COVID-19 stats and research news - until Nov. 15, 2021

[sibhusky]

Got my Moderna "mix and match" booster today. So far no issues. I think people who reacted to Moderna's #2 had a delayed reaction? This is only a 1/2 dose though, so maybe I'll be fine.

 

[MarzNC]

Got my Moderna "mix and match" booster today. So far no issues. I think people who reacted to Moderna's #2 had a delayed reaction? This is only a 1/2 dose though, so maybe I'll be fine.

So you had 2 Pfizer doses before?

I don't particularly remember any pattern in terms of timing for Moderna side effects after Dose #2. My personal experience was a delay of a few hours for both doses, but really not much of an issue in general besides feeling a bit off and tired. Was fine by the next morning.

 

[MarzNC]

Slightly random articles about Pfizer for children 5-11. Should be available some time next week. It's a smaller dose so will have different packaging. Apparently can be stored in a regular frig, so doesn't required the special cold chain shipping process.

October 29, 2021

FDA authorizes kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine for children ages 5 to 11

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday paved the way for children ages 5 to 11 to get Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The FDA cleared kid-size doses — just a third of the amount given to teens…

ktla.com

October 29, 201

Why do kids need the Covid vaccine?

The coronavirus causes less severe illness in children, but experts say it's still important that they get vaccinated once the shots are available.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[MarzNC]

As for booster shots, essentially anyone who is fully vaccinated can get one. The people who are more likely to benefit are seniors, people working in high-risk environments, or have medical issues that put them at higher risk of complications if they get COVID-19. But no one is going to be turned away if they want a booster shot.

For J&J, the timeframe for a booster is two months.

October 29, 2021

At least 89% of vaccinated American adults will qualify for Covid-19 booster shots | CNN

If you're vaccinated against Covid-19 and wondering if you're eligible for a booster shot, the answer is probably yes.

www.cnn.com

" . . .
Adults who received Pfizer or Moderna's Covid-19 vaccines are eligible for boosters once they are six months past their second shot, as long as they are age 65 or older or are at high risk for severe Covid-19.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has guidelines for who is considered high risk for Covid-19. They include people in certain jobs, such as teachers and health care workers, as well as anyone who is overweight, has depression or a long list of other medical conditions.

Nearly 75% of people age 20 and over are overweight, according to the CDC. When people with high-risk jobs or other medical conditions are added in, the epidemiologists estimate that at least 89% of vaccinated adults who are sufficiently past their original vaccinations qualify for boosters.
. . ."

 

[tirolski]

It's a smaller dose so will have different packaging. Apparently can be stored in a regular frig, so doesn't required the special cold chain shipping process.

Buffer change to TRIS instead of PBS appears to help stability.
Different colored caps too.
"With FDA’s action, Pfizer plans to begin shipping millions of vials of the pediatric vaccine — in orange caps to avoid mix-ups with the purple-capped doses for everyone else..."

Here’s FDA’s letter to Pfizer about it.
FDA’s Pfizer-BioNTech EUA letter

 

[sibhusky]

So you had 2 Pfizer doses before?

I don't particularly remember any pattern in terms of timing for Moderna side effects after Dose #2. My personal experience was a delay of a few hours for both doses, but really not much of an issue in general besides feeling a bit off and tired. Was fine by the next morning.

Well, I'm rescinding my "no side effects". Around 21 hours after the shot, started feeling exhausted until finally around 5 PM there wasn't a muscle in my body that didn't hurt. I'm glad I got the Moderna for the little bit of increased protection, but frankly if I had to do it again, I'd stick with Pfizer, which for me had zero side effects. Rough day.

 

[MarzNC]

Well, I'm rescinding my "no side effects". Around 21 hours after the shot, started feeling exhausted until finally around 5 PM there wasn't a muscle in my body that didn't hurt. I'm glad I got the Moderna for the little bit of increased protection, but frankly if I had to do it again, I'd stick with Pfizer, which for me had zero side effects. Rough day.

My guess is that it's very hard to predict what side effects an individual will get from a booster. Even harder to predict when getting a different vaccine since there are relatively few studies based on starting with Pfizer or Moderna. Most of the studies for mix-and-match were done in the UK because they were using Astra Zeneca so much.

You might have had more side effects from a third shot of Pfizer since the gap was longer than between the original two shots. Although it sounds like most people have a similar reaction to a booster or third shot as their second shot.

October 22, 2021

Mix-and-match Covid vaccine boosters are here — How to choose the best one for you

Millions of eligible Americans can now get a Covid vaccine booster shot from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson or Moderna. Here's how to tell which one is best for you.

www.cnbc.com

October 25, 2021

Here Are the Most Common Side Effects of COVID Booster Shots

People have reported side effects like chills, fever and nausea after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, but do you need to worry about developing such symptoms after getting a booster shot?

www.nbcchicago.com

 

[jasonwx]

Pfizer booster kicked my butt
That said Advil made it tolerable

 

[MarzNC]

The Delta wave that started in June/July 2021 isn't quite done yet, but pretty close. The prevalence of people with natural immunity in the south and counties with low vaccination rates is probably contributing to the sharp decreases in detected cases and hospitalizations. It's good that testing numbers are staying high.

 

[MarzNC]

Although the data is only from some states and a couple cities, the CDC study recently reported comparing detected cases and deaths for vaccinated and unvaccinated people shows a noticeable difference. The data was from Apr-Aug 2021.