Helene writes:

Dear Dr. Griffin,

I am a 68 year old healthy female and had my last Covid Pfizer Vaccine in Sept. 2024

I am leaving on a river cruise around Holland and Belgium on April 21. I would like to get a Covid Vaccine a few weeks ahead!

Not sure whether I should get the Novavax or Pfizer? Which one would give the better immunity for the covid variant circulating in that area?

Have either the Novavax or Pfizer been updated since Sept 2024? 

Thank you for your TWIV podcasts! They are so helpful and I have listened to them since Covid began.

Best wishes,

Helene

Michele writes:

Hi Dr. Griffin,

Thank you for not backing down and standing up for science.  We need you now more than ever.

Quick question: I was born in 1959.  My internist tested my antibodies for Measles and Rubella.  Measles was positive with an IgG value of 4.6.  Rubella was negative with an IgG value of 0.6.  I had the mumps as a child.  For someone like me who seems to have measles and mumps immunity, would you recommend an MMR booster?

I, of course, am also discussing with my internist, but I wanted to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,

Michele

John writes:

Thanks so much for your updates. I listen every week – keep up the great work. I want to know how you have the time! A lot of work goes into what you do here and it’s greatly appreciated.

I see Long COVID patients here in NYC. I have two questions.

First – some of my patients request off-label treatments with drugs that are being studied – for example, Truvada, low-dose rapamycin, maraviroc. I have held off on this because there are some risks, and to be honest I don’t think there is a good biological rationale for their use. But a case can be made on either side – where do you come down on this conundrum?

Second – I have seen several patients with persistent COVID pneumonia, all of whom were on rituximab or another B-cell-depleting drug. One had infiltrates for a year and was treated with steroids for organizing pneumonia. interestingly, they present as chronic low-grade pneumonia with cough, fever and/or shortness of breath, but without classic Long COVID symptoms despite having a viral “reservoir”. All of them improved rapidly on Paxlovid and have not recurred. There are many cases reported of this and sometimes there is apparent recurrence after a standard-length course of antiviral. I am curious about your experience with such cases, how long you would treat these cases with Paxlovid, and whether there might be a role for IVIG or convalescent plasma. 

Jessica writes:

Dear Dr Griffin,

I listen regularly to your clinical updates and I’m a big fan of yours for your humanity as well as your expertise. 

I appreciate you, Dr Racaniello and everyone at microbe tv for the excellent content and the dedication it takes to provide it. 

Here’s my question:  

I recently heard that there’s a listeria outbreak in US nursing homes that has some associated mortality. Is this true?

Gratefully yours,

Jessica

Ellen writes:

I am 77, old but healthy. My niece is coming to visit, on several long flights. She says she just had Covid. Does she need to mask in airports and on planes?

Thank you for all the good scientific information you give us!

Ellen in New Mexico