Interesting self-boosting concept -- don't know if we will see it on the market eventually. This would save you from having to go back for regular boosters. Scientists Developing New Self-Boosting COVID Vaccine https://www.newsweek.com/scientists-developing-new-self-boosting-covid-vaccine-1726124 A one-jab self-boosting vaccine that can give many doses at different times is being developed by scientists. One shot would provide multiple measurements of an inoculation thanks to microparticles that release payloads at separate intervals, according to new research. These microparticles resemble tiny coffee cups sealed with a lid and the jab could combat a host of illnesses - from measles to COVID, scientists said. The particles remain under the skin until the vaccine is released and then break down, just like reabsorbable stitches. They could be particularly useful for administering childhood vaccinations in regions where people do not have regular access to medical care, said the team at MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts. t also opens the door to delivering a range of other therapies including cancer drugs, hormone treatments and other medications, experts said. "This is a platform that can be broadly applicable to all types of vaccines, including recombinant protein-based vaccines, DNA-based vaccines, even RNA-based vaccines," said Dr. Ana Jaklenec, senior author of the study. "Understanding the process of how the vaccines are released, which is what we described in this paper, has allowed us to work on formulations that address some of the instability that could be induced over time." The particles are made from PLGA, a biocompatible polymer that has already been approved for use in medical devices such as implants, sutures, and prosthetic devices. The team created arrays of silicon molds to shape the "cups" and "lids." Once assembled, they used a custom-built, automated dispensing system to fill each cup with a drug or vaccine. After the cups are filled, the lids are aligned and lowered onto each cup. The system is heated slightly until the cup and lid fuse together - sealing the drug inside. The technique called SEAL (StampEd Assembly of polymer Layers) can produce particles of any shape or size. "We wanted to understand mechanistically what's happening and how that information can be used to help stabilize drugs and vaccines and optimize their kinetics," Jaklenec said. Analysis of the release mechanism revealed the polymers are gradually cleaved by water. When enough have broken down the lid becomes very porous. Very soon afterward they break apart, spilling out the contents. "We realized sudden pore formation prior to the release time point is the key that leads to this pulsatile release," said Morteza Sarmad, a Ph.D. candidate and a lead author of the study. "We see no pores for a long period of time, and then all of a sudden we see a significant increase in the porosity of the system." A variety of design parameters, including size, shape and composition of the polymers, affect the timing of drug release. "If you want the particle to release after six months for a certain application, we use the corresponding polymer, or if we want it to release after two days, we use another polymer," Sarmadi said. "A broad range of applications can benefit from this observation." When water breaks down them, byproducts include lactic acid and glycolic acid, which make the environment more acidic. This can damage the drugs within - usually proteins or nucleic acids. The researchers are now working on ways to counteract the effect and improve stability. A computational model can predict how a particular particle will degrade. It could be used to guide the development of other microfabricated or 3D-printed particles or medical devices. A self-boosting polio vaccine is already being tested in animals. Usually, the polio vaccine has to be given as a series of two to four separate injections. "We believe these core shell particles have the potential to create a safe, single-injection, self-boosting vaccine in which a cocktail of particles with different release times can be created by changing the composition," said Professor Robert Langer, a co-senior author of the study. "Such a single injection approach has the potential to not only improve patient compliance but also increase cellular and humoral immune responses to the vaccine." The method is already showing promise for treating diseases such as cancer. Two years ago the researchers showed they could deliver drugs that stimulate a pathway called STING. In mice, it boosted immune responses. After being injected into tumors, the particles delivered several doses of the drug over several months, inhibiting growth and reducing the spread of the disease. The study was published in the journal Science Advances.
What is the efficacy of the second, third, and fourth dose of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine? https://www.news-medical.net/news/2...fourth-dose-of-the-COVID-19-mRNA-vaccine.aspx In a recent article posted in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, investigators examined the effectiveness of two, three, and four severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine doses during the Omicron prevalent phases. They explored the SARS-CoV-2 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine's efficacy. Background In November 2021, the SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant was initially discovered in the United States (US), with the BA.1 subvariant (including BA.1.1) being responsible for the highest uptick in SARS-CoV-2 infections to date. At the end of April 2022, Omicron BA.2.12.1 and BA.2 subvariants emerged and accounted for most Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. Projections of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) might be lowered by newly arising SARS-CoV-2 variants or subvariants that escape vaccine-triggered immunity, protection from prior SARS-CoV-2 infection among non-vaccinated people, or elevating gap following vaccination. The VE of a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine given to individuals aged 50 or older and the VE of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines during the Omicron BA.2.12.2/BA.2 variant predominant era are both poorly understood. About the study The VISION network analyzed 214,487 urgent care/emergency department (UC/ED) visits and 58,782 hospital admissions associated with a COVID-19–like disease diagnosis in 10 US states from 18 December 2021 to 10 June 2022 to determine the VE of two, three, and four doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines. The researchers compared the VE of COVID-19 mRNA-1273 (Moderna) and BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccines to that of no vaccination in immunocompetent subjects. The study period coincided with the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2/BA.2.12.1 prevalent periods in the US. Hospitalizations and UC/ED visits among people with COVID-19-like illnesses and SARS-CoV-2 molecular tests performed between the preceding two weeks and the next 72 hours constituted eligible medical encounters. When a variant constituted 75% or more of all sequenced specimens at a location, the scientists considered the period to be predominated by that variant. Ineligible patients were those with 1) a probable immunocompromising state, 2) a medical incident in the washout phase, 3) vaccination with non–mRNA vaccine, 4) receipt of mRNA vaccine dose before advised time-interval, 5) COVID-19 history, and 6) inadequate timeframe following second, third, or fourth dose vaccination. VE was calculated using a test-negative case-control paradigm, comparing the probability of being vaccinated against non-vaccinated across individuals with SARS-CoV-2-positive or negative test results using multivariable logistic regression. Besides, the logistic regression models were adjusted for the age, study location, local virus circulation, calendar time of the index date, and inverse tendency to get vaccinated. Based on the approval for the fourth vaccine dose on 29 March 2022, VE for four vaccine doses was evaluated only for adults aged 50 years or older throughout the BA.2/BA.2.12.1 timeframe. Results The study results showed that COVID-19 VE decreased ≥150 days following the second dose of the vaccine during both the Omicron BA.2/BA.2.12.1 and BA.1 variant periods, emphasizing the necessity for a third dose (the first booster) for eligible adults. VE against COVID-19-related hospitalization was 92% and 85%, seven to 119 days and ≥120 days after receiving the third dose, respectively, in the BA.1 period, relative to 69% and 52%, respectively, in the BA.2/BA.2.12.1 period. A recent third shot of the vaccination enhanced VE. Nevertheless, VE was slightly dropped ≥120 days after the third dose. Across adults aged 50 years or older, VE against SARS-CoV-2-linked hospitalization was 55% and 80%, ≥120 days following third dose vaccination and ≥seven days after a fourth vaccine dose during the Omicron BA.2/BA.2.12.1 predominance. The findings indicated that among eligible persons aged 50 years or older, receiving a fourth vaccination dose ≥120 days following the third dose enhanced VE during the BA.2/BA.2.12.1 timeframe, even though the monitoring period following the fourth dose was limited. These observations emphasize the significance of remaining updated with COVID-19 vaccination, consisting of advised booster vaccine doses. Conclusions According to the study findings, COVID-19 VE was lower during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.12.2/BA.2 era than during the BA.1 period. In all age categories, a third dose of the vaccination increased protection against mild to severe SARS-CoV-2-associated disease, and a fourth dose increased immunity in eligible people aged 50 years and older. The authors recommended the need for persistent VE monitoring. This was in the context of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants and sublineages, like Omicron BA.4/BA.5 sublineages, which became prevalent in the US by late June 2022. To prevent moderate to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, the team suggested that immunocompetent individuals receive the advised COVID-19 vaccine booster doses. This includes an initial booster dose for all eligible individuals and a second dose for adults aged 50 years or older at least four months following the first booster dose. They also mentioned that anyone becoming eligible should get booster doses right away. Journal reference: Link-Gelles R, Levy ME, Gaglani M, et al. (2022). Effectiveness of 2, 3, and 4 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Doses Among Immunocompetent Adults During Periods when SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2/BA.2.12.1 Sublineages Predominated — VISION Network, 10 States, December 2021–June 2022. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7129e1 https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7129e1.htm?s_cid=mm7129e1_w
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The danger of skipping your Covid booster is rising—and more than 100 million Americans are at risk https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/20/cov...fight-bapoint5but-millions-arent-boosted.html BA.5 is creating a booster shot-sized problem in the United States. The Covid subvariant appears to be the virus’s most transmissible strain thus far, powering a lengthy surge in new cases. That’s a problem, even as hospitalizations and deaths remain relatively low: The longer Covid circulates, the more likely it is to mutate into a form that’s both transmissible and severe. Experts say booster shots are key to stopping BA.5 in its tracks, and all Americans age 5 and older are eligible five months after completing their primary vaccine series. But only 48.1% of eligible people in the U.S. have actually gotten boosted, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. More than 100 million lag behind, a problem for health officials already mulling the authorization of a second booster for most U.S. adults. “The danger of not vaccinating, over the last couple of weeks, has significantly increased because the prevalence of the illness has gone up substantially,” Kevin Dieckhaus, chief of the division of infectious diseases at UConn Health, tells CNBC Make It. Here’s how well booster shots protect against BA.5, what side effects to watch out for and how the omicron-specific booster shots likely coming this fall factor in. Can boosters protect against BA.5? The main job of a Covid vaccine is to prevent severe illness in case you get sick. It does help prevent infections in the first place, but it’s not perfect in that regard — no vaccine is. Booster shots essentially amplify those same benefits, says Ross Kedl, a professor of immunology and microbiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He says booster-induced protection against severe illness holds up over time against every known Covid variant and subvariant, including BA.5. "Every time you get a booster, you get a little bit better protection against variants even as divergent as BA.5." Ross Kedl - Professor of immunology and microbiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine The protection against infection wanes a bit after three or four months, Kedl says, but that’s no reason to avoid getting the shot: Some help is better than no help, and there aren’t any significant drawbacks for most Americans. A second booster dose has also proven valuable for the Americans currently eligible. In adults over age 50, vaccine effectiveness against Covid-associated hospitalization dipped to 55% four months after a first booster shot, according to a recent study published by the CDC. A second booster restored that protection to 80% in just one week, the study noted. Kedl says you should get a new booster the moment you become eligible for one. “The durability of your protection sustains even more each time you get a booster,” he says. “Every time you get a booster, you get a little bit better protection against variants even as divergent as BA.5.” Will getting a booster now prevent you from getting an omicron-specific booster in the fall? The short answer, according to a CDC statement last week: No. “Getting vaccinated now will not prevent you from getting an authorized variant-specific vaccine in the fall or winter when they are recommended for you,” the agency wrote. “Given recent increases in deaths and hospitalizations associated with the BA.5 variant, everyone should stay up to date with recommended Covid-19 vaccinations.” Dieckhaus says getting your first booster shot now could line up nicely with the anticipated timing of omicron-specific boosters in the fall by acting as a coverage bridge: Your temporary antibody boost against infection will likely decline right as those updated shots come out. He notes that he used to advise people to consider waiting for omicron-specific vaccines, but that’s no longer a safe option due to BA.5′s transmissibility. “If there’s ‘not a problem’ or minimal problem, you can bide your time and wait. But unfortunately, now the virus is more active,” Dieckhaus says. Is there any downside to getting a booster? After a booster shot, you can expect common symptoms like arm soreness at the injection site, muscle aches and fatigue, says Dieckhaus. Serious adverse effects are extremely uncommon, he adds. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, sometimes occurs in young men after a Covid mRNA vaccine — but you’re actually more likely to develop the condition by catching Covid than getting vaccinated against it, according to the CDC. Kedl says that if you didn’t experience symptoms after your primary series, you probably won’t from your booster, either. The good far outweighs the bad, Kedl says. If you’re worried about side effects — or simply experiencing vaccine fatigue — he recommends thinking about how the vaccines have already moved most Americans from panic mode to some level of normalcy. “It’s good to remember that it’s really the vaccine side of things that have kept us able to operate normally in society,” Kedl says, “It’s made that safe, and continues to make that safe on an ongoing basis.”