Covid-19 Booster Shots

[vegman]

I got my Pfizer booster 3 days ago, the first day they were available at Walgreens. I've had the usual side effects: arm pain, tiredness, feeling flu-ey, headache, chills, nausea. Have slept a lot. Feeling mostly better today.

I was eligible because I'm over 65 and got the second of my two original Pfizer shots more than 6 months ago. For those under 65 and 6 months out from their second shot, CDC eligibility includes those who are overweight (BMI over 25) which includes something like 70% of the US population. With all of the other eligible categories, a lot of people are eligible.

It would probably have been better to get a Moderna booster, since that vaccine has been shown to be significantly more effective over time and with the Delta variant than Pfizer. However, 1) it's not officially allowed in the US for previous Pfizer recipients who are not immunocompromised, and it may never be, 2) there is little data, unlike the plethora of Pfizer booster data from Israel, 3) side effects would likely be worse, as they are for Moderna with the first two doses. Moderna wants their boosters to be half strength.

So far, in Israel, which started Pfizer boosters at the end of July, studies show they are highly effective. All the experts are saying no one knows how long they will remain so. Some experts note that other vaccines require a booster at 6 months or a year to be fully effective for the long term, so maybe efficacy will be durable. Then again, it may peter out again after months.

Studies show it takes about 2 weeks for the boosters to reach full efficacy, same as for the previous doses.

[vegman]

For a clear, concise presentation by Dr. Fauci of the compelling data supporting getting a booster shot, click on the second of the three items under "points of interest" on the right side.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?514940-1/cdc-director-defends-extending-booster-shots-eligibility-risk-workers

[darad]

Just saw this in today's news ... differs from Fauci enthusiasm.

ref: FDA Briefing Document Application for Pfizer/Comirnaty booster
https://www.fda.gov/media/152176/download (pdf document)

'So, when they weren’t injected, their infection rate was 1.3% and when they got injected, it was 4.34%. It went up by over 300%,’ Pfizer ex-employee Karen Kingston stated. ‘They had less infection when they had no protection. So, that’s a problem.’

Covid-19 case incidence rate per 1000 person years was 43.4 for vaccinated, and 12.6 for unvaccinated. Pfizer seemingly wrote off this finding by medical talk below.

Does this imply ADE? Antibody Dependent Enhancement?

p22 in the briefing document ...
"An additional analysis appears to indicate that incidence of COVID-19 generally increased in each group of study participants with increasing time post-Dose 2 at the start of the analysis period.

The reported incidence of COVID-19 among study participants who completed the primary series <4 months prior to the start of the analysis period was 43.4 cases per 1,000 person years. In contrast, during the blinded, placebo-controlled follow-up period of the study with data cutoff of March 13, 2021 (prior to the Delta variant surge), the incidence of COVID-19 among BNT162b2 recipients in the Evaluable Efficacy Population (nearly 60% of whom had 4 months or more of blinded follow-up post-Dose was 12.6 cases per 1,000 person-years."

[vegman]

Just saw this in today's news ... differs from Fauci enthusiasm.

This is not part of the the news, in the sense of reporting by reputable news outlets. The first quote is not from the FDA report, but from this article on an anti-vax, anti-mask site: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/if-you-get-the-pfizer-vax-youre-more-likely-to-get-covid-insider-leaks-fda-study/

The presentation was part of the Reawaken America tour, featuring leaders of the anti-vax/anti-mask movement and the attempt to undo the 2020 Presidential election. https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/reawaken-america-tour/

The presenter is attorney Thomas Renz, the subject of a recent long article in the Washington Post (behind a paywall). https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/09/20/vaccine-lawsuits-thomas-renz-covid/ The upshot is that he has attained fame and fortune by fundraising in anti-vax/anti-mask circles for dubious lawsuits and related activities, he is working with Pam Popper, who has become a major promoter of conspiracy theories regarding vaccines and masks, and his claims are demonstrably false.

Those who choose to believe anti-vax disinformation will find an abundance of it on the Internet. Carefully analyzing it will reveal that it is not true.

Here is the sentence on page 22 of the FDA report (which does not "write off" anything) immediately following the portion quoted by darad: "This observation suggests that while waning immunity is one potential factor that may have contributed to the higher incidence breakthrough cases during the Delta variant surge, it is possible that other factors (e.g., dynamics of Delta variant transmission and potential differences in vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant vs. strains circulating during the placebo-controlled portion of the trial) may also have contributed."

Antibody dependent enhancement is apparently not a factor in the Covid-19 vaccines or any other routinely used vaccines: https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/antibody-dependent-enhancement-and-vaccines

[Vegankit]

Just saw this in today's news ... differs from Fauci enthusiasm.

This is not part of the the news, in the sense of reporting by reputable news outlets. The first quote is not from the FDA report, but from this article on an anti-vax, anti-mask site: https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/if-you-get-the-pfizer-vax-youre-more-likely-to-get-covid-insider-leaks-fda-study/

The presentation was part of the Reawaken America tour, featuring leaders of the anti-vax/anti-mask movement and the attempt to undo the 2020 Presidential election. https://www.thrivetimeshow.com/reawaken-america-tour/

The presenter is attorney Thomas Renz, the subject of a recent long article in the Washington Post (behind a paywall). https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2021/09/20/vaccine-lawsuits-thomas-renz-covid/ The upshot is that he has attained fame and fortune by fundraising in anti-vax/anti-mask circles for dubious lawsuits and related activities, he is working with Pam Popper, who has become a major promoter of conspiracy theories regarding vaccines and masks, and his claims are demonstrably false.

Those who choose to believe anti-vax disinformation will find an abundance of it on the Internet. Carefully analyzing it will reveal that it is not true.

Here is the sentence on page 22 of the FDA report (which does not "write off" anything) immediately following the portion quoted by darad: "This observation suggests that while waning immunity is one potential factor that may have contributed to the higher incidence breakthrough cases during the Delta variant surge, it is possible that other factors (e.g., dynamics of Delta variant transmission and potential differences in vaccine effectiveness against the Delta variant vs. strains circulating during the placebo-controlled portion of the trial) may also have contributed."

Antibody dependent enhancement is apparently not a factor in the Covid-19 vaccines or any other routinely used vaccines: https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-safety/antibody-dependent-enhancement-and-vaccines

Thank you for your careful attention to detail picking out the errors

Sad to hear dr. Pam Popper is a promoter of dangerous nonsense about vaccines and masks.

I’m waiting to hear about the need for boosters for Moderna.

[darad]

Thanks for correction!

[Daydream]

I got my Pfizer covid booster 2 days ago and I had no side effects other than a slightly sore arm the next day after the injection. I was eligible for thePfizer covid booster because I'm 65.