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TallGuyJohninBKK last won the day on May 3 2023
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Bird Flu Vaccines: Progress or Just More Panic?
TallGuyJohninBKK replied to Red Phoenix's topic in Off the beaten track
And of course, the board certification-revoked doctor in the OP, Peter McCullough, and his minions are already selling their own "Contagion Kit" for $325 a pop, complete with MAGA-favorites Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, for those who worry they might become infected with avian influenza: https://www.instagram.com/twc.health/reel/C8rfAqaRQmQ/ https://twitter.com/P_McCulloughMD/status/1876437720882466966 https://www.twc.health/pages/contagion-emergency-kit Perhaps by coming out against the culling of poultry for avian influenza, McCullough is hoping the disease will become a greater thread to humans and mean more of an opportunity for he and his hucksters to sell a bunch of unproven "treatments". The U.S. CDC, for its part, seems to mainly recommend Oseltamivir (generic Tamiflu) -- and not Ivermectin or Hydroxychloroquine, which already have been discredited as COVID treatments -- as its primary medication for human avian influenza: "This document provides guidance for antiviral treatment of human infection with novel influenza A viruses associated with severe human disease (examples include but are not limited to highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) and A(H5N6) viruses and avian influenza A(H7N9) virus). These recommendations are based on available data on the treatment of infections caused by influenza viruses, including seasonal, pandemic, and novel influenza A viruses, and expert opinion." Outpatients Initiation of antiviral treatment with oseltamivir is recommended as soon as possible for symptomatic outpatients who are confirmed, probable, or suspected cases of infection with a novel influenza A virus associated with severe human disease." https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/hcp/novel-av-treatment-guidance/index.html -
Bird Flu Vaccines: Progress or Just More Panic?
TallGuyJohninBKK replied to Red Phoenix's topic in Off the beaten track
Avian flu is not among my areas of particular familiarity... But in doing some reading, it seems as though there are several possible approaches to combating avian flu outbreaks -- each of which has its own set of risks: --Do nothing, and risk that the current outbreaks become more widespread and potentially wipe out some major portion of the U.S.'s huge and economically important poultry industry. And risk that further spread of avian influenza could spill over into becoming the next major human disease pandemic. --Continue culling poultry in the case of outbreaks, which evokes the ire of animal rights activists, and hasn't really fully prevented the continuing spread of avian flu among poultry in recent years, even though it has contained those outbreaks somewhat. --Follow the practice of some other countries and launch a poultry vaccination campaign against avian influenza, which would have to be approved and launched by the generally anti-vax Trump Admin, and which I'm sure would be heartily welcomed by all the anti-vaxers here on this part of the forum in lieu of poultry culling. 🙂 The publication Science had a report back in February offering some context on all of the above: U.S. conditionally approves vaccine to protect poultry from avian flu 14 Feb 2025 "...the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) yesterday conditionally approved a vaccine to protect the birds. President Donald Trump’s administration may therefore soon face a fraught decision on whether to join the ranks of other nations—including China, France, Egypt, and Mexico—that vaccinate poultry against H5N1. Although many influenza researchers contend that vaccination can help control spread of the deadly virus, the U.S. government has long resisted allowing its use because of politics and trade concerns that many contend are unscientific. The USDA approval may signal a shift in policy linked to the Trump administration’s worries about egg prices... ... HPAI strains such as the current H5N1 have for decades been stamped out largely by culling affected flocks and enforcing strict biosecurity measures. But that strategy has failed since the February 2022 emergence in the U.S. of an H5N1 virus that belongs to a lineage known as clade 2.3.4.4b. Many scientists now worry the virus cannot be eradicated from the U.S. poultry flock, which means it has become endemic rather than epidemic." https://www.science.org/content/article/u-s-conditionally-approves-vaccine-protect-poultry-avian-flu Per the NY Times from 2024: "Since February 2022, more than 82 million farmed birds have been culled, according to the agency’s website. For context, the American poultry industry produces more than nine billion chickens and turkeys each year." https://archive.ph/Gnsiu Culling infected poultry in the absence of vaccination doesn't eradicate the disease, but instead allows it to continue spreading within some constrained limits -- which means a continuing risk that those outbreaks at some point could further spill over into more animal species and then humans on a wide scale. Are We on the Cusp of a Major Bird Flu Outbreak? March 7, 2025 "Bird flu, or H5N1 avian influenza, has been circulating across North America since 2022, infecting birds, livestock, wildlife, pets, and humans. Despite 70 documented human cases, there are no known instances of human-to-human transmission — but some scientists are starting to worry that it’s only a matter of time. ... Up until 2024, there have been almost 1,000 documented human cases of H5N1 in multiple countries, with a fatality rate of about 50 percent. In 2022, a new [for now milder] subtype of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b emerged in North America and spread to domestic poultry and many wild mammal species. Over the past year, this subtype of H5N1 has also been spreading in dairy cows. [emphasis added] ... HMNews: On a scale from one to ten, how worried are you about H5N1 becoming a major pandemic? [other responses omitted to comply with the forum's fair use quoting policy]... Lemieux: I would put it at a six or a seven. In infectious diseases, we have a saying that resistance is a function of time and titer, meaning that the ability for a pathogen to evolve depends on time under pressure and size of the reservoir. The virus has been with us for several years in multiple species, and the reservoir is large. I think we are living next to a volcano, and it may erupt or it may not. But we need to prepare for the possibility of a pandemic." https://hms.harvard.edu/news/are-we-cusp-major-bird-flu-outbreak -
And very oddly, no mention whatsoever in the OP about the recent government ministry public pronouncements about already planning to (or considering, depending on what day's report one reads) reduce the now-standard 60-day visa-free entry back to the prior, longstanding 30-day period that had existed until last year. Does the PM even remember / recall what visa-free entry policy this government had held for a long time prior to the change/extension last year?
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Bird Flu Vaccines: Progress or Just More Panic?
TallGuyJohninBKK replied to Red Phoenix's topic in Off the beaten track
Consider the source re a discredited doctor, stripped of his medical board certifications, whose main business now is selling unproven and debunked supplement "cures" and "treatments": Per Wikipedia: "During the COVID-19 pandemic, [Peter] McCullough advocated for early treatment using the discredited treatments hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin,[25][26][24] criticized the response of the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration,[25] dissented from public health recommendations,[27][24][28] and contributed to COVID-19 misinformation. ... McCullough has served as Chief Scientific Officer for The Wellness Company, a Florida-based dietary supplement and telehealth company, since its founding in June 2022.[53][54] In October 2022, the American Board of Internal Medicine recommended that McCullough's board certification be revoked due to his promotion of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_A._McCullough ABIM Revokes Certification of Another Doctor Who Made Controversial COVID Claims January 2, 2025 "The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) revoked the board certification of Peter McCullough, MD, MPH, a cardiologist who promoted controversial views about COVID-19. ... McCullough is currently listed as chief science officer of The Wellness Company, the owner of which was recently reported as also investing in an anti-vaccine dating site and launching a coffee brand for "anti-woke" consumers. The Wellness Company sells supplements, one of which is called "Ultimate Spike Detox." It costs $89.99 for 120 capsules." https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/113624 -
More anti-vax nonsense: Still No Evidence COVID-19 Vaccination Increases Cancer Risk, Despite Posts May 3, 2024 "It has not been shown that COVID-19 vaccines cause or accelerate cancer. Yet opponents of the vaccines say a new review article “has found that COVID-19 mRNA vaccines could aid cancer development.” The review conclusions are mainly based on the misinterpretation of a study on mRNA cancer vaccines in mice. [emphasis added] Clinical trials, involving thousands of people, and multiple studies have shown that the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are safe. Hundreds of millions of doses have been administered under close monitoring systems that have found serious side effects are rare. Studies have also shown that the vaccines work very well in preventing severe COVID-19 disease and death, saving millions of lives across the globe. There is no evidence to support a link between COVID-19 vaccines and cancer, as we’ve reported. Both the National Cancer Institute and the American Cancer Society have stated there’s no information that suggests COVID-19 vaccines cause cancer, make it more aggressive or lead to recurrence of cancer." https://www.factcheck.org/2024/05/still-no-evidence-covid-19-vaccination-increases-cancer-risk-despite-posts/
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U.S. on track for worst measles season since 2019 "The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) today reported 27 more measles cases, pushing the number of cases in a large outbreak in West Texas to 624, as neighboring states also reported more related illnesses. The steady rise in cases puts the nation on track for the worst year since 2019, fueled by 10 outbreaks and rising numbers of travel-linked cases, part of a global surge in measles activity. ... Of the state’s cases, 602 were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. So far, 64 people have been hospitalized, and the number of deaths remains at two. [emphasis added] (more) https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/texas-measles-total-tops-600-cases
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More discredited anti-vax nonsense: Ditch the detox. The spike proteins produced from COVID-19 vaccination aren’t toxins. August 2, 2023 "There is no scientific data showing that spike proteins produced from COVID-19 vaccination are toxic, a Food and Drug Administration spokesperson said. Rigorous testing and safety monitoring have found that the vaccines are safe and effective. ... PolitiFact has debunked several claims that spike proteins are harmful. We rate the claim that people who received COVID-19 vaccines can "detoxify" their bodies from the spike protein False. https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/aug/02/instagram-posts/ditch-the-detox-the-spike-proteins-produced-from-c/
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8 things doctors wish patients knew about flu vaccines American Medical Association Oct 4, 2024 ... Last year’s flu season resulted in at least 35 million illnesses, 390,000 hospitalizations and 25,000 deaths in the U.S. This included 187 pediatric deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For the 2022–2023 flu season, the CDC estimated that flu vaccination prevented 6 million flu-related illnesses in the U.S., 2.9 million medical visits, 65,000 hospitalizations and 3,700 deaths. [emphasis added] Can reduce flu risk by up to 60% “We typically don't know the effectiveness of the vaccine until we really get into flu season, and we can see what types of viruses actually end up circulating in the population,” said Dr. Kirley, adding that every year, the flu vaccine is adjusted to align with what is predicted to be the most likely strains circulating. “It typically falls somewhere between 40% and 60% effectiveness,” she said. “Even when the vaccine is only 30% effective at preventing flu, that is still very meaningful and crucial for preventing hospitalizations and deaths.” https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/8-things-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-flu-vaccines#
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More anti-vax disinformation from the usual sources: What vaccine skeptics are getting wrong about a new Cleveland Clinic study on the flu vaccine April 11, 2025 "According to the CDC, during seasons when the flu vaccine strains and the circulating flu strains match, the vaccine "has been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40% to 60%. Robert H. Hopkins Jr., the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases’ medical director, said the Cleveland Clinic study does not evaluate the primary benefit for getting vaccinated against influenza: reducing one’s risk for severe illness, hospitalization and death. ... Nabin Shrestha, a physician and coauthor of the study, said that although the results found an increased risk of influenza among vaccinated participants, the authors understood that the increased risk "could have been from an unrecognized factor," and therefore did not conclude that the vaccine increases infection risk." https://www.politifact.com/article/2025/apr/11/cleveland-clinic-study-flu-vaccine-infection/
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The latest COVID vaccine effectiveness data says the current version reduces adults' age 18 and above risk of COVID-caused emergency department or urgent care visits by about one-third, compared to those who have not received the latest version of the vaccine. Likewise, the latest version of the vaccine was found to achieve a 45-46% reduction in risk of COVID-related hospitalization for senior citizens age 65 and above, versus those who have not received the latest version of the vaccine. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control also found that COVID vaccines averted approximately 68,000 hospitalizations in the U.S. during the 2023–24 respiratory season. Interim Estimates of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years — VISION and IVY Networks, September 2024–January 2025 U.S. Centers for Disease Control February 27, 2025 What is already known about this topic? In June 2024, CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination for all persons aged ≥6 months to provide additional protection against severe COVID-19. What is added by this report? Vaccine effectiveness (VE) of 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine was 33% against COVID-19–associated emergency department (ED) or urgent care (UC) visits among adults aged ≥18 years and 45%–46% against hospitalizations among immunocompetent adults aged ≥65 years, compared with not receiving a 2024–2025 vaccine dose. VE against hospitalizations in immunocompromised adults aged ≥65 years was 40%. What are the implications for public health practice? These findings indicate that 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination provides additional protection against COVID-19–associated ED/UC encounters and hospitalization, versus no 2024–2025 vaccination and support CDC and ACIP recommendations that all persons aged ≥6 months receive 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccination. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/74/wr/mm7406a1.htm
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center How effective is the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine? Vaccination helps prevent severe COVID-19 and the risk of emergency room visits or hospitalization due to COVID-19. Studies also show that vaccination reduces the chances that you will develop long-term effects from COVID-19 infection. While vaccines may not always prevent catching COVID-19, they will protect you from getting severely ill. Are COVID-19 vaccines safe? Yes, the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine is safe. It works in the same way as the original COVID-19 vaccines and all booster shots. They are made using the same process. For all versions of COVID-19 vaccines, serious side effects have been very rare, and they are treatable. [emphasis added] Can the COVID-19 vaccine cause cancer? No. None of the vaccines interact with or alter your DNA in any way. They cannot cause cancer. There is no truth to the myth that somehow the COVID-19 vaccine could inactivate the genes that suppress tumors. (more) https://www.mskcc.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine
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This IS in the Off the Beaten Track section, in its subforum for COVID & vaccine topics: And re your comment above, nothing here is "censored" anymore, as clearly evidenced by the tons of anti-vax nonsense from non-credible or even flatly no sources that regularly gets posted here with no adverse action taken.
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Measles Was ‘Eliminated’ in the U.S. in 2000. The Current Outbreak May Change That The U.S. formally eliminated measles in 2000 thanks to widespread vaccination, but public health experts fear the current growing outbreak of the disease may allow it to reclaim its hold April 10, 2025 ... As efforts to contain these outbreaks sputter and spread of infections stretches into nearly three months, public health experts fear measles—a disease that was virtually eliminated nationally for a quarter-century—may soon officially reclaim a hold on the U.S. Peter Marks, a leading vaccine official who recently resigned from his position as director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, recently told NBC News, “I think we’re well on our way” to losing the country’s measles elimination status—a long-standing public health achievement that was largely accomplished through the widespread distribution of MMR vaccines. ... What’s the Possibility that the U.S. Loses Elimination Status? Given measles’ high contagiousness, Orenstein says, “uniformly” high immunity is extremely important in preventing spread. Even small dips in population immunity (also called “herd immunity”) among small pockets of unvaccinated people can spur outbreaks—and can do so even if the overall state or country’s vaccination rate is relatively high. With these threats and dropping immunization coverage, we may have enough susceptibles to eliminate our elimination status” for measles, Orenstein says. (more) https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/measles-outbreak-in-u-s-may-undo-formal-elimination-status/