Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news.
As the omicron variant of COVID-19 threatens to fuel another surge of infections this winter, the states vaccination data shows demand for booster shots has outpaced the demand for first doses of the vaccine in the last few months even as millions of Texans remain unvaccinated.
The average number of people getting boosters in Texas every day has surpassed those getting their first shots since late September, according to the states data. As of Dec. 21, the daily average of Texans who received their booster shots over the last week was about 52,000 compared with the approximately 20,000 who received their first doses.
So far this month, at least 1.2 million Texans have gotten booster shots nearly triple the number of people who received their first doses of the vaccine during the same time.
Meanwhile, the number of people getting their first shot of the vaccine over the last few months has remained far below people getting boosters, though the rate of first shots slightly increased in November and December.
The rush for the fully vaccinated to get boosted comes at a time when hospitals and medical experts are bracing for a surge in cases amid the rapid spread of the omicron variant and Texans are having to alter their plans as COVID-19 looms large over the holiday season for a second year in a row. More than 50% of Texans are fully vaccinated, and nearly 15% have received their booster shots. Booster rates remain low across the country, but even so, Texas ranks in the bottom 10 states.
In Texas, counties along the border and major metro areas have higher vaccination and booster rates compared with other parts of the state.
Getting a booster shot helps to combat the virus tendency to evolve and variants that evade immune response, said Dr. Jason Bowling, an infectious disease specialist at University of Texas Health San Antonio. It also can help reduce the risk of having severe symptoms or being hospitalized.
The idea with this booster is really to bump up your protection better to account for the mutations that allow this variant to get around it, Bowling said.
Booster rates have gone up as the Food and Drug Administration has gradually authorized their use among different age groups. Adults 18 and older are allowed to get booster shots, and this month, the FDA authorized emergency use for 16- and 17-year-olds who had the Pfizer vaccine as their initial two-dose treatment, making them eligible to receive the same vaccine as a booster.
Meanwhile, the amount of people getting their first vaccine doses has waned in the last few months as vaccines have become more widely available and more people take the next steps in their vaccination regime. The states data shows a slight bump in first doses in November as Thanksgiving approached.
Even so, 10 million Texans remain unvaccinated.
And while there isnt one specific reason why first-dose rates lag behind booster shots, Dr. Emily Briggs, who specializes in family medicine and has seen the split in the demand for the vaccine from a private practice in New Braunfels, largely credits ideology.
We are at that point of anybody who believes in science acknowledges that we have had benefit from this vaccine. Those who are politically motivated or have been given fear and are focused on that fear are not vaccinated, she said.
Briggs said many in her community are highly motivated to get the booster including people over 65 years old, schoolteachers or residents who work in crowded places where exposure is high but others are still hesitant to do so.
Bowling said although he feels messages are reaching residents about getting vaccinated, hes unsure if people are heeding the call about boosters like they did when vaccines first became available partially due to pandemic fatigue and the frequency in which vaccine guidance seems to change.
Initially it was no vaccine versus getting a vaccine. So obviously that drew a lot of interest. ... There were a lot of initial people going to get vaccinated at first, Bowling said. Its harder to get excited about the boosters, although theyre also extremely important.
Among the unvaccinated, Briggs said, some have been motivated by the predicted holiday surge in infections to get their first shots, but she lamented that for some the motivation has already come too late.
The motivation comes once the persons in the hospital or they have a family member whos in the ICU, and thats well past the time, Briggs said. We wanted them to be able to protect themselves and their family long before it came to that.
Local government and public health officials across the state have been asking residents to take precautionary measures as they travel and gather ahead of the Christmas holiday, calling on them to get tested and vaccinated. Gov. Greg Abbott has continued to take on an approach of personal responsibility toward vaccination while promoting therapeutic infusion centers and vaccines as the best defense against COVID-19. He has staunchly opposed vaccine mandates.
In Dallas County, the health and human services department is doubling down its efforts to get the message out about vaccines, spokesperson Christian Grisales said. Strategies like going door to door and conducting block walks have enabled officials to engage in dialogue with residents and counter distrust and misinformation about vaccines, he said. Vaccination and booster rates in Dallas County closely mirror state-level numbers.
Although residents continue to get vaccinated, one problem that has emerged is that residents are getting their first shots of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine but not returning for the second ones, Grisales said.
Dr. Anita Kurian, assistant director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, said the city has engaged with residents about vaccination rates by deploying an army of community health workers who spend almost every day doing outreach, particularly in areas that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19. The health district also organizes town hall discussions about COVID-19 and tries to reach out to residents virtually through social media and influencers, Kurian said. In Bexar County, about 60% of residents are fully vaccinated, and nearly 17% have received their boosters.
With the onset of the omicron variant, Kurian said, now is the time to get boosted and mitigate exposure by masking, social distancing and asking about the vaccination status of others in your immediate environment.
It is going to surge here, so its inevitable, Kurian said of the new variant.
Continue reading here:
Omicron in Texas: COVID-19 vaccine boosters outpace first vaccine shots - The Texas Tribune
Mayor Bill de Blasio at a news conference last week in Prospect Park, Brooklyn. He announced on Thursday that the Times Square celebration would go on, but with far fewer spectators.Credit...Dave Sanders for The New York Times
New York City will scale back the Times Square New Years Eve celebration as the Omicron variant spreads, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Thursday, the same day New York state reported its highest recorded daily coronavirus case total ever.
The mayor added that officials were still monitoring the situation and could take additional precautions in the coming days, if needed.
As of now, attendees will be required to show proof of full vaccination and wear masks. Fewer people 15,000, instead of the usual 58,000 will be allowed in designated viewing areas, to make social distancing more possible. Visitors will not be allowed in until about 3 p.m., later than past years.
The number of cases in the city reported over the past week is the highest since the start of the pandemic, though testing was severely limited in its early days.
Nearly 39,000 new cases were reported statewide on Thursday, about 10,000 more than on Wednesday, with nearly 23,000 of them in New York City. More than 60 percent of cases reported by New York State to the genetic tracking database GISAID in the last two weeks were of the Omicron variant, according to the governors office.
The citys seven-day average test positivity rate was 11 percent as of Tuesday, and there were hourslong waits for tests at many sites around the city.
Also, Thursday the band Phish, which regularly plays New Years Eve concerts at Madison Square Garden, postponed its upcoming run of shows, including a three-set performance originally planned for New Years Eve.
A short while before making the Times Square announcement, at an unrelated event in Park Slope, Mr. de Blasio insisted that the rise in virus cases would subside soon and that shutdowns were not necessary. He said the citys strategy of incentivizing vaccines and boosters and implementing strict vaccine mandates would suffice.
Its going to be a tough few weeks, but it will only be a few weeks, he said, adding, We are not falling back. Were going to fight our way through this.
Health experts were divided about the New Years Eve decision. Denis Nash, a professor of epidemiology at the CUNY School of Public Health, said that he did not think it was a good idea to hold the event.
Were in the middle of a pandemic with a big surge of a new variant whose risk were still really understanding, and I dont think we want to let it amplify, he said.
He added that he was concerned that people visiting New York from other states and countries could pick up the variant and bring it home with them.
Since New York is a global city and connected to everywhere, we have to be thinking about those places too, Dr. Nash said.
But Ashish K. Jha, dean of the Brown University School of Public Health, said that he was really pleased that the mayor chose not to cancel, noting the vaccine mandate and adding that the virus generally does not transmit efficiently outdoors.
The whole country watches this, so I think psychologically its very important for the country to have a sense that we can do these things again and that we can do them safely, Dr. Jha said.
The city said Thursday that spectators over 5 years old must have received both doses, if applicable, of an F.D.A. or World Health Organization-approved vaccine at least 14 days before Dec. 31.
The ball drop will take place on Mr. de Blasios last day in office, marking the end of his eight-year tenure. Mayor-elect Eric Adams said in a statement on Thursday that Mr. de Blasio made the right move to take precautionary measures as we learn to live with Covid and fight the Omicron variant.
Tom Harris, president of the Times Square Alliance, said the 15,000 number referred specifically to people who would be allowed into viewing pens. The pens will be reduced in number and will only be filled to about 25 percent capacity, he said.
A greater number of people generally watch the ball drop from the surrounding area, including from hotels, restaurants and office buildings.
Were really excited about welcoming revelers back, he said. Safety is our priority and we feel an outdoor event with fully vaccinated, masked people in a less dense environment is about as safe as we could get.
Grace Ashford contributed reporting.
Original post:
Covid and Omicron Latest News: Live Updates - The New York Times
For Kristen Cole, waiting for both of those signatures meant that for more than a month, she could not schedule a vaccination appointment for her two young children, who are in her foster care. The kids became eligible for the vaccine in early November, along with all other five to 11-year-olds. Cole, who has cared for the children for more than two years, desperately wanted them to be vaccinated. But while one biological parent had signed off on it, the other had not responded to the request for authorization. (Cole requested that the childrens names and identifying information be withheld, to protect their identities.)
Originally posted here:
The new law makes the falsification of cards a misdemeanor and creates a new felony of "computer tampering in the third degree for intentional entering, alteration or destruction of 'computer material' regarding COVID-19 vaccine provisions," Gov. Kathy Hochul's office said.The law comes amid a fresh tightening of rules requiring proof of vaccination in cities across the United States -- including New York -- as the Omicron coronavirus variant spreads rapidly ahead of the Christmas holiday.
"Individuals who misrepresent their vaccination history, not only jeopardize their own health, but the health of all those they come into contact with. This legislation ensures that as New York opens up and many businesses choose to rely on checking vaccination status, the falsification of vaccination records will not be tolerated," the release from Hochul's office states.
"The remarkable ease at which it appears that New Yorkers could falsify vaccination records to feign compliance is astonishing. This new law will undoubtedly help prosecutors and other law enforcement hold people accountable for the damage they are doing to public health," state Assembly member Jeffrey Dinowitz said.
"Countless employers, schools, small businesses, and communities are relying on genuine proof of vaccination status," state Sen. Anna Kaplan said. "It's never been more urgent that we protect this process from fraud."
Continue reading here:
New York governor signs bill criminalizing fake Covid-19 vaccination cards - CNN
The U.S. Army has developed a vaccine it says may provide protection against all COVID-19 variants.
The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) developed a 24-sided object to which it attached various protein spikes from coronavirus variants. The vaccine has completed phase 1 trials, but researchers have yet to test it against the omicron variant, an Army spokesman told Fox News.
Researchers received a sample in early 2020 and focused efforts on developing a vaccine that would work against potential variants. Two years later, the initial results show promise.
FILE - Staff Sgt. Travis Snyder, left, receives the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine given at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state, Dec. 16, 2020, south of Seattle. The Army says 98% of its active duty force had gotten at least one dose of the mandatory coronavirus vaccine as of this weeks deadline for the shots. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
The phase 1 human trials commenced April 2021. Scientists hailed the early data as encouraging and will publish final phase 1 study results once they complete the analysis.
COVID-19: KEY STEPS TO TAKE IF YOU TEST POSITIVE
The theory behind the development of the Spike Ferritin Nanoparticle Platform (SpFN) vaccine posits that introducing multiple copies of spike proteins in an "ordered fashion" may prove key to creating a "potent and broad response."
Part of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, DC, USA, circa 1960. (Photo by Harvey Meston/Archive Photos/Getty Images)
"This vaccine stands out in the COVID-19 vaccine landscape," said Dr. Kayvon Modjarrad, director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Brance at WRAIR. "The repetitive and ordered display of the coronavirus spike protein on a multi-faced nanoparticle may stimulate immunity in such a way as to translate into significantly broader protection."
COVID-19: AUSTRIA ADDS RESTRICTIONS TO NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES
Pre-clinical studies published in Science Translational Medicine indicate protection against the original strain of COVID-19 as well as variants that emerged from the original SARS-CoV-1 virus from 2002.
BOSTON, MA - JANUARY 7: An LPN puts away a patient testing kit from behind a plexiglass compartment at a walk-up COVID-19 testing site at a tent on the North Bennet Street alleyway in Boston's North End on Jan. 7, 2021. (Getty Images)
"It's very exciting to get to this point for our entire team and I think for the entire Army as well," Modjarrad told DefenseOne. "With Omicron, there's no way really to escape this virus. You're not going to be able to avoid it. So I think pretty soon either the whole world will be vaccinated or have been infected."
COVID-19 PANDEMIC: CHINA ISSUES LOCKDOWN OF 13 MILLION PEOPLE
One of the chief points of interest concerns how the vaccine interacts with people who have already received a vaccination or had a previous infection.
WRAIR will work with a currently unnamed industry partner for a potential wider rollout, but that rollout likely wont happen for a year, Dr. Marty Makary told Fox News host Shannon Bream.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
"You're getting a lot of different levels of immunity, not just to the spike protein," Makary explained. "It's in phase one clinical trials. They just announced the results. So it's about a year away from being out there."
Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Continue reading here:
Army develops COVID-19 vaccine that may provide protection against all variants - Fox News
Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center is now offering COVID- 19 vaccines to hospital patients prior to their discharge.
Vaccines are available via a physicians order. A parent or guardian must consent for vaccines administered to minors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended that everyone aged 5 and older complete a COVID-19 vaccine series and that everyone eligible also receive a vaccine booster to help prevent serious illness that could lead to hospitalization. Vaccines have been proven to be effective at protecting against severe disease and death from the virus that causes COVID-19.
As we enter our second winter of this pandemic, we are proud to offer this added protection to hospital patients prior to their discharge from Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center, said Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley. Vaccination remains our proven best method to reduce the spread of this deadly pandemic.
Atrium Health Navicent also offers vaccination by appointment at Atrium Health Navicent Primary Care West Macon and Atrium Health Navicent Childrens Care Downtown Macon. Visit COVIDSafeGa.org to schedule an appointment. Vaccine availability is allocated and managed by the state.
While were hopeful that the number of COVID-19 cases locally will remain few, case counts are rising in other areas of the country and many people are making plans to attend gatherings and travel for the holidays. If you havent yet been vaccinated, make an appointment today to protect yourself and your loved ones, said Dr. Patrice Walker, chief medical officer for Atrium Health Navicent.
Atrium Health Navicent physicians encourage the community to continue to practice COVID-safe behaviors including wearing a mask in public, social distancing and frequent handwashing.
Read the original here:
Less than a month ago, the omicron variant, first detected in South Africa, was labeled a variant of concern. Since then, the world has braced for another wave of coronavirus, as Covid-19 is spiking across Europe and, now, the United States.
A lot of these countries particularly the United Kingdom and the United States are pushing aggressive booster campaigns in response. Three shots, rather than two, is becoming the refrain of many public health experts.
Yet the rest of the world is still woefully under-vaccinated. Not just booster shots, but first doses. Close to 60 percent of the worlds population has received at least one shot, according to New York Times data. But its an unequally distributed feat. About two-thirds of those doses have been administered in high or middle-income countries. According to the Africa CDC, only a little more than 8 percent of the continent is fully vaccinated. The One Campaign, an advocacy group, estimates that there are more than eight times as many boosters being given in high-income countries compared to first doses in low-income countries.
Omicron has offered another, if somewhat predictable, hiccup. According to some early data and of course, these things are still evolving omicron is pretty good at evading the two-dose regimen for a lot of the vaccines given worldwide. Vaccination still offers protection from severe illness, and some data suggests severe illness may be less likely with omicron on an individual level. But the mRNA vaccines specifically Moderna and Pfizer coupled with a booster, appear to be the best bets at preventing infection. Most of the world isnt getting those vaccines.
Though theres still a lot scientists dont know about omicron, it is unlikely to be the last variant that emerges from this pandemic. The question is whether omicron will now force the global vaccination campaign to recalibrate, especially if the definition of fully vaccinated begins to evolve from generally two doses, to three.
To get a better sense of the broad challenges, Vox spoke to Wafaa El-Sadr, an expert on infectious diseases and global health at Columbia University. The bottom line: Omicron complicates an already complicated process. And unless the rest of the world acts (and invests) in vaccination, the one truism of the pandemic will persist: Coronavirus spread in one place poses a threat everywhere.
The conversation, edited and condensed for clarity, is below.
Beyond needing to do more, does the emergence of this new omicron variant change the global vaccination picture?
I think it does, in terms of the choice of vaccines. Not only the choice of vaccines, but also the need for booster doses. So it gets even more complicated.
Weve seen data now that are pretty convincing that certainly, getting the third dose, a booster dose is associated with an increase in protective antibodies, as well as evidence of just the clinical protection from just getting sick or dying from Covid-19. And that adds complexities, of course, because now we not only have to make sure that people get the primary regimen of vaccines, but also the third dose, the booster dose.
As you said, so many places are still struggling to deliver the first doses of vaccines. But there is also evidence that vaccines that arent mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) such as Johnson & Johnson, Oxford-AstraZeneca, or Chinas Sinovac and Sinopharm, or Russias Sputnik may not be effective in preventing omicron infections. So do should we even be giving people those vaccines, or is something better than nothing at this juncture?
This complexity with omicron is exactly what youre talking about. Evidence shows that the boosting of mRNA vaccines provides potentially superior protection against omicron. This, of course, complicates the picture even further, because there are lots of other vaccines that are being largely used globally.
Of course, it depends on the magnitude of the strain of omicron. Is this going to dominate in every country all over the world? Or is it going to be mostly the prevailing dominant variant in some countries, but not others? Thats whats going to largely determine what can we do about the use of current vaccines.
Its still sort of wait and see mode. But in terms of increasing access to mRNA vaccines, are there things we could be doing that were not doing to increase their dominance in global vaccination efforts?
There are things that can be done. One is, obviously, to increase the production of these vaccines. That will require substantial investments and resources to be able to scale up production. If theres commitment to doing it, then its quite doable, and I think thats probably the fastest way to get more supply of these mRNA vaccines.
Now, there were also discussions, of course, about, establishing regional hubs for production of these vaccines, and technology transfer, and so on. But I believe that the fastest way to get vaccines into peoples arms is to immediately work hard at increasing the production of the vaccines by expanding factories where theyre currently being produced, or redirecting current factories to be able to do this.
If its going to take resources, where are those resources coming from?
I think it has to be from the wealthy countries of the world. Theres no getting around that. It is also in their self-interest. It has to become the number one priority now. It is going to be incumbent upon wealthy countries to be able to make that happen, especially because of the urgency of the situation.
You mentioned technology transfer. A lot of groups have been advocating for a TRIPS waiver, which would temporarily loosen intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, which would allow other manufacturers to produce vaccines. Where do you see that fitting in?
Its a longer-term strategy, but it definitely should be part of the strategy. It wont get us to the current, immediate needs. The current immediate needs are increased production. But we need to be building regional factories and we need to tackle the issues around patents.
I wonder if you are a clinician in a place where vaccines are in short supply, how do you approach this news that some vaccines might not be as effective against omicron? Or that you might need more doses? What does this do to already challenging, large-scale vaccination efforts?
Were facing the same thing, even in this country. Theres always been this misconception or misperception that getting vaccinated means you are absolutely protected from ever getting infected with SARS-COV-2. That was never the case, from day one.
Weve been struggling with the messaging all along in terms of what do these vaccines do and what they dont. Thats a major issue. We need to have clear messaging and go back to basics and say, these vaccines decrease your risk of getting infection, but it doesnt go down to zero. They certainly decrease your risk of getting very sick and hospitalized, but it doesnt go down to zero, either. But thats been a struggle all along.
I think we dont know I havent seen data say, if youve got an AstraZeneca, for example, and you get a booster with mRNA, would that protect you against Omicron? We dont know that as of yet. In the context of omicron, the data I have seen have been largely people who got Pfizer, and they got a booster from Pfizer, or they got Moderna and got a Moderna booster.
Weve seen other data earlier that showed that, yes, if somebody got Johnson & Johnson and they got an mRNA boost that they did get a pretty robust response. But we dont know whether thats protective against omicron I dont see why not, but we havent seen those experiments. So its possible that for people to receive their primary vaccination with a non-mRNA vaccine, that getting a booster with an mRNA vaccine could offer them protection against omicron. Then the message is not like your vaccination was wasted. Theres waning of immunity and therefore the need for boosting. Having a new variant coming around, that also is the second reason why boosting is important.
I wonder about the infrastructure for the mRNA vaccines extreme cold chains, and the like. Does that remain a challenge if we want to include more mRNA vaccines in the global repertoire?
Thats why I always say that first, its necessary to have those vaccines, but its not sufficient. You have to have the resources, the systems to get the vaccine into peoples arms. You need to have the effective vaccination program, and not just sufficient supply of vaccines. Thats not enough.
I think we have to also put in the resources to help specific countries to be able to do it. That may involve training of the workforce, it may involve messaging communication to make sure that there are no misconceptions or misperceptions about the vaccines; it may include the need for vehicles and gasoline; it may mean the need for refrigerators and freezers. Thats all part and parcel of having an effective vaccination effort.
It does seem as if the global infrastructure failed us on this one. Knowing what we know know, what do we need to put in place now to prepare for the next big one?
There are so many things. How many hours do you have?
When you think back, from day one, this pandemic was politicized. And from that really emanated all the pitfalls and all the sadness weve had, because of the politicization and, as you recall, the antagonism to the World Health Organization, the lack of support to the WHO. Then, again, once your country was purchasing large amounts of vaccines for their own population, [there was a] lack of a global response, incoherence, all the travel restrictions that are popping up right and left without any rhyme or reason.
[There have been] poor investments in vaccine production and vaccine technology; I think we have a chance now with the mRNA technology to do better. We need to do better in terms of overall investments in public health overall, and surveillance systems, in laboratory systems. I feel like [we need] all of these bits and pieces of having strong public health systems to enable rapid and effective response.
See more here:
What does the omicron variant mean for Covid-19 vaccine acess around the world? - Vox.com
After prior data showed that one in four patients with B-cell malignancies did not produce detectable antibodies after receiving their first two doses of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, new findings are more promising for these patients.
In results from a larger pool of data presented at the 63rd ASH Annual Meeting, 43% of the patients (109 out of 245) with blood cancers who did not produce antibodies after being administered their first two doses produced antibodies after receiving a third full dose of the mRNA vaccine.
In addition to that, the balance of the patients from 245 up to 699 those 454 patients that were making some antibodies before, after the third vaccination made a very large amount of antibodies in general, up to the maximum amount of antibodies that the assay is capable of detecting. So, they are well protected, said Lee Greenberger, chief scientific officer of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), in an interview with CURE.
Greenberger also pointed out the important distinction here between a COVID-19 booster and a third dose the patients with blood cancer in this study received a third full strength vaccination dose of whatever mRNA vaccine is available to them, rather than a booster dose.
In particular, patients with a blood cancer received the 100-microgram dose of the Moderna vaccine and not the 50-microgram dose that non-immunosuppressed individuals received in the general population. Patients with a blood cancer who received the third dose of the Pfizer vaccine received the same strength as the general population.
Why Patients With B-Cell Malignancies Produce Fewer Antibodies
The researchers, whose data was reported from the LLS National Patient Registry, included a larger number of patients with B-cell malignancies in the study to analyze this population specifically due to their challenges in producing antibodies to prior COVID-19 vaccine doses.
The reason that these patients typically do not see a stimulation of anti-spike antibodies which block entry of COVID-19 into the cells is because their cancer type or their cancer therapy depletes the immune systems B-cells, and these cells are responsible for making antibodies that fight viruses.
So if you don't have a high number of B-cells, or the functionality is suppressed, they won't make antibodies, Greenberger said. And therefore, if you give (them) a vaccine, you just dont make antibodies.
These types of cancers include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and some of the most common non-Hodgkin lymphomas: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and Waldenstrm macroglobulinemia.
However, in patients with other types of blood cancers, including myeloid forms of leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma, detectable antibody rates ranged from 75% to 100%. These cancer types also typically respond favorably to the first two doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
Certain Cancer Treatments May Affect Antibody Production
Treatments such as Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, CD19 CAR-T cell therapies and anti-CD20 antibody treatments that deplete B-cells may weaken the immune response to the COVID-19 while a patient is on them, or even for several months after therapy is complete.
There is also a component that the disease itself suppresses B-cell function and that also, even patients who don't have any of those therapies may have impaired B-cell responses and fail to make anti-spike antibodies, Greenberger said.
Of the 320 patients with CLL in the study who are commonly treated with these therapies, 65% of patients who did not receive therapy for two years prior to receiving the vaccine were able to produce antibodies after the third dose. Conversely, patients in this population who did receive these therapies in the last two years had less chance of benefit, with just 23% to 41% producing antibodies post-third dose.
On the other hand, patients who received a certain type of antibody infusion as part of their cancer treatment may obtain an added benefit with the COVID-19 vaccine. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) infusion, which is typically given to patients on BTK inhibitors, anti-CD20 antibodies or CAR-T cell treatments to replace the lost antibodies, has an increased level of COVID-19 anti-spike antibodies. The reason for this is that IVIG comes from people who donate blood plasma, and many more of the donors are now either vaccinated or have had COVID-19 and thus their plasma contains antibodies.
The LLS study found that some patients treated with this infusion had unusually high levels of antibodies after receiving the third vaccine dose, even among those who had no antibody production after their first two doses.
Patients Should Continue Protective Strategies, Regardless of Vaccination or Antibody Status
Its important for patients with blood cancer to know, Greenberger stressed, that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for them to receive.
The safety (of the vaccine) is not an issue, he said. You may make anti-spike antibodies to the vaccination, so its important to get them, including the third vaccination.
However, getting the vaccine no matter the dose should not prevent patients from continuing their preventive strategies against the virus.
They should mask up, they should observe distance rules, Greenberger said. And they need to be careful. Particularly patients who have B-cell malignancies, (they) should consider themselves not fully protected, and be careful.
Antibody Cocktails May Help Patients After COVID-19 Exposure
For patients who need to be extra careful about their COVID-19 exposure, Greenberger noted that antibody cocktails may be a helpful option.
Three antibody cocktails and one single antibody are useful to prevent or reduce symptoms of COVID-19 infections. The bamlanivimab and etesevimab antibody cocktail, as well as the casirivimab and indevimab antibody cocktail is used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19.
Both cocktails received additional FDA emergency authorization for use in patients who may be at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19 infections (post-exposure prophylaxis).
The single antibody, Xevudy (sotrovimab), is also FDA-authorized for use in the latter indication.
Recently, the tixagevimab and cilgavimab cocktail received FDA emergency authorization for immunocompromised patients that do not have COVID-19 but are at high risk of poor outcomes if they contract COVID-19 (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
The utility of these antibodies against the Omicron variant is currently under investigation and is likely to be very important in those patients who fail to either make any antibodies or sufficient antibodies after three mRNA vaccinations, according to Greenberger.
In addition, there are studies with fourth vaccinations, he said. Remember that the FDA has basically told patients who are immunosuppressed, after they get the third vaccination, six months later, they should get another vaccination the fourth vaccination, that is an option.
He added that the LLS registry will be following patients who would like to participate and are eligible to receive their fourth dose.
And sometimes it's kind of like starting a car that won't want to start, Greenberger explained. Well, if you try starting it enough, it will eventually start and turn over. And that's what we're hoping for some of these patients who don't make antibodies.
Beyond that, patients who are on therapies with long-lasting B-cell suppressive effects will see these effects eventually time out and their B-cells may be able to start responding to vaccinations again.
For more news on cancer updates, research and education, dont forget tosubscribe to CUREs newsletters here.
Go here to read the rest:
Andrea Arriaga Borges tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19, 2021. The mother of five told KCRA 3 she had no underlying health issues, does not have asthma and does not smoke. Six days later, the Cameron Park woman asked her husband to call 911 when she couldn't breathe or walk. The last thing she remembers is talking to family before being intubated at the hospital."That's all I remember," she said. "And then I was in a coma for two months."Borges had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and a tracheotomy, lost her motor skills and had to re-learn how to walk.She missed one of her daughter's high school graduations."The doctors told my kids and my husband I wasn't going to make it," she said, with tears in her eyes.After four months in multiple hospitals, she said her doctors were shocked by her recovery and ability to be sent home. Borges was not vaccinated when she tested positive for COVID-19."I was against the vaccine," she told KCRA 3. "After going through what I went through, I don't wish that upon anybody."She is now fully vaccinated against the virus. Her four-month battle inspired her husband, children and her friends to get the vaccine as well. "We would never think it would happen to us," Debeie York, Borges' best friend said. "You hear about other people and until it hits close to home, that's when it really sounds the alarm. You go, 'Oh, this is real.'" Borges believes it is a miracle that she will be home with her family for her holidays. She encourages anyone who is unsure or against the vaccine to educate themselves and talk to their doctors."For my own sanity and peace of mind, it just made me feel better to know that at least there's a layer of protection," she said. "I hope that whoever's watching this that is young and healthy, it's not that it won't even happen to you, because it could."
Andrea Arriaga Borges tested positive for COVID-19 on May 19, 2021. The mother of five told KCRA 3 she had no underlying health issues, does not have asthma and does not smoke.
Six days later, the Cameron Park woman asked her husband to call 911 when she couldn't breathe or walk.
The last thing she remembers is talking to family before being intubated at the hospital.
"That's all I remember," she said. "And then I was in a coma for two months."
Borges had to undergo multiple blood transfusions and a tracheotomy, lost her motor skills and had to re-learn how to walk.
She missed one of her daughter's high school graduations.
"The doctors told my kids and my husband I wasn't going to make it," she said, with tears in her eyes.
After four months in multiple hospitals, she said her doctors were shocked by her recovery and ability to be sent home.
Borges was not vaccinated when she tested positive for COVID-19.
"I was against the vaccine," she told KCRA 3. "After going through what I went through, I don't wish that upon anybody."
She is now fully vaccinated against the virus.
Her four-month battle inspired her husband, children and her friends to get the vaccine as well.
"We would never think it would happen to us," Debeie York, Borges' best friend said. "You hear about other people and until it hits close to home, that's when it really sounds the alarm. You go, 'Oh, this is real.'"
Borges believes it is a miracle that she will be home with her family for her holidays.
She encourages anyone who is unsure or against the vaccine to educate themselves and talk to their doctors.
"For my own sanity and peace of mind, it just made me feel better to know that at least there's a layer of protection," she said. "I hope that whoever's watching this that is young and healthy, it's not that it won't even happen to you, because it could."
Read more from the original source:
