Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts • Hacker News Board

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#21

Post by h3cate » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 9:56 PM UTC

throwaway72h9a wrote: post #15

cybert00th wrote: post #9

>Galit Alter, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, said the fast-spreading U.K. variant seems able to evade some vaccine protection, and the South African variant appears able to skirt even more. Despite that, she said, none have completely escaped the body’s post-vaccination immune responses. Weak on facts and strong on persuasive language: >seems able to…

Yeah I make it a point to never trust the opinion of "experts" on such matters which can potentially create panic in society. It's just far easier to sound assuring than tell the naked truth as it is. Most of these experts earlier said that the UK variant was nothing to worry about. Now we know it not only spreads faster but is also much deadlier. Same thing might happen here.

Here in the UK we've already been warned that the new Brazilian variant is unlikely to be stopped by vaccines. It's surprising to see this story pop up all of a sudden.

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#22

Post by xadhominemx » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:00 PM UTC

credit_guy wrote: post #19

What I don't understand is this: with tens of millions of people already vaccinated, why aren't we seeing a huge drive to collect plasma from vaccinated people with high level of antibodies? In the early days of the pandemic (about 1 year ago), I remember China sent a large amount of plasma to Italy. Why can't the US do the same now? The US is sitting on millions of AstraZeneca vaccines (that are not even approvad by…

Because it’s a lot easier to manufacture and distribute the vaccines

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#23

Post by 2-tpg » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:00 PM UTC

thepangolino wrote: post #4

These kind of pandemic tend to end themselves after about 20-30 months. We’re about half way there anyway.

You are correct. The pandemic may end after about 20-30 months, but this novel coronavirus will stick around. It is going to be a community virus, such as the Spanish flu turned into seasonal influenza. People pushed back hard against the experts when they started talking about preparing for herd immunity and 70%+ infected. So, this messaging has become more careful.

A few months later the debate will turn to this being leaky vaccines (vaccinated still shed virus, but may not get really sick). Officially, this is also: We just don't know, we are monitoring it. But all the monkeys showed shedding. Trial participants showed shedding. This is a leaky vaccine. What happened to the targeted disease, when we used a leaky vaccine in life stock can be read here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marek%27s_disease

Edit: I'd like a single expert predicting that our current vaccines will eradicate novel coronavirus. That would prove the downvoted post wrong. You'll find many experts agreeing that novel coronavirus is going to mutate and live among humans for a long long time after the crisis is over. Facts, people.

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#24

Post by inglor_cz » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:02 PM UTC

bsaul wrote: post #11

i'm very surprised to see remdesivir mentionned in this article at all... Isn't this drug officialy not working at all against covid-19 , and as such should be banned because of perfusion side-effects ? (in addition to the fact that it seems to be known to increase the amount of virus genetic mutations in people treated with it)

Here in the Czech Republic, doctors in Brno are trying a combination of remdesivir and convalescent plasma in oncological Covid patients. They say that the combo has, so far, worked much better than either of the components in isolation. Out of the small cohort, they lost no one so far.

Source in Czech: https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/jihomoravskykraj/3278822-brnen...

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#25

Post by Trasmatta » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:03 PM UTC

stormbrew wrote: post #13

thepangolino wrote: post #4

These kind of pandemic tend to end themselves after about 20-30 months. We’re about half way there anyway.

The last pandemic with a death toll anything like (actually much worse than) COVID-19 is the still-ongoing HIV pandemic. It's entering its 40th year .

It's crazy to think about how HIV has killed some ~32 million people, and yet we rarely hear about it anymore. COVID probably won't even hit 4 million deaths (barring some much deadlier variant that we can't easily produce a new vaccine for).

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#26

Post by mensetmanusman » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:04 PM UTC

sm4rk0 wrote: post #20

credit_guy wrote: post #19

What I don't understand is this: with tens of millions of people already vaccinated, why aren't we seeing a huge drive to collect plasma from vaccinated people with high level of antibodies? In the early days of the pandemic (about 1 year ago), I remember China sent a large amount of plasma to Italy. Why can't the US do the same now? The US is sitting on millions of AstraZeneca vaccines (that are not even approvad by…

Maybe because it's not profitable?

Here the billboards are advertising $700 for plasma donation.

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#27

Post by mfkp » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:09 PM UTC

inglor_cz wrote: post #24

bsaul wrote: post #11

i'm very surprised to see remdesivir mentionned in this article at all... Isn't this drug officialy not working at all against covid-19 , and as such should be banned because of perfusion side-effects ? (in addition to the fact that it seems to be known to increase the amount of virus genetic mutations in people treated with it)

Here in the Czech Republic, doctors in Brno are trying a combination of remdesivir and convalescent plasma in oncological Covid patients. They say that the combo has, so far, worked much better than either of the components in isolation. Out of the small cohort, they lost no one so far. Source in Czech: https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/jihomoravskykraj/3278822-brnen...

That's the treatment that I got back in September in the US. I think they stopped using Remdesivir since then because it didn't correlate with any positive outcome. It also was destroying my liver, so they had to cut off the treatment halfway through.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2021/01/31/remdesivir...

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#28

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:15 PM UTC

h3cate wrote: post #21

throwaway72h9a wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I make it a point to never trust the opinion of "experts" on such matters which can potentially create panic in society. It's just far easier to sound assuring than tell the naked truth as it is. Most of these experts earlier said that the UK variant was nothing to worry about. Now we know it not only spreads faster but is also much deadlier. Same thing might happen here.

Here in the UK we've already been warned that the new Brazilian variant is unlikely to be stopped by vaccines. It's surprising to see this story pop up all of a sudden.

[deleted]

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#29

Post by 2-tpg » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:15 PM UTC

loloquwowndueo wrote: post #6

thepangolino wrote: post #4

These kind of pandemic tend to end themselves after about 20-30 months. We’re about half way there anyway.

Citation needed.

Maybe China can help with a cite. They did have a 5-6 month head start and first encountered: brain-blood barrier pass, blood cloths and brain/lung aneurisms, reinfection, patient 0, airborne COVID, effect of mask wearing, pets getting infected, and more.

Too bad they don't allow the WHO full access to investigate, nor share critical information with the rest of the world, now suffering thousands of deaths. Most likely is a lab leak accident (Israel, UK, and US all said as much!). But unfortunately, the "China Virus" has become a political issue, and you won't find cites in the popular media anymore. Just articles about xenophobic conspiracy theories, and to listen to health experts when they tell you masks are not protective, go eat at China Town to show your support, don't worry about losing weight, and that vitamin D deficiency is a hoax.

Re: Vaccines should end the pandemic, despite the variants, say experts

#30

Post by inglor_cz » Sat, Mar 13, 2021, 10:18 PM UTC

mfkp wrote: post #27

inglor_cz wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here in the Czech Republic, doctors in Brno are trying a combination of remdesivir and convalescent plasma in oncological Covid patients. They say that the combo has, so far, worked much better than either of the components in isolation. Out of the small cohort, they lost no one so far. Source in Czech: https://ct24.ceskatelevize.cz/jihomoravskykraj/3278822-brnen...

That's the treatment that I got back in September in the US. I think they stopped using Remdesivir since then because it didn't correlate with any positive outcome. It also was destroying my liver, so they had to cut off the treatment halfway through. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jvchamary/2021/01/31/remdesivir...

Maybe the total balance of results is better for immunosuppressed oncologic patients.

Or maybe it is just a form of medical nationalism, given that the leader of the Remdesivir scientific team, Tomáš Cihlář, is a Czech scientist.

We had some critical patients improve and heal on remdesivir, though. I wonder how big of a role genetic diversity plays. There are many uncertain suspicions that Covid hits some people harder than others based not just on lifestyle, but things such as blood groups.

Research into that will be a good PhD material for years to come.