The opal fell out of my mother's ring two days ago. Fortunately the jeweler who created it can replace the opal. Wondering if I'm missing some metaphor regarding the kid of the fallen opal. LOL
I asked: We're about to hit the 4 month mark since we had the bivalent booster. Has anyone heard when we can get another booster?
Liane*in*Vermont responded: No word, yet. I'm planning to try to track down novavax for my next round. It's not approved as a booster, yet, but it's on track to be. In the mean time, XBB.1.5 is now dominant in the Northeast, though not quite in VT, yet. It has a key mutation that is quite favorable for immune escape. The rapid rise in hospitalizations in NYC are hinting that there is at least some significant immune escape, especially in older people. Sadly, with fast moving pathogen mutations, it's always a game of reading what happened after the fact, rather than knowing a priori what will happen. Just be prepared.
According to the link above, bivalent vaccination seems to be effective against the XBB variants. I wonder what is coming out of China-- their now-abandoned "zero covid" approach probably selected for rapidly-spreading variants, and Chinese tourists are bringing their Covid variants to the rest of the world. The US won't begin to screen international arrivals until Jan. 5th. ----Alan
================== This is excerpted from the Sacramento Bee:
XBB variant increasing in U.S.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a weekly update last Friday, reported the XBB subvariant of omicron as making up 18% of cases nationwide, up from 11% the preceding week and 7% two weeks earlier.
The acceleration comes just weeks after two sister variants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, became the dominant strain circulating nationwide. Those two variants still made up the majority of U.S. cases, combining for 63% in last week’s update from the CDC. They overtook BA.5, which fueled the summer COVID-19 wave, in early November.
XBB has gained an early foothold in New England, where CDC data showed the variant accounting for 53% of new cases last week.
In the CDC’s West Coast region, which includes California, XBB comprised only 8.8% of recent cases, up from 6.7% the preceding week.
As with other omicron subvariants of concern, health officials say XBB appears to be better at evading immune protection than previously dominant variants.
My doc's office said, "There is no recommendation yet for a second dose of the bivalent booster. We can definitely reach out if we hear anything different."
So, those of us who got the booster ASAP have to now wait for the average to catch up to the point where the CDC feels its essential to do something. Never mind if that puts us in danger meanwhile.😠
I got my bivalent booster a couple of weeks ago. Not quite five months after my pervious booster and short of the ideal six months my doctor recommended. Having had Covid-19 with essentially cold-like symptoms, I am no longer particularly worried about it.
Be aware, though, Bill, that many find that their second round of Covid is worse than their first.
You are lucky to have some antibodies, all the same. We diligently seek to avoid Covid nonetheless, due to Wil's heart issue and my low-normal immune system.
Extraordinary conditions call for extraordinary actions; not everyone can break out of their habitual behavior when there is need to do it. Thanks for sharing, listener. ---- Alan
It amazed me that he not only found a way to survive and help the woman who knocked on his window, but after reaching safety he went back out to check on others and help them to safety!
Those 10 people who turned him away really need to sort out their priorities! Good, at least, for the one man who later apologised and said he couldn't sleep after turning him away.
The grim reality predicted when Madera’s hospital closes [Click] Because the big Catholic hospital in the neighboring county that was prepared to take over the hospital refused to accept the state Attorney General’s conditions— including that they continue emergency reproductive health care and service to the poor. I may be doing them a disservice, but I don’t think so— I worked for them long enough to observe the behavior of their management up close. —Alan
The opal fell out of my mother's ring two days ago. Fortunately the jeweler who created it can replace the opal.
ReplyDeleteWondering if I'm missing some metaphor regarding the kid of the fallen opal. LOL
I asked: We're about to hit the 4 month mark since we had the bivalent booster. Has anyone heard when we can get another booster?
ReplyDeleteLiane*in*Vermont responded:
No word, yet. I'm planning to try to track down novavax for my next round. It's not approved as a booster, yet, but it's on track to be.
In the mean time, XBB.1.5 is now dominant in the Northeast, though not quite in VT, yet. It has a key mutation that is quite favorable for immune escape. The rapid rise in hospitalizations in NYC are hinting that there is at least some significant immune escape, especially in older people.
Sadly, with fast moving pathogen mutations, it's always a game of reading what happened after the fact, rather than knowing a priori what will happen. Just be prepared.
XBB COVID variant now dominant in the Northeast, according to CDC data
According to the link above, bivalent vaccination seems to be effective against the XBB variants. I wonder what is coming out of China-- their now-abandoned "zero covid" approach probably selected for rapidly-spreading variants, and Chinese tourists are bringing their Covid variants to the rest of the world. The US won't begin to screen international arrivals until Jan. 5th.
Delete----Alan
Here is pretty digestible information from California. [Click]
Delete==================
This is excerpted from the Sacramento Bee:
XBB variant increasing in U.S.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a weekly update last Friday, reported the XBB subvariant of omicron as making up 18% of cases nationwide, up from 11% the preceding week and 7% two weeks earlier.
The acceleration comes just weeks after two sister variants, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, became the dominant strain circulating nationwide. Those two variants still made up the majority of U.S. cases, combining for 63% in last week’s update from the CDC. They overtook BA.5, which fueled the summer COVID-19 wave, in early November.
XBB has gained an early foothold in New England, where CDC data showed the variant accounting for 53% of new cases last week.
In the CDC’s West Coast region, which includes California, XBB comprised only 8.8% of recent cases, up from 6.7% the preceding week.
As with other omicron subvariants of concern, health officials say XBB appears to be better at evading immune protection than previously dominant variants.
—Alan
My doc's office said, "There is no recommendation yet for a second dose of the bivalent booster. We can definitely reach out if we hear anything different."
DeleteSo, those of us who got the booster ASAP have to now wait for the average to catch up to the point where the CDC feels its essential to do something. Never mind if that puts us in danger meanwhile.😠
I got my bivalent booster a couple of weeks ago. Not quite five months after my pervious booster and short of the ideal six months my doctor recommended. Having had Covid-19 with essentially cold-like symptoms, I am no longer particularly worried about it.
DeleteBe aware, though, Bill, that many find that their second round of Covid is worse than their first.
DeleteYou are lucky to have some antibodies, all the same. We diligently seek to avoid Covid nonetheless, due to Wil's heart issue and my low-normal immune system.
Indian leather companies accused of enabling Russia’s war effort [Click] “. . . payments were difficult as very few Indian banks would accept a transfer from Russia and often the payments would bounce.”
ReplyDelete—Alan
Reuters: Russian oil sold to India below price cap in buyers' market [Click] Sometimes even below estimated production cost.
Delete---Alan
Sudden Russian Death Syndrome [Click] “It’s not a great time to be an oligarch who’s unenthusiastic about Putin’s war in Ukraine.”
ReplyDelete—Alan
One of the best stories out of Buffalo blizzard...
ReplyDeleteStuck in the snow, man rescues 20 by breaking into school
Extraordinary conditions call for extraordinary actions; not everyone can break out of their habitual behavior when there is need to do it. Thanks for sharing, listener.
Delete---- Alan
The best part of the story IMO is the man's attitude that being turned away from those ten homes was a blessing in disguise.
Delete---Alan
It amazed me that he not only found a way to survive and help the woman who knocked on his window, but after reaching safety he went back out to check on others and help them to safety!
DeleteThose 10 people who turned him away really need to sort out their priorities! Good, at least, for the one man who later apologised and said he couldn't sleep after turning him away.
The grim reality predicted when Madera’s hospital closes [Click] Because the big Catholic hospital in the neighboring county that was prepared to take over the hospital refused to accept the state Attorney General’s conditions— including that they continue emergency reproductive health care and service to the poor. I may be doing them a disservice, but I don’t think so— I worked for them long enough to observe the behavior of their management up close.
ReplyDelete—Alan