1/4 Many thanks @PamelaBrownCNN for hosting this Saturday evening as I clear up some confusion regarding the need for boosters for each of the three Covid vaccines being used in the US. Let’s start with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
2/4 For Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine the data from Israel shows clear waning immunity, which is not too surprising given that first two doses were given so close together, it acted like a primary immunization that falls off over time. Hence the need for a boost. I sketched this out
3/4 For Moderna not as much evidence for waning immunity, possibly because there is more mRNA in the vaccine + it was spaced initially an extra wk apart (just speculation). For many vaccines usually one waits for a decline in antibody for a boost, so "walk don't run" less urgency
4/4 JNJ a different story altogether. For this vaccine immunity is not waning, it holds up really well. It's just that as single dose vaccine, level of protection is less, I think Dr. Cohen at VRBPAC said 60-70%. So for JNJ it's not really a boost, it's a 2-dose vaccine
Many thanks @JohnKingCNN for hosting me @InsidePolitics on the sad loss of Gen. Colin Powell. In the decade I was @GWSMHS microbiology chair he was a frequent visitor and was privileged to speak with the General on several occasions. A few things re COVID
Gen. Powell had several severe risk factors for COVID19 including age but especially multiple myeloma MM. Patients with MM are at extreme risk of bacterial and viral infections because they cannot mount effective antibody responses or other immune defenses. In fact…
Infectious diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in MM patients. In addition they do not respond well to many vaccines and in at least one published study fewer than one-half of MM patients respond adequately to 2 doses of mRNA covid immunizations…
My take: far right will not adopt molnupiravir. Even though unlike ivermectin (which does not work) whereas M does, right groups can use ivermectin as a propaganda tool and a political instrument of control, tribalism, and antiscience aggression. donaldgmcneiljr1954.medium.com/does-qanon-%EF…
Remember hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin were never about covid treatment, just like vernalization (Lysenko) was never about agricultural yields. These are simply instruments of manipulation by authoritarian regimes to discredit science and scientists and maintain control
Love Dr Collins, but this interview he did not get quite right. It’s not that they underestimated. Since 2016 I’ve explained to HHS CDC in explicit detail what’s happening, how they pivoted from autism to a political movement on the right esp here in Texas, what will happen next
In response I was rebuked, told that “we’re not talking about this, it’s a just a fringe few, just a few squeaky wheels” paraphrase. So they were informed but they did not want to be bothered or were in total denial or…who knows. So I just put my thoughts in the public domain
In the following attached tweets I will provide a timeline of my articles and writings since 2016…
I don't quite get what this discussion is about? If they said ivermectin is a "horse and other livestock dewormer" or it's also "for the treatment of some human worm infections such as onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, but it doesn't work for COVID-19" ....then it's OK?
Because those are the indications for ivermectin, I should know I’ve written many of the papers on its global use for neglected parasitic infections going back >20 years nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
Not so much advice, but what I try to do is to explain my underlying assumptions. There’s this old fashioned concept in science journalism that you talk to the American 🇺🇸 people like they’re in the 6th grade. I disagree and have found that Americans will tolerate complexity
Not many silver linings in this pandemic but I think one is that the American people don’t want to be patronized. They want scientists to speak to them like educated adults. That’s what I do, that’s what the HHS agencies never did, but now Drs Murthy, Walensky figured this out
My view: Biden made some really good choices for HHS leadership. They work hard, seek outside input, and they’re really nice kind compassionate people. No craziness, we’re in good hands. So when I get bumped from the cable news channels for one of them, it’s like “no problema”
The cost of fake health/medical freedom ideologies that seek to discredit vaccines, substitute ivermectin + other phony cures, and promote an aggressive antiscience from the political right. 90,000-100,000 deaths from antiscience this summer despite the availability of vaccines