PSA
It’s OK to talk about the biological limitations of vaccines without being anti-vax
Ex:
Just bc we wish vaccines stop transmission, doesn’t make it so. Vax limit spread a bit, but we’ve known for months that breakthroughs are not rare and spread among vax is common
1/
It’s OK to talk about the biological limitations of vaccines without being anti-vax
Ex:
Just bc we wish vaccines stop transmission, doesn’t make it so. Vax limit spread a bit, but we’ve known for months that breakthroughs are not rare and spread among vax is common
1/
Does this mean that COVID vaccines don’t work? Absolutely not. They work great… for what they were measured and authorized to do - stop disease.
They weren’t authorized for their ability to stop spread. Vaccines work! Let’s be open both about what they do and don’t do well
2/
They weren’t authorized for their ability to stop spread. Vaccines work! Let’s be open both about what they do and don’t do well
2/
The more we try to toe the line and not quite be open w the limitations of vaccines - often suppressing messaging about their limitations - the more those limitations come back to haunt us in the form of loss in confidence across the population in the whole vaccine program.
3/
3/
“Breakthroughs” are common. Spread among vaccinated is common
What is much much less common? Severe disease among vaccinated! This is not common bc vaccines do work.
But let’s not pretend vaccines are doing so well to stop transmission that other efforts are tossed.
4/
What is much much less common? Severe disease among vaccinated! This is not common bc vaccines do work.
But let’s not pretend vaccines are doing so well to stop transmission that other efforts are tossed.
4/
Vaccinate-or-test policies assume some level of equivalency in reducing transmission.
The two strategies are complimentary and should be used together when the goal is to both cut disease (vaccine) and greatly limit spread (test before entering)
5/
The two strategies are complimentary and should be used together when the goal is to both cut disease (vaccine) and greatly limit spread (test before entering)
5/
This is a very nice study that shows that vax have limited ability to stop transmission
Among positive index cases, vaccination among the index cases had no measurable benefot to reduce transmission to household contacts vs unvaccinated index cases
6/
thelancet.com/lancet/article…
Among positive index cases, vaccination among the index cases had no measurable benefot to reduce transmission to household contacts vs unvaccinated index cases
6/
thelancet.com/lancet/article…
There was however some measurable benefit for contacts of being vaccinated vs not, when exposed. The secondary attack rate was 38% among unvax’d contacts and 25% among vax’d.
So there is some benefit
But calling it rare is a symptom of scientific censorship in my view
7/
So there is some benefit
But calling it rare is a symptom of scientific censorship in my view
7/
A bit more information in a different thread regarding transmission is here:
https://twitter.com/michaelmina_lab/status/1453813458089254922?s=20
This is a really nice breakdown of that @TheLancetInfDis paper referenced above in this thread by @jeremyfaust
insidemedicine.bulletin.com/10383893602910…
I agree with most of it. Though I less confident that a more rapid clearance of RNA is actually having a substantial benefit
Worth the read!
insidemedicine.bulletin.com/10383893602910…
I agree with most of it. Though I less confident that a more rapid clearance of RNA is actually having a substantial benefit
Worth the read!
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
