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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
Replying to
@zeynep
Cause is yet unknown, but this highlights the importance of vaccinating all kids. We don’t always know what viral infections will do or interact with other circumstances or co-infections—even if rarely. Vaccines protect kids from more than just symptomatic infection.
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Neil Stone
@DrNeilStone
None of the unfortunate kids to have this hepatitis of unknown cause has been vaccinated, ruling this out as a cause - therefore excluding the anti vax cranks from exploiting this worrying event. Has left space for plenty of others to weigh in though..
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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
Better logic. I think we could have had them in December. How about as soon as possible? But note that “less effective” against breakthrough doesn’t mean vaccines are totally ineffective. They help protect against many outcomes, *and* reduce infection, transmission and duration.
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Alexander Tin
@Alexander_Tin
Per @COVIDOversight, @US_FDA's Dr. Peter Marks said of EUA for <5 year old shots: "If these vaccines seem to be mirroring efficacy in adults and just seem to be less effective against Omicron like they are for adults, we will probably still authorize" coronavirus.house.gov/news/press-rel
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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
Thread on the many conflicting reasons voiced on delays under five vaccines. We delayed kid vaccines until after the Omicron wave because of near misses of symptomatic VE targets set two years ago that are no longer met for adult ones. And still slow.
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Sophia, MPH
@sophiacbess
Updating this thread now that Moderna's submission is complete. Over the past few weeks, we've heard at least four distinct explanations for the proposed June review. A brief history of the narratives surrounding this (unprecedented) delay🧵 twitter.com/sophiacbess/st…
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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
Vaccines for over 5 no longer meet the "prevent 50% of breakthroughs" goal but we still urge people to get vaccinated because we have Two. Years. Of. Data. on their many benefits besides prevention of symptoms. Vaccines also dramatically reduce MIS-C rates, a threat to youngest.
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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
Like the January wave, much of this is vaccine-preventable. We’re still waiting.
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Jay Varma
@DrJayVarma
This prolonged #NYC #COVID surge is now steadily increasing pressure on emergency departments. Particularly striking is illness in children 0-4 years old with ED visits (per 100K) similar to first half of January #Omicron wave. (Data from @nycHealthy github.com/nychealth/coro)
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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
Reportedly, they are about to approve a *third* dose for a kid that is 61 months-old, while an immunocompromised kid that's 59 months-old cannot get a single dose, even off-label with pediatrician recommendations. (Special restriction only for this).
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Luke Johnson
@johnson
Replying to @zeynep
I just put it together that I've been fully vaccinated for a little over a year. It's shocking that there still isn't a vaccine available for ages 2-5. I would be at wits end if I had a child that age.
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zeynep tufekci
@zeynep
So, CDC is worried updating vaccines might "create an impression that we don’t have a very effective vaccination program". Having vaccines available only for a long-extinct strain when we could easily update them would surely not be the answer here to fixing that "impression".
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K.R. Nicholson
@krnicholson
Replying to
@zeynep
I read that was one of the benefits of the mRNA vaccines is that they can be updated quickly to account for new variants but I thought vaccine companies weren't updating them for greed reasons but it looks like its just incompetence?
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Daniel Micay
@DanielMicay
Replying to
@DanielMicay
@krnicholson
and
@zeynep
They did the same thing with masks, telling people they aren't effective without training and should be reserved for health care professionals instead of mass producing them. Imagine if they'd given everyone an elastomeric mask and several sets of N95 / P100 filters for them.
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Daniel Micay
@DanielMicay
Replying to
@DanielMicay
@krnicholson
and
@zeynep
Nice example of institutional stupidity happens in our hospitals in Ontario, Canada where everyone is required to take off their mask in the high traffic indoor reception area when they enter the hospital. You have to put on one of their standard low effectiveness cloth masks.
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