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Coronamonomania Lives Forever, Part 129

By April 21, 2022Commentary

Many people seem eager for another wave, breathlessly noting a relatively small rise in absolute numbers of cases, like due to the Omicron version 2 strain.  But a far greater number of people appear to be completely done with the terror campaign the governments and public health experts have waged against the well-being of our populace.  I am on a plane writing this, less than 5% of passengers are wearing masks, and amusingly, a couple who are only have them on over their mouths.  I don’t recall that being the recommended wearing method.  So I don’t for one second believe the poll which supposedly showed that a majority of people wanted a travel mask mandate.  Travelers clearly don’t and that is the relevant audience.  We will track the Minnesota data carefully for signs of any real bump.  It is interesting that the time of the increase is identical to that of 2020’s initial wave.  That wave was substantially undercounted because of lack of tests.  This one may be substantially undercounted because of the widespread use of home testing.  I know several people lately who had cold symptoms, did a home test, were positive, rode out their mild cold and therefore will never show up in the official statistics.

There has been a lot of dreadful research during the epidemic, particularly in regard to suppression measures.  This paper discusses the shortcomings and variability of the methodology of research on euphemistically-named “non-pharmaceutical interventions”.  (Medrxiv Paper)

There hasn’t been enough research on the negative health impacts of the terror campaign which deterred many from seeking needed health care.  This paper looked at cancer screening rates across a number of states in the Midwest.  Breast cancer screenings showed a drop of from 1% to 18%, depending on the state.  Other cancer screenings were also generally down, but blood stool tests increased.  (Medrxiv Study)

Having a prior infection from CV-19 confers adaptive immunity.  Most research suggests this immunity is at least as good as that derived from being vaccinated, and may be less subject to waning.  A new large study from several Western states finds that having a prior CV-19 infection gives over 80% protection against a reinfection and 88% protection against a subsequent infection that leads to hospitalization.  (JAMA Article)

This study found that viral loads from Omicron infections were the same in vaccinated, boosted and unvaccinated persons.  There also was little difference in viral loads by age.   (Medrxiv Paper)

Another Danish study examined vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization across multiple variants.  As most other research has suggested, vaccine effectiveness was good against hospitalization, with some lessening over time.  Protection was less impressive against Omicron-caused hospitalizations.  A booster helped return protection to a high level.  (Medrxiv Paper)

This research looked at vaccine effectiveness among military personnel.  The focus was effectiveness in the Delta period.  The study found that protection against infection dropped substantially during that time, which is probably largely due just to the passage of time.  Protection held up better against more serious illness.  (JAMA Article)

Another good study from Qatar, finding that the vaccines retained about a 90% effectiveness against CV-19 caused ICU stays for up to 12 months.  That is good.  (Medrxiv Paper)

According to this study from southern Sweden, during the period of the Omicron variants, vaccine effectiveness against infection declined for those with only two doses, but remained higher for those with three doses.  An increase in reinfections was also found.  The booster finding is likely partly a time-based effect.  (Medrxiv Paper)

While performance varied across vaccine type, this study from Hungary found that in general effectiveness against infection lessened relatively quickly, was somewhat restored by a booster, and effectiveness against hospitalization or death showed a lesser waning.  (Medrxiv Paper)

This study found that for persons with a prior infection there was some additional protection against subsequent infection from vaccination, but no benefit from a booster.  For persons without a prior infection, a booster did provide some additional benefit compared to only two doses.  (Medrxiv Paper)

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