Oso planning to go pro
Discussed with my 13 YO while hiking in the woods the philosophical and ethical issues of whether I should get the vaccine early or move to the back of the line. He immediately said that I should go to the end of the line. He rightly points out that in 6-8 months it will be like getting a booster. Raising another smart one.
You are saying you don't trust the antibodies developed through the virus. Is it the strength or the duration that concerns you?
Interesting that Astra Zeneca is feeling pressure by Pfizer/Moderna to show 90% efficacy results (could happen with 2 shots). 70% is still pretty good with one shot. https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/covid-19-oxford-astra-zeneca-vaccine-shows-over-70-efficacy-080349205.html
My understanding is that both efficacy numbers are two shots. It's just that the higher efficacy was half dose then full and the lower efficacy was full dose & full dose.
The AstraZeneca trial looked at two different dosing regimens. A half-dose of the vaccine followed by a full dose at least one month later was 90% effective. Another approach, giving patients two full doses one month apart, was 62% effective.That means that, overall, when both ways of dosing are considered, the vaccine showed an efficacy rate of 70%.
AstraZeneca, which has pledged it won’t make a profit on the vaccine during the pandemic, has reached agreements with governments and international health organizations that put its cost at about $2.50 a dose. Pfizer’s vaccine costs about $20, while Moderna’s is $15 to $25, based on agreements the companies have struck to supply their vaccines to the U.S. government.
Interesting that Astra Zeneca is feeling pressure by Pfizer/Moderna to show 90% efficacy results (could happen with 2 shots). 70% is still pretty good with one shot. https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/covid-19-oxford-astra-zeneca-vaccine-shows-over-70-efficacy-080349205.htmledit: incorrect information
Can you sciencey type folks explain why a half dose/full dose regimen is more effective than a full dose/full dose regimen? Just curious.
It was also an accident. No one was supposed to receive a half dose.
It’s a really odd situation, which I found very surprising.The article below suggests that it might just be a statistical anomaly, based on the fact that only a small number of participants got the half-dose regimen. And if it isn’t an anomaly, the article suggests two possible mechanisms that could explain the result.Bottom line: lots of immunologists and biostatisticians are scratching their heads right now.https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03326-wShe has two leading theories for why a lower first dose might have led to better protection against COVID. It’s possible that lower doses of vaccine do a better job at stimulating the subset of immune cells called T cells that support the production of antibodies, she says.Another potential explanation is the immune system’s response against the chimpanzee virus. The vaccine triggers an immune response not only to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, but also to components of the viral vector. It’s possible that the full first dose blunted this reaction, says Ewer. She plans to look at antibody responses against the chimpanzee virus to help address this question.
I think .. this is relatively impressive. All Pick n Save / Metro Market pharmacy locations are offering COVID anti-body testing. $25 .. and results in 15 minutes. https://www.picknsave.com/rx/guest/antibody
I went and got a rapid test at UWM yesterday and it couldn't have been easier. The only thing is the waiting... the seating is spaced, but you're still in a ballroom with a bunch of people. Thankfully it was nice enough to go outside on the balcony.
I went there as well, and saw zero reason to wait. The results are emailed. What's the point of waiting in that (admittedly large) ballroom for results, when the result is emailed? All it took for me to walk straight out, down the steps and out the door was a young gal hacking into her mask. But it was a very easy and efficient process.
It's the lack of accuracy. If you're there, they would then administer a PCR test if you test positive, or are symptomatic and test negative.
Damn those cute little mink!https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Denmark-finds-covid-strain-that-might-hamper-15701598.php