COVID-19

Breaking news just now.

60% of people admitted to hospital in the UK, and there are many now, have been double vaccinated (with AZ, Pfizer, Moderna or Janssen) . Delta is totally dominant in UK.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-60- … e-12359317

The UK has been partying for a few weeks without masks with the Euros. If you watched the British Formula 1 GP yesterday there were 140k specatators packed in with no masks.

Message is clear. Full vaccination plus continued masks, social distancing and sanitary measures are needed to minimize your chances of serious illness and death with Delta whilst vaccines are being updated and boosters approved.

Feel the same. Lifes short already
John and Deb

There is a "restaurant" behind my place.  IT used to be nice and quiet, like a normal restaurant. Now its blasting bar music anytime after  5pm!   Hoping they get shut down!   Dozens of people all over that I can see from my place,  drinking, dancing carrying on without masks!

We wear masks even though fully vaccinated but will not live in fear. We  do our normal routine and practice clean hygiene. Everyone has to have faith that times will return to normal soon. Keep busy in the meantime with some projects or work.

I am so sick of hearing this.   WE are not living in fear. We are practicing proper management based on what WE KNOW about this country.

A lot of expats living in DR would have had the Coronavac vaccine from Sinovac and are now wondering about the need for a booster.

Countries such as Uruguay and Chile, where there are higher levels of vaccination than here and where Coronovac has been extensively used, have been studying the need for a booster and it looks like they are leaning to a thrid shot after about 6 months with the same vaccine, Coronavac, again.

This article will be a useful information to this thinking of the need for a booster shot having had their initial shots from Sinovac:

Coronavac Antibodies Against COVID-19 Fall After Six Months

https://www.elpais.com.uy/informacion/s … meses.html

In three out of four vaccinated with Coronavac ( Sinovac ), neutralizing antibodies were found six months after the completion of the immunization. But it was also found that from then on the antibodies begin to disappear - even more so if people face any of the new variants of COVID-19 . This is why a study that was carried out in Chile recommended “a reinforcement from the sixth month”.

Coronavac's vaccine works for any of the virus mutations so far found in Uruguay . But the preliminary data for the "variants of concern" -such as Alpha, Delta or P1, which is the predominant one in the country- indicate that to a different extent they evade the ability to neutralize the infection . So much so that for Delta - the variant that has spread the most in the world - the serum of those vaccinated is ten times less potent than with the original strain.

The Pontifical Catholic University of Chileis leading a phase III investigation that has been generating information on the safety, immune response and efficacy of the Coronavac vaccine. Uruguay looks closely at this study, in particular at last week's preliminary results accessed by El País, given that 69% of the doses administered here are of this vaccine.

And although local scientists prefer caution -especially because the drop in antibodies detected in the blood does not necessarily mean that the immune capacity to deal with the virus is lost-, they agree that "it is one more indicator" to consider the time to decide whether to give a third dose or not.

Is a third dose necessary? To answer this question, according to the professor of Immunology Gualberto González, two types of evidence are necessary: ​​how the neutralizing antibodies that are located in the blood evolve (what the Chilean study investigates) and how the vaccine behaves in the field (for example, see if effectiveness starts to decline as recently seen in Israel).

Regarding the first of these evidences, the Chilean study shows that two weeks after the second dose of Coronavac (or what is the same from day 42 after the first dose) the highest levels of antibodies are detected. These continue in "high" ranges for a few weeks and then begin to fall. After 180 days of the first dose (or 152 days of the second), the levels of antibodies found among the volunteers are seven times lower than that climax.

This "significant" drop in antibody levels "is one of the ways to measure the immune response , but we cannot speak of protection against an infection only by the amount of antibodies", warns the epidemiologist and pediatricianMonica Pujadas .

The virus, in its tiny size, has proteins called Spike (skewers) that give it the shape of a dandelion flower (better known as "baker"). This protein works like a key that curdles in a lock (a receptor that human cells have) and thus infection occurs.

When a person is capable of producing antibodies - naturally because they overcame a previous infection of the same viral variant, or artificially because they were vaccinated - they go out to meet the virus and impede its entry into cells. It could be said that antibodies are proteins that work as a filler that curdles on the teeth of the key (of the Spike) and prevents it from fitting in the lock.

Science still does not know what levels of antibodies are necessary to be protected. But beyond these antibodies that Chilean researchers have quantified, immunity also generates other forms of protection.

Imagine this was a war. Antibodies are like those soldiers who go to the crash. These are produced by B cells. But there are other cells, called T cells, that do a different counterintelligence job: they are white blood cells capable of “searching” for cells already infected by the virus and destroying them.

This counterintelligence task is key because, otherwise, the cells that infected the virus would become " virus factories " that infect others and spread the infection. In the analogy of war, it would also be that in each colonized locality the invader was recruiting new followers and multiplying its infective capacity.

As if that were not enough, the immune response also generates so-called memory cells . They are not active cells, like the previous ones, but rather their function is to be expectant, like “a reserve army” and in the event of a reinfection they are activated and multiply rapidly, replenishing the levels of antibodies in circulation and the amount of T cells that they can go on to destroy infected cells.

The Chilean study measured only the antibodies, the soldiers who go to the shock, those who cover the key. But it does not contemplate other forms of protection that the vaccine could demonstrate on the ground.

That is why the infectologist Victoria Frantchez warns that conclusions should not be drawn only on the basis of one study. "Much less do you have to run to measure antibodies, because the types of antibodies detected in this (Chilean) study are different from the pharmacy test and because, scientifically, the doubts are not settled."

In this regard, his colleague from the Pujadas vaccines commission explains that “scientific times are one thing and political times are another: the decisions that Uruguay has been taking are based on scientific advice, although the speed for the purchase of booster doses responds more to negotiations and agreements with laboratories ”.

Although at this point “it seems obvious”, concludes Pujadas, “the Chilean study reiterates that Coronavac is a very good, safe and effective vaccine”. In fact, among the nearly 2,300 volunteers, less than 2% of those vaccinated with two doses had a symptomatic COVID-19 . And 94% of them did so in a "very mild" way.

Vaccination in Uruguay

143 days after the start of the vaccination plan against COVID-19 in Uruguay , 70% of the population, about 2.5 million people, received at least one dose against the disease, according to the vaccination monitor of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) that is updated almost minute by minute. The department of Flores had the lead yesterday with about 77% of the vaccinated population. At the opposite extreme was Canelones with 61%.

Effectiveness "greater than expected"

Almost seven out of every ten doses administered in Uruguay are of the Coronavac vaccine. Prior to the extension of this vaccine, which is being administered in 31 countries, and before the World Health Organization validated it for emergency use, there were doubts about its efficacy. The first study carried out in Brazil had shown an effectiveness of 50.65% for the prevention of the symptomatic disease of COVID-19 , just above the acceptable minimum.

But the subsequent results, including the Uruguayans and Chileans with the vaccine already in the field, were much better. Even with figures similar to Pfizer for the prevention of deaths and hospitalizations. According to the immunologist Alejandro Chabalgoity, “the efficacy / effectiveness value depends on the risk of infection where it is measured. Therefore if the reproductive number changes, the results also change ”.

In Brazil it had been measured in highly exposed health personnel and in the midst of a high circulation of the virus . In addition, adds the infectologist Victoria Frantchez, "given the situation in Brazil it was necessary to accelerate the vaccination and the two doses were given 14 days apart, when the best effectiveness arises by distancing both doses with 28 days as is done In uruguay". In this sense, the members of the advisory committee on vaccines are "satisfied" with the results, which are even "better" than expected.

Mixing vaccines has no reliable medical studies yet for those thinking of a different booster, and there has been a death reported in Thailand yesterday after mixing vaccines - AZ after Sinovac.

Excellent post.  Thank you.

Thank you for your positive attitude!  Nice to hear for a change!

According to the MOH in their briefing of this morning, the Delta variant is not yet detected in DR.

Authorities confirm Alpha and Gamma variants are in the DR and are of concern

https://noticiassin.com/pais/autoridade … on-1129122

Likewise, the Minister of Health, Daniel Rivera, denied that the Delta is in the country, "we have to continue preparing and vigilant because the Delta has not yet entered the country."


Well these were results from tests taken in between 17th and 21st May! So no real surprise there. Alpha (UK variant). Lamda (Andes variant) and Gamma (Brazil variant) were found.

With Delta now dominant in the USA and a daily rise in cases there plus people with double vaccination being found to be positive for covid19, it is a racing certainty that arrivals will have included Delta carriers who could have passed on the virus easily to  many others on their arrival flight.

Most of Europe has a big problem with Delta too, and from the UK and Spain, PCR tests are needed for arrivals into DR. Logically the same now should now be sought from arrivals from the USA, but it won't because of the tourist industry.

So give it a few weeks with few controls and lets see where we are.

We have to live with any new waves and the government says it is ready.

More testing and the positivity is suppressed albeit still over 10%. The capital is seeing less cases, the hospitals are less busy and the active total is dropping. But the cases are wide spread.

Be vigilant and stay safe healthy and wise. Appreciate the info.

Canadian American border still locked down for non essential till August 21st. But as each month deadline is reached it's been moved up a month each time.

As expected we are seeing the daily cases and positivity drop down to more acceptable levels after the effects of the recent tougher curfew and drinks ban. Santo Domingo has many fewer cases in recent days however there is a spike in Santiago and La Vega.

At the end of the month and early in August is the time to watch to see if there is any beginnings of a trend back upwards.

Delta is not confirmed as being here yet and it would take a few weeks to take off. We are perhaps a 3/4 weeks behind the USA assuming it has recently arrived here already.

The vaccination situation is steady and good for such a small country and must continue.

According to Our World in Data we have 37% fully vaccinated and a further 14% with the first shot. To give some comparison, Uruguay has 61% fully vaccinated and a further 12% with one shot and Chile with 62% and 9 %, USA with 49% and 7.6%, UK with 54% and 14% and Spain 54% and 11%.

One can see that even such better numbers in other countries are not stopping Delta from spreading widely, so we in DR must be prepared and take precautions. The best precaution to avoid serious infection and death is to get vaccinated.

All the vaccines are less effective against Delta (Pfizer only 39% in actual cases in Israel), but are all good at preventing serious infection and death.

DR has a long way to go and we are being given adult only vaccination percentage numbers with a 70% target to achieve some sort of herd immunity. Wilkipedia reckons 80% of the total population needs to be fully vaccinated for the variants to get a herd immunity. That isn't going to happen anytime soon here.

We have to protect kids who are not vaccinated and who are now getting ill from Delta in other countries and the best thing we all can do is get vaccinated and practice recognised anti covid measures.

The samples in June are likely to show Delta once we get the results. That is the expectation of the medical field.  They are ramping up for that  reality.  Regardless it is likely here. The average age of the sick and hospitalized is  way down. The average if those dying is way down. 

There is so little testing its laughable.  And this past weekend most vaccination sites were closed... because you know.... fathers day!  WOW.

Plan Nacional de Vacunación
Acumulados al 24 de Julio de 2021

5,458,029
Primera dosis

3,996,388
Segunda dosis

286,854
Dosis refuerzo

9,741,271
Total dosis aplicadas

3,996,388
Población completamente vacunada

DR is struggling to maintain vaccination progress. Are they reaching a peak? I hope not.

During the past week the new first time daily vaccinations have been:

17 July; 4,158, then 19,717, 20,576, 21,299, 20,301, 18,679 and 7,278 yesterday for a total of 5,458,029 which is 51% if the total population is 10.7m.

The second shot total is 3,996,388 which is 37.3% for 10.7m population. The population is estimated between 10.5 m and 11m - the higher if you add non residents.

A worrying problem is the difference between first and second shots which stands at 1,461,641 and the time when they had adminstered 4m first shots was back in early June (more than 42 days ago) and suggests not everyone has got/is getting  their second shot.

From what I recall, DR has received c 14m Sinovac shots, 1.2m Pfizer shots and c 1m AZ shots = just over 16m shots and has used 9.74m as above. Shelf life may become and issue if they don't get vaccinations moving again with more arriving each week.

Minister affirms RD will have 50% vaccinated in days

https://hoy.com.do/ministro-afirma-rd-t … vacunados/

The Minister of Public Health, Dr. Daniel Rivera, revealed that in the next two days the Dominican Republic will reach 50% of the population vaccinated against covid-19, an achievement that no country in Europe can exhibit at the moment. He affirmed that the more people receive the vaccine for the second dose and the booster for the third, the fewer seriously ill patients will be hospitalized due to the virus........

Is it a case of the Minister not understanding the world is monitoring the vaccination rate based upon total population and not adults only as he is reporting? And between 70% and 85% of total population fully vaccinated is the yardstick being monitored for 'herd' immunity.

What he is reported as saying is incorrect and most countries in Europe have better vaccination rates than DR as a check at 'Our World in Data' will reveal. A quick check today shows that only Norway, Finland, Croatia, Romania, North Macedonia and Russia have lesser full vacination rates than DR with all other European countries fairing better with Norway and Finland having higher first does rates than DR.

https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations

He ought to get his facts checked and an investagtive press core would be good too. DR is doing well and that deserves praise and encoragement but has a very long way to go. Misleading information can lead to complacency and lack of motivation by the unvaccinated to get their shots.

DR is at 37 % and needs to double that figure to enter into the herd immunity range.

and 50% is not good enough regardless!   Again you are correct in that they need to be fact checked.

How do they calculate their  50%?    No one seems to know.

On a positive note:

I got my second astra zeneca vaccine today.  There are few locations offering it so I went to the closest one. it was amazingly well organized!   Absolutely  efficient,  fast, organized!   Kudos to them!

After clinical studies, which have been submitted to The Lancet for peer review, a booster shot of the Sinovac vaccine 6 to 8 months show big increases in anti body levels much more so than having a booster shot soon after the second shot which is happening in DR. This ties in with AZ studies. Having the booster shot too early appears to be medically unwise for greatest benefits.

Third shot of Sinovac COVID-19 vaccine offers big increase in antibody levels: study

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202107/1229716.shtml

Some stats show about 50% of...peer reviewed articles are garbage.   Newton wasn't peer reviewed,  nor Einstein or the other best ones.

Seems in line with most of what is being  published by the other vaccine companies,   6 to 8 months after  we MAY need booster vaccines.

Deleted

We will NOT be bringing US  politics into this discussion.

Hi everyone,

Kindly note that a few posts have been removed from this thread.

Thanks,

Priscilla
Expat.com Team

Report on Vaccination Status for Each Province of Over 18s.

Notes: 1. The target population by province was taken from the JCE data for persons 18 and over.
* The percentage of La Altagracia exceeds 100% because the data corresponds to the number vaccinated at centres within the province and may differ from from the place of residence of the vaccinated person.

Bascially it is a rough guide to vaccination percentages for each province because it shows the numbers vacinated in that province as a percentage of the recorded JCE adult population of that province. So for provinces like La Altagracia the vaccinated numbers include workers in those areas who are not registered in those province JCE totals. For LA the percentages are likely heavily distorted by the hotel workers and some expats in that province.

And of note, there has been no removal of curfew in La Altagracia so far despite hitting that 70% number. Maybe someone has realized this is a flawed process with Delta coming?

What is the expectation for expats? And are vaccines mandatory?

Vaccines are not currently mandatory.

Expectations - follow the protocols!

Thank you.

Expectations:

Delta is almost certainly here albeit the test results reported today by the MOH (from May) did not show it's presence then.

With 50% of the adult population, which is 37% of the total population, vaccinated and less discipline, we are in a worse vaccination position than countries in Europe and the USA including Puerto Rico, and so I do expect the variant to spread quickly and widely here from next month. Being vaccinated and taking recommended precautions we will be ok and can live normally.

Not enough people are getting vaccinated here right now. Well under 20k daily for first shot at the beginning of the week which is always the highest days (14,232 Monday and 18,094 yesterday). The government needs to go house to house to get more vaccinated quickly imo.

We all now need to be aware that being fully vaccinated will not alone prevent infection and spread of the Delta variant of the virus when it begins significant community transmission here in DR.

The CDC has just released the data behind their changed mask mandate in the USA and it has to be a concern to all of us and substantiates what has been reported from Israel and seen throughout Europe:

CDC Publishes Some of the Delta Data Used to Justify Mask Guidance Reversal

The study found that viral loads in breakthrough cases among the fully vaccinated in Massachusetts were similar to those among the unvaccinated.

https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news … e-reversal

Individuals who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus but become infected could harbor just as much virus as infected, unvaccinated people, according to a study published Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The research was cited by the CDC earlier this week to justify a controversial reversal of agency guidance related to masks and fully vaccinated individuals.

The study examined nearly 470 coronavirus cases in Massachusetts in July that were associated with summer events and large public gatherings. Researchers found that 74% of the cases occurred in people who were fully vaccinated and that most of the breakthrough cases were symptomatic. The delta variant was responsible for most of the 133 cases that were sequenced, and cycle thresholds studied in 127 infected, vaccinated people "were similar to those from 84 persons who were unvaccinated, not fully vaccinated, or whose vaccination status was unknown."

Cycle threshold, which refers to the amount of virus in a person's body, does not necessarily equate to transmission. But the concern is that the higher the viral load in a vaccinated person, the more breakthrough infections could happen.

Of the vaccinated people who were infected, 46% received the Pfizer vaccine, 38% received Moderna and 16% got the Johnson & Johnson shot. Across the vaccinated population in Massachusetts, 56% had the Pfizer vaccine, 38% received Moderna and 7% got the J&J shot.

On Tuesday, Walensky said that she had seen data showing "that in rare occasions, some vaccinated people infected with the delta variant after vaccination may be contagious and spread the virus to others." She called the data "worrisome" while announcing that fully vaccinated individuals should return to wearing masks in indoor public spaces in areas that are seeing substantial or high virus transmission.

While several jurisdictions were ready to follow the change in guidance, the move sparked pushback from a handful of Republican governors who made it clear they would not revisit requirements for face coverings.

The study stated that "findings from this investigation suggest that even jurisdictions without substantial or high COVID-19 transmission might consider expanding prevention strategies, including masking in indoor public settings regardless of vaccination status, given the potential risk of infection during attendance at large public gatherings that include travelers from many areas with differing levels of transmission."

The U.S. – in a time when many are tired of following mitigation measures – is facing a daunting challenge as coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths increase. It reported the most coronavirus infections of any country last week, according to the World Health Organization.

It makes a much harder sell now for governments seeking more people to get vaccinated which clearly helps reduce serious illness and full vaccination the only way to stop this virus from further mutating into something even worse. It begins to look like more and more vaccine mandates will be needed worldwide.

[Post under review]

Masks remain obligatory here under the state of emergency and health law albeit you would not always realize it travelling around.

They will clearly be needed HERE as Delta starts to kick in based on the CDCs findings above because we have more than 10% less of our population fully vaccinated and Dominicans cant socially distance.

I am removing the post about the American boarder.  First it is full of misinformation and secondly has nothing at all to do with here.

So you decide what goes here and you decide what’s tru or not. That a bunch on  baloney. I’m out of here as, only post and remarks that ‘fit’ YOU are only allowed her.. you are as worst as the biden joke 😡

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … FL27860995

There have been 10 million jabs given here and now after this Pfizer delivery 17m shots delivered.

DR is receiving more shots than it uses each week and has enough in stock to fully vacinate 8 million with both doses. That would be about 100% of the adult population.

Time to share future vaccine deliveries with other countries imo until the 7 million are used. DR has 19 million more shots ordered from my reckoning.

olgaglenn wrote:

So you decide what goes here and you decide what’s tru or not. That a bunch on  baloney. I’m out of here as, only post and remarks that ‘fit’ YOU are only allowed her.. you are as worst as the biden joke 😡

I enforce the rules as I am the moderator!    So bye bye.

I am sure Haiti can use  whatever  we can send them!

First of all it is border..not boarder..a boundary separating a country or land dispute.  A border is someone you rent a room to in your house.

How do you know what's going on at the Mexican American border? I know for a fact that this is happening. A moderator keeps order not try to muffle members concerns or opinions and nothing in that post was out of order in my opinion. Just because it may rub you the wrong way professionalism is expected if you are the moderator and work for Julien. We all need to respect each others frustrations and beliefs even if they are not in sync with ones own.

One more things Where are the RULES WRITTEN PLANNER.  PLEASE POST FOR ALL TO SEE. THANK YOU.

I think it a shame we may lose this participant.

Thank you so much for correcting my spelling. I spend hours of my time doing this, often from my phone and at all hours. I make mistakes.

The border between USA and Mexico has zero to do with covid in the Dominican Republic.  It is not relevant. In addition we don't allow unsubstantiated race baiting toned comments.

All the rules are posted.  All you need to do is check the pinned threads on the main forum page. When you signed up here you and all posters agreed to them!

I have been moderating here for well over 10 years!  I am a volunteer moderator and clearly my "boss" is happy. 

If you don't like it and the other poster doesn't like it go elsewhere!

If we don't get the majoirity of our populations vaccinated the future could be bleak.

This article is relevent to DR and indeed anywhere in the world. This virus is not going to burn out and living with it requires change in our socail behaviour especially in relation to transitting between countries.

We are seeing how Delta is able to disrupt everything even with vaccinations but with still low vaccination levels more variants are almost certain to develop.

This really is beginning to look like a worse crisis being created by the unvaccinated and maybe it is time to restrict their mobility and integration into the rest of society as is beginning to happen on some countries. It has been threatened in DR and maybe the time is now to act as the situation is probabaly about to deteriorate again here.

COVID-19: New deadlier coronavirus variant that could kill one in three infected people 'a realistic possibility', SAGE warns

In a paper on the "long term evolution" of coronavirus, SAGE also says the virus could result in "much less severe disease" in older people and those who are clinically vulnerable in the long term.

https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-new … s-12368798

The emergence of a new COVID variant with a similar death rate to MERS, which kills one in three infected people, is a "realistic possibility", the government's scientific advisers have warned.

However the experts also say the virus could result in "much less severe disease" in older people and those who are clinically vulnerable in the long term.

In a paper published on Friday, the scientists outline the chances that a new variant will evade current vaccines, saying one of the causes is "almost certain" to happen.

The document written by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) looked at the "long term evolution of SARS-CoV-2", the virus that causes COVID-19.

It said the eradication of the virus "will be unlikely" and the scientists have "high confidence in stating that there will always be variants".

They considered a scenario where a variant causes severe disease in a greater proportion of the population than has previously occurred, with similar death rates to other coronaviruses SARS (10%) or MERS (35%).

The experts said this could be caused by a "recombination" between two variants of concern or variants under investigation, such as between beta and alpha or delta variants.

SAGE warned that the likelihood of a more severe variant under these circumstances was a "realistic possibility".

It set out measures the government should consider to combat this, including minimising the "introduction of new variants from other territories (to reduce risk of recombination between variants)".

Ministers confirmed this week that England would allow fully vaccinated visitors from both the EU and the United States to arrive without needing to quarantine from 2 August.

SAGE also looked at a scenario where the coronavirus becomes like one "that causes common colds, but with much less severe disease predominantly in the old or clinically vulnerable."

It said that while it was "unlikely in the short term", there is a "realistic possibility in the long term".

Meanwhile, SAGE said a scenario where a variant evades current vaccines because of a process known as "antigenic drift" is "almost certain".

It suggests that the UK needs to continue vaccinating vulnerable age groups "at regular periods with updated vaccines" to the dominant variants to increase their protection.

Clinical epidemiologist Dr Deepti Gurdasani said the SAGE paper was a "stark warning".

Writing on Twitter, she said: "Given the impact Delta has already had, and in light of recent evidence from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), we cannot afford any more new variants emerging - we need to take preventive action now."

She added that the SAGE paper "makes clear that the virus becoming less virulent is unlikely in the short term".

"So for all those who suggest that we should live with it, and it'll become like seasonal coronaviruses and benign, doesn't look like that's likely to happen anytime soon," Dr Gurdasani wrote.

Has nothing to do with spelling. It is two different words. Boarder and border.

Threatening people to leave expat and go someplace else is NOT part of the expat rules. You are a volunteer expert not a moderator. You are supposed to be offer advice and help and make the site lively NOT bash people's opinions or views from an obviously over active ego. You do not scare me and please stop threatening other folks for their views. As far as I see you have good advice but you seem to think you are the all powerful on this DR expat site especially over new people who ask questions you do not personally like.