Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/kzFG3OplOJk

After 7 months, overall vaccine effectiveness preventing any CoVid infection drops from a peak of 95-96% to 70% for Pfizer and 82% for Moderna.  Over a 5 month period, vaccine effectiveness for the J&J vaccine drops from a peak of 79% to 64%.  Public health investigators at the University of North Carolina tabulated state-wide data on over 10 million persons from December, 2020 to September, 2021.

Looking at protection against hospitalization and death from CoVid: for Pfizer the number dropped from a peak of 96% to 88% at 7 months; for Moderna, a peak of 98% to 92%; and for J&J, a peak of 90% to 80% after 5 months. 

These vaccines are remarkably effective over time, but less so against the Delta variant which increased over the time of the study.  Bottom line: you receive optimal protection, especially if you are in a high risk group, from a booster dose of CoVid vaccine.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.25.21265304v1.full.pdf+html

#CoVid #vaccine #booster #pfizer #moderna #jandj

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/kzFG3OplOJk

After 7 months, overall vaccine effectiveness preventing any CoVid infection drops from a peak of 95-96% to 70% for Pfizer and 82% for Moderna.  Over a 5 month period, vaccine effectiveness for the J&J vaccine drops from a peak of 79% to 64%.  Public health investigators at the University of North Carolina tabulated state-wide data on over 10 million persons from December, 2020 to September, 2021.

Looking at protection against hospitalization and death from CoVid: for Pfizer the number dropped from a peak of 96% to 88% at 7 months; for Moderna, a peak of 98% to 92%; and for J&J, a peak of 90% to 80% after 5 months. 

These vaccines are remarkably effective over time, but less so against the Delta variant which increased over the time of the study.  Bottom line: you receive optimal protection, especially if you are in a high risk group, from a booster dose of CoVid vaccine.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.10.25.21265304v1.full.pdf+html

#CoVid #vaccine #booster #pfizer #moderna #jandj

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/n-fNckTsLvo

Let’s look at the latest CDC guidelines regarding who should receive booster doses.

Who needs a booster shot?

A 3rd shot should be given as a booster for those who received complete vaccination with an mRNA vaccine, either Moderna or Pfizer, at least 6 months earlier and;

• are 56 years or older;
• 18 years or older in a long-term care facility;
• 50-64 years of age with cancer, stroke, chronic heart, kidney, lung or liver disease, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy, smoking habit, tuberculosis, or significant mental health disorders.

A 2nd shot as a booster should be given to all those who received complete vaccination with the 

Johnson & Johnson-Janssen vaccine at least 2 months earlier.  That’s it.  Any of the vaccines may be used.

Immunocompromised persons more than 28 days following initial vaccination with either Moderna or Pfizer should immediately receive a 3rd shot consisting of a full 100 ug dose of Moderna or a 30 ug dose of Pfizer.

Which booster shot to receive?

Clinical trials show that each booster shot including a full dose of Pfizer, a half dose of Moderna, or a full dose of the J&J significantly increases anti-CoVid immunity as measured by antibody levels.  One study of mix and match strategies showed that both work and any of the vaccines would produce the same or higher level of anti-CoVid immunity.

Discuss your options with your provider.  Each vaccine has slight associated risks for the booster as they did for the initial vaccination: Pfizer and Moderna - myocarditis more frequent in men and younger adults; J&J - thrombosis with platelet depletion for women 18-49 and Guillain-Barré syndrome for men 50-64.  If you are in these groups, the CDC recommends consideration of an mRNA booster with Moderna or Pfizer.

The CDC just added several recommendations for those moderately or severely immunocompromised.  Those 6 months or more after their 3rd shot or booster should consider a 4th shot or 2nd booster.

These are the CDC booster guidelines as of October 26, 2021.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html#considerations-covid19-vax-booster

#CoVid #vaccine #booster #cdc #pfizer #moderna #jandj

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/n-fNckTsLvo

Let’s look at the latest CDC guidelines regarding who should receive booster doses.

Who needs a booster shot?

A 3rd shot should be given as a booster for those who received complete vaccination with an mRNA vaccine, either Moderna or Pfizer, at least 6 months earlier and;

• are 56 years or older;
• 18 years or older in a long-term care facility;
• 50-64 years of age with cancer, stroke, chronic heart, kidney, lung or liver disease, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy, smoking habit, tuberculosis, or significant mental health disorders.

A 2nd shot as a booster should be given to all those who received complete vaccination with the 

Johnson & Johnson-Janssen vaccine at least 2 months earlier.  That’s it.  Any of the vaccines may be used.

Immunocompromised persons more than 28 days following initial vaccination with either Moderna or Pfizer should immediately receive a 3rd shot consisting of a full 100 ug dose of Moderna or a 30 ug dose of Pfizer.

Which booster shot to receive?

Clinical trials show that each booster shot including a full dose of Pfizer, a half dose of Moderna, or a full dose of the J&J significantly increases anti-CoVid immunity as measured by antibody levels.  One study of mix and match strategies showed that both work and any of the vaccines would produce the same or higher level of anti-CoVid immunity.

Discuss your options with your provider.  Each vaccine has slight associated risks for the booster as they did for the initial vaccination: Pfizer and Moderna - myocarditis more frequent in men and younger adults; J&J - thrombosis with platelet depletion for women 18-49 and Guillain-Barré syndrome for men 50-64.  If you are in these groups, the CDC recommends consideration of an mRNA booster with Moderna or Pfizer.

The CDC just added several recommendations for those moderately or severely immunocompromised.  Those 6 months or more after their 3rd shot or booster should consider a 4th shot or 2nd booster.

These are the CDC booster guidelines as of October 26, 2021.

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/clinical-considerations/covid-19-vaccines-us.html#considerations-covid19-vax-booster

#CoVid #vaccine #booster #cdc #pfizer #moderna #jandj

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/IgGZzDbDMRk

Intense, consistent physical activity at work may nearly double your risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,  the progressive loss of your ability to control your muscles that is better known as Lou Gehrig Disease.  German investigators studied 393 persons diagnosed with ALS who completed detailed questionnaires about their physical activity at work and play during each decade of their adult lives.  Controls were 791 age and gender-matched persons without ALS.

Exercise was categorized as heavy if it was sweat-producing playing sports or doing heavy, physical work.  Light activity included walking and recreational cycling.  The tabulated data showed that heavy occupational work exercise increased ALS risk by 1.97 times but physical activity of all intensities during leisure produced no additional risk.

Know that ALS is a rare disease, but this study raises a more important question.  Is the human nervous system subject to overuse?  It’s another argument for moderation, especially in the workplace. Rather than toting those heavy crates, use power assists.  Use teamwork to share physical stresses.

https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2021/10/20/WNL.0000000000012829

#als #amyotrophiclateralsclerosis #overuse #exercise #strain

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/IgGZzDbDMRk

Intense, consistent physical activity at work may nearly double your risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,  the progressive loss of your ability to control your muscles that is better known as Lou Gehrig Disease.  German investigators studied 393 persons diagnosed with ALS who completed detailed questionnaires about their physical activity at work and play during each decade of their adult lives.  Controls were 791 age and gender-matched persons without ALS.

Exercise was categorized as heavy if it was sweat-producing playing sports or doing heavy, physical work.  Light activity included walking and recreational cycling.  The tabulated data showed that heavy occupational work exercise increased ALS risk by 1.97 times but physical activity of all intensities during leisure produced no additional risk.

Know that ALS is a rare disease, but this study raises a more important question.  Is the human nervous system subject to overuse?  It’s another argument for moderation, especially in the workplace. Rather than toting those heavy crates, use power assists.  Use teamwork to share physical stresses.

https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2021/10/20/WNL.0000000000012829

#als #amyotrophiclateralsclerosis #overuse #exercise #strain

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Ys4riTzDrug

Replacing half a child’s meal with fruits and vegetables is the magic formula for significantly increasing their consumption of these healthier foods.  Penn State nutritional scientists now demonstrate the utility of this simple formula.

The researchers tested two strategies for increasing fruits and veggies in 53 pre-schoolers 3 to 5 years of age.  The first was simply ADDING 50% more fruits and veggies to their standard meals.  The second was REPLACING half of what’s on their plates with fruits and veggies.

When the kids’ consumption was tabulated, the addition strategy increase fruit consumption by 33% and vegetable consumption by only 24%.  Replacing let’s say half the Mac and cheese on the plate with fruits and veggies boasts fruit consumption by 38% and vegetable consumption by 41%.  For veggies that’s a 70% increase in consumption by the children.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211018105923.htm

#nutrition #fruits #vegetables #parenting #children

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/Ys4riTzDrug

Replacing half a child’s meal with fruits and vegetables is the magic formula for significantly increasing their consumption of these healthier foods.  Penn State nutritional scientists now demonstrate the utility of this simple formula.

The researchers tested two strategies for increasing fruits and veggies in 53 pre-schoolers 3 to 5 years of age.  The first was simply ADDING 50% more fruits and veggies to their standard meals.  The second was REPLACING half of what’s on their plates with fruits and veggies.

When the kids’ consumption was tabulated, the addition strategy increase fruit consumption by 33% and vegetable consumption by only 24%.  Replacing let’s say half the Mac and cheese on the plate with fruits and veggies boasts fruit consumption by 38% and vegetable consumption by 41%.  For veggies that’s a 70% increase in consumption by the children.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211018105923.htm

#nutrition #fruits #vegetables #parenting #children

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/dk1FqpAEIQg

Let’s take a look at the data submitted by Pfizer to the FDA in support of an Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer vaccine use in children 5 to 12 years of age.  Pfizer studied 2250 children 1518 of whom were vaccinated and 750 of whom served as placebo controls.  An additional 2250 children were studied to add additional safety data.

The vaccinated children received 10 ug of mRNA, one-third the adult dose, twice 3 weeks apart.  Their levels of anti-CoVid antibodies were comparable to those elicited from vaccinating young adults 16 to 25 years of age.  A supplemental analysis of sera from 38 randomly selected vaccinated children showed equivalent potency against the Delta variant compared with the original CoVid strain.

The real-life vaccine effectiveness during the tine of Delta was 90.7%.  There were no cases of severe CoVid and no cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, MIS-C.  This indicates a high level of protection for children  without an undue risk of side effects.

The safety data showed mild to moderate reactions during the first 2 days after vaccination.  The most common local reaction was injection site pain and the most common systemic reactions were fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and chills.  There were no cases of myocarditis.

https://www.fda.gov/media/153409/download

#CoVid #pfizer #children #vaccine 

Vidcast:  https://youtu.be/dk1FqpAEIQg

Let’s take a look at the data submitted by Pfizer to the FDA in support of an Emergency Use Authorization for Pfizer vaccine use in children 5 to 12 years of age.  Pfizer studied 2250 children 1518 of whom were vaccinated and 750 of whom served as placebo controls.  An additional 2250 children were studied to add additional safety data.

The vaccinated children received 10 ug of mRNA, one-third the adult dose, twice 3 weeks apart.  Their levels of anti-CoVid antibodies were comparable to those elicited from vaccinating young adults 16 to 25 years of age.  A supplemental analysis of sera from 38 randomly selected vaccinated children showed equivalent potency against the Delta variant compared with the original CoVid strain.

The real-life vaccine effectiveness during the tine of Delta was 90.7%.  There were no cases of severe CoVid and no cases of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, MIS-C.  This indicates a high level of protection for children  without an undue risk of side effects.

The safety data showed mild to moderate reactions during the first 2 days after vaccination.  The most common local reaction was injection site pain and the most common systemic reactions were fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and chills.  There were no cases of myocarditis.

https://www.fda.gov/media/153409/download

#CoVid #pfizer #children #vaccine