COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:19 pm

Scheduled my 2nd booster for Friday. Hopefully don't have as bad side effects as I did with the first booster, but, if I do, at least I'll have a three day weekend to recover.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 2:23 pm

I suppose that means I need to schedule mine. Not sure when/how that will be done.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:03 pm

I just did mine through Walgreens's website without going through a doctor. It asked a few questions and then showed me available times. Easy peasy.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:06 pm

2nd booster?...So 4th shot? How long after your 3rd can you get one?

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:10 pm

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: ↑Mon Feb 14, 2022 4:03 pm I just did mine through Walgreens's website without going through a doctor. It asked a few questions and then showed me available times. Easy peasy.

Easy peasy but finding time where I can be knocked out for a few days is not. Last time I booked at CVS for the next day. However, I'm trying to train a new guy to take over my work life and he's still lost on his own after a week. At the same time, I want my shot in arm and immunity raised before 13th of next month when I predict the next local super spreading weekend will start the next chain of ugliness.

Edit: You've inspired me. I could actually get a shot today but I scheduled for the 25th which will get me two weeks before super spreader weekend.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:10 am

Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine approved for Canadians 18 and older

Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use in Canadians age 18 and older by Health Canada.

The approval of the vaccine, known as Nuvaxovid, comes about 18 months after the federal government announced a deal to produce batches of it in Montreal.

Health Canada is recommending the interval for the two-dose vaccine to be at least 21 days based on evidence from clinical trials.

Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam said at a briefing Thursday the first Nuvaxovid delivery is expected in March, arriving from India's Serum Institute. Federal officials said they weren't able to provide any clarity on the size or schedule of the deliveries.

Trial data involving about 45,000 people in multiple countries suggests the vaccine is more than 90 per cent effective in preventing severe illness and death.

The trials conducted by Novavax as part of its regulatory filing took place when the Alpha variant of the coronavirus was predominant, and Health Canada says Novavax will be "required to provide data regarding protection against current and emerging variants of concern, when available."

Novavax has conducted trials of its vaccine for use in teens when Delta was the dominant variant but has not yet filed for authorization for younger age groups.

Health Canada's chief medical adviser, Dr. Supriya Sharma, said that the company had also submitted lab-based studies that, while "imperfect" compared to clinical trials, show that neutralizing antibodies are formed by the vaccine for Omicron variant infections.

I've been seeing comments to the effect that there are vaccine skeptics that won't take the mRNA vaccines but will be willing to take the Novavax vaccine. This strikes me as an optimistic take.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:05 pm

Max Peck wrote: ↑Fri Feb 18, 2022 11:10 am
I've been seeing comments to the effect that there are vaccine skeptics that won't take the mRNA vaccines but will be willing to take the Novavax vaccine. This strikes me as an optimistic take.

that excuse is so one year ago. they've fully bought into the antivax tribal membership now.

Sudy · Post by **Sudy** » Fri Feb 18, 2022 6:22 pm

Got our third shot yesterday. Mrs. Nym feels sick and has spent most of the day resting. I just feel incredibly tired and have fallen asleep at my home desk twice.

In other news, my parents and sister (who live together) seemingly all have omicron. This has pretty much been my nightmare all along. At least my very senior grandmother doesn't yet seem to have contracted it from them. I get that omicron is less of a threat overall, but it really bothers me that they sent my mother home from hospital with it. That's where she got it; she'd been in for several weeks since New Year's, with her diabetic, kidney, and breathing issues. She's been on oxygen ever since (though they're trying to wean her off of it), but they floated a diagnoses of interstitial lung disease. I'm not a doctor, and I know they needed the hospital beds... but it seemed irresponsible. Thankfully she seems to be hanging in there despite being unvaxed (don't get me started). But I'm biting my nails because I know things could change on a dime.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Sun Feb 20, 2022 11:11 pm

My wife is still fighting symptoms of what we assume is COVID-19 - our 16-year old tested positive last week, was sick for a day or two and then was fine. I felt a little woozy for a few days but never tested positive. My wife is still fighting a fever and Friday had some trouble breathing that sent us to urgent care. Fortunately her O2 levels were fine so they sent us home telling her to rest. Her tests continue to come back negative. She got a PCR test on Friday and results are due early next week.

I hope she feels better soon, she's been sick for almost two weeks now.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:02 am

Im wondering when I can get a 4th shot.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 9:42 am

Got my second booster shot on Friday (Moderna, again). Symptoms weren’t as bad as the first booster, but still had a headache and fever Saturday and a headache most of Sunday. The fever never got as high as the last time, though. Also fell asleep at like 9:00 both nights. But three days out and I’m feeling relatively normal.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:26 am

Daehawk wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:02 am Im wondering when I can get a 4th shot.

They (vaccine manufacturers) are currently looking at data to see if one will be recommended for everyone in the Fall of 2022 - similar to the annual flu shot. Given what's been happening and the continued refusal to do anything proactive to stop spread, I'd say it feels likely.

I also don't know if it's just coming up in my circles or if it's actually making it out into mass-media, but I've been seeing lots of my people talking about how we're in a type of post-Omicron honeymoon period that has resulted from a mixed state of vaccinated and recently exposed people. Of note:

However, what happens after this drop in incidence can be complicated. It is known that some diseases exhibit "honeymoon periods" (long periods of temporary low disease incidence after start of mass vaccination). These periods end with a natural resurgence of the disease, which is not due to any change in the system.

It's not exactly the same because COVID-19 immunity for the unvaccinated isn't the same as post-vaccination immunity (especially true for those that had Omicron), but it certainly is an interesting way to think about where this is headed next (as people continue to yell about their "natural immunity" and how forcing them to do anything vaccine or mask related is unfair).

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 11:31 am

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Mon Feb 21, 2022 10:26 am I also don't know if it's just coming up in my circles or if it's actually making it out into mass-media, but I've been seeing lots of my people talking about how we're in a type of post-Omicron honeymoon period that has resulted from a mixed state of vaccinated and recently exposed people.

From the bleacher seats, I'm inclined to doubt it. Warm days/Cold nights bars and spring break are around the corner and I'm seeing round two dummies happening. Three (unvaxxed and can't be bothered to hygiene because natural antibodies) people in my office got taken down in one week for their second COVacation and if none of the experience long COVID you can expect they'll remain in the it's just flu pool.

Vax number four is scheduled for the 25th, which should be perfect timing for me.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 1:30 pm

Everything seemed to be chugging along fine in our house after boy twin had his bout. He had a day of remote school before his 5 day period was up and he headed back to class on Wednesday last week. We masked in the car to and from school and kept masks going at home until Saturday. Everyone was feeling fine. Girl twin got tested in school on Friday, and we got notice on Sunday afternoon that she was positive. Fuck. Wife, oldest kid, and I all home tested and came up negative, so that's still good.

She's totally asymptomatic and we have no idea when she actually got infected. She's masking around the house, but we're not isolating her to the same extent we did the boy. She'll be off on Tuesday (the day teachers get to prepare to flip to remote learning for sick and unvaxxed students), but then her 5 day period will be up and she'll be back in class on Wednesday, so she won't actually have any remote learning (unless she spikes a fever or something).

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Mon Feb 21, 2022 8:56 pm

ILB, your oldest is still okay, right?

Feel for you and your family...

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 10:47 am

So far so good with the oldest. Even though he's the most likely to have bad consequences from an infection (he went to the hospital for a few days over a cold last summer), he may well be the most protected. He's still doing school remote, and we haven't had any pushback from his school on that. He's less than a month out from his booster, so he's pretty well vaccinated. Plus one of his seizure meds is derived from CBD and some initial studies have shown that this medicine may have some prophylactic benefits w/r/t COVID.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:20 pm

The CDC has put up a map of covid detection in wastewater:

https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracke ... rveillance

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Feb 22, 2022 8:28 pm

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Feb 24, 2022 1:07 pm

Medicago's homegrown, plant-based COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada

Medicago's plant-based COVID-19 vaccine is now approved by Health Canada, which will soon give Canadians the option of getting a homegrown shot against SARS-CoV-2.

Regulators announced the decision to allow its use for adults 18 to 64 years of age on Thursday, making this the sixth vaccine approved in Canada, on the heels of Health Canada's approval of the Novavax shot last week.

In what the biopharmaceutical company calls a world first, the vaccine from Quebec City-based Medicago uses plant-derived, virus-like particles, which resemble the coronavirus behind COVID-19 but don't contain its genetic material.

The shots also contain an adjuvant from British-American vaccine giant GlaxoSmithKline to help boost the immune response.

In December, the companies reported high efficacy levels against infection as they geared up for regulatory approval.

Dubbed "Covifenz," the two-dose shot's overall efficacy rate against all virus variants studied was 71 per cent, with a higher efficacy rate of 75 per cent against COVID-19 infections of any severity from the delta variant, then dominant, according to data shared at the time in a press release.

The results followed a global, Phase 3, placebo-controlled study of the two-dose vaccine that was launched last March. This was before the highly contagious Omicron family of subvariants, including BA.1 and BA.2, began circulating, though the company has said the vaccine can be adapted as needed.

"While additional confirmatory data are needed, preliminary and exploratory data shows that Covifenz produces neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant," noted Health Canada in a statement.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Fri Feb 25, 2022 5:04 pm

Jab four secured.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed Mar 02, 2022 12:41 am

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Mar 03, 2022 2:21 pm

MHS · Post by **MHS** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:46 am

Today I got scheduled for my first Evusheld dose, although I won't actually get the injection until mid-April. I wasn't even aware of this until a co-worker sent me an article last weekend.

Some important numbers around this: studies have found that because the immunocompromised don't produce sufficient antibodies even with our vaccinations and boosters, we are 485 times more likely to die or be hospitalized with severe infections if we get breakthrough covid, and this drug supposedly is 77% more effective in reducing the risk. Pass the word if you know people who could benefit from this.

https://abc7.com/covid-19-medical-treat ... /11630608/

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:07 pm

MHS wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:46 am Today I got scheduled for my first Evusheld dose, although I won't actually get the injection until mid-April. I wasn't even aware of this until a co-worker sent me an article last weekend.

Some important numbers around this: studies have found that because the immunocompromised don't produce sufficient antibodies even with our vaccinations and boosters, we are 485 times more likely to die or be hospitalized with severe infections if we get breakthrough covid, and this drug supposedly is 77% more effective in reducing the risk. Pass the word if you know people who could benefit from this.

https://abc7.com/covid-19-medical-treat ... /11630608/

told my mom about this, and three hours later, she got a notification from her clinic saying she was eligible for this in the future. (she got a sotrovimab infusion in January)

MHS · Post by **MHS** » Thu Mar 10, 2022 7:12 pm

hitbyambulance wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:07 pm
MHS wrote: ↑Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:46 am Today I got scheduled for my first Evusheld dose, although I won't actually get the injection until mid-April. I wasn't even aware of this until a co-worker sent me an article last weekend.

Some important numbers around this: studies have found that because the immunocompromised don't produce sufficient antibodies even with our vaccinations and boosters, we are 485 times more likely to die or be hospitalized with severe infections if we get breakthrough covid, and this drug supposedly is 77% more effective in reducing the risk. Pass the word if you know people who could benefit from this.

https://abc7.com/covid-19-medical-treat ... /11630608/
told my mom about this, and three hours later, she got a notification from her clinic saying she was eligible for this in the future. (she got a sotrovimab infusion in January)

Glad to see they're on top of things! My nephrology team didn't say squat to me about sotrovimab OR Evusheld...I had to ask for it.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 10:15 am

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 10:26 am

Adults get 2x 100 micrograms and then a 50 mg booster, right? 25 micrograms should help with a lot of the side effects.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Mar 23, 2022 1:19 pm

Aside from Moderna and Pfizer, are there other vaccines currently in trials for children in this age range?

(Literally asking for a friend...)

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Mar 25, 2022 3:36 pm

Good news, everyone! Apparently the WHO has decided that there is enough COVID-19 vaccine to go around and therefore they can start getting picky about things other than whether a vaccine is safe and effective.

WHO refuses to accept Quebec's Medicago COVID-19 vaccine over company's tobacco ties

The World Health Organization has decided not to accept Quebec's Medicago COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, citing the company's ties to big tobacco.

The decision was anticipated, as the WHO paused the process for pre-qualification of the company's new Covifenz shot last week. Marlboro cigarette manufacturer, Philip Morris International, is a shareholder of the Quebec City-based company.

In a statement to CBC News on Friday, the WHO said the company's request for emergency use listing of its vaccine was not accepted, effectively keeping it out of the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) program, a global vaccine-sharing initiative.

Medicago says it received an email with WHO's "preliminary decision" and is awaiting additional information, at which point the company will discuss next steps with its partners and shareholders to get the vaccine to market.

"It is our understanding that this decision is linked to Medicago's minority shareholder and not the demonstrated safety and efficacy profile of our COVID-19 vaccine," said president and CEO Takashi Nagao in a statement Friday.

Philip Morris Investments, a subsidiary of the tobacco giant, currently holds approximately 21 per cent of the company's shares.

And here I was expecting that a plant-sourced vaccine would the the least ethically compromised option possible.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Mar 25, 2022 10:54 pm

How's the tomacco review coming?

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:58 am

FDA authorize 2nd booster for people over 50:

The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to that age group at least four months after their previous booster.

Until now, the FDA had cleared fourth doses only for people 12 and older who have severely weakened immune systems. The agency said this especially fragile group also can get an additional booster, a fifth shot.

The latest expansion, regardless of people’s health, allows an extra shot to millions more Americans — and the question is whether everyone who’s eligible should rush out and get it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to weigh in.

It makes sense but we're still not going to booster our way out of this. So many people still haven't (and won't) get a 3rd shot, so this just continues to complicate things.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Tue Mar 29, 2022 12:10 pm

Sweet. Now do a third shot for kiddos (and the first one for young kiddos).

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:11 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:58 am FDA authorize 2nd booster for people over 50:

The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to that age group at least four months after their previous booster.

Until now, the FDA had cleared fourth doses only for people 12 and older who have severely weakened immune systems. The agency said this especially fragile group also can get an additional booster, a fifth shot.

The latest expansion, regardless of people’s health, allows an extra shot to millions more Americans — and the question is whether everyone who’s eligible should rush out and get it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to weigh in.
It makes sense but we're still not going to booster our way out of this. So many people still haven't (and won't) get a 3rd shot, so this just continues to complicate things.

I'm going to hold off on that until transmission rises again, rather than "waste" the immunity boost while it's still very low.

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Tue Mar 29, 2022 7:22 pm

That's a really smart approach. I'm going to copy you.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Tue Mar 29, 2022 10:41 pm

Unfortunately, it depends on correctly gauging when transmission starts to rise. Given what's happened, I wouldn't wait until the guy with the machete breaks down the door, I'd get the shot at the very first 'did you hear something?'

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:49 pm

Ideally, we'll benefit from the seasonal pattern and infections will stay low through the summer. A booster taken now will be waning by fall, when it's most likely to be needed. By then, we might have new vaccines tailored to omicron, or even a combined covid/flu shot.

But of course this virus is tricksy and could take off again at any time, especially now that most of us have decided to ignore it. If I sense that a new surge is starting, I'll cheerfully roll up my sleeve again, whether that's a week or a month or six months away.

A small news item dropped yesterday saying that 52% of Americans have had covid. 42% tested positive at some point, and another 10% believe they had it but weren't tested.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Mar 30, 2022 10:50 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:49 pm A small news item dropped yesterday saying that 52% of Americans have had covid. 42% tested positive at some point, and another 10% believe they had it but weren't tested.

Add another (likely significant) percentage that were infected and never knew it. My own son's case would never have been detected or even suspected if he hadn't had to take a COVID test for a medical procedure.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Mar 30, 2022 11:12 am

Kraken wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:11 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:58 am FDA authorize 2nd booster for people over 50:

The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to that age group at least four months after their previous booster.

Until now, the FDA had cleared fourth doses only for people 12 and older who have severely weakened immune systems. The agency said this especially fragile group also can get an additional booster, a fifth shot.

The latest expansion, regardless of people’s health, allows an extra shot to millions more Americans — and the question is whether everyone who’s eligible should rush out and get it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to weigh in.
It makes sense but we're still not going to booster our way out of this. So many people still haven't (and won't) get a 3rd shot, so this just continues to complicate things.
I'm going to hold off on that until transmission rises again, rather than "waste" the immunity boost while it's still very low.

Assuming they recommend a fifth shot for the immunosuppressed eventually, I'll wait until late August for that same reason. I was happy to get my 4th when I did, even if it turns out that I'm wrong and spread isn't going up right now. I'm looking forward to being wrong (signs point to me being wrong) and feeling like I can relax a bit as we move in to mid April. The first time I get out of my car and forget my mask and say "fuck it" or go to a restaurant indoors and stay for a bit and chat after the meal is concluded or heaven forbid have an alcoholic beverage. Soon... Sooooon....

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Wed Mar 30, 2022 11:35 am

LordMortis wrote: ↑Wed Mar 30, 2022 11:12 am
Kraken wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 4:11 pm
Smoove_B wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 11:58 am FDA authorize 2nd booster for people over 50:

The Food and Drug Administration’s decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to that age group at least four months after their previous booster.

Until now, the FDA had cleared fourth doses only for people 12 and older who have severely weakened immune systems. The agency said this especially fragile group also can get an additional booster, a fifth shot.

The latest expansion, regardless of people’s health, allows an extra shot to millions more Americans — and the question is whether everyone who’s eligible should rush out and get it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to weigh in.
It makes sense but we're still not going to booster our way out of this. So many people still haven't (and won't) get a 3rd shot, so this just continues to complicate things.
I'm going to hold off on that until transmission rises again, rather than "waste" the immunity boost while it's still very low.
Assuming they recommend a fifth shot for the immunosuppressed eventually, I'll wait until late August for that same reason. I was happy to get my 4th when I did, even if it turns out that I'm wrong and spread isn't going up right now. I'm looking forward to being wrong (signs point to me being wrong) and feeling like I can relax a bit as we move in to mid April. The first time I get out of my car and forget my mask and say "fuck it" or go to a restaurant indoors and stay for a bit and chat after the meal is concluded or heaven forbid have an alcoholic beverage. Soon... Sooooon....

We started dining out once a week again just a few weeks ago, and we might have to shut that down again a few weeks from now. Wastewater virus counts are rising here, although they're still reasonably low, and the positive test rate is back over 2%. My trigger level is 3%. So the trend is going in the wrong direction but we also have the seasons on our side. Fauci says we should expect a surge, but not a major one.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:07 pm

Testing is so limited here (you have to be symptomatic and in a designated high-risk category) that the positivity rate is largely meaningless. At least, that's what I tell myself.

The waste water monitoring shows the viral signal climbing toward an all-time high with no sign yet of reaching a plateau, but so far that doesn't seem to be translating to an increase in hospitalizations. It's a leading indicator, so it's possible that we'll be seeing an uptick in hospitalization/ICU/mortality numbers in the coming weeks. Hopefully we'll just be seeing a lot of mild/asymptomatic infections. Yay for a relatively high vaccination uptake.

Edit: Apparently I spoke too soon. Provincially, at least, we're starting to see the uptick in hospitalizations.

Health experts warn Ontarians to keep masks on as COVID-19 hospitalizations mount

Ontario is reporting 778 people hospitalized with COVID-19 Wednesday as health experts are cautioning people to keep wearing masks as the province sees a rise in hospital occupancy in the wake of public health measures being lifted.

Dr. Peter Jüni, head of Ontario's COVID-19 science advisory table, says the province is seeing the effect of easing of public health measures in the past few weeks — including the lifting of mask mandates in most settings and the end of gathering limits.

"We're seeing quite the steep increase right now in wastewater predominantly, and it starts to be followed now by an increase in hospital occupancy," Jüni told CBC News Wednesday morning.

"We are in the middle of it, however we call it. It's either the resurgence expected after the reopening of the last wave or you can call it the sixth wave."

In a statement to CBC News Wednesday, the Ministry of Health said the province's Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Kieran Moore, will continue to monitor the data and evidence on an "ongoing basis.

"As Dr. Moore has previously said, indicators are expected to rise as Ontarians increasingly interact with one another. However, thanks to our high vaccination rates and natural immunity, as well as the arrival of antivirals, Ontario has the tools necessary to manage the impact of the virus," the statement reads.

Predictably, no mention from the government to the effect that maybe people should wear masks where appropriate, although individual researchers, doctors, etc are advising that people do so.