The latest Covid vaccine ("booster" although not really that) creates antibodies to all currently circulating variants. I've heard a few stories in the last couple of weeks from boosted people who were heavily exposed to Covid (including my DH and sister-in-law) and didn't get it.

I really didn't want to get it because I have such a bad reaction to it, but I finally did this week after reading this paper.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2023.11.26.568730v1

My teenager volunteers at a hospital. The hospital required her to provide proof of having gotten the flu vaccine by Thanksgiving. They’re not asking for proof of getting the new Covid vaccine. Even people working in hospitals aren’t required to get it!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not wanting long covid or getting shingles again is why I’m part of the 14%.

Plus Covid is on the rise again in a big way post-thanksgiving.

Did you stop paying attention after February 2022? Yes, the numbers have fluctuated a bit, but we haven't had any major waves of illness. There's no reason to think this will be any different.

Anonymous wrote:Not wanting long covid or getting shingles again is why I’m part of the 14%.

Plus Covid is on the rise again in a big way post-thanksgiving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Yes. Also I think this low number will change dramatically as the vaccine becomes more available in an easy way. I’m talking about no lines, etc..

BS. I live in an area where there are no lines or access issues. They can’t give it away. There is no demand.

For real??

Huh? Even in Montgomery County there is no demand. Have you been to a pharmacy lately? I get two emails a week from a couple different pharmacies I use both emphasizing walk-in availability.

Per CDC getting the most updated vaccines are obviously the most important. But for those who absolutely refuse, there are other precautions this was just released as advisements for the upcoming holidays:

“ Q. Do you have any general guidelines for people to follow as they prepare for the holidays?

A. In addition to getting vaccinated for coronavirus and the flu, be aware that there are very effective medications for COVID, the No. 1 being Paxlovid.

There are some commonsense things you can do to improve ventilation that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend: 1) If we have nice weather, have that family gathering out on your porch or out in your yard.
2) Or have the windows open.
3) If you have a heat pump, if you have it on the “on” switch and not the “auto” switch, the fan runs all the time so you’re going to be exchanging air faster out of your house.”
https://news.virginia.edu/content/almost-four-years-it-time-start-treating-covid-differently

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Actually, the opposite. The people who get vaccines are most likely high-risk..

I am high risk. No more, I’m done. Show me where they stop transmission.

This is one of the dumbest combinations of non sequiturs in a row I have yet read here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Actually, the opposite. The people who get vaccines are most likely high-risk..

I am high risk. No more, I’m done. Show me where they stop transmission.

If you're high-risk, then I would think you'd be more concerned about reducing the severity of infections for yourself rather than preventing transmission to others.

I don't think there's great data supporting a reduction in severity either, mind you, but it seems like your priorities are off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Actually, the opposite. The people who get vaccines are most likely high-risk..

I am high risk. No more, I’m done. Show me where they stop transmission.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And why should we get this new mumbo-jumbo vaccine?

The new Covid vaccine is not a “booster.” it is actually an updated vaccine. It’s targeted towards newer variants that are very different in make up than the past variants. For the CDC, getting the new Covid vaccine will protect you, but also protect others.

a) the “new” vaccine is based on a variant that is no longet circulating. there is little evidence to show it is better than the original
b) the “new” vaccine wanes quickly and does not meaningfully prevent transmission, so it does not “protect others”
c) as far as I am aware, there is no research analyzing how well the “new” vaccine protects you based on real-world conditions: comparing the “new vaccine” to people with only the “old” vax and a past covid infection, categorized by age, gender & risk.

Here is is from DOCTOR Cohen describing why the new updated vaccine is the necessary protection, and she describes the CDC recommendation, and its data-based rationale. She speaks as a Doctor and mother.

Where's the data?

She cites the cdc

"The CDC" isn't data. They might have data, but where is it?

At this point they should do large randomized controlled trials for these vaccine boosters. They should pay people to be study subjects and see if there really is any benefits to taking the vaccine at this point in time. The original studies were small and showed no mortality benefits.

The latest vaccine for Covid isn't a booster.

Way to be pedantic!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And why should we get this new mumbo-jumbo vaccine?

The new Covid vaccine is not a “booster.” it is actually an updated vaccine. It’s targeted towards newer variants that are very different in make up than the past variants. For the CDC, getting the new Covid vaccine will protect you, but also protect others.

a) the “new” vaccine is based on a variant that is no longet circulating. there is little evidence to show it is better than the original
b) the “new” vaccine wanes quickly and does not meaningfully prevent transmission, so it does not “protect others”
c) as far as I am aware, there is no research analyzing how well the “new” vaccine protects you based on real-world conditions: comparing the “new vaccine” to people with only the “old” vax and a past covid infection, categorized by age, gender & risk.

Here is is from DOCTOR Cohen describing why the new updated vaccine is the necessary protection, and she describes the CDC recommendation, and its data-based rationale. She speaks as a Doctor and mother.

Where's the data?

She cites the cdc

"The CDC" isn't data. They might have data, but where is it?

At this point they should do large randomized controlled trials for these vaccine boosters. They should pay people to be study subjects and see if there really is any benefits to taking the vaccine at this point in time. The original studies were small and showed no mortality benefits.

The latest vaccine for Covid isn't a booster.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And why should we get this new mumbo-jumbo vaccine?

The new Covid vaccine is not a “booster.” it is actually an updated vaccine. It’s targeted towards newer variants that are very different in make up than the past variants. For the CDC, getting the new Covid vaccine will protect you, but also protect others.

a) the “new” vaccine is based on a variant that is no longet circulating. there is little evidence to show it is better than the original
b) the “new” vaccine wanes quickly and does not meaningfully prevent transmission, so it does not “protect others”
c) as far as I am aware, there is no research analyzing how well the “new” vaccine protects you based on real-world conditions: comparing the “new vaccine” to people with only the “old” vax and a past covid infection, categorized by age, gender & risk.

Here is is from DOCTOR Cohen describing why the new updated vaccine is the necessary protection, and she describes the CDC recommendation, and its data-based rationale. She speaks as a Doctor and mother.

Where's the data?

She cites the cdc

"The CDC" isn't data. They might have data, but where is it?

At this point they should do large randomized controlled trials for these vaccine boosters. They should pay people to be study subjects and see if there really is any benefits to taking the vaccine at this point in time. The original studies were small and showed no mortality benefits.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Yes. Also I think this low number will change dramatically as the vaccine becomes more available in an easy way. I’m talking about no lines, etc..

BS. I live in an area where there are no lines or access issues. They can’t give it away. There is no demand.

For real??

Huh? Even in Montgomery County there is no demand. Have you been to a pharmacy lately? I get two emails a week from a couple different pharmacies I use both emphasizing walk-in availability.

Once they purchase/receive the vaccines, pharmacies are eager to dispense them lest they get stuck with them. Aside from Pfizer doses for the very young, neither Pfizer nor Moderna will offer 100% refunds on unused doses. Pharmacies remember the lower-than-expected demand for last year's bivalent booster (bivalent uptake in <=4yrs 0.6%, 5-11yrs 5%, 12-17yrs 8%, 18-24yrs 7%, 25-49yrs 12% https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographics-trends) and want to dispense the current monovalent doses as quickly as they can.

Yes, and the lack of interest in the vaccines is making them particularly worried about that.

This may be why it isn't as easy to get the vaccine on a walk in basis. The pharmacies are ordering less.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Yes. Also I think this low number will change dramatically as the vaccine becomes more available in an easy way. I’m talking about no lines, etc..

BS. I live in an area where there are no lines or access issues. They can’t give it away. There is no demand.

For real??

Huh? Even in Montgomery County there is no demand. Have you been to a pharmacy lately? I get two emails a week from a couple different pharmacies I use both emphasizing walk-in availability.

Once they purchase/receive the vaccines, pharmacies are eager to dispense them lest they get stuck with them. Aside from Pfizer doses for the very young, neither Pfizer nor Moderna will offer 100% refunds on unused doses. Pharmacies remember the lower-than-expected demand for last year's bivalent booster (bivalent uptake in <=4yrs 0.6%, 5-11yrs 5%, 12-17yrs 8%, 18-24yrs 7%, 25-49yrs 12% https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographics-trends) and want to dispense the current monovalent doses as quickly as they can.

Yes, and the lack of interest in the vaccines is making them particularly worried about that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a "healthy vaccinee bias" which is a big factor behind covid vaccine effectiveness results. People who get the vaccine often have better access to health care, less blue collar jobs, etc. and so have better outcomes. While it seldom gets mentioned, the covid vaccinated also have lower mortality rates than the unvaccinated for non-covid diseases as well for this same reason.

Yes. Also I think this low number will change dramatically as the vaccine becomes more available in an easy way. I’m talking about no lines, etc..

BS. I live in an area where there are no lines or access issues. They can’t give it away. There is no demand.

For real??

Huh? Even in Montgomery County there is no demand. Have you been to a pharmacy lately? I get two emails a week from a couple different pharmacies I use both emphasizing walk-in availability.

Once they purchase/receive the vaccines, pharmacies are eager to dispense them lest they get stuck with them. Aside from Pfizer doses for the very young, neither Pfizer nor Moderna will offer 100% refunds on unused doses. Pharmacies remember the lower-than-expected demand for last year's bivalent booster (bivalent uptake in <=4yrs 0.6%, 5-11yrs 5%, 12-17yrs 8%, 18-24yrs 7%, 25-49yrs 12% https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccination-demographics-trends) and want to dispense the current monovalent doses as quickly as they can.

Anonymous wrote:I am really curious - where are people having trouble accessing the new vaccine?

Most people don't have them in-stock in their basements.