I wouldn't really call him a celebrity, more like someone vaguely well-known, but outside of Auckland most people have probably never heard of him.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/127227803/govts-studious-neglect-of-obesity-leaves-us-among-worst-in-oecd--nutrition-experts 

Encouraging people to lose lifestyle comorbidities should also been more strongly encouraged as well as getting vaccinatied IMO.

As covid is a disease hits the unvaccinated and those with comorbidities the most.

With the UK and South Korea cutting the 6 month gap between shot 2 and shot 3 as an omicron specific strategy, I guess we will find out how the time interval affects efficacy and longevity.

It is possible that the enhanced response to a 6 month gap is a function of time as much as it is one of reacting solely to stimulus. In a perfect, unlikely world, we keep Omicron out for six months to maintain the known effective interval.

This idea is not new of course, with eight to ten week gaps between the primary course being thought to be more effective than the three week manufacturers guide.

It will be interesting to see what medsafe recommends in the context of an omicron wave. We did our own thing with shots one and two, we did not copy the UKs extended gap....we aimed down the middle, with a six week gap, partly to suit supply issues, but also cognisant of the data around longer gaps.

And in typical NZ fashion we allowed people to choose three weeks or six in any case.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300475856/the-outcasts-life-as-an-unvaccinated-person-in-the-traffic-light-system

I don't get the point of this story. While the rest of us did our civil duty and got vaccinated for society, these holdouts didn't because, well, they simply didn't want to? Hence why I'm not sure why an article like this was published - was it to gain them sympathy from the rest of us who did the right thing? I also see the common antivaxx term "doing my own research" listed in there. Sorry, this story ain't changing my opinion of the holdouts.

quickymart:

 

 

 

I don't get the point of this story. While the rest of us did our civil duty and got vaccinated for society, these holdouts didn't because, well, they simply didn't want to? Hence why I'm not sure why an article like this was published - was it to gain them sympathy from the rest of us who did the right thing? I also see the common antivaxx term "doing my own research" listed in there. Sorry, this story ain't changing my opinion of the holdouts.

 

Yep. They are probably 3% of the population, why do we feed the monkeys? Maybe they can fund the article and feed the economy instead of acting to harm it

What's wrong with the current Pfizer offering? I know lots of people (even some on here) who have taken it with 0 issues.

You realise that the vaccine you're waiting for may never be made available here, right? What would you do then?

quickymart:

I don't get the point of this story. While the rest of us did our civil duty and got vaccinated for society, these holdouts didn't because, well, they simply didn't want to?

KrazyKid:

quickymart:

 

 

 

 

 

I don't get the point of this story. While the rest of us did our civil duty and got vaccinated for society, these holdouts didn't because, well, they simply didn't want to?

It's a newsworthy story. I've been speaking to a friend recently who had one shot, myacardis to the point of presenting to ED twice, and is scared to have a second shot. He feels very much like a second class citizen and unfairly excluded. This article is definitely showing a point of view and i interesting for that fact.
The end of the day I feel sorry for my friend, but having not been present when he spoke to his doctor, not sure he had done everything he can do. Maybe he has. Maybe he is unnecessarily worried. Maybe we as a society have let him down.

I'm in favour of a vaccine mandate, but an concerned as a result people are slipping though the cracks.

I am wondering if your friend the one who had myocarditis, would now qualify for one of the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine.

I am fairly certain that this option is open to those who have had medical issues from Pfizer use.

Surely the Doctor can prescribe the alternate shot now.

Mixing and matching of course is fine.

I see from the news out of Aus that the first omicron hospital admission was announced. Along with the death of a prominent antivaxxer.

Members of the public in Melbourne reacted negatively to protestors, a bit of shouting and pouring water on them from apartment buildings.

I was thinking today that I hope we can stay on top of Omicron.

The speed that it spreads needs better understanding from a highly vaccinated population.

The ramifications for New Zealand, if we cannot slow it, from where I sit, would see the end of this countries advantage, our edge in having time between waves seen elsewhere, while we have few or no cases, we have the ability to say 'hey we need to think about booster' which have allowed us to study how to respond.

That would be a lot of ground to lose. Our stats would look very differently if we were say trying to assess when shot three wanes, while we are in a full on Omicron wave.

You would be looking in real time at having some of the same outcomes as other places without the time to tweak our settings.

A primary example would be how we came to our decision to use boosters. We were able to roll them out in a way that they will be preventative rather than curative.

Kind of like treating a patient, early treatment with boosters  here, is a real advantage.

We seem a few months behind the lead countries, in terms of our delivery schedule from Pfizer, about a month behind Aussie, who are in turn a month or so behind the likes of the UK.

If we catch up to the same pace and arrival of waves as the northern hemisphere, we will really need to get ahead of the curve again.

All that said, Omicron is still a mystery, we may find it hits hard and fast and then it is quickly over, and that our very high vaccine rates, insulates health care in any case...no matter what daily case numbers are doing.

Good news regarding Karina Haira (the person that shared videos of her deteriorating condition while infected with covid-19), She is home from hospital.

Still sounds like the has a long road ahead of her in terms of recovery.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-kiwi-mum-home-after-virus-fight-flooded-with-messages/P7DD2O42RO7H35L4SXGF3YTE5A/

freitasm: Just banned an anti-vaxxer spouting bullshit and post removed.

Bugger, I missed all the fun and games. 😎