When they say "infections" with an "s" I wonder if they're including all the recent variant infections as well in that conclusion. I didn't see mention of that in the article.

I don't know. I think the "s" is for the symptomatic, pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic infections. Which is very good news as it suggests that once fully vaccinated, you are unlikely to carry the disease.

Here is the study: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7013e3.htm?s_cid=mm7013e3_e&ACSTrackingID=USCDC_921-DM53321&ACSTrackingLabel=MMWR%20Early%20Release%20-%20Vol.%2070%2C%20March%2029%2C%202021&deliveryName=USCDC_921-DM53321

It looks like it was run from 12/20 to 3/21, so the variants were ramping up over that time period, but I don't see where they specify which covid, but covid in general.

That's fantastic news.

I'll take it! I read that this morning, and that the percentage of infection by a vaccinated person to an unvaccinated person is tiny. Hooray!

It's a small study that describes itself as an "interim estimate". One study. It's reasonable to assume there are many others in progress.

While it's most certainly welcome and very encouraging , care should be taken to not assume anything more or extend the tentative findings beyond what is written.

Sounds good to me...thanks, Annie!

I heard that this morning on network news - I'd gotten up, turned off garden lights, gone back to bed to watch news ;0)

It did sound promising for both transmission and variants.

But, it was followed by CDC's Dr. Walensky expressing fear that people are loosening up too quickly when we have a way to go with the vaccinations and their distribution. I am noticing new case numbers are up in the more populated counties of this state....i.e. Seattle. So we're still keeping pretty much to ourselves other than a few we are close to who are also fully vaccinated. No big celebration for our anniversary or Easter this coming weekend.

Exactly right morz8

There seems to be premature belief that the US is 'over the hump' with this virus. While it's great that vaccines are getting into more arms, and that they help even more than anticipated, it's foolish to think we're past masking. If we relax too soon, cases WILL resurge, even without variants -- which appear to be cropping up in younger age groups.

Good news is welcome, but we aren't *there* yet.

One of the things I have noticed by reading history which covers other epidemics, mostly as a side issue, is only after the fourth or fifth wave do they abate. This study simply because both the English and Brazilian strains were only beginning does not cover them except by accident. Those variants have only started to ramp up in the US. Look at what is happening in other countries and stop thinking that because you have had the shots you are protected from all strains. Also understand what "the new strains are no worse than the original strain" actually means. If they are no worse they are also no better. People who had other strains can have either or both of these strains.

Then there is the "we know how to treat it better now" It may shorten the time needed in the hospital but any time in the hospital when there is a surge should mean a lack of available equipment and personnel as seen a year ago at this time.

Progress!!!

I believe masking in public should continue for some time. For one thing, if it is decided that vaccinated persons don't need to wear a mask, then many people will claim to be vaccinated just so they don't need to wear a mask.

One of the things I have noticed by reading history which covers other epidemics, mostly as a side issue, is only after the fourth or fifth wave do they abate.

But past epidemics didn't have vaccines within a year of the virus first appearing.

I believe masking in public should continue for some time. For one thing, if it is decided that vaccinated persons don't need to wear a mask, then many people will claim to be vaccinated just so they don't need to wear a mask.

I agree - it's just common courtesy!

Tererosa you did not understand the current vaccines do not cover the two strains that are currently raising the infection and death rate. For those strains it is back to square one with little or no protections. Apparently they are more infectious and deadly than the earlier strains.

"One of the things I have noticed by reading history which covers other epidemics, mostly as a side issue, is only after the fourth or fifth wave do they abate."

I'm not sure if any "other epidemic" was similar in any way to the world's Covid experiences of the past year.

Which one are you suggesting had similar circumstances such that the experiences from that time could be useful and informative now? Certainly the expert epidemiologists and infectious disease specialists know whatever there is to know and I think it can be assumed that that their judgements and advice are so informed.

What was known as the Sweating Sickness. Look it up. They still do not know what it was but it came in waves. It is not the experiences of what people did but how the virus or whatever it was acted that I was writing about.

"Tererosa you did not understand the current vaccines do not cover the two strains that are currently raising the infection and death rate"

That is simply not true. While the current vaccines weren't designed with these variants in mind they have still shown fairly high levels of efficacy against variants. We are definitely NOT back to square one.

https://emily-smith.net/2021/03/29/the-first-real-world-us-study-for-the-mrna-vaccines-they-work-really-well/

"What was known as the Sweating Sickness."

Oh my. You're comparing the Covid outbreak to an unknown and unidentified illness in the 15th century about which little or no scientific information is known? Seriously?

Wikipedia says "Where other epidemics were typically urban and long-lasting, cases of sweating sickness spiked and receded very quickly and heavily affected rural populations".

"There also has been concern that variants may render the vaccines less effective. The study’s results do not confirm that fear."

Did you read that the study's results disproved that concern? I read the article and didn't see such a comment. In the absence of statistically valid evidence either positive or negative, the default is - there is insufficient evidence for any conclusion. I don't expect a journalist to understand the difference but someone who said they had a nursing background should.

They didn't have the immediate and massive travel and huge multiples of personal interconnections in earlier times that have grown tremendously in the most recent few decades, so comparisons have almost no validity.

ole joyful

IMO it is not just the variants that are causing the recent uptick in cases - several of the variants are in my state, including at least one homegrown one, but they aren't predominant. It could just as well be that it is just as someone else said, restrictions have been relaxed and people who are "tired of the whole thing" are taking that ball and running with it. The only fortunate thing seems to be that the infections are now seeming to be mostly among working age who are seemingly tolerating it better, therefore, fewer hospitalizations and deaths.

I think that the news media is partially to blame for that - local news keeps telling us how the "rates are dropping" , giving people that false sense that the tide had turned, but fail to point out that that is from the peak when we were truly skirting disaster (November and December) in hospitalizations, and that we, before this uptick, were (and are) still confirming 3 to 4 times as many new cases daily as we were in July.

I read the news release and disagree with it. Will just have to wait and see because apparently the head of the CDC also disagrees with it and allowing people to go mask free.

I am comparing them because both are coming in waves. Read what I wrote occasionally just not find a line or word you disagree with then bite back.

Only time will tell but please take no precautions and enjoy your lives.

maifleur, just today the director of the CDC said: 'the US has come "such a long way," Walensky said, pleading with all
Americans to keep masking up and "hold on a little while longer" as more
people get vaccinated." She said she 'is afraid' and pleaded with people to distance, mask, not travel given the uptick in new cases over the last two weeks. I don't think anyone is saying unmask in authority there - possibly making some exceptions if fully vaccinated persons are together in small groups.

I read the news release and disagree with it. Will just have to wait and see because apparently the head of the CDC also disagrees with it and allowing people to go mask free.

To clarify your post, I think the 'and' means that the CDC disagrees with going mask free?

I think there are two separate issues here: The effectiveness of these two companies' vaccines, and the need to continue to protect ones self from the virus.

I think people should continue to mask and take their usual precautions. Setting aside for the moment the effectiveness of the vaccines, disregarding precautions around unvaccinated people continues to invite disaster.

The numbers are up here in BC and the variants are on the rise here. Once again they are shutting down restaurants and bars. Dr Henry wants to try it for 3 weeks. There are too many people who need to work and are not supported enough by any kind of funding. They are going to work and others are going to shop and the variants will continue to rise. Grrrr. I really wish there were better help for people who need it. Then we could all stay home.

Oh, thank you Lucille. I may have misread that and misunderstood maifleur, and knew I had seen a rather emotional report from CDC just today asking us to continue to mask. I'm not comforted when the director says she's 'afraid'. And, 'feeling a sense of doom'. I'm not sure what more we can do that we haven't been doing though, vaccinated, staying apart, staying home and away from anything not essential. We are going inside to my mothers assisted apartment now though and partly why we're still on our best behavior - after one year, that's essential. She needs it.

We're going tomorrow. I called today and said I understood we cannot be in any of the common areas, but would I be welcome in the laundry room (I'd like to give a little more attention to a few of her things that staff hasn't been doing). I was told NO.

Just checked, numbers in all areas - cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are down here. And the governor here has dragged his feet on getting vaccinations into arms.

I’m with Walensky. Let’s “err on the side of caution” for a while longer. The stakes are high. Thanks, Annie.

Last night I was looking on both my mayor and governor's fb sites something that I suggest everyone do to receive a sense of what other people are thinking. There are so many that think because there are enough vaccinated that masking should be discarded and everything reopened as it was before this started. One of the main "what are they thinking" things was about not having a "vaccine passport". While not many places, yet, want to see that you have been vaccinated the card that you are given is what places that ask want to see. It is also no different than a child's immunization record that I understand some schools want to see. I saw that Germany now requires a negative test before entering the country.

Several of the more positive sites mention once 70-80 percent of the population have been vaccinated things can start to return to normal. With the number of anti-vac group it is unlikely the 70 percent will be reached much less the 80 percent.

Then there is the small thing that the vaccine does not prevent the English or Brazilian strains. Think about what is being stated about these strains being no worse than the original ones. What does that mean to you?