The COVID-19 Science and Medicine Question Thread

Our docs said to get the RSV shot over these for now. I think our last boosters for the COVID were in the spring. Wife just got a refresher pneumonia vaccine... I had thought those were "permanent" so she is one up on me.

Nice Summary Article about "What We Know Now About COVID-19" in case anyone is inclined to read...

[Four Years On, the Mysteries of Covid Are Unraveling]("https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/09/well/live/covid-symptoms-mysteries.html?unlocked_article_code=1.c00.fOjA.PFT1t2nj-MmX&smid=url-share")

nope.

Nice Summary Article about "What We Know Now About COVID-19" in case anyone is inclined to read...

[Four Years On, the Mysteries of Covid Are Unraveling]("https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/09/well/live/covid-symptoms-mysteries.html?unlocked_article_code=1.c00.fOjA.PFT1t2nj-MmX&smid=url-share")

What I found fascinating were the comments. It was like a time machine back to 2021. Thankfully, scientists continue to study the disease, which continues to mutate.
One thing is clear, virology and immunology are complicated sciences and a full mastery requires more than a few hours of googling. A few interesting tidbits:
It can be aerosolized and spread more than 6 feet.
It can lead to damage to blood vessels, leading to mini-clots and potentially heart and circulation issues.
The difference between natural and vaccine induced covid related anti-bodies that fight infection and do not last as long as many hoped, and natural and vaccine induced covid related T-cells that fight symptoms and provide relatively long term protection against hospitalization if you do become infected.
That the virus can hide in body fat, which relates to why over weight folks had a harder time of it.
Why it can cause brain fog and loss of smell.

Thanks for the link.

He listened to you but you did not listen to him.

Son and his lady have it now

is that a question: what’s that mean….

yeah , and i have a enlarged prostate… cell…

i have a question, why is thread in the sticky zone still… haha..

maybe it’s a EGO thing… cell…

Son and his lady have it now

[S]it wasn’t put in the form of a question, i saw it on Jeopardy… cell…[/S]

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[S]it wasn’t put in the form of a question, i saw it on Jeopardy… cell…[/S]
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Don't sweat it, somebody is upset that the COVID threads are still pinned and he feels they should no longer be Pinned.

Can't disagree with that, but it's not something easily done with the newest site software update...

EGO sensitive, less words more powerful… cell…

I pay little to no attention to the virus stuff anyway. Only started with the shots as swmbo worked for a dentist back then and our cruise (at first) wanted proof of the shot. Going to Unwatch this thread. Ttfn

ya gonna block me here too… cell…

Don't sweat it, somebody is upset that the COVID threads are still pinned and he feels they should no longer be Pinned.

Can't disagree with that, but it's not something easily done with the new update...

What new update?

Interesting Guest Essay from the NY Times that pretty much sums up mRNA technology and the dangers of shutting it off. One must remember that mRNA was one of the most basic tools for molecular biologists to explore science, and it resulted in the two critical scientist involved both Nobel Prizes and Lasker Awards.

With RFK Jr's grasp, or should I say lack of grasp, of the most basic medical and biochemical principles, I fully expect for him to try to reestablish leeches and blood letting as preferred medical treatments...

[HEADING=2][SIZE=7]America Is Abandoning One of the Greatest Medical Breakthroughs[/SIZE][/HEADING]
In early 2020, when the first genetic sequence of the new coronavirus was posted online, scientists were ready. Within hours, they began designing a vaccine. Within weeks, clinical trials were underway. That unprecedented speed, which saved millions of lives, was possible only because years earlier, the United States invested in a vaccine technology called mRNA. Today that work is being sidelined and, with it, our best chance to quickly respond when the next threat emerges.

The Department of Health and Human Services recently announced it would wind down 22 mRNA vaccine development projects under the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, halting nearly $500 million in investments. This decision undercuts one of the most significant medical advances in decades, technology that could protect millions more people from the threats ahead.

I know the stakes because I was BARDA’s director when the United States made the decision to invest heavily in mRNA. That investment did not begin with Covid-19. It began in 2016, when we faced the Zika virus outbreak. We needed a way to design a vaccine in days, not years, to protect pregnant women and their babies from devastating birth defects. Older vaccine approaches were too slow. The solution was mRNA: a flexible, rapid-response technology that could be reprogrammed for any pathogen once its genetic sequence was known. That early investment laid the groundwork for the lightning-fast Covid-19 response four years later.

BARDA wasn’t the only government agency making early investments in mRNA research. The Department of Defense and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency had already recognized mRNA’s potential for swift action against emerging biological threats, including those that might be weaponized. Globally, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, the World Health Organization and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation committed substantial resources to advance the technology for viruses with pandemic potential. These combined efforts created a scientific and manufacturing foundation that allowed the world to move at warp speed when Covid-19 emerged.

During the pandemic, mRNA vaccines went from the genetic sequence of the virus to human trials in under 70 days. They were evaluated in large, rigorous trials, meeting the same safety and effectiveness standards as other vaccines. By the end of 2021, they had saved an estimated 20 million lives globally, including more than one million in the United States. They reduced hospitalization and death rates, lowered the risk of long Covid and helped economies and communities reopen sooner.

The mRNA technology is not a single vaccine. It is what scientists describe as a platform, which can be adapted quickly for new or mutating viruses, combined to target multiple variants and manufactured through a streamlined process that reduces reliance on fragile global supply chains. It is now being tested for personalized cancer vaccines, autoimmune therapies and treatments for rare diseases. It is under study to protect against pathogens like the Nipah, Lassa and Chikungunya viruses, threats that could cause the next global emergency.

Like every technology, mRNA has limitations. Vaccines meant to protect against respiratory infections, whether developed through mRNA or older technologies, are generally better at averting severe disease than preventing infection. It is a scientific challenge we can address with next-generation vaccines. The answer to limitations is improvement, not abandonment.

Political narratives about mRNA have fueled confusion, which leads to mistrust, yet the scientific evidence consistently shows that this technology is safe and effective and holds enormous potential for future vaccines and treatments. Some have claimed mRNA encourages viral mutations or prolongs pandemics.

Research says otherwise. Mutations arise when viruses replicate. Vaccination can help reduce the chances of virus replication, which would reduce opportunities for mutation. Other critics point to safety concerns. With more than 13 billion Covid‑19 vaccine doses administered globally, including hundreds of millions of mRNA doses, the evidence shows that serious complications are very rare and occur at rates comparable with those of other vaccines. Most side effects are mild and short‑lived.

If the United States abandons mRNA, it will not simply be forfeiting a public health advantage. It will be ceding a strategic asset. In national security terms, mRNA is the equivalent of a missile defense system for biology. The ability to rapidly design, produce and deploy medical countermeasures is as vital to our defense as any military capability. Adversaries that invest in this technology will be able to respond faster to outbreaks, protecting their populations sooner than we can.

Right now, the United States has a decisive advantage in mRNA science, manufacturing capacity and regulatory expertise. But in an era when biological threats can be engineered, losing this competitive edge would leave the United States vulnerable and dependent on others for lifesaving tools.

The consequences of canceling mRNA contracts will affect more nations than just the United States. Many countries have been building regional mRNA manufacturing capacity. For a leader like the United States to pull back now undermines that effort and weakens our collective ability to respond to the next outbreak. It means choosing to face the next biological threat with fewer defenses and slower tools while others build speed and strength.

There is a better path forward. The Department of Health and Human Services can work with scientists, public health experts and security leaders to refine and improve mRNA technology while preserving critical programs and production capacity. By recalibrating rather than severing support, we can keep this powerful tool ready for the time it is needed most. The next crisis will not wait for us to rebuild what we have thrown away.

[URL unfurl="true"]https://nypost.com/2025/11/18/health/wa-man-severely-ill-with-virus-never-before-seen-in-humans/[/URL]

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/covid-flu-shots-limbo-trump-151423574.html[/URL]

“All the work, as far as I know, has ceased, putting us in a tremendous deficit in recommendations,” said Dr. Jason Goldman, president of the American College of Physicians. “It’s just horrifying to contemplate what damage has been done.”

In the words of the immortal Yogi Berra………..

“It’s deja vu all over again”

[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/hantavirus-us-andes-cruise-ship-2026-spread-symptoms-rcna344575[/URL]