In COVID-19 clinical update #76, Daniel Griffin covers association of age and pediatric household transmission, rapid antigen testing in remote communities, shedding of infectious virus in vaccinated individuals, FDA amendment of mRNA vaccine EUA to allow a third dose, new vaccine mandate for NY state, full vaccination suppresses selection of variants, effectiveness of mRNA vaccines in nursing homes, sustained effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization, and no benefit from early convalescent serum in high-risk outpatients.
Hosts: Daniel Griffin and Vincent Racaniello
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Links for this episode
- Age and pediatric household transmission (JAMA) 2:30
- Rapid antigen testing in remote communities (MMWR) 5:13
- Shedding of infectious virus from vaccinated individuals (medRxiv) 7:13
- Additional vaccine doses for immunocompromised (FDA) 11:17
- New vaccine mandate for New York (NYS) 14:08
- Vaccination suppresses variant emergence (medRxiv) 15:25
- mRNA vaccine effectiveness in nursing homes (MMWR) 18:24
- Effectiveness of mRNA vaccines against hospitalization (MMWR) 22:36
- mRNA vaccine sustained effectiveness against hospitalization (MMWR) 24:42
- No benefit of convalescent plasma for high-risk outpatients (NEJM) 28:13
- Letters read on TWiV 795 30:56
- Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks!
Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees
Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv
The clinical update continues to focus on small studies based on data from months ago and fails to address what is happening in many states right now. In fact, based on the analysis presented one would have to conclude that the record daily cases, the record hospitalizations, the record number of ICU patients and the record number of deaths, among the unvaccinated but also among many vaccinated, can’t be happening. I think encouraging vaccination, and mask wearing and other precautions is extremely important. But I also think being honest about the facts is extremely important whether or not those facts support the scientific theories being advocated.
Vaccine endpoint, effectiveness, declining Ab levels with time, and 3rd injection booster and beyond… What seems to be missing here is a discussion of the anamnestic response in vaccinated individuals. The question should be: “Does the ability of a vaccinated individual to mount an anamnestic response against the virus infection wane with time?”; and not, “does circulating Ab levels wane with time?” And, of course, also missing is a discussion of T-cells and the innate immune response after vaccination and does that change as a function of time after vaccination.
Thank you for the very clear info. As a Retired RN, yes, I still hold two state licenses, I realize, I am a role model and people ask me for advice. I use your TWiV podcast updates and I am half way through your Virology twenty-twenty course. It all has given me a renewed appreciation of science and all it’s complexity. I’ll see you in the future podcasts. Yes, my wife and I have both Pfizer vaxx’s since April.
Thanks for the clinical updates which are so useful. Thanks too for all the podcasts and also for the Parasites without Borders video lectures and book which I used extensively when studying for the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at Glasgow this last year. Dr Griffin gave an extremely helpful tutorial on that course, so thanks for that also. I have a question – what is the B word which you don’t use? It would be really useful to know so that I can avoid using it too!