Coronavirus in Massachusetts (hair salon, school, store)

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Wastewater is tracking pretty flat or even downwards. Pretty typical for summer I guess

https://www.mwra.com/biobot/biobotdata.htm

It's promising but it hasn't been updated since the 21st. I'm very curious to see what happened over the weekend, if we are still holding off against the BA.5. I had Covid in April, so my 3 month grace period is pretty much done with now.

[LeavingMA]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Probably true. They had a semi idiot for Prime Minister and he was the type who thought covid was a joke. Until he got it and nearly died from it. So the people there haven't taken it seriously and the NHS became overwhelmed. Worse, with a conservative government that won't pay nurses what they are worth, a lot of them are quitting. Burnout and low pay combined. I still don't think people there are wearing masks on trains and just not taking it seriously. They also left the EU so they are not getting employees from Europe anymore. UK is kind of in a mess right now but they just got rid of their prime minister and I think it's down to two candidates so there may be hope. But unfortunately it is still going to be the same political party.

Do you mean Boris Johnson who basically shut down their economy for 2 years due to a virus nobody could control? He then opened up the country after he and other politicians were found to not adhere to the same mandates they required the general public. No different than our politicians who told others to do one thing while they did the other.

[Amontillado]

I haven't go anything to say, but I'm just noting that this thread has gone more than a month without anyone adding anything. It seems that we've got the idea that COVID is under control at this point. That may be because it's not killing large numbers of people, and also we've simply become used to it.

[rach5]

Omicron boosters have arrived at cvs. Very lackluster vaccination campaign so far. Wastewater may be showing signs of heading back up. Next week will be interesting.

[massnative71]

Received the following email today from a healthcare provider:


"Dear Patient,

We would like to share new information about COVID-19 booster vaccines.

What was approved?

Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 31, 2022.

On September 1, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also approved and recommended the updated boosters. You can check the CDC website for updates.

What is the updated COVID-19 vaccine booster?

The updated boosters are “bivalent.” Bivalent vaccines protect against two different viruses or two strains of the same virus. This type of vaccine is not new. Many common vaccines can protect against even more than two types of viruses or virus strains, like the flu vaccine. The updated COVID-19 boosters target the original COVID-19 strain and the newer omicron variant. Reported side effects seem to be the same as the original vaccine.

Who can get an updated booster?

You are eligible for the updated booster if:
· You completed a primary vaccination series with one of the COVID-19 vaccines AND
· At least 2 months have passed since the last dose of your primary vaccine series or any booster dose
Please note you are eligible for this updated booster no matter how many previous booster shots you have received.

Are the updated boosters approved for all ages?
· Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 booster: approved for patients ages 12 and older
· Moderna bivalent COVID-19 booster: approved for patients ages 18 and older
When can I get an updated booster?

The updated booster will be available soon after Labor Day.

Where can I get an updated booster?

To find a location near you, go to vaccines.gov, vaxfinder.mass.gov, or vaccines.nh.gov . You can also text your zip code to 438829 or call 1-800-232-0233.

Mass General Brigham will be offering the updated booster vaccine at many primary care and some specialty offices during regularly scheduled office visits. We are also planning clinics throughout the fall that will offer flu and updated COVID-19 booster vaccines. We will share more information when those are scheduled.

What about the previous booster?

With the FDA approval of the updated boosters, the original COVID-19 vaccines are no longer approved as boosters for people ages 12 years and older. The FDA made this decision because the updated booster is designed to offer more protection from the circulating omicron variant.

What about for children ages 5-11 years?

The original Pfizer booster is recommended for children ages 5-11 years. For now, children ages 5-11 should continue to get the original Pfizer booster. The FDA and CDC will evaluate the updated booster for children less than 12 years as data becomes available.

What if I have a COVID-19 booster scheduled in the next week at a Mass General Brigham facility?

For patients ages 12 and older, appointments will be rescheduled for when the updated booster is available. Offices will be actively working to reschedule appointments.

What if I have not received the primary COVID-19 vaccine series?

You should still get the original vaccines for your primary vaccine series. You can find more information about COVID-19 primary vaccination series on the CDC website.

As always, thank you for reading these updates.

Sincerely,

Tom Sequist, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Mass General Brigham"

[LeavingMA]

It will protect you the same as the last so called vaccines...so not as all. But just pretend that big pharma isn't about money and has your best interests. They will keep making excuses, but big pharma only makes money on constant fear even though they are the most sued companies in all the world.

Just general common sense throughout decades and centuries will tell you no vaccine will work for a virus that constantly mutates. They are always chasing something, but they want subscription customers like Netflix.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by LeavingMA

It will protect you the same as the last so called vaccines...so not as all. But just pretend that big pharma isn't about money and has your best interests. They will keep making excuses, but big pharma only makes money on constant fear even though they are the most sued companies in all the world.

Just general common sense throughout decades and centuries will tell you no vaccine will work for a virus that constantly mutates. They are always chasing something, but they want subscription customers like Netflix.

As usual, the facts do not agree with you. Even against the BA.5, the original vaccines still appear to have a substantial reduction in hospitalizations (while not as much as BA.2 or prior variants). The new Omicron "tuned" booster will of course be more effective. These vaccines have already saved millions of lives, however it's important they remain on top of their game on adapting it to new mutation in the virus.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20...-Portugal.aspx

[jbgusa]

Originally Posted by massnative71

As usual, the facts do not agree with you. Even against the BA.5, the original vaccines still appear to have a substantial reduction in hospitalizations (while not as much as BA.2 or prior variants). The new Omicron "tuned" booster will of course be more effective. These vaccines have already saved millions of lives, however it's important they remain on top of their game on adapting it to new mutation in the virus.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20...-Portugal.aspx

I don't know. I've gotten the full vaccine sequence, both boosters, no more than minor side effects, no Covid (though I may have had it in February 2020), no isolating or masks, going to work in the office and to concerts, 65 and still going strong. Ya gotta' believe.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by jbgusa

I don't know. I've gotten the full vaccine sequence, both boosters, no more than minor side effects, no Covid (though I may have had it in February 2020), no isolating or masks, going to work in the office and to concerts, 65 and still going strong. Ya gotta' believe.

I got both initial doses and a booster this past November (probably pretty worthless at this point), then I got Covid in April (mild). The immunity from that is likely pretty worn off by now as well. This timing is good for me, as people are migrating back indoors and I have a few family events coming up with some vulnerable people around.

[Amontillado]

Hey, be your own epidemiologist! I'm sure you aced high-school biology and you can do this too. Personally I think that trained experts know more about it than I ever will, but that's just me.

The latest booster shots are reaching the health-care providers, and I expect we'll be told to get them. I've had the two boosters too, and have avoided the illness so far, in spite of not taking any particular precautions for a long time now. I wonder if the few people I see in the supermarket wearing masks feel a little odd about it.

This is going to be like a flu shot, where we'll have to get a new booster every year (maybe twice a year) to protect us against the latest mutations. And like flu, there'll be a continuing number of people dying from it.