All About Vaccines

[JB]

Our provincial government is getting rid of a lot of health measures, like masking indoors. This doesn't make me feel good about going out to restaurants and movies--it makes me more fearful and like maybe I should go out less and avoid public places more. I just don't believe these changes are being done because of science--it's more likely because certain people are using trucks to intimidate politicians.

I was thinking of going to see THE BATMAN, but now I don't know if I want to sit in a theatre full of unmasked people. That seems like the last thing I should do.

Do what you feel is best for you and your safety. It does seem very premature to be dropping all of these mandates especially masks. Here in the US it's a big election year so I'm sure politics are mixed in with these decisions.

[Tami]

We're not done yet

BA.5, now dominant U.S. variant, may pose the biggest threat to immune protection yet

A new version of omicron is dominant in the U.S.

The coronavirus subvariant known as BA.5 accounted for nearly 54% of the country's Covid cases as of Saturday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A similar subvariant, BA.4, makes up 17% more.

Montefiori estimated that BA.4 and BA.5 are about three times less sensitive to neutralizing antibodies from existing Covid vaccines than the original version of the omicron variant, BA.1. Other research suggests that BA.4 and BA.5 are four times more resistant to antibodies from vaccines than BA.2, which replaced the omicron variant as the U.S.'s dominant version of the coronavirus in April.

Francois Balloux, the director of the University College London Genetics Institute, said that's most likely another reason the subvariants have taken over.

"At this stage now, I think all these variants actually are roughly equally transmissible, so there’s not a huge difference," he said."It’s just some are slightly better at infecting people who have been vaccinated or infected by previous variants."

The Food and Drug Administration last week recommended modifying coming booster shots from Pfizer and Moderna to target BA.4 and BA.5 directly.

Pfizer has told NBC News that it could have an updated vaccine targeting BA.4 and BA.5 ready to be distributed in October.

[JB]

We're not done yet

BA.5, now dominant U.S. variant, may pose the biggest threat to immune protection yet

Yeah a few businesses in my area like the Apple store have started mandating masks for employees again.

[Tami]

Yeah a few businesses in my area like the Apple store have started mandating masks for employees again.

Masks in my area are now mostly by choice, except for certain places like Doctors' Offices and Hospitals. Some places still ask visitors to mask up, many have started taking down their barriers and allowing their workers to decide for themselves.

I try to carry masks with me, and if I feel that I need to wear them I do. I got a little lax this year, partly from Mask Fatigue, partly from being fully vaccinated and boosted, and partly because of my Asthma and how masks would fog up my glasses.

Ironically, I recently found out that some of the breathing problems that I have been having with my asthma can be lessened by wearing a mask. So I am thinking of doing it more often, especially come the Fall and Winter.

[JB]

Masks in my area are now mostly by choice, except for certain places like Doctors' Offices and Hospitals. Some places still ask visitors to mask up, many have started taking down their barriers and allowing their workers to decide for themselves.

I try to carry masks with me, and if I feel that I need to wear them I do. I got a little lax this year, partly from Mask Fatigue, partly from being fully vaccinated and boosted, and partly because of my Asthma and how masks would fog up my glasses.

Ironically, I recently found out that some of the breathing problems that I have been having with my asthma can be lessened by wearing a mask. So I am thinking of doing it more often, especially come the Fall and Winter.

That's how it's been in my area as well, just for medical offices. For the most part it's voluntary outside of medical except for a few select businesses, for now. I believe NYC is now highly recommending masks while indoors.

[CaptainEurope]

Europe is seeing some catastrophic staff shortages, often connected to many people calling in sick with covid.

It's annoying when you have to stand in line for 6 hours at the airport. But now hospitals have shut down entire departments and are moving non-essential surgeries to god knows when. And there are reports of patients dying because, for example, there was nobody there not notice the oxygen bottle was empty.

All because people cannot be bothered to wear a mask of get boostered.

[Scott Taylor]

I always carry a mask with me now, whether or not I plan to use it. Its just a normal part of my wardrobe.

Many here in southern California have been getting COVID again, but there is a big difference now in that the strains seem less virulent. They are more contagious, it seems, but less likely to throw someone into a death spiral than in 2020.

[CaptainEurope]

I always carry a mask with me now, whether or not I plan to use it. Its just a normal part of my wardrobe.

Many here in southern California have been getting COVID again, but there is a big difference now in that the strains seem less virulent. They are more contagious, it seems, but less likely to throw someone into a death spiral than in 2020.

If you compare recent death rates in Hong Kong (largely unvaccinated or vaccinated with a lower quality vaccine) and New Zealand (largely vaccinated with mRNA vaccines), you will see that it's not a less virulent strain, people just have a level of immunity from either vaccines or previous infections.

[Scott Taylor]

If you compare recent death rates in Hong Kong (largely unvaccinated or vaccinated with a lower quality vaccine) and New Zealand (largely vaccinated with mRNA vaccines), you will see that it's not a less virulent strain, people just have a level of immunity from either vaccines or previous infections.

Right. Either way, though, the effect is the same. Less hospital beds being taken up due to the disease. Which is the goal of the vaccine in the first place.

[CaptainEurope]

New study shows vaccines lower the risk of Long Covid significantly:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...tm_term=070122

[mortari]

last week we had a mandatory all staff meeting. Including people in from overseas and guess what happened? at least 3 of us got it. including me. I might not have tested myself today but I've had a head cold and sore throat for a few days.

[CaptainEurope]

Anybody going for the monkeypox shot? Little jealous that my roommate still has a smallpox vaccination from childhood that should protect him.

[Tami]

Anybody going for the monkeypox shot? Little jealous that my roommate still has a smallpox vaccination from childhood that should protect him.

Smallpox vaccine protects against monkeypox?

[CaptainEurope]

Smallpox vaccine protects against monkeypox?

Yes:
https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeyp...x-vaccine.html

Because Monkeypox virus is closely related to the virus that causes smallpox, the smallpox vaccine can protect people from getting monkeypox. Past data from Africa suggests that the smallpox vaccine is at least 85% effective in preventing monkeypox.

[hyped78]

I recently had Covid here in the UK. And while I was triple vaccinated (two initial vaccines plus the more recent booster) it still wasn’t a pleasant experience. 3 days with fever, body aches and headaches, followed by 2 weeks were I was feeling exhausted throughout the day.