A COVID-19 musing

[LVSteve]

The supposed similarity of COVID-19 to the flu virus (in its various forms) got me thinking. I wonder if the severity of the symptoms suffered by those infected by COVID-19 has any correlation with previous flu vaccinations or recovery from a previous infection by the flu.

 

[coltle6920]

Interesting thought But I doubt any virus of any kind mutates back to a former strain.

As far as symptoms go it always seems to be the same...nausea,diarrhea,light headiness and an itch to buy more guns.

 

[LVSteve]

Well, well, look what just popped up on the Internet.

(PDF) Consider Influenza Vaccine type as a Contributory Factor in patients infected with COVID-19 v0.4.pdf

 

[pawngal]

More theories ........meh

 

[transit]

Well, well, look what just popped up on the Internet.

(PDF) Consider Influenza Vaccine type as a Contributory Factor in patients infected with COVID-19 v0.4.pdf

Which one do we give here? I know it said it on the paperwork, but...

 

[LVSteve]

Which one do we give here? I know it said it on the paperwork, but...

...ain't nobody got time to read what's written on their flu shot. You may guess how I know.

 

[Jon651]

Well, well, look what just popped up on the Internet.

(PDF) Consider Influenza Vaccine type as a Contributory Factor in patients infected with COVID-19 v0.4.pdf

Unless you actually read the paper you could easily get confused by the title. It's not about whether having a previous flu vaccine makes you more susceptible to COVID-19, it's about whether previously having a certain flu vaccine make you more likely to have a better outcome from COVID-19 - the EXACT OPPOSITE of what the conspiracy mongers might want you to think. Here is a key phrase that might clear this up for you:

"Comparing the influenza vaccine used by different national health systems in Europe suggests that patients with COVID-19 may have better outcomes if the influenza vaccine is Quadrivalent and includes the B/Massachusetts/2/2012 (Yamagata lineage)."

 

[PR24]

Antivax whackadoo’s are at it again.....spin, lie & misinform.

 

[growr]

Never had a flu shot......never will.

Randy

 

[LVSteve]

Antivax whackadoo’s are at it again.....spin, lie & misinform.

As Jon651 pointed out, the title is scientifically cold and correct, and totally misleading to the casual reader. It basically says that those with COVID-19 who have had the quadrivalent flu shot survive better as they are less likely to suffer acute respiratory distress and die than those who had the trivalent flu vaccine.

FYI, trivalent flu vaccine is the norm in Italy for folks over 65 in Italy.

It's got NOTHING to do with anti vaxxers.

 

[charlie sherrill]

If this virus was made and released by China would this be an act of war? We've had two confirmed fatalities from this in Forrest Co. Mississippi. One was a life long friend of mine who died two days ago. Another friend may have died from it but his body wasn't tested. I went to Wally World today to pick up some scripts that only I can pick up. I looked like a bank robber with the gloves and mask. I got my scripts and went to the van while Junior bought supplies while similarly adorned. About half the folks in there were wearing protective gear. All the pharmacy people were, and they had even installed a clear plastic protective barrier at the drug counter. I got my stuff and waited for Junior outside. I won't have to do this again for another month.

 

[LVSteve]

If this virus was made and released by China would this be an act of war? We've had two confirmed fatalities from this in Forrest Co. Mis

The operative word is "if". IMHO the order of likelihood is:

1) Virus passed on from an animal in the Wuhan "wet market";

2) Virus was known and being investigated in Wuhan lab, whereupon bad handling let it out, either by contamination or infection of one of the staff.

Very distant third:

3) It was a bio-weapon that got loose.

 

[BC38]

The operative word is "if". IMHO the order of likelihood is:

1) Virus passed on from animal in the Wuhan "wet market";

2) Virus was known and being investigated in Wuhan lab, whereupon bad handling let it out, either by contamination or infection of one of the staff.

Very distant third:

3) It was a bio-weapon that got loose.

Exactly. Occam's Razor. The simplest explanation is the one most likely to be correct.

 

[Dave_n]

A genetic linkage map was published recently in PNAS that showed the route from a Bat virus to the early Covid 19 strain. Similarly, an analysis of 900 strains allowed an estimation of the earliest infection in man in late 2019, though it might be Sept. 2019 from an as yet non-peer reviewed paper in the biological preprint literature. These are probably not in the "social media or print media" due to my simple definition of a "scientific reporter as he or she who failed middle school biology!" Dave_n

 

[Xfuzz]

The operative word is "if". IMHO the order of likelihood is:

1) Virus passed on from an animal in the Wuhan "wet market";

2) Virus was known and being investigated in Wuhan lab, whereupon bad handling let it out, either by contamination or infection of one of the staff.

Very distant third:

3) It was a bio-weapon that got loose.

I agree...
But I will reverse 1 & 2....
If there is a second "wave" number 3 is not so distant.

 

[Jon651]

I agree...
But I will reverse 1 & 2....
If there is a second "wave" number 3 is not so distant.

I don't believe that a "second wave" and #3 would be related at all. Remember, for as long as we've been dealing with pandemics we've been dealing with "waves", and has more to do with our isolation and mitigation efforts than anything else. Remember, the 1918 flu epidemic killed a lot of people in the 1919/1920 flu season as well - a clearly documented "second wave". Heck, the Black Plague reportedly lasted 300 years...

 

[transit]

Looks like CVS gives the quadrivalent variety.

So, hey, I've got that going for me!

The link is just to CVS' FAQ on immunizations page.

Access Denied

 

[BC38]

Looks like CVS gives the quadrivalent variety.

So, hey, I've got that going for me!

The link is just to CVS' FAQ on immunizations page.

Access Denied

Wouldn't it be an interesting development if there turns out to be a link between getting the annual vaccines and a dramatically reduced severity of illness from this virus?
Wonder how many anti-vaxxers would change their minds under those circumstances...

 

[transit]

Wouldn't it be an interesting development if there turns out to be a link between getting the annual vaccines and a dramatically reduced severity of illness from this virus?
Wonder how many anti-vaxxers would change their minds under those circumstances...

I think you'd probably see a change among those for whom the matter is just a flavor of the week kind of thing, and no change among those who have a genuine (religious, for example) driver for their position.

At this point in life, I'll take any advantage I can get.

 

[TTSH]

Looks like CVS gives the quadrivalent variety.

So, hey, I've got that going for me!

Unless you are as old as dirt (like me) and have to get the CVS "Old Farts/High Dose" version. That's a trivalent.