Many thanks to Jim @Acosta for hosting me @CNNSitRoom room this evening. I explained why the Omicron variant is of concern but why the sky is not falling, as far as I can tell. Here’s why…
First, Omicron from the reports I've seen so far does not appear to cause more severe disease than alpha or delta, it's not the Andromeda strain.
Second, while the numerous mutations in the spike protein + RBD concerning, we do not know yet if this translates into immune escape. The scientists at our @TexasChildrens Center for Vaccine Development are now looking to see if our recomb protein vaccine will neutralize Omicron
Third, so far variants of concern that are partially resistant to vaccine-induced immunity have not really taken off. For example, B.1.351 the Beta variant (remember that one?) from ZA never accelerated globally. Same with Lambda from South America
Fourth, therefore our worst global COVID variants are those which are highly transmissible, alpha, later outcompeted by delta. So the big question is whether Omicron can outcompete Delta, and we'll know more in the coming week(s).
Fifth, in the meantime the delta variant in unvaccinated or under vaccinated populations is one of the leading killers in America. 41% of the US population remains unvaccinated, including kids and adults who are defiant. Also waning immunity from 2 mRNA doses - get your booster
Sixth, those who are infected and recovered still need to get vaccinated to become more resilient against the variants. So rather than focus on travel restrictions that probably won't do much (because they haven't previously) focus on vaccinating the American people
Finally, remember that Omicron like Alpha/Delta arose from an unvaccinated population. Had G7 leaders committed to vaccinating the African continent we would not be having this discussion. There's not enough mRNA/adeno to vaccinate Global South, but lots of our protein vaccine
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I don’t understand what NY Times is trying to do today, I mean I get the part below, but why that headline? And why bury the overwhelming benefits of Covid immunizations? Why say “for most people” the benefits outweighs the risks. Say it as it is >99.9%
And you point out how 200,000 Americans needlessly perished because they refused Covid vaccines from a predatory and political vaccine campaign amazon.com/Deadly-Rise-An…
Between this and the mainstream media’s obsession with false equivalency between natural Covid origins vs gain of function/lab leak, they are not helpful
1/n update on Covid in U.S. first some good news, latest from CDC shows we’re now at about our lowest levels of new COVID hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic…
2/n also Covid wastewater numbers looking pretty good, so as I said a few weeks ago, it looks like we might a low Covid spring or at least May. Good for HS or college graduations
3/n the concerning trend is one @EricTopol and others pointed earlier today namely these newer FLiRT variants, if and when they go over 50% will the numbers rise again?
1/n I’m seeing on social media and popular podcasts, awful nonsense and false claims about Covid immunizations in pregnancy causing autism in newborns. This is dangerous health disinformation at multiple levels. Here is the real story.
2/n First the adverse health impact of Covid on both pregnant mother and new baby is undisputed, it’s devastating for both, especially high maternal morbidity and mortality journals.plos.org/plosone/articl…
3/n moreover the health benefits of Covid vaccinations for both mother and newborn are also indisputable and life saving. This from @LancetDigitalH thelancet.com/journals/landi…
1/n Latest from @IHME_UW and their new Global Burden of Disease 2021 data for COVID19 excess mortality in 2021. A few things: First, it helps dispel the myth that LMIC nations on the African Continent were spared the ravages of Covid. A reason…
2/n a reason is low vaccination rates. My view: the overemphasis on speed or new technologies and innovations, there were insufficient mRNA and particle vaccine doses made in 2020-21, and these were bought up quickly by high income countries.
3/n I believe if our @TexasChildrens vaccine group received more international assistance we could have moved faster to help LMICs in Africa. As it is even without that help (or very modest help), at least 100 million doses of our low-cost, patent-free Covid vaccine administered