Coronavirus prep

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Replies

  • lkpducky
    lkpducky Posts: 17,583 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    lkpducky wrote: »
    I will definitely be interested in getting this test if it is ever readily accessible....
    "The first-of-its-kind test for detecting whether someone was infected withCOVID-19 in the past -- using the body's T-cells -- was granted emergency authorization by the Food and Drug Administration late Friday night."

    For those who were never confirmed cases or who were tested or antibodies past the three month mark.

    https://abcnews.go.com/Health/fda-authorizes-cell-test-game-changer-covid-19/story?id=76318248&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=algorithm
    Would just anyone who suspects they had COVID-19 be able to get it or would you have to be a long hauler (still feeling sick)? My husband strongly suspects that he had it in January 2020 but didn’t qualify for testing at the time.

    I would guess that's going to depend on how many labs can process the test and what you're willing to pay. It says it's an expensive blood test using a new technology. So I'd expect insurance won't cover it if you're not a long hauler (if even then), at least in the beginning.

    That makes sense. My husband is determined to get it and isn't worried about paying. We just wondered if he'd need a doctor's referral to get it at all.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I listened to a TWIV quick clinical update with some interesting stuff:

    They did a quick update on the J&J vaccine now that more data has been released. They said after 28 days, J&J had a 100% effective rate as far as preventing disease requiring serious medical intervention or hospitalization. They also PCR tested everyone between 29 and 71 days after the one shot for viral particles that would show some level of asymptomatic infection leading to spread and found the vaccine was 74% effective overall. Especially considering this trial was run after some of the more worrisome variants are out there, this is another hint that the vaccines will at least greatly reduce transmission, which is kind of awesome.

    Still early, but no serious side effects have been reported yet, just soar arm and fatigue. They noted that J&J uses the same vaccine platform for their ebola vaccine, which has been given to over 200,000 people over the last decade, so there is every reason to be confident in the safety.

    They also mentioned that many studies are now showing no benefit to treatment with convalescent plasma, it just doesn't seem to help at all.

    The standard at this point is monoclonal antibodies early in disease, and steroids in those who are very ill. If you test positive and have ANY increased risk factors, you should advocate for yourself and make sure you get the monoclonal antibody serum if at all positive.

    Speaking of plasma, a branch of this place just opened near me:

    https://octapharmaplasma.com/about

    I thought they were going to GIVE treatments, and expected them to close again quickly. But it looks like they are collecting blood, which seems like an odd business model.

    I knew some college students who basically used getting paid for their plasma as a side gig.

    I don't remember the spiel I got the first few times I gave blood, but I think plasma is used in several traumatic injury type treatments. When I was donating platelets, they also used to take a bag of plasma too.
    It was illegal to get paid for blood/blood component donations in NY, but now that I'm in VA I noticed there are a couple of collection businesses around here.

    Yeah, I had friends in college even back in the 1970s that gave plasma for cash, at businesses like that. Don't know about now, but they used to be more common in college towns and in very low income areas or areas with a lot of unemployment/homelessness.

    I sold plasma all through college (late 90/early 2000s), I don't know if that's still a common thing but I always saw a lot of fellow students when I was there.
  • lokihen
    lokihen Posts: 382 Member
    Hypothetical: if there were no restrictions, costs, shortages and you could choose which vaccine to receive, which would you?
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    lokihen wrote: »
    Hypothetical: if there were no restrictions, costs, shortages and you could choose which vaccine to receive, which would you?

    J&J because there's only one shot to mess with.
  • MikePfirrman
    MikePfirrman Posts: 3,307 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    oocdc2 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    lokihen wrote: »
    Hypothetical: if there were no restrictions, costs, shortages and you could choose which vaccine to receive, which would you?

    Prob J&J since it's one and done. I think we will find when it's all said and done that they all do the job, but that's just my personal gut take based on what I've heard.

    I wondered about that, too. This article says they vary slightly, but all generally will get the job done: https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/03/pfizer-moderna-and-johnson-johnson-vaccines-compared/618226/

    By the grace of the gods, I should be getting the J&J vaccine this Friday from my VA hospital. My parents get their second Pfizer dose on the 26th from their county. I'm looking forward to when children can get vaccinated, just because I worry about mine.

    There's some data that suggests that antibody levels continue to rise well past 4 weeks after J&J. It's quite possible that 3 months after any of the vaccines, effectiveness is quite similar.

    If you get an mRNA you don't reach advertised efficiency until 2 weeks after the second shot. So if I get J&J, I'm not going to consider myself "done" until 6 weeks after. :smiley:

    I forget which one, but one of the vaccines is now trialing ages 12-18. Im hoping at least one of them will be approved for children in time for fall.

    I have some AHCC on hand that I kept, just in case I got Covid-19 (or my wife did). I'm also reading that AHCC, which is a very popular mushroom supplement in Japan that's derived from mushrooms, boosts the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. There are numerous studies going on currently to see if it does the same for the Covid-19 vaccine. It allegedly boosts the number of antibodies and also the T-Cell response.

    There was a lot of talk a few pages back about shingles. AHCC is also very effective at lessening the symptoms of shingles if you get them. It's also been demonstrated to clear certain potentially dangerous HPV infections. I do wonder if it could also significantly help with long haulers.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    I listened to a TWIV quick clinical update with some interesting stuff:

    They did a quick update on the J&J vaccine now that more data has been released. They said after 28 days, J&J had a 100% effective rate as far as preventing disease requiring serious medical intervention or hospitalization. They also PCR tested everyone between 29 and 71 days after the one shot for viral particles that would show some level of asymptomatic infection leading to spread and found the vaccine was 74% effective overall. Especially considering this trial was run after some of the more worrisome variants are out there, this is another hint that the vaccines will at least greatly reduce transmission, which is kind of awesome.

    Still early, but no serious side effects have been reported yet, just soar arm and fatigue. They noted that J&J uses the same vaccine platform for their ebola vaccine, which has been given to over 200,000 people over the last decade, so there is every reason to be confident in the safety.

    They also mentioned that many studies are now showing no benefit to treatment with convalescent plasma, it just doesn't seem to help at all.

    The standard at this point is monoclonal antibodies early in disease, and steroids in those who are very ill. If you test positive and have ANY increased risk factors, you should advocate for yourself and make sure you get the monoclonal antibody serum if at all positive.

    Speaking of plasma, a branch of this place just opened near me:

    https://octapharmaplasma.com/about

    I thought they were going to GIVE treatments, and expected them to close again quickly. But it looks like they are collecting blood, which seems like an odd business model.

    I knew some college students who basically used getting paid for their plasma as a side gig.

    I don't remember the spiel I got the first few times I gave blood, but I think plasma is used in several traumatic injury type treatments. When I was donating platelets, they also used to take a bag of plasma too.
    It was illegal to get paid for blood/blood component donations in NY, but now that I'm in VA I noticed there are a couple of collection businesses around here.

    Yeah, I had friends in college even back in the 1970s that gave plasma for cash, at businesses like that. Don't know about now, but they used to be more common in college towns and in very low income areas or areas with a lot of unemployment/homelessness.

    I sold plasma all through college (late 90/early 2000s), I don't know if that's still a common thing but I always saw a lot of fellow students when I was there.

    Same...college, late 90s/through early 2000s...I sold plasma for my beer money.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,740 Member
    Are you overweight? In some states, that's all it takes.
  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,143 Member
    I'm slightly overweight. I just think it's because I'm disabled.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
    Yea, I got a call-back and am now scheduled for my 1st shot this Sunday