Bhavna writes:

Hi Dr Griffin,

Love you updates and your desire and willingness to spread knowledge and help people.

I have a quick question about vaccines. My mom and dad (early 60s), in Delhi, India, both got covid in the beginning of November. While my mom was completely fine (just had a fever on a couple of days), my dad had what I would call a more moderate disease. He had high fever for the entire first week and his inflammatory markers went really up in the second week. Fortunately it didn’t get any worse than that and they’re both completely fine now.

India, as you might now, is starting vaccinations with the AstraZeneca vaccine next week and my Mom and Dad are doctors, so they would have the opportunity to take it probably by the end of January. I’m just a little concerned about my Dad taking it so soon. Although there’s no doubt in their or my mind that they absolutely should, would it be better for them to wait? I can’t find any substantial data on how people who had moderate/severe disease just a couple of months ago react to the vaccine. I should add that they both got their antibody test and my dad had really high antibody levels at the end of December, my mom slightly lower.

Thank you and please keep doing what you’re doing to help us all through this!

Bhavna

David writes:

Hi Daniel

With a further trial showing advantage in survival for tocilizumab do you think your clinical practice will change? Reading between the lines it seems to be in combination with steroids, as you have long suggested.

Thanks

David, London, UK

reference https://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and-analysis/news/early-trial-results-suggest-tocilizumab-significantly-improves-outcomes-for-critically-ill-covid-19-patients/20208570.article?

Carson writes:

Hi Daniel,

Is there any known correlation between a person’s reaction to a vaccine and the strength of that person’s immune response? Should a person who gets vaccinated and has no side effects be concerned that perhaps they didn’t have a significant immune response? 

Thank you!

Carson

Julia writes:

Hi Dr. Griffin,

I’m not a physician, but I enjoy your clinical updates. When you have time, could you give us an update on the Kawasaki-like symptoms observed in children with COVID-19? I haven’t heard much about it in a few months. Are we still seeing it? Do we have any more information on the incidence or the pathogenesis? How are the affected kids doing 6+ months out from infection? 

Thanks so much,

Julia