TWiV 942: Omicron boosters with Paul Offit

October 2, 2022

Paul Offit returns to TWiV for a discussion of SARS-CoV-2 bivalent boosters containing ancestral and Omicron spike mRNAs, including their composition, why they are being recommended by CDC, and who would benefit the most from them.

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Rich Condit,  Kathy Spindler, and Brianne Barker

Guest: Paul Offit

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Download TWiV 942 (68 MB .mp3, 114 min)
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Weekly Picks 1:32:47

Dickson – Jazz favorites: Small group #4: Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker: Gerry Mulligan, Baritone saxophone; Carson Smith, Bass; Larry Bunker, Drums, Chet Baker, Trumpet. Signature album: The Best Of The Gerry Mulligan Quartet With Chet Baker: Signature song: My Funny Valentine.

Second pick: Wonder: Childhood and the Lifelong love of Science. Frank C. Keil.

Brianne – A Devious Cellular Trick Cancers Can Use to Escape Your Immune System
Kathy – Durable antimicrobial coating
RichOne Health
Vincent – The works of Dashiell Hammett

Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees

Send your virology questions and comments to twiv@microbe.tv

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8 comments on “TWiV 942: Omicron boosters with Paul Offit

  1. Ian Light Oct 2, 2022

    In Winter in Victoria Australia population 6.7 million Department of Health 23September 2022 reported 1,541 deaths over 3 months 400 of whom had had 4 vaccinations though the initial two likely the AstraZeneca Adenovirus Vector vaccines .
    This indicates the rapid delivery of anti-virals particularly Paxlovid Remdesivir and Bebtelovimab will be needed in the Northern Winter for at risk patients even with. Boosters though Boosters have been shown protective against severe disease and death in the aged and those with comorbidities .

  2. Jon W Oct 3, 2022

    For a variety of reasons I haven’t watched TWIV in several months, but I picked the right one to restart. Offit has always been one of my favorites. Mostly I am proud of myself that I remember enough virology that I could follow the discussion 🙂

  3. Laurie Schultz Oct 9, 2022

    Can you send the details of the Science article regarding timing of the flu vaccine? Thank you.

    Brianne, You asked Dr Offit if he was seeing anything interesting out there this fall and here in SF we are. One, we have been seeing flu since August. Two, RSV is back with a vengeance and it is different this year in that it is making 3 years sick, very sick. Week long hospitalizations, ICU stays etc. These are some of the sickest kids I’ve seen in many years, they are not the “happy wheezers.” And interestingly, their baby sibs, the one and under crew, are doing just fine (in that usual bronchiolitic way. ) It makes us wonder if these previous COVID babies, now 3 years olds, are suffering now because their immune systems weren’t primed earlier…

  4. Paul Hunchak Oct 14, 2022

    Now I’m confused….who is “correct” about the COVID-19 vaccine and young men? Dr Offat or here https://www.politifact.com/article/2022/oct/13/why-analysis-covid-19-vaccines-floridas-surgeon-ge/

    (And I’m not being an anti-vaxer–I just had my 5th shot–Pfizer Bivalent, just don’t know how to understand the research and findings.)

  5. Bart Smoot Oct 19, 2022

    Regarding question at minute 30 in this presentation, Moderna answered that question in their COVID study which I recently read about in JAMA. They had their vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals who were PCR+ run a nucleocapsid post-infection. The unvaccinated positive rate was 92%, the vaccinated rate was 40%! So yes, you can get a ‘glancing blow’ and be nucleocapsid negative.