Good News Thread Number 4. Because that positivity just keeps on coming!

[FuzzyPuffling]

Here it is....number four thread of science and positivity!

@EngineeringFix

True that there is no evidence on transmission. However I was listening to TWIV podcast ( far too much time on my hands at the minute!) by virologists and they were saying that they aren't particularly expecting them to be "sterilising" vaccines as it's not what these vaccines are designed for and is unusual to achieve.

I have done a little bit of reading about it, and I believe that scientists are more hopeful that the Novavax vaccine could have sterilising properties. This is currently in Phase 3 trials in the UK and is recruiting for Phase 3 trials in the US.

I heard two elderly people behind me the other day in the queue in the supermarket (still no sign of people thinking they should come in singly so we were all out in the rain waiting to go in!) saying that could meet up with friends once they have both had the jabs and wasnt it a shame that they had to wait for the 2nd one!

I think that as people are vaccinated they will begin to mix and think that they are ok to do so.
This worries me. I am just the wrong side of 50 to be vaccinated and yet I really don't want to catch Covid. I worry that I will be left doing 'social distancing' to protect myself while others are then all mixing.
If the vaccine is not sterilising then numbers could continue to grow.

Ah - I am getting ahead of myself. Probably best just to wait and see what happens.

That's interesting on the Novovax, thanks.

I am in a similar position down the vaccination ladder blametheparents. I just convince myself that it's not likely to be dangerous on a personal basis to me and I can use what fear I have as a motivator to healthier living. My current thinking is I would gladly meet my elderly, vaccinated family whilst still avoiding indoor restaurants. Life will go on in our family with work and school which can't be controlled.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Just getting my parent's generation jabbed will be a massive step forward!

So masks and SD here to stay. Great, thanks!!!!!

I’ve just had a little read about this and it seems there is hope the the Oxford vaccine will help reduce transmission- as they saw some limited success in the trials. Also Coronavirus good News had tweeted something similar 8th Dec. I guess it’s hard to prove in a trial and we will see if it works when the vaccination is rolled out within the general public

OrangeBananaFish, I'm talking about me. I'm a cautious person and act accordingly.

@EngineeringFix

OrangeBananaFish, I'm talking about me. I'm a cautious person and act accordingly.

I doubt it - if at risk people are vaccinated and don’t get ill enough to require hospitalisation or die then transmission isn’t an issue

I'm sure I read that there was a hope ( at the very least) that OxAZ would reduce transmission ( whereas Pfizer wouldn't. I don't think I'm making this up but have no source, so useless really. But I don't normally just make stuff up!

Well I definitely read an interview in the Saturday or Sunday Times with the husband in the Pfizer vaccine couple in which he said it was likely Pfizer would reduce transmission!

I don’t really understand how there could not be an impact tbh - surely if it makes you ill for less long and reduces spready symptoms like coughing it is going to reduce it even if it’s nothing like sterilising immunity? Does anyone here understand more about this?

@EngineeringFix

OrangeBananaFish, I'm talking about me. I'm a cautious person and act accordingly.

@EngineeringFix - I am the same

I read the same thing but also can't remember where! Something about there being less viral load because the virus can't take hold and multiply and so this would likely reduce transmission....

Common sense would make me think it has an impact but I know common sense can be wrong! The people who make the vaccines and other virologists are cautious so far so I take my lead from that.

I am very positive about what is happening just saying don't jump to the seemingly obvious but definitely unproven conclusion that a vaccinated person can't pass it on.

I don’t think anyone is doing that, EngineeringFix

Just marking my place. I've been a lurker on these threads for a while 😊

I mean everyone here is being very nuanced and seeking more information rather than jumping to conclusions so implying that we’re about to jump to the conclusion it will stop spreading altogether is rather insulting.

I shared earlier on one of these threads that one study showed that asymptomatic people are 3-4 times less likely to spread infection. This is separate from presymptomatic individuals who are infectious.

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)32651-9/fulltext

. As people who have had the vaccine are likely to be asymptomatic, they should be less likely to spread the infection.

When is the next vaccine due? I think someone said in less than a month?

As people who have had the vaccine are likely to be asymptomatic, they should be less likely to spread the infection.

Seems plausible to me!

Thanks @cathyandclare makes perfect sense!

@notevenat20 - Novavax are hoping to have Phase 3 trial data for the UK by the end of January. They will be waiting a bit longer for Phase 3 trial data from the US.

Moderna have applied for authorisation, but since the UK had not bought any of that I suspect that the MHRA prioritised looking at the data for the Oxford vaccine first. I guess that they will be looking at that now.

[quote blametheparents]@notevenat20 - Novavax are hoping to have Phase 3 trial data for the UK by the end of January. They will be waiting a bit longer for Phase 3 trial data from the US.

Moderna have applied for authorisation, but since the UK had not bought any of that I suspect that the MHRA prioritised looking at the data for the Oxford vaccine first. I guess that they will be looking at that now.[/quote]
The UK bought 7 million ( I think ) of Moderna after they published the results. They're not due til Spring, but worth having!

Sorry, I see you said had not has. Ignore me!

If Israel keep vaccinating at break neck speed we might get more evidence about onward transmission before the research is complete.

I've just had a consultation with my rheumatologist who has said "grab any vaccine you can when it is offered to you". What a nice woman! (And also puts paid to the many people in the FB group I am in who are all "my dodgy immune system will never cope with a vaccine".

(I did the sensible thing and left two FB groups yesterday)