I'd like to wrap up tweeting about vaccine boosters, because I prefer to provide scientific analysis in on controversial or misunderstood issues, not to repeat what's already known.
And now it's clear that boosters were/are needed and were/are useful.
A mini-thread
And now it's clear that boosters were/are needed and were/are useful.
A mini-thread
There were disparate reasons for anti-booster arguments, making for an odd hodgepodge of forces denying booster efficacy or need across the political spectrum. These included:
1. Denial of booster need/efficacy in the US to signal dediction to health outside the US (sadly...
1. Denial of booster need/efficacy in the US to signal dediction to health outside the US (sadly...
...in the way it was communicated, some similarities to the playing it down by the former guy)
2. Reluctance by certain political or media favorites (not using the E word here) to be the bearer of inconvenient news, or to change a position formulated before Delta
2. Reluctance by certain political or media favorites (not using the E word here) to be the bearer of inconvenient news, or to change a position formulated before Delta
3. A misunderstanding that people weren't getting vaccinated due to concerns about efficacy when the unvaxxed were predominantly not concerned enough about getting COVID19
4. Shocking lack of understanding of numbers by unfortunately placed FDA officials
4. Shocking lack of understanding of numbers by unfortunately placed FDA officials
5. Apparent forgetting by many commentators that a big reason to vaccinate is to reduce disease incidence and thereby help protect those who haven't yet gotten boosted/vaccinated.
6. Finally your standard anti-vaxxers who happily amplified arguments 1-5.
And so this week we finally have FDA approval and CDC advice to boost everyone, when we could have had this in August when Israel told us exactly what to do and why, and the upper levels of the WH understood. This is nicely discussed here.
https://twitter.com/VincentRK/status/1460623623203524614
So all the debate from poor scientific understanding feeding anti-health politics amounted to an unnecessary 3mo delay and reduced booster acceptance than what could have been achieved by a timely, unified, fact-driven, educational, and honest booster program.
And now the evidence is now abundant that:
1. there is a need in most Western countries as a seasonal surge hits the northern hemisphere and vax rates remain <90%.
2. boosters prevent deaths, and a lot of this is directly
1. there is a need in most Western countries as a seasonal surge hits the northern hemisphere and vax rates remain <90%.
2. boosters prevent deaths, and a lot of this is directly
The need is obvious — we're seeing surges in colder-weather states. 60-80% vaccination rates (among all ages) is simply not enough to stop Delta from reaching the unvaxxed or unboosted with its high contagiousness. From today's nytimes below 
The efficacy of boosts is obvious too. It was obvious from just serology data, but also from the Israel MOH data in August, or the Israel NEJM paper in September (nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…) or the Pfizer Phase 3 trial in October showing 95% fewer cases in 3 shots vs 2 shots waned.
Most recently we have a Lancet study from Israel in late October comparing 2 shots waned to 3 shots on hosp and death. Boosters reduce those severe events 6-7x. So the claim that the 2 shots protected very well against severe disease even after waning is also now refuted.
I never expected to comment much on vaccines, as I figured it wouldn't be hard for the media to find knowledgeable people to explain them (or at least stop quoting people who are proven wrong). Turned out that didn't always happen, so I did my best to fill the gap.
Now that these questions are getting settled (sadly, by bad scenarios being realized) I hope to return my attention to my actual jobs: molecular engineering, chemical biology, reporter development, and (as SARSCoV2 will remain an major problem of our lifetime) coronavirus drugs.
P.S. Lancet study link: thelancet.com/journals/lance…
P.P.S. Similar confirmation in the US (from none other than Dr. Fauci) that boosters reduce hospitalizations among previously vaccinated
nbcnews.com/health/health-…
nbcnews.com/health/health-…
Just when I thought we could put the booster issue behind us. Regardless of their intentions, some doctors need to do a little reading and thinking (or ask someone to explain to them) before issuing their opinions.
As a scientist at a prestigious institution with some rather smart peers, I'd be embarrassed to make such a simple logical mistake as above, and would make sure to double-check myself before posting incorrect interpretations in the future, i.e. I'd learn.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
