https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/20/omicron ... guide.html

Current schedule of the new Omicron shots.

ewly updated Covid booster shots designed to target omicron’s BA.5 subvariant should be available within in the next three weeks.

Pfizer’s “bivalent” shot, which targets both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant, is expected to be authorized first. The CDC says it’ll likely come with a wide eligibility swath: the full group of vaccinated Americans ages 12 and up.

Moderna’s bivalent shot is expected to follow suit later, most likely in October. It’ll come with a somewhat narrower range of eligibility, at least at first: vaccinated people ages 18 and older. For both shots, younger pediatric age groups could become eligible later, the CDC says

This should help all with the fall and winter, but I wonder what the uptake rate will be?
Also it seems these won't be offered to those that haven't gotten the first series? I wonder why?

casinterest wrote:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/20/omicron-specific-booster-shots-are-weeks-away-eligibility-guide.html

Current schedule of the new Omicron shots.

ewly updated Covid booster shots designed to target omicron’s BA.5 subvariant should be available within in the next three weeks.

Pfizer’s “bivalent” shot, which targets both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant, is expected to be authorized first. The CDC says it’ll likely come with a wide eligibility swath: the full group of vaccinated Americans ages 12 and up.

Moderna’s bivalent shot is expected to follow suit later, most likely in October. It’ll come with a somewhat narrower range of eligibility, at least at first: vaccinated people ages 18 and older. For both shots, younger pediatric age groups could become eligible later, the CDC says

This should help all with the fall and winter, but I wonder what the uptake rate will be?
Also it seems these won't be offered to those that haven't gotten the first series? I wonder why?

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/varian ... 022-08-15/

UK approved it already.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2 ... -boosters/

Longer discussion of how our varied exposures by vaccines or infection may affect our response to new Covid vaccines.

c933103 wrote:

casinterest wrote:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/20/omicron-specific-booster-shots-are-weeks-away-eligibility-guide.html

Current schedule of the new Omicron shots.

ewly updated Covid booster shots designed to target omicron’s BA.5 subvariant should be available within in the next three weeks.

Pfizer’s “bivalent” shot, which targets both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant, is expected to be authorized first. The CDC says it’ll likely come with a wide eligibility swath: the full group of vaccinated Americans ages 12 and up.

Moderna’s bivalent shot is expected to follow suit later, most likely in October. It’ll come with a somewhat narrower range of eligibility, at least at first: vaccinated people ages 18 and older. For both shots, younger pediatric age groups could become eligible later, the CDC says

This should help all with the fall and winter, but I wonder what the uptake rate will be?
Also it seems these won't be offered to those that haven't gotten the first series? I wonder why?

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/varian ... 022-08-15/

UK approved it already.

There is no value paying for a study on two first doses of the new vaccine. Where would you even find the volunteers? If someone wants protection, go through the initial course and then go for the booster. This variant booster is only proven in people who had an original vaccine, so that is all that should be allowed. One dose won't do enough. We already know that from prior studies:
https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-v ... ose-2021-3

Lightsaber

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/6ec0e ... 619f25c630

Japanese government consider simultaneous vaccination of corona and flu vaccines by putting into different arms so that people can get both in the same visit to prepare for winter peak

T4thH wrote:

I am now sitting at home with COVID since Friday, (confirmed by PCR test). I have had two Biontech/Pfizer vaccination + the Moderna Booster 5 month later in Dec-2021.

As I got the full vaccination, including booster, I still have had a bad Saturday and Sunday, I am now already doing pretty well, only really fast exhausted.
No loss of smell or taste, no joint pain, so I hope it was just a respiratory and not a systemic infection.
My Covid infection was just like a cold with (regarding my regular cold infections) little bit slower developing of the symptoms.

I have had planned to wait for the Omikron specific vaccine for the second Booster....
I will have to check the literature, if the omicron specific boosters will still have a benefit after my Omicron infection.

I was in the Moderna COVID vaccine trial and got my second vaccination vaccination 2 years ago today, September 3. I didn't get my booster til over 14 months later in November 2021, because I was low priority within the study to get a booster. They were prioritizing everyone over 65 or with serious co-morbidities first. You don't just get a shot when you're in the vaccine trial. They take down an entire medical history at the start of the study, and give a physical. Then they take 8 vials of blood before getting in line to get an injection of either the vaccine or the placebo. Then they take vital signs and 8 more vials of blood before the second injection. Then it's required to return a month later so they can collect another 8 vials of blood. I was called before the end of 2020 to inform me that they were beginning to unblind the study. I decided not to get unblinded ASAP, because I was pretty sure I got the vaccine rather than the placebo. I got another call at the end of February, and they told me that Moderna wanted everyone unblinded by the end of the next week. I changed my already scheduled 6 month post second shot appointment to an unblinding appointment and rescheduled the 6 month appointment for the next week. As I suspected, I actually did receive the vaccine in August and September 2020 and was given a vaccine card documenting that.

They wouldn't give me the third dose for another 8 months. A few weeks after the 6 month follow-up appointment for the booster I may have been exposed to COVID-19 on Memorial Day weekend. I had sniffles for a few days and I had some aches and pains especially in my lower back for a day. I took an at home antibody test after the symptoms passed, and it was negative. Last week I went to my last appointment in the Moderna trial and had another 8 vials of blood drawn. I don't plan on getting another booster til at least a year after my previous booster. My wife got diagnosed with COVID in July 2022 but recovered in a couple of days, and she only had the first two Moderna shots 14 months previously.

lightsaber wrote:

c933103 wrote:

casinterest wrote:

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/20/omicron-specific-booster-shots-are-weeks-away-eligibility-guide.html

Current schedule of the new Omicron shots.





This should help all with the fall and winter, but I wonder what the uptake rate will be?
Also it seems these won't be offered to those that haven't gotten the first series? I wonder why?

https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/varian ... 022-08-15/

UK approved it already.

There is no value paying for a study on two first doses of the new vaccine. Where would you even find the volunteers? If someone wants protection, go through the initial course and then go for the booster. This variant booster is only proven in people who had an original vaccine, so that is all that should be allowed. One dose won't do enough. We already know that from prior studies:
https://www.businessinsider.com/covid-v ... ose-2021-3

Lightsaber

It depends on the age group. Males 16-30 might only need one shot of an mRNA vaccine, but it's impossible to run that study now. The FDA and CDC lost lots of credibility by not acknowledging side effects in young adults especially males. The blanket approval and recommendation that everyone 12+ get a second booster has little scientific support. Dr. Paul Offit, who is on the FDA vaccine board, doesn't recommend his own adult children who are in their 20's get the first booster. Dr. Offit himself hasn't taken a second booster and recently recovered from a mild case of Omicron. He disagreed with the recommendation for the bivalent COVID booster.

https://www.chop.edu/doctors/offit-paul-a

After getting the first pair of shots, plus booster, I finally caught it (with the girlfriend who also was fully vaccinated). We are both on a solid week of being sick now, it seems as if the shots didn't really help us in terms of reducing the duration or severity. It has been horrible. We both have gone through every single symptom of covid, and still ongoing.

Not sure it's worth getting any other boosters at this point for me, if it just keeps evolving and I'll just catch it anyway. I'll get the flu shot, but I think I may be done with boosters. I know many others that feel the same way, so not sure how well booster 2 and beyond will work out for acceptance. I feel like many lost hope in controlling it at this point.

invertalon wrote:

After getting the first pair of shots, plus booster, I finally caught it (with the girlfriend who also was fully vaccinated). We are both on a solid week of being sick now, it seems as if the shots didn't really help us in terms of reducing the duration or severity. It has been horrible. We both have gone through every single symptom of covid, and still ongoing.

Not sure it's worth getting any other boosters at this point for me, if it just keeps evolving and I'll just catch it anyway. I'll get the flu shot, but I think I may be done with boosters. I know many others that feel the same way, so not sure how well booster 2 and beyond will work out for acceptance. I feel like many lost hope in controlling it at this point.

I hope you get better and that you don't get long haul symptoms. I'm not a doctor but I don't think you need a Covid shot for at least another year.

If this article is true and I don't know if it is but NACI in Canada (The National Advisory Committee on Immunization) is suggesting in some cases a booster every 90 days.
The source Postmedia is right leaning and they have been the only Canadian newspapers to run it.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/nation ... f2bb8fc33c

I will absolutely not do this and overusing a vaccine can and probably is creating evolutionary pressure on the Covid virus to mutate to evade the vaccines. Not to say Covid vaccines are bad thing but taking repeated boosters will wear out ones immune system also. The day after my 2nd and 3rd shots were rough and I wouldn't want that every 90 days for something that won't stop you from getting Covid anyways.

Make this thing an annual shot and focus on treatments for those who are at risk or are really sick.

Thanks! Thankfully, the worst is behind us. Just lingering cough, loss of taste/smell and such remain but that is starting to ease. So I think we are just about clear of it. Just sucks, as I was hoping I'd at least have a very mild or quick case of COVID with the protections, but I guess not. Same with the girlfriend, who got it a little worse than me (and also had really bad side effects to the COVID shots/boosters in which she was really sick for 3 days for each or so). The shots didn't really bother me much, just really mild aches, but nothing more. But for her, it was pretty bad (she said actual COVID was about the same as the 2nd shot and booster, just longer duration).

But for her, why get a booster every 6 months knowing she will get very sick for those 3-4 days and with COVID evolving so rapidly. By the time they get the updated boosters out, you get the vaccine, COVID has likely evolved and is onto the new variants that probably won't be covered anymore. The new boosters still yet to release is likely protecting against the same strain we just had. So what good would it do?

Likely we wait until the next update or two before we booster again, if we do. We should be good for a few months now, at least.

StarAC17 wrote:

I hope you get better and that you don't get long haul symptoms. I'm not a doctor but I don't think you need a Covid shot for at least another year.

If this article is true and I don't know if it is but NACI in Canada (The National Advisory Committee on Immunization) is suggesting in some cases a booster every 90 days.
The source Postmedia is right leaning and they have been the only Canadian newspapers to run it.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/nation ... f2bb8fc33c

I will absolutely not do this and overusing a vaccine can and probably is creating evolutionary pressure on the Covid virus to mutate to evade the vaccines. Not to say Covid vaccines are bad thing but taking repeated boosters will wear out ones immune system also. The day after my 2nd and 3rd shots were rough and I wouldn't want that every 90 days for something that won't stop you from getting Covid anyways.

Make this thing an annual shot and focus on treatments for those who are at risk or are really sick.

The purpose of these vaccines isn't to prevent all infection, they are used to prevent bad outcomes like hospitalizations and deaths. They work quite well at that without super frequent boosters. I got my second shot and was "fully vaccinated" 2 years ago in the Moderna vaccine trial. I was a little annoyed that I had Io wait for my booster for over 14 months while the Delta version was growing in prevalence. I plan to wait til at least the anniversary of my first booster to get a second booster. I'm not going to bother with a booster that does not contain a boost against newer variants.

While I am grateful to have had an opportunity to get vaccinated early with a cutting edge mRNA vaccine, I am concerned about the side effects some portions of the population are having with them. I don't want to overdo the stress on my body from these vaccines. I'm considering timing boosters for times when I intend to travel or make plans that are difficult or expensive to reschedule. If the antibodies that prevent any kind of symptomatic infection wane in just 2 or 3 months, I'll time the boosters to I have maximum protection during travel or at the beginning of an outbreak of a new variant in my area.. I won't be getting boosters any more frequently than once a year unless there is strong scientific evidence that a new variant really requires a new booster.

flyingclrs727 wrote:

StarAC17 wrote:

I hope you get better and that you don't get long haul symptoms. I'm not a doctor but I don't think you need a Covid shot for at least another year.

If this article is true and I don't know if it is but NACI in Canada (The National Advisory Committee on Immunization) is suggesting in some cases a booster every 90 days.
The source Postmedia is right leaning and they have been the only Canadian newspapers to run it.

https://edmontonjournal.com/news/nation ... f2bb8fc33c

I will absolutely not do this and overusing a vaccine can and probably is creating evolutionary pressure on the Covid virus to mutate to evade the vaccines. Not to say Covid vaccines are bad thing but taking repeated boosters will wear out ones immune system also. The day after my 2nd and 3rd shots were rough and I wouldn't want that every 90 days for something that won't stop you from getting Covid anyways.

Make this thing an annual shot and focus on treatments for those who are at risk or are really sick.

The purpose of these vaccines isn't to prevent all infection, they are used to prevent bad outcomes like hospitalizations and deaths. They work quite well at that without super frequent boosters. I got my second shot and was "fully vaccinated" 2 years ago in the Moderna vaccine trial. I was a little annoyed that I had Io wait for my booster for over 14 months while the Delta version was growing in prevalence. I plan to wait til at least the anniversary of my first booster to get a second booster. I'm not going to bother with a booster that does not contain a boost against newer variants.

While I am grateful to have had an opportunity to get vaccinated early with a cutting edge mRNA vaccine, I am concerned about the side effects some portions of the population are having with them. I don't want to overdo the stress on my body from these vaccines. I'm considering timing boosters for times when I intend to travel or make plans that are difficult or expensive to reschedule. If the antibodies that prevent any kind of symptomatic infection wane in just 2 or 3 months, I'll time the boosters to I have maximum protection during travel or at the beginning of an outbreak of a new variant in my area.. I won't be getting boosters any more frequently than once a year unless there is strong scientific evidence that a new variant really requires a new booster.

The variant boosters are out here in the USA. Appointments are a bit hard to get this weekend, but possible (I was just boosted).

We're going to get infected again and again and that is much better than long haul damage from the virus. We all know the virus damages nerves. I had a nerve damaged that took two operations to fix. One to verify the nerve that was damaged and wouldn't die and another to go in and kill it.

The evidence you require for more frequent boosters won't happen. But it is your choice. The reality is that two doses of mRNA should generate enough T-cells to keep you out of the hospital.

The latest data has 30,822 people in the US hospitals:
https://ourworldindata.org/covid-hospitalizations

As I type this, data is lagging by 4 days (before the variant booster was available). We'll see, but I suspect take up will be low after an initial surge.
https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/dail ... on~GBR~USA

The new BA.4.6 strain is even more infectious, the question is how well the new vaccines will work on it and other new mutations:
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/coronav ... t/2917104/

Everyone makes their own call. Talking to doctors, those unvaccinated and getting their first infection are still showing up in the hospitals. Thankfully, enough people have resistance in one form or another.

Note: I stopped getting the flu after a few years of getting the flu vaccine. YMMV, but it is my opinion that as we armor up against so many variants, more is better (pre-train the body for a more ideal response).

Covid19 will never go away (which makes zero Covid19 strategies just seem... unwise).

Lightsaber

Scientists at Harvard, Oxford, John Hopkins, UCSF, etc.
just published a new risk benefit analysis study in young people.

"We estimate that 22,000 - 30,000 previously uninfected adults aged 18-29 must be boosted with an mRNA vaccine to prevent one COVID-19 hospitalisation. Using CDC and sponsor-reported adverse event data, we find that booster mandates may cause a net expected harm: per COVID-19 hospitalisation prevented in previously uninfected young adults, we anticipate 18 to 98 serious adverse events, including 1.7 to 3.0 booster-associated myocarditis cases...."

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm ... id=4206070

I do not recommend getting the flu vaccine and Covid19 vaccine together. I did so 4 days ago. Today both vaccines must be surging antibodies as antibodies cause symptoms. I had to cancel a dance event and other people vaccinated at the same time echo'd feeling the same as I do.

I'm pro-vaccine, but I understand people holding off from another booster.

Lightsaber

lightsaber wrote:

I do not recommend getting the flu vaccine and Covid19 vaccine together. I did so 4 days ago. Today both vaccines must be surging antibodies as antibodies cause symptoms. I had to cancel a dance event and other people vaccinated at the same time echo'd feeling the same as I do.

I'm pro-vaccine, but I understand people holding off from another booster.

Lightsaber

Hmmmm

I had both last year, but i was fine 36 hours after.....Maybe you caught something else?

casinterest wrote:

lightsaber wrote:

I do not recommend getting the flu vaccine and Covid19 vaccine together. I did so 4 days ago. Today both vaccines must be surging antibodies as antibodies cause symptoms. I had to cancel a dance event and other people vaccinated at the same time echo'd feeling the same as I do.

I'm pro-vaccine, but I understand people holding off from another booster.

Lightsaber

Hmmmm

I had both last year, but i was fine 36 hours after.....Maybe you caught something else?

I had no problem doing the same last year. If you note, I already note I have other friends who felt the same (some of which I haven't seen for weeks). This year's flu shot and the variant vaccine seem to surge antibodies both at 4 days after vaccination.

I completely agree, if it was just myself I would question it; but so far everyone I know who did two at once has suffered. Its too early to say how much to space them, but a small number of examples is showing 2 days isn't enough but 4 days seems fine.

I think everyone should be vaccinated. But this is like combining shingles and TDaP, you will suffer.

Lightsaber

Wife and I got our 3rd booster today, the new Pfizer vaccine. We did not have to have an appointment, and got it at our favorite grocery store. We are flying early next month, which is why we didn't wait for another month or so.

lightsaber wrote:

I do not recommend getting the flu vaccine and Covid19 vaccine together. I did so 4 days ago. Today both vaccines must be surging antibodies as antibodies cause symptoms. I had to cancel a dance event and other people vaccinated at the same time echo'd feeling the same as I do.

I'm pro-vaccine, but I understand people holding off from another booster.

Lightsaber

"Antibody" do not cause symptoms, those antibody are products release by your immune system against foreign "threat" presented by the vaccines.They are the result not the cause.
That it only happen a few days later could be a result of mRNA vaccines needing time to reproduce viral antigens within your body, which then take further time until your body's immune system recognize it and start rising immune response? (Uneducated guess)

lightsaber wrote:

casinterest wrote:

lightsaber wrote:

I do not recommend getting the flu vaccine and Covid19 vaccine together. I did so 4 days ago. Today both vaccines must be surging antibodies as antibodies cause symptoms. I had to cancel a dance event and other people vaccinated at the same time echo'd feeling the same as I do.

I'm pro-vaccine, but I understand people holding off from another booster.

Lightsaber

Hmmmm

I had both last year, but i was fine 36 hours after.....Maybe you caught something else?

I had no problem doing the same last year. If you note, I already note I have other friends who felt the same (some of which I haven't seen for weeks). This year's flu shot and the variant vaccine seem to surge antibodies both at 4 days after vaccination.

I completely agree, if it was just myself I would question it; but so far everyone I know who did two at once has suffered. Its too early to say how much to space them, but a small number of examples is showing 2 days isn't enough but 4 days seems fine.

I think everyone should be vaccinated. But this is like combining shingles and TDaP, you will suffer.

Lightsaber

Yeah, I will have to see, I want to get them seperate, but for a work trip I may get them together. Your antidote is making me think I should go separate, but having had covid in June, I am not sure i will get the vaccine this soon.

TV News: Hong Kong government claim they arrested a doctor, who sign off vaccine mandate exempt documents without actually checking medical record of patients to see whether they should actually exempted
It is reoorted that the doctor signed off at least 2000 vaccine exempts.
The doctor was reported charging equivalent of US$500-750 for eaxh vaccine exempt proof document, making the total earning more than 1.25 million USD fron these exempt documents by the single doctor

Also TV news: A number of other doctors each issuing vaccine exempts to citizens in the number of thousands have been arrested.
The police also start arresting visitors of clinics involved.
All of them are to be charged under the crime of frauds.

I have to wonder how well China is going to do when they start to open up as the rest of the world has.
How many people remain unvaccinated there?

TV: At least 20,000 people in Hong Kong will lost their vaccine exempt due to their doctors being arrested

https://www.reuters.com/business/health ... 022-10-02/
Moderna failed to sell vaccine to China because Moderna isn't willing to comply with China's techology transfer requirement, being the precondition of accessing Chinese market.

c933103 wrote:

https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/moderna-refused-china-request-reveal-vaccine-technology-ft-2022-10-02/
Moderna failed to sell vaccine to China because Moderna isn't willing to comply with China's techology transfer requirement, being the precondition of accessing Chinese market.

Rare to see a company do that anymore.

TV news: More than 1/3 vaccine exempt hold by government workers in Hong Kong are issued by arrested doctors. Because of this, those workers are expected to be fired.

c933103 wrote:

TV news: More than 1/3 vaccine exempt hold by government workers in Hong Kong are issued by arrested doctors. Because of this, those workers are expected to be fired.

I'm curious as to why those government workers risked their careers to avoid getting the safe and effective covid vaccine. 0_o?

Redd wrote:

c933103 wrote:

TV news: More than 1/3 vaccine exempt hold by government workers in Hong Kong are issued by arrested doctors. Because of this, those workers are expected to be fired.

I'm curious as to why those government workers risked their careers to avoid getting the safe and effective covid vaccine. 0_o?

The story known as "The sun and the wind"

https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99%82 ... E%E4%BA%BA
Expert in China say corona vaccines should be taken in smal quantities multiple times, like periodically one vaccine every half year, in order to continue identifying bad actors.

https://news.rthk.hk/rthk/ch/component/ ... 220924.htm
Expert in Hong Kong say that vaccination of both flu vaccine and corona vaccine should be needed before every winter in the next several years.

Also, the report also mentioned no news on Omicron shot

https://news.sky.com/story/new-inhalabl ... a-12730844
China reportedly start using a domestic vector vaccine that is inhaled through mouth.

c933103 wrote:

https://news.sky.com/story/new-inhalable-covid-vaccine-that-is-sucked-in-through-the-mouth-trialled-in-china-12730844
China reportedly start using a domestic vector vaccine that is inhaled through mouth.

I cannot find any information on the titters boost, t-cells, or antibodies of this vaccine. Is there a source?

I'm not saying the data from Western vaccines is much better. I'm ranting and the public deserves to make an informed health decision.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna52097

lightsaber wrote:

c933103 wrote:

https://news.sky.com/story/new-inhalable-covid-vaccine-that-is-sucked-in-through-the-mouth-trialled-in-china-12730844
China reportedly start using a domestic vector vaccine that is inhaled through mouth.

I cannot find any information on the titters boost, t-cells, or antibodies of this vaccine. Is there a source?

I'm not saying the data from Western vaccines is much better. I'm ranting and the public deserves to make an informed health decision.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna52097

Official preprint of the vaccine
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101 ... 22271816v1

https://ynews.page.link/Fjdyt

Hong Kong government: Precondition to end daily testing requirement for schoolkids is 100% vaccination rate.

https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af% ... 9908270657
Hong Kong government committee suggest allowing Pfizer Omicron booster as third dose but still suggest first three doses to be the old vaccines and only take the Omicron booster as the fourth dose. They also suggest allowing people taking the Omicron booster as fifth dose no less than 3 months after 4th dose.

casinterest wrote:

I have to wonder how well China is going to do when they start to open up as the rest of the world has.
How many people remain unvaccinated there?

Not too good, the zero covid policy combined with the lack of western vaccines and low vaccination rates have put them in a terrible position.

Oh what a surprise, turns out that Sweden's non-lock down policy resulted in more or the less the same fatalities as the rest of us.

Most coronavirus death happens in 2022 compared to before when the virus was still less widespreading, and at that point most countries already moved toward vaccination instead of lockdown as main tool against the virus.

https://mainichi.jp/articles/20221213/k ... 40/250000c
Japanese government will continue offering free corona vaccine until March for the time being as a special exception.
When coronavirus vaccines ultimately become regular periodic vaccination, then it's likely only high risk group can get free vaccine, like BCG, but it can also be like flu vacine where even high risk group have to bear some of the cost themselves.

https://news.mingpao.com/ins/%e6%b8%af% ... 2133686125
Fuxing Group, who have monopolized right on Pfizer vaccine in China (Greater China region), announced a service for Chinese residents to register in wechat for intent to get vaccination of Pfizer Biontech bivalent vaccine in Hong Kong at their own extent, which will start after Jan 8 when cross border traffic resume