Article: Not enough data to support multiple annual COVID boosters, U.S. CDC advisers say

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/not-enough-data-support-multiple-annual-covid-boosters-us-cdc-advisers-say-2023-02-24/

"There is not sufficient evidence to recommend more than one COVID-19 booster shot a year for older people and those with weakened immune systems, an expert advisory group to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday.

The COVID-19 working group of the CDC's Advisory Committee For Immunization Practices (ACIP) supported an annual booster campaign, likely in the fall, especially for populations considered at high risk, Dr. Sara Oliver, a CDC official who heads the group, said during a meeting of the agency's outside advisers."

Thought this may interest some of you.

Wasn’t that always the prediction? It would be a once a year vaccine just like the flu and a possible combination vaccine of both in one shot.

Most of the population has some form of immunity now and we have better treatments. I’m currently on Paxlovid and it’s worked well for me so far.

ks1905 said...
Wasn’t that always the prediction? It would be a once a year vaccine just like the flu and a possible combination vaccine of both in one shot.

I don't know. Sorry if it's not news and everyone knew this already.

I get pretty ill for 2-3 days after covid vaccines so just one a year would be good news for me! It probably depends on how far the virus mutates though.

I don't wear masks anymore for quite some time now and I've been ok so far, knock on wood. I work from home though and avoid crowds just because I don't like people, lol. But I do run in CVS, the grocery store or gas station without a mask now and no one wears one when I volunteer at the humane society a few times a month either. The doctor's offices here have stopped requiring them as well. My boyfriend, also on Xeljanz, does work around people, unmasked, and he's been fine so far, too. All-in-all though, I'm around more cats than people these days, and I quite like it that way, lol.

Wow, thanks for the info. A vaccine for the cold would be amazing.

Paxlovid is not readily available in many countries outside the US. Including mine. If i get covid I'm just supposed to deal with it. Luckily I've had 6 vaccines against it.

I have been unmasked for a while except on public transport. Apparently 2 years of isolation removed a lot of my immunity as I've had 4 colds in 5 months and a stomach flu. Prior to that i would get a cold once or twice a year...

CCinPA said...

Any idea how you got Covid? (Just curious. I am still very careful to avoid crowds and wear a KN95 mask wherever I go.)

Does Paxlovid have full approval yet? I worry that insurance won't cover it once all the government coverage ends (I think that's fairly soon)

Hope you recover quickly!

I know exactly where I got it and I’m mad about it. I took my dog to the vet and one of the vet techs was coughing and not wearing a mask (I wasn’t wearing one either). I got a $950 vet bill and a free case of Covid.

Don’t hold me to it but I think the Covid funding runs out in May. You can still order free test kits.

I thought that I had a sinus infection at first but then it stopped acting like a sinus infections and I tested positive the second day. My symptoms were bad the first two days and then I started taking Paxlovid the second day. The 3rd and 4th day (this past weekend) I was so exhausted that I couldn’t move. I woke up this morning and felt like a new person.

I’m with PD! Haven’t been sick this many times in years. Although I guess I also have to say I was never that sick and wouldn’t have tested any of those times except for covid and not wanting to spread if I had it. I tested positive for flu in October, again in December, 10 days later with a different strain of flu and 2 days after that with covid!
Jeez enough already! I was being good and wearing a mask when out but my husband wasn’t and brought it home to me. Don’t know how I got the flu though! Not sure if paxlovid helped me as I was never that sick with covid to begin with, and the metallic taste was almost too much to deal with. But I know if your symptoms are severe to begin with that it can help a lot. Mostly I was tired.

Anyway… since having covid I’ve been bad and quit wearing a mask. And I’ve always been bad about washing my hands.

Glad you are feeling better, Keith!

Very few people wear masks here anymore. I get the evil eye from many because I have one on but I ignore them. Mostly I don't mind wearing a mask for the short time I am in a store or even for the 3 hours I am getting my infusion. I work from home and my job still embraces Teams meetings so that hasn't been an issue. I doubt that any of that is going to change -- not because they have health concerns, but because we have so many sites across multiple states. In general though when I do venture anywhere it's very rare I see anyone with a mask. The only exception is the health care organization I go to .. they still require masks for all the facilities -- doctor offices, hospitals, labs, infusion center etc. I suspect that when the national emergency declaration ends they won't require them anymore.

I think people have decided they will just take their chances and even if they get Covid it's no big deal anymore ... hospitals aren't overwhelmed and the daily deaths are really low. If I was younger without so many risk factors I likely would too.

PD -- hope you get that immunity built up soon! I would be sick of being sick. Geesh! Hopefully you have the worst behind you now. It's a shame that Paxlovid isn't more widely available. Everyone I know who has taken it says the same thing ... it was like flipping a switch. From very sick to feeling to almost normal within just a day or 2.

Flowers ... you aren't being "bad" for not wearing a mask anymore, but you are bad for not being careful about hand washing lol

Sara14 said...
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/not-enough-data-support-multiple-annual-covid-boosters-us-cdc-advisers-say-2023-02-24/

"There is not sufficient evidence to recommend more than one COVID-19 booster shot a year for older people and those with weakened immune systems, an expert advisory group to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Friday.

The COVID-19 working group of the CDC's Advisory Committee For Immunization Practices (ACIP) supported an annual booster campaign, likely in the fall, especially for populations considered at high risk, Dr. Sara Oliver, a CDC official who heads the group, said during a meeting of the agency's outside advisers."

Thought this may interest some of you.

Sara,

Since these vaccines have full FDA approval (no longer under emergency status) then doctors will have the option of giving additional Covid vaccine doses to patients that they think need it. Doctors currently do that will vaccines for patients on chemo and organ transplants.

I don’t qualify for the shingles vaccine due to age but I was able to get my GI to give me the vaccine due to the fact that I am immunocompromised. And my insurance paid for it.

My insurance covered the shingles vaccine as well.