The @CDCgov doubles down on its flawed, not evidence based Covid recommendations with a new guidance document 1. Leaves fully vaccinated = 2 shots, stay "up to date" 2. Leaves isolation at 5 days w/o rapid tests 3. Pushes "community levels" when real info is "transmission levels"
The 4th shot in Americans age 50+
10% age 50-64
25% age 65+
The US now ranks 80th in the world for booster vaccines at 32% of population ig.ft.com/coronavirus-va…
Our CDC at work. This is embarrassing, to say the least.
Summary of data supporting survival benefit of a 4th shot
The US booster botch for even 3rd shots. All @OECD countries except US >70 boosters/100 residents
Other notable comparators
Peru 71
Cuba 67
Mexico 44
Panama 44
Rwanda 41
Tajikistan 37
Sri Lanka 37
Uzbekistan 36
Iran 34
US 32
• • •
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Why are people age 50+ at higher risk of severe Covid?
A new @PNASNews study indicates their significant narrowing of T cell diversity in response to infections may be part of the explanation pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pn…
End of paper:
"Consistent w/ this perspective, 70 investigators signed a letter to the FDA on April 21, 2022 encouraging the inclusion of T cell responses in addition to antibody titers for the evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in humans"
Letter (I signed) drive.google.com/file/d/1OPfStq…
There are 5 studies that show reduction of mortality for a 2nd booster (vs 1st booster), in people ranging from age 50+ to 80+, as I've tried to summarize here. All during Omicron and subvariants.
It accompanies an elegant study in people & mice. There was little to no lower respiratory mucosal immunity (BAL nAb) vs Omicron after mRNA vaccines, but this was markedly ameliorated w/adding a nasal vaccine in mice science.org/doi/10.1126/sc… by @ImmunologyTang@Jie_Immunology
That's "lightning speed" not lightened.
There are now 12 nasal vaccines in clinical trials and 4 are far along, in Phase 3.
But no plans for manufacturing at scale, distribution, accelerating. No government support. Yet a major unmet need
New CDC @CDCMMWR on Omicron variants (BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1) Importance of booster to restore vaccine effectiveness improved after significant drop-off (Table), BA.2/BA.2.12.1 variants worse decline
Benefit
3rd shot all ages 18+
4th shot age 50+ cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/7…
This is quite telling about the slippage of protection of vaccines vs hospitalizations. With BA.2/BA.2.12.1 and 3 shots, in age 50+, vaccine effectiveness was only 55%.
Restored to 80% w/ 4th shot
Too much happy talk about vaccines providing great protection from severe disease
Recall that through the Delta variant w/ a 3rd shot booster, vaccine effectiveness vs hospitalizations was maintained ~95%