"If SARS-CoV-2 also drifts so slowly, then by the time it would evade vaccine-induced immunity, we may have been infected with so many intermediates, experiencing no or very mild disease each time, that our immune memory is meaningfully updated and no evasion effect is seen."
I JUST explained this concept to my pathophysiology students yesterday. I was teaching them about immune system memory and I was explaining how faster mutation rates can 'outpace' our immune system, but slower ones wont, and I used SARS-CoV-2 vs. Influenza type A as an example.
Congrats on the vaccine! I brought my mom to the stony brook location, also state-run and it was super-efficient. I was highly impressed by the state, their organization and professionalism. I however, ended up going to a Suffolk-county location to get my shot and it was very fly-by-night. You generally had to guess where to park, how to get to the building from there, staff was writing your info on pieces of scrap paper, little signage or info about things. They also don't give 2nd appointments during your 1st shot! You had to wait til a day before the day you are supposed to get your 2nd shot to get an e-mail with your appointment and for me at least they had me go to a different location, and a different time from my 1st, also seemingly slapped together last minute.
I never realized before the degree disparity in state vs county resources.
"If SARS-CoV-2 also drifts so slowly, then by the time it would evade vaccine-induced immunity, we may have been infected with so many intermediates, experiencing no or very mild disease each time, that our immune memory is meaningfully updated and no evasion effect is seen."
I JUST explained this concept to my pathophysiology students yesterday. I was teaching them about immune system memory and I was explaining how faster mutation rates can 'outpace' our immune system, but slower ones wont, and I used SARS-CoV-2 vs. Influenza type A as an example.
Congrats on the vaccine! I brought my mom to the stony brook location, also state-run and it was super-efficient. I was highly impressed by the state, their organization and professionalism. I however, ended up going to a Suffolk-county location to get my shot and it was very fly-by-night. You generally had to guess where to park, how to get to the building from there, staff was writing your info on pieces of scrap paper, little signage or info about things. They also don't give 2nd appointments during your 1st shot! You had to wait til a day before the day you are supposed to get your 2nd shot to get an e-mail with your appointment and for me at least they had me go to a different location, and a different time from my 1st, also seemingly slapped together last minute.
I never realized before the degree disparity in state vs county resources.
So, just as I say there's no data on Pfizer-vs.-B.1.351, they issue this press release:
https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-confirm-high-efficacy-and-no-serious