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Are vaccines the light at the end of the tunnel?


Ken the cruiser
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1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Since it's cold here today in Alabama, I've been pretty much following various CC threads and periodically checking my FB news feed, which mostly now contains posts from various health-related sites in AL. Go figure! Then, low and behold our Alabama Department of Public Health posted a link to their new online vaccine registration portal. So, of course, I had to try it out as our 65 and older group is eligible for the vaccine starting Feb 8th. To make a long story short, we hit the jackpot and now both my DW and I have appointments for early March. What a rush and thank goodness for Facebook as I can't imagine how else we would have found out about the ADPH portal!! 

 

I know there are many folks following this thread that haven't been able to get a vaccine yet. Hang in there because it will feel like you just won the lottery when you finally get your reservation time!! But, to hedge your bets, I would definitely suggest monitoring your applicable Health Department FB pages, as they seem to like using social media to get information out.

Yes!  It IS like winning the lottery. I got my first shot today. I made it like  a science project out of trying to get an appointment. Persistence pays off!  So happy for you. 

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In the private vaccine trial participant group that I belong to, we've had two more people (one moderna, 2 pfizer) who are confirmed vaccinated & also covid positive, all were virtually symptom free, & only know because they work in hospitals & are tested bi-weekly.  None of their non-vaccinated family members have come down with it so far, I realize this is just anecdotal, & not documented, but seems like good news to me :)  the group has just under 700 members, with 4 so far testing positive, but symptom free.  

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33 minutes ago, cruise kitty said:

In the private vaccine trial participant group that I belong to, we've had two more people (one moderna, 2 pfizer) who are confirmed vaccinated & also covid positive, all were virtually symptom free, & only know because they work in hospitals & are tested bi-weekly.  None of their non-vaccinated family members have come down with it so far, I realize this is just anecdotal, & not documented, but seems like good news to me :)  the group has just under 700 members, with 4 so far testing positive, but symptom free.  

With that few people testing positive, there's as much a chance as a false positive as there is an actual positive.  No symptoms is a win. 

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3 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Since it's cold here today in Alabama, I've been pretty much following various CC threads and periodically checking my FB news feed, which mostly now contains posts from various health-related sites in AL. Go figure! Then, low and behold our Alabama Department of Public Health posted a link to their new online vaccine registration portal. So, of course, I had to try it out as our 65 and older group is eligible for the vaccine starting Feb 8th. To make a long story short, we hit the jackpot and now both my DW and I have appointments for early March. What a rush and thank goodness for Facebook as I can't imagine how else we would have found out about the ADPH portal!! 

 

I know there are many folks following this thread that haven't been able to get a vaccine yet. Hang in there because it will feel like you just won the lottery when you finally get your reservation time!! But, to hedge your bets, I would definitely suggest monitoring your applicable Health Department FB pages, as they seem to like using social media to get information out.

Good luck!! We have Alabama friends who were also able to book a vaccination appointment. 

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1 hour ago, D C said:

With that few people testing positive, there's as much a chance as a false positive as there is an actual positive.  No symptoms is a win. 


It would be a pain in the butt, but I really wish they’d consider viral cultures on these positives in the trials. Knowing whether you get replication in cell culture would be useful, even if you can’t get statistical significance. 

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3 minutes ago, markeb said:


It would be a pain in the butt, but I really wish they’d consider viral cultures on these positives in the trials. Knowing whether you get replication in cell culture would be useful, even if you can’t get statistical significance. 

🙄 

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DW is booked as a a teacher on Saturday. The county has had issues, but getting better. She did reschedule (believe it or not!) from yesterday because of a winter storm warning. 
 

Im in the underlying health condition group, and watching the county, and the military healthcare system to schedule. And BTW, for anyone else on TRICARE, you will apparently be able to schedule through TRICARE online shortly, at least East Region. 

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49 minutes ago, markeb said:

Im in the underlying health condition group, and watching the county, and the military healthcare system to schedule. And BTW, for anyone else on TRICARE, you will apparently be able to schedule through TRICARE online shortly, at least East Region. 

When you refer to Tricare, are you referring to Tricare Prime or Tricare For Life or both?

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8 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

When you refer to Tricare, are you referring to Tricare Prime or Tricare For Life or both?


I’m Prime Retired. But I think both. If you have a TOL account, it’s apparently going to be a scheduling option shortly. 

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24 minutes ago, markeb said:


I’m Prime Retired. But I think both. If you have a TOL account, it’s apparently going to be a scheduling option shortly. 

Cool! We just created our TOL accounts, so we'll definitely keep an eye on them. As I mentioned we just got reservations for early March from the county HD. But if we can get them on base earlier, that's even better. Thanks for the heads up!

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11 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Cool! We just created our TOL accounts, so we'll definitely keep an eye on them. As I mentioned we just got reservations for early March from the county HD. But if we can get them on base earlier, that's even better. Thanks for the heads up!


You might want to follow Eisenhower on social media (and Maxwell?). Walter Reed has been good to very good on info. Belvoir a little less so. 

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Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks! We're currently following the Maxwell AFB page, but not sure what Eisenhower is.


Eisenhower Army Medical Center. It’s the regional medical center in your area. Air Force. SMH 😂!

 

(Seven years on the Joint Staff and two years in a Defense Agency. Met, and married, my wife on Osan. BIL is retired USAF Reserve.)

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2 minutes ago, markeb said:


Eisenhower Army Medical Center. It’s the regional medical center in your area. Air Force. SMH 😂!

 

(Seven years on the Joint Staff and two years in a Defense Agency. Met, and married, my wife on Osan. BIL is retired USAF Reserve.)

Thanks. I just checked and it's near Augusta GA. That explains why I've never heard of it as we live just north of Montgomery AL. No problem.

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I have continued to follow the vaccine from Russia called Sputnik 5.  It is a human adeno vector vaccine like J&J's vaccine but given in two doses.  The interesting thing to me is that the two doses are different adenovectors each producing SPIKE. Not a repeat dose.  So prime with one vector and boost with the second vector.  The Russian scientists published their peer-reviewed phase 3 study data today in the journal Lancet.  A very well respected journal.  In 20,000 people.  They got 91% efficacy and like the other vaccines prevented severe COVID disease.  If you want to see the publication, which IMO has a lot of detailed data on immune responses, go here:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00234-8/fulltext

 

For general news article go here:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-s-sputnik-v-covid-vaccine-appears-effective-study-finds-n1256448

 

The Russian vaccine will be important as a tool to reduce COVID in certain parts of the world and this should be not downplayed or dismissed because of mistrust or misconceptions.

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3 minutes ago, GerScot said:

A new trial has started combining the Sputnik vaccine with AstraZenica vaccine. Will be interesting to see results.

Yes thank you for posting.  Announced last month.  This clinical strategy should start soon this month.

https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-astrazeneca-russia/sputnik-astrazeneca-vaccine-trials-to-start-in-february-says-r-pharm-idUSL8N2JQ2UB

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4 hours ago, TeeRick said:

I have continued to follow the vaccine from Russia called Sputnik 5.  It is a human adeno vector vaccine like J&J's vaccine but given in two doses.  The interesting thing to me is that the two doses are different adenovectors each producing SPIKE. Not a repeat dose.  So prime with one vector and boost with the second vector.  The Russian scientists published their peer-reviewed phase 3 study data today in the journal Lancet.  A very well respected journal.  In 20,000 people.  They got 91% efficacy and like the other vaccines prevented severe COVID disease.  If you want to see the publication, which IMO has a lot of detailed data on immune responses, go here:

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00234-8/fulltext

 

For general news article go here:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-s-sputnik-v-covid-vaccine-appears-effective-study-finds-n1256448

 

The Russian vaccine will be important as a tool to reduce COVID in certain parts of the world and this should be not downplayed or dismissed because of mistrust or misconceptions.

This approach is interesting since it may avoid the potential for the patient developing an immune response to the vector impacting the efficacy of the second and follow on booster doses.

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17 minutes ago, nocl said:

France has announced that they will be restricting the AZ vaccine to those under 65 due to lack of data on those over 65.

Interesting, and certainly controversial, I'm sure.  Would hate to be 64.9 in France right now. 

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