Vaccines
J&J COVID-19 Vaccine: FDA recommends booster shot for all adults aged 18 and older at least two months following initial vaccination with the single-shot vaccine.
17 Oct, 2021 | 21:32h | UTCCommentaries:
FDA panel endorses booster shot for J&J COVID-19 vaccine – Associated Press
FDA advisers recommend J&J Covid-19 vaccine boosters, talk mix and match boosters – CNN
[Preprint] Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infections in 620,000 U.S. Veterans, February 1, 2021 to August 13, 2021 – “Vaccine protection declined by mid-August 2021, decreasing from 91.9% in March to 53.9%”.
17 Oct, 2021 | 21:29h | UTCRelated:
Editorial | Covid-19 vaccination: evidence of waning immunity is overstated.
COVID vaccine effects wane over time but still prevent death and severe illness.
Perspective | What we actually know about waning immunity.
Another study shows Pfizer mRNA vaccine immunity is reduced over time.
Studies: COVID vaccine protection waning against infection but not hospitalization.
Commentary on Twitter
New on breakthrough infections in 620,000 Veterans
"Vaccine protection declined by mid-August 2021, decreasing from 91.9% in March to 53.9%"https://t.co/xonBb4aEqJ highest reduction with J&J vaccine pic.twitter.com/rbhXOREFPP— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 15, 2021
Eight months later: Researchers compare immune responses elicited by three COVID-19 vaccines.
17 Oct, 2021 | 21:27h | UTCOriginal study: Differential Kinetics of Immune Responses Elicited by Covid-19 Vaccines – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary on Twitter
Just published @NEJM
Neutralizing antibody levels and T cells response out to 8 months for Pfizer, Moderna and J&J vaccines https://t.co/ghAgk3Y4kR
Moderna highest antibody response; J&J while lower doesn't fall off and best CD8 T-cell response at 8 months pic.twitter.com/uANSzAylMF— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 15, 2021
Study evaluated several heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccine regimens; no efficacy data but there was increased antibody production on study days 15 and 29 after booster shots from Moderna and Pfizer.
15 Oct, 2021 | 02:49h | UTCHeterologous SARS-CoV-2 Booster Vaccinations: Preliminary Report – medRxiv
Commentary: Study: Mixing and Matching COVID-19 Booster Shots Is Effective, Safe – U.S. News
Commentary on Twitter
So yes, mRNA vaccines are great at generating antibodies but what does that mean? Where is the efficacy data? How come JnJ gets really great efficacy at preventing symptomatic COVID and severe disease with low antibodies? T-cells? Still much to learn. https://t.co/YwKUyogAhQ
— Daniel Griffin MD PhD (@DanielGriffinMD) October 13, 2021
Perspective | Trying to Block SARS-CoV-2 Transmission With Intranasal Vaccines.
15 Oct, 2021 | 02:44h | UTCTrying to Block SARS-CoV-2 Transmission With Intranasal Vaccines – JAMA
FDA panel green-lights Moderna COVID boosters for risk groups.
15 Oct, 2021 | 02:43h | UTCFDA panel green-lights Moderna COVID boosters for risk groups – CIDRAP
Editorial: Covid-19 treatments and vaccines must be evaluated in pregnancy.
15 Oct, 2021 | 02:41h | UTCCovid-19 treatments and vaccines must be evaluated in pregnancy – The BMJ
Related:
Study shows high effectiveness of the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy.
5 Crucial Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy.
CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Cohort study: Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine associated with 78% lower risk of Covid-19 in pregnancy.
Commentary on Twitter
Inconsistent messaging from authorities, driven by lack of trial data, has increased covid-19 vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women@DrAllyah and colleagues argue that pregnant women should be included in drug and vaccine development from the outsethttps://t.co/P3v1ouk8tQ
— The BMJ (@bmj_latest) October 14, 2021
Cohort study: Vaccinated pregnant patients had 90% lower risk of severe or critical Covid-19 compared with unvaccinated pregnant patients.
15 Oct, 2021 | 02:38h | UTCRelated:
Study shows high effectiveness of the Pfizer mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy.
5 Crucial Things to Know About COVID-19 Vaccines and Pregnancy.
CDC Guidance: Pregnant people should be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Cohort study: Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine associated with 78% lower risk of Covid-19 in pregnancy.
Commentary on Twitter (thread – click for more)
First dataset I have seen for vaccine efficacy in pregnant persons during #Delta era. Impressive aOR for both severe illness (0.11) and infection positivity in general (0.31)! #GetVaccinatedNow 🤰🏻💉 https://t.co/VhBHyeOWjz
— Lauren Hassen, MD MPH (@ljhassen) October 14, 2021
[Preprint] In RCT with 29,949 participants, the Novavax vaccine demonstrated high overall efficacy (>90%) for the prevention of Covid-19, and all moderate-to-severe cases occurred in placebo recipients.
14 Oct, 2021 | 10:17h | UTCEfficacy and Safety of NVX-CoV2373 in Adults in the United States and Mexico – medRxiv
Commentary: Novel vaccine demonstrates high efficacy for prevention of COVID-19 – News Medical
Related:
Opinion | The mRNA vaccines are extraordinary, but Novavax is even better.
RCT: Novavax vaccine is 49.4% effective against B.1.351 SARS-CoV-2 variant.
New COVID-19 vaccines: here’s how the promising Novavax and Johnson & Johnson jabs work
Covid-19: Novavax vaccine efficacy is 86% against UK variant and 60% against South African variant
Commentary on Twitter
Remember Novavax's #COVID vaccine?
Recent data looks really good.
~30K participants enrolled in a prospective clinical trial.
The vaccine appeared to be safe & effective (>90%).
Unclear why approval is taking so long.
Preprint 👉 https://t.co/MQkJXdgJyR pic.twitter.com/217Erw2stC
— Isaac Bogoch (@BogochIsaac) October 12, 2021
How Covax failed on its promise to vaccinate the world – “Covax, described as “naively ambitious” by one expert, has contributed just 5% of all vaccines administered globally”.
14 Oct, 2021 | 10:12h | UTCHow Covax failed on its promise to vaccinate the world – The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Related:
Perspective | A beautiful idea: how COVAX has fallen short.
WHO Launches Strategy to Achieve Global Covid-19 Vaccination by mid-2022.
WHO special envoys: To beat Covid, there’s a simple lesson – no one’s safe until everyone’s safe.
WHO COVAX Joint Statement: Call to action to equip COVAX to deliver 2 billion doses in 2021.
Covax: How will Covid vaccines be shared around the world?
WHO advisers recommend 3rd COVID vaccine dose for highest-risk groups.
13 Oct, 2021 | 01:48h | UTCWHO advisers recommend 3rd COVID vaccine dose for highest-risk groups – CIDRAP
See also: WHO advises additional COVID shot for immunocompromised people – Reuters
Nationwide study in Sweden shows link between COVID vaccination and reduced household transmission.
12 Oct, 2021 | 00:25h | UTCNews release: Nationwide study shows link between COVID vaccination and reduced household transmission – Umea University
Original study: Association Between Risk of COVID-19 Infection in Nonimmune Individuals and COVID-19 Immunity in Their Family Members – JAMA Internal Medicine
Related:
Review | Prevention of host-to-host transmission by SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
Study ties COVID vaccines to lower transmission rates.
Covid-19 vaccination prevents transmission from vaccinated to unvaccinated household members.
Bioethics | The Trolley Problem and Vaccinating Young People Against COVID-19.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:50h | UTCThe Trolley Problem and Vaccinating Young People Against COVID-19 – Science-Based Medicine
Heart-inflammation risk from Pfizer COVID vaccine is very low.
10 Oct, 2021 | 21:42h | UTCHeart-inflammation risk from Pfizer COVID vaccine is very low – Nature
Original studies:
Study shows an increased risk of Guillain-Barré Syndrome with the J&J vaccine; the estimated observed to expected rate ratio was 4.18 for the 42-day window.
8 Oct, 2021 | 10:40h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
Study suggests a potential small but statistically significant safety concern for #GuillainBarré syndrome following receipt of the @JanssenUS #COVID19 vaccine; findings considered preliminary pending analysis of medical records to establish a definitive Dx https://t.co/yZjJVkp6BA
— JAMA (@JAMA_current) October 7, 2021
Real-world data shows increased reactogenicity in adults after heterologous compared to homologous prime-boost COVID-19 vaccination.
8 Oct, 2021 | 10:29h | UTCRelated:
Another study shows increased immune response with heterologous Oxford-AstraZeneca/mRNA vaccination.
RCT: Mixing 2 different Covid vaccines is associated with increased risk of side effects.
Commentary on Twitter
As more & more countries consider adding a 3rd #COVID19 vaccine dose into their national immunisation programmes, vaccine reactogenicity will become important, especially if 3rd dose is different to first 2 doses. We need more mix-n-match booster studies 👉https://t.co/G57i9Ej7Nd
— Shamez Ladhani (@ShamezLadhani) October 7, 2021
Observational study in Qatar showed the effectiveness of Pfizer vaccine against any SARS-CoV-2 infection dropped to 20% in months 5 through 7 after the second dose, but effectiveness against severe Covid-19 remained high.
7 Oct, 2021 | 10:55h | UTC
Commentary on Twitter
In this 900,000-participant study in Qatar, vaccine effectiveness peaked at 77.5% in the first month after the second dose. The effectiveness fell to as low as 20% in months 5 through 7 after vaccination. #Covid19vaccine #IDTwttier https://t.co/TeDcLLftIH pic.twitter.com/pEBoxs6Hmr
— NEJM (@NEJM) October 6, 2021
Large cohort study with over 2.5 million individuals showed the incidence of myocarditis after the Pfizer vaccine was 2.13 cases per 100,000 persons.
7 Oct, 2021 | 10:51h | UTCCommentary: Studies Highlight Rarity of Myocarditis With mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines – TCTMD
Related Study: Myocarditis after BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine against Covid-19 in Israel – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentaries on Twitter
Among 2.5 million patients who received the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine in a large Israeli health care system, the incidence of myocarditis at 42 days was 2.13 cases per 100,000 persons. #Covid19vaccine #IDTwitter https://t.co/EzmsaW2u4Y pic.twitter.com/P95eUm8xo9
— NEJM (@NEJM) October 6, 2021
Just out in @NEJM: Two studies on myocarditis after vaccination with Pfizer
Among 2.5 million vaccinated:
– 54 cases of myocarditis
– 94% men, median 27 y.o.
– Most cases mild, only one fulminanthttps://t.co/xGf7rtwGfr— David Juurlink (@DavidJuurlink) October 6, 2021
Study with over 5.1 million vaccinated individuals showed the incidence of myocarditis after the receipt of the Pfizer vaccine was low and more common after the second dose in young male recipients.
7 Oct, 2021 | 10:49h | UTCMyocarditis after BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine against Covid-19 in Israel – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentary: Studies Highlight Rarity of Myocarditis With mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines – TCTMD
Related study: Myocarditis after Covid-19 Vaccination in a Large Health Care Organization – New England Journal of Medicine
Commentaries on Twitter
In an Israeli Ministry of Health database, 136 cases of myocarditis were detected among 5 million vaccinated persons. #Covid19vaccine #IDTwitter https://t.co/c1wLBCq8UN pic.twitter.com/D2DAGrIuXe
— NEJM (@NEJM) October 6, 2021
Two new @NEJM reports on Pfizer vaccine related myocarditis: very rare (~2 per 100,000) and usually mild; in-depth review of 190 cases, most cases were in males 16-29 years, 2nd dosehttps://t.co/nHgxXTgQ6ohttps://t.co/pchL0VDi4b pic.twitter.com/7pUxNy36Zo
— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 6, 2021
Perspective | No one is safe until we are all safe.
7 Oct, 2021 | 10:47h | UTCNo one is safe until we are all safe – Science Translational Medicine
Commentary: Covid ‘still running rampant’ worldwide, warns creator of Oxford vaccine – The Guardian
Related: Opinion: Vaccine Nationalism Harms Everyone and Protects No One
Commentary on Twitter
No one is safe until we all are safe, by Sarah Gilbert @JennerInstitute @NDMOxford @UniofOxford and @DrRHatchett @CEPIVaccines
With a forecast of global vaccine supply for 2021https://t.co/iUgC6euvz6 @ScienceTM a large proportion are Sinopharm and Sinovac from China pic.twitter.com/w4KfUAsU45— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) October 6, 2021
Sweden, Denmark pause Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for younger age groups.
7 Oct, 2021 | 10:45h | UTCSweden, Denmark pause Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for younger age groups – Reuters
WHO approves first ever malaria vaccine for children at risk.
7 Oct, 2021 | 10:40h | UTCWHO recommends groundbreaking malaria vaccine for children at risk – World Health Organization
Commentaries:
WHO Approves First Ever Malaria Vaccine – Health Policy Watch
In major decision, WHO recommends broad rollout of world’s first malaria vaccine – STAT
Why the WHO approval of the first malaria vaccine is a big deal – Vox
WHO greenlights the world’s first malaria vaccine — but it’s not a perfect shot – NPR
The World Health Organization Just Endorsed The World’s First Malaria Vaccine – TIME
WHO Backs Widespread Use Of First Malaria Vaccine – Forbes
World’s 1st malaria vaccine recommended by WHO – LiveScience
Commentaries on Twitter
I started my career as a #malaria researcher, and I longed for the day that we would have an effective vaccine against this ancient and terrible disease. Today is that day: @WHO is recommending the broad use of the world’s first malaria vaccine. #EndMalaria https://t.co/Oh1O155tYj
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) October 6, 2021
(thread – click for more)
A child dies from #malaria every two minutes.
One death is one too many.🚨 Today, WHO recommends RTS,S, a groundbreaking malaria vaccine, to reduce child illness & deaths in areas with moderate and high malaria transmission https://t.co/xSk58nTIV1#VaccinesWork pic.twitter.com/mSECLtRhQs
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 6, 2021
EMA recommendations on extra doses and boosters of BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines.
6 Oct, 2021 | 10:15h | UTCComirnaty and Spikevax: EMA recommendations on extra doses and boosters – European Medicines Agency
Related: The difference between COVID-19 ‘third doses’ and ‘boosters’ – Emory News Center
Commentary on Twitter
EMA recommended additional doses and boosters for #Comirnaty and #Spikevax. https://t.co/qefPg2kMMO
In this context, see below what the difference between an additional dose and a #boosterdose is. pic.twitter.com/HeyOACbWXm
— EU Medicines Agency (@EMA_News) October 5, 2021
Supplement: Triumphs of Vaccination.
6 Oct, 2021 | 08:55h | UTCHomepage: Triumphs of Vaccination – The Journal of Infectious Diseases
Hib Vaccines: Their Impact on Haemophilus influenzae Type b Disease
The Rotavirus Vaccine Story: From Discovery to the Eventual Control of Rotavirus Disease
Triumph of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines: Overcoming a Common Foe
Rubella Eradication: Not Yet Accomplished, but Entirely Feasible
Live Attenuated Varicella Vaccine: Prevention of Varicella and of Zoster
Immunization Against Poliomyelitis and the Challenges to Worldwide Poliomyelitis Eradication
Influenza Vaccines: Successes and Continuing Challenges
Measles in the 21st Century: Progress Toward Achieving and Sustaining Elimination
Overview of the United States’ Immunization Program
The World of Immunization: Achievements, Challenges, and Strategic Vision for the Next Decade
Cohort study: Pfizer vaccine effectiveness against any infections declined from 88% during the first month after full vaccination to 47% after 5 months. Vaccine effectiveness against hospital admissions remained high; 87% within 1 month, and 88% at 5 months after full vaccination, with no significant waning.
5 Oct, 2021 | 10:09h | UTCCommentary: Expert reaction to study on Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine effectiveness up to 6 months – Science Media Centre
Commentary on Twitter
Study of 3.4 million people @aboutKP @TheLancet
Vaccine efficacy against infections:
– First month post: 88%
– 5 months post: 47%But vaccine efficacy against hospitalization (Figure):
– First month post: 87%
– 5 months post: 88 %https://t.co/1Gse0FKpoI pic.twitter.com/p9wyiaWGeg— Vincent Rajkumar (@VincentRK) October 4, 2021