As a T-cell specialized vaccine immunologist/biologist/virologist, I feel 😩watching ppl over emphasize neutralizing antibodies’ role.
They’re doing the very thing viral vaccine immunologists know not to do!! T-cells do the heavy lifting here + more is needed. It’s not this/or 🧵
Using neutralizing Abs to define effectiveness is 😩

This over reliance & emphasis on describing adaptive immune function as primarily neutralizing is partly why ppl are now just throwing caution to the wind & no longer willing to even believe we know how to combat this virus.
From antivaxxer to CDC/NAAID & media, they all confuse the situation with their neutralizing antibody overemphasis.

In fact, this neutralizing antibody overemphasis is now undermining even vaccine confidence & feeding vaccine/booster hesitancy because everyone feels confused.
Whether infection or vaccine, the immunity generated goes BEYOND neutralizing antibody or B cells. Yet, I suspect ppl talk about these because it’s simpler to explain than the multitude of short peptides that give the true clonal repertoire of T cells that clear the infection.
Curbing virus’ ability to “go viral” is multi-pronged & includes MORE than neutralizing antibodies. In fact, that’s a small part of EVERYTHING needed. Let’s not get 1 tracked now. Things necessary to fight the pandemic remain unchanged but our messaging is getting too narrowed!
Needs
👍🏾 decrease exposure to virus: physical distancing, contact tracing, frequent testing!
👍🏾 minimize number of viral particles shed: masks & quarantine!
👍🏾shorten duration of infection/transmission: vaccine & therapeutics!
👍🏾 mitigate spread, if infected: hygiene & isolation!
These vaccines are not designed to primarily neutralize the virus or prevent infection. Vaccines against viruses aren’t really ever designed w/ that intent. Yet, most everyone is trying to distill the science down to “neutralization” & hence why so many ppl are confused …flawed!

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More from @DrCindyMDuke

29 Dec
One of the best ways to know that you're ready for conception, and even learn the best things to do to prepare yourself for pregnancy, is to get your preconception (fertility) checkup!
Set up an appointment with your doctor so that they could review your medical history and discuss plans and proper ways to help you jumpstart your journey to pregnancy.
To assist you with financing your journey to parenthood, @fertilitynevada now offers in-house financing, in addition to continued access to various third-party provider financing options.

We will custom-tailor a down-payment and payment plan that meets your specific needs.
Read 4 tweets
28 Dec
For the pediatricians & parents out there, see 🧵 & stay on alert. Get your eligible Littles vaccinated & ensure that everyone who is eligible in your circle vaccinates/boosts, masks & takes all precautions.

NB: this is a preprint. Omicron ID’d in Nov.

medrxiv.org/content/10.110…
This study describes the rapid rise in pediatric COVID-19-associated hospitalizations in Tshwane District in the Gauteng Province of South Africa – one of the first known epicentres of the new Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The study describes the clinical picture & outcomes in children in the current wave of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infections by incorporating data from 42 hospitals at all levels of care in a large district w/in the South African health system.
Read 10 tweets
9 Aug
"If you're on thyroid medication, Dr. Duke stresses the importance of checking in with your thyroid throughout pregnancy. "The fetal brain [and] spinal cord start forming at around 21 days, and the pregnancy hormone can actually activate your thyroid,” she explains.
“So, sometimes medicine needs to be tweaked in the first trimester. I check it with the first pregnancy test, and then once per trimester, and at delivery."

Check out this blog from @modernfertility as I answer the most common questions about thyroid problems.
Read the full content here: modernfertility.com/blog/problems-…

You can also listen to the entirety of the webinar version on the link.
Read 4 tweets
9 Aug
Way too many people out there are weaponizing the word “natural”!

1/8
Whether it be “natural conception”, “natural birth”, “natural medicine” “natural beauty” or now, “natural immunity”, a certain segment of the population has coopted the meaning of “natural” & this is really fueling misinformation & exploitation of many vulnerable people …
2/8
Especially in BIPOC communities.

People are literally becoming severely injured or dying in pursuit of “natural” to the detriment of their high risk pregnancies, severe hypertension, out of control diabetes, kidney disease & now, their immune health.

3/8
Read 8 tweets

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