COVID-19 Megathread 6: Return of the Omicron

[Hammy]

Purge the entire FDA and start over.

[compucomp]

Purge the entire FDA and start over.

As much as it pains me to admit it, maybe Trump was onto something when he threatened the FDA commissioner last December that he either approve the Pfizer vaccine within the day or be fired.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more protest from the pro-vax, pro-choice progressive left demanding more vaccine freedom, in the form of being able to choose their type of vaccine, choose to get booster, choose to vaccinate their children, etc.   There is certainly much more scientific evidence in favor of these positions than those of the anti-vax right.

[It’s so Joever]

What was the reasoning behind this decision?

[Vaccinated Russian Bear]

What was the reasoning behind this decision?

Science.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Lol we have flu and Pneumonia shots, if you need a booster just get a flu or Pneumonia shot, I don't live in a Winter Environment, I got one last yr, don't need a flu shot and already gotten my Pnemonia sh**t which is good until my 50s

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Is there any sort of supply issue or is this just a dumb ruling?

[It’s so Joever]

If this were based on the reasoning that boosters would take away vaccinesthat could have been sent internationally, I get it. Preventing new mutations must take precedence. However, if it’s just because “the benefit isn’t enough” or whatever, that I don’t get as much.

[compucomp]

If this were based on the reasoning that boosters would take away vaccinesthat could have been sent internationally, I get it. Preventing new mutations must take precedence. However, if it’s just because “the benefit isn’t enough” or whatever, that I don’t get as much.

If any of the FDA advisory board will actually admit to this being their reasoning, that is arguably treason. In that case Biden should immediately fire them and then force the FDA to approve boosters for everyone.

[emailking]

Should be noted that the FDA advisory panel are the experts on this, and the people who post in this thread are not.

[compucomp]

Should be noted that the FDA advisory panel are the experts on this, and the people who post in this thread are not.

The experts tried to manipulate public opinion with misleading statements and lies about masks and aerosol spread of COVID, to disastrous effect. Recently they endorsed a disastrous guidance which resulted in mask mandates being rescinded everywhere long before they should have been. So clearly their statements and actions need to be evaluated critically and not taken as gospel.

Now, it could be true that Pfizer's press release was not accurately portraying the data presented and the studies done in Israel regarding booster efficacy were flawed. If so, the panel needs to show its work and explain why this is the case. Otherwise, it is fair for us to question their motives, as there is no supply issues in the USA. In particular, if this decision were influenced in any way by the WHO and its "send your vaccines to other countries" agenda, then the board needs to be fired immediately by Biden and this decision overturned.

[emailking]

Discuss the why all you want. This talk of firing all of them or maybe they committed treason is just nuts.

[compucomp]

Discuss the why all you want. This talk of firing all of them or maybe they committed treason is just nuts.

If they denied booster shots to Americans because they think the shots should be sent overseas, then that is arguably treason. If this is revealed to be the case then Biden needs to fire them all.

I wish I could take them at their word that their judgement was based on the efficacy of the initial 2 shots for the under-65 population and lack of data proving booster efficacy, but there's a part of me that just knows better. We'll see in the next week or so as this info would likely be leaked or someone at the FDA will spill the beans.

[ꙮ]

5 pages now of compucomp declaring the decision to not have boosters either “treason” or “impeachable”.

We get it, you think you know more about public health than the CDC or FDA. There’s no need to keep repeating it every 10 posts.

Also, for the love of god, I am begging you to read the Constitution. The word “treason” has a definition that this does not come within 100 miles of meeting.

[Edu]

If they denied booster shots to Americans because they think the shots should be sent overseas, then that is arguably treason. If this is revealed to be the case then Biden needs to fire them all.

lmao, what the hell?

[Pericles]

Discuss the why all you want. This talk of firing all of them or maybe they committed treason is just nuts.

If they denied booster shots to Americans because they think the shots should be sent overseas, then that is arguably treason. If this is revealed to be the case then Biden needs to fire them all.

I wish I could take them at their word that their judgement was based on the efficacy of the initial 2 shots for the under-65 population and lack of data proving booster efficacy, but there's a part of me that just knows better. We'll see in the next week or so as this info would likely be leaked or someone at the FDA will spill the beans.

Two shots are already plenty of protection so it's not clear at all that a third one is needed for people who have already done the right thing. It is clear though that there are billions of people who still need any protection from Covid and if they don't get it dangerous new variants could set back even developed countries. So there is a real opportunity cost to boosters, which is why the experts should make sure the extra protection would actually help before recommending it.

[Inmate Trump]

Obviously none of us know better than the “experts” but their decision is concerning in light of all the many articles containing data of waning protection that boosters might make up for.

And it is true that the experts downplayed the need for masks early on only to backtrack later. When it should have been more than clear (as it was to many in my circle) that masks were a layer of protection.

I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect some transparency regarding their decision and why they came to it.

[GeorgiaModerate]

Anti-Mask Florida Official Dies of COVID—and Takes GOP Software Secrets With Him (Daily Beast)

This is quite a wild story.  I recommend reading it all the way through.

[jamestroll]

https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1438838411918516228

I can't believe most Republicans are defending the customers actions here.

[Hammy]

Discuss the why all you want. This talk of firing all of them or maybe they committed treason is just nuts.

There's too many instances of 'health' officials being put there as favors with little to no health background for me to trust this decision. This is not a situation where we need even more red tape.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Apparently the committee wants better safety and efficacy data before generally approving boosters instead of just immune deficient individuals. Considering that at present, COVID isn't generally fatal if you've received the standard two doses, a mild bit of caution on their part doesn't bother me.  In any case, getting COVID vaccines approved for kids under 12 strikes me as more urgent than getting booster shots approved for the 12-65 cohort.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

https://twitter.com/MSNBC/status/1438838411918516228

I can't believe most Republicans are defending the customers actions here.

The prevalence and attempted normalization of Republican terrorism is becoming an increasingly real threat. "American Taliban" is pretty clearly their goal at this point.

[It’s so Joever]

Our goal ought to be to get as many shots in arms as possible. Honestly the FDA probably should allow booster shots, since not that many people will actually get them. However, the main focus must be getting shots into the arms of the citizens of less developed countries. We can’t prevent every mutation, but we can stop as many as possible.

[DaleCooper]

Jansen may provide less protection than Pfizer, but its one-shot use and the fact that it doesn't seem to wane makes it the better vaccine in my opinion. If more of those people who stopped after the first shot had gotten Johnson & Johnson's vaccine then our country would be in a bit better shape as far as the vaccination effort goes.

As for the FDA, I'm fine with them not calling for boosters aside from extremely vulnerable people. If the evidence isn't there yet, then it isn't there yet. "Trust the science" after all.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Discuss the why all you want. This talk of firing all of them or maybe they committed treason is just nuts.

There's too many instances of 'health' officials being put there as favors with little to no health background for me to trust this decision. This is not a situation where we need even more red tape.

Kamala Harris certainly comes to mind.