Yesterday the CDC director Rochelle Walensky tweeted that we must protect people at highest risk of bad outcomes from COVID19. The tweet is a subtle shift from prior messaging, and likely reflects her realization that the pipe-dream of ZeroCovid—eradication of the virus—is dead. Omicron makes it clear, COVID19 will not go away. Even more, holding society hostage to slow spread is no longer a tenable policy choice. We will have to return to living life, and balancing important societal priorities while minimizing the harms of COVID19. Alpha and delta variant thinking won’t help us for Omicron.
I think the obvious elephant in the room that’s not being addressed is early treatment. So many doctors are treating Covid with great success with all the “taboo” drugs that in combination are doing the trick and keeping people out the hospital. The suppression of these and the continued push of a failed vaccine is just insanity. I live in Arizona and you would not even know there is an pandemic here.
The unfounded fear must also end and Fauci must resign. His insistence(as Scott Atlas) reports that we need to be “more afraid “ is criminal. The harm that these administrators have done to us over the last two years is unforgivable. He must resign be held accountable for the gain of function research and the decisions, particularly the coercions of his reign.
And most of all, we need to have hard conversations about health in this country. The fact we have been sacrificing healthy children for old, fat, sick people is unconscionable.
First day back in school here in BC after winter break. Grade 9. My son said it was hell. Everyone quadruple masked, jail style lunch. No hallway mingling ALLOWED. High anxiety n95’d teachers. This is a prestigious private school where supposedly the community is “ educated”. We have nowhere to go here. There is no Texas or Florida. We're stuck. Our govt has broken our mental health to no end. Thank you for speaking truth to power.
Dr V - the Mask is the mark of the Covid-19 pandemic. This has nothing to do with how effective or not they are, it is a talisman of suffering to remind everyone that somewhere someone has severe Covid-19 and that it is our fault as society for allowing it to spread to them. There is an inverse relationship between a person's risk and the ferocity of mask mandates - hence why we punish and abuse children and college students so much.
Even if evidence emerged that masks ACCELERATE the spread; this behavior has become so entrenched that we are looking at years of this insanity
Red State America are the only free places left on earth. Me and my family are trying to figure out how to relocate from halfway across the world, and we are aren't some antivaxx nuts. We just want our kids to have a life
Walensky didn't "realize" anything. The Dems party has realized that covid is past its expiration date as a political weapon. As you right point out, most Americans in most places are over it and more are getting over it every day. There are legitimate safety concerns with these vaccines and I fear the repeated dosing is going to have catastrophic consequences in the future. It's time to stop this madness.
Every time you post something here, Dr. Prasad, your wonderful words of wisdom are like music to my soul!🙏🏼❤️🎶🩺🥼💯Thank you for ALL that you do, for ALL that you fight for, for ALWAYS telling the truth, and for making sense of this nonsense-filled world!
Dr Rochelle Walensky’s admission to protect the vulnerable is another honest and transparent statement on her part. She will probably be muzzled again for such honesty and directness. We are arriving at the Great Barrington Declaration proposal only with vaccines added. I am sure Drs Fauci and Collins are ready to blow a gasket. But the course of the pandemic has changed and approaches need to change too. What was considered “fringe” needing a “swift and devastating take down” is becoming the new paradigm. If the vulnerable are to get boosted, yet again, it should be with an omicron specific vaccine, not the legacy vaccine we keep pushing. One of the selling features of the mRNA vaccines was rapid production. Well…perhaps not enough dollars have been dangled in front of Pfizer or Moderna in order to speed up the production rate so a real booster shot is out before the end of the first quarter of the year.
2 years into this mess and it feels like we have learned nothing, even the “experts” are faklempt.
Regarding your fifth point, with all the legacy media headlines about hospitals being overwhelmed by covid cases, one of the things that struck me after reviewing the HHS hospital bed utilization website, was just how few ICU and inpatients beds there are....or shall I correct that and note instead aren't. As I noted in these two blog posts, seems like inpatient beds, ICU beds and the staff necessary to oversee these beds aren't very profitable. So such beds and staff have been reduced especially in rural areas where a lot of hospitals have been closed down after mergers.
Anyway, if anything this Covid pandemic now endemic has really pointed out may of the shortcomings of our maximum for profit healthcare system where seasonal flu, RSV or covid can so quickly create a crisis with our healthcare system.
And now she’s back to saying all should be boosted based on data in this article. Before I attempt to dig through each reference, will you break it down?
I’m wondering what the data really shows- eg
1) time since boost vs dose 2. Eg in first cdc link, I scanned and appears analyzed boost effectiveness about 4-5 weeks post boost (but uk study shows significant waning against infections by week 10). High risk people should boost, and there’s an argument to boost others strategically (but eg high school kids have to be boosted for a trip this summer- so healthy 16 year olds think they’re good to go because they got boosted in jan. If want to minimize risk of someone being infected period then they should postpone boost to 1 month before the trip; and know that there is likely zero additional benefit against severe disease (because so far, there are no severe breakthroughs in health teens with 2 vax).
2) age bands analyzed. One study being touted ONLY looks at 50-64 and 65+. We already knew elderly is a risk factor (I have to wonder what % of severe breakthroughs were in healthy vs have health risk factors for age 50-64 though!!). Another study groups 18-64 vs 65+ so even if there’s incremental benefit, no proof that’s not skewed to older/people with more risk factors.
I did just boost strategically to minimize chance of getting infected before spring break - simply because I don’t want an asymptomatic infection to prevent trip OR have the flu for 5 days while on trip/ however, I know tons of breakthroughs post boost who feel flu like 4-5 days ,tired 10-14 days so can still happen, but at least I should have peak risk reduction against any infection in the next 2 months… furthermore, I have not only always been a strong proponent of vax (and have worked in healthcare marketing including launch of HPV vaccines etc), I volunteered 100-200 hours last spring managing volunteers to assist a local clinic vaccinate our community as quickly as possible. However, I am now nervous about each dose because I no longer trust the cdc given there many many errors and clear data manipulation on many topics - seeming coverup of myocarditis is just one of many examples, but if they can ignore and manipulate data to hide (by blending across all ages/genders/doses then comparing to blended health issues from covid across all ages/genders/health conditions), I am - unbelievably- worried they are covering up 1 in 100k risks let alone 1 in 10k risks. These types
Of risks for Doses 1/2 for 40+ was something I didn’t worry about (I still feel vaccinating to take my low risk of severe disease to close to zero risk outweighed potential rare vax risks) but for each incremental dose, the risk/benefit changes and there is not good relevant data by age/health status/gender for either 1) incremental benefit of vax or 2) incremental risk. I would like to write an essay on how I lost faith in the cdc but am overwhelmed on where to start because there are now hundreds of data points behind my shift in opinion!
Imagine how much better off we'd be today if (and Sweden failed at this too):
1-Arranged for carers of seniors to live-in (end the rotation/part-time fiasco)
2-Gave 100% of citizens sick-pay (even non workers) supported with free food delivery
3-Got blood screenings for all the citizenry, and supported all those with comorbidities (we knew exactly who those were since March 2020) with exercise, nutritional, mental support
4-Increased training speed (to help staff more beds in present) and new uptake for present healthcare students, and increased uptake for future health needs
In other words, our healthscare systems should be about HEALTH, not Big Pharma. Their profit incentives set our medical priorities, they are the wrong medical priorities.
I think the obvious elephant in the room that’s not being addressed is early treatment. So many doctors are treating Covid with great success with all the “taboo” drugs that in combination are doing the trick and keeping people out the hospital. The suppression of these and the continued push of a failed vaccine is just insanity. I live in Arizona and you would not even know there is an pandemic here.
The unfounded fear must also end and Fauci must resign. His insistence(as Scott Atlas) reports that we need to be “more afraid “ is criminal. The harm that these administrators have done to us over the last two years is unforgivable. He must resign be held accountable for the gain of function research and the decisions, particularly the coercions of his reign.
And most of all, we need to have hard conversations about health in this country. The fact we have been sacrificing healthy children for old, fat, sick people is unconscionable.
First day back in school here in BC after winter break. Grade 9. My son said it was hell. Everyone quadruple masked, jail style lunch. No hallway mingling ALLOWED. High anxiety n95’d teachers. This is a prestigious private school where supposedly the community is “ educated”. We have nowhere to go here. There is no Texas or Florida. We're stuck. Our govt has broken our mental health to no end. Thank you for speaking truth to power.
Dr V - the Mask is the mark of the Covid-19 pandemic. This has nothing to do with how effective or not they are, it is a talisman of suffering to remind everyone that somewhere someone has severe Covid-19 and that it is our fault as society for allowing it to spread to them. There is an inverse relationship between a person's risk and the ferocity of mask mandates - hence why we punish and abuse children and college students so much.
Even if evidence emerged that masks ACCELERATE the spread; this behavior has become so entrenched that we are looking at years of this insanity
Red State America are the only free places left on earth. Me and my family are trying to figure out how to relocate from halfway across the world, and we are aren't some antivaxx nuts. We just want our kids to have a life
Walensky didn't "realize" anything. The Dems party has realized that covid is past its expiration date as a political weapon. As you right point out, most Americans in most places are over it and more are getting over it every day. There are legitimate safety concerns with these vaccines and I fear the repeated dosing is going to have catastrophic consequences in the future. It's time to stop this madness.
Every time you post something here, Dr. Prasad, your wonderful words of wisdom are like music to my soul!🙏🏼❤️🎶🩺🥼💯Thank you for ALL that you do, for ALL that you fight for, for ALWAYS telling the truth, and for making sense of this nonsense-filled world!
Dr Rochelle Walensky’s admission to protect the vulnerable is another honest and transparent statement on her part. She will probably be muzzled again for such honesty and directness. We are arriving at the Great Barrington Declaration proposal only with vaccines added. I am sure Drs Fauci and Collins are ready to blow a gasket. But the course of the pandemic has changed and approaches need to change too. What was considered “fringe” needing a “swift and devastating take down” is becoming the new paradigm. If the vulnerable are to get boosted, yet again, it should be with an omicron specific vaccine, not the legacy vaccine we keep pushing. One of the selling features of the mRNA vaccines was rapid production. Well…perhaps not enough dollars have been dangled in front of Pfizer or Moderna in order to speed up the production rate so a real booster shot is out before the end of the first quarter of the year.
2 years into this mess and it feels like we have learned nothing, even the “experts” are faklempt.
Excellent post !
Regarding your fifth point, with all the legacy media headlines about hospitals being overwhelmed by covid cases, one of the things that struck me after reviewing the HHS hospital bed utilization website, was just how few ICU and inpatients beds there are....or shall I correct that and note instead aren't. As I noted in these two blog posts, seems like inpatient beds, ICU beds and the staff necessary to oversee these beds aren't very profitable. So such beds and staff have been reduced especially in rural areas where a lot of hospitals have been closed down after mergers.
-Why are there so few ICU beds:
https://beyondspin.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/why-are-there-so-few-icu-beds/
-ICU & Inpatient Bed utilization in California per the HHS https://beyondspin.wordpress.com/2021/09/21/icu-inpatient-bed-utilization-in-california-per-the-hhs/
Anyway, if anything this Covid pandemic now endemic has really pointed out may of the shortcomings of our maximum for profit healthcare system where seasonal flu, RSV or covid can so quickly create a crisis with our healthcare system.
And now she’s back to saying all should be boosted based on data in this article. Before I attempt to dig through each reference, will you break it down?
I’m wondering what the data really shows- eg
1) time since boost vs dose 2. Eg in first cdc link, I scanned and appears analyzed boost effectiveness about 4-5 weeks post boost (but uk study shows significant waning against infections by week 10). High risk people should boost, and there’s an argument to boost others strategically (but eg high school kids have to be boosted for a trip this summer- so healthy 16 year olds think they’re good to go because they got boosted in jan. If want to minimize risk of someone being infected period then they should postpone boost to 1 month before the trip; and know that there is likely zero additional benefit against severe disease (because so far, there are no severe breakthroughs in health teens with 2 vax).
2) age bands analyzed. One study being touted ONLY looks at 50-64 and 65+. We already knew elderly is a risk factor (I have to wonder what % of severe breakthroughs were in healthy vs have health risk factors for age 50-64 though!!). Another study groups 18-64 vs 65+ so even if there’s incremental benefit, no proof that’s not skewed to older/people with more risk factors.
I did just boost strategically to minimize chance of getting infected before spring break - simply because I don’t want an asymptomatic infection to prevent trip OR have the flu for 5 days while on trip/ however, I know tons of breakthroughs post boost who feel flu like 4-5 days ,tired 10-14 days so can still happen, but at least I should have peak risk reduction against any infection in the next 2 months… furthermore, I have not only always been a strong proponent of vax (and have worked in healthcare marketing including launch of HPV vaccines etc), I volunteered 100-200 hours last spring managing volunteers to assist a local clinic vaccinate our community as quickly as possible. However, I am now nervous about each dose because I no longer trust the cdc given there many many errors and clear data manipulation on many topics - seeming coverup of myocarditis is just one of many examples, but if they can ignore and manipulate data to hide (by blending across all ages/genders/doses then comparing to blended health issues from covid across all ages/genders/health conditions), I am - unbelievably- worried they are covering up 1 in 100k risks let alone 1 in 10k risks. These types
Of risks for Doses 1/2 for 40+ was something I didn’t worry about (I still feel vaccinating to take my low risk of severe disease to close to zero risk outweighed potential rare vax risks) but for each incremental dose, the risk/benefit changes and there is not good relevant data by age/health status/gender for either 1) incremental benefit of vax or 2) incremental risk. I would like to write an essay on how I lost faith in the cdc but am overwhelmed on where to start because there are now hundreds of data points behind my shift in opinion!
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19vaccine/96808?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2022-01-22&eun=g1940325d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%20Top%20Cat%20HeC%20%202022-01-22&utm_term=NL_Daily_DHE_dual-gmail-definition
Imagine how much better off we'd be today if (and Sweden failed at this too):
1-Arranged for carers of seniors to live-in (end the rotation/part-time fiasco)
2-Gave 100% of citizens sick-pay (even non workers) supported with free food delivery
3-Got blood screenings for all the citizenry, and supported all those with comorbidities (we knew exactly who those were since March 2020) with exercise, nutritional, mental support
4-Increased training speed (to help staff more beds in present) and new uptake for present healthcare students, and increased uptake for future health needs
In other words, our healthscare systems should be about HEALTH, not Big Pharma. Their profit incentives set our medical priorities, they are the wrong medical priorities.