[Fiend]

Congrats to everyone who's just been boosted; may your immune response be robust and your side-effects mild!

For you 3-dose mRNA people, enjoy these sexy sexy diagrams

Tried to crack one off to those diagrams, still not sexy enough. Could only get to half-mast. Had to dig out the Allegra Stratton video to finish the job 

P.S.

AZ1 - Mildly warm, mildly sore head overnight (wouldn't have noticed but digestion woke me up), slightly tired 1 day.
AZ2 - Nothing
PFZ - Very slightly tired 1 day

HTH.

[andy popp]

Didn't really notice Pfizer 1 at all, had to have a brief afternoon lie down after early morning Pfizer 2. Pfizer 3 yesterday: don't feel ill at all but very tired, slightly stiff neck, and a little fuzzy in the head (What's new, I hear you cry!) - but I think I was already pretty tired after a very busy and sometimes stressful few months.

[colin8ll]

I had no side effects from Pfizer 1, but Pfizer 2 gave me side effects which mimicked breast cancer and led to cellulitis which required a course of antibiotics. It was rather unpleasant. I just got boosted this morning with Moderna and I'm hoping I don't have similar side effects this time.

[tommytwotone]

Assuming the "wait 4 weeks after you've had COVID" guidance is still in place, earliest I'd be eligible is (I think) next Weds. In two minds about rushing to get it done as a) I'd rather not scupper Xmas with potential side effects, b) I'm guessing I'm full to the hat-band with antibodies anyway, and c) I have a booking for 6th Jan anyway.

Yeah, I don't know if anyone's got info or advice on optimal timing of boosters in people who are already "super-immune".

Effectively, getting Covid already functioned as a kind of "third dose" for you, and we know super-immunity holds up pretty strongly against Omicron:

https://twitter.com/JanineKimpel/status/1468700628922904591

Based on the Balazs Lab stuff, looks like you could potentially gain even more immunity by getting a booster at some point, but you're going to be in a decent position right now.

What's more Super-Immune than Super-Immune? Ultra-Immune?

Having had the AZ for jabs 1 and 2 I reckon if they give me a different one for the Booster I could end up being able to fly, see into the future or something as well as being COVID-resistant.

[petejh]

Congrats to everyone who's just been boosted; may your immune response be robust and your side-effects mild!

For you 3-dose mRNA people, enjoy these sexy sexy diagrams of how good your immunity against Omicron will be (given a week or two to kick in) -- new study just out using pseudovirus neutralization assays:

Moderna: https://twitter.com/BalazsLab/status/1470727025312686080
Pfizer: https://twitter.com/BalazsLab/status/1470727030165544969

A recent booster even beats "super-immunity" from "distant" (6-12 months ago) vaccination plus infection, which is exciting because that's still extremely strong.

Also, very interesting: https://twitter.com/BalazsLab/status/1470727055088099328

Overall, our findings suggest that boosting is doing a lot more than simply increasing your titers.  It seems to be broadening the antibody response to be better equipped to  recognize diverse variants. Hopefully it will still work against whatever variant comes next!

Is there a test available for home use that shows a person's level of covid antibodies? I know there's the antibody test available via NHS but his appears to give a binary yes/no to having had previous covid infection (hence having antibodies). 

It'd be interesting to be able to find out one's current level of immunity to omicron, as virtually everyone will now have some level of antibodies. Could start a UKB thread on who has the best antibody levels..

[sdm]

 I (am trying to) take part in the ONS covid antibody study.

Have yet to successfully take a useable blood sample though so I still don't know if I have any antibodies.

Their volunteers mostly aren't medically trained so they can't stick a needle in your arm as with most blood tests. Instead you get the single use finger prick samplers. Which don't seem capable of making me bleed enough. My theory is that climbing has toughened my finger tips up too much.

Next time they come around, I might try pinging off a crimp and wrapping my knuckles against the board. That usually gets plenty of blood flowing.

[tommytwotone]

It'd be interesting to be able to find out one's current level of immunity to omicron, as virtually everyone will now have some level of antibodies. Could start a UKB thread on who has the best antibody levels..

We could combine it with your boulder grade and Powerball high score to come up with the ultimate UKB ranking system.

[duncan]

Is there a test available for home use that shows a person's level of covid antibodies? I know there's the antibody test available via NHS but his appears to give a binary yes/no to having had previous covid infection (hence having antibodies). 

I volunteered for study where I had to take my own blood and send it off for analysis. This confirmed I had antibodies (I should hope so after a bout of delta and then two Pfizer vaccinations) but I wasn't told if it was RP2, black Totem, or titanium glue-in level of protection. 

[spidermonkey09]

Glued peg?

[slab_happy]

Assuming the "wait 4 weeks after you've had COVID" guidance is still in place, earliest I'd be eligible is (I think) next Weds. In two minds about rushing to get it done as a) I'd rather not scupper Xmas with potential side effects, b) I'm guessing I'm full to the hat-band with antibodies anyway, and c) I have a booking for 6th Jan anyway.

Yeah, I don't know if anyone's got info or advice on optimal timing of boosters in people who are already "super-immune".

Effectively, getting Covid already functioned as a kind of "third dose" for you, and we know super-immunity holds up pretty strongly against Omicron:

https://twitter.com/JanineKimpel/status/1468700628922904591

Based on the Balazs Lab stuff, looks like you could potentially gain even more immunity by getting a booster at some point, but you're going to be in a decent position right now.

What's more Super-Immune than Super-Immune? Ultra-Immune?

Having had the AZ for jabs 1 and 2 I reckon if they give me a different one for the Booster I could end up being able to fly, see into the future or something as well as being COVID-resistant.

Yeah, they're using mRNA vaccines as boosters for everyone, so you're going to have the most well-rounded immunity possible!

[SA Chris]

Glued peg?

"eco bolt" surely.

[abarro81]

Does anyone know if you should get a booster if you're a contact of someone who's got covid? E.g. if you're in the time zone where you could have got it but might be testing negative (especially on LFTs)? Or better to cancel and wait to see if symptoms come through?

[AJM]

What actually happens if you have a booster on top of recent covid? I've seen the advice saying you shouldn't, but I don't know why - worse reaction, less effective, etc?

I sort of assume a reasonable amount of covid still goes undiagnosed, so presumably people do it without knowing, so I presume it isn't dangerous otherwise you'd have to have something more robust than the absence of testing positive. But I don't know what it is that drives the rule in the first place.

[Will Hunt]

Waste of resource?
I'm not sure what the limiting factor is on administering vaccines is at the moment. Supply, distribution, venues, staff, recipients? All of that will be impacted by giving doses to people who are already chocker with antibodies.

[mrjonathanr]

What actually happens if you have a booster on top of recent covid? I've seen the advice saying you shouldn't, but I don't know why - worse reaction, less effective, etc?

I sort of assume a reasonable amount of covid still goes undiagnosed, so presumably people do it without knowing, so I presume it isn't dangerous otherwise you'd have to have something more robust than the absence of testing positive. But I don't know what it is that drives the rule in the first place.

Increased risk of myocarditis I expect?

[slab_happy]

Congrats to everyone who's just been boosted; may your immune response be robust and your side-effects mild!

For you 3-dose mRNA people, enjoy these sexy sexy diagrams

Tried to crack one off to those diagrams, still not sexy enough. Could only get to half-mast. Had to dig out the Allegra Stratton video to finish the job 

P.S.

AZ1 - Mildly warm, mildly sore head overnight (wouldn't have noticed but digestion woke me up), slightly tired 1 day.
AZ2 - Nothing
PFZ - Very slightly tired 1 day

HTH.

Sad that some people can't appreciate the raw, throbbing filth of nAb titre figures ...

AZ1: bad muscle aches starting overnight and messing with my sleep, continuing the following day, rapidly improving after that.
AZ2: bit achy and tired the day after, otherwise a non-event.
PFZ: pretty much exact repeat of AZ1 side-effects -- guess that's just how my body experiences that kind of immune activation?

Still feeling wiped out, but I had a minor (non-Covid) bug and a really exhausting few weeks prior to the jab anyway, so it's probably mostly due to that.

[Offwidth]

What actually happens if you have a booster on top of recent covid? I've seen the advice saying you shouldn't, but I don't know why - worse reaction, less effective, etc?

I sort of assume a reasonable amount of covid still goes undiagnosed, so presumably people do it without knowing, so I presume it isn't dangerous otherwise you'd have to have something more robust than the absence of testing positive. But I don't know what it is that drives the rule in the first place.

I thought, in order, it was risk to vaccination staff, reduced effectiveness of the vaccine and small extra risks from possible side effects ...  tried to find links but it's not easy (when it should be!...with ideally Q&A linked to more detailed science behind that!). Here is one link I found on the first two points without links to extra info....

https://www.ideastream.org/news/what-happens-if-you-get-the-vaccine-and-dont-know-you-have-covid-19

[Ballsofcottonwool]

My theory is that climbing has toughened my finger tips up too much.

It definitely does, the occupational health nurse at work was trying do a a finger prick blood cholesterol test on me and the needle just bounced off. She ended up pricking the side of my finger to get a drop of blood out. It wouldn't have been enough for the covid-antibody test though, my wife was in that study and we were shocked at the size of the vial that had to be filled! Her test came back negative despite definitely being exposed a few months earlier when one of our kids had Covid.

[slab_happy]

Good intel -- anyone who's not yet had 2 doses of vaccine gets a priority appointment:

https://twitter.com/kallmemeg/status/1470775219841339397

(And the walk-ins generally all do first and second doses as well as boosters.)

So if that's you or anyone you know, get it done (yes, even if you've already had Covid). And if you know anyone pregnant and unvaccinated, you should be begging them on your knees to get it done, because the data and stories on Covid in pregnancy just get more and more grim.

Two doses of an mRNA vax provide a bit of protection but not a huge amount (maybe 30-something %) against infection with Omicron.

But what they will still do is take a huge slice out of your chances of hospitalization if you get it (figures from SA suggest up to 70%, though that's in a mixed wave of Omicron and Delta).

As of yesterday, doubling time was 1.9 days in most regions of England; I think we should expect that we're all going to meet Omicron very soon.

Also, because I'm saying this to everyone I know: I strongly rec upping your masks to FFP2/n95 or something equivalent.

If you're not keen on wastage from disposables, buy a pack of five or ten, number them, use them in order, hang them up somewhere well-ventilated to air-dry when not in use, and you can probably get about 5 uses out of each -- Covid doesn't survive more than a day on surfaces.

https://www.boots.com/boots-protective-ffp2-nr-face-masks-5s-10292473

[petejh]

Also, because I'm saying this to everyone I know: I strongly rec upping your masks to FFP2/n95 or something equivalent.

If you're not keen on wastage from disposables, buy a pack of five or ten, number them, use them in order, hang them up somewhere well-ventilated to air-dry when not in use, and you can probably get about 5 uses out of each -- Covid doesn't survive more than a day on surfaces.

https://www.boots.com/boots-protective-ffp2-nr-face-masks-5s-10292473

Genuine question: why? What will this do for my benefit that the old mask I've been using pretty much all year won't do? Given that I'm highly likely to encounter omicron, catch omicron and be perfectly fine and continue with life after catching omicorn.


(BTW Boots are probably charging you a 100% mark-up on those FFP2s. We buy them wholesale to give to guys for jobs and pay approx £10 per box of 10. God knows what mark-up the factory in SE Asia is charging the wholesaler).

[danm]

You don't wear a mask to protect yourself, it's to protect others around you. A better mask does this more effectively.

[petejh]

OK, yes aware of this. However that's different to 'are FFP2 masks needed over and above surgical masks to adequately protect others'. If they were considered necessary wouldn't the WHO recommend them for public use?

[Duma]

Think ffp2 actually give decent protection to the wearer as well.

What level of improvement in protection of self or others makes ffp2 worth it is obviously a personal choice

[andy popp]

Friend on FB about their Christmas works' do tonight:

"We could stay at home like good boys and girls but we say, FUCK YOU BORIS!
We have waited far too long for this. Bring on the dancin!"

Who says politicians don't matter? Not condemining my friend; it wouldn't be my choice, but it's completely understandable.

[slab_happy]

Think ffp2 actually give decent protection to the wearer as well.

What level of improvement in protection of self or others makes ffp2 worth it is obviously a personal choice

Yeah. I feel like --- okay, we've got doubling time now closer to 1.5 days in some areas.

Even if risk of severe illness for a given individual who is vaccinated and boosted (and and not immunocompromised or elderly or having any major health conditions) is going to be extremely low -- which looks like it's the case, thank fuck -- shit's potentially going to get rough just from sheer weight of numbers getting infected in a very short space of time. A tiny percentage of a very very very big number, etc..

(And a lot of people are immunocompromised or elderly etc. etc..)

Since you've got to stick something over your face in shops, on public transport, etc. anyway right now, and there's now no shortage of FFP2s in the UK, I figure you might as well go for something that's significantly more effective than cloth, and do a tiny bit to slow the tsunami.

I do recognize it's an individual judgement and context thing -- one of my best friends works retail, has to wear a mask all day, cloth masks are as much as she can handle and she's uncomfortable with the environmental effects of disposables; fair enough. Everyone's got different trade-offs.

But I think a lot of us have found a mask that works for us then stuck with that for the past year without thinking about it further -- that's been true for me, anyway. Then I looked at some of the most recent numbers and decided that for me, this seemed like a good moment to up my game.