FDA Allows COVID Booster Shot for Immunocompromised
Celebrate with me, fellow immunocompromised people!
This makes me happy! I have three autoimmune disorders: rheumatoid arthritis, Sjorgen’s, and lupus.
The FDA gave the green light for a COVID booster shot for immunocompromised people:
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for both the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to allow for the use of an additional dose in certain immunocompromised individuals, specifically, solid organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss further clinical recommendations regarding immunocompromised individuals. Today’s action does not apply to people who are not immunocompromised.
“The country has entered yet another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the FDA is especially cognizant that immunocompromised people are particularly at risk for severe disease. After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Vaccines,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “Today’s action allows doctors to boost immunity in certain immunocompromised individuals who need extra protection from COVID-19. As we’ve previously stated, other individuals who are fully vaccinated are adequately protected and do not need an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine at this time. The FDA is actively engaged in a science-based, rigorous process with our federal partners to consider whether an additional dose may be needed in the future.”
Our immune system is similar to those who have had a “solid organ transplantation.” It is hard to fight off any virus, even the common cold. That kind of cold lasts a lot longer than it would in a body with a standard immune system.
We have weak immune systems, but we also take medicine that weakens them even more. I take Methotrexate once a week and a Simponi infusion every eight weeks. You cannot even take the medications if you’re on simple antibiotics. (One time, I had a sinus infection. I didn’t go to the doctor until after I had my infusion!)
Therefore, our immune systems don’t always respond well to a vaccine. It’s why I had to skip my Methotrexate the week of and after both shots.
It is why the FDA determined a third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine will increase protection in those with a compromised immune system.
I do not know how many immunocompromised people received the first two doses of the vaccine. My rheumatologist was iffy since there is not a lot of data on the vaccines with the immunocompromised. She gave the okay in late March after talking to colleagues and other rheumatologists around the country. I had to keep her updated on everything, too.
The mRNA vaccines like COVID, flu, and pneumonia are the only ones we can have since it does not contain the virus. It’s why we cannot get booster shots of vaccines like measles, mumps, MMR, etc. Those vaccines have a live virus in them. You’d literally give yourself the virus.
I’m wondering if this will persuade more people like me to get the vaccine. The vaccine results were sporadic in my RA support group. Some doctors still do not want their patients to get the vaccine. I cannot blame them. I had pneumonia in December 2019 and almost had to go to the hospital. I cannot imagine having COVID with my immune system.
So, my fellow weakened immune system people! First and foremost, talk to your doctor. The FDA, CDC, Fauci, Biden, and any other talking head are not substitutes for your specialist. Always consult them first. Please.
If your specialist says you can get the vaccine I hope you choose to get it. After the first shot, I had awful fatigue for one day. After the second shot, I had those lousy flu body aches for one day. Other than that, I had no problem with it.
Also, get your flu and pneumonia shot! I didn’t in 2019 and paid the price. I allowed my rheumatologist to yell at me because I deserved it.
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Comments
WHOA! What???
Immuno-compromised bodies are the last bodies that should be receiving this junk.
With this vaccine info-article, LI has lost me.
LI has a lot of good stuff and good takes. You just have to realize this site is normie-tier and most of the authors aren’t exactly blue-pilled, but they sure aren’t red-pilled.
You should keep it in your news rotation for sure.
Why would anyone with a weakened immune system take this “vaccine?” And who would believe doctors who are obviously being pressured to advocate vaccinations
This is right up there with Andrew Coumo putting COVIDS-infected patients in nursing homes to see what will happen.
Specifically because their immune system isn’t firing on all cylinders and needs all the help it can get?
So they take an mRNA jab that has as the immediate effect of suppressing their already weak immune system? Sorry, still doesn’t make sense to me.
Becuase if they got Covid there is a much more serious risk Vs the controlled risk of a vaccine. Drs aren’t being pressured it’s pretty obvious from the data and scientific perspective that the vaccines are much better than no vaccine
“Drs aren’t being pressured”
Nah, they’re only threatened with losing their license if they say anything against the “covid” narrative groupthink.
No pressure there, nosiree Bob.
Exactly., there is a popular perception that vaccines are magical elixirs (i.e. performance, short and long-term side-effects) that function in the ether. This is our shot, a booster shot backward (e.g. immunity reduction) or to nowhere for the majority of the population who have preexisting (e.g. cross-reactive) or natural immunity, or [immune] system deficiency.,
You say “The mRNA vaccines like COVID, flu, and pneumonia are the only ones we can have since it does not contain the virus.”
I think there’s a misunderstanding here. The Pfizer and Moderna Covid shots are based on mRNA. No other human shots have ever used that. Flu vaccine shots are probably killed virus, if they’re not live virus.
I’m not aware of pneumonia vaccines. Viral and potentially bacterial pneumonia can result from flu. (Or Covid, although if you get such symptoms from Covid, it’s already very serious.)
The vaccines are yet to be approved as safe and effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The vaccines do not prevent infection and disease. The vaccines do not prevent the transmission of the virus to others. The vaccines at best provide short term (6 months or less?) effectiveness. As evidenced by the latest ‘surge” the vaccines are a bust all around.
So why in the hell is the FDA allowing it to be used on some of our most vulnerable citizens – the immune compromised – is beyond me.
“So why in the hell is the FDA allowing it to be used on some of our most vulnerable citizens – the immune compromised – is beyond me.”
If one assumes (a safe assumption I assert) that the people at the FDA are not stupid, then they are implementing an agenda. That agenda is apparently NOT the safety or health of the “most vulnerable.” The answer is emerging but one must take the red pill which is hard to swallow.
What happened to the 30,000-40,000 flu deaths each year? They just vanished? Explore that question and you just might meet Morpheus.
It’s the swine flu vaccine fiasco all over again. I am FAR from an anti-vaxxer but I smelled a rat on that one as well.
Swine flu was grooming for this one.
@lucifer Morningstar
“vaccines are yet to be approved as safe and effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”
Yes they have hence why there has been a massive decline in hospitilisation and death rates and that circa 99% of hospital cases for covid are now from unvaccinated folks.
“The vaccines do not prevent the transmission of the virus to others.”
The basic variant of the virus is severely curtailed by the vaccine but the Delta variant does transmit that’s true. However it’s unlikely to be to the same degree as the unvaccinated. The fact it is transmitting is a reflection of how contagious the Delta variant is
“The vaccines at best provide short term (6 months or less?) effectiveness. As evidenced by the latest ‘surge” the vaccines are a bust all around.”
The latest surge is a combination of the Delta variant and the lack of measures in place by places like Florida.
@tx riphraph
“What happened to the 30,000-40,000 flu deaths each year?”
The same reason the case load from Covid declines becuase of lockdowns and masks
Well, you’ve got your talking points memorized. Did they give you an extra hour a week out of your cage for that one?
People who have their brain engaged don’t actually believe the propaganda you’re spewing.
If by talking points you mean evidence then sure.
You don’t seem to be able to provide any substantive response at all. Can you actually provide any evidence for your view at all?
Seems to me that the opinions that count are those of the people actually affected, and who have to live with the risks.
Such as the author of this article.
This is more like an experiment than anything else.. Maybe they should ask for volunteers to test it on first and see what happens after a year or so..
An experiment with no control groups either in safety testing or in reality (if everybody gets the shot, problems can be blamed on anything). Control groups are fundamental to accuracy and truth. So, why do they not exist and why are they resisted? Could it be accuracy and truth are feared by the rulers?
They better work fast as the “unvaccinated” are a type of control group. Are they working fast to eliminate the control group?
Another problem (there are many) is that the human (soon to be a GMO with the mRNA) assumes ALL risk (read the “Consent”) and Big Pharma receives all the benefits (taxpayer money). When one separates the benefactor from the payer, one sets up a high risk situation (no “skin in the game decision makers). What could go wrong? The customer is the one who pays. If I receive a “free” shot, am I the product rather than the customer?
Firstly the original trials had control groups.
Second it’s pretty obvious the vaccines work given the difference in numbers between hospitilisations of unvaccinated Vs vaccinated
Thirdly those recieving the vaccine are getting a public benefit it’s part of government protecting its citizens. Ie the taxes you pay going towards a public benefit. The customer part is the government buying on your behalf from pharma
And she is more than welcome to experiment on her own body – but not promote these experimental shots to others without at least some discussion on the matter, which is what happens here.
Mary Chastain: This makes me happy!
Good for you. While the vaccine will almost certainly improve your immune response, let’s hope that any reaction will be mild.
Satan speaks….
Guys the vaccines work with the person’s immune system to build a level of protection. That’s true even for these mRNA vax. By themselves the vax doesn’t do jack squat.
The people with poor immune systems are exactly the ones who would need a booster to develop and maintain a minimum level of protection. Just as a leaky bucket needs additional water poured in to remain full.
Finally this is a good decision because it increases personal liberty. Prior to this immune compromised couldn’t get a booster, now they have the option to do so.
I don’t understand the resistance to allowing adults make their own informed medical decisions.
The vaccines are leaky, and that’s a problem. That said, I agree with your personal liberty statement.
I also think that some of our State decision-makers have disdained to use another powerful tool, early outpatient treatment, at great cost to individuals as well as our general economy.
Yep. Doctor’s aren’t treating covid. They are just sending people home to die without treatment.
That just happened to my father. I had to go find a clinic that would actually treat covid and he is showing much improvement.
Valerie,
The other positive here is the implicit admission from the government that the efficacy of the vaccines decrease over time. That’s huge.
The obvious next question is what about naturally acquired immunity? Does it decrease? At what rate? Furthermore, what is the efficacy of natural immunity v vaccine in effectiveness against all the variants?
Where is that data? Where are the large-scale studies to collect the data? The stubborn refusal of the public health community and policy makers to accept that naturally acquired immunity does have some level of efficacy is absurd.
This refusal is deliberately disingenuous. Another failure to convince and persuade through reason and evidence. That’s why they resort to a mindset of imposing mandates. They don’t want to discuss the issue in good faith, they expect and demand obedience.
Do some research the questions you’ve asked have been studied. Natural immunity according to some studies lasts circa 8 months depending on a number of variables.
I’m not really clear where you get some of your ideas that there is some kind of refusal to take into account evidence of do trials. There has been tonnes of trials etc on multiple issues related to Covid.
Mark,
Ok. Please direct me to the ongoing study for the original clinical study of the folks in the vaccine trials. Specifically please show me the health outcomes for the control group v those vaccinated.
Does the ongoing study show a differential outcome between the groups adjusted for age, weight, existing medical conditions?
Has that differential increased, decreased or remained the same through today? How large is the differential? Does it outweigh the potential side effects?
Oh wait, there is no ongoing study. The control group was compromised shortly after emergency approval.
Naturally acquired immunity exists. The the eight month data point was the end of that study. It demonstrates that natural immunity was comparable to or better than the vax over the period of time of the study.
No long term study show the vax as significantly better or more durable over any time period. The vax efficacy declines, that’s the point of a booster.
Further the vax will not be a true booster because it isn’t a traditional vax. It wasn’t developed using attenuated virus. It used a particular genetic sequence affecting spike protein. Future version will be developed using a different genetic sequence in hope of warding off a prevalent future variant.
CommoChief: Please direct me to the ongoing study for the original clinical study of the folks in the vaccine trials.
You are conflating two different things. The original clinical study for Moderna had 30 thousand volunteers. Half received the vaccine. Half received a placebo. The results showed a 96% efficacy for the vaccine. All serious cases of COVID-19 occurred in the placebo group. They also stratified the assignment according to risk groups, including age. See Baden et al., Efficacy and Safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine, New England Journal of Medicine, February 2021.
Ongoing studies look at the wider distribution of the vaccine. The primary concerns are rare side-effects not apparent in the trials, and possible waning of the efficacy of the vaccine.
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Mark,
You should come check your boy Zach.
He refuses to acknowledge that the best data regarding the long-term efficacy of the vaccines and any differential outcome for unvaccinated would come from the original clinical trial participants.
It’s your job as a vax advocate to convince others. When the folks on your side of the argument sidestep and refuse to state the truth it’s counterproductive.
An honest person would agree with the premise and then seek to reassure their audience that other equally valid long-term studies exist and quote data from them.
Here is the data I want. Show me the outcomes for the healthy population for each ten years from age 20 to 60 which contrasts those by vax type with unvax who develop natural immunity.
Eliminate the results for 61 and older and anyone with any health issues including obesity. In fact refine that further to show the subset of those no more then 10% or 10 lbs from target BMI.
CommoChief: Here is the data I want. Show me the outcomes for the healthy population for each ten years from age 20 to 60 which contrasts those by vax type with unvax who develop natural immunity.
Acquiring natural immunity can be dangerous. Those who have been vaccinated have a much lower chance of hospitalization with COVID-19, and of dying from COVID-19.
After hundreds of millions of doses, there have been virtually no serious deleterious effects from the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, and only very rare serious deleterious effects from the J&J vaccine (anaphylaxis, thrombosis).
Mark,
Your boy Zach doesn’t understand that the delta and lambda variants break through the vaccines in significant numbers. These break through case numbers are only the official reported cases. The total doesn’t include the likely much higher number with mild or asymptomatic symptoms who spread the virus.
There is no hiding from contracting Covid. The question is what’s the outcome for a healthy person at their age? If 95%+ result is at most moderate symptoms then full recovery with naturally immunity then the vaccine argument loses it’s appeal.
For segments of the population the vax makes much more sense; the severely unhealthy, immune compromised, obese and frail elderly.
Those subsets should definitely be in the market for additional protection. The rest of the world can go about our business while allowing these folks to take every measure possible to protect themselves.
CommoChief: the delta and lambda variants break through the vaccines in significant numbers.
Far fewer than for those who are unvaccinated.
CommoChief: These break through case numbers are only the official reported cases.
The empirical evidence is still incoming, but indicates that the vaccine reduces the chance of infection for the delta variant, and therefore reduces the chance of transmission. For instance, see Bernal et al., Effectiveness of Covid-19 Vaccines against the B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant, New England Journal of Medicine, August 2021.
The vast majority of new infections are among the unvaccinated. The vaccine also significantly reduces the probability of hospitalization or death. As already noted, the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have virtually no serious deleterious effects, while there are significant benefits.
My wife has similar Auto Immune disorders as you do. She is a Physician Assistant and got COVID in October. She was in the ICU and total stay in the Hospital was 19 days. The physicians who treated her said she did not die because of her diet (plant based) and her exercise. Today, she is still recovering but doing better.
As for the “vaccines” as a medical provider she will not take the jab because she is immune compromised to begin with and she continues to have antibodies. She also knows that these vaccines were rushed and the outcome is uncertain. Yes, talk with your doctor, but way too many are caught up in the hype and hoopla of vaccines and masks that very few in medicine are bring honest and that is to shout it from the rooftops that, “The Covid genie cannot be put back in the bottle and we will not eradicate it.”
I have a close family friend who has a double lung transplant. She has CF and has lived all of her life with drs and hospitals. She has chosen not to get the vaccine. Her reasoning is, with a husband who is a firefighter, she has already put in place all sorts of protocols to protect herself from the many, many illnesses that can kill her, not just Covid. She is not stupid, she made an informed decision for herself. I trust her judgement for her own body.
HIV patients are also immunocompromised. There has been a lot of research done to help them, and you might benefit from some of that.
For example, Vitamin D seems to boost the immune system, along with C and selenium. Also, specifically for SARS, MERS and the common cold, zinc plus an ionophore (a molecule that gets zinc where it should go) greatly inhibits viral reproduction. These materials are readily available, and might provide you with significant relief at very low risk and cost.
Here is the relevant information on vaccination in the immunocompromised:
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-07/07-COVID-Oliver-508.pdf
Israel has given about 600,000 third shots to old people. Here are their results:
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/coronavirus-in-israel-3372-new-cases-360-in-serious-condition-676222
Somewhere around 1 million Americans have gotten a third shot, usually by saying they haven’t gotten a shot yet. So this isn’t a new idea.
When they start giving third shots, my sister (cancer survivor) will be first in line. Since I’m old, I’ll be second in line.
solid organ transplant recipients
Ummm…. are there non-solid organs?
Alternatively, are there recipients who are non-solid? Are we giving organ transplants to ghosts?
Yeah, I know there’s probably some valid medical reason for that term, but it’s just weird.
An example of a transplant of a non-solid organ is a bone-marrow transplant.
I have a friend who is a woman, but her blood always comes up male because her donor was male. That might make for an interesting murder mystery, where the killer’s blood comes up with different DNA from the actual killer.