[News] The Coronavirus Good News thread

[Mellotron]

Decent article about the mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) vaccines' early success and what it could mean for the future of vaccines/pandemics.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/11/vaccines-end-covid-19-pandemic-sight/617141/

Excerpt;

For all that scientists have done to tame the biological world, there are still things that lie outside the realm of human knowledge. The coronavirus was one such alarming reminder, when it emerged with murky origins in late 2019 and found naive, unwitting hosts in the human body. Even as science began to unravel many of the virus’s mysteries—how it spreads, how it tricks its way into cells, how it kills—a fundamental unknown about vaccines hung over the pandemic and our collective human fate: Vaccines can stop many, but not all, viruses. Could they stop this one?

The answer, we now know, is yes. A resounding yes. Pfizer and Moderna have separately released preliminary data that suggest their vaccines are both more than 90 percent effective, far more than many scientists expected. Neither company has publicly shared the full scope of their data, but independent clinical-trial monitoring boards have reviewed the results, and the FDA will soon scrutinize the vaccines for emergency use authorization. Unless the data take an unexpected turn, initial doses should be available in December.

The tasks that lie ahead—manufacturing vaccines at scale, distributing them via a cold or even ultracold chain, and persuading wary Americans to take them—are not trivial, but they are all within the realm of human knowledge. The most tenuous moment is over: The scientific uncertainty at the heart of COVID-19 vaccines is resolved. Vaccines work. And for that, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief. “It makes it now clear that vaccines will be our way out of this pandemic,” says Kanta Subbarao, a virologist at the Doherty Institute, who has studied emerging viruses.

 

[Mellotron]

Last one before I need to actually do some work(!)

Pfizer/BioNTech have confirmed they will be filing for Emergency Use of the vaccine this Friday.

 

[DIFFBROOK]

Notters - this is the one I am on

They know how it works. They monitor you for a year to a) check how long immunity might last and b) to double check that there are no side effects that might spring up (very much less likely after 48 hrs)

But, well done you.

Anyone else been accepted onto a vaccine trial?

I'm starting with Novavax on Monday (it's being run by Bradford University). Seems a bit late given they will monitor me for a year but don't fully know how it works. I have quite a few questions lined up!

 

[Notters]

From the agreement you should have been sent:

In this study, the active vaccine will be compared to a placebo. A placebo is a substance that looks like the active vaccine but does not have any vaccine product in it; the placebo in this study contains only water and sodium chloride (salt). If your study doctor says you can be in the study, you will be assigned by chance (like flipping a coin) to either active vaccine or placebo as an injection into the muscle in your upper arm (the deltoid muscle) on Day 0 (the day on which you receive the first injection of study vaccine), and on Day 21. You have a 50% chance of receiving the active vaccine. A computer program will randomly decide which treatment you will receive. You will not know what treatment group you are in until after the study ends.

Notters - this is the one I am on

They know how it works. They monitor you for a year to a) check how long immunity might last and b) to double check that there are no side effects that might spring up (very much less likely after 48 hrs)

But, well done you.

Thanks both - so my two remaining questions are:

1) If they are doing this for a year, before the vaccines become available, are they ever going to be used?
2) If we are on this trial then presumably we won't be able to be given any other vaccines if they get rolled out over next year?

Any thoughts?

 

[Driver8]

Thanks both - so my two remaining questions are:

1) If they are doing this for a year, before the vaccines become available, are they ever going to be used?
2) If we are on this trial then presumably we won't be able to be given any other vaccines if they get rolled out over next year?

Any thoughts?

The trial will continue even if it becomes available to the public. They will be measuring ongoing antibodies etc which they won’t be doing with the general population.

On the second question you will be able to opt for another vaccine if it becomes available and I was told as long as it is at least 28 days after your second jab there shouldn’t be any problem. You will be told if you have had the placebo or vaccine and will of course have to pull out of the trial.

 

[DIFFBROOK]

[MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION] This exactly fits in with what was told to me. The results of the Novovax trial will be known early next year. if it works then its for the regulator to agree. If that is given, then rolled out to General population. As trialists, we will continue to be monitored to see how long antibodies last for.

The 2nd point from [MENTION=3711]Driver8[/MENTION], is exactly what I have been told.

I had my 2nd shot last week. Felt a little under the weather for a day - slight raised temp to 37.5 and felt the chills (my hands and feet were cold and I only ever get that if Im coming down with something - poss my immune system gearing up) But, the next day all fine.

The trial will continue even if it becomes available to the public. They will be measuring ongoing antibodies etc which they won’t be doing with the general population.

On the second question you will be able to opt for another vaccine if it becomes available and I was told as long as it is at least 28 days after your second jab there shouldn’t be any problem. You will be told if you have had the placebo or vaccine and will of course have to pull out of the trial.

 

[Springal]

Oliver Dowden on TalkSport suggesting that areas of low infection rate for COVID when lockdown ends 2nd December may be able to get crowds back into stadiums before christmas

 

[Notters]

Oliver Dowden on TalkSport suggesting that areas of low infection rate for COVID when lockdown ends 2nd December may be able to get crowds back into stadiums before christmas

Blimey, that seems rather unlikely! Particularly as stadiums are generally in cities, which is where the high infection rates are.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Oliver Dowden on TalkSport suggesting that areas of low infection rate for COVID when lockdown ends 2nd December may be able to get crowds back into stadiums before christmas

We have 5 tickets normally in the WSU. One is shared between my daughter and my mate's daughter but is in his girl's name. The two girls are best friends and obviously ID would be needed for games.

They therefore decided that if we did get to go back they would play with each other with one of the mums and me and my mate would just take our boys to games. Our "ticket lottery bubble" is therefore the four of us.

Yesterday he was phoned by the club to point out that his daughter's ticket wasn't included and did he want to add her? We both thought this was a little premature, but perhaps not!!

 

[Driver8]

[MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION] This exactly fits in with what was told to me. The results of the Novovax trial will be known early next year. if it works then its for the regulator to agree. If that is given, then rolled out to General population. As trialists, we will continue to be monitored to see how long antibodies last for.

The 2nd point from [MENTION=3711]Driver8[/MENTION], is exactly what I have been told.

I had my 2nd shot last week. Felt a little under the weather for a day - slight raised temp to 37.5 and felt the chills (my hands and feet were cold and I only ever get that if Im coming down with something - poss my immune system gearing up) But, the next day all fine.

Did you have any reaction to the first jab?

 

[dazzer6666]

We have 5 tickets normally in the WSU. One is shared between my daughter and my mate's daughter but is in his girl's name. The two girls are best friends and obviously ID would be needed for games.

They therefore decided that if we did get to go back they would play with each other with one of the mums and me and my mate would just take our boys to games. Our "ticket lottery bubble" is therefore the four of us.

Yesterday he was phoned by the club to point out that his daughter's ticket wasn't included and did he want to add her? We both thought this was a little premature, but perhaps not!!

I listened to Dowden....did seem like there is a lot going on behind the scenes to prepare. He was also pretty clear that it would be in the ‘low tier’ areas and in low numbers - so I guess there is a huge cop-out of it being limited to ‘tier 1’ when there won’t actually be any regions in tier 1 perhaps, but overall what he said was far more encouraging than I expected - amazed he was prepared to indicate that before Xmas was a possibility.

Wishful thinking perhaps but having already hosted a successful trial, having a modern, out of town ground with large concourses and plenty of space outside the ground (and a CEO who will be all over any requirements) leaves us at the sharp end of the return providing the region is deemed lower risk.

 

[timbha]

I listened to Dowden....did seem like there is a lot going on behind the scenes to prepare. He was also pretty clear that it would be in the ‘low tier’ areas and in low numbers - so I guess there is a huge cop-out of it being limited to ‘tier 1’ when there won’t actually be any regions in tier 1 perhaps, but overall what he said was far more encouraging than I expected - amazed he was prepared to indicate that before Xmas was a possibility.

Wishful thinking perhaps but having already hosted a successful trial, having a modern, out of town ground with large concourses and plenty of space outside the ground (and a CEO who will be all over any requirements) leaves us at the sharp end of the return providing the region is deemed lower risk.

I listened to that and was surprised at his openness when gently pushed by Simon Jordan and Jim White.

I know I shouldn’t and wish I could find (another) good reason to dislike Jordan but I really like listening to him and generally agree with what he says.

 

[DIFFBROOK]

Did you have any reaction to the first jab?[/QUOTE [MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION] not sure. I felt tired, but put it down to the day. 2nd one I deffo got a reaction. Similar to that for a flu jab. Now, whether it's because of a vaccine, or because of something else?

How about you?

Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

 

[Driver8]

Did you have any reaction to the first jab?[/QUOTE [MENTION=1320]Notters[/MENTION] not sure. I felt tired, but put it down to the day. 2nd one I deffo got a reaction. Similar to that for a flu jab. Now, whether it's because of a vaccine, or because of something else?

How about you?

Sent from my SM-A405FN using Tapatalk

Not really. My arm was a little tender for a couple of days but that’s it. I’m tempted to have an antibody test after the second jab to see if I’ve had a vaccine rather than a placebo!

 

[The Wizard]

This alongside the cross immunity from other coronaviruses is really fantastic, November is the month the tide finally turned on this virus.

 

[Mellotron]

[TWEET]1329753163474329601[/TWEET]

My understanding is that approval is expected to take somewhere in the region of 7-18 days.

 

[Mellotron]

Sorry for spamming but this is beautiful, and historic.

[TWEET]1329765363970691073[/TWEET]

 

[LamieRobertson]

Ah my two fav posters on this thread Mello and Wiz ..when I see they’ve posted I know it’s good news

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

 

[atomised]

Ah my two fav posters on this thread Mello and Wiz ..when I see they’ve posted I know it’s good news

Have to include Marshy too for.the local.updates