Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE)hasissued updated interim policy recommendations for the use of the Ad5-nCoV-S recombinant (Ad5-nCoV) vaccine against COVID-19.This article provides a summary of those interim recommendations; you may access thefull guidancedocumenthere.

Here is what you need to know.

While COVID-19 vaccine supplies are limited, health workers at high risk of exposure and older people should be prioritised for vaccination.

Countries can refer to the WHO Prioritization Roadmap and the WHO Values Framework as guidance for their prioritisation of target groups.

The vaccine is not recommended for persons younger than 18 years of age, pending the results of further studied in that age group.

SAGE recommends the use of Ad5-nCoV vaccine as a single dose (0.5 ml) given intramuscularly into the deltoid muscle.

Vaccination is recommended for persons with comorbidities or certain health states that have been identified as increasing the risk of severe COVID-19, including diabetes mellitus, obesity, cardiovascular and respiratory disease and neurodegenerativedisease.

The vaccine can be offered to people who have had COVID-19 in the past. The optimal time interval between a natural infection and vaccination is not yet known. People who have had previous infection may choose to delay vaccination for 3 months followingthe infection. When more evidence becomes available, the length of this time period may be revised as well as the number of doses needed.

SAGE recommends that moderately and severely immunocompromised persons should be offered an additional (i.e. second) dose as part of the primary series 1-3 months after the first dose. This is due to the fact that this group are less likely to respondadequately to vaccination following standard primary vaccination series and are at higher risk of severe COVID-19, regardless of age.

For purposes of this interim recommendation, moderately and severely immunocompromised persons include those with active cancer, transplant recipients, immunodeficiency, and active treatment with immunosuppressives. It also includes people living withHIV with a current CD4 cell count of <200 cells/l, evidence of an opportunistic infection, not on HIV treatment, and/or with a detectable viral load (i.e. advanced HIV disease).

The available data on the Ad5-nCoV vaccine in pregnant women are insufficient to assess either vaccine efficacy or possible vaccine-associated risks in pregnancy. However, based on previous experience with other vaccines during pregnancy, the effectivenessof the Ad5-nCoVAd5-nCoV vaccine in pregnant women is expected to be comparable to that observed in non-pregnant women of similar age. Further studies are expected to evaluate safety and immunogenicity in pregnant women.

In the interim, WHO recommends the use of the Ad5-nCoV vaccine in pregnant women when the benefits of vaccination to the pregnant woman outweigh the potential risks. To help pregnant women make this assessment, they should be provided with informationabout the risks of COVID-19 in pregnancy; the likely benefits of vaccination in the local epidemiological context; and the current limitations of safety data in pregnant women. WHO does not recommend pregnancy testing prior to vaccination. WHO doesnot recommend delaying pregnancy or considering terminating pregnancy because of vaccination.

WHO recommends the same use of Ad5-nCoV vaccine in breastfeeding as in other adults. WHO does not recommend discontinuing breastfeeding following vaccination.

A history of anaphylaxis to any component of the vaccine is considered a contraindication to vaccination.

Individuals with an immediate non-anaphylactic allergic reaction to the first dose (i.e. urticaria, angioedema without respiratory signs or symptoms that occur within 4 hours of administration) should not receive additional doses, unless recommended afterreview by a health professional with specialist expertise. Similarly, anyone who experienced thrombotic thrombocytopenic syndrome (TTS) following the first dose of this vaccine should not receive a second dose of the same vaccine.

Persons with acute PCR-confirmed COVID-19 should not be vaccinated until after they have recovered from acute illness and the criteria for ending isolation have been met.

The Ad5-nCoV booster dose following a primary series with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac (CoronaVac) was associated with higher vaccine effectiveness compared to a homologous CoronaVac booster. Ad5-nCoV vaccine may be used as abooster dose following a completed primary series using any other EUL COVID-19 vaccine.

Heterologous boosters should take into account current vaccine supply, vaccine supply projections, and other access considerations, alongside the potential benefits and risks of the specific products being used.

We cannot easily compare vaccines head-to-head due to different approaches taken in designing the respective efficacy and effectiveness studies, but overall, all of the vaccines that have achieved WHO Emergency Use Listing can be considered safe and highlyeffective in preventing severe disease and hospitalization due to COVID-19.

SAGE has thoroughly assessed the data on quality, safety and efficacy of this vaccine and has recommended its use for people aged 18 and above.

Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), a very rare syndrome of blood clotting combined with low platelet counts, has been reported around 330 days following vaccination with Ad5-nCoV. A causal relationship between the vaccine andTTS is considered plausible although more evidence is needed to confirm this.

In countries with ongoing SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the benefit of vaccination in protecting against COVID-19 far outweighs the risks of TTS. However, benefitrisk assessments may differ from country to country. As part of the EUL process, CanSinohas committed to continuing submit data on safety, efficacy and quality in ongoing vaccine trials and rollout in populations, including in older adults.

Clinical trial data showed that the Ad5-nCoV vaccine had an efficacy of 58% against symptomatic disease and 92% against severe COVID-19.

The principal clinical trial for this product was completed in January 2021, before the emergence of Delta and Omicron variants. There are still insufficient data for these more recent variants.

SAGE currently recommends using this vaccine, according to the WHO Prioritization Roadmap.

As recent data suggest limited effect of the vaccine on transmission, particularly against Omicron, it is advisable that public health and social measures to reduce SARS-CoV2 transmission should be considered. These measures include wearing a mask,physical distancing, handwashing, respiratory and cough hygiene, avoiding crowds and ensuring adequate ventilation according to local national advice.

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The CanSino Biologics Ad5-nCoV-S [recombinant] COVID-19 vaccine: What you need to know - World Health Organization

CLAIM

[Spike] is harmful to the human body in at least eight different ways [and] can persist in the human body for weeks, or even months, after a person gets vaccinated

DETAILS

Misleading: Small studies in cells or animals have found that the COVID-19 spike protein may cause damage in high concentrations. However, there is no indication that this would be relevant after vaccination with much lower quantities of spike present in the bloodstream.Inadequate support: There is no evidence to support the use of detox diets to inhibit the spike protein. The spike protein is cleared from the body within days of vaccination through the normal processes in the body.

KEY TAKE AWAY

The spike protein is a vital component for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to infect cells. As it is situated on the virus's surface, it is an easy target for the immune system to recognize. The COVID-19 vaccines cause the body to produce a small amount of spike protein, which is cleared within days, to prompt an immune response. There is no evidence that the spike protein causes damage to cells at these levels, and there is no evidence that detox diets will alter this process. The risks of developing serious complications like blood clots or lung damage are far higher after severe COVID-19 than after a vaccine; in fact, vaccination helps to reduce this risk instead.

REVIEW The spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to human cells and allows the virus to enter. The COVID-19 vaccines were developed to target the spike protein in order to induce immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

The most common vaccines used against SARS-CoV-2 work by delivering the genetic instructions for the body to temporarily produce spike proteins. These genetic instructions can be provided through mRNA, like the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, or a viral vector, like the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca ones. This is enough for the body to generate an immune response and be better prepared to fight an infection. The common side effects seen after the vaccines, such as pain at the injection site or fever, are due to the immune response being activated.

A trailer for Epoch Times TV claimed that the spike protein was harmful to the body in several ways, that it can persist in the body for months after vaccination, and that detox can help to remove the protein. This review will explain why these claims are misleading or incorrect.

The Epoch Times claimed that spike protein is harmful to the human body in at least eight different wayssuch as by damaging the cells of our lungs, damaging our cells mitochondria, causing inflammation, and even increasing the risk of blood clots. While studies in cells and lab animals have identified the potential for damage caused by the spike protein at high concentrations, these studies have not shown a real effect in people or at the quantities produced following vaccination. As we will explain, the spike protein is barely detectable in the bloodstream of vaccinated people for a few days, and the studies that have been misinterpreted by the Epoch Times used up to 100,000 times greater concentration.

The claim that the Spike protein has toxic effects after vaccination has been repeated several times over the last year, based on the misinterpretation of a few studies as explained here, here, here, here, and here.

One of the studies cited by the Epoch Times was covered previously on Health Feedback in response to similar claims. The small study, carried out by Lei et al., reported damage in the lungs of hamsters injected with an engineered pseudovirus that carried the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on its surface[1]. When this paper was reviewed by experts for Health Feedback, they made a number of comments cautioning the interpretation of this study. Peter Hotez, an expert in vaccinology and professor at Baylor College of Medicine, stated:

[The study] looks at cellular mechanisms of how viral spike protein works, not the immune response from a vaccine.

Julie Bettinger, an associate professor at the Vaccine Evaluation Centre at the University of British Columbia, also pointed out:

[The study] actually concludes by stating, vaccination-generated antibody and/or exogenous antibody against [spike] protein not only protects the host from SARS-CoV-2 infectivity but also inhibits [spike] protein-imposed endothelial injury. That is, COVID-19 vaccines may actually prevent vascular damage.

Abraham Al-Ahmad, an assistant professor at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, raised questions about the relevance of the study to vaccination:

We dont know what the viral load given to the animals is. Furthermore, is the expression of spike protein by these pseudoviruses comparable to SARS-CoV-2 virions?

In short, the study was never designed to look at the toxicity of the spike protein after vaccination; we cannot tell how the exposure compares to vaccination or infection; it was only carried out in hamsters; and the researchers actually concluded that vaccination would protect against potential damage caused by the spike protein during a COVID-19 infection, contradicting the claim made by the Epoch Times.

Many of the other research papers cited by the Epoch Times set out to understand the potential causes of the symptoms seen in severe cases of COVID-19, rather than determining if spike protein caused toxicity in patients. While these may be useful for identifying potential treatments for further research, they do not tell us if these effects occur in any cases. For instance, Cappelletto et al. studied the mechanisms for formation of blood clots, showing that spike protein can activate platelets in the lab but they did not establish if this happened at concentrations found in patients or vaccinated people[2]. Similarly, Avolio et al. showed that the spike protein can affect heart cells in the lab, but they used higher amounts of the protein than those found in COVID-19 patients[3].

Another study cited by the Epoch Times studied 13 people who had received the Moderna vaccine[4]. The S1 region of the spike protein could be detected a day after the first vaccine dose, peaking at five days and becoming undetectable after nine days. While trace amounts of spike protein can enter the bloodstream following vaccination, this is about 100,000 times less than the Lei et al. study cited by the Epoch Times.

The study was designed to use highly sensitive techniques to test whether the vaccines worked as planned. After vaccination, trace amounts of spike protein appeared in the samples and the volunteers quickly developed antibodies that removed it from the bloodstream. The senior author of the study previously spoke out against the study being misinterpreted by people claiming that spike protein is causing damage to vaccinated people.

The mRNA in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines is broken up by the body within a few days. This means that no more spike protein is produced after this point. The immune response quickly targets the spike protein present in the body and any remaining would be degraded like other proteins. The spike protein would not last months in the body, as The Epoch Times claimed.

Many of the harms listed by Epoch Times, including lung damage, blood clots, and inflammation, are complications caused by COVID-19. This is caused by the virus infecting and damaging cells as well as the immune system fighting to control the infection. COVID-19 can cause long-lasting damage on a scale far greater than the rare side effects seen with the vaccines.

For instance, one study found that patients had a fivefold increase in the risk of deep vein thrombosis (blood clots in the leg), a 33-fold increase in the risk of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs), and an almost twofold increase in the risk of bleeding in the 30 days after infection compared to similar, uninfected people[5]. The patients were at a higher risk of blood clots for up to six months after infection, and the risk was even greater for more severe cases.

Another study found that, although there were rare cases of blood clots following vaccination, the risks of most of these events were substantially higher and more prolonged after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after vaccination in the same population[6]. For instance, there was a 12 times greater risk of a blood clot in a vein after COVID-19 than after the AstraZeneca vaccine.

The Epoch Times suggested that these serious complications are due to exposure to the spike protein, whether through infection or vaccination. As these studies and many others have shown, the risk of blood clots and lung damage is vastly greater following COVID-19, with worse effects for more severe cases. Vaccination helps to promote a faster immune response against the virus and reduce the likelihood of severe COVID-19 and such complications.

In addition, patients with severe cases of COVID-19 risk significantly higher concentrations of spike protein in the bloodstream compared the levels produced following vaccination. The team who identified trace amounts of spike protein in people after vaccination also studied samples from people hospitalized due to COVID-19[7]. While some people did not have detectable levels, potentially due to the immune response, the more severe cases had up to 100-fold greater concentration of the S1 region of the spike protein in the blood than seen in the vaccine study.

Finally, the Epoch Times claimed that a detox diet could remove spike protein from the body.

Aside from medically supervised chelation therapy using specially designed chemicals to remove toxic metals from people who have been dangerously exposed, attempts to improve health through detox regimens arent effective. A 2015 review concluded that the evidence didnt support detox diets for eliminating toxins from the body[8]. The body already uses the liver and kidneys very effectively for breaking down and removing toxins.

The Epoch Times linked to a list of recommendations from Joseph Mercola, an osteopath who markets supplements, whose claims have been found to be inaccurate on several occasions by Health Feedback previously. The detox list includes the suggestion that pine needles and dandelion leaf extract can inhibit the spike protein, although no studies appear to have been published to provide evidence for these claims. Given that the spike protein is eliminated from the body within days after vaccination, its unclear what expected benefit would come from a detox.

While there is no evidence supporting the use of detox supplements to clear spike protein from the body, there is clear evidence that the levels of spike protein following vaccination is barely detectable and is far below the levels where damaging effects have been observed in cells and animals. The trace amount that is found in the body is quickly removed by the bodys own responses.

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Following COVID-19 vaccination, the spike protein is produced in small quantities in the body without causing harm and is cleared naturally within...

In the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw unparalleled collaboration between academia, government, industry and regulators. The result was billions of vaccine doses developed and supplied to help protect the world from the devastating impact of the virus.

Yet more than two years later, despite a plentiful supply of vaccines, equitable access remains a pressing challenge in many parts of the world. And while COVID-19 vaccines have undoubtedly helped to save millions of lives, for some people such as the immunocompromised immunisation alone does not offer adequate protection from the disease.

While the fight against COVID-19 is not over, we must take lessons from this to help the world respond even better to future pandemics. To ensure no one is left behind, we must act without delay and foster healthcare systems that are sustainable, resilient and capable of administering large-scale vaccination programmes and other measures to protect people.

Our world responded to this pandemic with a truly global effort developing multiple, effective vaccines at record speed. At the time of writing, more than 11.6 billion vaccine doses have been administered globally.

At AstraZeneca, we made broad and equitable access to our vaccine a key principle of our response to the pandemic. As part of this principle, we are proud to have been the first manufacturer to join the COVAX facility, an initiative established by CEPI, Gavi, WHO, and UNICEF at the start of the pandemic working for global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.

Yet, while some countries are seemingly emerging from the pandemic, many parts of the world remain unprotected because of low vaccination rates, especially in low-income countries. Although supply has been a limiting factor in the past, the greater issue is now one of distribution. The impact of this is felt particularly hard in Africa, where only 17% of the population was reported to be fully vaccinated as of May 2022.

The global community now needs to shift our efforts and support countries to successfully deliver the vaccines they receive especially for the crucial last-mile delivery. Many countries need help to establish reliable cold chain capacity, build more robust data systems, tackle vaccine hesitancy and address gaps in local workforces.

While vaccines remain our strongest first-line defence, we must also support the two per cent of the global population who are immunocompromised and for whom vaccines may not offer adequate protection.

More than 40% of those hospitalised with breakthrough infections despite a previous vaccination are immunocompromised; they are not adequately protected by a vaccine alone and are at high risk of becoming seriously ill if they were to become infected. The continued threat posed by potential exposure to COVID-19 means they are enduring prolonged anxiety and suffering that affects their quality of life. For many of these people, there is no end to the pandemic in sight.

For this reason, alongside the measures described earlier, it's important that methods to support immunocompromised patients are also strengthened. This includes communicating specific information about the safety measures that should be maintained by this community, including continued mask-wearing, access to free COVID-19 testing, access to additional therapeutic options and providing advice and support for continued self-isolation.

Governments and health leaders must act now to address the unmet needs of immunocompromised people.

Beyond COVID-19, our world will face both new and unresolved healthcare challenges. A survey of 134 countries showed that the pandemic significantly impacted healthcare delivery, with chronic care and other services severely compromised in at least 44% of the countries studied. Solutions to these issues require all of us to think differently.

Thats why we must continue efforts that accelerate clinical trials and regulatory approvals to allow the global health community to respond to the next pandemic with even greater efficiency. By further accelerating and harmonising these processes we can develop life-saving products, such as vaccines, even quicker. In doing so, we will help to minimise systemic disruption to other essential health services and support CEPIs 100-Days Mission an ambition to develop a vaccine against emerging diseases in as little as 100 days.

Importantly, if we truly want to avoid a repeat of human suffering on the scale seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, we now must face the bigger task of building resilient and sustainable health systems equipped for future crises. We have to develop strategies that support timely diagnosis and care in the face of disruption, and fund healthcare systems that allow for stable and effective workforce planning even as they have to grow in line with population demand.

Public-private partnerships, brought to the fore during the pandemic, will be central to achieving this. A partnership-driven approach that considers lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the Partnership for Health System Sustainability and Resilience (PHSSR), can help to strengthen global health system resilience. Ongoing cross-sector action will be essential if we want to ensure health systems can better withstand future crises.

Im optimistic that the lessons weve learned during the pandemic will help us fight the next one more effectively ensuring greater global health equity, protecting vulnerable populations and creating a fairer and healthier future. And lets be clear: we must not fail, because we all have a pledge to fulfil that no one is left behind.

Written by

Iskra Reic, Executive Vice-President, Vaccines and Immune Therapies Unit, AstraZeneca

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

More here:

Leaving no one behind in the wake of COVID-19 - World Economic Forum

Lawrence County reported 80 new cases of COVID-19 in the week of May 13-19, along with five hospitalizations.

The figure represents a continued rise over the past few weeks and from the prior week, when 66 new cases were reported.

The county now ranks 14th of the states 88 counties for new cases of the virus.

The Lawrence County Health Department has scheduled vaccine clinics for this week, as follows:

Today 1-6 p.m., Lawrence County Health Department, 2122 S. 8th St., Ironton

Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Lawrence County Health Department, 2122 S. Eighth St., Ironton

Initial doses and booster shots are provided. Vaccines are also available at most pharmacies. For more information, call 740-532-3962. Booster doses are available for those 12 years of age and older who are eligible.

Those coming for a second dose or a booster dose are asked to bring their vaccine card to the clinic with them. Those seeking a vaccine are also asked to bring a copy of their insurance card for the administration fee. No one will be charged out-of-pocket, and no one will be denied a vaccine if uninsured.

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COVID-19 vaccine clinics scheduled for week - The Tribune | The Tribune - Ironton Tribune

For Tatiana Swedek, the revelation came on a second date in September: The man she was seeing wasnt vaccinated against COVID-19.

He told her he just hadnt gotten around to making an appointment, she said.

A few days later, after going with him to get his first shot, she called it off with a long text message, which included her sincere hope that he return for his second dose.

Now, she said she screens all her potential dates in advance, asking them directly if theyre fully vaccinated. To her, she said, the seemingly simple question reveals a lot.

Are they empathetic toward other people? Do they not only care about their own health and living their own lives but also about other people who may have weak immune systems? the 28-year-old Fishtown resident said. If youre not going to do that for yourself or for others, we dont really have the same values.

As society adapts to life with COVID-19, vaccination status as well as attitudes toward the pandemic in general has become a common dating deal breaker. But not as much for reasons of personal safety or risk as they were once. According to matchmakers, dating coaches, and everyday people like Swedek, vaccination status can determine moral compatibility.

The majority of our clients are vaccinated and feel strongly about dating someone whos also vaccinated, said Erika Kaplan, vice president of membership for the matchmaking service Three Day Rule, which works with hundreds of Philadelphia singles. Its less about fear and risk of contracting COVID, but more about someone who shares their values around science.

READ MORE: Two weeks, one map, two COVID landscapes: Where Pa. and N.J. stand

Across the country, about 41% of daters say they would not consider dating someone who is unvaccinated, while just over half say it wouldnt matter to them, according to a Pew Research poll released in early April. Only 2% report that they would only date an unvaccinated person.

But in a city like Philadelphia, where 70% of residents are fully vaccinated, it is likely that a larger percentage of singles only want to date someone who is vaccinated, Kaplan said.

Meanwhile across the region, including in the suburbs of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the importance of vaccination status differs by age, said matchmaker and dating coach Kristi D. Price, who also has some clients in Florida.

About half of her clients in their 20s and 30s are vaccinated, Price said, with some requiring that of potential partners and others having a more laissez-faire attitude. Meanwhile, nearly all of her clients above 40 have gotten their shots, she said, and they definitely want that in a match, too.

Many of my clients, they feel if someone is not vaccinated, theyre doing a social disservice, she said.

Julie Omole, owner of Eli Simone, a matchmaking service primarily for Black women in the mid-Atlantic and South said the majority of her clients are are vaccinated and want to date someone who also is immunized.

Its now become more of a political lean than anything else, she said. Its kind of like [someone] saying, Im a Republican, when youre trying to date a Democrat.

Sometimes, shared values around COVID-19 vaccination and precautions can actually be the spark that starts a romance.

Thats what happened for Brian Sparks and Amy Beal, both 37, after they matched on the app Hinge in late 2020.

I actually think in his dating profile, he stated something like, You should be taking this pandemic seriously, Beal said. I was like, 1. Hes cute and 2. Yes! I like that.

That was pretty great, she said with a laugh.

Concern about COVID-19 was of special importance for Beal, who has a health condition that could make her more susceptible to complications from the virus.

When vaccines became available a few months into their relationship, Beal was able to get a shot early due to her health condition, while Sparks drove four hours to western Pennsylvania to get vaccinated as soon as he was eligible.

Now, the pair he a product manager for Virtex and she an office manager for Aramark are traveling the country together while working remotely.

They are glad, they said, that they waited to meet someone who shared the same values as them.

Neither one of us were interested in meeting anyone who wasnt taking it seriously, Sparks said. We viewed it as kind of a duty of citizenship, taking care of your fellow human. Anybody who didnt have the empathy to do their part to end the pandemic, it revealed such a character flaw that we just werent interested.

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COVID-19 vaccination status is now a deal breaker for singles but not because theyre afraid of getting sick - The Philadelphia Inquirer

Alex Jones, the founder of Infowars and seller of supplements, is now suggesting that Covid-19 ... [+] vaccines are behind the monkeypox outbreak. (Photo by Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

Well, it was only a matter of time before someone started blaming the Covid-19 vaccines for the current ongoing monkeypox outbreak. After all, since early 2021, seemingly every time a new health problem has reached the news, some politicians, TV personalities, and anonymous social media accounts have tried to link the new problem back to the Covid-19 vaccines. For example, on May 1, I covered for Forbes how some folks were trying to connect the hepatitis outbreak among children to Covid-19 vaccination. They were doing this despite the minor detail that many of these children didnt even receive Covid-19 vaccines.

So what Alex Jones tried to do on a recent episode of his InfoWars show shouldnt have come as a surprise. Jones, who by the way is not medical doctor or other type of scientist yet has peddled supplements and other health products, tried to somehow connect the monkeypox outbreak with Astra-Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) Covid-19 vaccines. If youve been Jonesing for a clip of this moment in Joness InfoWars show, Florida lawyer Ron Filipkowski provided one with the following tweet:

As you can see, Joness primary argument was that the monkeypox outbreak has been affecting the same countries where people have been receiving the Astra-Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccines. Of course, that aint too compelling an argument. A lot has been going on in the 12 countries that have had monkeypox cases so far, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). For example, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, U.K., and the U.S. all have places that serve hot dogs as well. Yet, frankly, you dont seem to hear anyone wondering whether hot dogs may be the source of the monkeypox outbreak.

Jones went on to claim that these two Covid-19 vaccines are virus vectors that inject the genome of a chimpanzee in to your cells and then orders your cells to replicate under those orders. Umm, that would be correct except for the fact that it is completely wrong. As Peter Hotez, MD, PhD, Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine, pointed out in the following tweets, Jones seemed to be injecting quite a lot of what-the-bleep into his InfoWars segment:

Hotez emphasized that the J&J vaccine doesnt even use a chimpanzee adenovirus as Jones claimed and instead uses a human adenovirus. Both vaccines use non-replicating adenoviruses, meaning viruses that are not able to reproduce. Oh, and they dont inject the genome of a chimpanzee in to your cells, as Jones claimed.

In fact, Jones seemed to be monkeying around way too much. As I described on May 8 for Forbes, despite its name, monkeypox really doesnt have a whole lot to do with monkeys. As Hotez explained, the monkeypox name came from the fact that the virus which causes monkeypox was first found in 1958 in a NHP, which stands for non-human primate and not no hot dogs please. Although this virus can infect monkeys, it mainly circulates among rodents. And the virus certainly wont turn you into a monkey should you get infected.

So, why is Jones trying to find another cause for the monkeypox outbreak when the real cause is already pretty darn clear? The culprit is a double-stranded DNA virus thats part of the Orthopoxvirus genus and the Poxviridae family. This is by no means a mystery virus. Scientists have known that this virus can cause monkeypox ever since the early 1970s, or over 1600 Scaramuccis ago.

Plus, Joness argument breaks down further when you realize that not everyone affected by the monkeypox outbreak even received the AstraZeneca or J&J Covid-19 vaccines. For example, heres what Forbes contributor Vicky Forster, PhD, tweeted a monkeypox case in the U.K.:

This is shoddy conspiracy theory work. Again, if you are going to spread a conspiracy theory, try to tie up loose ends first. At least make sure first that everyone affected by the outbreak actually got the Covid-19 vaccines.

Not surprisingly, scientific facts have not prevented various social media accounts, many of which are anonymous, from attempting to spread this Covid-19-vaccine-causing-the-monkeypox-outbreak conspiracy theory. For example, an account calling itself TruthSeek tried to suggest that bullous pemphigoid, a very rare potential side effect of the Covid-19 vaccines, is something very like monkeypox:

From Twitter

Umm, first of all, beware of anything or anyone that tries to call itself Truth-something these days. Isnt that a bit like someone choosing sexy or beautiful as a nickname on a dating site? You probably arent going to say, oh, that person must be sexy. If you claim that you want to seek the truth, at least identify who you truly are.

Secondly, any attempt to suggest that bullous pemphigoid and monkeypox are the same thing would be full of lesions. The two are not like each other. Bullous pemphigoid is an autoimmune skin condition that results in large, fluid-filled blisters that tend to develop on crease on your skin on your lower abdomen, upper thighs and armpits. Equating bullous pemphigoid with monkeypox simply because the latter may have fluid-filled lesions at some point would be like equating acne with monkeypox simply because the latter may have pus-filled lesions at some point. Youd have a lot of freaked out teenagers if you were to announce that having any lesions with pus means a monkeypox diagnosis. The lesions of monkeypox, bullous pemphigoid, and acne are all very different in their appearance, configuration, progression, and associated symptoms, although all three might impact your chances of getting a prom date.

Over the years, Jones certainly has promoted his share of conspiracy theories. As I covered for Forbes back in 2018, these conspiracy theories have included claims that the Sandy Hook mass shooting was staged, that vaccines cause autism, and that the government has been using chemicals to turn people and frogs gay (because, why not, right?) In fact, the spread-conspiracy-theories-without-providing-any-real-evidence thing has become quite a commonly-used trope by not only Jones but many others as well. So has the blame-everything-on-Covid-19-vaccines trope ever since the Covid-19 vaccines came out in late 2020. Therefore, get ready for even more monkeypox business from anti-vaxxers and other pseudoscience folks in the coming week or so.

Full coverage and live updates on the Coronavirus

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Alex Jones Unfounded Claims That Monkeypox Outbreak Due To Covid-19 Vaccines - Forbes

Pfizer will submit new data to the FDA this week about trials of its vaccine for kids younger than 5 years old. Here, a girl holds her sister's hand as a nurse prepares to administer the COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Los Angeles. Kids 5 and older have been eligible for the vaccine since last November. Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Pfizer will submit new data to the FDA this week about trials of its vaccine for kids younger than 5 years old. Here, a girl holds her sister's hand as a nurse prepares to administer the COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Los Angeles. Kids 5 and older have been eligible for the vaccine since last November.

A third pediatric dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children 6 months to under 5 years of age prompted a strong immune response, with a safety profile that was similar to placebo, the companies said.

Pfizer's pediatric COVID-19 vaccine has an efficacy of 80.3%, according to a preliminary analysis, and meets "all immunobridging criteria required for Emergency Use Authorization," the company said Monday. The results are based on clinical trials in which kids from six months to age 5 got three doses of the company's vaccine.

Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, plan to submit the new data to the Food and Drug Administration this week, bringing families with young children one step closer to a long-awaited vaccine.

Also on Monday, the FDA updated the schedule for its vaccine advisory committee, saying it will meet to discuss pediatric COVID-19 vaccines on June 15.

The size of Pfizer's pediatric dose is one-tenth of its adult dose. The company had originally tested a two-dose regimen, but mixed results prompted Pfizer to test a three-dose regimen.

The third dose was "well tolerated among 1,678 children under 5 years of age with a safety profile similar to placebo," Pfzier said as it announced the news.

Kids in the trial received the third shot at least two months after their second dose, the company said, adding that at the time of the vaccine trial, omicron had become the predominant COVID-19variant in the U.S.

Pfizer announced its findings two weeks before what had been FDA's earliest date for to start the review process for young kids' vaccines. The agency had set aside three dates in June for its independent advisory panel to meet and discuss pediatric vaccines: June 8, 21 and 22.

But the FDA updated that schedule on Monday, saying the influential Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, or VRBPAC, now plans to meet on June 15 to discuss vaccinations for kids as young as 6 months.

The VRBPAC will consider applications from both of the makers of the most common COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S.: Moderna asked the FDA last month to authorize a low-dose form of its vaccine for younger children.

Kids from ages 5 to 11 have been eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine since last November. For hints about when younger kids might be able to receive the vaccines, here's a look at how that earlier process played out:

Oct. 7: Pfizer formally asked the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization of its vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, after saying it was found to be safe and effective;

Oct. 22: The FDA released the companies' briefing documents, as well as its own analysis;

Oct. 26: FDA advisory panel recommended Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11

Nov. 2: The CDC recommended Pfizer's vaccine for the age group; it becomes widely available within one week afterward.

If the VRBPAC agrees with Pfizer's findings and that timeframe is repeated, it's possible that toddlers, preschoolers and new kindergarteners could be eligible to receive the vaccine within the first weeks of the summer.

More:

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine: when could little kids get the vaccine? - NPR

A research study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that people whose immunity against COVID-19 from the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine waned less tended to have lower body weight. Another way of putting it is that people with a lower body mass index (BMI) tended to maintain immunity against COVID-19 longer.

The research included 50 South Korean young adult healthcare workers. They received two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, and none were previously infected with COVID-19. 80% of the participants were female. Blood was collected at two, four and six months after the second shot of the vaccine.

All of the participants anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels stayed high for two months, with a median level of 93%, and four months, with a median of 91.5%. The levels began to drop at six months, with a median of 84.5%. They found that antibody levels were inversely related to body mass index (BMI).

According to the study, for adults who weighed 55 kilograms (122 lbs) or less, the anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific were higher at two, four and six months after the second vaccine. In further analysis, higher BMI was linked to a 4% to 5% decrease in anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

The negative association of body weight with antibody response after SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination suggests that individuals with overweight [sic] may have less immunity with a fixed-dose vaccine, but it is difficult to generalize because of the small sample size, the authors wrote.

The study did not find direct variations based on sex, drinking status, use of an antipyretic (to bring a fever down), chronic disease or use of vitamin supplements. Because the study involved 80% women, they ran a specific analysis on sex. The researchers found that every standard deviation increase in body weight was associated with a drop in anti-SARS-COV-2 antibody levels at six months in 5.6% of women in the study.

However, they also found the correlation between BMI was less strong, suggesting that the lower immunogenicity may be more associated with total mass. This suggests that lower antibody response in individuals with greater bodyweight could be associated with underdosing rather than with a metabolic difference in young and middle-aged healthy adults.

Although this small study focused specifically on waning immunity and BMI, immunity appears to be more focused on total body mass as opposed to BMI. A much larger study published in The Lancet in April 2022 by researchers out of Kings College London found that vaccine effectiveness waned after the second dose the most in people 55 years or older with comorbidities, including obesity.

That study evaluated data from 620,793 people who received two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines. It also included unvaccinated cohorts and looked at how vaccine boosters improved efficacy.

The authors wrote, After five months, vaccine effectiveness remained high among individuals younger than 55 years. Booster doses restore vaccine effectiveness. Adverse reactions after booster doses were similar to those after the second dose.

From early in the COVID-19 pandemic, obesity has been associated with a higher risk of severe COVID-19. The predominant theory is that obesity is known to have an impact on the immune system, with an increased state of constant inflammation, altered blood cell counts and higher proinflammatory proteins in circulation. It also can decrease lung capacity.

A 2022 study published in BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health conducted a meta-survey of 208 studies with 3,550,997 participants from over 32 countries. The research found that being overweight was associated with an increased risk of COVID-19-related hospitalizations, but not death. But patients with obesity were at increased risk of both COVID-19-related hospitalizations and death. Similarly, patients with extreme obesity were at increased risk of COVID-19-related hospitalizations and death.

Read more:

Study: Lower Body Weight Related to Longer-Lasting COVID-19 Vaccine Immunity - BioSpace

Three Air Force Academy cadets may very well have sacrificed their military careers and may have to repay the U.S. government for their education after refusing to get vaccinated for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

While the cadets will receive bachelors degrees when they graduate from the Air Force Academy on Wednesday, they will not be commissioned as long as they remain unvaccinated, Lolita Baldor of the Associated Press first reported.

A decision to reimburse the United States for education costs in lieu of service will be made by the Secretary of the Air Force, the Air Force Academy announced in a May 21 news release.

While the cost of an Air Force Academy education varies for each cadet, the total cost of tuition can run between $160,000 to $200,000, depending on overseas travel, advanced training experiences, and other factors.

Theres a formal paperwork process that is followed before the Secretary will make a determination on whether or not to recoup the cost when a cadet does not commission, an Air Force official told Task & Purpose. That process is still pending.

A fourth cadet had initially refused to be vaccinated for Covid-19, but he changed his mind and will be commissioned along with the rest of his graduating class, said Air Force Academy spokesman Dean Miller. Located in Colorado Springs, the Air Force Academy is one of the three service academies where students receive a college education paid for by the U.S. government and then accept a commission to serve as an officer in their respective branch.

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While its not too late for the other three cadets to get still vaccinated, its an open question as to whether they could participate in Wednesdays graduation.

Cadets are eligible to commission once they receive their first dose and commit to completing the series. Determining what events a cadet may be able to participate in on Graduation Day depends on when the Superintendent is notified that a cadet took their first dose and committed to the full series. Considering that the Class of 2022 held their practice over the weekend, there may be logistical challenges as the ceremony nears. A discharge decision will not happen prior to Aug 1, 2022.

Covid-19 vaccines were initially voluntary for U.S. troops because the available vaccines had been approved for emergency use only. The Pentagon required all service members to get vaccinated in August 2021, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine. The FDA fully approved a second vaccine made by Moderna in January.

Since the Covid-19 vaccine has become mandatory, troops who refuse to get vaccinated and do not have an approved religious, administrative, or medical exemption risk being kicked out of the service.

Enlisted airmen are subject to the same Covid-19 vaccine mandate as Air Force Academy Cadets and officers. Since October 2021, all Air Force trainees have been briefed on the consequences for refusing to get vaccinated for Covid-19 and they have also been obligated to sign a memorandum stating they understand that they will be required to take the Covid-19 vaccine and other inoculations when they join the service, Air Force spokeswoman Rose Riley told Task & Purpose.

If they refused the Covid-19 vaccine, their squadron commander issued a written order stating they must receive the vaccination, Riley said. If they refused a second time, meaning they had now disobeyed an order twice, they were processed for an entry level separation.

Depending on where they are stationed in the world, U.S. service members can be required to take up to nearly 20 vaccinations. But the Defense Departments Covid-19 vaccine mandate has spawned a tidal wave of disinformation as well as a fierce debate about service members religious and political freedoms.

All the military branches have encountered resistance from service members including Navy SEALs with varying reasons for why they oppose getting vaccinated for Covid-19.

As of May 16, the Department of the Air Force has separated 383 service members for not getting vaccinated for Covid-19, according to the services website. The Air Force has approved just 66 requests for religious exemptions from getting vaccinated. Another 6,003 religious exemption requests have been denied, and 2,358 requests are pending.

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Air Force Academy grads may have to repay $200,000 tuition after refusing Covid-19 vaccine - Task & Purpose

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Pfizer says its COVID-19 vaccine produces a strong immune response in kids under 5 - HealthLeaders Media