TWiV 839: The long and the short of it: get vaccinated

December 9, 2021

TWiV reviews the impact of vaccination on SARS-CoV-2, the latest information on Omicron, West Nile virus transmission by organ transplantation, and why a 16 week interval between doses of BNT162b2 vaccine is better than a shorter interval.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Alan Dove, Rich Condit, and Kathy Spindler

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Weekly Picks 1:24:27

Kathy – CDC U-M flu report (lay version, MMWR)
RichThagomizer
AlanDescent into Darkness by Edward Raymer
VincentFunding: Blinding peer review

Listener Picks

LynneACE2 in chewing gum

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

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5 comments on “TWiV 839: The long and the short of it: get vaccinated

  1. Getting vaccinated alone is not enough. A case in point:

    Recent events in addition to the one described below have caused me to question the competence of my primary care provider.

    Although I have received 3 Pfizer jabs, given my age and health status, I feel additional precautions are warranted. With this in mind, I messaged my PCP asking her whether it was advisable for me to get a Covid PCR test 3 to 5 days after having a diagnostic procedure requiring that I be unmasked for a prolonged period of time in an enclosed space, ventilation status unknown*, with at least four other persons. She is well aware of my age (74) and health status (COPD, ME/CFS) that puts me at high risk for a breakthrough infection and more serious outcomes.

    I also explained to her that I live with others whom I also want to protect should I become exposed so I feel the responsible thing to do is to quarantine after my procedure until I am tested. Since I depend on them for home assistance, a prolonged period of quarantine would present a hardship. Testing, assuming it’s negative, would shorten that period.

    Her response:

    “If you are tested before you go in and everyone is using Universal precautions, you should be fine. You are vaccinated so you should not need to quarantine unless you feel sick.”

    Against her advice, I have scheduled PCR test for four days after the procedure. I also sent her a frankly worded critique of her medically unsound advice. I guess I’ll be doctor shopping this Christmas.

    * I phoned the facility, asked about their building’s ventilation and other safety measures, and the first words out of the person’s mouth were, “We are all vaccinated.”

    When pressed, she said she believed that whatever the building safety requirements were, of which she knew nothing regarding ventilation, they were being met.

    Relevant links:

    https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2021/12/commentary-8-things-us-pandemic-communicators-still-get-wrong

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/12/fully-vaccinated-omicron-infections/620953/

  2. How the third dose of Covid vaccine is “titled” is important. People were told two doses and they would be protected (which is true). Presenting the third dose as a normal part of routine vaccination – not as a “fix” because dose 1 & 2 aren’t working is a huge matter (sadly, that horse is out of the barn and the first two doses now appear to not be as we were told).

  3. If the infection in the hotel was from Australia, then no they didn’t pop out for a soft drink, and yes we actually would have checked. (After rewinding several times still I couldn’t quite catch the exact report you referenced?)

    There are cameras and guards. I have heard of cases where someone has gone through and looked at days of security footage.

    In one case it turned out to be someone using a nebuliser, which created far more aerosolization, but for others we’ve been unable to explain except by normal airflow within the hotel.

    As far as I am know, the only place where we’ve had no cross infection is Howard Springs in the Northern Territory. Howard Springs has individual cabins, but every state is using high-rise city hotels, and as far as I know every state has had cross infection in hotel quarantine. I’m getting this mainly from local news reports and press conferences. I have not seen any papers on it, but I would be interested in seeing the one you referred to?

  4. Ed Kisailus Dec 11, 2021

    Is it possible to gain access to the transcript for “TWiV 839: The long and the short of it: get vaccinated” in YouTube? It is not there. Thanks in advance.