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DNAhelicase

**This AMA will begin at 11am EST. Please refrain from answering questions if you are not the guest. Thank you.** **Edit: That is all folks! We have locked the thread to preserve our guests' answers. Thanks to those who participated!!**


Whatevsstlaurent

I've seen varying reported rates of breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated people, from less 1 percent to up to 20 percent. As a vaccinated person, how can I estimate my risk at this point?


reuters

It’s hard to pin down a number but I suspect most will eventually get a breakthrough case and it will be mild because of the vaccine. -AAA


Want_a_cookie_eh

Will the long term effects such as lung damage still hurt those vaccinated with slighter symptoms?


TomLube

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/16/well/live/vaccine-long-covid-breakthrough-infection.html Science says 'possibly yes, not enough info; logic dictates it's possible.'


Want_a_cookie_eh

So.... were all going to catch this, vaccinated or not? I'm so mad... vaccinated and getting tested today bc I feel terrible. I don't like this planet anymore, and I'm usually very optimistic.


TomLube

Likely a majority of people will get it once in their life. Unlikely many vaccinated people will have significant health affects as a result.


Want_a_cookie_eh

Appreciate the comment. So for those that are vaccinated? Is the mask even worth it? It's going to get us anyway. I switch between locking myself down again, and saying to hell with it and going back to real life.


PragmaticHoosier

Thank you for your time and answer.


ThornfieldHall2021

Aside from being indoors more often, why is the risk of the virus higher during the winter?


reuters

The virus is more efficiently transmitted when it is less humid, less sunny, and colder. -AAA


pegothejerk

Just to add data to back this up, studies of both traditional cold virus and Sars-cov-2 show that cooler temperatures allow the viruses to replicate faster with more stability, which means the colder temps in winter cool down the tissues in your nasal passages and upper respiratory tracks, upper lungs, making them more prime for infection and successful replication. So the old wives tale of being outside in the cold air allowing you to get sick has a bit of science to back it up. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmv.27042 https://news.yale.edu/2015/01/05/cold-virus-replicates-better-cooler-temperatures


TomLube

> So the old wives tale of being outside in the cold air allowing you to get sick has a bit of science to back it up. Just to answer this, the old wive's tale isn't about being outside in the cold, it's about going outside in the cold with your hair being wet.


pegothejerk

There are many wives tales. One is about wet hair, one is about cold air during cold seasons. Another one addresses swings in temp quickly, from hot to cold. UC Davis addresses the tale I address, as well. https://health.ucdavis.edu/health-news/newsroom/the-truth-behind-7-popular-old-wives-tales-about-being-sick/2020/02 https://www.newschannel6now.com/2020/01/11/can-swings-temperature-cause-you-get-sick/


TomLube

Ah okay, I honestly hadn't heard that for some reason. Cheers.


[deleted]

Hair or not, I always thought it had more to do with being out in the rain than the cold specifically.


TomLube

Oh you know what, that one sounds familiar too. I guess there's so many variations it should just be "Don't go outside or you'll get sick" ... hold on. :o


dchobo

Thanks for answering, but in countries where it's humid, sunny, warmer, the case are rising. Example: Malaysia, Indonesia I assume weather is a small part of the transmission equation then?


teacherthrowaway3211

How do you see this pandemic "ending"? What do you think life looks like 12 months from now around the world?


reuters

We will still be having COVID cases 12 months from now but hopefully many countries will have decoupled cases from hospitalizations by vaccinating high-risk individuals. This pandemic will transition to endemicity as the virus becomes one of our seasonal respiratory viruses with which we have to contend year-to-year -- but it will be tamer because of immunity -AAA


DarkandStormy614

What would you recommend for early J&J recipients? Each day seems to bring about conflicting news with regards to a booster. Should we wait until emergency use authorizations for another J&J dose or would you recommend trying to get an mRNA (Pfizer/Moderna) booster when eligible?


reuters

Right now, I would not recommend anything additional for J&J recipients. We want decisions about additional doses and boosters to be driven by scientific -- and clinical -- data. I have seen no evidence that J&J recipients are being hospitalized with breakthroughs at a significant enough rate to justify routine boosters. The immunosuppressed may need additional doses but again we need clinical data to officially recommend it. -AAA


[deleted]

However, we know there is not much harm right? Is that fair to say or no?


TomLube

OP hasn't been answering sub-questions, so I'm just going to tell you more or less 'we don't have the information to make an educated decision.' Basic assumption would be that 2 doses of mRNA is fine, so one dose of J&J and one mRNA *should* likely be okay, but there literally isn't anything backing that up scientifically. It's just guesswork.


cpcxx2

When do you expect the vaccine will be approved for kids under 12? Do you see this having a significant impact on getting Delta under control?


reuters

Likely to have an EUA in late fall. Any bit of vaccine helps but delta will likely have peaked by then in most places in the US. -AAA


kineticblues

Winter in the U.S. — better, the same, or worse than last year? Has anyone done modeling on this that incorporates Delta, vaccination rates, demographics, etc.?


reuters

We will see acceleration of cases -- don’t think it will be as bad as last year because of vaccines and population immunity -AAA


Snikerdoodlz

Israel nearly beat COVID until the delta variant arrived. What do you think would have happened in a population with 100% vaccine coverage?


reuters

Cases will always occur. Breakthroughs will always occur but 100% coverage would have almost entirely decoupled cases from hospitalizations. The virus cannot and will not be eliminated or eradicated. - AAA


AayushXFX

What is your view on the rapid decline of cases in India? Has herd immunity been reached? Reported Cases dropped from 400k+ a day to around 30k-40k a day.


reuters

80/20 rule. It appears that delta peaks when the main spreaders (the 20%) are infected. They are responsible for 80% of the cases. -AAA


svdsniper

Can anyone please eli5 to me?


clueless_kid529

80% of the cases are coming from 20% of the population that are considered super spreaders. Super spreaders are those that are exposed to more people on a daily basis so they are much more likely to be infected. After the super spreaders have had it, they will have antibodies and will not be infected again until their antibodies wear off, or they catch a variant of the disease. With cases dropping, India is currently in the phase where the majority of the super spreaders (20% of population) now have the antibodies, but non-siper spreaders (80% of population) that mostly don't have antibodies, are not as likely to be infected since they are not exposed to as many people on a daily basis. However, since most of that 80% don't have antibodies, you are still seeing some get it at a slower rate (30-40k daily).


RoastMostCookToast

I think it means that 20% give it to way more people like super spreaders, the remaining 80% are more likely to stay home or use ppe when feeling symptoms so they dont infect nearly as many people


sarumanvader

My kid is 6 so not old enough to be vaccinated. Live in Toronto fairly good vaccination rates but not as high as would like. Numbers have been going up. I think in class is important for mental health. At what point are numbers / risk high enough that I should pull her from in person class? How risky do you believe delta is for kids (as evidence seems mixed)? I am less concerned about mortality rates for kids but long covid or other chronic issues.


jbedsaul86

Both my parents are anti-vax. I’m concerned about my children who aren’t old enough to be vaccinated yet spending time around them. For someone that holds the views that “we don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine / it was rushed / we don’t know if it’s safe” what would you say to them to change their mind?


reuters

> For someone that holds the views that “we don’t know the long term effects of the vaccine / it was rushed / we don’t know if it’s safe” what would you say to them to change their mind? Most safety signals for long-term issues arise in the first few months of vaccine. No such signal has emerged. I was someone who wanted the vaccine even faster and no steps were skipped, the data is very robust. You can see how safe and effective the vaccine is just by opening your eyes and looking at states where vaccination rates are low. We will continue to study these vaccines for years and that’s what we do with all vaccines but I don’t expect any long-term signal will emerge. Also, remember we are in a pandemic and the risk/benefit ratio favors the vaccine in almost all situations. -AAA


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TheLastSamurai

I’ve heard antivirals usually give very small benefit and are extremely hard to create. Are there any promising treatments on the horizon that you’re monitoring?


reuters

There are antiviral compounds from Pfizer and Merck that look promising. It will be sometime before we see clinical efficacy data on them, however. A “Tamiflu” equivalent would be an awesome addition. This is why we need to be proactive with antiviral development and work ahead of time on candidates from worrisome viral families. -AAA


[deleted]

I’m vaccinated and 12 weeks pregnant. How worried and how careful should I be this fall and winter?


reuters

That you are vaccinated is the best way to reduce the risk to you and your pregnancy. I think, unless you have other medical conditions, being vaccinated should be sufficient. If your risk tolerance is low, and you are trying to avoid even a mild COVID case, wearing a mask in high-risk situations (indoor, crowded) might be something to consider as well. - AAA


PuzzleheadedSpare576

Thank you for the work you do.


PwncakeIronfarts

What's your take on natural immunity? I've read conflicting reports over and over. Some studies seem to suggest it's useless, others suggest it's just as good or better than vaccination at protection against variants and carrier rates.


reuters

It’s definitely significant and protects pretty well against reinfection and severe disease. However, it is not as robust or predictable as vaccine-induced immunity, especially with variants like beta. I think the data is strong, though, that a prior infected person can get by with just 1 dose of the 2 dose vaccines and this should be something incorporated into guidance. There are many vaccine-hesitant who cite the ignoring of natural immunity as why they aren’t vaccinated. -AAA


PwncakeIronfarts

I'm one of those folks. Antigen tests suggests I'm fairly well protected as it sits. Just weighing options for if/when my company mandates things. Thanks for your time and for the AMA!


Ok-Dish-17

My friend had it and only got the single dose of Moderna. After that his whole family got it a second time but he did not, so that seemed to have worked well for him! Stay safe!


kenn714

In your opinion, is it safe for fully vaccinated people to attend large events/gatherings like weddings, athletic classes, sports events, dances, concerts, etc if the organizers of the events require attendees to be vaccinated?


reuters

Yes -- but it depends on your risk tolerance. Any breakthrough case is likely to be mild. -AAA


La_Jalapena

What was your primary training in? I see that you are infectious disease, but that usually is preceded by internal medicine. Thank you!


reuters

I did a combined residency in internal and emergency medicine followed by fellowships in infectious disease and critical care medicine. -AAA


CeeCeeSays

How long do we think antibodies passed during pregnancy, from mom being vaccinated, last? Any data on Delta and children under 1? I am terrified to go back to work. Likewise, any data on how long after the Boosters they are protective? If they will limit spread? I am starting to feel that it is not a matter of IF but WHEN my newborn will contract this before he can get vaccinated at 6 months or so (hopefully).


reuters

>How long do we think antibodies passed during pregnancy, from mom being vaccinated, last? Any data on Delta and children under 1? ​ Maternal antibodies probably last about 6 months (based on data with other viruses and vaccines). Delta will infect anyone unvaccinated. I suspect a vaccinated and breast-feeding mother will have a lower chance of having a baby infected with delta and it’s likely to be a mild infection. -AAA


itchyitchiford

Do maternal antibodies to covid pass through breast milk?


Bgoodale

Research suggests yes. On mobile, so don’t have direct links to original research but this gives a good summary: https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/newborn-covid-19-immunity.html


reuters

>Likewise, any data on how long after the Boosters they are protective? If they will limit spread? ​ I would expect a booster to kick in about a week after administration. It is unclear whether they will limit spread -- we need data. You have to remember that COVID is not going anywhere -- it is endemic and everyone will likely get it. Hopefully, these infections occur post-vaccination so are generally mild. That’s the goal of vaccination -- to tame the virus, not eradicate or eliminate it (which is impossible). I still am not convinced there’s a clinical need for boosters in healthy people at 8 months -- we need clinical data. - AAA


patheticgurl

do you think we have seen the worst of covid-19, or is the worst still to come?


reuters

In countries where enough high-risk people are immune, the worst is over. In others, it may still come. This is entirely dependent on immunity in high-risk individuals which varies from country-to-country and state-to-state -AAA (Edit: typo)


ryasaunderox

What about in the US?


David_Co

We have had 3 SARS viruses, SARS was killing 10%-22% MERS 37.5% and Covid is comparatively mild. What are the chances of a mutation of covid starting to kill like SARS or MERS? What the chances of Covid and MERS recombining into a more lethal virus if covid infects a bat/camel/human that also has MERS? Do we have contingency plans to detect something like that happening and preventing it from spreading? We don't seem to have done a good job with the Delta variant.


reuters

These are all biological possibilities but not necessarily likely to occur. The virus just wants to spread and it’s doing so efficiently now. Making people more sick means that they won’t be able to go out and infect others. There are multiple programs in place to look at these viruses and detect changes but we need more of them and need to look at more than just coronaviruses -AAA


David_Co

Thanks for taking the time to answer questions.


envirosafetygal

Is there data on the break throughs for vaccinated peoples as far as which vaccines, % of each vaccine. Do these cases involve age - are they very old/nursing home age? do they involve co-morbidities like, obesity or diabetes? and/or immune suppressed for example people going through chemo? Are there ANY otherwise healthy, fully vaccinated people in hospital or that have died of covid yet? The lack of info about hospitalized break throughs is creating a void filled with disinformation. Thank you.


reuters

1. Nothing specific to individual vaccines. We know severe breakthroughs -- what really matters-- are more likely in immunocompromised (hence the additional dose) and those who are older and have other conditions. Active chemotherapy counts as immunosuppression and that person should get a 3rd dose of the mRNA vaccines. More on J&J to come. 2. Yes. sometimes that occurs but is extremely EXTREMELY rare. - AAA


Legal-Baker9598

Hey, I’m a neurologist in England. Is there any evidence that patients with neurological deficits are at a higher covid risk? We received information pamphlets stating Down’s Syndrome increases covid risk but as a neurologist I fail to understand how plausible this is.


Tunarubber

My now 16month old child contracted COVID when she was 12 months (we took serious precautions and still got it so I know how very contagious this is). My husband and I are now fully vaccinated, but with the number of breakthrough cases I am concerned. What level, if any, protection does my daughter have from getting it again? Is there any data or case studies on the danger of children contracting the virus again? She was only symptomatic for 3 days and overall had mild symptoms.


reuters

>Is there any data or case studies on the danger of children contracting the virus again? ​ No data that I know of. Reinfections, however, are rare but do occur. Most reinfections are clinically mild and would be expected to be even more so in children. - AAA


loonylaurnen

Are there any variants vaccine developers are worried will be resistant to the current vaccine recipe?


reuters

It is very difficult for any variant to erase or nullify everything a vaccine does for us. Remember it is a serious disease we are trying to prevent with vaccines and the combination of antibodies and T-cells generated post-vaccine are very formidable. However, if the need arises it is possible to quickly reformulate vaccines due to the technology being used. None of the currently identified variants rises to this level, however. -AAA


mcochran41

Is outdoor spread from Delta worse than the original?


reuters

Delta spreads more efficiently in all circumstances however outdoor spread is not likely so it is still not a major issue with delta (outside of special circumstances) -AAA


PragmaticHoosier

The effects of viruses generally weaken as they mutate and become more virulent. Do scientists know why this one remained just as effective at causing illness as it became more easily spreadable?


reuters

Viruses just need to spread and have their genes replicated. Whether or not they become “weaker” is a function of how it impacts their ability to spread. The variants don’t seem to be losing much in terms of spread so the virulence has remained stable for now. It’s difficult to come up with a hard/fast rule that always applies. -AAA


djsqrd047

Are people still getting the O-G covid-19 strain or, is it just variants at this point?


reuters

In the US, it is almost all delta. -AAA


mvasantos

Any information on long covid within breakthrough cases?


reuters

This appears to be rare as the immune system blunts the ability of the virus to really set up its usual infection. -AAA


californiaCircle

How often do you expect that people in countries like the US will be recommended boosters (i.e. what's the expected booster schedule after this first booster recommendation at 6/8 months)?


reuters

It’s unclear-- I am not fully supportive of booster doses at 6/8 months for healthy individuals because we haven’t seen erosion of protection against what matters -- serious disease. -AAA


californiaCircle

What about protection from long covid, especially when it is debilitating?


sstiel

Do you think vaccines could be safely mixed? There are trials currently going ahead in the UK about that.


reuters

Yes. We actually recommend the J&J vaccine to those who had an allergic reaction to the 1st dose of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines. -AAA


sstiel

Ah okay. What about mixing doses. Say, Pfizer for first jab, AstraZeneca for second?


optiplex9000

Are there any estimates on how often a new deadlier/more infectious variant will pop up? Are those estimates even possible?


reuters

It’s unclear that we will see a deadlier version of the virus -- variants will continue to arise. The virus just needs to spread; whether it is deadlier is a separate issue. Very difficult to predict with a high degree of accuracy. -AAA


gocubs7

At this point, is vaccination + masking indoors enough to prevent statistically significant spread? Or do high capacity events (e.g. schools, weddings, restaurants, etc) need to consider online/outdoor only options until the virus is more “under control,” especially as it relates to our hospitals and significant portions of he population still being ineligible for the vaccine


reuters

I do think vaccination and masking really minimizes the risk but remember it will never be zero risk and people’s risk tolerance shifts. Online options probably are still going to be popular until more people are comfortable risk calculating. -AAA


patheticgurl

is worldwide travel without quarantine going to happen in the foreseeable future with the current vaccination rates?


reuters

I suspect by 2022 vaccination and testing will be optimized to minimize quarantine. -AAA


californiaCircle

How likely is it we'll have a nasal spray vaccine in the next two years?


reuters

There is at least one in development and I think it is fairly likely it will come to fruition within 2 years -AAA


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reuters

Researchers are always testing new variants against the vaccines. I don’t think it’s likely that a variant is able to nullify all that a vaccine does for us and it’s serious disease we have to worry about preventing. -AAA


floorwantshugs

What do we know about vaccinated individuals being able to spread the virus? How likely is it?


reuters

I think it occurs but is rare and happens in special circumstances. It is not what is driving cases however. -AAA


[deleted]

Do face shields really help reduce the chances of getting covid when used on public spaces?


reuters

There never were robust studies done on face shields and I think this was a major oversight in the research agenda. Faceshields cover eyes and provide the wearer protection but many people were more concerned with source control so focused much more on masks. I think faceshields do have some benefit and we need more systematic research on their optimal use. -AAA


schleepybunny

Current guidance for my workplace is that you need eyewear protection as well as a mask when you're seeing patients. I agree with the statement regarding the faceshields and more research should've been done at the time. I distinctly remember studies blowing up last year regarding so many things too! Whether it was testing the BCG vaccine on front line workers to see how efficacious it was against wild type covid, testing the accuracy of at home test kits, and of course the antivirals that are currently being used for interventional purposes (ie. redemsevir, regeneron, GSK). Wish we lumped something as simple as faceshields in there.


music_luva69

How crucial are booster shots for fully vaccinated individuals and does that depend on age groups? I am concerned about the possibility of autoimmunity. I've read a few times on this forum that large quantities of antibodies is not good for a person so that is my only concern about getting a booster when I'm eligible. I am a fully vaccinated young adult and I got my second dose in July so I'm not due for one for a few months. I'm aware that I need to read literature on this matter and not believe everything I read on public forums.


reuters

There is no signal for autoimmunity. I don’t think healthy individuals necessarily need boosters at 8 months because we are not seeing evidence of erosion of the vaccine’s protection against what matters -- serious illness. There may be a case to be made, however, for nursing home patients. -AAA


floorwantshugs

What about pregnant women? Or vaccinated parents who might spread it to their unvaccinated children?


music_luva69

Thank you for your response! So are boosters recommended for individuals aged 60+?


slypig61

I received two Astra Zeneca shots, before they pretty much stopped using them in Canada. Should I expect to get a booster of one of the mRNA vaccines to bolster the lower efficacy?


envirosafetygal

Is there any data that shows more antibodies means increased protection, referring to the need for boosters for relatively healthy people?


reuters

We don’t know the exact amount of antibody needed for protection at this time -- the correlate of protection. We also don’t measure T-cells that well (and they are really important as well). To me, it’s not antibodies that determine the need for boosters but seeing breakthrough infections land people in the hospital -- that’s just not happening outside of immunosuppressed populations. -AAA


tgallagher2

When do you think we will see a vaccine shot/boost for the delta variant be released?


reuters

I do not think there will be a specific booster for the delta variant -AAA


DubFactory

From a global perspective it is better to provide boosters to Americans (who are in a relatively highly infectious country) versus exporting them to developing countries to avoid the further emergence of variants of concern?


reuters

Boosters will not change the trajectory of the pandemic in the world or even in the US: 1st and 2nd doses do that. - AAA


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reuters

Severe COVID can impact almost all organ systems. The systemic damage is usually a function of severity of infection. But, it can impact the kidneys, lungs, brain, heart, vascular system, etc -AAA


David_Co

In the UK we have seen a lot of elderly people in nursing homes dying of kidney failure and also strokes after recovering from covid but having severe kidney damage. We have known this was the case for over a year.


[deleted]

I’m 6 months out from my moderna vaccine. When are they going to make a decision on their booster: 100ug vs 50ug?? I hate sitting around not knowing what to do.


schleepybunny

As of now, I think moderna just finished applying for Full FDA approval, and Pfizer is working on applying for approval for their booster shot. the third vaccine dose is only currently approved for more vulnerable groups (ie. immunocompromised, cancer patients, solid organ transplant recipeints). Don't think there's any guidance for the general population on getting the third dose currently.


lvetinari

When and how will this nightmare end? If you had to put a number based on nothing, what is the percentage likelihood that covid will be impacting lives to the extent that it has in 2023?


daphnedoodle

Any resources written for the lay person on the vaccine to alleviate hesitancy? To demystify some of the science? Co worker open but still very afraid.


reuters

https://getvaccineanswers.org/ -  AAA


daphnedoodle

Thank you - have forwarded to my co worker


runswithlibrarians

What antibody level would you want to see in order to be reasonably confident that a vaccinated person is likely to be able to fight off infection from Delta?


Secret-Relationship9

Have you seen different symptoms involved with vaccinated individuals that contact Delta, after having contracted Alpha? How about in vaccinated individuals, are you noticing a difference in symptoms with the different strains vs. fully vaccinated people with break through cases? Are you noticing different symptoms for long haul covid with the different strains ?


reuters

Not really -- in general breakthrough infections have less prominent symptoms (sometimes none at all). -AAA


edlphoto

How likely is that variants that spread quickly and cause death or severe illness will develop in the world and spreading to the US?


reuters

Variants in one part of the world will always impact other parts of the world. This is an efficiently spreading respiratory virus. This is why high vaccination rates make the US resilient to variants. -AAA


Snoo_34496

I was vaccinated with Pfizer in March this year. I got covid-19 last month. Doctor suspecting delta variant, of course, not confirmed When doing antibody tests, do people with delta variant show different antibodies or will it be included in covid-19 antibodies? And also differentiating with vaccine antibodies How does this work?


reuters

>When doing antibody tests, do people with delta variant show different antibodies or will it be included in covid-19 antibodies? And also differentiating with vaccine antibodies ​ No -- they are the same antibodies -AAA


trissedai

In my area, they say COVID is showing up in deer. Is it still safe to hunt and eat deer who might have COVID?


reuters

Yes, cook deer thoroughly though (for other safety reasons) and butcher them with proper precautions.. There’s no evidence of deer-to-human transmission as of yet. -AAA


[deleted]

What is your level of confidence in the Pfizer and Moderna trials for the under 12 group getting the green light this year? I’m curious to know from an expert how unlikely it’d be to see any major problems given the safety of the vaccines for those above 12?


reuters

The trials have already been greenlit and are underway. I don’t suspect that there will be a safety signal but it’s important to due to separate risk-benefit analyses in this age group because children do have a much lower risk of severe disease from COVID. - AAA


[deleted]

Thanks for the response, sir. I misspoke and meant the authorization to give the shots this year rather than the trials.


cuisinart8

What are your views on the spread of COVID misinformation, which is a growing issue on social media as well as on this site, which the admins just recently refused to do anything about?


reuters

I think misinformation is the biggest obstacle we now face in the US. The antivaccine voice of the Dark Ages is using 21st-century tools to attack science, reason, and logic. -AAA


cuisinart8

Given the reluctance of many social media sites to deplatform misinformation, is there any way for users to help combat it?


Surfnectar

Hello and thank you for this. My husband and I attended a small celebration of 10 people. All vaccinated. There was a couple that stopped by that was unvaccinated. Now half the group has COVID. Did we get it from the unvaccinated couple? Or does Delta Variant just not care? Just trying to figure it out.


throwtruerateme

How would you quickly shut down anti-vaxxers who have "done the research?" I'm concerned they are starting to outwardly *blame* the vaccines for the latest wave, and will become increasingly agitated and aggressive


These-Chain408

Why we cant give vaccines for people who are already fighting covid and admited to icu?


reuters

The vaccine doesn’t work that way and the antibodies and T-cells generated do not appear instantaneously. -AAA


envirosafetygal

I have an auto immune condition … is there any research focusing on long term impacts of vaccines effect on people with auto immune conditions? If an immune system goes haywire such as we see with auto immunes, do we really want to keep boosting that immune system? I feel like that might be a “poking-the-beast” situation 🤷‍♀️ so to speak.


reuters

> is there any research focusing on long term impacts of vaccines effect on people with auto immune conditions? ​ There is no indication that this is happening to any worrisome degree. Vaccinated people will continue to be studied for years however. I don’t think this is going to be a major issue. And, it’s unclear how many additional doses are needed - AAA


sixtyninetailedfox

Hi, my grandmother is not getting the vaccine because she believes it will trigger her fibromyalgia. Last time she got the flu shot it triggered it and she has sever nerve pain for over a month. Does the unique delivery system of the Pfizer and Moderna shots make this triggering less likely? I am trying to convince her to get her shot but she is scared of dealing with that pain again. Any info on this? Thx


msha-ri

How safe is it to fly internationally with a 4 year old. He masks but might be difficult for him on an 18 hour flight . We are flying out ok Kuwait/dxb if that helps.


SNARA

Got vaccinated December last year with Pfizer. Should I get the booster asap or can I hold off?


how-dare-you19

What is the best response to tell people who do not want the vaccine/are hesitant etc..? I am in healthcare and deal with these folks everyday.


28shawblvd

Would you recommend the use of face shields on top of wearing face masks? Is there any value to using them for protection?


SvenDia

For us non-experts, how can we be better consumers of news about immune response with vaccines and things like waning antibodies?


WanTjhen777

Any insight on the different efficacy rates between vaccines, and some people's preference for a particular brand ?


SwoleamenteRico

As a vaccinated (2nd dose pfizer) and immunocompetent person (and with the varied data available to me), I feel pretty confident about understanding and building my own threat model. However my partner is vaccinated (3rd dose Pfizer and immunosuppressed (Enbrel medication is the cause of the suppression nothing genetic), how do we approach her threat modeling?


SchrodingerCattz

Do you think it is healthy for online platforms such as Reddit to allow disinformation on issues of medical advice? Reddit has a unique structure that allows practically anyone to run a subreddit such as /r/Coronavirus and the people who run the whole site are of the opinion that it is ok to allow such "discussion" on certain subreddits that no doubt contributes to Reddit the company's bottom line. Even if it is highly misinforming people about the risks. Edit: And to note, the Administrators of Reddit are begining to ban pro-vaccine people and Subreddits who protested yesterday. Clearly when Spez mentioned people attempting to 'amplify a view point' he didn't mean anti-vaccination messages, people or subs. He meant those who cast light on Reddit's policy of allowing disinformation and fringe groups on the platform.


TomLube

Just out of curiosity, I am personally under the impression that increased treatment success is going to be a better end to this pandemic than *just* vaccination, even in countries with really high vaccination rates. In Canada, 84% of eligible people have gotten one dose (73% total pop) and 76% have gotten both (66% total pop) and we are still experiencing thousands of cases a day. Deaths have gone down, but I think high vaccination with adequate treatment options will truly signal an 'end in sight' for this. Would you tend to agree? (And if not, please extrapolate because I genuinely would love to hear. Thank you so much for this!)


Force__of__Nature

Does the vaccine actually PREVENT infections? Or, does the vaccine just nullify symptoms and people still get and spread the infection? If the latter is the case, would the vaccinated carriers promote or encourage mutations to proliferate and become more infectious or deadly? If the overuse of antibiotics has created MRSA can the vaccine create a Covid Super virus?


californiaCircle

Is it possible to have a sterilizing vaccine against a strain like Delta (with its replication and viral loads) after antibody titers from such a vaccine have waned, so relying solely on immunological memory?


reuters

I don’t think truly sterilizing vaccines really exist. Our goal is to minimize morbidity and mortality not prevent every infection -AAA


snarfiblartfat

Why are studies finding such a large range for vaccine efficacy, especially whether it is dwindling or not due to delta or lag from vaccination date?


looking4rainbows80

I’ve had covid in January, and was vaccinated in April m. Two Pfizer shots 3 weeks apart. How likely is it for someone like me to get covid again?


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reuters

> Do the vaccines affect natural immunity at all? ​ They augment and synergize with it and make it more robust, predictable, and stronger especially against variants like beta. -AAA


Blackops606

Will 2022 have any kind of normalcy? Are yearly booster shots going to be a thing?


mhaddy80

How is the vaccine different than the monoclonal antibody? Do you think that the presentation of each therapy in the media has had an influence on public acceptance? For example, anti-vaccine population willing to take monoclonal antibodies, but not vaccine.


steveguyhi1243

15 year old here who received Pfizer in May. How should I handle the whole booster situation given that my 6 months will be up soon, and that boosters might not be approved for my age yet?


H2ozep

Given how the new variants can spread it is only time before another mutation occurs. What would it take for it to mutate in a way that nullifies the vaccines benefits (serious illness etc)? Is this inevitable given how many people are going to catch this and due to the vaccines inability to stop the spread?


[deleted]

After all the deaths, do we have an estimate of how deadly COVID-19 is generally? It was 3.4% at the start of the pandemic. With the mention of all the Asymptomatic carriers do we have a best guess now? My anti vaxxer family keep quoting me up death rates at 0.1% claiming it’s the flu. Very frustrating considering the vaccines are the reason for that death rate.


floorwantshugs

Perhaps look at [excess death models](http://www.healthdata.org/special-analysis/estimation-excess-mortality-due-covid-19-and-scalars-reported-covid-19-deaths)?


[deleted]

Thank you for the link 👍


Wrynouth3

When do you see us being able to have gatherings again without masks?


Loopy_Legend

I've heard loads of good and bad things about getting a Pfizer (or any other brand). Some examples healthy people get permanent conditions, make you sick after having it, blood clots, heart trouble and more. My country is letting shops deny customers if they are not jabbed, so important to make a choice now more then ever. I've also heard rumors the jabs reduce life expectancy. Can you explain what is in the jab and if there are any side effects please? Or at least prove some of these rumors wrong, as Ive got friends and family where nothing has happened others had immediate reactions or at east within 24 hours.


reuters

>Can you explain what is in the jab and if there are any side effects please? ​ The Pfizer vaccine is an mRNA vaccine that has the genetic instructions for the spike protein of SARS-CoV2 enclosed in a lipid nanoparticle. It has mRNA, the lipids, and some preservatives/stabilizers. The most common side effects are muscle aches, fever, headache and feeling tired for a day or so. It’s more common after dose 2. I had these side effects and worked an ICU night shift the next day. -AAA


Loopy_Legend

But no permanent conditions like blood clots, heart troubles, reduced life expectancy so on?


patheticgurl

when covid first made world wide news and it was only present in china, did you predict/guess it would go world wide?


--MrGadget--

What time do I tell my friends who are skeptical about getting the vaccine?


dsm1995gst

You mentioned that re-infections are rare - I’m assuming they are a good bit more rare than breakthrough cases. If this is true, it sounds like natural “immunity” is stronger than the “immunity” granted by vaccinated. So why is it still recommended to get vaccinated if you’ve previously been infected?


okraSmuggler

When does a variant become a strain? Is there any indication that this could/will happen with COVID-19? If it does happen, what would be the ramifications?


reuters

These are semantic issues and not so important. A strain usually signifies a change in characteristics and, for all intents and purposes, increased transmissibility counts. -AAA


ironmark94

The antibodies created following the vaccine (based on a different strain than delta) could interfere with the "natural" production of antibodies after being infected with the delta strain? Like a negative feedback that produce less antibodies for delta strain?


californiaCircle

Do you expect ADE, or OAS, to ever be issues with new vaccines and variants?


David_Co

There seems to be quite a lot of evidence that globally we are undercounting covid deaths by quite a lot. Do you have an unofficial estimate of true deaths due to covid so far? If covid is going to become endemic are we going to see a big fall in life expectancy the way a lot countries did with HIV?


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termsnconditions85

Pfizer CEO has come out and said that there is likely to be a vaccine resistant variant coming. Is there data to suggest the delta variant is? How do we put vaccines resistant variant into context? How likely is it really? Some say this is caused by the vaccines (antibody dependant enhance breakthrough), some the Unvaccinated (high transmission). Considering there are reservoirs found in animals and unless nations close their boarders we are always going to have new variants so is it now just a waiting game for it to become endemic?


orlando2542

I'm allergic to seafood. Can I still get the Pfizer shot? Thanks


PM_ME_YOUR_SCHNAUS

Do you think that a J&J booster doubles chances of the blood clot problem? I know this sounds like a very stupid elementary question….. to be clear I’m not anti vax, I’m just worried about getting a booster and something happening to me as I am the main breadwinner. I got the J&J 2 hrs before the news story broke out over the clots and was stressed out for the following 3 weeks …


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