Japan to speed up booster shots

Start in February?? Interval shortened to seven months??

This next wave will be the end for Kishida.

Remember when the CDC advised fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks indoors because "experts" were confident that vaccinated people could not transmit to each other.

Nobody said vaccinated could not transmit to each other. CDC said it’s less likely. Don’t listen too much on Fox News.

For example, people that are unable to provide actual scientific evidence and try to replace them with baseless videos

So an interview about the pandemic with one of the most, if not the most renowned cardiologist in USA, who is also an immunologist is "baseless" but interviews with Bill Gates on the pandemic are "must watch"....... Good boy. You are very knowledgeable on this topic.

Why not just do what they did AFTER the Olympics.

A smooth and steady flow of shots being given?

In an abundance of places.

That worked wonders.

And definitely don’t do age groups or ridiculous invitation cards again.

just let people present their completed vax cards.

Just don’t go back to whatever plan or non plan they had in the first 7 months of 2021 leading up to the Olympics.

That was just utter garbage.

OK, so they did not find evidence. Let me know when they do find evidence of anything. Anyway, even if that carefully worded text were true, it does nothing to disprove that Omicron is milder.

Yes it does, lack of evidence on a careful search for it can become an argument against something. How do you explain then that obvious differences are not to be found if according to you they should be there for anybody to see? a conspiracy again.?

Boosters for seniors...sure.

For healthy Japanese residents under 50? I am taking my "chances" at 2 jabs.

Can't imagine the take up rate on a booster is going to be very high.

Boosters are now recommended at 5 months after your second shot in my country.

I have already had my 2 shots of Astra Zeneca and a booster of Pfizer. I wear masks when out shopping and try to keep social distancing even when others are now ignoring it because they think "opening back up" means taking no precautions at all.

Some complain this will never end but you only have to look at the last pandemic a hundred years ago to see that lasted 5-6 years. We are getting to half time in this pandemic and I expect it will end in the next few years.

That is generally the purpose of vaccines, but these vaccines do little to prevent infection, they mainly just offer a few months of protection from severe symptoms

So what do you think is/are the major reason/s we are having so few cases here in Japan.

lol, if antivaxxers end up giving up and just making personal attacks that must mean things are getting desperate for them. now everybody knows how great vaccines have become, accusing everybody that recognize this to be paid shills smells like lack of actual arguments.

No, I clearly wrote that the symptoms Coetzee describes are milder than what several of my colleagues and students around me described after getting the vaccine.

Hearsay do nothing to contradict the available evidence that Omicron is more serious than the negative effects of vaccines as described by millions of people. Using hearsay to try and contradict validated scientific data is another way to show an anti-scientific bias. This is as valid as someone saying that in "his experience" over 20% of unvaccinated people get permanent health problems after COVID. Would you think this is an argument to be taken into account.

Then earlier this week, she gave another interview saying that she doesn't understand why people are still freaking out about Omicron and that she has yet to see any severe symptoms and that most patients can be easily treated at home.

And she have also called for people to vaccinate and boost to prevent the risk from Omicron, considering a source trustable but only when it says something you like to hear, and pretend it says nothing when it is about something you don't want to accept shows double standars, this completely invalidates the point because it is proof of intellectual dishonesty.

Hey, @virusrex, do you have a theory on why infections and deaths in South Korea is surging to levels far above than when 0% of the population was vaccinated as opposed to over 90% now?

It seems you are not following the news, that is the danger of rejecting science, makes people avoid learning things that they don't want to accept, but variants are much more transmissible, coupled the terrible timing of the relaxation of other measures to prevent transmission explains why the country is seeing an infection surge (and deaths at much higher rates between unvaccinated people, as in every other place).

@thelonius. “This next wave will be the end for Kishida” - Bring thelonius in!

So the vaccines work but if restrictions are ever eased, infections and deaths will surge but only among the unvaxxed.

If you think that modifying a valid argument to make it flawed so you can debunked works for something else but to make it obvious you can't do anything against the actual argument you are again mistaken. Since you do nothing to defend your previous mistaken statements do this mean you recognized them as false now? that is a good first step.

How high does it have to be before infections and deaths won't surge as soon as restrictions are eased?

Again, 90% would have been enough if antivaxxers and greed would have not delayed the vaccination efforts, leading to the appearance of variants. So, what do you propose as an alternative? more people dying from the much riskier infection forever? You understand that reinfections are also increasing with the passage of time and the appearance of variants? so instead of boosters you think it is better for people to get another infection and higher risk of hospitalizations, complications, long term disability and death? that is not productive.

Really?

Yes, really, nowhere in your reference protection is guaranteed for "at least 2 years" nor against any and all possible variants that could appear. It only said something factually true and that is that produced 95% of protection in the clinical trials being conducted, as validated by external scientists all over the world that fortunately had access to the raw data of the study when they asked for it. Exactly the opposite of what happened with Sputnik, whose developers desperately hide this essential information.

So, this means you accept you were mistaken when you said those studies exist? I see no other reason why bring something that contradicts what you wrote.

Speed up?! Friends and family in Europe and North America have already gotten their booster shots. Japan as usual is just talking about it. Just like they did for the first vaccines.

It's basic immunology; deal with it.

That is the point, pretending there is a correlation when none have been proved yet is against basic immunology. As other examples prove high levels of IgA do not necessarily correspond with high protection, your inability to produce a reference for COVID proves this is an invalid statement, just your personal belief.

That is one reason groups have been working on developing nasal vaccines...

And that is also a reason groups have failed to produce nasal vaccines, that even if produce high levels of IgA are much worse than the available injected vaccines.

ASAP please.

So the vaccines work but if restrictions are ever eased, infections and deaths will surge. So this is how it's going to be forever..

Only as long as antivaxxers keep promoting lies and disinformation. After all this is part of the purpose, to prolong the suffering and death just so they can use it as an argument against vaccination (even if for the most part the deaths and problems happen to unvaccinated people).

Without that negative influence (and the greed of rich countries that make other countries lack vaccinations) variants would have a much harder time appearing and becoming prevalent, and making herd immunity a goal easier to get. It is unfortunate that antivaxxers give higher priority to defend their mistaken views and consider the suffering of others a price well worth paying.

Start now. NOW.

Remember when the CDC advised fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks indoors because "experts" were confident that vaccinated people could not transmit to each other.

I remember that very well.

And not only that. A lot of other nonsens which were told from the so called experts day in day out.

Government and speed are not a thing in Japan. Japan is the only country that has a 'plan' to give COVID booster shots eight months after the second vaccination. Everyone else is doing it ASAP. Yesterday they announced they would speed things up and give boosters in only seven months starting in March. I would call that SLOWING DOWN LESS!

Do you find it interesting that one of the most, if not the most renowned cardiologist who is also an immunologist went to India for Sputnik V rather than take any of the Big Pharma concoctions? Of course he didn't say, "Sputnik V". He said "another vaccine", which in itself was a giveaway but more than that, it's the only one available in India which isn't available in USA.

I find that very interesting.

Can you provide info as well on how many doctors took the "big pharma concoctions"?

I just want to analyze the data deeper side by side.

I think I might enlist the help of a statistician to be sure

@Rawbeer - So, you'd know both from previous experience that symptoms are similar would you? As you refuse to be vaccinate and 'trust' you immune to protect you, then I hardly think you are qualifies to state this as 'fact' (which you do) Angelique Coetzee I believe first gave that interview that you continually harp back to on November 27th - so not even a month. I don't think anyone seems to be THAT enamored with her opinions apart from your (dwindling) band of Brothers.

Hoping to get my shot end of February then - Bring it on.

Vaccines and high levels of prior exposure to coronavirus in South Africa appear to be protecting against the more severe symptoms seen in the previous three waves of the pandemic, according to the country’s health minister.

Yes very true, in the previous three waves vaccines did offer a few months of protection against more severe symptoms, and prior exposure offered broad long lasting protection against infection.

But Omicron produces very mild or no symptoms, comparable to what people typically get after vaccination. And the vaccines, which are still based on the original Wuhan strain, are much less effective against Omicron. So why get a booster?

Maybe they are trying to rush distribution of the boosters before everyone gets naturally immunized by Omicron.

Maybe they are trying to rush distribution of the boosters before everyone gets naturally immunized by Omicron.

Yes thats the purpose of the vaccines, to prevent infection

That is generally the purpose of vaccines, but these vaccines do little to prevent infection, they mainly just offer a few months of protection from severe symptoms. Unlike infection, vaccines produce very little IgA antibodies, which are the ones we want, they act in the mucosa (port of entry).

But Omicron produces very mild or no symptoms, comparable to what people typically get after vaccination

You have said that before, it is still completely false (as proved by the complete lack of references to prove it even when you were asked to provide them)

Yes, Angelique Coetzee (South African physician and chairperson of the South African Medical Association) has for a month been telling us how Omicron is so much milder than previous variants, and the series of symptoms she describes are milder than what my colleagues and students around me described after getting the vaccine. I realize those who want to sell vaccines will never acknowledge this...

That is generally the purpose of vaccines, but these vaccines do little to prevent infection, they mainly just offer a few months of protection from severe symptoms. Unlike infection, vaccines produce very little IgA antibodies, which are the ones we want, they act in the mucosa (port of entry).

Again, the vaccines against COVID reduce the risk of infection, disease, hospitalization, complications, death and even transmission. And preventing infection is a purpose that vaccines fulfill by ending outbreaks, inside them preventing infection or even transmission is not something done as a rule, as demonstrated in places where there is not yet levels of immunity above herd immunity threshold for diseases like measles and polio.

Also, imagining that levels of IgA have any importance on COVID infection rates or transmission without zero data to prove it is invalid. Other vaccine candidates for other diseases do produce IgA and are worse than the available ones, this demonstrate that it is not a valid surrogate of protection as you want to believe.

 I realize those who want to sell vaccines will never acknowledge this...

She have never said that Omicron produce mild or no symptoms comparable with what is observed wiht the vaccines, not even once. On the other hand she have openly declared that people should vaccinate as much as possible and even boost, since you recognized her as trust worthy that means you accept her judgement as correct and that people should vaccinate and boost to reduce the risk, even of Omicron.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday his government is accelerating COVID-19 booster shots

This should be easy to do since the booster shots are only half the dose of the initial shot.

Yes very true, in the previous three waves vaccines did offer a few months of protection against more severe symptoms, and prior exposure offered broad long lasting protection against infection.

Vaccines offered and still do protection against infection, disease, complications, hospitalizations, deaths and even transmission. While prior exposure come with the full risk that are avoided by vaccination, without any proof they provide longer or better protection against further infection, specially against new variants.

But Omicron produces very mild or no symptoms, comparable to what people typically get after vaccination

You have said that before, it is still completely false (as proved by the complete lack of references to prove it even when you were asked to provide them). Omicron frequently produces hospitalizations even on people already immune, that is proof enough that your statement is mistaken.

And the vaccines, which are still based on the original Wuhan strain, are much less effective against Omicron. So why get a booster?

Because immunity is not completely negated by any variant until now, which means it still provides protection against the risks of infection, which you want to dismiss invalidly, even the professionals in South Africa (that you have said are trust worthy) make appeals for people to get vaccinated, so you are contradicted by people you hold as authorities.

Maybe they are trying to rush distribution of the boosters before everyone gets naturally immunized by Omicron.

Well, that is the whole point of all vaccines, "natural immunization" comes with much higher risks, that is why the vaccines are developed in the first case, to get immunity without the risks of the disease.

He is telling us nonstop, we should listen to the experts and scientist, because they have knowledge, experience, went to university...what ever...in other words we should listen to them because they are qualified. They have qualifications.

That is another thing you have imagined (or can you bring a quote? obviously not) What I have repeatedly said is that the experts are a valid authority because they have the scientific evidence to prove what they say.

What would be your interest in making up a false argument to disprove? does this means you can't refute the actual argument that is being used?

Just to be clear in case you misunderstand something that was clearly written. Experts of the whole world have an authority on the matter because they have the capacity to originate, analyze and present data to prove things. Is because that data (scientific evidence) that they derive their authority and credentials, not the opposite.

Vaccines were sold with an efficiency of 90%. This is also clearly written in the papers sent here with the vaccine coupons by local governments. When I talked with my doctor about that, he clearly said it was over optimistic.

When you do business, if you sell a product and lie on the efficiency, there is a risk of a justice action and the product to be retired from the shelves.

Now, governments must really show scientific evidences that the booster is efficient and necessary. Not just saying we need a booster, it works.

because we know that many now got infected after vaccination, so what will change after a booster.

And for Omicron, what’s the difference in symptoms between vaccinated and non vaccinated, and double vaccinated. Is there any difference

Only as long as antivaxxers keep promoting lies and disinformation. After all this is part of the purpose, to prolong the suffering and death just so they can use it as an argument against vaccination (even if for the most part the deaths and problems happen to unvaccinated people).

I got it!!! It's so awesome you are here telling us about vaccines.

So the vaccines work but if restrictions are ever eased, infections and deaths will surge but only among the unvaxxed. So, over 90% vaxxed isn't enough. How high does it have to be before infections and deaths won't surge as soon as restrictions are eased?

Like the peer reviewed studies which signed off on the mRNA vaccines being 95% effective, 100% effective against severe infection and for at least 2 years, possibly a lifetime? 

No, sorry but studies that you imagine are not actual evidence, since you have been unable to produce those supposed studies that guaranteed protection for years even against variants it is obvious they do not exist (you can prove me wrong by bringing them, of course). Oxyconting had on the other hand opposite evidence being published and recognized from the very beginning, which is why Europe never had problems with it, since the actual factor that made it a problem was the public health (and insurance) system of a country, not the scientific evidence you want to misrepresent.

At one point Bill Gates was too busy being interviewed about the pandemic on prime time German TV so MSNBC got his wife (now ex) on to talk about it

So what thing tha Bill Gates said is against the scientific consensus? The problem with McCullough is that he contradicts the scientific and medical consensus without any evidence, or worse, against the available evidence, and does that systematically, almost as much as he use false credentials to represent himself.

Did she cease being a renowned epidemiologist because she divorced him?

Using the opinion of experts do not constitute an appeal to a person expertise but the opposite. McCullough contradicts the experts without evidence based only on his (ever decreasing) name, people that instead just repeat what the experts demonstrate with evidence clearly are laying the authority in those experts, not on themselves.

So, you'd know both from previous experience that symptoms are similar would you?

No, I clearly wrote that the symptoms Coetzee describes are milder than what several of my colleagues and students around me described after getting the vaccine.

Angelique Coetzee I believe first gave that interview that you continually harp back to on November 27th - so not even a month.

Yes I previously referred to multiple interviews by her around the end of November (not just one), where she described the noticeably milder symptoms. This was not on her first day of treating Omicron patients. Then earlier this week, she gave another interview saying that she doesn't understand why people are still freaking out about Omicron and that she has yet to see any severe symptoms and that most patients can be easily treated at home.

Hoping to get my shot end of February then - Bring it on.

I too, hope you get your shot.

I wouldn't be in a hurry to get a booster shot. The current vaccines have proved ineffective against the Omicron strain. A newer and more effective vaccine is being developed specifically for the Omicron varient and should be available in the next few months.

Government and speed are not a thing in Japan. Japan is the only country that has a 'plan' to give COVID booster shots eight months after the second vaccination. Everyone else is doing it ASAP.

Perhaps they don't want the general population turned into pin cushions for experimental concoctions which have thus far proved dangerous and highly ineffective. Weird that....

Maybe they are trying to rush distribution of the boosters before everyone gets naturally immunized by Omicron.

Yes thats the purpose of the vaccines, to prevent infection

It seems you are not following the news, that is the danger of rejecting science, makes people avoid learning things that they don't want to accept, but variants are much more transmissible, coupled the terrible timing of the relaxation of other measures to prevent transmission explains why the country is seeing an infection surge (and deaths at much higher rates between unvaccinated people, as in every other place).

I understand!! We are so lucky we have you to explain everything.

So the vaccines work but if restrictions are ever eased, infections and deaths will surge. So this is how it's going to be forever.......

Is China making these new variants and releasing the decease in some sort of program design to stuff up the world ???? After 3 winter and not one country in the world can say they have the virus under some sort of control. I expect to see more death and illness for the next decade. Thanks China you pack of lying stilling cheats.

Unlike infection, vaccines produce very little IgA antibodies, which are the ones we want, they act in the mucosa (port of entry).

Also, imagining that levels of IgA have any importance on COVID infection rates or transmission without zero data to prove it is invalid.

It's basic immunology; deal with it.

That is one reason groups have been working on developing nasal vaccines...

Remember when the CDC advised fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks indoors because "experts" were confident that vaccinated people could not transmit to each other.

Any source where the CDC dismissed the very obvious reason of the increase of transmission? I mean, you can't just wave your hand and pretend a game changing variant did not appear. Specially when this precise development was considered from the very beginning (and was one of the reasons why world vaccination was a huge priority)

“The study finds no evidence of Omicron having lower severity than Delta, judged by either the proportion of people testing positive who report symptoms, or by the proportion of cases seeking hospital care after infection,” a research team led by professor Neil Ferguson said Friday in a blog post accompanying the study.

OK, so they did not find evidence. Let me know when they do find evidence of anything. Anyway, even if that carefully worded text were true, it does nothing to disprove that Omicron is milder.

Plus, the team was led by Neil Ferguson, who has been spectacularly wrong in multiple predictions over decades....