DLM, I think you misunderstood me. I am glad you to your family,

Thanks for posting this DLM. Hope your husband recovers fully.

Sorry to hear that the trip wasn't as safe as you'd hoped. Hope he continues to be on the mend.

With what they know now, anyone who had the Pfizer shot and hasn't had their booster should assume they have no protection against Covid. The Pfizer data isn't getting out enough, so people think they're still protected. I talked to a couple last week who had Pfizer at Easter and they had no idea their immunity was already waning, and they were planning to attend a gathering the next day. The Moderna shot appears to offer longer protection. We're approaching our six month mark with Moderna and we're already curtailing activities.

I wonder if Colin Powell had Pfizer.

I'm not sure that is true info on Pfizer Eileen.

My husband and I both had Pfizer vaccines. We are lucky in that we both qualify for the booster at this point. We had flu shots this past Friday, so upon recommendation, we are waiting the two weeks before having our booster shots. We have appointments for our boosters a week from Friday. I'll be happy to get it! This week will be 6 months from our second dose.

Thankfully, and FINALLY, cases have gone down here. I'm not hearing about Covid spreading through the schools recently either. I'm sure following upcoming holiday events, there will be a surge again. Perhaps that is our new normal. Highs and lows : (

@DLM2000-GW i'm sorry to hear your husband is sick, but thankful that he is not any worse than he is and thankful you don't have it. I hope he is fully recovered soon!

Perhaps Eileen is referring to the information in this article. It speaks of a peer-reviewed study that supports other findings. While it appears to be true that the vaccine protects more weakly against the Delta variant it apparently is also true that one does not become as sick. It weakens the virus it seems or at least that is what I've concluded.

Still anything we must consider boosters to be absolutely Paramount for people who are vulnerable to extreme illness illness and death.

Here in BC there is a care home that has an outbreak! I'm very sad right now about this situation and wish that we could give the booster to everyone right now. Our system goes a bit slowly and BC in general is now behind the other provinces with boosters. I'm not sure why but I wish it weren't so. We have already lost so many precious lives.

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/04/pfizer-covid-vaccine-protection-against-infection-tumbles-to-47percent-study-confirms.html

Colin Powell also had multiple myeloma -a blood cancer which makes it difficult to fight off infection. I've posted previously here about my best friend whose entire family came down with Covid despite living very cautiously. They have a grandson in school (this is Texas, no virtual choice this year). They were all vaccinated and minimizing all trips to curbside shopping, etc., but given that there is no endgame in sight, had decided to continue to see each other. And eventually, in late August, they all got it from the grandson in school. On Sept. 26th, her mother died of Covid after a month in the hospital. My friend and her DH made full recoveries (after getting Monoclonal Antibodies). Like Colin Powell, her mother also had multiple myeloma.

I just heard from a friend that those over 65 should wait 8 months after their second side for the booster.

Haven't looked into yet.

The news about Colin Powell really shook me. I admire him and I feel sure he took the necessary precautions, although being public figure may have brought him in contact with more people. I get my flu shot today and will ask about a Moderna booster. I didn’t know you had to wait two weeks between.

DLM, I'm sorry your husband was ill but thanks for the warning.

NEJM reports Moderna vaccine 96.3% effective in preventing symptomatic illness in health care workers compared to 88% for Pfizer. Another study (from the CDC) found Moderna's effectiveness against hospitalization held steady over a four-month period while Pfizer's fell from 91% to 77%. This research is still limited. But 88% effective against symptomatic illness and 77% against hospitalization is not "nothing." Again--more studies are needed. This data from Yale Medicine, dated 10/15/21.

I know hearing news like this scares people but, before getting any booster, I would get your Tcell immunity levels checked first. Especially those who have had Covid before. And those with Moderna, since it was higher dosage than Pfizer. And, especially if you are male.

The blood cancer Colin Powell had, attacks Tcells.

@eld6161 - CDC guidelines say six months after your second dose. I've heard 6-8 months. I supposed it's somewhat of a personal decision depending on how much at risk you feel and/or your healthcare provider's assessment.

Yes, we had heard the six month wait also. As for the 2 weeks between flu and vaccine or booster, that is not NECESSARY, but suggested. Makes sense to me. Let your body get over one before the other. The Moderna booster is not available yet, but IIRC, it will be a lower dose than the Pfizer booster. Half dose maybe? I can't recall where I read that and not going to look it up now. Also, we can probably pretty well expect cases to rise again either during the holiday season or after. So I feel better getting my booster soon rather than waiting.

Anyone who thought the vaccine would protect them 100% was kidding themselves. (Yes I know you were not one of those people DLM, and thanks for sharing your tough situation to help us all understand the realities of living during a pandemic!!) It of course does offer good protection but it's not an impenetrable wall. It is a valuable and strong tool in the toolbox of disease and pandemic protection. But we are not out of the woods yet, by a long, long shot. Fighting a pandemic relies on odds and statistics, but even something 90% effective or safe is of no comfort to the ten percent . . .So difficult. I too weighed a lot of variable on having even a small gathering for my Dad's 90th. Also on pins and needles as he has minor surgery/biopsy scheduled tomorrow and in addition to all the things that could go wrong with a 90 yr. old going under even light anesthesia, I have to worry about him going into a hospital system full of Covid patients. Of course they too are taking all the necessary precautions. But it doesn't take much for the perfect storm to pop up. Ask Joan Rivers family . . .

Edited to add that I often wonder Olliesmom, where you are getting these T-cell tests? Is your insurance paying for it? Or are you using a private testing service?

DLM your story reminds me of the difficulties I went through last year and this year too. I have terrible sinus problems in the fall and winter, due to mold allergies. So hard to tell when covid is raging. My cousin's daughter in FL got covid, she has kids ins school and is out and about, but anyway, she thought it was sinus but her parents have lots of immune issues so they asked her to get tested and it was covid. She is ok, also got vaccinated. I don't know if she got vaccinated before or after her covid bout. Her sister in law ended up in the hospital with blood clots from covid. Not vaccinated then but got it later on. Her husband/ my cousin's brother got covid during travel which he had to do for work . . . long times in airport is what probably did it for him, since all his work people get tested regularly. But they also all travel as required (sports team). Most of this happened pre vaccination or just as it was being rolled out for elders, and these folks aren't elders.

DLM, glad to hear your DH is on the mend and that you and the rest of the family are healthy!

Colin Powell was an immuno-compromised cancer patient and 84. So sorry to see him pass, I admired him. I had the pleasure to hear him speak at a business event and he was such a gentleman as well..

DH and I got our boosters. We are not "technically" eligible yet, but a booster is required for our holiday travel under Austria's guidelines. I knew boosters must be coming since last spring, when I booked our Alps trip and saw that proviso. Discussed it with our Dr and he told us booster shots are plentiful here and the rules are ambiguous enough we should just go since we are at the 6mo mark.

Feeling unrealistically invincible, but most places we go the peer pressure is still on to mask up, and so we do. Just got a really cute mask at RL, with proceeds going to a COVID charity.

https://www.ralphlauren.com/rl-masks-cg?ab=en_US_masksLP_Slot_1_S1_Image1_SHOP

I wonder if Colin Powell had Pfizer.

He had many increased risks. He was 84 years old, African American, and had blood cancer which severely compromises the immune system.

“before getting any booster, I would get your Tcell immunity levels checked first.”

You do realize the vast majority of people on this planet can not afford to have immunity levels checked, don’t you?

To slow down the pandemic people need to be vaccinated.

That’s scary. Glad your DH is better and thanks for sharing.

So sorry you and your husband had to endure this. I hope all gets back to rights soon.

As for the Powell news, I am appalled at how all the major news organizations fail to lead with the cancer bit.

“As for the Powell news, I am appalled at how all the major news organizations fail to lead with the cancer bit.”

What I saw was the lead was the statement by the Powell family, which did not mention the cancer. Then during the report, his battle with cancer was indeed mentioned.

The cancer is mentioned, but it's not the headline, or the Tweet.

If he didn’t have Covid he’d probably still be alive today. ^^^

Hope your DH is well soon and you stay well, DLM.

Thank you all for the well wishes , concern and commiseration.

@cooper8828 that's it exactly - it is disheartening when precautions have been taken all along and even though we know there are no guarantees it's human nature to think we have better odds given our vigilance.

@bpath testing me again in a few days is not a bad idea.

@mtnrdredux_gw I've read lately that cloth masks are more limited than we thought previously - not worthless but not the best option. Cute for situations when you are not in close quarters maybe but really not a good option for protection. Also read (I think?) that some air carriers are banning them but I may have mixed that up with other flight restrictions.

Can't be surprised at all about how Colin Powell's death is being politicized - what else is new? He was a remarkable man in many ways but what always struck me was his humility and willingness to correct course as events and life unfolded.

Cloth masks is too broad a term.

FWIW, this is the RL mask: The four-layer mask is constructed with an inner lining of cotton; two layers of nonwoven filtration; and a soft, breathable outer layer. Elastic ear straps and an adjustable nose bridge ensure a customizable fit that contours to the shape of the wearer's face.

Maddielee, the converse is also true.

No one ever represented that vaccines eradicated COVID or even COVID mortality for all groups 100% of the time.

That is not the standard for any medical treatment.

Yes, which is why I find the fact that people conflate that fact and say to me "why are you so worried, you're vaccinated" so inane and annoying, to say the least. We have immune compromised folks in our family, with age and cancer. So it's not a thing to be flippant about for us.

There is a difference in the effectiveness between the two, with the M version offering more protection and for a longer period of time.

I cannot post the links or the info because there is something Houzz doesn't like about them. I found the information in the NY Times, Yale, and the New England Journal of Medicine. You'll have to Google for yourself to read about the difference between the two.

Israel went all in on boosters which makes sense - they seem to have crushed it again. They delivered v program early so they were seeing immune response wane early as well.

We’ll all be getting boosters, on occasion at least, until more of the developing world, plus kids, are v’d and stop serving as a reservoir of new infection and variants.

Not shocking when you consider the many other immunizations which are delivered in a series to provide lasting protection.

Houzz won't let me type the names of the two.

I hate trying to post here.

I thought this was an interesting article on boosters

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/second-opinion-oct-16-covid-booster-shots-1.6213678

And this article from my neighbouring province contained some sobering advice - over-65’s who were v’d early may wish to act very cautiously until their booster

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/most-deaths-are-unvaccinated-1.6212234

Powell also had Parkinson's. The cards were stacked against him, even with the vaccine.

@DLM I am sorry your DH became ill, but glad he was vaccinated and improving. I also am glad noone else became infected.

So sad to hear about Colin Powell. I admired him greatly.

DH and I got Pfizer in February. He got his booster 2 weeks ago, and I got mine last week. He had no symptoms, I was pretty sick for a day which I expected given my reaction to the first two jabs. I am going to NYC next month and did not want to get on a plane without getting the booster. Plus, I live in Texas...

Tonight’s NYT has excellent coverage on Public Health aspect wrt the pandemic. Figures for v effectiveness are resoundingly positive. 187 million fully v’d and 7178 deaths out of which 87% over 65yrs old. That is 3 deaths per 100,000 approx. nothing is 100% effective but this should be as much proof as anyone could possibly need that the v is effective and necessary. What is the leading cause of death at present and what will continue to be so is stupidity. ” there are none so blind as those that will not see”.

Husband and I both got our boosters after doing the Pfizer, regimen, he in January and my last shot in April. I went ahead just before the CDC recs came out and no regrets.

That said, I also consider us completely vulnerable. Being protected against dying or ending up in an ICU doesn't give me any comfort; this disease is so new that factually nobody knows what the long term physical effects are or might be. I do NOT want to get COVID!

This summer when we went on our beach vacation (staying at a condo, no group gatherings) my daughter and I had slight friction because she felt that since all of us were vaccinated we shouldn't worry about going out to eat in restaurants. I did worrry and we had to compromise by eating outside/going early to deserted places.

And sure enough a couple of weeks after they returned home they went to a bar with friends to watch a soccer game and within 48 hours my son in law tested positive. He had what felt like a mild cold so and hopefully is fully recovered.

Yesterday I went to my first indoor gathering that had ~30 people spaced out in an auditorium that seats 200. We were very spread out and I wore my KN95 mask all day but the session lasted 10 hours and I am mentally holding my breath until a few days goes by till I feel safe.

Stories like yours DLM are what keep me convinced we are nowhere near out of this incredibly dangerous period.

We have no regrets cancelling/moving three trips. I do have a conference starting Sunday. First work travel since January.

Not totally thrilled, but at least I’ve had Mx2. I have to start sometime😭

@runninginplace you expressed much of what I feel, the vulnerability and the unknown. No matter that the 'odds are ever in our favor' due to overall health, V status and rigid precautions, there's still a place in my brain that I call my tragedy imagination and it is alive and well. We've discussed here many times about risks and what we individually are comfortable with based on the specific 'reward'. I don't have a way to assess my risk that makes me confident because of ever changing information and as you said, the newness of this disease harbors unknowns. Which is exactly why I called this a cautionary tale not a warning - I am not certain enough to issue a warning and lots of people here and those I know and love IRL have traveled safely. We had not seen our granddaughter since she was 18 mos and though we knew there were risks we had to go or I would have fallen down a rabbit hole of despair for sure. Was it worth it? 99% yes. DH is still coughing and told me last night (why do men keep health secrets?) that sometimes he can't taste things. He felt well enough to work a part day today for a customer who is out of town so he felt safe being in the house. But he's back to lining up largely outside work as he did all of 2020. Not sure if/when I'll get him on a plane again. That's where our ability to control our space was zilch and I don't know if he'll do that again even for DGD until the risk level is vastly different.

The unmitigated gall of the NYT running a story tonight about Collin Powell's death providing fuel for jab sceptics! The dishonesty here is breath taking.

^^^^The media's job is to keep people scared. It works.

ipink, my regular doctor ordered it the first time, I asked her and she ordered it for me. I had to give her the exact test name at the time. (I heard about it from my gynecologist, who happens to be on the Covid Task Force where I live) Insurance paid for that one. Second one, my gynecologist ordered it for me. Not sure if insurance paid for that one yet, since I already knew I had immunity from the first one, but I was curious to see if, a year later, I still had immunity, and of course, I did. If not, I think it is about $50. It is from Labcorp.

DLM, I really hate to hear your hubby got Covid but, on a good note, he should feel free after he recovers! I never worry about getting it again. However, so many of my friends have had the vaccine and travel and go everywhere and they don't worry either. Where I live, we never wear masks and life is back to normal. And, if the very rare chance I did again, it would very likely be mild symptoms, like most who got the vaccine. If I were you, I would keep getting tested the next few days-you very well could be asymptomatic. How is hubby doing now?

That NYT article states that his family said he died of Covid, but also states that he had Multiple Myeloma and Parkinsons.

I've been on fall break so I've not been online as much, yay! DLM, sorry this happened during/after the big trip.

My primary care doctor did not recommend an antibody titer so he did not order one when I had my last blood work a month ago. I did do a home antibody kit as part of one of the research studies, and I still have a faint line, so that is some relief. Have no idea what is going on with boosters with the clinical trial. Both DH and MIL got their Pfizer boosters. I have one more personal antibody test kit we can use on DH.

DLM, sorry to hear, after all your precautions, your DH still got infected. If we could just turn a neon shade of pink when we have Covid, it would make it so much easier! I'm glad you finally got to see your GD and family and hope your DH makes a full recovery.

Edited to add-turning pink so we would know who has it!

olliesmom, I hope for your sake that should you get Covid again you don’t suffer as my daughter-in-law did early in the pandemic. She and my son were sick for two weeks or so the first time around. A few months later both were stricken again, but the second time dil was hospitalized for days. My son was not as sick as his wife was, but nevertheless he was darned sick at home. DIL now has long Covid. Neither had any underlying conditions.

sheesh, I was sick for two weeks also, but not hospitalized. Luckily, my doctor gave me meds and I turned the corner quickly. I do not have long Covid. No one I personally know-and most around me have gotten Covid, have no symptoms now, and have never gotten it again. Not saying it doesn't happen. because it rarely will. I do know one person who very unfortunately died-she had diabetes. Both your son and DIL stricken with Covid twice is very strange. However, there is 5% of the population, who never get immunity at all. That's sounds like it may the luck of the draw with your son and DIL.

My husband and I are also remaining steadfastly isolated. Our lives and health are far more valuable to us than shopping, gatherings, and restaurants. If people who selfishly, adamantly, and ignorantly would cooperate, innoculate, isolate, and mask up, perhaps we could be rid of this thing. It takes all of us working together.

olliesmom

"Antibodies may be detected in your blood for several months or more after you recover from COVID-19. Although these antibodies probably provide some immunity to the COVID-19 virus, there's currently not enough evidence to know how long the antibodies last or to what extent past infection with the virus helps protect you from getting another infection. Though rare, there are some confirmed and suspected cases of reinfection. Studies on COVID-19 antibodies as well as other components of the immune system are ongoing to learn more about immunity.

Binding antibodies. These widely available antibody tests detect whether you've developed any antibodies in response to a COVID-19 infection. But they don't indicate how extensive or effective your immune response is."

https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/covid-19-antibody-testing/about/pac-20489696

Judi again immunity is in your tcells. Antibody tests are useless unless you’ve had Covid recently. You can still be immune without showing active antibodies.

excellent info once again on how T cells function. They are active after viral infiltration but are NOT a preventive.

https://www.google.com/search?q=is+immunity+in+your+t+cells&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS676US676&oq=is+immunity+in+your+t+cells&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i333l3.21691j0j7&hl=en-US&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8