CoVID - 19 Breakthrough Infections in Vaccinated Health Care Workers

The New England Journal of Medicine ^ | July 28, 2021 | Moriah Bergwerk et al

[gas_dr]

BACKGROUND Despite the high efficacy of the BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), rare breakthrough infections have been reported, including infections among health care workers. Data are needed to characterize these infections and define correlates of breakthrough and infectivity.

METHODS At the largest medical center in Israel, we identified breakthrough infections by performing extensive evaluations of health care workers who were symptomatic (including mild symptoms) or had known infection exposure. These evaluations included epidemiologic investigations, repeat reverse-transcriptase–polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) assays, antigen-detecting rapid diagnostic testing (Ag-RDT), serologic assays, and genomic sequencing. Correlates of breakthrough infection were assessed in a case–control analysis. We matched patients with breakthrough infection who had antibody titers obtained within a week before SARS-CoV-2 detection (peri-infection period) with four to five uninfected controls and used generalized estimating equations to predict the geometric mean titers among cases and controls and the ratio between the titers in the two groups. We also assessed the correlation between neutralizing antibody titers and N gene cycle threshold (Ct) values with respect to infectivity.

RESULTS Among 1497 fully vaccinated health care workers for whom RT-PCR data were available, 39 SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections were documented. Neutralizing antibody titers in case patients during the peri-infection period were lower than those in matched uninfected controls (case-to-control ratio, 0.361; 95% confidence interval, 0.165 to 0.787). Higher peri-infection neutralizing antibody titers were associated with lower infectivity (higher Ct values). Most breakthrough cases were mild or asymptomatic, although 19% had persistent symptoms (>6 weeks). The B.1.1.7 (alpha) variant was found in 85% of samples tested. A total of 74% of case patients had a high viral load (Ct value, <30) at some point during their infection; however, of these patients, only 17 (59%) had a positive result on concurrent Ag-RDT. No secondary infections were documented.

CONCLUSIONS Among fully vaccinated health care workers, the occurrence of breakthrough infections with SARS-CoV-2 was correlated with neutralizing antibody titers during the peri-infection period. Most breakthrough infections were mild or asymptomatic, although persistent symptoms did occur.

[House Atreides]

“…So the comparison between vaccinated and unvaccinated isn’t useful.”
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Wow… despite showing statistics demonstrating that, among Israelis 60 years or older, the unvaccinated have a rate of severe COVID-19 illness about 4 1/2 times the rate of the vaccinated this writer jumps through hoops trying to say that fact doesn’t matter.

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”

[Antoninus]

Wow… despite showing statistics demonstrating that, among Israelis 60 years or older, the unvaccinated have a rate of severe COVID-19 illness about 4 1/2 times the rate of the vaccinated this writer jumps through hoops trying to say that fact doesn’t matter.

Or, you could just quote the context of the statement. Here it is:

"As you can see, new serious cases have risen 10-fold since the beginning of July - from roughly five a day to about 40 over the last week. The overall number of patients has soared too - from 30 to more than 200.

But how many of those people are vaccinated?

The vast majority. Israel has broken out the data in various ways at various times, but throughout July most new patients were vaccinated.

In an effort to play down that reality, Israel has begun to provide data comparing RATES of serious illness in older people who were not vaccinated and those who were. And those show that as of now, unvaccinated people are still becoming seriously ill significantly more frequently than those who aren’t.

But that comparison hides a very big problem.

Israel did an excellent job convincing people over 60 to be vaccinated. Only about 1 person in 15 in that age range didn’t receive at least one dose. Fewer than 1 in 10 is not fully vaccinated.

Why should you care? Because the tiny fraction of older people who are unvaccinated in Israel at this point are almost certainly materially different than the vast majority who are. As far as I know, the Israel government hasn’t broken out the differences. But given the pressure to vaccinate, a significant number of those older unvaccinated people are likely simply too sick to tolerate the vaccine - especially those over 80, where overall vaccination rates are even higher.

But if they are too sick to tolerate the vaccine, they are obviously at much higher risk from Covid than the vaccinate. In other words, ability (and propensity) to be vaccinated is likely a marker for overall health. Researchers know this is true of the influenza vaccine - once they adjust for the fact that older people who get the vaccine are healthier to start than than those who don’t, the advantage the vaccine seems to offer mostly disappears. So the comparison between vaccinated and unvaccinated isn’t useful.

What is useful is examining the trend among serious illness in older vaccinated people.

And it is terrible. The rate of cases has risen 12-fold IN A MONTH. On July 4th, fewer than 1 older vaccinated person in 100,000 became seriously ill. Today the rate is 10 in 100,000." [source]

[ransomnote]

the BNT162b2 vaccine is extremely effective

 

[Pelham]

“99% of scientists agreed dirt caused malaria in 1900. Just 2 doctors, Walter Reed and George Goethals, didn’t. They thought mosquitos were the culprits. They were right. All the others were wrong. “

An impressive story, but filled with error. Is that actually Larry Schweikart’s writing?

In 1880 Charles Lavaran discovered the plasmodium protozoan responsible for malaria.

In 1887 Patrick Manson discovered the role of mosquitoes in transmitting the filaria parasite that causes elephantiasis and he began a hunt to discover a connection between mosquitoes and malaria.

Manson published an article presenting the mosquito-malaria hypothesis in 1894 in The British Medical Journal.

Ronald Ross proved that mosquitoes transmitted the malaria parasite in 1897 and that won him the 1902 Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Walter Reed confirmed a different theory, that Yellow Fever is transmitted by mosquitoes. But that wasn’t his theory anymore than the malaria theory was. The Yellow Fever-mosquito theory had been hypothesized by Carlos Finlay in 1881.

[absalom01]

That’s going beyond the claim I was making.

Even if one were to stipulate to your assertion that the vaccines have lost all effectiveness (which, as far as I am aware is a gross exaggeration), it does not alter that original point. These new technologies did, in fact, produce extraordinary levels of effectiveness.

It may turn out to be the case that the protection afforded is short-lived, but that’s a different claim, and not yet settled. As you point out, it would not be at all surprising, as single-strand RNA viruses are notorious for rapid mutation, but that would be true of older technologies as well.

The extended focus of conversation on the mRNA or adenovirus technology, as opposed to the choice to have those technologies code for the particular spike protein seems misguided, and unconvincing to those who have not already made up their minds.

[Stentor]

Thank you for the preparation in knowing what to not read.

[bagster]

Rather that this article was written by CCP doctorates, but all their last names are Jewish. That is antisemitic on its face.

Please explain how its 'anti-semitic' on its face, Gassy?

The fact that your 'source' is co-opted and controlled by the Chinese communist party has NOTHING to do with the Jewishness of anybody involved.

But nice try on stoking a non-existent fire.

Pretty dirty tactic, you ask me. Nobody noticed or cared about the 'Jewish' names until YOU mentioned it, which taps into YOUR feelings about 'the Jews'.

[bagster]

I note you do not say anything about the study, but attack the journal — that makes no sense.

Actually, Gassie, it makes perfect sense. If you have a brain.

See, we make the connection between the 'owners' of a 'study' and its conclusions and the study and conclusion itself.

The heathen Chinee control the medium, and likely control the study. This is pure propaganda to prop up the entire covid/vax Chinee act of war on Western Civilization.

You going along with it makes you an aider and abetter. It just does.

I like you gassie, but you are an innocent rabbit and tool of the enemy, whether you know it or not.

#DoBetter

[Gene Eric]

I suggest giving it a read without prejudice. It’s a good study, but not the QED the lovers are making it out to be.

[bagster]

If I misunderstood the intent, than I am sorry, however calling authors with last names of: Cohen, Mandelboim, Levin, Rubin, and Zavitan “CCP doctorates” Mr. Som - ting - Wong seems to denigrate the heritage of the authors.

It has nothing to do with the 'heritage' of the authors. You just made that up.

Lots of people are tools of China. Race or religion has nothing to do with it. Are we 'anti-Irish' when we point out that Biden is a fake Chinese owned 'President'?

Italian = Pelosi?

Anglo = Swallwell?

Italian = Cuomo?

Lesbian = Hillary?

You get the picture. Stop acting like a derp.

[bagster]

It's 95% effective 60% of the time. (Anchorman reference just in case some rabid vaxx shill on this board has a fit).

[bagster]

With more name calling over a religious tagline. What a witness for Jesus!

Simmer down, affirmative action.

[bagster]

What would a Covid thread be without some good conspiracy theory illogic.

Strangly, the entire covid/vax hoax is 'conspiracy theory logic'. It just happens to be YOUR conspiracy theory logic.

[bagster]

Of course virologists warned last year that because of a high rate of mutation even the experimental mRNA vaccines would likely lose effectiveness within months. Guess what? They were right. What a surprise!

Which is exactly why the word around the campfire is, you don't 'vaccinate' in the middle of a 'pandemic'.

Its all politics. And dirty politics at that.

And war.

[SecAmndmt]

I am un-cv19vx’d. And will remain so.

Two weeks ago, I worked at a client site. I was surrounded by 90% unvaxxed ppl (the blue collar Trump-voter types are refusing the Mengeleshot). The only vaxxed person around us was a engineer with similar co-morbidities to the rest of us. The vaxxed engineer just finished a week in bed with a nasty case of the coof (it was in his lungs). At my suggestion, he went to the FLCCC site; his family MD had offered him *nothing* in the way of treatment plan. He picked one of their protocols and followed it. He on the road to recovery. I too am on Ivermectin as I have some mild cold symptoms.

[Stentor]

I’ve got you. Thanks.

[greeneyes]

breakthrough infections carry an infectious potential and create a special challenge, since such infections are often asymptomatic and may pose a risk to vulnerable populations.
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That’s the direct data quoted. The shot doesn’t prevent the disease. Which is what the legal definition of a disease is, and what most people think it is, due to that being the definition used in the past-a rather sly marketing technique to fool the uninformed.

The people are asymptomatic means they don’t know they are sick, so they spread it to others—and when they work in health care or nursing homes, those others are vulnerable.

Sounds ominous to me - Super Spreaders for the sick and vulnerable. SMH. Stupid and Criminal to advocate for something that makes health care workers dangers to their patients.

[greeneyes]

legal definition of vaccine - prevents disease.

[Gene Eric]

+1

[fireman15]

I don’t have the links handy this moment, but the most effective vaccines against the variants are supposedly the mRNA formulations with Pfizer being the most effective at less than 40%. The other vaccines have basically lost their usefulness already. This is why the mRNA vaccines are now recommended as “boosters” for the more traditional formulations.