In the News
In the News
Some evidence that the protection of the Covid19 vaccine wanes comes from observational studies — and so we must view our inferences critically, says Jeffrey Morris, PhD. In everyday life, participants aren’t randomized to account for different ages, behaviors, etc. We need careful modelling and thorough data “to de-convolve all these things.”
A new study showed that older Israelis who received a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine are much less likely to test positive for SARS-CoV-2 or to develop severe COVID-19 than are those who have had only two shots. Susan Ellenberg, PhD, commented.
Granted, Delaware is “one state; it’s relatively small,” commented Jeffrey Morris, PhD, “but to have accurate data for that snapshot will give us a lot.”
Jeffrey Morris, PhD, is concerned that requiring a third dose could dissuade some people from getting a Covid-19 vaccine because they’ll interpret it to mean that the vaccines aren’t very effective. "If it comes at the cost of not being able to get more of the unvaccinated to be protected, it could be a net negative,” he says.
The fast-spreading delta variant has flooded hospitals across the South. One of the causes: About 18 percent of Americans age 65 and over, at high risk of hospitalization and death, still aren’t fully vaccinated, versus about 5 percent in the U.K. “That’s a huge difference,” says Jeffrey Morris, PhD.
Covid-19 vaccines work, but a statistical illusion makes some people think they don’t. This perspective piece prominently cites work by Jeffrey Morris, PhD.
An analysis by Jeffrey Morris, PhD, showed how Israel’s Covid19 data were easily misinterpreted: the elderly are both most vaccinated and most at risk for severe illness. The findings were cited widely, including coverage in The New Yorker.
To slow spread of the Covid-19 delta variant, Philadelphia needs an even greater, on-the-ground push for more vaccination, comments Michael Levy, PhD: "This thing is just about momentum."
Can a music festival be safe during the Covid-19 pandemic? It’s not so much about attendees’ personal risk, comments Michael Levy, PhD. It’s about what happens when they bring the virus home.
Among the reasons for vaccine hesitancy, lack of full FDA approval ranks high. Susan Ellenberg, PhD, explains that the FDA required six months of safety data to consider full approval — meaning that the process requires a longer follow-up, but not necessarily more rigorous review.
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