#Pfizer Moderna and novavax

[dicapiito]

Took the updated Covid vaccine shot and the flu shot

Now to pass out until November 😭

[dillyt]

Great news for uninsured adults in the USA who want a COVID-19 booster! It now appears that ALL CVS locations are now active participants in the Bridge Access Program. The Bridge Access Program gives out free Covid-19 vaccinations to 18+ adults who otherwise can't afford one, so if you have a CVS near you, please go get one! For others who don't have a CVS near them, please go to vaccines.gov, click on "Find Covid-19 vaccines", fill out which vaccines you prefer (you can mix different vaccines if you have to so i reccomend just marking all of them for the age groups you need), and when the next page loads mark the "Bridge Access Program Participant" option to see only locations that are Bridge Access Program participants. Hopefully, other places that aren't CVS will start participating soon, so just check back every so often to see if there are any updates. The CDC Bridge Access Program website also has more details on what locations will be participating, but only CVS is appearing as an active participant on the vaccines.gov location finder at the moment.

[nimchimpskyphd]

The amount of spam / bot accounts sharing anti-vax sentiment in the tags is frustrating. I'm blocking them all on sight. All the websites seem like a virus waiting to happen which is almost ironic. Reminder not to click on their links so that your devices aren't infected.

If you want, type the headline into a search engine but don't click on random links from people you don't know or trust.

[pandemic-info]

https://twitter.com/jeffgilchrist/status/1700854098755563660

#Novavax vs mRNA vaccine This thread explains how @Novavax is different from the #Moderna and #Pfizer #mRNA #vaccines and describes some of the benefits such as broadened #variant recognition, more durable #immunity, and fewer side effects.

This is an awesome thread explaining all of the above + recommendations for primary layers of protection like ventilation, filtration, and masking.

Notable:

What about people who had mRNA doses previously but want to consider Novavax? There have been several studies now that found mixing the two, getting mRNA and then Novavax actually gave better results than just mRNA on its own.

One study found that getting Novavax as a booster after mRNA "may enhance the persistence and durability of vaccine-mediated immunity compared to mRNA options" ...with slower decay rate compared to an mRNA booster dose and less side effects than mRNA boosters

While vaccines are important, they should be the last layer of protection to rely on in case all the other layers fail and you get exposed. Vaccines should not be the one and only layer governments all seem to be currently relying on.

This link may be easier to read:

[a-typical]

What’s the difference between Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax COVID-19 vaccines?

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines use mRNA as the active ingredient. The mRNA is converted by our cells into the antigen, in this case, the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.

The vaccine contains the mRNA, which is synthesized in the lab using a DNA template, the building blocks of RNA, and the enzyme that puts those building blocks together into the right order. mRNA is the molecule template for every protein in every organism. The mRNA sequence is a code for our cells to link amino acids together into functional proteins

mRNA is very fragile, so it is encased in a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that protects it until it gets into our cells. When the vaccine is administered, the mRNA is released and is used to synthesize the spike protein which is displayed by cells that produced it. That spike protein is recognized by our innate immune cells like dendritic cells and macrophages as well as B cells, which initiates immune response and generation of memory immunity.

In contrast, Novavax is a protein-based vaccine, which contains the prefabricated antigen - the spike protein - instead of the template for it. To make the antigen, we turn cells into protein-producing factories in the lab.

Novavax uses Sf9 cells (moth cells) infected with an insect-specific virus that has been genetically engineered to contain the gene for the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. These viruses will hijack the cellular machinery of the Sf9 cells to produce lots of spike proteins and baby viruses. Those will continue to reproduce and produce proteins, which will be harvested, purified, and formulated with the other ingredients in the final vaccine.

When the vaccine is injected, the antigen will be recognized by the same innate immune cells listed above, which will trigger the same immune response pathway.

While the vaccines use different technologies, ingredients, and manufacturing processes, the immune responses center around recognition of the spike protein and generating adaptive immune responses targeting that antigen.

[gumjrop]

CDC Recommends Updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines for Fall/Winter Virus Season

Media Statement

For Immediate Release: June 27, 2024 Contact: Media Relations (404) 639-3286

Today [June 27, 2024], CDC recommended the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines and the updated 2024-2025 flu vaccines to protect against severe COVID-19 and flu this fall and winter.

It is safe to receive COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same visit. Data continue to show the importance of vaccination to protect against severe outcomes of COVID-19 and flu, including hospitalization and death. In 2023, more than 916,300 people were hospitalized due to COVID-19 and more than 75,500 people died from COVID-19. During the 2023-2024 flu season, more than 44,900 people are estimated to have died from flu complications.

Updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendation

CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter whether or not they have ever previously been vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. Updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax, and Pfizer later this year. This recommendation will take effect as soon as the new vaccines are available.

The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, is always changing and protection from COVID-19 vaccines declines over time. Receiving an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine can restore and enhance protection against the virus variants currently responsible for most infections and hospitalizations in the United States. COVID-19 vaccination also reduces the chance of suffering the effects of Long COVID, which can develop during or following acute infection and last for an extended duration.

Last season, people who received a 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine saw greater protection against illness and hospitalization than those who did not receive a 2023-2024 vaccine. To date, hundreds of millions of people have safely received a COVID-19 vaccine under the most intense vaccine safety monitoring in United States history.

Updated 2024-2025 Flu Vaccine Recommendation

CDC recommends everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exceptions, receive an updated 2024-2025 flu vaccine to reduce the risk of influenza and its potentially serious complications this fall and winter. CDC encourages providers to begin their influenza vaccination planning efforts now and to vaccinate patients as indicated once 2024-2025 influenza vaccines become available.

Most people need only one dose of the flu vaccine each season. While CDC recommends flu vaccination as long as influenza viruses are circulating, September and October remain the best times for most people to get vaccinated. Flu vaccination in July and August is not recommended for most people, but there are several considerations regarding vaccination during those months for specific groups:

Pregnant people who are in their third trimester can get a flu vaccine in July or August to protect their babies from flu after birth, when they are too young to get vaccinated.

Children who need two doses of the flu vaccine should get their first dose of vaccine as soon as it becomes available. The second dose should be given at least four weeks after the first.

Vaccination in July or August can be considered for children who have health care visits during those months if there might not be another opportunity to vaccinate them.

For adults (especially those 65 years old and older) and pregnant people in the first and second trimester, vaccination in July and August should be avoided unless it won’t be possible to vaccinate in September or October.

Updated 2024-2025 flu vaccines will all be trivalent and will protect against an H1N1, H3N2 and a B/Victoria lineage virus. The composition of this season’s vaccine compared to last has been updated with a new influenza A(H3N2) virus.

For more information on updated COVID-19 vaccines visit: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | CDC. For more information on updated flu vaccines visit: Seasonal Flu Vaccines | CDC.

The following statement is attributable to CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen:

“Our top recommendation for protecting yourself and your loved ones from respiratory illness is to get vaccinated,” said Mandy Cohen, M.D., M.P.H. “Make a plan now for you and your family to get both updated flu and COVID vaccines this fall, ahead of the respiratory virus season.”

[ricisidro]

The CDC recommends updated COVID Vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and above.

The updated COVID-19 vaccines will be available from Moderna, Novavax and Pfizer later this year.

Novavax shot will target JN.1 while the Pfizer and Moderna shots will take aim at KP.2.

-https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-06-28/cdc-advises-updated-covid-vaccine-for-everyone-over-6-months-of-age?src=usn_tw

-https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/s-t0627-vaccine-recommendations.html

[reasonsforhope]

Article | Paywall Free

"The Food and Drug Administration approved new mRNA coronavirus vaccines Thursday [August 22, 2024], clearing the way for shots manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to start hitting pharmacy shelves and doctor’s offices within a week.

Health officials encourage annual vaccination against the coronavirus, similar to yearly flu shots. Everyone 6 months and older should receive a new vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.

The FDA has yet to approve an updated vaccine from Novavax, which uses a more conventional vaccine development method but has faced financial challenges.

Our scientific understanding of coronavirus vaccines has evolved since they debuted in late 2020. Here’s what to know about the new vaccines.

Why are there new vaccines?

The coronavirus keeps evolving to overcome our immune defenses, and the shield offered by vaccines weakens over time. That’s why federal health officials want people to get an annual updated coronavirus vaccine designed to target the latest variants. They approve them for release in late summer or early fall to coincide with flu shots that Americans are already used to getting.

The underlying vaccine technology and manufacturing process are the same, but components change to account for how the virus morphs. The new vaccines target the KP.2 variant because most recent covid cases are caused by that strain or closely related ones...

Do the vaccines prevent infection?

You probably know by now that vaccinated people can still get covid. But the shots do offer some protection against infection, just not the kind of protection you get from highly effective vaccines for other diseases such as measles.

The 2023-2024 vaccine provided 54 percent increased protection against symptomatic covid infections, according to a CDC study of people who tested for the coronavirus at pharmacies during the first four months after that year’s shot was released...

A nasal vaccine could be better at stopping infections outright by increasing immunity where they take hold, and one is being studied in a trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

If you really want to dodge covid, don’t rely on the vaccine alone and take other precautions such as masking or avoiding crowds...

Do the vaccines help prevent transmission?

You may remember from early coverage of coronavirus vaccines that it was unclear whether shots would reduce transmission. Now, scientists say the answer is yes — even if you’re actively shedding virus.

That’s because the vaccine creates antibodies that reduce the amount of virus entering your cells, limiting how much the virus can replicate and make you even sicker. When vaccination prevents symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, people expel fewer respiratory droplets carrying the virus. When it reduces the viral load in an infected person, people become less contagious.

That’s why Peter Hotez, a physician and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, said he feels more comfortable in a crowded medical conference, where attendees are probably up to date on their vaccines, than in a crowded airport.

“By having so many vaccinated people, it’s decreasing the number of days you are shedding virus if you get a breakthrough infection, and it decreases the amount of virus you are shedding,” Hotez said.

Do vaccines prevent long covid?

While the threat of acute serious respiratory covid disease has faded, developing the lingering symptoms of “long covid” remains a concern for people who have had even mild cases. The CDC says vaccination is the “best available tool” to reduce the risk of long covid in children and adults. The exact mechanism is unclear, but experts theorize that vaccines help by reducing the severity of illness, which is a major risk factor for long covid.

When is the best time to get a new coronavirus vaccine?

It depends on your circumstances, including risk factors for severe disease, when you were last infected or vaccinated, and plans for the months ahead. It’s best to talk these issues through with a doctor.

If you are at high risk and have not recently been vaccinated or infected, you may want to get a shot as soon as possible while cases remain high. The summer wave has shown signs of peaking, but cases can still be elevated and take weeks to return to low levels. It’s hard to predict when a winter wave will begin....

Where do I find vaccines?

CVS said its expects to start administering them within days, and Walgreens said that it would start scheduling appointments to receive shots after Sept. 6 and that customers can walk in before then.

Availability at doctor’s offices might take longer. Finding shots for infants and toddlers could be more difficult because many pharmacies do not administer them and not every pediatrician’s office will stock them given low demand and limited storage space.

This year’s updated coronavirus vaccines are supposed to have a longer shelf life, which eases the financial pressures of stocking them.

The CDC plans to relaunch its vaccine locator when the new vaccines are widely available, and similar services are offered by Moderna and Pfizer."

-via The Washington Post, August 22, 2024

[phonemantra-blog]

Rising COVID Hospitalizations Linked to New Variant as US Schools Reopen: Preparing for Fall Vaccine Distribution As students across the United States return to school, a concerning trend is emerging—the surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. This article delves into the recent spike in hospitalizations, the upcoming vaccine distribution plan, and the challenges posed by a rapidly mutating virus. [caption id="attachment_53338" align="aligncenter" width="884"] Rising COVID Hospitalizations Linked To New Variant As Schools Reopen US Gears Up For Vaccine Distribution[/caption] The Escalating COVID Hospitalizations COVID Hospitalizations on the Rise (H3): Recent data reveals a 16% increase in new hospitalizations nationwide, with states like Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, and others experiencing a startling 30% surge in the past week. Vaccines and the Race Against Variants Fall Vaccine Distribution (H3): The US gears up to distribute new vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax as part of a fall immunization campaign. However, challenges persist as the virus mutates rapidly. The Current COVID Landscape Minimal Impact on Hospitalizations (H3): Dr. Anthony Fauci reassures that despite the rising cases, hospitalizations and deaths remain relatively low, attributing this to vaccination and prior immunity. FAQs about Rising COVID Hospitalizations Linked To New Variant As Schools Reopen: US Gears Up For Vaccine Distribution Q1: Why are COVID-19 hospitalizations on the rise in the US? A1: COVID-19 hospitalizations are increasing due to the spread of a new variant, BA.2.86, and the reopening of schools, creating opportunities for transmission. Q2: What vaccines will be distributed in the fall campaign? A2: The US plans to distribute vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax to combat the ongoing pandemic. Q3: Why is the BA.2.86 variant a concern? A3: The BA.2.86 variant has mutations that may reduce the protection offered by vaccines and past infections, making it a significant threat. Q4: Is the rise in COVID cases leading to more hospitalizations and deaths? A4: While cases are increasing, hospitalizations and deaths remain relatively low, partly due to vaccination efforts and prior immunity. Q5: Why are some school districts canceling classes? A5: Certain school districts in Kentucky and Texas are canceling classes due to a surge in respiratory diseases linked to increased COVID-19 transmission.

[damnyousubdermalirritants]

UPDATE: NOVAVAX NOW AVAILABLE!!!

Hi everyone, it's been about a year since I posted about updated COVID vaccines and it's time for another update if you are in the US:

THE BRIDGE ACCESS PROGRAM IS ENDING!!!!

If you are uninsured or your insurance does not cover covid boosters, please schedule a new booster appointment before the end of August because the Bridge Access Program (the way the government will still pay for your booster) ends in September. The updated mRNA boosters from Moderna and Pfizer are available now. Go Go GO!!!

Shitty, I know! If you can call your congressional reps, the FDA, the CDC, whomever to tell them you want this program to continue/be reinstated, that would be great. Also, while you're at it, call the FDA to tell them to expedite the approval for the updated Novavax booster (3017962640).

The new Novavax vaccine is designed for the JN.1 strain which is one of the most recent mutations of the virus going around. If you have insurance and can afford to wait, I highly recommend getting the Novavax booster when it becomes available.

We are currently in the largest Covid summer surge since 2021

If you haven't had a booster in the past six months you are essentially unvaccinated. New strains with different spike proteins keep evolving faster than vaccine development and distribution can keep up. All that said, getting Covid is not a moral failing. If you do feel sick, take a rapid test! If it's negative, test again a day or two later. It is better to know than not to know. Here's a refresh on how to take a rapid test correctly:

If you do get Covid, it is worth getting on antiretrovirals within the first week of symptoms to reduce the overall viral load your body has to fight. If your insurance doesn't cover Paxlovid or Remdesivir, here are other low/no-cost ways to access it:

If you get sick, rest radically even after you stop testing positive on rapid tests. Avoid exercising for at least eight weeks after the fact to reduce the risk of developing long covid.

Regardless of your vaccination status, masking with a KN95 or N95 respirator (or equivalent standards in your country i.e. FFP2/3 in the EU) is the most reliable way to protect yourself and others. If Covid protections are a financial burden, there is likely an active Mask Bloc near you doing free distribution of respirators and tests that would be happy to help you. Here's a global map of them from covidactionmap.org

Some quick tips: if you're wearing a bi-fold mask, flatten the nose-bridge wire completely, then mold it to your nose on your face for a better fit. The best mask is the one that you will actually wear regularly to protect yourself. I really like the selection of styles, sizes and colors from WellBefore:

As school is starting, getting you and your family boosted is one of the best things you can do to protect yourselves. Masking is perhaps even more important. If you can advocate for updating and regularly changing the HVAC filters at your local schools to MERV-13 or higher to keep the indoor air cleaner, that can also make a big difference. Better indoor air quality in schools helps protect kids from illness, allergies, wildfire smoke, and more per the EPA's website.

These are steps you can take to improve air quality at home as well. Corsi-Rosenthal boxes are low-cost and highly effective for cleaning the air indoors.

Here's a map of clean air lending libraries for getting access to air purifiers for events from cleanairclub.org

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive (Updates daily!)

A bit California specific in some cases, but generally good advice to follow: You want your vaccination to lead the wave by a month or two to get the best protection from your vaccination.

By Carly Severn

If you haven’t yet sought out your updated COVID-19 vaccine — or your flu shot — now might be a good time.

That’s because, after a lengthy COVID-19 surge this summer that lasted twice as long as 2023’s summer swell, the Bay Area is now about to enter the winter respiratory virus season.

In August, the updated 2024 COVID-19 vaccine was made available to everyone age 6 months and over, with shots from manufacturers Pfizer, Moderna and most recently, Novavax. These COVID-19 vaccines are now provided as annual fall vaccines, alongside the yearly flu shot, updated to target the latest strains and timed in order to offer maximum protection against the predicted winter surge of these viruses.

All of which means if you haven’t gotten either your COVID-19 or flu shot yet at this stage in the fall, seeking them out in the next few weeks is a good idea. Keep reading for what you need to know about fall vaccines, including the best time to get them, what to do if you got COVID-19 this summer and more.

When is the best time to get my COVID and flu shot? The recommendations medical professionals make about when to get a COVID-19 or flu shot are based on:

The fact that it takes about two weeks after you get vaccinated for antibodies to develop and provide protection against the virus When levels of the virus are predicted to rise that year Getting your COVID shot

Last year, the Bay Area’s fall and winter COVID-19 surge began in late October, according to Stanford University’s WastewaterSCAN team, which monitors levels of the virus in local sewage. And when it comes to the timing of your COVID-19 shot, you want to aim for what UCSF infectious disease expert Dr. Peter Chin-Hong called “the Goldilocks moment.”

“You don’t want to get it too soon because your antibodies might wane just when you need it the most,” Chin-Hong said. “And you don’t want to get it too late because you want to prevent infection. So generally, by Halloween or mid to late October is when most people say the right time is.”

The reason for this, explained Chin-Hong, is to ensure you get your full immunity ahead of the busy holiday season, from trick-or-treating at Halloween to holiday travel, Thanksgiving and beyond.

With your vaccine, “you not only get protection against serious disease, hospitalization and death, but you get a little bit of a buffer against infection itself,” Chin-Hong said. “So that if you want to have peace of mind while doing all of these things, it’s probably a good idea to peak your antibodies just when people are getting together again.”

Getting your flu shot

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that last year’s flu season caused between 17,000 and 100,000 deaths and up to 900,000 hospitalizations. Typically, flu season starts in November and peaks around January or February, Chin-Hong said.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine “ideally by the end of October.” Chin-Hong told KQED that his “optimal sweet point” for getting this shot is “sometime before Halloween” — but that if you see flu cases start to rise earlier, you should hustle to seek out your flu shot even sooner.

Can I get my COVID and my flu shot at the same time? Yes — it’s totally fine and safe to get your flu shot at the same time as your new COVID-19 vaccine, and you’ll find many pharmacies offer appointments where you can get multiple vaccines at the same time.

A caveat: if you’re trying to schedule vaccinations for a child, the CDC advised in 2023 that you first talk to your pediatrician about the best schedule for the COVID-19 and flu vaccines (and now the RSV — respiratory syncytial virus — preventive treatment, too).

I got COVID over the summer. Do I still need a COVID shot? Yes, Chin-Hong said — although make sure you’re not getting a shot too soon after having COVID-19.

That’s because “after getting infected with COVID, in general, you have a force field for around three months,” Chin-Hong said, meaning your infection will give you a good level of immunity against getting COVID-19 again during that period.

That said, this immunity will wane, Chin-Hong said, so having “a little bit of a buffer” is something to consider. This means getting your COVID-19 shot even after two months “won’t be a bad idea if it coincides with the time when we expect COVID to come back.”

Where can I get my COVID and flu shot? For full information on how to find an updated 2024 COVID-19 shot, read our guide. If you have health insurance, the cost of your COVID-19 vaccine should be fully covered.

To learn more about where to find a flu shot with or without insurance, read our 2023 guide to locations offering flu vaccination around the Bay Area.

Remember that many locations — including pharmacies — will offer appointments where you can get both vaccines at the same time.

What about RSV? Should I get a vaccine for that? The CDC said that while RSV “does not usually cause severe illness in healthy adults and children,” older adults and infants younger than six months of age are especially at risk of becoming “very sick and may need to be hospitalized.”

The vaccine against RSV is accordingly recommended by the CDC for infants, young children and adults ages 60 and older, as well as for pregnant people.

The virus spreads in the fall and winter like other respiratory viruses and “usually peaks in December and January,” according to the agency, which recommends that vaccination against RSV “will have the most benefit if administered in late summer or early fall [August through October], just before the RSV season.”

Speak to your health care provider about getting the RSV vaccine, when might be the best time for you and whether to get it alongside other vaccines. And as ever, if you’re trying to schedule your kid’s vaccinations, the CDC advises that you first talk to your pediatrician about the best schedule for the COVID-19, flu and RSV vaccines.

[darlinimamess]

and for the tags: did you have a preference?

[pandemic-info]

New Insights into Acute and Long Covid - by Eric Topol

KP.3’s rise is linked to trouble in multiple countries in Europe and Australasia. It’s a good thing that at the last minute the FDA decided to go ahead with the KP.2 vaccine booster for September instead of JN.1 that was the plan from the advisory committee. The neutralizing antibody levels induced by the KP.2 booster were more than 3-fold increased compared to that induced by a JN.1 booster. The plan is that Moderna and Pfizer will have a KP.2 booster ready, and Novavax will go with JN.1

[lotus-tower]

not so good news the FDA keeps delaying approval of novavax so people always end up getting pfizer and moderna first even though novavax offers better cross-variant protection, and these new vaccines are already not equipped to deal with the currently surging variants bc it’s impossible for the scientists creating vaccines to keep up with the pace of viral mutation. also let’s not give the CDC any legitimacy at this point 😭😭

[crazy-so-na-sega]

pare che sia un "obbligo ebraico" (modello halakhico)

pare che le case farmaceutiche siano in mano loro

Bourla e  Sally Susman = Pfizer

Leif Johansson e Pascal Soriot = AstraZeneca

Stéphane Bancel amministratore Moderna

Alex Gorsky presidente Johnson & Johnson

Stanley Erck presidente Novavax

Alexander Gintsburg, direttore dell’Istituto di Ricerca di Epidemiologia e Microbiologia di Mosca e creatore del vaccino Sputnik V.

Tuttavia, ci si domanda: come ha fatto un “obbligo ebraico”, le cui caratteristiche sono paragonabili a quelle di una mitzvah, a divenire un obbligo per tutto l’Occidente e per tutto il mondo? Di chi sono le responsabilità?

----

da masticare piano...:-)

[ricisidro]

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jun Isidro (@rcisidro)

#COVID & hospitalizations are on the rise around the world due to #EG5 ‘#Eris’ coronavirus, a subvariant of the #Omicron lineage that originally emerged Nov of 2021. #Pfizer, #Moderna & #Novavax have developed a new vaccine targeting #XBB similar to Eris.