Kip and Laura write:

Hello Vincent and Daniel,

Two Pharm.D.’s in San Francisco have been w/ TWiV since Feb. 2020. We get questions throughout the day & thanks to all the info you selflessly share w/ us, we can provide clear, succinct, concrete, & correct answers to nearly all the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 questions before us. 

Thank you all so much. Please know how wide & deep your information is reaching & how much we respect & trust all you are sharing. 

Here are a couple of cases representing what we’re hearing & seeing out there:

 Case 1.) 24 yo woman, double vaxxed began exhibiting COVID symptoms on 12/20, and has tested positive on rapid antigen starting on 12/21.  It’s now 12/28 & she continues to test positive on daily rapid antigen test.  Her symptoms over the week began w/ a mild-mod head-cold, resolving, nearly gone—just a dry cough, but her rapid antigen test is still positive (7 days after initial positive test). 

Case 2) Another similar case is a 16 YO boy w/ same disease course as case 1, same non-contributory history, symptoms nearly gone and yet he too continues to daily test positive (now day #7) w/ the rapid antigen test. 

Question:  Isn’t this continuing infectiousness unexpected in a young person without any risk factors?

I thought these vaccinated &  healthy young people would not retain infectious amounts of virus for these lengths of time. 

Or maybe it’s no big deal & these few represent the random results we can expect to see in the wide diversities of immune systems found within a diverse population. 

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Kip and Laura

Philip writes:

I am doing a T Detect test.  Hopefully it will tell me if I’ve had Actual Covid. 

My antibody tests have been 8, 20 and 150.

My only conclusion from the antibody test is that the vaccines have produced a response. 

Do you have an opinion on the T Detect Test?

Philip

Charlotte writes:

Gentlemen,

My husband and I were vaccinated (Moderna) on 1/18/21, 2/15/21, and boosted on 10/25/21. When should we be considering a second round of the vaccine? I haven’t seen anything about the time frames. It’s no doubt pertinent that we are both in our 70’s.

Thanks for all that both of you do!

Charlotte

Lynne writes:

Hi Dr Griffin,

Long time listener here!  I have a question re this week’s new CDC guidelines and not the one everyone is asking!

I’m concerned about how the guidelines impact the 12-15 population who were vaccinated as soon as it was authorized and are now 6 months out from their second Pfizer shot.  According to the last part of the guidelines, it seems that this group are now being treated the same as the unvaccinated when it comes to exposures – ie they need to quarantine for 5 days following every close contact. Given the current and growing prevalence of Omicron, for kids in full time school and out of school activities that’s a lot of potential exposures and quarantining.  Unlike those 16 and up, this group don’t have the option to remedy the problem by getting a booster shot.

I have 3 children in this situation (thankfully my oldest just turned 16 and is boosted).  Can the CDC really have intended to leave them in this limbo?  Are we really saying a 12 year old with 2 mRNA shots should be treated the same as an unvaccinated adult? It seems like the guidance makes life easier for everyone else but sends this group back to 2020!  Would be grateful for your thoughts!

Lynne 

South Salem, NY.