The COVID-19 pandemic

[tomh009]

AZ was not traditional, it is more traditional than Pfizer and Moderna but it is not the same as Novavax. AZ uses double DNA technology, whereas Novavax uses lab made spike proteins that mimic the covid spike proteins to train our body to fight off an infection. It's the standard method that's been used for decades and has had the highest recorded efficacy of all vaccines thus far. Hopefully given its traditional nature it will be approved for the under 12 category and I personally believe it should be the vaccine prioritized for anyone under 18

Novavax for children is not very far along, though, is it? They are just doing the 12+ trials now.

I think BioNTech/Pfizer will likely be the first one available for under-12s, and that's likely still six months away.

[Bjays93]

AZ was not traditional, it is more traditional than Pfizer and Moderna but it is not the same as Novavax. AZ uses double DNA technology, whereas Novavax uses lab made spike proteins that mimic the covid spike proteins to train our body to fight off an infection. It's the standard method that's been used for decades and has had the highest recorded efficacy of all vaccines thus far. Hopefully given its traditional nature it will be approved for the under 12 category and I personally believe it should be the vaccine prioritized for anyone under 18

Novavax for children is not very far along, though, is it? They are just doing the 12+ trials now.

I think BioNTech/Pfizer will likely be the first one available for under-12s, and that's likely still six months away.

Correct Novavax isn't far along right now which is a shame because it should be. It's original timeline was ahead of modernas but moderna had very powerful backers and the mRNA vaccine was really getting pushed hard over traditional alternatives when all this started. I personally believe at the very least as much time and funding should have been put in to traditional vaccines, especially given some are yielding the most positive results we've seen thus far. 

I understand the hesitancy was around the fact that a traditional vaccine had not yet been designed for coronaviruses but a mRNA vaccine had never even hit market so I really think it always was 6 of one half dozen of the other. There's a very good article by the Atlantic that basically details how Novavax is the best option available and that overhyping mRNA vaccines might be costing us long term. Of course hindsight is always 2020 but I have heard a lot of very VERY positive stuff about Novavax from the medical community and the more traditional nature of it *should* eliminate any concerns around unknowns that come with mRNA vaccines. 

On top of that storage temperature, price, ability to manufacture and transport more easily make it a fantastic candidate from a logistical standpoint. I really hope it can be the piece of the puzzle that pushes us over the top and allows us to put this pandemic crap in our rearview mirrors

[tomh009]

Novavax for children is not very far along, though, is it? They are just doing the 12+ trials now.

I think BioNTech/Pfizer will likely be the first one available for under-12s, and that's likely still six months away.

Correct Novavax isn't far along right now which is a shame because it should be. It's original timeline was ahead of modernas but moderna had very powerful backers and the mRNA vaccine was really getting pushed hard over traditional alternatives when all this started. I personally believe at the very least as much time and funding should have been put in to traditional vaccines, especially given some are yielding the most positive results we've seen thus far. 

I understand the hesitancy was around the fact that a traditional vaccine had not yet been designed for coronaviruses but a mRNA vaccine had never even hit market so I really think it always was 6 of one half dozen of the other. There's a very good article by the Atlantic that basically details how Novavax is the best option available and that overhyping mRNA vaccines might be costing us long term. Of course hindsight is always 2020 but I have heard a lot of very VERY positive stuff about Novavax from the medical community and the more traditional nature of it *should* eliminate any concerns around unknowns that come with mRNA vaccines. 

On top of that storage temperature, price, ability to manufacture and transport more easily make it a fantastic candidate from a logistical standpoint. I really hope it can be the piece of the puzzle that pushes us over the top and allows us to put this pandemic crap in our rearview mirrors

Novavax looks promising based on their Stage 3 trial results, although the efficacy differences are largely within the margin of error. The cost and storage requirements are advantages over the mRNA vaccines, though AZ and J&J have those same advantages (and J&J is a single-shot vaccine).

However ... I don't see any kind of conspiracy to hold back Novavax, or even to promote Moderna. Where Novavax stumbled was in the trials, which are mandatory for any vaccine. They announced pre-clinical himan trials in March last year, a bit ahead of Moderna. They didn't get the manufacturing sorted out, and then they basically went alone on the trials. The end result was that they didn't start running the critical Stage 3 trials until February, several months after BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna had already finished theirs (and finished quickly, as they caught the second wave of cases).

BioNTech partnered with Pfizer to get a large-scale trial (and manufacturing!) done quickly, and Moderna worked with NIH. Those were really the key decisions that got the mRNA vaccines approved early, not the mRNA aspect itself or the companies behind the vaccines. (AZ was early as well, but they stumbled badly in the running of the trials, and the poor trial management really hurt them in trying to gain approvals after the completion of the trials.)

[plam]

I think BioNTech/Pfizer will likely be the first one available for under-12s, and that's likely still six months away.

September is when Pfizer stage 3 results for under-12s should be out, that is less than 6 months from now. If only Ontario had been taking this time to improve HVAC in schools already. (The University of Waterloo did.)

[tomh009]

I think BioNTech/Pfizer will likely be the first one available for under-12s, and that's likely still six months away.

September is when Pfizer stage 3 results for under-12s should be out, that is less than 6 months from now. If only Ontario had been taking this time to improve HVAC in schools already. (The University of Waterloo did.)

Ah, yes, I hadn't spotted that they had split the trial, I think the earlier completion is for 6-11 (or 5-11?) and then the end of the year for the smaller kids.

[bgb_ca]

Waterloo Region enters stage 2 on Monday

https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/waterloo-re...-1.5501526

[ac3r]

Damn, I jumped the gun letting someone give me a bad haircut about a week or two ago.

[jeffster]

Current 7-day Covid-19 cases per 100k

• Grey Bruce Health Unit 70.0
• Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services 49.6
• Porcupine Health Unit 22.8
• Peterborough Public Health 20.3
• Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health 13.8
• Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit 13.2
• City of Hamilton Public Health Services 13.2
• Halton Region Public Health 11.3
• Lambton Public Health 10.7
• Niagara Region Public Health 10.4

• TOTAL ONTARIO 9.7

The province, overall, is in the "Green" zone.

[tomh009]

THURSDAY 2021-07-08

Waterloo Region reported 52 new cases for today (16.5% of the active cases) and zero more for yesterday for 50; 273 new cases for the week (+8 from yesterday, -85 from last week), averaging 10.7% of active cases. 324 active cases, -100 in the last seven days. 

Next testing report on Friday.

9,203 doses of vaccine administered, with a seven-day average at 8,436 (previous week was 9,375). 64.53% of total regional population vaccinated (+0.16% from yesterday, +1.07% from 7 days ago), 35.95% fully vaccinated (+1.34% from yesterday, +8.61% from 7 days ago).

Ontario reported 210 new cases today with a seven-day average of 194 (-11). 231 recoveries and four deaths translated to a decrease of 25 active cases and a new total of 1,816. -437 active cases for the week and 41 deaths (six per day). 25,857 tests with a positivity rate of 0.81%. The positivity rate is averaging 1.00% for the past seven days, compared to 1.13% for the preceding seven. 158 patients in ICU (-5 today, -38 for the week) with COVID-19.

New case variants reported today (these are substantially delayed so they do not match the new case numbers):

• Alpha (B.1.1.7): 231
  
• Beta (B.1.351): 16
  
• Delta (B.1.617): 63 (29% of variants over the past 10 days)
  
• Gamma (P.1): 46
  

268,884 doses of vaccine administered, with a seven-day average at 198,034 (previous week was 241,001). 68.49% of total provincial population vaccinated (+0.18% from yesterday, +0.85% from 7 days ago), 42.89% fully vaccinated (+1.66% from yesterday, +8.57% from 7 days ago).

• 52 cases in Waterloo: 8.4 per 100K (based on provincial reporting)
  
• 11 cases in Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph: 4.0 per 100K
  
• 19 cases in Hamilton: 3.3 per 100K
  
• 9 cases in Middlesex-London: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 12 cases in Simcoe-Muskoka: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 3 cases in Brant: 2.2 per 100K
  
• 4 cases in Kingston Frontenac: 2.0 per 100K
  
• 23 cases in Peel: 1.7 per 100K
  
• 8 cases in Halton: 1.5 per 100K
  
• 5 cases in Niagara: 1.1 per 100K
  
• 1 cases in Huron Perth: 1.0 per 100K
  

[ac3r]

Sun Life will let Canadian employees choose whether to return to the office: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business...urn-to-the

I wonder how many other employers will follow suit. And, for those that do, how many will make that permanent. Some studies and personal anecdotes have shown that people tend to be more productive actually going to work versus working from home.

Possible good news regarding the new Lambda variant: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/confi...fied-in-uk and https://qz.com/2030844/after-delta-lambd...ies-radar/

There is currently no evidence that this variant causes more severe disease or renders the vaccines currently deployed any less effective. PHE is carrying out laboratory testing to better understand the impact of mutations on the behaviour of the virus.

[danbrotherston]

Well this should add a little to the discussion we've been having:

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...-arms.html

80,000 doses in the freezer seems problematic. Blaming it on hesitancy is definitely not entirely unwarranted, but that ultimately comes down to a communications problem.

[tomh009]

Well this should add a little to the discussion we've been having:

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...-arms.html

80,000 doses in the freezer seems problematic. Blaming it on hesitancy is definitely not entirely unwarranted, but that ultimately comes down to a communications problem.

I'm not entirely convinced by Mr Outhit's analysis. Yes, there were about 60,000 surplus doses (they need about 20,000 or more to keep up the current pace of vaccinations)

Yes, there is now big inventory of vaccines, but those did not show up until the end of June (the inventory chart shows as June 20th); setting up additional vaccination sites or activities takes time. The vaccination pace went up about 30% from mid-June until just before the Canada Day holiday weekend.

Moderna hesitancy? Yes, most of the inventory is Moderna, but that's because of what the new shipments were. I personally haven't heard of anyone complaining about Moderna. But I see no evidence that there is any significant Moderna hesitancy. (I have AZ+Moderna myself.)

Staffing clinics will still surely be a challenge, though. I do hope that they are pushing hard to get more doses delivered through pharmacies, family doctors and urgent care clinics.

[jamincan]

I've definitely seen people online deferring vaccination in preference of Pfizer, and also know people who have expressed hesitation about it but vaccinated with it regardless.

[tomh009]

I've definitely seen people online deferring vaccination in preference of Pfizer, and also know people who have expressed hesitation about it but vaccinated with it regardless.

Huh! OK, I am not doubting you but I don't understand the hesitation when it's essentially the same as BioNTech-Pfizer.

[danbrotherston]

Well this should add a little to the discussion we've been having:

https://www.therecord.com/news/waterloo-...-arms.html

80,000 doses in the freezer seems problematic. Blaming it on hesitancy is definitely not entirely unwarranted, but that ultimately comes down to a communications problem.

I'm not entirely convinced by Mr Outhit's analysis. Yes, there were about 60,000 surplus doses (they need about 20,000 or more to keep up the current pace of vaccinations)

Yes, there is now big inventory of vaccines, but those did not show up until the end of June (the inventory chart shows as June 20th); setting up additional vaccination sites or activities takes time. The vaccination pace went up about 30% from mid-June until just before the Canada Day holiday weekend.

Moderna hesitancy? Yes, most of the inventory is Moderna, but that's because of what the new shipments were. I personally haven't heard of anyone complaining about Moderna. But I see no evidence that there is any significant Moderna hesitancy. (I have AZ+Moderna myself.)

Staffing clinics will still surely be a challenge, though. I do hope that they are pushing hard to get more doses delivered through pharmacies, family doctors and urgent care clinics.

I mean, yes, generally I'd be suspicious too lol.

Were these doses not expected? I mean, we could blame the province as well. But the region should have been preparing (and claimed to have been preparing) to give more doses. At one point they claimed they would be able to very quickly ramp up to 10k per day. They even claimed to be testing that by having days where they gave out a larger proportion of their doses.

As for moderna hesitancy, I can also say that I have heard people be hesitant about Moderna. For some I think it's because they got Pfizer first, for others, I dunno...people be crazy. Usually there's some reason for the crazy, I have no idea why Moderna is the one being looked down on in this case, but it does seem to be true. Of course, again, the region/province could be doing more to combat this.

FWIW again, I have no idea what flu vaccine I got last year, apparently there are multiple options.