CORONAVIRUS INFO PROVIDED BY DR. JIM HARRIS –2/15/2022

HELLO,

FROM THE MNM WITH WEEKLY CASE NUMBERS:

J. Harris: Since Harrison County has only vaccinated 40% of the population and since new Covid Variants can be transmitted by virtually anyone: vaccinated, recovered, unvaccinated, recovered + vaccinated — I plan to continue using my mask when indicated by the Three C’s (Closed, Crowded, and/or Close)

NEW FROM JAMA

Association of COVID-19 Vaccination With Symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection by Time Since Vaccination and Delta Variant Predominance

Among adults, the OR for the association between symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 vaccination (as an estimate of vaccine effectiveness) was higher during Delta variant predominance, suggesting lower protection. For mRNA vaccination, the steady increase in OR by month since vaccination was consistent with attenuation of estimated effectiveness over time; attenuation related to time was greater than that related to variant.

”…The findings are consistent with a steady decline in estimated mRNA vaccine effectiveness over time, separate from variant-specific differences in protection.”

In this analysis, the pattern of attenuation related to the time since vaccination for mRNA vaccines was consistent before and after the emergence of Delta as the predominant variant…More recent data from this same testing platform suggest that 2 doses of mRNA vaccine offer less protection against infection with the Omicron variant than against infection with the Delta variant, but the pattern of attenuation over time since vaccination was similar for both variants… Together these data suggest that while the starting point for protection among recent recipients of 2 doses of mRNA vaccine can differ across variants, declines in effectiveness over time may be more predictable. It will be important to evaluate whether protection from booster doses wanes in a similar fashion as that of 2 doses.

(J. Harris: Most of the vaccinated older folks that I know are now waiting for a 4th Booster and hope it will be at least as good as was the 3rd. Others are interested in a “Mix and Match.” of mRNA vaccines.)

FROM BECKERS: (Has audio as well)

32% of older adults develop new medical conditions after COVID-19

FROM THE LANCET:

Transitioning to endemicity with COVID-19 research

(J. Harris: From a medical research point of view, most efforts have been directed to Covid for the last 2 years. Ultimately, this might prove costly?)

”…The vast research effort that has gone into COVID-19 over the past 2 years should be celebrated as a great human achievement—it has given us the tools to turn a pandemic disease into a manageable, endemic one. Better vaccines and treatments will be required to maintain this success, and large parts of the world’s population still do not have access to vaccines. However, research organisations, funding bodies, and industry should now lead a compensatory effort that, applying lessons learned from combatting COVID-19, redirects research towards the control of infectious diseases (and, indeed, non-communicable diseases) that take a toll of human life year in and year out…”

FROM JOHNS HOPKINS CITATIONS:

1. Waning 2-Dose and 3-Dose Effectiveness of mRNA Vaccines Against COVID-19–Associated Emergency Department and Urgent Care Encounters and Hospitalizations Among Adults During Periods of Delta and Omicron Variant Predominance — VISION Network, 10 States, August 2021–January 2022 (CDC MMWR) Vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19–associated emergency department/urgent care (ED/UC) visits and hospitalizations was higher after the third dose than after the second dose but waned with time since vaccination. During the Omicron-predominant period, VE against COVID-19–associated ED/UC visits and hospitalizations was 87% and 91%, respectively, during the 2 months after a third dose and decreased to 66% and 78% by the fourth month after a third dose. Protection against hospitalizations exceeded that against ED/UC visits.

2.Vaccine Scientists Have Been Chasing Variants. Now, They’re Seeking a Universal Coronavirus Vaccine (Washington Post) Volunteers are rolling up their sleeves to receive shots of experimental vaccines tailored to beat the omicron variant — just as the winter coronavirus surge begins to relent. By the time scientists know whether those rebooted vaccines are effective and safe, omicron is expected to be in the rearview mirror. Already, mask mandates are easing. People are beginning to talk about normalcy. The disconnect highlights the exhausting scientific chase of the last year — and the one that lies ahead. And it underscores a more pressing, overarching conundrum: Is chasing the latest variant a viable strategy? Instead of testing and potentially deploying a new shot when a new variant pops up, what if a single vaccine could thwart all iterations of this coronavirus and the next ones, too?

AND LAST BUT NOT LEASED:

A Birthday Cake my Norweigan Housekeep made recently: