COVID-19 vaccine discussion

5 hours ago, statsman said:

Oh, hell. I saw a stat that said 98.5% were fully vaccinated, based on the number of shots given. I backed that off some, knowing that a lot of Israelis had four shots. I now see that there are two cohorts- those vaccinated a lot (up to four shots) and those not vaccinated at all. 
 

https://www.haaretz.com/amp/israel-news/unvaccinated-vs-boostered-what-the-covid-death-toll-from-israel-reveals-1.10586137

Yea I have no clue what you were looking at but Israel is much closer to 66% than 98%….  Saying 98% doesn’t even make sense cause it’s not even close to the real number of people with one shot even.

Edited February 8, 2022 by Hook1997

Well, light googling gives you stories like this…

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/20/1029628471/highly-vaccinated-israel-is-seeing-a-dramatic-surge-in-new-covid-cases-heres-why
 

You have to dig deeper to see what the numbers really are. 

6 hours ago, Caponata said:

So is anyone going to take the Pfizer omicron vaccine or should you just get a booster of one of the big 3?

It’s preprint but Ars just posted an article saying monkeys didn’t get any better immune response from Omicron-specific boosters

https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/02/monkey-study-casts-doubt-on-need-for-an-omicron-specific-booster/

Personally, I was full-strength boosted late August and still caught it.  The shots did their job and I was only really out action for one day with no breathing difficulties, high fever or anything but sinus / scratchy throat / super tired for a few days.  So no, I don’t feel the need for another booster until the fall…especially given Omicron already blasted through and we have excellent hybrid immunity now.  

8 hours ago, Dahobbs said:

What public health officials ever acted like cloth masks were equivalent to n95s? Don't make up shit. 

And, #1 on your list is vaccination at this point. 

You're right. I forgot that we did not have mask recommendations or mandates but N95 recommendations and mandates. Thanks for clarifying. You're right, I was able to find two years worth of clips showing no one recommended so-called "masks" but N95s. Appreciate you standing up for not making shit up.

15 minutes ago, Harrison Bergeron said:

You're right. I forgot that we did not have mask recommendations or mandates but N95 recommendations and mandates. Thanks for clarifying. You're right, I was able to find two years worth of clips showing no one recommended so-called "masks" but N95s. Appreciate you standing up for not making shit up.

Now you're being obtuse. No one said cloth masks are just as good as n95 masks. They said masks generally better than no masks. There was always also a hierarchy of masks, with n95 being at the top. And early on, we needed to save those top masks for medical personnel. 

1 hour ago, statsman said:

Well, light googling gives you stories like this…

https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/08/20/1029628471/highly-vaccinated-israel-is-seeing-a-dramatic-surge-in-new-covid-cases-heres-why
 

You have to dig deeper to see what the numbers really are. 

So, statsman is more aspirational than descriptive? 

I kid, I kid. 

Last Texas Cares blood draw yesterday (six months from booster).  Just got the results.

No prior COVID19 infection.

Antibodies from vaccine/booster still out of range >2,500.

Edited February 8, 2022 by dcbc

Just got Texas cares results today. 
 

Still never had Covid, got booster in December and now antibody score is out of range over 2500. 
 

Previous scores were about 1170 in September and 770 in November. Got the first two shots in March. All moderna.
 

Bottom line it looks like the booster works well even though it was only a half dose. 

Also I distanced for the most part until I was fully vaxed in March 2021. Then went out but still distanced as best I could. I never was the most careful.

Once I got the booster in December 2021 pretty much gave no more fucks anymore and figured I’d get omicron at some point and never did even though many people I know did.

At this point I don’t think I’ll ever get it. Started taking vitamin D supplements every day in March 2020 since in February 2020 found out from my blood work I was vitamin D deficient. Levels of vitamin D went up from 20 in feb 2020 to 75 in February 2021. I’m no scientist but I think that vitamin D spurs the innate immune system on to kill it before it ever takes hold.

Having almost 2000 drivers in our fleet, we issued an ultimatum today saying that any driver---vaccinated or non vaccinated---that drove equipment to the D.C. trucker rally to protest vaccine mandates...would be immediately terminated, their license suspended, their benefits revoked, and criminal charges brought against them immediately on our behalf.  

See if you guess why I am correct?  

3 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Having almost 2000 drivers in our fleet, we issued an ultimatum today saying that any driver---vaccinated or non vaccinated---that drove equipment to the D.C. trucker rally to protest vaccine mandates...would be immediately terminated, their license suspended, their benefits revoked, and criminal charges brought against them immediately on our behalf.  

See if you guess why I am correct?  

Those truckers need to realize that worker protection in Canada is FAR different than in America. But then again you don’t go to college to become a trucker in America.

Oh no, we told them they were absolutely free to use personal days/vacation days to attend any and all trucker rallies anywhere in the world.  Even if they went a day or two over their allotment, all good in the 'hood.  But if they used a cab for so much as 100 yards of their travel, they'd be in serious trouble from not only us, but from law enforcement and the courts.  

49 minutes ago, JimmyJames said:

Those truckers need to realize that worker protection in Canada is FAR different than in America. But then again you don’t go to college to become a trucker in America.

bravo---You must be from @#bothsides trucking company ?  

Edited February 10, 2022 by Lobo

Just ignore Bravos hot take 

Hey, somebody's gotta help your mom figure out the glory hole in the rest-stop...

But you go raise an interesting dilemma.  How do you back capitalism, free markets, the owners, the operators, the liberty for choosing not to vaccinate, etc.?  All at once?  The Trucker is a perfect encapsulation of that.  How do we tell them if they convoy to a protest, they're shitcanned and likely sued?  

On 2/8/2022 at 12:38 AM, Caponata said:

So is anyone going to take the Pfizer omicron vaccine or should you just get a booster of one of the big 3?

I’m sure some will, but at this point I don’t know anyone that gives a shit about Covid anymore. I’d imagine the vax rates for it will be low, especially among healthy and non-olds. 
 

I’ve gotten two shots and booster (all Moderna), but probably won’t get another any time soon unless protection from severe disease starts to decrease significantly.

If you don't give a shit about Covid, why'd you get the booster?  The soup police got to you, didn't they? 

3 minutes ago, Lobo said:

If you don't give a shit about Covid, why'd you get the booster?  The soup police got to you, didn't they? 

I have cared about it, and know people who did previously, but that attitude among has seemed to completely change with omicron. I’m glad I’m vaccinated and would do it again, but I won’t be rushing to Walgreens to get an omicron specific booster. 

Omicron basically infected just about anyone left who was going to get it. It was highly contagious and infected millions of Americans. It basically only killed the anti vaxxers, as well as the olds who had previously managed to avoid it but this time could not.
 

There will still be variants that kills people, particularly the anti vaxxers who somehow managed to avoid it so far, but essentially it’s almost over. It’s about to be just like a bad case of the flu.

Its almost over. Time to move on and get back to life as it was before. 

https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/science/risk-new-heart-problems-jumps-after-covid-mrna-shot-side-effects-no-different-2022-02-09/
 

this Reuters piece references a couple of new studies but the first one, about increased heart problems after recovery, is the one that caught my attention. 
 

I didn’t see anywhere that said a vaccinated cohort was part of the study, so that data may not be there to compare. The actual study is linked inside the body of the link above. 

14 hours ago, JimmyJames said:

At this point I don’t think I’ll ever get it. Started taking vitamin D supplements every day in March 2020 since in February 2020 found out from my blood work I was vitamin D deficient. Levels of vitamin D went up from 20 in feb 2020 to 75 in February 2021. I’m no scientist but I think that vitamin D spurs the innate immune system on to kill it before it ever takes hold.

Nothing's a sure thing, but there's something to be said about healthy living. 

I've been a supplement geek for several years, but only started taking Vitamin D during the pandemic when (1) my daughter's bloodwork revealed a Vitamin D deficiency, and (2) more literature recommended taking D to bolster the immune system in defense of COVID, so we all got on it.  On top of that, I take zinc, Vitamin C, and lysine, adding elderberry when the numbers start to significantly rise. 

I haven't gotten COVID, and neither have my two kids (and we're all vaxxed and boosted as well).  And we're not living in a cave.  I've been pretty out and about since getting my second shot last February, and my kids are both in school, get together with friends at sleepovers, and played in basketball leagues this winter.  I'm not thinking we're bulletproof, but with the shots and supplements, I think we're increasing our chances of avoiding it altogether, or at least minimizing the symptoms when we do get it.

There are three things to help fight against Covid:

Being young

Being fit

Being vaccinated 

(four if you count masks and social distancing, but I’m talking about getting back into normal life)

Having all three is great. It would not surprise me one bit if I were to be told that not a single young, fit, vaccinated person has died from Covid. 
Two out of three should be the minimum goal of all, and that is said while recognizing that nobody is young forever. 
One out of three is a big risk. None out of three is a formula for disaster. 

We are all vaxxed & boosted with Moderna and will get another booster as needed.

Starting one year ago we resumed going out to happy hour or dining out once a week. We wear a mask into & out of the restaurant, but eschew them while seated.

Since the fall of 2020 we have been going to Costco once every two months and staying masked inside, same for the public library. Went to several home Longhorn football games last fall, and did the old fart tourist thing in Fredericksburg last spring.

We social distance with most everybody except immediate family and use HEB curbside every week.

However, we curtailed our usual visits to Las Vegas and have delayed our return trip to England, but spent a week at South Padre last summer.

We refuse to stop living, as we don’t have that much time left.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Armybrat

19 hours ago, Lobo said:

Hey, somebody's gotta help your mom figure out the glory hole in the rest-stop...

But you go raise an interesting dilemma.  How do you back capitalism, free markets, the owners, the operators, the liberty for choosing not to vaccinate, etc.?  All at once?  The Trucker is a perfect encapsulation of that.  How do we tell them if they convoy to a protest, they're shitcanned and likely sued?  

"If you convoy to a protest you're shitcanned and likely sued."

Like that. 

But in reality they can do and go where they want.  But not on company time or in company equipment.

Well the messaging about D.C. and Los Angeles went over well. Only a handful threw a hissy-fit.  Most understood, that yeah---taking one of our trucks 1000 miles out of the way is something of a problem.  But if they wanted to make their way there to show their solidarity for their colleagues behind the wheel---they were welcome to so long as they didn't miss any shifts.  And a temporary intra-site was set up for them to trade hauls with other drivers.  They even wear company apparel to show their stripes/chops if they so choose.  All about free speech, the actual kind.  Not the dumbfuck kind made up by "Legitimate Political Discourse"     

What I'm guessing happens is the dozen or so really married to the cause are just gonna deadhead with some owner-operator with a Trump mural on his deflector.  And that's totally fine by me.  These guys are the backbone of the United States.  If they want to be heard, let's hear from 'em.  We just can't afford a "Dude, you rolled through 3 parked cars in front of that building with our fucking logo all over the news." followed by a "It's okay man, I paid for the fuel out of pocket."  

There are no wasted shots, only wasted men.  So says the man at the end of the bar with the fuzzy mustache.

8 hours ago, South Austin said:

Nothing's a sure thing, but there's something to be said about healthy living. 

I've been a supplement geek for several years, but only started taking Vitamin D during the pandemic when (1) my daughter's bloodwork revealed a Vitamin D deficiency, and (2) more literature recommended taking D to bolster the immune system in defense of COVID, so we all got on it.  On top of that, I take zinc, Vitamin C, and lysine, adding elderberry when the numbers start to significantly rise. 

I haven't gotten COVID, and neither have my two kids (and we're all vaxxed and boosted as well).  And we're not living in a cave.  I've been pretty out and about since getting my second shot last February, and my kids are both in school, get together with friends at sleepovers, and played in basketball leagues this winter.  I'm not thinking we're bulletproof, but with the shots and supplements, I think we're increasing our chances of avoiding it altogether, or at least minimizing the symptoms when we do get it.

Add me to the list of people who added Vitamin D at the onset of the pandemic and somehow have managed to avoid it thus far without much additional effort since getting my second shot.  My luck may run out tomorrow, but my antibodies still are outside of range (>2,500) 6 months after my booster.  It's a weird ass disease and the later I get it, if at all, the better.

Edited February 11, 2022 by dcbc

Get your asses out in the sun regularly if you need vitamin D. 

48 minutes ago, Deej said:

Get your asses out in the sun regularly if you need vitamin D. 

rare to quite rare that my ass is out in the sun.

Novavax's vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine, basically delivers the spike directly unlike the mRNA and vector technologies that deliver the genetic material that codes for the spike.

 

 

29 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Novavax's vaccine is a protein subunit vaccine, basically delivers the spike directly unlike the mRNA and vector technologies that deliver the genetic material that codes for the spike.

 

 

Will these dickheads ever come to market?  If they had swallowed their pride and partnered with a large pharmaceutical company like BioNTech did they would be swimming in $100 bills right now.    

15 hours ago, Lobo said:

Well the messaging about D.C. and Los Angeles went over well. Only a handful threw a hissy-fit.  Most understood, that yeah---taking one of our trucks 1000 miles out of the way is something of a problem.  But if they wanted to make their way there to show their solidarity for their colleagues behind the wheel---they were welcome to so long as they didn't miss any shifts.  And a temporary intra-site was set up for them to trade hauls with other drivers.  They even wear company apparel to show their stripes/chops if they so choose.  All about free speech, the actual kind.  Not the dumbfuck kind made up by "Legitimate Political Discourse"     

What I'm guessing happens is the dozen or so really married to the cause are just gonna deadhead with some owner-operator with a Trump mural on his deflector.  And that's totally fine by me.  These guys are the backbone of the United States.  If they want to be heard, let's hear from 'em.  We just can't afford a "Dude, you rolled through 3 parked cars in front of that building with our fucking logo all over the news." followed by a "It's okay man, I paid for the fuel out of pocket."  

Any trucker that gets off the road right now for any reason baffles me. Rates are through the roof. If they do congregate at DC or LA, nothing will break that up quicker than a lucrative load alert.  

23 minutes ago, Dontshootrude said:

Will these dickheads ever come to market?  If they had swallowed their pride and partnered with a large pharmaceutical company like BioNTech did they would be swimming in $100 bills right now.    

Appears that they would have provided a competitive alternative for certain segments of the population. No "gene therapy" rhetoric nonsense to worry about, a relatively well established technology, etc. But the adjuvants drive some of real pre-COVID anti-vaxxers absolutely nuts, so who knows. 

13 hours ago, dcbc said:

Add me to the list of people who added Vitamin D at the onset of the pandemic and somehow have managed to avoid it thus far without much additional effort since getting my second shot.  My luck may run out tomorrow, but my antibodies still are outside of range (>2,500) 6 months after my booster.  It's a weird ass disease and the later I get it, if at all, the better.

Vit D is critical.  Absolutely critical to your everyday health.  Dr. Cooper and his clinic in Dallas has been beating this drum for decades now.  They suggest 5,000 IU's/day

6 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Appears that they would have provided a competitive alternative for certain segments of the population. No "gene therapy" rhetoric nonsense to worry about, a relatively well established technology, etc. But the adjuvants drive some of real pre-COVID anti-vaxxers absolutely nuts, so who knows. 

Unfortunately I know people who are holding out for this vaccine for that exact reason.  It would have been helpful to have another option using technology that has been used for decades in other established vaccines.

People waited for JNJ also for the same reason and it turned out to be the least effective of the main 3 by far.

37 minutes ago, texashorne said:

Any trucker that gets off the road right now for any reason baffles me. Rates are through the roof. If they do congregate at DC or LA, nothing will break that up quicker than a lucrative load alert.  

Last time I got a “lucrative load alert”, I joined a convoy to South Austin’s Mom’s place. 

4 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Last time I got a “lucrative load alert”, I joined a convoy to South Austin’s Mom’s place. 

Also called "natural immunity"

21 hours ago, statsman said:

There are three things to help fight against Covid:

Being young

Being fit

Being vaccinated 

(four if you count masks and social distancing, but I’m talking about getting back into normal life)

Having all three is great. It would not surprise me one bit if I were to be told that not a single young, fit, vaccinated person has died from Covid. 
Two out of three should be the minimum goal of all, and that is said while recognizing that nobody is young forever. 
One out of three is a big risk. None out of three is a formula for disaster. 

Young... well, I guess this depends on your perspective but exercise daily and am fully boosted.  My family mostly does the right things.  Somehow, none of us have gotten it and its a bit of a mystery to me... or we just didn't realize it... at this point, it does seem to be really screwing up those who won't get vaccinated and despite all that, they still dig in their heels.  Whatever.  

Some fatter, non-vaxxed Americans may be suffering from Legitimate Pandemic Discourse.  If you experience any symptoms, talk to your doctor about death as an option.  Then take the streets with weapons because you may as well go out in a blaze of glory.  

On 2/11/2022 at 8:41 AM, BabaYaga said:

Vit D is critical.  Absolutely critical to your everyday health.  Dr. Cooper and his clinic in Dallas has been beating this drum for decades now.  They suggest 5,000 IU's/day

I try to tell my wife this, but she had a "headache"

On 2/11/2022 at 8:41 AM, BabaYaga said:

Vit D is critical.  Absolutely critical to your everyday health.  Dr. Cooper and his clinic in Dallas has been beating this drum for decades now.  They suggest 5,000 IU's/day

I am still flabbergasted that starting in early 2020, when a strong correlation between vitamin D deficiency and severity of covid 19 was found, the gov’ment didn’t start a campaign to get people to test their vitamin D levels and supplement if needed. Unbelievable.

On 2/11/2022 at 8:12 AM, Dontshootrude said:

Will these dickheads ever come to market?  If they had swallowed their pride and partnered with a large pharmaceutical company like BioNTech did they would be swimming in $100 bills right now.    

There were issues that held them up and it had nothing to do with not partnering with a large pharma.

1 hour ago, SizzleChest said:

There were issues that held them up and it had nothing to do with not partnering with a large pharma.

Their main issues are supply line driven.  As much shit as big pharma gets, one thing they do incredibly well is securing supply lines.  WIth their tremendous resources you can rest assured that they are going to outcompete root beer manufacturers for supplies.  

9 minutes ago, Dontshootrude said:

Their main issues are supply line driven.  As much shit as big pharma gets, one thing they do incredibly well is securing supply lines.  WIth their tremendous resources you can rest assured that they are going to outcompete root beer manufacturers for supplies.  

True, but in this case, the issue was not fully in their control.  Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

God damnit stopping talking in code.  Where did they shit the bed?

God damnit stopping talking in code.  Where did they shit the bed?

In the bed?

10 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

God damnit stopping talking in code.  Where did they shit the bed?

Not my tale to tell.  Sorry.

9 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

God damnit stopping talking in code.  Where did they shit the bed?

Sorry for the cancer website but it does a good job laying out the problems.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-hs-kaiser-novavax-20210719-brt4fx5zxffzvkp5x53hqspcgm-story.html

The huge advantage the big pharma companies have is vertical integration.  Just look what Pfizer has pulled off with Paxlovid. There are only a couple of companies in the world that could have pulled that off and started manufacturing at scale as fast as they did.