37 thoughts on “C-19 Chat Post – August 1 2021”

  1. Good morning. Well, this mom is very happy this am to find out that all of her children are fully vaccinated. That though leads me to a question. I have heard moderna and pfeizer mentioned for both significant drop in efficacy and also in relation to breakthroughs. I am not hearing anything about JJ. Quickly reading, I find it’s delta efficacy anywhere from 33-67%. The 33 seemed to come from a study based in AZ and JJs similarity but not on JJ. I have found it odd for a while that JJ hasn’t been mentioned in connection with the breakthroughs we are seeing

    Joshua, I wonder if you have read any information re JJ and delta?

      1. Thank you, Dr. how are you feeling this am

        I suspect it is less because it doesn’t seem to be used much other than in the US. So far, I have more faith in efficacy numbers from outside the US.

        Off to read the article. Much appreciated

      2. The article says pretty much what I’m finding. I just don’t think we have enough to test which may be why the number of tested folks was so so small. Thank you, Dr.

  2. In my search, I found this. How can FOX get away with what it does? I listened to the despicable way they handled the testimony of the four heroic law enforcement folks at the Hearings on Jan 6 and my stomach turned. But this is beyond irresponsible.

    1. Thanks for sharing your article Joshua. An absolute disgrace how this nation (Medicaid) treats its new mothers and mothers-to-be.

      If I am not mistaken, in 1900 the life expectancy here in the U.S. was age 45.

    2. Thank you, Joshua. I think it is with good reason that there is not as much info

      The article you shared is beyond belief.

      1. I hope those two grands get vaccinated ASAP! I heard on the radio this morning that the Delta is now more contagious than the common cold. Assuming I heard correctly.

        1. The vaccine poses more than one risk for one of them. I can guarantee their parents are very aware of how serious delta is.

            1. Not how, just that it is. However, I did hear that
              you can get infected just by being in the same room
              as someone who has the delta variant. that is pretty bad.

              1. At least our outdoor air is still safe to breathe without a mask. I would go even more nuts if we had to go back to 2020 in that regard.
                Let’s hope the “next” variant doesn’t get that strong.

                1. I think we SHOULD be wearing masks outside. At least anywhere there are people around. I am waiting for an EXPLOSION of cases from events like concerts and sporting events. Imagine 34,000 people crammed into Fenway Park. People who attend those events are ASKING for it.

                  AND there is insufficient testing going on so no matter what number of new cases is reported, the actual number is much more than that probably by a factor of 10 or so.

                  We are in much more trouble than most people imagine we are.

                  Call me an alarmist if you like, but I do NOT like what I am seeing and it scares the crap out of me what is likely comin g our way.

                  And then there is the next mutation (variant). How deadly and how soon will that one emerge?????? And this mutation would likely render the vaccines useless or at best not very effective. And with the high rate of transmission by vaccinated persons who think the have a free pass and the number of break through cases, the next variant is
                  practically a CERTAINTY. Just a matter of when and not if.

                  Rant over. I am PISSED! REALLY PISSED OFF! I am sorry but we were sold a PACK OF LIES.

                2. JPD. I agree. I’m terrified for us and I’m terrified for what our kids and all staff in schools face in the fall. Camps are hard hit. And a good portion of time at camps are outside.

                  I’m frustrated that our tendency is to make the science fit the scenario we want rather than reality

  3. It’s good to finally see some businesses (i.e. restaurants, gyms, etc.) and government agencies MANDATE their employees and in some cases customers vaccinate or “adios”. It’s not so much sad for me to see mandates as far as personal freedom is concerned but to the point that people won’t vaccinate just to save their own lives if nothing else. I hope I expressed that correctly.

  4. Zero chance I wear a mask outside anymore. I hear the concerns but the science says that if you are vaccinated you will be fine. Masks indoors fine, vaccinations certificates to enter, great. Do anything we want to mitigate the spread, but schools must be open.

      1. Sure but nobody really got sick. The science agrees with that. Vaccines aren’t cures,, they did exactly what they were supposed to.

        1. Although there were four vaccinated people that were hospitalized, I wonder how many folks were exposed once positive people returned home. Sadly, we know vaccinated people are dying. How many of those folks were vaccinated yet are high risk or are yet to be approved for vaccination? We know that group is extremely vulnerable.

          You are right that life has to go on. I’m happy to continue to wear a mask for me but also for others around me.

  5. Hadi and others, I agree that the vaccines still work well against severe illness. Though some efficacy against preventing severe illness has been lost, it’s not a lot (the much greater drop is in efficacy against contracting the virus). However, the implication of the Provincetown spread among vaccinated persons is that it shows the virus does transmit from vaccinated persons to others. Data from Israel, Singapore, the Netherlands, and the UK (and now in the US at the local level) indicate that currently at least 10% of new infections are vaccinated folks, and they’re a vector for further transmission. The more spread, the longer the virus survives and the greater the likelihood an even more dangerous variant emerges, one that does evade vaccines to a greater degree.

    On a different topic, there’s room for optimism regarding competitive pricing in the biologics and biosimilars market, including insulin. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joshuacohen/2021/08/01/approval-of-first-interchangeable-biosimilar-semglee-is-sign-of-an-improving-us-biosimilars-market-despite-challenges/

  6. News reporting on what’s happening in foreign countries has invariably been notoriously spotty in the U.S. It’s just not our thing. We’re a mostly insular lot, in spite of being a land of immigrants. So, when I heard this weekend on local radio – as Philip did – that the masks are all off in Britain, I questioned it. Not only because I have a source who lives in Britain – my daughter. But also because I just don’t trust what the U.S. has to say about what’s going on outside our borders. And so, here’s a Guardian article on mask-wearing in Britain that reflects the actual reality, as opposed to a distorted reality created by American media. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/30/95-of-british-adults-still-wearing-a-mask-outdoors-says-survey

    1. I cannot agree more. As you know, back when the US was reporting on Sweden, my friend in the states with family scattered throughout Sweden was shocked at how inaccurate the reports were.

      What we absolutely cannot grasp in is many outside of the United States do not have to be told what the right thing is for all.

      I’ve lost track of the times I have said that the reason we have regulation is that we cannot regulate ourselves. This applies to both sides of the aisle

  7. With regard to Provincetown, I thought I heard that cases are now dropping steadily. Whatever steps the town has taken, it seems to be working. Hopefully this may be good news for the rest of the state in the coming days and the spread of the Delta will become suppressed. Wishful thinking?

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