optimistic the immune system will be capable of 1 and hopefully 2.

So, in short, it's not known. But, there's no reason to be pessimistic at this point.

ETA: If antibodies have to be present in the body for the body to be protected, then, yeah, yearly vaccines will possibly be required.

[GeddyWrox]

I gotta say, AW, your ability to break this stuff down is quite amazing. I have learned a ton from you on this stuff. Thanks.

[Fat_Bulldog]

Thanks AW and everyone!

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

I gotta say, AW, your ability to break this stuff down is quite amazing. I have learned a ton from you on this stuff. Thanks.

Thanks. I found a few sources early on (medcram, twiv, jama, dr been, and dr john campbell, and some others - all on youtube) that provided all the scientific breakdowns as well as giving the news found in the main stream media. Doing so was very therapeutic as the same information is conveyed plus some but in a non-sensationalist manner. Those sources don't agree on everything which is fine, but they just calmly make a video/podcast about a topic and it's fine to have differing points of view.