PlagueWatch 2020-23 - Coronavirus

[gep]

I haven’t visited this thread in a while (double guns at the sky with a whispered “thanks, Big Guy”), but when I saw it updated by “beergoddess,” I had to see the update.

I was happy to see it was about a positive development (I assume). I had never heard of RSV until Covid (boo) and this thread (still excellent) and rsvman in particular (double guns to our esteemed respiratory virus expert with a whispered “thanks, Big Guy”).

I heard this news and immediately thoughts of rsvman. I recall discussion way upthread about RSV vaccines he was excited about. My main takeaway at the time was trying to understand how soon we would get a Covid vaccine and how effective it might be, but now that the RSV vaccine is here, I would love to hear more from rsvman.

For me... it's a BIG BLAST OF AFFECTION, THANKS, AND PRAISE!!!!

[sagegrouse]

Bookend cases of Covid -- Ms Sage and then I after the Final Four in New Orleans.
This month we returned from France and Ms Sage immediately had another case. I am not showing signs or testing positive. She has recovered.

TS Eliot was right about April's cruelty.

[rsvman]

The first RSV vaccine was made in the mid-1960s, using essentially the same process used to make flu vaccine. It was immunogenic (meaning that recipients made a good antibody titer to it), but not only was it not protective, but it actually considerably worsened the disease in vaccinated people. The hospitalization rate was much higher and a couple of the vaccine's actually died of enhanced RSV disease.

This experience set back RSV vaccine development for a long, long time. In fact, at one point, the assumption was that having pre-existing antibodies to RSV was bad, not good. A clever but simple study proved that thought process false, and vaccine development started gingerly.

For the longest time the issue was that it was possible to make a vaccine that worked pretty well but it made recipients pretty sick/miserable. You could make a vaccine that was well tolerated, but then it wouldn't be protective. Researchers were always trying to find that fine line between tolerability and efficacy.

Because I am a Pediatric ID doc, I don't really keep up with the adult literature, so I don't know a lot about RSV disease in the elderly. I know that it causes horrendous disease in adults who undergo bone marrow transplantation. Until the last 15 years or so there really wasn't much focus placed on RSV disease in elderly people who did not have severe immune suppression.

I haven't had a chance to review the studies of the new vaccine. I did read somewhere that there were a few subjects in the vaccine group that developed Guillain Barre after vaccination. I hope that us not something that will blossom if/when the vaccine is approved and put into wider use.

It will be interesting to see, if it is approved and marketed, what the uptake will be. I suppose there are still people out there who haven't lost all faith in the idea of vaccination, but the they have been rather quiet.

If I get a chance to look at the actual numbers of the study I will come back and give some thoughts.

[YmoBeThere]

I suppose there are still people out there who haven't lost all faith in the idea of vaccination, but the they have been rather quiet.

Well, as my shoulders can attest, I've had something like 9 or 10 shots over the last couple of years; Covid, flu, Shingrix. So, while I may seem quiet, I'm not sure what there is to shout about? I read somewhere, likely a Med Twitter link, that there were now 80+ vaccines available. The one in focus for the article was HPV and some push to expand it to adults. However, I recall the point being that cancer from HPV among adults was slim to non-existent. So, there really wasn't much benefit.

As a child I believe there was the MMR and a couple other vaccinations that were required to attend public schools. I have no idea what children face today. And as an adult who has had shingles in my 40s, I'm uncertain the cost-benefit for many of the vaccines might be available to me.

[camion]

Well, as my shoulders can attest, I've had something like 9 or 10 shots over the last couple of years; Covid, flu, Shingrix. So, while I may seem quiet, I'm not sure what there is to shout about? I read somewhere, likely a Med Twitter link, that there were now 80+ vaccines available. The one in focus for the article was HPV and some push to expand it to adults. However, I recall the point being that cancer from HPV among adults was slim to non-existent. So, there really wasn't much benefit.

As a child I believe there was the MMR and a couple other vaccinations that were required to attend public schools. I have no idea what children face today. And as an adult who has had shingles in my 40s, I'm uncertain the cost-benefit for many of the vaccines might be available to me.

My world has been colored by being among those who saw first-hand the devastation of polio and the change when polio vaccines became available. That made me a strong, if not vocal, vaccine supporter. I have also experienced the flu with and without a flu shot. I'll go with the shot.

[MChambers]

It will be interesting to see, if it is approved and marketed, what the uptake will be. I suppose there are still people out there who haven't lost all faith in the idea of vaccination, but the they have been rather quiet.

If I get a chance to look at the actual numbers of the study I will come back and give some thoughts.

I got my second bivalent booster last month, along with a pneumonia vaccine. And, as Johnny Winter and Rick Derringer would have sung, I'm still alive and well.

I assume I will get the RSV vaccine in the fall, but I would love to read your thoughts and the thoughts of other knowledgeable people before I do that.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I plan to get the second bivalent booster in ~2 weeks. Even though I had minimal (almost no) reaction to the last booster shot, I have too much going on to chance being "down" for 2 - 3 days with symptoms. My SO wants to wait until the fall when she'll get the booster with her flu shot. I'm in far more "public/group" situations than she is.

Yes, we both still wear our "Pure Air Solo's", which are now "on sale" for only $60 each.

[MChambers]

They're off the hook. Weren't the source of the Covid-19 jump, or at least an expert says there really isn't any evidence supporting that theory: https://theintercept.com/2023/05/10/...5_dCSRYqAKZ2UM

[camion]

They're off the hook. Weren't the source of the Covid-19 jump, or at least an expert says there really isn't any evidence supporting that theory: https://theintercept.com/2023/05/10/...5_dCSRYqAKZ2UM

But they’re still on the hook for being delicious.

[rsvman]

They're off the hook. Weren't the source of the Covid-19 jump, or at least an expert says there really isn't any evidence supporting that theory: https://theintercept.com/2023/05/10/...5_dCSRYqAKZ2UM

Too bad. I really wanted a reason to hate those nasty creatures.

[budwom]

Bookend cases of Covid -- Ms Sage and then I after the Final Four in New Orleans.
This month we returned from France and Ms Sage immediately had another case. I am not showing signs or testing positive. She has recovered.

TS Eliot was right about April's cruelty.

Mrs Womble and I returned from France two weeks ago and brought home a hideously nasty disease...seemed to be like an olde time flu, 103 fever, gastrointestinal distress, severe headaches, probably as sick as I've ever been.
I tried testing for the Corvid but my test kits were all dessicated, and I was too sick to go to the drugstore...so maybe Covid, maybe not, but we're still not at 100%....

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Mrs Womble and I returned from France two weeks ago and brought home a hideously nasty disease...seemed to be like an olde time flu, 103 fever, gastrointestinal distress, severe headaches, probably as sick as I've ever been.
I tried testing for the Corvid but my test kits were all dessicated, and I was too sick to go to the drugstore...so maybe Covid, maybe not, but we're still not at 100%...

Hope y’all feel better soon, Buddy.

[sagegrouse]

Mrs Womble and I returned from France two weeks ago and brought home a hideously nasty disease...seemed to be like an olde time flu, 103 fever, gastrointestinal distress, severe headaches, probably as sick as I've ever been.
I tried testing for the Corvid but my test kits were all dessicated, and I was too sick to go to the drugstore...so maybe Covid, maybe not, but we're still not at 100%...

Ms. Sage and I returned from France 13 days ago. The Ms. became ill and tested positive for Covid -- probably from her seatmate or someone at CDG before the flight. It was almost identical to the Covid case she picked up at the FF in New Orleans the year before, although a bit milder. Although I had a light case 12 months ago, this time I escaped. I did get an intestinal ailment near the end of the trip in France but didn't miss too much of the eating and drinking.

Overall, we had a really good trip -- Bordeaux, the Dordogne, and Paris. We shipped a number of cases of Bordeaux home, due to arrive in June. We'll see...

[budwom]

Ms. Sage and I returned from France 13 days ago. The Ms. became ill and tested positive for Covid -- probably from her seatmate or someone at CDG before the flight. It was almost identical to the Covid case she picked up at the FF in New Orleans the year before, although a bit milder. Although I had a light case 12 months ago, this time I escaped. I did get an intestinal ailment near the end of the trip in France but didn't miss too much of the eating and drinking.

Overall, we had a really good trip -- Bordeaux, the Dordogne, and Paris. We shipped a number of cases of Bordeaux home, due to arrive in June. We'll see...

sounds nice (except for the sick part). We got home 17 days ago...hideous 20 hour trip home (I always make our own air reservations but this time I allowed someone "in the know" to do it, never ever again.) Low point among many may have been at hour 18, waiting for our last flight from JFK, my wife was semi passed out or asleep, take your pick, and a young woman tapped her on the shoulder to inform her that her husband was gacking in the large trash bin nearby. Cheery waves all around.

[sagegrouse]

sounds nice (except for the sick part). We got home 17 days ago...hideous 20 hour trip home (I always make our own air reservations but this time I allowed someone "in the know" to do it, never ever again.) Low point among many may have been at hour 18, waiting for our last flight from JFK, my wife was semi passed out or asleep, take your pick, and a young woman tapped her on the shoulder to inform her that her husband was gacking in the large trash bin nearby. Cheery waves all around.

You are feeling much better, I hope?

[Jeffrey]

Mental note…. Bad time to go to France. Maybe, next year.

[budwom]

You are feeling much better, I hope?

Yes, thank you, but yesterday was the first day my energy level was fully up to snuff...it took 18 days...very humbling.

[Jeffrey]

Yes, thank you, but yesterday was the first day my energy level was fully up to snuff...it took 18 days...very humbling.

Ouch!!

Very glad to hear you’re finally better!

[budwom]

Ouch!!

Very glad to hear you’re finally better!

thanks...it got to the point where we (Mrs. Womble and I) wondered if we'd hit some kind of aging inflection point where we just didn't have energy any more. Thankfully no, at least not yet...makes us more appreciative than ever having good health.

[Jeffrey]

thanks...it got to the point where we (Mrs. Womble and I) wondered if we'd hit some kind of aging inflection point where we just didn't have energy any more. Thankfully no, at least not yet...makes us more appreciative than ever having good health.

My grandparents helped raise me and my grandmother always said, “getting old sucks!”. Just those three words speak volumes of truth and experiences.