COVID-19 2nd wave - Texas only - Stats and such

[Hairy Biped 585]

I hadn't tested positive for Covid this whole time, until Wednesday.  I've had a couple of colds that I thought might be it, and more contact cases than I can recall, but never tested positive until this week.  No idea where I got it, because the only person that I know who currently has it was my GM at work who tested positive Monday, and I only saw her momentarily from a distance, and was never in close contact.  My case was pretty mild, with Thursday being the roughest because the fatigue kinda kicked my ass.  Other than that it was about the same as my usual head cold that I get every year or two.  I even felt good enough yesterday to get out and do yardwork most of the day.  I'm pretty much over it now.  Just a little bit of congestion.

[Celery Man 20933]

I figured I had caught it before finally testing positive the other week.  But, while this hasn’t knocked me on my ass, it has fucking lingered. I would never have not tested for this.

[Hard Times 302]

Interesting study. I've been getting all my vaccines, but this does make me worry a little bit about getting my next vaccine. But it does say the side effects were small.

Largest Covid Vaccine Study Yet Finds Links to Health Conditions (msn.com)

[texasdago 7568]

4 hours ago, Hard Times said:

Interesting study. I've been getting all my vaccines, but this does make me worry a little bit about getting my next vaccine. But it does say the side effects were small.

Largest Covid Vaccine Study Yet Finds Links to Health Conditions (msn.com)

“Both things can be true,” Krumholz said in an interview. “They can save millions of lives, and there can be a small number of people who’ve been adversely affected.” 

Have not seen the update on this...

https://www.brown.edu/news/2023-10-30/vaccine-impact

[Brisketexan 105079]

“Both things can be true,” Krumholz said in an interview. “They can save millions of lives, and there can be a small number of people who’ve been adversely affected.” 
Have not seen the update on this...
https://www.brown.edu/news/2023-10-30/vaccine-impact

That’s the reality for functionally every vaccine, medical treatment, safety measure, etc.
If no vaccine means society suffers 1 million deaths from a disease, and having. A vaccine means society suffers 100k deaths from disease and 1k deaths from an adverse effect of the vaccine…math is math, people.
Yes. It’s possible that for a given specific person, he’d have survived the illness, but the vacccine kills him. But the odds on that are overwhelmingly the OTHER way. Generally speaking, being anti-vax is for people who are bad at math. And, they have to believe that they are in the rather small category of people who really wouldn’t be at risk if they got sick (spoiler: plenty of quite healthy people died from COVID; not at the rate of the old and vulnerable, but a shitload more than the baseline death rate), but they WOULD suffer from an adverse vaccine effect.

[Deej 76755]

Quote

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin said Monday that if a small percentage of symptomatic COVID-19 patients took an antiviral drug during the 2022 omicron wave, the number of hospitalizations would have been reduced by hundreds of thousands and billions of dollars would have been saved.

https://www.kxan.com/news/simplehealth/ut-study-increasing-paxlovid-use-could-save-millions-of-dollars-during-covid-outbreak/

[Pato del Muerto 52487]

Pfizer wins again

[Incredulity 11655]

Tangentially, I was talking to a friend of mine yesterday  who's father in law got a bad case of COVID in the last couple weeks and the hospital refused to give him Paxlovid, they only would give him Remdesivir.  

Anyone ever hear of anything like that?  I was pretty surprised as all I hear about recently is Paxlovid. 

 

***I am not claiming to know the correct treatment protocol, or endorsing Paxlovid, or condemning Remdesivir.***

[Pato del Muerto 52487]

Paxlovid is for within 5 days of symptoms or positive test I think. Maybe that’s the reason?

[UnivTex34 1763]

When Paxlovid first got temporary approval, the urgent care would not prescribe it to me due to having high BP. Luckily I didn't need it, as that time it turned out to be a big nothing burger (my third time).

Edited February 27 by UnivTex34

[Incredulity 11655]

43 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Paxlovid is for within 5 days of symptoms or positive test I think. Maybe that’s the reason?

To be honest I don't know for certain.  He commented that he was upset about them giving Remdesivier because of it being hard on kidneys(Maybe liver?).  I don't know the veracity of that complaint.

 

[Newdoc 3439]

3 hours ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Pfizer wins again

At $1390 a pop. 

[Newdoc 3439]

1 hour ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Paxlovid is for within 5 days of symptoms or positive test I think. Maybe that’s the reason?

5 days from onset of symptoms. Prior Covid infection and/or immunizations helps prevent severe disease from subsequent Covid infections and makes Paxlovid much less necessary. Relative risk factors for Covid complications should play a role in recommendation of the drug.

[bschoolprof 6252]

4 hours ago, Deej said:

https://www.kxan.com/news/simplehealth/ut-study-increasing-paxlovid-use-could-save-millions-of-dollars-during-covid-outbreak/

Lulz.  This is based on a modeling exercise.  

Back in the real world, there have been at least three RCTs using real people that find no benefit of Paxlovid in terms of hospitalizations and deaths, including Pfizer's study of standard risk patients. They actually suspended the trial.  The benefits to this exorbitantly expensive drug to the average person in 2024 (already vaccinated; likely already had covid anyway) are way oversold.  

[Leeroy Jenkins 2402]

1 hour ago, Incredulity said:

To be honest I don't know for certain.  He commented that he was upset about them giving Remdesivier because of it being hard on kidneys(Maybe liver?).  I don't know the veracity of that complaint.

 

There is a entire conspiracy theory that Remdesivier killed a lot of COVID PTs in hospitals.  

[Incredulity 11655]

11 minutes ago, Leeroy Jenkins said:

There is a entire conspiracy theory that Remdesivier killed a lot of COVID PTs in hospitals.  

He didn't bring up it killing his FIL or anyone else for that matter and I wasn't aware of any conspiracy theory.

I hadn't heard Remdesivier brought up as a treatment in a long, long time so it was really odd to me the hospital insisted that's what he was getting.   I guess after googling a little bit this morning the FIL must be on something that is an interaction with Paxlovid.    

[Brisketexan 105079]

1 hour ago, bschoolprof said:

Lulz.  This is based on a modeling exercise.  

Back in the real world, there have been at least three RCTs using real people that find no benefit of Paxlovid in terms of hospitalizations and deaths, including Pfizer's study of standard risk patients. They actually suspended the trial.  The benefits to this exorbitantly expensive drug to the average person in 2024 (already vaccinated; likely already had covid anyway) are way oversold.  

Yep.  I came down with COVID (not a fun case, but not brutal) less than a month after having a heart procedure (not major, but still...a heart procedure).  Called my electrocardiologist to get his input, he responded 1) he had an active case of COVID at that very moment, so he gets it, and 2) you don't need Paxlovid (he knew I'd been vaxxed and boosted).  He said "you'll feel crappy, you'll be okay."  He was right.

I do think Paxlovid has a real place for the most vulnerable, but now that functionally everyone is seropositive via either vaccine or prior infection, the whole problem of the "novel coronavirus" is much diminished because it's no longer "novel."  It is, instead, endemic and everyone has some protection against it.  But again, glad that things like Paxlovid are around and an option for those who truly benefit from it.

[Liquor and Poker 3659]

9 hours ago, UnivTex34 said:

When Paxlovid first got temporary approval, the urgent care would not prescribe it to me due to having high BP. Luckily I didn't need it, as that time it turned out to be a big nothing burger (my third time).

Me too this past August.  Simply because I take bp meds at all

[Don Johnson 4752]

 

[Hefeweizen 5310]

Yeah that’s past time.  The funny thing right now is my counterpart in the office (I am full time remote) had to ask people to stay home if they’re sick because they are spreading their germs like crazy.  Fucking lesson not learned.  
 

Take your gotdam allergic ass home.

[Anastasis 23463]

Paxlovid talk a few pages back. NEJM this week. 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2309003

Nirmatrelvir for Vaccinated or Unvaccinated Adult Outpatients with Covid-19

Authors: Jennifer Hammond, Ph.D., Robert J. Fountaine, Pharm.D., Carla Yunis, M.D., M.P.H., Dona Fleishaker, B.S.N., Mary Almas, M.S., Weihang Bao, Ph.D., Wayne Wisemandle, M.A., +5, and James M. Rusnak, M.D., Ph.D.Author Info & Affiliations

Published April 3, 2024

 

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Nirmatrelvir in combination with ritonavir is an antiviral treatment for mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The efficacy of this treatment in patients who are at standard risk for severe Covid-19 or who are fully vaccinated and have at least one risk factor for severe Covid-19 has not been established.

METHODS

In this phase 2–3 trial, we randomly assigned adults who had confirmed Covid-19 with symptom onset within the past 5 days in a 1:1 ratio to receive nirmatrelvir–ritonavir or placebo every 12 hours for 5 days. Patients who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and who had at least one risk factor for severe disease, as well as patients without such risk factors who had never been vaccinated against Covid-19 or had not been vaccinated within the previous year, were eligible for participation. Participants logged the presence and severity of prespecified Covid-19 signs and symptoms daily from day 1 through day 28. The primary end point was the time to sustained alleviation of all targeted Covid-19 signs and symptoms. Covid-19–related hospitalization and death from any cause were also assessed through day 28.

RESULTS

Among the 1296 participants who underwent randomization and were included in the full analysis population, 1288 received at least one dose of nirmatrelvir–ritonavir (654 participants) or placebo (634 participants) and had at least one postbaseline visit. The median time to sustained alleviation of all targeted signs and symptoms of Covid-19 was 12 days in the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group and 13 days in the placebo group (P=0.60). Five participants (0.8%) in the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group and 10 (1.6%) in the placebo group were hospitalized for Covid-19 or died from any cause (difference, −0.8 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, −2.0 to 0.4). The percentages of participants with adverse events were similar in the two groups (25.8% with nirmatrelvir–ritonavir and 24.1% with placebo). In the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group, the most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were dysgeusia (in 5.8% of the participants) and diarrhea (in 2.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

The time to sustained alleviation of all signs and symptoms of Covid-19 did not differ significantly between participants who received nirmatrelvir–ritonavir and those who received placebo. (Supported by Pfizer; EPIC-SR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05011513.)

 

Edited April 4 by Anastasis

[bschoolprof 6252]

8 hours ago, Anastasis said:

Paxlovid talk a few pages back. NEJM this week. 

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2309003

Nirmatrelvir for Vaccinated or Unvaccinated Adult Outpatients with Covid-19

Authors: Jennifer Hammond, Ph.D., Robert J. Fountaine, Pharm.D., Carla Yunis, M.D., M.P.H., Dona Fleishaker, B.S.N., Mary Almas, M.S., Weihang Bao, Ph.D., Wayne Wisemandle, M.A., +5, and James M. Rusnak, M.D., Ph.D.Author Info & Affiliations

Published April 3, 2024

 

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Nirmatrelvir in combination with ritonavir is an antiviral treatment for mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The efficacy of this treatment in patients who are at standard risk for severe Covid-19 or who are fully vaccinated and have at least one risk factor for severe Covid-19 has not been established.

METHODS

In this phase 2–3 trial, we randomly assigned adults who had confirmed Covid-19 with symptom onset within the past 5 days in a 1:1 ratio to receive nirmatrelvir–ritonavir or placebo every 12 hours for 5 days. Patients who were fully vaccinated against Covid-19 and who had at least one risk factor for severe disease, as well as patients without such risk factors who had never been vaccinated against Covid-19 or had not been vaccinated within the previous year, were eligible for participation. Participants logged the presence and severity of prespecified Covid-19 signs and symptoms daily from day 1 through day 28. The primary end point was the time to sustained alleviation of all targeted Covid-19 signs and symptoms. Covid-19–related hospitalization and death from any cause were also assessed through day 28.

RESULTS

Among the 1296 participants who underwent randomization and were included in the full analysis population, 1288 received at least one dose of nirmatrelvir–ritonavir (654 participants) or placebo (634 participants) and had at least one postbaseline visit. The median time to sustained alleviation of all targeted signs and symptoms of Covid-19 was 12 days in the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group and 13 days in the placebo group (P=0.60). Five participants (0.8%) in the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group and 10 (1.6%) in the placebo group were hospitalized for Covid-19 or died from any cause (difference, −0.8 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, −2.0 to 0.4). The percentages of participants with adverse events were similar in the two groups (25.8% with nirmatrelvir–ritonavir and 24.1% with placebo). In the nirmatrelvir–ritonavir group, the most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were dysgeusia (in 5.8% of the participants) and diarrhea (in 2.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

The time to sustained alleviation of all signs and symptoms of Covid-19 did not differ significantly between participants who received nirmatrelvir–ritonavir and those who received placebo. (Supported by Pfizer; EPIC-SR ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT05011513.)

 

Yep, this is the EPIC-SR trial that I referenced earlier in the thread. Pfizer ended the trial early because it was a nothingburger.  Yet we still get bombarded with TV ads to take this thing when they've known for some time it doesn't work.  

[Daddy Fat Sax 53]

5 hours ago, bschoolprof said:

Yep, this is the EPIC-SR trial that I referenced earlier in the thread. Pfizer ended the trial early because it was a nothingburger.  Yet we still get bombarded with TV ads to take this thing when they've known for some time it doesn't work.  

So does that mean they’re not trusting the science?

The fact is being one of the biggest (the biggest?) sources of ad revenue makes Big Pharma a major player in swaying public opinion and policy. 
 

CDC page updated in Jan 2024 still pushes paxlovid. 
 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-care/outpatient-treatment-overview.html

 

What You Need to Know

• There is strong scientific evidence that antiviral treatment of persons with mild to moderate illness who are at risk for severe COVID-19 reduces their risk of hospitalization and death.
• The antiviral drugs ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid) and remdesivir (Veklury) are the preferred treatments for eligible adult and pediatric patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.
• Clinicians should consider COVID-19 treatment in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who have one or more risk factors for severe COVID-19. Treatment must be started as soon as possible and within 5-7 days of symptom onset

 

What are the risks factors for severe Covid-19 might you ask?
 

From the link. 
 

Age is the most important risk factor for severe outcomes of COVID-19. Risk factors for severe COVID-19 include:

Age over 50 years, with risk increasing substantially at age ≥ 65 years

Being unvaccinated or not being up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations

Specific medical conditions, including immunocompromising conditions
 

More evidence of a corrupt, captured organization and public health apparatus.   

[texasdago 7568]

Hi Robert

[Anastasis 23463]

10 hours ago, bschoolprof said:

Yep, this is the EPIC-SR trial that I referenced earlier in the thread. Pfizer ended the trial early because it was a nothingburger.  Yet we still get bombarded with TV ads to take this thing when they've known for some time it doesn't work.  

Fun exercise to look up how much the federal government pre-paid Pfizer for doses, and the full court press on uptake and marketing. Kind of wild in retrospect. "Follow the science" turned upside down on multiple fronts during the pandemic. Maybe some accountability to mete out at some point?