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Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

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251–260 of 446 posts

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#251

One question I have about mRNA vaccines that I haven't been able to find the answer to through my own searching: how is the mRNA delivered to the cell? All the articles I read say that the mRNA is "taken up by the cell", but what is the mechanism? Do cells naturally just absorb free-floating mRNA? Or is a modified virus used to inject the mRNA?

https://www.acsh.org/news/2020/10/21/how-pfizers-rna-vaccine...

Essentially the mRNA is packaged into a lipid, which the body's cells can uptake thru its phospholipid bilayer

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#252
post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But I think "don't use version 1.0" advice applies here just like it does for software. No it doesn’t, because vaccine development is more like bridge building than software development.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacoma_Narrows_Bridge_(1940) It was fine... until it wasn't (four months later). Anyway, this analogy is silly. Neither software nor bridges is exactly like the human body and the myriad of complex interactions that happen within. At the end of the day, all I'm saying is that A. under normal circumstances, it takes a lot of time to get a vaccine tested and approved - for good reason. And…

You’re suggesting that people prioritize decisions based on individual uncertainty over decisions based on public good. That the logistics of distribution will result in the same outcome as your suggestion does not mitigate the perceived selfishness of your suggestion.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#253
post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, I wouldn't be so happy. Think about it. Out of million people only small percentage would become infected with covid and of that, only small percentage would die. On the other hand, vaccine must be distributed to everybody. Alternatively to people who, by occupation, have to contact many other people, daily. We don't know yet if there are complications from the vaccine. It is not possible to judge long term eff…

Others have pointed out the misinformation in your comment, but even if you believed this, why talk about it? This is the type of idea you should probably keep to yourself (as it’s in your own best interest for it to not spread).

As much as OP's comment is wacko crazy, it's in everyone's best interest if people speak honestly. This whole white-lie-in-the-public-interest never turns out well. If there was one reason attributable to the USSR's downfall, it's this attitude. Because socialism was better, it was okay to lie in its defense, and this lead to the equivalent of hyperinflation on both the corruption and the truthiness fronts.

The rapid growth of racism in blue states comes back to this attitude. If people can't speak freely, when they have false beliefs, they keep them to themselves, and you can't address them. The sorts of blue state beliefs about minorities are just wacko at this point.

People should be free to speak.

No, I don't agree with OP, but this whole "why talk about it?" thing is an issue. You talk about things together, critically to come to a common understanding of the truth. That has a lot of value in itself. It's not all about impact of words, and how you can politick the change you want in the world. Society works better when people speak openly, even when those words are false and harmful, and when people can be confronted on that, not with cancel culture, but critically, logically, and civilly.

We've worked ourselves into a corner where we can't do that anymore.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#254

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not common for 35% of flu patients to experience those symptoms after 14-21 days have passed, as it is with Covid.

Is it not? I'd be interested to see statistics on this, because I was coughing for weeks after 2 of the 3 times I can remember catching the flu.

Flu characteristics are well understood and you should encounter no obstacles in doing that research yourself.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#256
post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what so? Sputnik 5 is a live virus vaccine, Moderna and Fizer are RNA vaccines with, hopefully, no live viral material as such.

It's not really a "live" virus - it's an adenovirus (actually, two types of adenovirus) that's been modified so that it can't replicate. The adenoviruses have also been modified to carry the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

Not really, it's not an inactivated adenovirus, just a strain that is much less strong in humans.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#257

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot less stupid than continuing with "distance learning".

You and I have very different definitions of stupid. Requiring an entire country to go whole hog on something with zero real understanding of long term effects is my definition of stupid. When is that ever the wise thing to do?

Isn’t that kind of what we have done with distance learning?

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#258

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Please cite the lengthy list of institutions that have failed us all.

Uhh, points at 2020 The CDC advising people to not buy masks in February because "they don't work" comes to mind. The US Gov in general completely letting businesses and individuals plunge into bankruptcy. I think a lot of people have been awakened to the fact that "the system" is pretty ambivalent to their personal well-being.

How about the German well-known biotech company that actually developed the vaccine that Pfizer is distributing?

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#259
post #29

Well just like I don't immediately update to the latest OS I think I'll wait for the beta testing to happen :)

Too late for that - the beta testers have already found it good. A phase 3 trial is beta test.

Phase 4 is like the RC, and by that point it seems to be pretty stable.

Re: Pfizer submits Covid vaccine to FDA for approval, to distribute in December

#260

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot less stupid than continuing with "distance learning".

You and I have very different definitions of stupid. Requiring an entire country to go whole hog on something with zero real understanding of long term effects is my definition of stupid. When is that ever the wise thing to do?

I actually don't think the federal government has the power to require it. However, private companies and schools can impose whatever safety requirements they feel prudent for their employees, customers, and students. Which may of course make life difficult for those who don't want to go along.
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