They are messing around all over the world trying to "prevent" or cure something. It comes down to security and responsibilities. As we have seen it doesn't take much for an experiment to become a pandemic killing 10 million people. It's the world we live in. Some nut case will soon put these virus into a drone and boom .
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this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
Pfizer study says updated COVID boosters rev up protection
By LAURAN NEERGAARD
Today
Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 booster significantly revved up adults’ virus-fighting antibodies, the company said Friday, releasing early findings from a rigorous study of the new shots.
Booster doses tweaked to target the most common omicron strain rolled out in early September, and the Food and Drug Administration said the latest data should spur more Americans to get one — especially before another expected wave of cases as people travel for Thanksgiving.
Pfizer said people 55 and older who got the omicron-targeting booster had four-fold higher antibody levels than those given an extra dose of the original vaccine.
With many Americans reluctant to roll up their sleeves again, perhaps the better question is how the new booster compares to going without another dose.
A hint: A month after receiving the new booster, antibody levels in people 55 and older had jumped 13 times higher than before the extra dose. Younger adults saw a 9.5-fold jump, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said. It had been about 11 months since the study participants’ last vaccination.
It’s too soon to know how much real-world protection the antibody boost translates into -- and how long it will last. The results are preliminary, the study is still underway and infection-fighting antibodies naturally wane over time.
Still, the FDA had cleared the updated boosters without first requiring testing in people, basing the decision on studies of a similarly tweaked vaccine — against an earlier omicron strain — rather than the exact recipe.
So the new data “reassures us that this was a good decision to move to this bivalent vaccine,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press. “Right now is the time for people to consider going out and get the updated” booster.
Health experts say it's shaping up to be a rough winter. Flu season is starting unusually early and harsh, children's hospitals are packed with another respiratory illness named RSV, and COVID-19 cases again are expected to rise with holiday gatherings.
The original COVID-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, especially among younger and healthier people who’ve gotten at least one booster — a reason for anyone who hasn't gotten their first set of shots to do so. But effectiveness drops as new mutants emerge and more time passes since someone’s last shot.
The updated doses are combination shots, tailored to offer a boost of protection against both the original coronavirus strain and the dominant BA.5 strain. Pfizer’s shot is available for anyone 5 or older. Moderna’s version of the updated booster is for those 6 and older.
About 26.3 million Americans have gotten an updated booster since they rolled out in early September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some small studies have recently raised questions about how much advantage the updated boosters will offer rather than just getting another dose of the original vaccine.
Pfizer’s early findings compared several dozen younger and older adults given the bivalent booster with a group who received a fourth dose of the company's original vaccine.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,939
What’s behind worrying RSV surge in US children's hospitals?
By CARLA K. JOHNSON
24 Oct 2022
Children's hospitals in parts of the U.S. are seeing a surge in a common respiratory illness that can cause severe breathing problems for babies.
RSV cases fell dramatically two years ago as the pandemic shut down schools, day cares and businesses. With restrictions easing in the summer of 2021, doctors saw an alarming increase in what is normally a fall and winter virus.
Now, it's back again. And doctors are bracing for the possibility that RSV, flu and COVID-19 could combine to stress hospitals.
“I'm calling it an emergency,” said Dr. Juan Salazar of Connecticut Children’s Hospital, where RSV has caused a shuffling of patients into playrooms and other spaces not normally used for beds. The institution explored using a National Guard field hospital, but has set aside that option for now.
A look at RSV and what the recent surge may mean:
WHAT IS RSV?
It stands for respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of mild cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, cough and fever. Nearly all U.S. children normally catch an RSV infection by age 2.
People infected are usually contagious for three to eight days. Babies and people with weakened immune systems can spread RSV for up to four weeks. There is no vaccine for it, though several candidates are in testing.
Everyone can get RSV. But it causes the most threat to infants, older adults and other vulnerable people, who can get serious airway and lung infections.
Among U.S. kids under age 5, RSV typically leads to 58,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 deaths in a year.
For adults 65 and older, RSV causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly.
For babies, the struggle to breathe can interfere with eating. “And that’s really when we start to worry,” said Dr. Melanie Kitagawa of Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where more than 40 children have RSV.
“They’re breathing fast, breathing deep. We see them using muscles in their chest to help them breathe,” Kitagawa said. “These are kids who are having difficulty taking a bottle because their breathing is being impacted and they can't coordinate both at once."
WHY IS THERE AN INCREASE NOW?
The virus is encountering a highly vulnerable population of babies and children who were sheltered from common bugs during the pandemic lockdowns.
Immune systems might not be as prepared to fight the virus after more than two years of masking, which offered protection, according to Dr. Elizabeth Mack of Medical University of South Carolina.
“South Carolina is drowning in RSV,” Mack said in a news release. The surge arrived earlier this year than normal, she said.
For babies, their mothers may not have been infected with RSV during pregnancy, which could have given the children some immunity.
U.S. health officials have noted a rise this month in national reports of respiratory illnesses, which they say is at least partly due to the early spread of flu in much of the South.
Last week, more than 7,000 tests came back positive for RSV, according to CDC figures. That's more than in previous surges.
IS THERE A TREATMENT?
There's no specific treatment, so it's a matter of managing symptoms and letting the virus run its course. Doctors may prescribe oral steroids or an inhaler to make breathing easier.
In serious cases, patients in the hospital may get oxygen, a breathing tube or a ventilator.
WHAT DO DOCTORS RECOMMEND?
Prevent the spread of viruses by washing hands thoroughly and staying home when you're sick.
During RSV season, an injection of an antibody-based medicine is sometimes prescribed to protect premature infants and other very vulnerable babies.
If you're worried your child is having a severe breathing problem, “do not hesitate” to go to an emergency department or call 911, said Dr. Russell Migita of Seattle Children’s Hospital, where RSV is on the rise.
For less severe medical problems, Migita said, call your regular health care provider for advice, use telehealth or go to urgent care.
In Chicago on Saturday, Dr. Juanita Mora saw a family of five kids all with RSV, ranging from a 3-year-old to a teenager. Fearing what’s ahead this winter, she’s telling everyone to get a flu shot and a COVID-19 booster.
“We don’t want a triple whammy, a triple pandemic,” Mora said.
___
Associated Press/Report for America reporter James Pollard contributed from Columbia, South Carolina. AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe contributed.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
WHO, CDC: A record 40 million kids miss measles vaccine dose
Today
LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.
In a report issued Wednesday, the WHO and the CDC said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.
The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”
Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.
“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.
More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose vaccine against it is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.
In July, the U.N. said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
I got a booster on Friday. I was on the fence. I had a massively bad reaction to my 3rd shot (Moderna). Got a fever so hot, and gave me such bad chills, I got a heat rash all over myself, because I took every blanket in the house and dumped on myself because I felt cold (even though I had a raging fever). My wife was probably 2 minutes from call an ambulance for me.
I was really reluctant to get a 4th shot, but with Christmas coming up, I figured I should.
I got covid 4 months after my last booster, and the poster above got it 1 month after theirs. I guess what I don't get, is ok, booster boost your antibodies for a very short period of time (maybe a few months at best). What I dont' get is. How effect are those antibodies at stopping infection. The other question is how good is tcell memory for covid? Are people really in that much danger from not getting booster, if there bodies (Tcells) remember how to fight it from previous vaccinations and infections? Is it still life threatening to get covid, or has this diminished it's strength to that of more common viruses?
I wish the news articles would talk more about the Tcell stuff. I'm not sure how much I left in me to keep getting booster which maybe boost antibodies which sort of work for maybe a few months...
Got my booster yesterday along with the flu shot. I would guess that the booster rate is pretty low as there were a massive number of open slots at Walgreen's when I set up the appointment online. It wasn't like that back in June for my last booster.
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago 2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy 2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE) 2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston 2020: Oakland, Oakland:2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana 2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville 2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
I got the new booster a few weeks ago. I had mild reactions to the other shots - slight fever but nothing terrible. My mom got such a bad reaction to the new booster that I was nervous to get it. But I had no reaction to it at all - my arm was barely sore. It is weird how both Covid and the boosters hit people so differently.
I got the new booster a few weeks ago. I had mild reactions to the other shots - slight fever but nothing terrible. My mom got such a bad reaction to the new booster that I was nervous to get it. But I had no reaction to it at all - my arm was barely sore. It is weird how both Covid and the boosters hit people so differently.
Luckily I haven't had any reactions either....same as you so far with the slightly sore arm
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago 2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy 2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE) 2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston 2020: Oakland, Oakland:2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana 2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville 2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,939
I got a booster on Friday. I was on the fence. I had a massively bad reaction to my 3rd shot (Moderna). Got a fever so hot, and gave me such bad chills, I got a heat rash all over myself, because I took every blanket in the house and dumped on myself because I felt cold (even though I had a raging fever). My wife was probably 2 minutes from call an ambulance for me.
I was really reluctant to get a 4th shot, but with Christmas coming up, I figured I should.
I got covid 4 months after my last booster, and the poster above got it 1 month after theirs. I guess what I don't get, is ok, booster boost your antibodies for a very short period of time (maybe a few months at best). What I dont' get is. How effect are those antibodies at stopping infection. The other question is how good is tcell memory for covid? Are people really in that much danger from not getting booster, if there bodies (Tcells) remember how to fight it from previous vaccinations and infections? Is it still life threatening to get covid, or has this diminished it's strength to that of more common viruses?
I wish the news articles would talk more about the Tcell stuff. I'm not sure how much I left in me to keep getting booster which maybe boost antibodies which sort of work for maybe a few months...
sooo, I'm hearing 2 months to reboost. and now with the BiValent booster it covers both the original and the still dominant omicron varients b4 and b5?
I had my 4th shot in june. on the 20th. aug 14th , I home tested positive. super mild. had worse body aches and headache with a headcold.
the show were never set up to prevent infection. but rather to help avoid hospitalizations and severe outcomes. Flu shot doesnt prevent, if they guess which strain right, but rather gives the body a leg up in fighting it. same with covid.
latest varients are said to be the most contagious but the least lethal.
good news is, the mrnas vaccines are highly adaptable and more quickly adaptable. AND the knowledge gained from that platform of vaccine they ate now testing a cancer vaccine or are about too start trials.
I just received booster shot 3, meaning 5 total on board. soreness was it, maybe a brief bout of chills 24 hrs after. I lose too much money in lost wages being forced off minimum 5 days to fuck around.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
I got a booster on Friday. I was on the fence. I had a massively bad reaction to my 3rd shot (Moderna). Got a fever so hot, and gave me such bad chills, I got a heat rash all over myself, because I took every blanket in the house and dumped on myself because I felt cold (even though I had a raging fever). My wife was probably 2 minutes from call an ambulance for me.
I was really reluctant to get a 4th shot, but with Christmas coming up, I figured I should.
I got covid 4 months after my last booster, and the poster above got it 1 month after theirs. I guess what I don't get, is ok, booster boost your antibodies for a very short period of time (maybe a few months at best). What I dont' get is. How effect are those antibodies at stopping infection. The other question is how good is tcell memory for covid? Are people really in that much danger from not getting booster, if there bodies (Tcells) remember how to fight it from previous vaccinations and infections? Is it still life threatening to get covid, or has this diminished it's strength to that of more common viruses?
I wish the news articles would talk more about the Tcell stuff. I'm not sure how much I left in me to keep getting booster which maybe boost antibodies which sort of work for maybe a few months...
the shot were never set up to prevent infection. but rather to help avoid hospitalizations and severe outcomes. Flu shot doesnt prevent, if they guess which strain right, but rather gives the body a leg up in fighting it. same with covid.
We were told originally the shots were intended to prevent infection. Obviously, the virus has been constantly mutating, but the narrative that the vaccine was never intended to prevent infection, only reduce severity is absolutely false.
I got a booster on Friday. I was on the fence. I had a massively bad reaction to my 3rd shot (Moderna). Got a fever so hot, and gave me such bad chills, I got a heat rash all over myself, because I took every blanket in the house and dumped on myself because I felt cold (even though I had a raging fever). My wife was probably 2 minutes from call an ambulance for me.
I was really reluctant to get a 4th shot, but with Christmas coming up, I figured I should.
I got covid 4 months after my last booster, and the poster above got it 1 month after theirs. I guess what I don't get, is ok, booster boost your antibodies for a very short period of time (maybe a few months at best). What I dont' get is. How effect are those antibodies at stopping infection. The other question is how good is tcell memory for covid? Are people really in that much danger from not getting booster, if there bodies (Tcells) remember how to fight it from previous vaccinations and infections? Is it still life threatening to get covid, or has this diminished it's strength to that of more common viruses?
I wish the news articles would talk more about the Tcell stuff. I'm not sure how much I left in me to keep getting booster which maybe boost antibodies which sort of work for maybe a few months...
the shot were never set up to prevent infection. but rather to help avoid hospitalizations and severe outcomes. Flu shot doesnt prevent, if they guess which strain right, but rather gives the body a leg up in fighting it. same with covid.
We were told originally the shots were intended to prevent infection. Obviously, the virus has been constantly mutating, but the narrative that the vaccine was never intended to prevent infection, only reduce severity is absolutely false.
That narrative lasted about five minutes so no need to dwell on it. As new information rolled out it was shared with us.
Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago 2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy 2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE) 2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston 2020: Oakland, Oakland:2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana 2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville 2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
I got a booster on Friday. I was on the fence. I had a massively bad reaction to my 3rd shot (Moderna). Got a fever so hot, and gave me such bad chills, I got a heat rash all over myself, because I took every blanket in the house and dumped on myself because I felt cold (even though I had a raging fever). My wife was probably 2 minutes from call an ambulance for me.
I was really reluctant to get a 4th shot, but with Christmas coming up, I figured I should.
I got covid 4 months after my last booster, and the poster above got it 1 month after theirs. I guess what I don't get, is ok, booster boost your antibodies for a very short period of time (maybe a few months at best). What I dont' get is. How effect are those antibodies at stopping infection. The other question is how good is tcell memory for covid? Are people really in that much danger from not getting booster, if there bodies (Tcells) remember how to fight it from previous vaccinations and infections? Is it still life threatening to get covid, or has this diminished it's strength to that of more common viruses?
I wish the news articles would talk more about the Tcell stuff. I'm not sure how much I left in me to keep getting booster which maybe boost antibodies which sort of work for maybe a few months...
the shot were never set up to prevent infection. but rather to help avoid hospitalizations and severe outcomes. Flu shot doesnt prevent, if they guess which strain right, but rather gives the body a leg up in fighting it. same with covid.
We were told originally the shots were intended to prevent infection. Obviously, the virus has been constantly mutating, but the narrative that the vaccine was never intended to prevent infection, only reduce severity is absolutely false.
That narrative lasted about five minutes so no need to dwell on it. As new information rolled out it was shared with us.
I understand about the variants and new info etc. Got my 4th shot a couple weeks ago, am all in favor of the vaccine, just want to be clear that in late 2020 we were absolutely told that both mRNA vaxes had 90%+ effectiveness at preventing infection. This was absolutely what the intention was, preventing infection and trying to stamp out the virus. Obviously, mutation coupled with the large number of folks who refused the shot ended any chance of the virus being stamped out, and now we are told vax helps keep symptoms/effects of the virus less severe, but it is disingenuous to say as Mick did the shots "were never set up to prevent infection", that's exactly what they were originally set up to do. Changin the narrative only gives fuel to anti-vax rhetoric.
And they sort of seem to keep dwelling on it. When you read about the merit of boosters, they only quote science about how the antibody response, and antibodies are the part that keep you immune. They don't seem to talk much about other aspects, like the tcell response. If you have 3 shots, will your tcell response be that much different than if you get a 4th kind of thing. I'd expect covid hospitalization to be higher than it is, if this wasn't the case, as less people keep getting each round of vaccines, but hospitalizations here aren't changing much (at least not from covid).
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,939
And they sort of seem to keep dwelling on it. When you read about the merit of boosters, they only quote science about how the antibody response, and antibodies are the part that keep you immune. They don't seem to talk much about other aspects, like the tcell response. If you have 3 shots, will your tcell response be that much different than if you get a 4th kind of thing. I'd expect covid hospitalization to be higher than it is, if this wasn't the case, as less people keep getting each round of vaccines, but hospitalizations here aren't changing much (at least not from covid).
studies are published and available to wade through.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
And they sort of seem to keep dwelling on it. When you read about the merit of boosters, they only quote science about how the antibody response, and antibodies are the part that keep you immune. They don't seem to talk much about other aspects, like the tcell response. If you have 3 shots, will your tcell response be that much different than if you get a 4th kind of thing. I'd expect covid hospitalization to be higher than it is, if this wasn't the case, as less people keep getting each round of vaccines, but hospitalizations here aren't changing much (at least not from covid).
studies are published and available to wade through.
Yah, but I'm not a scientist. I'm just hoping for more well rounded articles to discuss the pros/cons of repeated boosters
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mickeyrat
up my ass, like Chadwick was up his Posts: 35,939
And they sort of seem to keep dwelling on it. When you read about the merit of boosters, they only quote science about how the antibody response, and antibodies are the part that keep you immune. They don't seem to talk much about other aspects, like the tcell response. If you have 3 shots, will your tcell response be that much different than if you get a 4th kind of thing. I'd expect covid hospitalization to be higher than it is, if this wasn't the case, as less people keep getting each round of vaccines, but hospitalizations here aren't changing much (at least not from covid).
studies are published and available to wade through.
Yah, but I'm not a scientist. I'm just hoping for more well rounded articles to discuss the pros/cons of repeated boosters
it may help to think of it this way. its recommended to get a yearly flu shot as the dominant strain changes every year and theres slight mutation. but the flu is seasonal. so more than once per year is not needed.
covid is year round, appears to more easily mutate and may be more easily transmitted. good news is the mrna platform is easily updated.
my pcp doc has suggested 6 months between boosters or after 3 months from infection if not boostered.
cdc on the other hand seems to be on a 2 month cycle.
had 4 on board in june. positive in aug. super mild for me. wife never tested positive via home test but had same symptoms as me and her son. her son tested postive, his second time (first in Dec '20) and had only done j&j and one booster I think in 21. he was laid the fuck out for a couple weeks. I could have went back to work after 2 days but for quarantine protocols.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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hartford 06
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this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
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I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
Pfizer’s updated COVID-19 booster significantly revved up adults’ virus-fighting antibodies, the company said Friday, releasing early findings from a rigorous study of the new shots.
Booster doses tweaked to target the most common omicron strain rolled out in early September, and the Food and Drug Administration said the latest data should spur more Americans to get one — especially before another expected wave of cases as people travel for Thanksgiving.
Pfizer said people 55 and older who got the omicron-targeting booster had four-fold higher antibody levels than those given an extra dose of the original vaccine.
With many Americans reluctant to roll up their sleeves again, perhaps the better question is how the new booster compares to going without another dose.
A hint: A month after receiving the new booster, antibody levels in people 55 and older had jumped 13 times higher than before the extra dose. Younger adults saw a 9.5-fold jump, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said. It had been about 11 months since the study participants’ last vaccination.
It’s too soon to know how much real-world protection the antibody boost translates into -- and how long it will last. The results are preliminary, the study is still underway and infection-fighting antibodies naturally wane over time.
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Still, the FDA had cleared the updated boosters without first requiring testing in people, basing the decision on studies of a similarly tweaked vaccine — against an earlier omicron strain — rather than the exact recipe.
So the new data “reassures us that this was a good decision to move to this bivalent vaccine,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press. “Right now is the time for people to consider going out and get the updated” booster.
Health experts say it's shaping up to be a rough winter. Flu season is starting unusually early and harsh, children's hospitals are packed with another respiratory illness named RSV, and COVID-19 cases again are expected to rise with holiday gatherings.
The original COVID-19 vaccines still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, especially among younger and healthier people who’ve gotten at least one booster — a reason for anyone who hasn't gotten their first set of shots to do so. But effectiveness drops as new mutants emerge and more time passes since someone’s last shot.
The updated doses are combination shots, tailored to offer a boost of protection against both the original coronavirus strain and the dominant BA.5 strain. Pfizer’s shot is available for anyone 5 or older. Moderna’s version of the updated booster is for those 6 and older.
About 26.3 million Americans have gotten an updated booster since they rolled out in early September, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Some small studies have recently raised questions about how much advantage the updated boosters will offer rather than just getting another dose of the original vaccine.
Pfizer’s early findings compared several dozen younger and older adults given the bivalent booster with a group who received a fourth dose of the company's original vaccine.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Children's hospitals in parts of the U.S. are seeing a surge in a common respiratory illness that can cause severe breathing problems for babies.
RSV cases fell dramatically two years ago as the pandemic shut down schools, day cares and businesses. With restrictions easing in the summer of 2021, doctors saw an alarming increase in what is normally a fall and winter virus.
Now, it's back again. And doctors are bracing for the possibility that RSV, flu and COVID-19 could combine to stress hospitals.
“I'm calling it an emergency,” said Dr. Juan Salazar of Connecticut Children’s Hospital, where RSV has caused a shuffling of patients into playrooms and other spaces not normally used for beds. The institution explored using a National Guard field hospital, but has set aside that option for now.
A look at RSV and what the recent surge may mean:
WHAT IS RSV?
It stands for respiratory syncytial virus, a common cause of mild cold-like symptoms such as runny nose, cough and fever. Nearly all U.S. children normally catch an RSV infection by age 2.
People infected are usually contagious for three to eight days. Babies and people with weakened immune systems can spread RSV for up to four weeks. There is no vaccine for it, though several candidates are in testing.
SCIENCE
Death in US gene therapy study sparks search for answers
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WHO DOES IT AFFECT?
Everyone can get RSV. But it causes the most threat to infants, older adults and other vulnerable people, who can get serious airway and lung infections.
Among U.S. kids under age 5, RSV typically leads to 58,000 hospitalizations and up to 500 deaths in a year.
For adults 65 and older, RSV causes 177,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths yearly.
For babies, the struggle to breathe can interfere with eating. “And that’s really when we start to worry,” said Dr. Melanie Kitagawa of Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where more than 40 children have RSV.
“They’re breathing fast, breathing deep. We see them using muscles in their chest to help them breathe,” Kitagawa said. “These are kids who are having difficulty taking a bottle because their breathing is being impacted and they can't coordinate both at once."
WHY IS THERE AN INCREASE NOW?
The virus is encountering a highly vulnerable population of babies and children who were sheltered from common bugs during the pandemic lockdowns.
Immune systems might not be as prepared to fight the virus after more than two years of masking, which offered protection, according to Dr. Elizabeth Mack of Medical University of South Carolina.
“South Carolina is drowning in RSV,” Mack said in a news release. The surge arrived earlier this year than normal, she said.
For babies, their mothers may not have been infected with RSV during pregnancy, which could have given the children some immunity.
U.S. health officials have noted a rise this month in national reports of respiratory illnesses, which they say is at least partly due to the early spread of flu in much of the South.
Last week, more than 7,000 tests came back positive for RSV, according to CDC figures. That's more than in previous surges.
IS THERE A TREATMENT?
There's no specific treatment, so it's a matter of managing symptoms and letting the virus run its course. Doctors may prescribe oral steroids or an inhaler to make breathing easier.
In serious cases, patients in the hospital may get oxygen, a breathing tube or a ventilator.
WHAT DO DOCTORS RECOMMEND?
Prevent the spread of viruses by washing hands thoroughly and staying home when you're sick.
During RSV season, an injection of an antibody-based medicine is sometimes prescribed to protect premature infants and other very vulnerable babies.
If you're worried your child is having a severe breathing problem, “do not hesitate” to go to an emergency department or call 911, said Dr. Russell Migita of Seattle Children’s Hospital, where RSV is on the rise.
For less severe medical problems, Migita said, call your regular health care provider for advice, use telehealth or go to urgent care.
In Chicago on Saturday, Dr. Juanita Mora saw a family of five kids all with RSV, ranging from a 3-year-old to a teenager. Fearing what’s ahead this winter, she’s telling everyone to get a flu shot and a COVID-19 booster.
“We don’t want a triple whammy, a triple pandemic,” Mora said.
___
Associated Press/Report for America reporter James Pollard contributed from Columbia, South Carolina. AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe contributed.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
www.headstonesband.com
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
LONDON (AP) — The World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.
In a report issued Wednesday, the WHO and the CDC said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.
The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”
Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.
“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
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Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.
More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose vaccine against it is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.
In July, the U.N. said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
www.headstonesband.com
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
astoria 06
albany 06
hartford 06
reading 06
barcelona 06
paris 06
wembley 07
dusseldorf 07
nijmegen 07
this song is meant to be called i got shit,itshould be called i got shit tickets-hartford 06 -
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
2013: London ON, Chicago; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
2020: Oakland, Oakland: 2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
Prague Krakow Berlin 2018. Berlin 2022
EV, Taormina 1+2 2017.
I wish i was the souvenir you kept your house key on..
studies are published and available to wade through.
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14