TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Thank you, interesting article.

Cheers,
Chris

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

Just something new I thought you all might be interested in.
Please don't comment in this thread about it though - comment in the new topic below
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-678348-1.html#11835173

ricardo00

Yep the valuation of Moderna is sky high. And don't really want to quibble about it, but to put this in perspective, Pfizer, which is the largest pharmaceutical company in the world, has annual revenues of $51 billion dollars, about the size of todays valuation of Moderna ($53 billion, it has gone down since the Wikipedia article). Moderna (which is only 10 years old) has no profits and annual sales of a few hundred million dollars (which will be much higher now, assuming its vaccine is approved ). I would be shocked to see Moderna in a list of companies considered as Big Pharma. You might also be interested to know that Moderna even had to outsource the production of the vaccine to a much larger Swiss company, Lonza, which by the way, has a smaller valuation than Moderna.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

I will be honored to receive either one of the two current FDA approved vaccines if for nothing else to hopefully assist in develop immunity in order to free up precious ICU beds for others not so fortunate...

My long time colleague whom I tutored for the past four years on her journey through nursing school then on to pass her NCLEX-RN exam in mid January of this year... She was hired immediately after becoming an RN likely because she had the highest grade point in her class also likely because her physical strength and endurance a result of performing as a ballerina for many years . She started out as an ICU nurse in her hospital's Covid-19 ward (a very rare path indeed since ICU nurses typically come from an initial tour in the ER or Critical Care).

However she is gifted beyond words... in her first weeks on the ICU Covid-19 ward she struggled valiantly with the herculean task of managing a myriad of ventilator controls... There is a vast complexity of keeping blood gasses in check (acidosis/alkalosis through an A-line monitoring)... Keep in mind when the ventilator takes over for a person they are oft on paralytics and sedated... This results in "real-line" crisis management with zero margin of error. It is not ventilators that are in short supply but rather highly experience personal to operate them... ICU Nurses are now being pushed into service as respiratory therapist... their stress load is tremendous... think about this, they have to prone (place ventral side down, dorsal side up) 300+lb patients and move them back again several times a day! These patients are intubated, sedated, paralyzed and breathing through a tracheal tube.

Below is one of her rare social media post just after starting in the ICU covid19 ward... it says it all.
Please put your paranoia and cowardly concerns aside and maybe just for once follow the pleas of our medical professionals. Altruism isn't just another acronym or label... it is what heroes are made of...

Save one life you are a Hero... Save one hundred lives you are a nurse!
.

An ICU nurse in her hospital's Covid-19 ward at the end of a 12 hour shift in full PPE

(Download)

Dossile

Nurses, and many, many other health care professionals, have been amazing during this entire ordeal. Unfortunately it is a marathon and we are heading uphill still with 10 miles to go. I hope everyone will show their appreciation to those putting their lives on the line by wearing a mask, keeping social gatherings to a minimum and social distancing and bending the infection rate curve downward. The vaccines are obviously not magic wands, but they will save hundreds of thousands of lives.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

👍👍 Thank you Thomas for putting this such eloquent perspective (my wife is an RN).

srg

Dossile

Received the vaccine this morning. No aches, a little odd light headedness for an hour or two. No big deal so far. It didn’t even hurt going into my left shoulder. We’ll see what the second dose brings next month.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

Pfizer or Moderna ?
If you shine an ultraviolet light on the injection site, does it glow ??
{ Just kidding - - Ref Luciferin wild rumors }

Dossile

Pfizer is the only one available right now, Moderna will be out next week.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

I hope #2 goes as easy as #1.
Unless delayed past Feb/March, I think I'll try to wait for the J&J vaccine.
I've been spared from one close encounter with Covid (daughter & SIL caught it - Wife & I tested neg)
Perhaps it's due to the MMR-II I took 3 weeks prior - - perhaps just dumb luck.
Although I am an elderly physician, and Wife is a nurse, both of us are retired - so will wait our turn for vaccine.

ricardo00

Not to dissuade you from waiting for the J&J vaccine, but what is your logic? It is only a single shot which for almost every immunization I know of, gives less of a response. And the J&J vaccine uses a stripped adenovirus to deliver the sequence for making the COVID-19 protein (same as the Astra Zeneca and Chinese vaccines). The adenovirus is often recognized and attacked (it is often the virus that causes cold like symptoms) and hence less efficient. Although it is an "old technique" (we used it many years ago to express foreign proteins in cells), as far as I know, no vaccines for humans uses this technology. And finally, how can one beat the 95% protection afforded by the two mRNA vaccines that are now approved?

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

The mail is still out on the long-term effects of the Pfizer & Moderna mRNA methods while the J&J method seems less controverisal. I have taken the MMR-II booster (which MAY be protective for many years - as long as the mumps titers persist), and am aware of current thoughts regarding use of Invermectin should I become ill with Covid-19 - again may be a crap-shoot, BUT seems to have some horsepower behind it. Although I certainly might jump back on the Pfizer / Moderna bandwagon - I'm currently comfortable with a watchful waiting approach regarding the vaccine candidates.

Dossile

I just came across your quote and realize that you are stating what you have heard. I am well aware of the often misquoted studies on masks. Good studies overwhelmingly show that uniform extensive mask wearing is beneficial from a public health standpoint in preventing spread. Period. From a medical standpoint, arguing that masks are not helpful in preventing COVID spread is the scientific and moral equivalent of suggesting that routinely driving through red lights in a dump truck is OK because personally you are unlikely to have an increased risk of harm when compared to stopping at the intersection. You might not have benefit from wearing a mask, but My family certainly will be at a lower risk when you and everyone else wears a mask. If you negligently put my family at risk by driving through red lights, you can bet I’ll get upset. Same with not wearing a mask. You have every right to put yourself at risk by not getting vaccinated, so it is looked at differently.

Currently, most spread occurs when masks are off in small groups of family and friends or with prolonged exposure in tight spaces even with masks. No one will be happier than me when the masks are put on a shelf: I’ve been using an N95 mask all day 5-6 days a week since March. Hateful things, but I made it to get vaccinated.

Having said all this, I don’t agree with the heavy handed bans. Outdoor spread is unlikely as is spread when masked individuals are spaced in well ventilated areas, like stores and churches.

If you are not getting vaccinated, please be careful. COVID is not a bad infection, unless it is. Then it is utterly devastating. I hope you and yours stay safe and has a nice holiday season.