5 ms·
The rub is that there are a lot of people on Earth. And, early evidence _might_ suggest that the vaccines that are available lose effectiveness sooner than orig
by thisiscorrect 5y ago
The rub is that there are a lot of people on Earth. And, early evidence _might_ suggest that the vaccines that are available lose effectiveness sooner than originally thought. For example, [1] shows evidence of diminished effectiveness after 146 days.
Back to "Our data show that anti-disease vaccines that do not prevent transmission can create conditions that promote the emergence of pathogen strains that cause more severe disease in unvaccinated hosts." and whether that implies that "for anyone who did not get the vaccine to get it." This sounds like a strategy that hinges on everyone on Earth getting vaccines and frequent-enough booster shots. What if that's unachievable though? The logistics for that would be unprecedented. What are the consequences of trying but failing to do it?
[1] https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.03.21261496v1 https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.03.21261496v...
- jacobolus 5y ago> lose effectiveness sooner than originally thought To be precise, have partially reduced effectiveness against transmission of a variant of the virus evolved after the creation of the vaccine, while still preventing almost all severe illness/death. Possible ways forward: (1) give people additional booster shots of the existing vaccine; (2) develop a modified vaccine booster targeted more precisely to the variant virus; (3) keep public health measures in place (e.g. requiring everyone to wear face masks indoors) so long as Re > 1. > What if that's unachievable though? It has been more or less achievable for past vaccinations. It is a logistical challenge to be sure, but modern society is certainly capable of it if it is prioritized.
- wampwamp 5y agoThe consequence would be vaccine makers are now gods on earth with the power of life and death.