Coronavirus

[TLS Guy]

The government has ordered another 100 million doses of the Moderna vaccine for the second quarter of 2021 in addition to the 100 million scheduled for the end of 2020 through the end of the first quarter of 2021.

The panel that evaluates the Moderna EAU application is scheduled to meet on December 17. Hopefully this one is also approved and the Moderna vaccine is distributed quickly.

>>>Moderna Inc said on Friday the U.S. government will get an additional 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2021 if authorized. . . . The government has ordered a total of 200 million doses till date, the vaccine developer said, adding that of first order lot, about 20 million doses will be delivered by December end and the remaining in the first quarter of 2021. A panel of outside advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to hold a meeting on Dec. 17 to discuss Moderna’s request for emergency use authorization (EUA) for its vaccine. <<<

U.S. govt secures access to 100 million more doses of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

Moderna Inc said on Friday the U.S. government will get an additional 100 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate, expected to be delivered in the second quarter of 2021 if authorized.

www.reuters.com

That is exactly what everyone wants to know, at least us medics do. My money is on that it is related. I say due that to the high incidence of evidence of late cardiac involvement in survivors.

Meanwhile in the UK they say they have decoded a mutant strain in the South East of England where the disease is spreading like wildfire, especially in Medway, and Swale in Kent. It has now spread to London and Essex. So London and Essex have joined Kent in Tier 3 restrictions which are quite severe. They have found this mutant strain in 60 other centers in the UK. Matt Hancock announced in the House of Commons today, that it appears to be much more infectious, than previous strains. There has been no antigenic drift, so the vaccines should still be effective.

This highlights why vaccines need to be rolled out fast. The longer this virus goes uncontained the greater the risk of a serious mutation. I fear time could easily go against us yet. Unless there is evidence of a common problem with these vaccines under trial, as soon as they are shown effective they need rolling out fast, before we have a worse catastrophe. I fear the luxury of time is not on our side. These are not normal times and different criteria need to be applied.

 

[jinjuku]

Does anyone remember these? Are they still used now? Wouldn't they be useful once the coronavirus vaccine is available?

I painted my car with one... Does that count?

 

[mazersteven]

Is that Gene?

Orange County health official calls COVID-19 roll out plan 'logistical nightmare'

"Our county has over 9,000 individuals and employees in long-term care facilities and the Governor's order was to vaccinate all those individuals in four weeks so that, that's a challenge,” Pino said.

www.wesh.com

 

[Trell]

Ah, a running commentary?

Yes

 

[GO-NAD!]

Recently I had a dinner guest (social distance and all that) that is a medical doctor who made a very good point that all the many Covid tests pushed out other important tests. When said doctor said that many took the Covid test too many times, I just said that probably was a non-existant problem as the self test is pretty obnoxious and very unpleasant. The problem is most likely that so few only take one test.

I saw an article about someone who couldn't go in for an MRI- he died from Cancer.

Unfortunately, many patients here have been cancelling scheduled surgeries for fear of contracting COVID at hospitals. This is ludicrous, as the number of cases in this province are so low and none have been hospital cases since summer. This will, of course, have consequences later on.

 

[highfigh]

Ah, a running commentary?

I could imagine that being announced as if it was an F1 race- "And he's going through the chicane, heading into turn three......"

 

[Mr._Clark]

I saw an article about someone who couldn't go in for an MRI- he died from Cancer.

I saw a somewhat similar article a few weeks ago. The article I saw blamed the lack of treatment on a lockdown order. However, the guy who delayed treatment actually could have gone in for treatment if he had wanted to, but he was afraid to go in due to the perceived risk of contracting the coronavirus.

It seems to me that the lockdowns need to be communicated accurately so that people do not voluntarily delay necessary treatment for serious conditions. There will of course be ambiguous situations where it's unclear if a given symptom is due to a serious health issue.

 

[Mr._Clark]

The news this morning looks good for the Moderna vaccine:

>>>WASHINGTON — The coronavirus vaccine made by Moderna is highly protective for adults and prevents severe cases of Covid-19, according to data released on Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Based on the encouraging findings, the agency intends to grant emergency authorization for use of the vaccine on Friday, people familiar with the F.D.A.’s plans said. The decision would give millions of Americans access to a second coronavirus vaccine beginning as early as next week.

The review by the F.D.A. confirms Moderna’s earlier assessment that its vaccine had an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent in a trial of 30,000 people. Side effects, including fever, headache and fatigue, were unpleasant but not dangerous, the agency found.<<<

Moderna Vaccine Is Highly Protective Against Covid-19, the F.D.A. Finds (Published 2020)

The positive review most likely ensures that the Food and Drug Administration will grant emergency authorization to a second coronavirus vaccine this week for millions of Americans.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Virginia doles out its first doses this week (may have done so already)... to medical workers, so hopefully my best half will get her arm shot really soon.

It'll be awhile for me, but she is a greater net positive for the world than I could ever be, so I will wait my turn. I can also use this to my advantage and designate her as the sole Walmart shopper of the household after she's vaccinated... for safety reasons...

 

[Dude#1279435]

I'm having doubts and was wondering if someone can explain this to me. If the vaccine has protein that mimics the virus, why go through the trouble if exposure to it creates antibodies??? I've gone back and forth several times but have to wonder. If state's with greater restrictions are not doing better than states with less than well..... I understand I could be way off but wanted to ask.

 

[Dude#1279435]

I'm sorry for the dumb question. Think I find a decent enough answer. https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/articles/achieving-herd-immunity-with-covid19.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/herd-immunity-lockdowns-and-covid-19

 

[highfigh]

Virginia doles out its first doses this week (may have done so already)... to medical workers, so hopefully my best half will get her arm shot really soon.

It'll be awhile for me, but she is a greater net positive for the world than I could ever be, so I will wait my turn. I can also use this to my advantage and designate her as the sole Walmart shopper of the household after she's vaccinated... for safety reasons...

Hopefully, without side-affects.

 

[GO-NAD!]

Hopefully, without side-affects.

Do you know of any besides very rare allergic reactions?

 

[KEW]

Do you know of any besides very rare allergic reactions?

I believe that is the only serious side effect, but there are certainly many minor side effects such as headache, soreness at the site of the injection, etc.
And then there is the potential for feeling pretty weak for a few days.
The way I look at this is, once you get the vaccine, your body responds by putting out a "priority call" for manufacturing the appropriate antibodies. Thus energy that is normally available for your normal routines is being redirected. So I think it best to plan on spending the next couple of days taking it easy to accommodate this priority call!

 

[GO-NAD!]

I believe that is the only serious side effect, but there are certainly many minor side effects such as headache, soreness at the site of the injection, etc.
And then there is the potential for feeling pretty weak for a few days.
The way I look at this is, once you get the vaccine, your body responds by putting out a "priority call" for manufacturing the appropriate antibodies. Thus energy that is normally available for your normal routines is being redirected. So I think it best to plan on spending the next couple of days taking it easy to accommodate this priority call!

I wasn't really considering those other symptoms to be side effects, as those are just signs that the vaccine is working. That's my understanding anyway.

 

[highfigh]

Do you know of any besides very rare allergic reactions?

Only what I have read about- fever, here's one link and so far, it seems that the side affects are minor, but that doesn't mean nobody will have additional or worse issues because it's so early in administering the vaccine.

Side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine means 'your body responded the way it's supposed to,' experts say

Physicians emphasize that side effects to a COVID-19 vaccine are not just normal but also a sign that the body is reacting properly.

www.usatoday.com

 

[GO-NAD!]

Only what I have read about- fever, here's one link and so far, it seems that the side affects are minor, but that doesn't mean nobody will have additional or worse issues because it's so early in administering the vaccine.

Side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine means 'your body responded the way it's supposed to,' experts say

Physicians emphasize that side effects to a COVID-19 vaccine are not just normal but also a sign that the body is reacting properly.

www.usatoday.com

Oh. I thought you meant something besides common, expected effects of vaccines.

 

[Swerd]

I'm having doubts and was wondering if someone can explain this to me. If the vaccine has protein that mimics the virus, why go through the trouble if exposure to it creates antibodies??? I've gone back and forth several times but have to wonder. If state's with greater restrictions are not doing better than states with less than well..... I understand I could be way off but wanted to ask.

I'm sorry for the dumb question. Think I find a decent enough answer. https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/articles/achieving-herd-immunity-with-covid19.html
https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/herd-immunity-lockdowns-and-covid-19

I really didn't understand what your first question asked. However, if those herd immunity pages you linked gave you an answer, good. That JHU School of Public Health page was a good explanation.

Please remember that exposure to the virus itself, or the virus's Spike protein, both generate antibodies. The virus makes us sick or can kill us as our immune system responds to it – where the Spike protein can produce a similar immune response but cannot give us Covid-19 disease. These antibodies can mop up corona virus particles as they circulate in the blood. But full immunity also involves generating immune T-cells that find and kill cells infected with the virus. It's the action of both the antibodies and the T-cells that protect us from infection.

 

[Kvn_Walker]

Hopefully, without side-affects.

The side effects of being a designated Walmart shopper are... endless.

 

[mtrycrafts]

New Zealand. No new cases over the past 2 weeks. 5 mil population, 25 deaths, 2k cases total.
Country opened up, no masks, no distancing, nothing. Borders are closed though so no, you cannot travel there to enjoy the freedoms.