Quote from Shane D.

https://swprs.org/judgment-day-sweden-vindicated/

Yes, Sweden again. This time in comparison to Austria, and how each has done against COVID. Sweden with it's relatively laissez faire policy, and Austria with it's more oppressive approach.

Yes. The different shapes of the graphs show that you cannot avoid pain when new variants are unpredictable - it is just about when you have it.

Pay attention to the median age thing. Austria 43.5 vs sweden 41.1.

That 2.4 years corresponds to 30% higher deaths all other things being equal. So Austria is still winning!

THH

PS - that same point is why undeveloped counties do so much better than developed.

Quote from Fm1

When anti-S(pike) antibodies against Omicron can no longer sustain the narrative, why not resort to T cells?

Fm1 -

That narrative was originally promoted by the antivaxxers as a reason why COVID-survivor immunity was better than vaccine immunity.

So would you like to explain your use of the word narrative here - meant I think to indicate some lack of factuality?

I don't get it. Early research was showing T-cell and neutralising ab immunity from vaccines. It is just that the press focussed on neutralising because it can be more easily measured and confers immunity from infection (obviously desirable).

THH

Quote from Roseland67

“Omicron up to 70% less likely to cause hospitalization than delta variant, UK government study finds”.

Small sample size but heading in the right direction as hoped.

I think 50% on hospitalisation is about average of the studies so far but it is still preliminary. Good for UK.

Personally, what matters is serious disease for those vaccinated. That is also looking good but no hard data yet.

At the moment nearly all the data points are young people - whereas what really matters is the same info for older people. So still some waiting.

HCQ as PrEP for COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis of Bundle of Studies Covering 7,616 Health Care Workers in India

HCQ as PrEP for COVID-19: A Meta-Analysis of Bundle of Studies Covering 7,616 Health Care Workers in India

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) most certainly isn’t a politically correct topic, yet several prominent physician-scientists continue to investigate the efficacy

trialsitenews.com

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) most certainly isn’t a politically correct topic, yet several prominent physician-scientists continue to investigate the efficacy and safety in relation to COVID-19. Of course, the controversies around HCQ don’t need a summary but, suffice to say, the use of the anti-malarial drug continues in several nations while physicians continue to use it off-label in the United States. Most recently, a previous contributor to the TrialSite, Dr. Raphael Stricker, an expert in infectious disease along with a Doctor of Nursing Melissa Fesler, both with the private practice called Union Square Medical Associates in San Francisco, California, conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the safety and efficacy covering a portfolio of studies in India. Does a standard HCQ pre-exposure prophylactic (PrEP) regimen in health care workers (HCWs) exposed to high-risk environments in India lower COVID-19 infection risk?

Drs. Stricker and Fesler’s meta-analysis results were recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Investigative Medicine. The two are scheduled to present at the forthcoming Western Medical Research Conference (WMRC) meeting in Carmel on January 20-22, 2022.

Using several resources, the two physicians embarked on an analysis to search for the answer to their question. They utilized the following sources:

PRISMA checklist

PubMed

Google Scholar

medRxiv

ResearchGate

What did the studies consist of?

Stricker and Fesler obtained eleven nonrandomized controlled trials of weekly HCQ PrEP involving 7,616 HCWs in India (3,489 treated, 4,127 controls). The HCQ PrEP regimen consisted of an 800mg loading dose in the first week, then 400mg weekly thereafter according to the guidelines of the Indian Council of Medical Research. SARS-CoV-2 infection was documented by seroconversion or positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. The duo used random-effects meta-analysis to calculate the risk ratio (RR) of infection across the studies. Summary of Results Sex distribution was available for nine studies and age distribution was available for eight studies.

What about gender & age distribution?

The sex distribution was 58% male and 42% female, and the mean age was 33.1 ± 7.7 years.

What were the participant HWS roles?

63% were involved in direct patient care (e.g., doctors and nurses) and another 37% offered support services (e.g., support staff, technicians, housekeeping staff, etc.).

How many of the studies included HCWs who used any HCQ PrEP?

11

What was the infection rate difference in the HCQ group?

The infection rate was significantly decreased (RR 0.56, 95% CI 0.37–0.83, p = 0.0040).

What about the other five studies that included HCWs administered at least six doses of weekly HCQ PrEP?

The infection rates were apparently reduced even more (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.13-0.50, p < 0.0001).

Were any deaths reported in either the study drug or control group?

No.

How many adverse events (AEs)?

667

What were the AEs?

Adverse Event %

Headache 8%

Nausea 7%

Dyspepsia 6%

Were any heart issues such as arrhythmias reported by the HCWs?

No. AEs were generally mild and well tolerated, as shown in one study where the HCQ discontinuation rate due to AEs was 4%.

What do the researchers recommend for the next steps?

Additional investigation into the use of HCQ PrEP for prevention against COVID-19

What are some limitations?

Meta-analysis offer benefits and challenges—the underlying reliability of the data must be vetted. A number of studies have shown HCQ not to be effective but some prominent studies have shown promise such as the Henry Ford study—however, that particular observational study was discounted by Dr. Anthony Fauci during a meeting with Congress.

Lead Research/Investigator

Raphael Stricker, MD, Union Square Medical Associates in San Francisco, California

Melissa Fesler, Union Square Medical Associates in San Francisco, California

Quote from THHuxleynew

Fm1 -

That narrative was originally promoted by the antivaxxers as a reason why COVID-survivor immunity was better than vaccine immunity.

So would you like to explain your use of the word narrative here - meant I think to indicate some lack of factuality?

I don't get it. Early research was showing T-cell and neutralising ab immunity from vaccines. It is just that the press focussed on neutralising because it can be more easily measured and confers immunity from infection (obviously desirable).

THH

Display More

Follow the dots Thomas, you're a smart guy. Merry Christmas to you and yours

Quote from Fm1

Follow the dots Thomas

Happy Christmas, with care to avoid pareidolia when joining dots.

THH

Quote from THHuxleynew

So Austria is still winning!

the winner is certainly big pharma!

How can it be that we are not allowed to donate surplus jabs to not so developed countries.

We have millions of doses, which will run out of useage date soon and according to contract we are not allowed to donate these?

Please, complete transparancy on the vaccine contracts, since we have paid for it!

It's a form of apophenia, which is a more general term for the human tendency to seek patterns in random information.

Feds Coming After Doctors & Pharmacies that Market Ivermectin as Effective & Safe for COVID-19

Feds Coming After Doctors & Pharmacies that Market Ivermectin as Effective & Safe for COVID-19

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is coming for any physician or pharmacy that promotes ivermectin as a drug that can “prevent Coronavirus

trialsitenews.com

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is coming for any physician or pharmacy that promotes ivermectin as a drug that can “prevent Coronavirus Disease 2019,” or COVID-19. Recently, America’s drug regulatory agency claims they received complaints that the antiparasitic drug off-label can treat the novel coronavirus at the same dose used for authorized treatments, writes FDA Acting Branch Chief Branch Shannon Glueck, PharmD. This letter was sent to Humayun J. Chaudhry, DO, MS, FACP, FACOI, President and Chief Executive Officer Federation of State Medical Boards.

As a signal that the FDA will start enforcing actions against individuals and groups positioning or making claims that ivermectin is an effective treatment for COVID-19, the letter calls out that “the FDA has neither authorized nor approved any ivermectin drug product for use in preventing or treating COVID-19. Although clinical trials assessing ivermectin tablets for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19 in people are ongoing, currently available data do not show that ivermectin is safe or effective for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.”

Referring to some of its previous announcements, declaring the drug a risk for side effects, the FDA cautions the board involved with representing the 71 state medical and osteopathic boards in America and its territories, as well as co-sponsors of the United States Medical Licensing Examination.

Declaring that the drug is not authorized or approved or proven as “safe or effective” for COVID-19, the federal regulator also sent this warning letter to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy to help “Facilitate communications among associations with shared goals regarding these matters.”

This effort suggests an escalated effort by the regulatory agency to identify, investigate, and potentially punish groups, whether they be physicians or pharmacies, involved with making any marketing claims associated with ivermectin and COVID-19.

TrialSite’s Sonia Elijah reported how the FDA appeared directly involved in a proactive social marketing smear campaign of the drug, seeking to ensure that the human antiparasitic version of the drug would be conflated with the animal variety as well as a general overall blanket warning of possible harm.

Ivermectin traditionally has a stellar safety record when it is applied at the authorized dose and indication. Although a total of 71 studies involving ivermectin have demonstrated for the most part positive data points, a handful of studies that the U.S. federal government focused on failed to show efficacy results. Many of the studies demonstrating success have been completely ignored for a variety of reasons. Generally, the study data from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) is trusted less than larger randomized controlled studies in America, the UK, or Europe, for example.

Physicians and pharmacies should never directly market that the drug is an approved or effective treatment for COVID-19. Do so at your own risk as the FDA has now put licensing boards on notice.

Quote from THHuxleynew

Early research was showing T-cell and neutralising ab immunity from vaccines.

You can inject anything you like. parts of toilet paper, tire rubber, stark,.. and your body will produce an immune response commonly known as acquired allergy! The immune response to RNA gene therapy is of the same class as an allergy and thus useless!

RNA gene therapy mimics a vaccine as the strong allergic reaction just produces monoclonal antibodies in a very high number. So only the antibody protect you in case of a gene therapy.

So you have been cheated by Pfizer and did believe you had some real - broad - immune response what is not the case.

Davos has to cancel the Christmas new year ice Hockey tournament that is run since about 80 years.

Absage des Spengler Cups - «Das ist der schlimmstmögliche Fall»

Der Spengler Cup in Davos muss sich wieder Corona beugen. Steht ein Konkurs bevor? Was sagen die Betroffenen dazu?

www.srf.ch

More than halve of the host team got - guess it - despite double tripple vaxx Omicron....

Ohhhhhhhhh please vaxxxx booster!! your child so it can protect your grand mom/dead during new year....

Tell your child it will be a hero also with one eye left over....

Quote from Fm1

Follow the dots Thomas, you're a smart guy.

from the THH playground a dot a day activity sheet series

Biden Begs: Take the Vaccine While a Growing Number of Reasonable Americans Ask, “Who is the Threat?”

Biden Begs: Take the Vaccine While a Growing Number of Reasonable Americans Ask, “Who is the Threat?”

In the December 21 speech, “Remarks by President Biden on the Fight Against COVID-⁠19 DECEMBER 21, 2021,” our president repeats and spreads half-truths

trialsitenews.com

In the December 21 speech, “Remarks by President Biden on the Fight Against COVID-⁠19 DECEMBER 21, 2021,” our president repeats and spreads half-truths that don’t address the current comprehensive set of COVID-19 facts. He tries to explain the fact that, along with vaccinations, cases have climbed dramatically. No one can claim to know exactly why or otherwise prove it with evidence. Some suggest the unvaccinated represent a reservoir for the pathogen, yet numerous studies now show that after a few months, the vaccinated are prone to transmitting the disease as well. Yet another countervailing point of view suggests the vaccines represent a sort of variant driver—just like blanket society-wide antibiotics may have led to resistant bacteria. Pointing to an “upheaval” in our lives, POTUS fails to address the level to which the virus-remediation strategies have caused more problems than they solved. This means he doesn’t take accountability for mounting widespread crises–from labor shortages in key frontline professionals such as healthcare to inflation and the continuing chasm between the wealthy and the poor. In some health markets as many as 30% of the health care professionals such as nurses have either dropped out of the labor market or have been processed out due to the vaccine mandates. POTUS declared that we are tougher than the virus, “because we have the power of science and vaccines….” Addressing omicron, Biden notes that if you “are not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned. You’re at a high risk of getting sick.” He also argues that the unvaccinated are likely to spread the virus, although science has shown that the vaccinated can, in fact, also spread the COVID-19 virus. President Biden seemingly spreads the very misinformation he accuses so many others of promoting. Ignoring the counterbalance of the numbers of folks with a bad or ineffective vaccine reaction, he posits that, “Almost everyone who has died from COVID-19 in the past many months has been unvaccinated.” Yet with skyrocketing cases in heavily vaccinated communities, not to mention growing breakthrough infections, even Bill Gates went on the record to declare the vaccines don’t stop viral transmission. Yes, of course, the data indicate they reduce hospitalization and death–but with some countries moving to the fourth booster, now one must wonder if this continues would such continuous boosters be healthy? Biden turns out to be like many career politicians—but as far as vision, leadership, and the ability to bring people from different walks of life together during a major crisis—the current POTUS gets a failing grade just as much as the previous one. Are Americans that far apart or is the leadership just bad?

FEMA Creates Pop-Up Vaccine Sites

Biden says that those who have been boosted, have “much, much less reason to worry” regarding “severe illness.” First, the vaccines would be sterilizing, i.e., the public was told that they would work like other vaccines and prevent viral infection. Then the narrative pivoted to the idea that the vaccinated might catch COVID-19, but they won’t spread the disease. Now that this has been debunked, he is left with the semiotic parsing that we have “a high degree of protection against severe illness.” This is a true statement, but he misses many other truths, so his narrative is one of particular convenience.

Yet the worry Biden mentions remains. Biden says that due to its quick spread, we may see “large numbers” of vaccinated folks get COVID-19. He reiterates the talking point that the vaccinated are, “protected from severe illness and death.” He advises that those who have been inoculated still need to wear a mask. The president notes that he’ll be deploying hundreds of “vaccinators” to “get the booster shots in people’s arms,” and that he has directed FEMA to create pop-up vaccine clinics around the nation. He reiterates that the unvaccinated are putting the vaccinated at risk and that this decision, “can be the difference between life and death.”

Yet in the meantime, a severe SARS-CoV-2 testing crisis mounts on his watch, while he watches laughing, dancing –and in some cases, unmasked—nurses in a surreal entertainment event at the White House. As the New York Post asked, is POTUS “out of touch?”

If the vaccinated are not getting seriously ill, as the President says, why are the unvaccinated such a threat? Why vilify such a large diverse group of the American public unless it’s part of that old divide and conquer game. Our official narrative does not hold up, as Biden’s comments show. Of course, he is correct that the data indicates vaccination reduces the probability of hospitalization and death, at least for some period of time. But that’s just part of the story.

Biden never mentions natural immunity (nor does his top medical advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci) or early treatment for that matter. Under the current POTUS (Biden), the number of deaths associated with COVID-19 has surpassed those under Trump, even though there were no vaccines and only a couple of treatments that emerged in 2020. How could that be? Is this the fault of the unvaccinated? Is that what POTUS will use to try to win reelection?

With the higher total number of deaths, and the fact that the current vaccines didn’t come online for widespread distribution until 2021, along with unprecedented, forced mandates and a confluence of other social and economic contagions—TrialSite, truly an apolitical place, hears record numbers of American voters in the center lament losing confidence in the Democrats.

With seemingly so many challenges, why would so many traditionally Democrat-leaning voters, such as front-line workers in public sector unions, be rejected and thrown away due to their concerns about forced vaccination? Remember the amount of secrecy associated with Pfizer’s vaccine, for example–they demand not disclosing all of their study documentation for 75 years! Moreover, the PREP Act ensures a complete liability shield for all pharmaceutical manufacturers, hospitals, and others involved in the production, distribution, and administration of what many still consider an investigational product. Can’t anyone in Washington see that the confluence of these factors could make at least, some on Mainstreet anxious?

Why on earth would any politician that purports to be for the working class, for example, take on such a strategy of pushing public sector workers, such as police and firefighters, as well as healthcare staff, to even military personnel out of their jobs? Couldn’t low-cost testing, natural immunity grace periods, and the like also be offered to loyal, committed working people?

The vaccines will not lead to herd immunity, as Fauci declared–that should be clear to everyone now that before, with the declaration of needing to meet 60% rate of vaccination; a 70% rate, and so on was just speculation.

That by itself is OK. No one knows for sure in such a situation. But honest and ethical research and a medical communications strategy would have been far different than both the Trump and Biden administration embraced. But the person responsible now is Biden. He is the man with the top job.

Yes, Omicron is far more transmissible; yes, cases are skyrocketing and we do not know yet if this latest variant will be more infectious or not. Vaccines do help—they have helped millions reduce their risk of more serious disease but it wasn’t under the POTUS’ watch that drove Operation Warp Speed.

The present-day POTUS continues to omit critically important areas for the public to understand, including natural immunity, the importance of good health and early care, and ways to democratize urgent care, such as what occurred down in Texas Tech El Paso (Dr. Michelson) and Florida with widespread access, a sort of democratization to monoclonal antibodies.

Moreover, Biden doesn’t share with the public that those vaccinated for Delta can become as contagious as the unvaccinated. He also doesn’t share the risks of vaccination for some people. TrialSite reports on adverse events including what appears to represent an unfortunate suppression of information in the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. The number of reports in 2021 is orders of magnitude more than the last decade combined.

A complex and frankly unacceptably politicized matter—this COVID-19 pandemic—TrialSite recommends that the different groups lower the guard and find ways to come together.

Of course, POTUS should encourage vaccination, but he should also be open and honest about all the other dynamics mentioned herein–that would go a long way to probably help the cause. POTUS should continue to emphasize the importance of vaccination, but also just as important, work to bring different people together. If he continues to play on fear, pitting people against each other (including family members), a reasonable person could step back and pause for this important holiday season, wondering just who and what is the threat now?

Quote from Fm1

they demand not disclosing all of their study documentation for 75 years!

As all insider say: No studies at all have been done by Pfizer. They just sent in fake documents of some high-school setups, that have no relation with the mandatory vaccine tests.

Also the phase III study was a big fake with no follow up no PCR to check for infection just waiting for some people coming to a test. Pfizer collected no adverse reactions in contrary to Moderna that sent in a multi page report dealing with all adverse reactions seen.

Further teh Pfizer pahse III study is void since June 2021 as all members of teh control group have been vaccinated to hide side effects. A study without contorl group counts as closed or simply inexistent.

So we have the only serious RNA company Moderna and a FM/R/B mafia run company that constructed a fake vaccine that up to date killed more than 50'000 people world wide by immune suppression that caused (fueled) CoV-19.

Also the recent UK figures can only be explained by the fact that about 50% of the last 2 months deaths of age >70 have been caused by the boosters. In Israel about 300 booster victims have been counted and more than 500 from the double vaxx campaign.

To be fair. The same effect can be seen with Moderna too. But there its a tiny fraction.

#IndiaFightsCorona COVID-19

www.mygov.in

There is a faint uptick in cases in all India sub states. Could be that now some older get vaccine induced CoV-19 as even Uttar Pradesh now has 50% of the population jabed once... After 7 months with no CoV-19 going for vaccines can only be explained by a mafia run central government.

The bad thing is that India did cut and paste the worst vaccine on the market made by the Oxford team sold by Astra and some Indian contractors.

May be we have to find the India vaccine injury page...

Could give some "nice" answers...

Here a short update::

So for Uttar Pradesh definitively more deaths from than for vaccines for the last 7 months....

Read more at:

aefi: 2k serious cases of AEFI, 0.004% of 123 crore of shots given: Government | India News - Times of India

India News: Adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) were recorded after 0.004% of the total around 123 crore Covid jabs administered till November 30. Of…

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Is the Pfizer Vaccine for COVID-19 Failing? Effectiveness Down from 70% to 45% in Just Weeks—Raises Concerns

Is the Pfizer Vaccine for COVID-19 Failing? Effectiveness Down from 70% to 45% in Just Weeks—Raises Concerns

Today TrialSite reported that Israel has put a hold on whether to commence with a fourth booster using the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech called

trialsitenews.com

Today TrialSite reported that Israel has put a hold on whether to commence with a fourth booster using the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech called BNT162b2 or Comirnaty. Key for Israel is data arising out of the United Kingdom (UK)—specifically the UK Health security Agency (UKHSA) findings that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine wanes quickly in effectiveness against the Omicron variant of concern. In fact, the Pfizer vaccine’s performance degrades rapidly as compared to Moderna’s mRNA-1273 vaccine for COVID-19.

In fact the report authored by the UKHSA revealed that out of the total number of Omicron cases nationwide (68,489 during the study period) that the mRNA-based vaccines waned in effectiveness within 2 to 4 weeks—not a long period of time. Specifically with an effectiveness starting at 90% against Delta after 2-4 weeks, the figure rapidly declined to 70% within a month against Omicron.

But by week 10 (2.5 months) the Pfizer vaccine BNT162b2 drops to 42% while Moderna remains at 70% by week 9. Most people in Israel are fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and hence the importance of this data reports the Times of Israel.

TrialSite will continue to monitor this breaking news. The mRNA-based vaccines are purportedly superior in performance and flexibility in that they are supposed to be updated with more speed. But this hasn’t occurred thus far and yet again data appears to indicate the performance of the mRNA-based vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech wanes considerably in performance in just weeks.

If the vaccine requires a boost every quarter (3 months or so or even 6 moths) the viability of this product would be seriously questioned. In the meantime, Pfizer continues to work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to hold back critical study data while possible clusters of adverse events are carefully guarded. The Moderna vaccine appears to last longer—at least in terms of effectiveness of prevention but the stronger vaccine is also associated with side effects and restrictions on use in many nations where they do not recommend that young people under 30 (especially males) use the vaccine due to safety risks.

The Report

The UK report titled “SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England Technical briefing 33” shared among other items:

“Vaccine effectiveness was estimated by period after dose 2 and dose 3. The final analysis included 147,597 Delta and 68,489 Omicron cases. Vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease by period after dose 2 and dose 3 is shown in Figure 7 for those who received a primary course of the AstraZeneca vaccine (Figure 10A), Pfizer (Figure 10B) or Moderna (Figure 10C). Booster estimates are separated for Pfizer and Moderna boosters. In all periods, effectiveness was lower for Omicron compared to Delta. Among those who received an AstraZeneca primary course, vaccine effectiveness was around 60% 2 to 4 weeks after either a Pfizer or Moderna booster, then dropped to 35% with a Pfizer booster and 45% with a Moderna booster by 10 weeks after the booster. Among those who received a Pfizer primary course, vaccine effectiveness was around 70% after a Pfizer booster, dropping to 45% after 10-plus weeks and stayed around 70 to 75% after a Moderna booster up to 9 weeks after booster.”

Of course, as a health care tool in the pandemic emergencies the Pfizer-BioNTech has helped reduced hospitalization and deaths. So as a provisional health tool it can be considered a success (assuming for the specific population cohort safety issues don’t supersede benefits) but long-term viability must be scrutinized if this type of data persists

UK agency: Pfizer booster’s ability to prevent symptomatic COVID wanes within weeks

Data shows 3rd shot 70% effective in preventing illness after 2 weeks but only 45% after 10 weeks; Moderna seems to offer more durable protection, staying at…

www.timesofisrael.com

Israel thinks to stop Pfizer booster as UK research shows these wane with a few days.....

קורונה - לוח בקרה

Cases and positive rate 4x higher after the last 2 weeks.

So we see again that vaccines have no effect on the pandemic.

Only clowns that support criminals like Dr.Adrew Hill or the Oxford HCQ killers can uphold such fake claims...

Also the most highly vaxx places like NY of USA see a record explosion in cases...

Only the insane think 95% of the world's doctors are killers or criminals

But, to be fair, many people, not just W, confuse correlation with causality.

Even more incorrectly apply "no smoke without fire" arguments to the when does correlation imply causality? question:

"Well, there are so many examples of correlation between A and B: it is surely likely that A causes B".

Israel Puts Fourth Booster on Hold—Questioning the Benefits of a 4th Booster considering Omicron Findings in UK Thus Far

Israel Puts Fourth Booster on Hold—Questioning the Benefits of a 4th Booster considering Omicron Findings in UK Thus Far

TrialSite recently reported Israel was gearing up to commence administering the fourth booster vaccine to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in that

trialsitenews.com

TrialSite recently reported Israel was gearing up to commence administering the fourth booster vaccine to address the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in that heavily vaccinated nation. It was also shared in this media channel however that rising vaccine hesitancy perhaps results from ongoing waning effectiveness of the mRNA-based vaccines now in use in this eastern Mediterranean nation. While health care centers such as Sheba Medical Center were also gearing up for a study involving 100 volunteers, after all the Health Ministry gave the thumbs up yet interestingly, they have yet to receive authorization from the so-called Helsinki Committee, an ethics minded committee that must sign off on all clinical trials in Israel. Thus far the panel has yet to authorize the study according to media across Israel including the Times of Israel. Apparently after attempts by media to obtain a reason or the delay the panel shared this could not be disclosed at this point while deliberations on the topic continue. So as Israel was to become the first nation to authorize a fourth dose booster in response to COVID-19 this decision is on hold, at least till the middle of next week. The man who must make the call. Director-General Nachman Ash. While Prime Minister Bennett wants to move it is Ash who makes the final call—a powerful man when it comes to health care-related decisions.

What is Israel’s Helsinki Committee?

The Helsinki Committee is the body that has the authority in this nation to authorize medical research and clinical trials involving humans. First and foremost, the organization is chartered as a “servant of the public, and its main role is to ensure the wellbeing and rights of trial participants, ensure that the research/experiment is conducted in according with the approved medical ethics guidelines, which are in accordance with the guidelines outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.”

Did Israel’s Health Ministry sign off on 4th booster?

Yes. Last Tuesday as TrialSite reported the Health Ministry’s expert advisory panel in fact approved the distribution and administration of a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose to individuals aged 60 years or above as well as for others at risk (e.g., immunocompromised, etc.).

What stopped the process?

Israel media, including Channel 13 reports that the Health Ministry then paused this decision based on the discussion in a meeting involving a review of initial data implying that given the rapid rise of the Omicron variant and the seeming fact that people infected with the variant of concern are about 50% to 70% less likely to end up in the hospital as compared to those people infected with the Delta variant of concern.

TrialSite has been reporting that while Omicron is more transmissible the only data thus far reliable suggests its lesshttps://trialsitenews.com/israel-puts-fourth-booster-on-hold-questioning-the-benefits-of-a-4th-booster-considering-omicron-findings-in-uk-thus-far/. Of course, this could change with cold season and wide-spread viral infections so known one should assume anything at this point.

Why did the UK possibly contribute to this hold?

Recently the United Kingdom Health Security Agency uncovered that Omicron’s impact is milder than previous variants of concern, however it is highly infectious and evades vaccines.

According to other European media reports, government data verifies the Omicron variant of concern, at least up till now, leads to less severe results than say from the Delta variant. They do of course warn of high transmissibility.

What’s Israel’s Health Ministry Director-General Point of View?

Director-General Nachman Ash apparently is delving into the UK data for more clarity. Reports initially from Channel 13 are that if the data continues to evidence a more mild, less infectious strain then the Director-General may put a halt on booster shots, rather sending the matter back for further research and discussion.

When will Director-General Ash Make a move?

According to another media, the Kan public broadcaster, Channel 11, reports are that Ash may make the move to decide which direction to take by mid-next week.

Why might Nash hold off?

Well, if it is determined that Omicron is in fact less dangerous and fully evades existing vaccines then it could make sense to delay the decision and await a vaccine updated and tailored to the super-mutant.

Why are some pro-vax persons so gung-ho about proceeding?

They are concerned of yet another contagion, with widespread infections, even if it is less infectious. Because Omicron is so transmissible many in the government here expect a tough time in the forthcoming weeks, with hundreds of thousands of new or breakthrough infections.

Are cases on the rise?

Absolutely. Even though this is one of the most heavily vaccinated nations worldwide and a massive booster program occurred during the late summer and into the fall the cases of SARS-CoV-2 are on the rise again. In fact, by Thursday 1,420 new COVID-19 cases were reported from the previous day. This represented the highest total since October. On Friday 1,351 cases were reported, continuing a negative trend.

Also, Times of Israel reports the SARS-CoV-2 positivity rate appears on the rise, slightly from 0.9% a week ago to 1.45% a couple days ago. Moreover, the important measure known as the R number appears on a gradual rise, from 1.02 in the early part of December to 1.34 on Thursday.

What about serious cases, hospitalization, and death?

These fortunately are held low with 123 reported hospitalizations on Thursday. The vaccines do lower the probability of hospitalization and death, at least thus far

4th COVID vaccine dose clinical trial delayed after key panel holds up approval

Helsinki Committee authorizing clinical trials yet to sign off on test-run of extra booster for 100 volunteers for unknown reason, even as Health Ministry…

www.timesofisrael.com

The vaccine is failing yet the nitwit running the show wants to continue to jab jab jab

Covid live: UK considering door-to-door vaccination teams, reports say; new restrictions in Wales, Scotland and NI

Vaccination teams could go door-to-door in UK to reach those yet to have jabs; new restrictions introduced in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland reintroduce Covid restrictions

What are the new Covid rules in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

Omicron: bleak New Year or beginning of the end for the pandemic?

Tory MPs warn Boris Johnson against toughening Covid new year rules

See all our coronavirus coverage

Covid live: UK considering door-to-door vaccination teams, reports say; new restrictions in Wales, Scotland and NI | Coronavirus | The Guardian