It's Booster Time

[William Treseder’s Mam]

Re: It's Booster Time

So sorry to hear of this, which sadly mirrors the tragedies of many lives lost to this terrible scourge.
As I see it, we have a balancing act between the efficacy of new vaccines and their possible side effects (from which people have also died)
For me, the knowledge that the autumn Mod and Pf vaccines have only been tested at present on eight mice (but not on humans) definitely affects my decision about whether to accept the offer of the new vaccine.

Isn’t it the same vaccine with slight tweaks? I can’t see anything about only being tested on 8 mice anywhere. Any links?

As far as I’m aware the initial studies are in mice and then in clinical trials. Maybe it’s different with a tweaked version of the same vaccine but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t just be 8 mice then straight out.

[William Treseder’s Mam]

Re: It's Booster Time

For the BA.4/BA.5 boosters, the companies have submitted animal data. They have not released those data publicly, although at the June FDA meeting, Pfizer presented preliminary findings in eight mice given BA.4/BA.5 vaccines as their third dose. Compared with the mice that received the original vaccine as a booster, the animals showed an increased response to all Omicron variants tested: BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5.

The companies say clinical trials for the BA.4/BA.5 vaccines will begin next month; they need clinical data both for full approval of the vaccines—their recent submissions are only for emergency use authorization—and to help develop future updates. Presumably they will measure recipients’ antibody levels, but not the vaccine’s efficacy against infection or severe disease. Such trials are very expensive and were not done for the BA.1 shot either.

I think the U.K. is using the BA.1 anyway and not the .4 and .5

Weird that I can never remember anyone worrying about this with the updates flu vaccine every year.

[Rjk]

Re: It's Booster Time

Isn’t it the same vaccine with slight tweaks? I can’t see anything about only being tested on 8 mice anywhere. Any links?

As far as I’m aware the initial studies are in mice and then in clinical trials. Maybe it’s different with a tweaked version of the same vaccine but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t just be 8 mice then straight out.

sorry but if you had spent any time reading the politics board then you'll know that we both don't know what the effect will be as insufficient testing has been done yet also we somehow know that 50% of people will die in the next 5 years or something like that.

[Cyclops]

Re: It's Booster Time

I think the U.K. is using the BA.1 anyway and not the .4 and .5.

Eh?
Just how informed are you? What would be the point of vaccinating against BA 1 which is virtually redundant anyway.

[superfeathers]

Re: It's Booster Time

So sorry to hear of this, which sadly mirrors the tragedies of many lives lost to this terrible scourge.
As I see it, we have a balancing act between the efficacy of new vaccines and their possible side effects (from which people have also died)
For me, the knowledge that the autumn Mod and Pf vaccines have only been tested at present on eight mice (but not on humans) definitely affects my decision about whether to accept the offer of the new vaccine.

This is misleading.
Decision was made on “totality of available evidence.”

This includes animal studies on the BA.4/5 boosters, clinical trials of bivalent BA.1 boosters, clinical trials of the original vaccines and boosters, and ongoing monitoring of the safety of the current vaccines.

Experts told Healthline that — given this evidence and the fact that the BA.4/5 bivalent boosters are so similar to the BA.1 boosters — there’s no question that the newly authorized bivalent vaccines are safe.


As someone else has commented, I dont think many people queuing up for the tweaked flu vaccine every year cause a big drama, but because it's covid and there's so much disinformation out there, everyone starts doubting the science which got us as close to normality as we are now!

[Cyclops]

Re: It's Booster Time

This is misleading.
Decision was made on “totality of available evidence.”

You've been selective here.
The first line of that Healthcare report confirms that the vaccine has not been tested on humans.
The rest is just fine words.

[William Treseder’s Mam]

Re: It's Booster Time

You've been selective here.
The first line of that Healthcare report confirms that the vaccine has not been tested on humans.
The rest is just fine words.

Because it’s so similar to the BA.1 vaccine and clinical trials will happen. This is exactly how the flu vaccine has always been updated.

[Cyclops]

Re: It's Booster Time

Because it’s so similar to the BA.1 vaccine and clinical trials will happen. This is exactly how the flu vaccine has always been updated.

It's more than a BA1 vaccine.
"clinical trials will happen" - is that of any relevance to someone having the jab today?

[Mrs Steve R]

Re: It's Booster Time

It's more than a BA1 vaccine.
"clinical trials will happen" - is that of any relevance to someone having the jab today?

I'm going to give mine a miss today now.

[Cyclops]

Re: It's Booster Time

I'm going to give mine a miss today now.

As if you even had an appointment!
It's ME you're talking to here.
And I know you have no antipathy towards mice anyway.
(Little Stirrer!)

[Mrs Steve R]

Re: It's Booster Time

As if you even had an appointment!
It's ME you're talking to here.
And I know you have no antipathy towards mice anyway.
(Little Stirrer!)

[superfeathers]

Re: It's Booster Time

You've been selective here.
The first line of that Healthcare report confirms that the vaccine has not been tested on humans.
The rest is just fine words.

No, the point is that it is very similar to previous, which HAVE been tested, with small tweaks. Your post was misleading in that to the unknowing, it's a new vaccine altogether, only tested on a handful (or two handfuls in this case) of mice.

Scientists off the back of that have decided it is without question, safe. Scientists who are a massively more informed and clever in the field of the vaccine than you, and without any shadow of a doubt, me. Without agenda.

[TWGL1]

Re: It's Booster Time

Why do people feel the need to tell potential strangers of their private medical information. I find it bizarre to the extreme.

[Rontomuk]

Re: It's Booster Time

I have had four and having my fifth on Wednesday then every three months after, on medical grounds.

[chrisp_1927]

Re: It's Booster Time

You are making the serious mistake that you think that you may have some immunity from previous infection or vaccinations, whereas all the evidence is that immunity from both these directions reduces over time and also that the different variations in the virus can evade previous antibodies. If everyone had your attitude then it wouldn't be long before a new more deadly variant evolved. The whole point of getting boosters is that they can be upgraded to combat the latest variants out there. It is therefore very important that everyone who can has the boosters when they are available or we will be right back at square one before you know it. You could also get seriously ill, even though you haven't in the past and even worse pass the virus on to someone else who gets seriously ill. Its all about personal responsibility and thought about protecting other people that you know or meet.

Can see where you're coming from, but I don't agree that people being unjabbed is likely to encourage mutation of new variations.

I think it's right to encourage the vulnerable to have their jabs and to encourage people to be sensible and keep away from others for a few days if they are ill. From what I've seen, the advice from the experts isn't that everyone needs a booster, only at risk categories.