Libby Smith

@EDisinterest That’s not tough, that’s terrifying. Hope she will be okay. My partner and I also have Covid, but our kids have completely avoided it, despite our inability to isolate from them. So random.

I’m down with COVID. Feeling pretty rubbish, tbh. Razor blade throat and painful cough. Clearly not the same for everyone. Can’t imagine how it might have been - for me - without three doses of vax. Good on science. #winteriscoming

@VictorianCHO Very grateful my vulnerable mother could get her second booster recently in time for the inevitable winter surge. Our little household has succumbed to Covid this week. We’re feeling pretty rubbish too, with cold-like symptoms and mild fevers, but the kids seem to have escaped.

@DrKatedeBruin Bronchiecstasis? My mother has the same, from childhood measles. I wonder if she is eligible. I hope she is soon.

1. Had my third vax yesterday. I live with #Disability. I'm immunocompromised with scarred lungs left from childhood pneumonia. People like me are more likely to catch/die from COVID. When I hear "underlying conditions" used to wave away concerns about death rates I shudder.

@vokjart @DanchinMargie You can’t rely on it on an individual level. But that level of reduced risk should lead to reduced spread. Which is what we’re seeing in some areas of NSW. So by getting vaxxed and reducing spread, you do protect others.

@vokjart @DanchinMargie Yes, I’m cautious. The recent Lancet paper on BNT162b2 vaccine effectiveness against Delta indicates 88% protection from infection waning to 47% after 6 months. I would argue that’s a significant reduction.

The most important thing you can do to get your child back to school safely in Vic and NSW is get vaccinated yourself, and all the other eligible adults in the household. They are unlikely to get v sick with COVID but can bring it home and older unvaccinated family members can 🙏

@vokjart @DanchinMargie So I get that a vaxxed Covid +ve person will have similar viral loads as an unvaxxed Covid +ve person. But if you’re vaccinated aren’t you substantially less likely to become positive in the first place? If you are exposed by stay -ve you won’t spread it, thus protecting others.

@libby_csmith @DanchinMargie Studies show vaccinated people carry roughly the same viral load as unvaxxed people, but the viral load may decline faster in the vaxed, meaning you'll likely spread the virus for less time. It's best to assume you're not protecting others & take other precautions

@vokjart @DanchinMargie If my unvaxxed son brings Covid home from school, I should be ~80% protected from symptomatic infection after recent Pfizer. If I visit my vulnerable parents before I know, doesn’t my vaccination also protect them? Because I am less likely to have caught it?

@DanchinMargie Well said! The vaccine only protects you, nobody else. I'm glad more accurate messaging is happening around vaccines.

@folitarik @dbRaevn @samanthamaiden In NSW?

There are many Pfizer appointments available across Victoria in the next week - consider bringing forward your 2nd dose if able. The more people that bring their 2nd doses forward to 3 weeks, the faster Victoria hits its roadmap targets of 70% and 80%. covid19nearme.com.au/state/vic/vacc…

@laurenolivialdn Surely Vic is a hotspot until we achieve our vaccination target for opening up in accordance with the national plan ~5th Nov). Sydney is a hotspot until 11/10/21, when they will reach 80%.

@JpQte @ProlResistance @ProfPCDoherty The unvaxed person, before being hospitalised, is most likely to have passed the virus on, especially if their associates are also unvaccinated. Taking up hospital resources unnecessarily is a major issue. In Victoria, only 5% of those in hospital are fully vaxxed.

@libby_csmith @ProlResistance @ProfPCDoherty Who is more likely to pass the virus onto others... an unvaccinated person in the hospital or a vaccinated person at home with no symptoms? For those at risk, which will they hug & kiss, invite in & lower their precautions?

@ChaosNeuro @ProfPCDoherty @Todnikowsky Do you think we should stay in lock down forever? People will die when we open up but I think the state Gov are doing their best. At least most people will be vaccinated by the time we reach peak infection rates.

@LA_Lockerman @DudespostingWs She probably wasn’t dressed for it. i-dailymail-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/ii/w820/s/i.da…

Incredible twitter.com/CosyCIub/statu…

@covidbaseau Wow! Very impressive. This is what smart kids can do when they’re not playing Fortnite all waking hours 🙄

BOOM! 12-15s can get the💉 Today the three of us who run @covidbaseau, Jack, Wesley and Darcy, had our first dose of the Moderna vaccine.🎉 Thought this would be a good time to share who we really are.😄 Thrilled that we will finally be included in our data!

@apsmunro What about the risk of long Covid in teens? It’s the worst time of life to miss out on school/social/sport for months on end, especially after 18 months of lockdowns. How many cases of long Covid will be prevented by vaccines?

I highly recommend this excellent BBC article with FAQs about the 12-15y vaccine offer in the UK Importantly, it will not be mandatory Children and their families can decide Excellent infographic showing rationale for single dose bbc.co.uk/news/health-57…

@SharnelleVella Some people have been driven to suicide due to pandemic related factors, but some have been protected by these factors (with the stats coming out even). JobKeeper was protective, but that is no more. Research on protective factors may be helpful.

Corners suicide report for August: coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/sites/default/…

@thelittlepplaus @ketaminh Sadly many more than 4000 will die. We’re really only at the beginning.

@TheCurts04 @David0HH7 @SharnelleVella Don’t think the kids that caught it at the MCG caught it at the bar.

@David0HH7 @SharnelleVella Yep was waiting for that reply. This was actually indoors at the MCG in a bar. There have been plenty of outdoor situations from illegal protests around the country involving a thousands. Have not had a tier 1 at any of those or at a playground where kids and 20 -30 parents are.

Who wants facts?  To quote the CHO: The light at the end of the tunnel is dim and the tunnel is too long. Bloody hell it is! Victoria let’s talk ♥️

@JanineW23977439 @ProfPCDoherty You get three or four of these text messages at intervals after each vaccination

@ProfPCDoherty Professor Doherty may I respectfully ask whether Australia has any platform such as the UK’s yellow card system where people can also report any side effects from the vaccines? Interested to know the statistics on this too, if possible?