I'm in Pfizer's COVID vaccine trial, ask me anything.

[Diomedes]

All these posts make me so happy. Way to go everyone. Glad the side effects have been manageable. Light at the end of the tunnel!

I just had my 6 month bloodwork for the trial. That's 6 months post 2nd dose. They're keeping a close eye on antibody level to evaluate the need for a booster. So far, the people who are doing their own checking have been maintaining high levels, so it seems to be holding up for now. Expectations, unofficially, are that the effectiveness should last for a year, if not more.

If I had to guess, we'll probably be looking at a booster, possibly tweaked based on whatever variant is most common, after a year. I'm guessing we'll either completely beat this thing by the fall and that will be that, or it will hang around and we'll be looking at a yearly shot like we do for the flu. Could go either way. Best way to make it the former is to get everyone covered all at once right now so it goes extinct.

[Jebus]

Nancy and I finally got our shots of Pfizer last Wednesday!

Canada sure is lagging behind in vaccination.

[un2xs]

I am not quite sure what to think right now. Many of us locals have gotten our vaccines. However, I know people with the attitude that "you can't pay me enough to get that shot!" And my county here in Kansas is ending mask mandates this weekend. This is only two and a half weeks before it was set to expire. https://1350kman.com/riley-county-vo...fective-may-2/ The mask mandate will still be in place inside city limits, though. This might be OK... but then again, it might be the calm before the storm.

And the end of the mandate is preceded by a day on the number of new cases in the county... the majority of which are here in town. The highest numbers of our local cases have been in the "indestructible" college age population... 18-24 years of age.


It is... what it is.

-

[Diomedes]

That's just a small sample size and good luck. There have been a LOT of deaths in the 18-24 age range. Just not in this particular subpopulation.

[CrowsFeast]

How do you get negative # of new cases?

[lhamilton1807]

CrowsFeast I believe the negative or positive numbers are the net change since the previous date, 4/21

[JonM]

I'm wondering if or when they'll lift the age restriction on vaccinations. While most everyone in my family is vaccinated now, kids cannot be at this time. It has gotten to the point now where we get so many calls from the school district informing parents of yet another COVID case in the schools that my phone has begun blocking many of them as potential spam. Protecting adults is all well and good, but the schools have become petri dishes for this thing. The fact that they can't be vaccinated coupled with the fact that many simply refuse to wear masks properly (if at all) makes this a very difficult situation for those who can't be cyber schooled for one reason or another.

[shadow191]

Hopefully soon, wife and I are fully vaccinated now but son isn't as he's 13. I saw in news recently that Pfizer has applied for authorization for 12-15 year olds and they did complete a trial which showed good results.

I'm wondering if or when they'll lift the age restriction on vaccinations. While most everyone in my family is vaccinated now, kids cannot be at this time. It has gotten to the point now where we get so many calls from the school district informing parents of yet another COVID case in the schools that my phone has begun blocking many of them as potential spam. Protecting adults is all well and good, but the schools have become petri dishes for this thing. The fact that they can't be vaccinated coupled with the fact that many simply refuse to wear masks properly (if at all) makes this a very difficult situation for those who can't be cyber schooled for one reason or another.

[boarder2k7]

Then again, maybe that graph just needs one more column that says "alive, but not really recovered." Because when you get covid, there are many more possible outcomes besides dead and not dead. You could "survive" but still have other medical problems that persist for months, years, or even the rest of your life. Or the hospital bills could cripple you. All the most reason to take reasonable precautions until it's completely gone.

This is the biggest reason I give people who are hesitant to get this (or any) vaccine. Sure you might survive, and the odds say you will. Good job!

What those odds don't show is my 22 year old athletic friend, who had barely any symptoms, but now has pericarditis and the doctors are unsure when and if she can safely return to physical activity.

It isn't the dying I'm worried about, it's the consequences of "surviving" that scare me the most.



That said, Moderna #2 tomorrow evening, with a ton of work to do on Tuesday for senior year culminating project due Wednesday and Thursday. What could go wrong? 🙃

[JonM]

With the age restrictions lowered, I now have my son scheduled to get his on Saturday. This will make everyone in my family fully vaccinated in a couple weeks. I’m relieved to have this weight lifted since he was the one most at risk.

[bellicose]

My 13 yr old got her first dose today. She's usually really hard to get vaccines, passes out and has panic attacks, but did well. It helped being at Walgreens, because we let her pick out a treat. She hasn't been in stores for over a year now, so that was special.

[Carp]

Have you heard of people catching covid-19 virus for the second time. Even after they'd already recovered from it once before. In other words 2 positive test results, months apart? I've heard mention of this, is why I'm asking. Its not necessarily Pfizer related though. Just a question in general, to the membership here.

[Diomedes]

I have heard of that, and my impression is that it happens but is very rare - rarer than has been reported. It's very likely that the earlier reinfection reports were false positives on the first test. But it is probably a thing that happens, rarely. FWIW, the vaccine provides much more robust immunity than past infection, so "post-COVID" isn't an effective substitute for "vaccinated". Get your vaccine even if you've had COVID!

[Carp]

Oh, I'm vaccinated and never got the "Rona" prior. How should I put it... I have relatives that live in my area and are not quite onboard with public health(for whatever reason).😣

[crazyboy78]

Good to see this thread. I got my first shot of Astra-Zeneca about a month ago and I've got my second shot booked for 3 months from now. Really hoping this is all done by the end of the year. I miss going to the movie theatres....

[boarder2k7]

I didn't realize the AZ shots were that far apart, interesting. I wonder why the mechanism on that one is so different

[CrowsFeast]

Got my first jab yesterday. Moderna was what they had on hand.

[Carp]

They squirted me, with the same name liquid stuffs.. I don't know, if it's just because, I have a lot of miles on my body or just the weather. But, I have been having severe body aches since after the second shot.

[Cyberpyr8]

Yeah I thought the second one was harder.

[Diomedes]

Carp, that means it’s working!

[Carp]

"Carp, that means it’s working"

So does that mean, I've possibly come in contact, with someone that was carrying a variation of the covid?

[Diomedes]

Not necessarily - sometimes your immune system ramping up makes you feel like poop. The second dose is when your B cells and T cells get REAL pissed. They take that one personally. It's the difference between a bank security guard knowing to watch out for a guy in a raincoat and ten security guards getting in everyone's face checking for raincoats. The upside is that once they chill a little bit, the extra guards stick around for a while, and heaven help anyone in a raincoat during that time.

[Ecapnation]

Just got stuck today.....

How long till I can shoot burning windows logos out of my eyes?

I kid.... Lol

[Tarsun2]

ha, i got nurse ratched. she gave me 2 band-aids; one for the entrance wound and one for the exit wound.
god, i hate needles lol

[CrowsFeast]

Oof, that sucks. I didn't have any issues with needles for a long time. Suddenly a few years ago I started feeling tense when I saw the needle coming so now I look away and try to focus on relaxing.

My jabber (don't know if she was a nurse, doc, or other) was really good with the needle this time. Barely felt it going in and didn't feel it coming out (my first poor experience with a needle was a nurse dragging it sideways as she pulled it out)

[Jebus]

Our 13yr old Son is getting his Pfizer next week!

[Tarsun2]

thats what i got.
luck of the draw really. Its just what was available when i scheduled...

no issues after the second shot.