Coronamonomania Lives Forever, Part 158

The initial CV-19 vaccines are now clearly seen to be poorly designed.  They focused exclusively on the CV-19 spike protein, which is the are of the virus used to gain entry into human cells.  But that area has a high mutation rate, as we seen with the plethora of variants.  Including other proteins, such as the nucleocapsid one, would have been wiser.  And this study finds that the nucleocapsid protein plays a role in down-modulating human immune responses, so it is a good target for a vaccine.  (Science Article)

The primary immune responses to CV-19 infection involve the antibody, or B cell, arm and the T cell arm.  This paper tracked the development of those responses in vaccinated and in infected persons.  A body of research is emerging now that suggests that the original vaccine dosing was too close in time to maximize the response, as persons with three doses, the booster normally being given several months after the original two doses, have a response that looks more like that following infection.  The essence of the study is that while B and T memory cells don’t have a strong enough response to prevent infection, particularly by new variants, they do respond  in sufficient strength to limit serious disease.  (Medrxiv Paper)

A very small percent of patients whose CV-19 is untreated experience either a rebound in viral load or a return in symptoms after the initial symptoms resolve, but the combination is very rare.  The fact that it occurs at all may complicate efforts to understand rebound following treatment, such as the Presidementia recently experienced.  (Medrxiv Paper)

Myocarditis, or heart inflammation is a clear risk from CV-19 vaccination, especially for males.  This paper suggests that lengthening the time between doses may reduce that risk.  (Medrxiv Paper)

Yet another study finds basically no reason to vaccinate children, although the authors don’t frame it that way. Initial effectiveness against infection was very minimal and declined rapidly.  There are so few serious events that effectiveness against those outcomes are hard to analyze althought the authors claim the vaccines were effective in that regard.  Then again, the authors were paid by Pfizer.  (SSRN Paper)

A study finds that being vaccinated for influenza does not appear to reduce the risk of becoming infected by CV-19.  (Medrxiv Paper)