Covid-19 News

AstraZeneca vaccine appears to substantially reduce transmission of the coronavirus, study shows

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

London(CNN)The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine appears to substantially reduce transmission of the virus, rather than simply preventing symptomatic infections, UK researchers have suggested.

The rate of positive PCR tests declined by about half after two doses, according to preliminary results by researchers at the University of Oxford that have yet to be peer reviewed.

Their analysis, released as a preprint Tuesday, also supports spacing out doses and estimates good efficacy after just one shot of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

Flimsy evidence for a bold claim

take away...... Lockdowns lead to more spread

Transmission of COVID-19 in 282 clusters in Catalonia, Spain: a cohort study

https://www.thelancet.com/jour…-3099(20)30985-3/fulltext

Discussion

In our study, we found that increasing viral load values in nasopharyngeal swabs of patients with COVID-19 were associated with the greater risk of transmission, measured by SARS-CoV-2 PCR positivity among contacts, and with a higher risk of transmission in a household environment compared with that in other indoor situations. Additionally, we found that higher viral loads in swabs of asymptomatic contacts were associated with higher risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19, and that these contacts had shorter incubation periods than those with a lower viral load. Relationships between viral load and infectivity have been described for other respiratory viruses, and our study shows that the same is true for SARS-CoV-2.

To our knowledge, this is the largest study that evaluated the relationship of viral load in patients with COVID-19 and risk of transmission. In our cohort, a high proportion (192 [68%] of 282) of index cases did not cause secondary infections. However, we identified 90 (32%) clusters with transmission events, and the multivariate analysis revealed that clusters centred on index cases with high viral load were significantly more likely to result in transmission. In line with previous analyses of case-contact clusters,9, 12, 14 we also found that household exposure to an index case was associated with a higher risk of transmission than other types of contact, presumably reflecting duration and proximity of exposure. Increasing age of the contact was also identified in our multivariate analysis as a significant–albeit modest–determinant of transmission risk. This factor has shown uneven influence across results reported elsewhere but seems to play a secondary role among adults.13, 14 Finally, unlike previous analyses that reported a relationship between coughing and transmission,13 we did not find any association. This finding suggests that the absence of cough does not preclude significant onward transmission, particularly if the viral load is high. Taken together, our results indicate that the viral load, rather than symptoms, might be the predominant driver of transmission.

Quote from Wyttenbach

Real vaccines provoke a T-Cell memory. Whether this happens as needed with RNA vaccines that are single shapes is very doubtful. The Pfizer vaccine already shows "0" protection after a single shot against teh combined he E484K (RSA) and B1.171 (UK) mutation.

Moderna- bit more complex is better.

Anyway the use of experimental RNA vaccines is now juridically seen illegal as classic vaccines are ready and the permit must be revoked. This of course will not happen in any western mafia steered state.

"The Pfizer Vaccine already shows "0" protection...." - pls a link.

Why throw around such unsupported claims so often - is it to difficult for you to simply add a publicly available source, as so many others here do when they provide useful information in this entire Covid & vaccine mess? ... You showed that you can do better, but such claims just increase this mess instead of giving kind of guidance or helpful information. I would prefer to have something to look at, to read and potentially agree or understand, than just "Wyttenbach-says" ... Thank you.

Quote from Fm1

Ahhhhhh no you are wrong Jed. The best flu vaccine is around 70% effective.

That's what I said. It immunizes against 4 strains, but there are more than 4 strains at any given time. Against those 4 it is nearly 100% effective, unless you have a weak immune system. Any vaccine can fail for that reason. That's why they give a stronger dose to old people: to trigger a stronger response.

Against some other strains, a flu vaccine is partially effective. You get sick, but not very sick. I get a flu shot every year. The doctor once suspected I had the flu. The test, which only takes a few minutes, showed I was sick. It was so mild I did not even notice. I have no idea whether I was contagious.

Quote from Fm1

That means you still get it can spread it but not get deathly ill. It doesn't give you 100% imunity, very few vaccines have ever given full imunity.

Yes, that is what I said. The COVID-19 vaccines are ~95% effective. The rubella vaccine is 98% effective.

The weird statement above was:

People see the word “vaccine” and they believe they will be immune to Covid 19.

Obviously a vaccine means you are immune. What else could it mean?!? How else do vaccines work? You are immune unless your immune system fails. For that matter, natural immunity from surviving the disease can fail. That is rare, but it happens.

Quote from zorud

The Pfizer Vaccine already shows "0" protection...." - pls a link.

Sorry please read the links. The paper has already been provided. Either you are no able to keep things in memory or you intentionally like to spread FUD to divert people. Pfizer already did know this more than 2 months ago! This we could derive from communications...

It's no fun in the current situation. Cases and deaths go up in Israel despite 20% had two doses so far and these 20% age > 65 count for 97% of the deaths usually. So we should see a steep decline in deaths.

Please also inform yourself about the Manaus situation! It's the place Pfizer did see it first.

Your "adhom" style tells me that you are a simplistic mafia supporting member.

an article just before the pandemic on Vaccine development

Accelerating flu protection

https://www.scientificamerican…elerating-flu-protection/

Another way to precisely match the target flu strains and have rapid, high-volume production is to use mRNA vaccines, but these are some way from regulatory approval. With mRNA, the final manufacturing steps occur not in a factory but in the person receiving the vaccine.

“The flu virus infects you and uses your body as a bioreactor to make itself,” says Hari Pujar, vice-president for technical development and manufacturing at Moderna Therapeutics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “We are mimicking that path with an mRNA that encodes for flu proteins, so we are generating the vaccine inside the body.”

At its factory in Norwood, Massachusetts, Moderna can produce mRNA drugs on a pilot scale from raw materials. These vaccines do not require cells or proteins at all. Instead, workers make a DNA template to churn out the desired mRNAs in a bioreactor the size of a domestic water heater, rather than the giant tanks that are normally used to produce vaccines and other biological drugs. The mRNAs are then embedded in lipid nanoparticles. After injection into the recipient, the nanoparticles enter cells and deliver their mRNA cargos, which generate the proteins that constitute the vaccine.

As reported in May 2019, phase I clinical trials tested two first-generation Moderna mRNA vaccine candidates against two dangerous flu strains that lack approved vaccines. The studies found that the Moderna vaccines were safe and ought to be effective. Moderna is talking to potential industry and government partners about moving to commercial production.

Over at Sanofi Pasteur, Shiver sees several potential advantages of mRNA vaccines, which his company is investigating in collaboration with Translate Bio of Lexington, Massachusetts. He says that “mRNA probably has a good potential to scale up to very large scales, and frankly the same manufacturing facility could be used for more than one type of vaccine”. But he emphasizes that, given the huge investment required to turn vaccines into commercial products for seasonal flu, new manufacturing platforms such as mRNA must deliver improvements in the efficacy of vaccines.

The threat posed by pandemics is so great that government agencies such as BARDA might provide assistance for emerging vaccine platforms. “We’ve spent over US$6 billion on optimizing influenza vaccines, diversifying and augmenting the national supply chain,” says Bright. “We don’t think there is any pathogen on the planet that can devastate public health, lives, national security and our economic situation faster than a pandemic influenza virus.”

So yes we are all in a great experiment

Retrained generic antibodies can recognize SARS-CoV-2

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub…021-02/uoia-rga020221.php

The SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus behind the current pandemic, infects humans by binding its surface-exposed spike proteins to ACE2 receptors exposed on the cell membranes.

Upon a vaccination or a real infection, it takes several weeks before the immunity develops antibodies that can selectively bind to these spike proteins. Such antibody-labeled viruses are neutralized by the natural killer and T cells operated by the human immunity.

An alternative approach to train the immunity response is offered by researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago and California State University at Sacramento who have developed a novel strategy that redirects antibodies for other diseases existing in humans to the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2.

In their study published by the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, the team proposes using peptide-based double-faced "booster" inhibitors, with one face binding to the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and the other face binding to generic hepatitis B antibodies.

"Once the SARS-CoV-2 viruses become labeled by the hepatitis B antibodies via intermediate boosters, the viruses will be neutralized. This universal approach allows a dramatic shortening of the response time upon real infections, which can be critical in certain patients or conditions," said Petr Král, UIC professor of chemistry, physics, pharmaceutical sciences and chemical engineering, and senior author on the paper.

Král and Yanxiao Han, who recently earned a Ph.D. in chemistry at UIC and is first author on the paper, believe the study could provide guidance in the preparation of generic therapeutics against emerging pathogens with the combined advantages of small-protein and antibody therapies.

"The dramatic impact which novel viruses can have on humans could be fast mitigated in the absence of their vaccination if generic antibodies present within them are temporarily retrained to recognize these viruses," the researchers wrote.

In a study published last spring, Král and Han extracted different peptides from ACE2 that interact directly with the viral spike protein.

"We investigated potential COVID-19 therapeutics using computer simulations based on the X-ray crystal structure of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 when it is bound to ACE2," Král said. "Similar to our latest study, identifying these kinds of inhibitors could lead to new treatments to combat the coronavirus."

Quote from Fm1

So yes we are all in a great experiment

If you want to call it an experiment, it is indeed a great one. It is the greatest and most successful in the history of medicine. As of today, 104 million doses of vaccine have been administered. Not a single case of a serious reaction has been reported. No deaths, no serious injuries. This is probably the most successful, least harmful vaccine in history. It has been more closely monitored than any vaccine in history, because we now have powerful internet-based data collection. Thousands of patients were injected in July 2020. If there were problems with the vaccine, they probably would have come out by now. Serious allergic reactions usually appear within a day, or not at all. In short, you can have more confidence in the safety of this vaccine than any previous one in history.

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vir Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: VIR) today announced the publication of new research characterizing a novel site of vulnerability on the SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) spike protein – specifically the N-terminal domain (NTD). The study findings were made available online on bioRxiv on January 14, 2021 and have been submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for future print publication. This manuscript, together with data on immune evasion by mutations elsewhere in the spike protein published by scientists in Cell, begin to paint a comprehensive picture of the mechanisms that SARS-CoV-2 may utilize to evade immunity. Collectively, these data indicate the importance of carefully targeting conserved regions of the spike for vaccines and clinical monoclonal antibodies.

The receptor binding motif (RBM) of SARS-CoV-2, the region of the receptor binding domain (RBD) that interacts with the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, is a common target of COVID-19 natural and vaccine-induced immune responses, as well as monoclonal antibodies. However, recently published research has characterized the frequent occurrence of mutations within the RBM, highlighting the need for targeting alternate sites within the spike protein.

“This new research indicates the NTD is another site on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that, like the RBM, contains mutations as well as deletions in emerging variants,” said Davide Corti, Ph.D., senior vice president of antibody research for Vir. “Mutations in these immunodominant domains can evade natural immune responses and are of concern for vaccines and for therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting these regions. This underscores the need to advance therapies that have a high barrier to resistance.”

Coronavirus infects Nebraska family for second time: report

Studies regarding immunity to COVID-19 are ongoing

https://news.google.com/articl…=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US%3Aen

Four members of a Nebraska family are infected with the novel coronavirus — again.

For the second time in recent months, Chuck Conboy Sr., 67, of Papillion, claims his family has suffered a COVID-19 infection. Conboy, his wife, and two sons all contracted the virus in November but fully recovered. Nine weeks later, they all began to suffer symptoms of the disease again, later testing positive for a second time, he said.

"I woke up… and had a fever. It jumped up to like 102 degrees, which for me, that’s high. I thought, ‘Oh, my God, not again,’" he told local news station KETV of the second infection.

Thapsigargin could be used as antiviral to treat COVID-19, study shows

Researchers have discovered that thapsigargin has novel antiviral properties and is effective against COVID-19 in pre-clinical studies.

https://www.drugtargetreview.c…eat-covid-19-study-shows/

In cell and animal studies, they discovered that thapsigargin is effective against viral infection when used before or during active infection and able to prevent a virus from making new copies of itself in cells for at least 48 hours after a single 30-minute exposure. They also revealed that it is stable in acidic pH as found in the stomach and therefore can be taken orally, so could be administered without the need for injections or hospital admission. Furthermore, it was not sensitive to virus resistance and at least several hundred-fold more effective than current antiviral options.

According to the researchers, thapsigargin is safe as an antiviral (a derivative has been tested in prostate cancer).

Lead researcher Professor Kin-Chow Chang said: “While we are still at the early stages of research into this antiviral and its impact on how viruses such as COVID-19 can be treated, these findings are hugely significant. The current pandemic highlights the need for effective antivirals to treat active infections, as well as vaccines, to prevent the infection. Given that future pandemics are likely to be of animal origin, where animal to human (zoonotic) and reverse zoonotic (human to animal) spread take place, a new generation of antivirals, such as thapsigargin, could play a key role in the control and treatment of important viral infections in both humans and animals.”

Quote from JedRothwell

Who on earth said these are only flu shots, and that flu shots do not give you immunity?!? Of course they do. You seldom get the flu after a shot, unless it is a strain that shot does not include. (A flu shot directly stops 4 strains, but unfortunately more than 4 circulate.)

Seriously, where on earth did this weird quote come from? It is like saying water does not put out fire.

Of course COVID-19 vaccines make you immune to COVID-19! You develop antibodies, and the virus cannot infect you. That's why they reduce the likelihood of infection by 95%. It does not always work, but most of the time it does. All vaccines give you immunity. That's how they work.

you must unlearn what you have learned Jed, although I think that is no longer possible.

Yiu have been plugged into the matrix for so long, to unplug you now may cause irreparable harm.

Read it again

Quote from Roseland67

you must unlearn what you have learned Jed, although I think that is no longer possible.

I must unlearn the fact that vaccines cause the immune system to produce antibodies? Really??? Seriously, is that what you are saying? You don't know much about disease if that is what you think.

Please read this:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronaviru…ccines/how-they-work.html

Quote from JedRothwell

Not a single case of a serious reaction has been reported.

Can you stop to tell lies in this forum!

It's a shame that you have no respect for the >500 killed by the shot! Also more than 20'000 so far had serious effects. All well documented in the CDC database.

Your attitude is becoming more and more XXXXX. May be you are XXXXXXXXXX...

The good are good the bad are bad and they both stick out like a sore thumb.

Quote from Wyttenbach

Can you stop to tell lies in this forum!

It's a shame that you have no respect for the >500 killed by the shot! Also more than 20'000 so far had serious effects. All well documented in the CDC database.

Your attitude is becoming more and more XXXXX. May be you are XXXXXXXXXX...

How can that be, it’s a vaccine?

It’s supposed to give you immunity to the disease you’re being vaccinated for, you know

Like the measles, mumps, whooping cough, rubella, polio etc.

We have all been vaccinated for these diseases and we don’t get them anymore.

We don’t have a vaccine for Covid 19 yet because even after you’re vaccinated you can still get Covid-19 and any of its variants,

after you get COVID-19 you can then transmit it to your family.

And then, after you recover you can get it again. Cause that’s how vaccines work.

Quote from Roseland67

How can that be, it’s a vaccine?

It’s supposed to give you immunity to the disease you’re being vaccinated for, you know

Like the measles, mumps, whooping cough, rubella, polio etc.

We have all been vaccinated for these diseases and we don’t get them anymore.

We don’t have a vaccine for Covid 19 yet because even after you’re vaccinated you can still get Covid-19 and any of its variants,

after you get COVID-19 you can then transmit it to your family.

And then, after you recover you can get it again. Cause that’s how vaccines work.

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among the many problems of intervening in a complex system, one is that vaccines tend to drive B-cell responses. when a variant arrives, the body will respond with the B cell response of the original strain, inhibiting the naive B-cells resulting in a weak response to a strong variant. Natural infection is better if this happens, and it happens!

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30617114/

this is why the vaccine may be a great way to setup the population to needing "yearly updates".

Quote from Roseland67

It’s supposed to give you immunity to the disease you’re being vaccinated for, you know

Like the measles, mumps,

It,,immunity,, ain't necessarily so..

biology is an inexact science

"the accidental super-spreader had received a full course of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. It's likely that he did have some immunity – like the other vaccinated children, he developed relatively mild symptoms with no complications – but he was still able to carry the virus and transmit it to others.

"In fact, most vaccines don't fully protect against infection, even if they can block symptoms from appearing. As a result, vaccinated people can unknowingly carry and spread pathogens. Occasionally, they can even start epidemics.

https://www.bbc.com/future/art…e-able-to-spread-covid-19

Quote from Navid

needing "yearly updates".

Haseltine,, who has 'expert' credentials

https://www.forbes.com/sites/w…-variant/?sh=2166c9fc97a6 thinks that yearly updates are likely to be needed

because of mutations,,

"

Unfortunately, as more variants arise, the chances that the in-distribution vaccines cover every variant dwindles. Ample data is available to suggest that B.1.351 is up to ten-fold immune-resistant to several vaccines, and could likely reinfect those previously infected.

As P.1 carries many of the same mutations, there is a strong chance it is as well.

In all likelihood, Covid-19 vaccines will need to be adapted annually, as we do with the flu.

Manufacturers will need to guess, as they do for flu,

which SARS-CoV-2 variants will arise in which region at which time.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/w…-variant/?sh=2166c9fc97a6

Quote from Wyttenbach

Sorry please read the links. The paper has already been provided. Either you are no able to keep things in memory or you intentionally like to spread FUD to divert people. Pfizer already did know this more than 2 months ago! This we could derive from communications...

It's no fun in the current situation. Cases and deaths go up in Israel despite 20% had two doses so far and these 20% age > 65 count for 97% of the deaths usually. So we should see a steep decline in deaths.

Please also inform yourself about the Manaus situation! It's the place Pfizer did see it first.

Your "adhom" style tells me that you are a simplistic mafia supporting member.

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Greetings from your fellow mafia supporting member...thanks to your gentle and helpful education I indeed found reports (more than one) that talk about Pfizer's "0" protection vs the new virus strains, see links attached as a sample (although I am not sure if it may be the one you are referring to, since the authors more use the term "reduction of effectiveness" instead of "0 effectiveness". So let's wait and see what else might be revealed in the future on the performance of all these vaccines that are out there and expected to come...

I will tune in from time to time to do some reality checks as agreed. But done for the time being. Grüezi

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research…b117-strain-of-sars-cov-2

https://www.citiid.cam.ac.uk/w…ISSION_vaccine-DCv2-2.pdf