Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> Which means the 95% efficacy for phizer/moderna is not actually correct.

It is correct, it just efficacy against covid-19 disease, not against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infection and disease are two distinct concepts.



> efficacy against covid-19 disease, not against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

There is no distinction between "disease" and "infection" in medicine. There is asymptomatic infection, mild, serious and fatal. Even then its not as clear cut as that.

We don't yet have clear data on asymptomatic infection for J&J, moderna, phizer or novavax.

I'm not suggesting that we stop jabbing people, quite the opposite. Even if AZ is less effective, roll it the fuck out. The quicker we get 60-70% of people immune, or partially immune, the quicker this shitshow will be over.


> There is no distinction between "disease" and "infection" in medicine.

That's completely false. An infection is an invasion by a foreign pathogen, a disease is a set of observed symptoms[0].

For other examples of infection/disease distinctions, see HIV and AIDS.

[0]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK235412/


I have made an in incorrect assertion.

Obviously there is a distinction, auto immune diseases/cancer/congenintal are the overwhelming example.

What I should have said is: that in this instance we are measuring infection. disease is marketing speak.


This is also incorrect. "Prevention of disease" and "prevention of infection" are two related but clinically-distinct objectives for these vaccines. So far, early clinical trials were generally testing the first objective, and less so the second. It is thus not "marketing speak", but precise language about what was actually tested.


> Understanding infection vs. disease

> There's a difference between infection and disease. Infection, often the first step, occurs when bacteria, viruses or other microbes that cause disease enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease occurs when the cells in your body are damaged — as a result of the infection — and signs and symptoms of an illness appear.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infectious-di...


Here is a great read on infectious agents and the differences between infection and disease.

* Infection does not necessarily lead to disease. Infection occurs when viruses, bacteria, or other microbes enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease, which typically happens in a small proportion of infected people, occurs when the cells in your body are damaged as a result of infection, and signs and symptoms of an illness appear.*

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209710/




Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: