COVID-19

Remember, the vaccines (mRNA & non-mRNA) are designed to trigger different responses -

mRNA assists in antibodies
No-mRNA assists in T&B cell production - which[ in turn build antibodies.

It  has been reported that the T cells attack the CV19 variants successfully

There is not enough research on immunity duration. Testing for antibodies is not enough because if they don't stick to the spike protein as they are designed to do with most vaccines, the virus can infect cells. The inability of the antibodies to stick to the spike protein could explain the ineffectiveness of many vaccines against omicron. But do not forget the important T cells. The extent of T cell memory logivity is the key. T cells kill the virus. Vaccination regularly to reteach your body's immune system about recognizing the whole virus as it mutates and taking action is almost certainly needed.

That's why the Sinovac works better (IMO)....the T cell theory
See my post above

It would appear Omicron is in DR and has been for a number of days. An area in Santiago province appears under observation(los municipios San José de las Mantas, Sábana Iglesias y Jánico, de la provincia Santiago).

Woman who traveled to Chile from the Dominican Republic tests positive for omicron

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … rd/1551653

........The woman had a full vaccination schedule , plus her third booster dose with Pfizer vaccine.

RD Cabinet meets emergency

In the morning of this Thursday, the Health Cabinet held an extraordinary meeting monitoring COVID-19..........

Case numbers, hospitalization and positivity increased in todays bulletin. Still quite low.

I would expect a spike in Omnicron in January since many Ny'ers are traveling for Christmas and has been huge spike this month in cases in NY.

It's been here, almost no testing being done so they just don't know.

Various medical doctors saying it's here. I believe them.

Covid: Ecuador makes vaccination mandatory for most citizens -

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-59772299

Will this happen elsewhere in Latin America?

506 new cases yesterday and day positivity rises to 14.04%

The omicron wave is underway.

More reported cases of people arriving from DR with omicron.

No surprise but sad.

Hopefully it will continue to trend with mild symptoms and low hospitalizations.

With 47% unvaccinated we hope.

696 new cases and day positivity of 23% yesterday.

It's getting ugly now!  Fingers crossed for those who are unvaccinated but really get the damn vaccines!!!

The Dominican press is now reporting that Omicron is milder. Well it is for the vaccinated and the statement from a doctor in the USA (coutesy of Sky News this morning) explains the effects of Omicron a bit better between the vaccinated and unvaccinated:

Doctor explains the huge differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID patients

An emergency care doctor in the US has tweeted about why it is so important to get a COVID vaccine.

Drawing from his own experiences in a New York hospital, Craig Spencer MD said he had seen huge differences in vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.

"I've seen a lot of Covid in the ER recently," he said. "With so many people getting infected recently, some folks may wonder what’s the point of getting vaccinated at all? And is there really any value to a booster dose if I’ve had two Pfizer/Moderna or a shot of J&J?"

Dr Spencer said those who had a booster jab had "mild symptoms", such as a sore throat and fatigue, but no difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.

Those with two shots of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines had slightly worse symptoms, with more fevers, fatigue and coughing - but they were still mild.

People with a dose of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine were "worse overall" and "felt horrible", but none had needed hospitalisation or oxygen.

But when it came to unvaccinated people, Dr Spencer said they fared much worse.

"Almost every single patient that I’ve taken care of that needed to be admitted for Covid has been unvaccinated," he wrote.

"Every one with profound shortness of breath. Every one whose oxygen dropped when they walked. Every one needing oxygen to breath regularly."

Dr Spencer's observations are anecdotal, but they are backed up by plenty of data showing that vaccines offer very strong protection against serious illness.

https://twitter.com/Craig_A_Spencer/sta … 0766031874

Most of us are going to get Omicron so we best understand the symptoms.

Dominican Republic will apply fourth dose of COVID vaccine

Over 60 years, immunosuppressed and health personnel, among those summoned in the first stage

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … rd/1554934

The Minister of Public Health , Daniel Rivera, reported this Monday that in the next few hours a resolution will be issued for the implementation of a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine, after the authorities confirmed this weekend the presence of the variant omicron .

"It is going to allow, in a resolution that the president is making, that people with more than 60 years, immunosuppressed patients, those who are in the health front and those who are more than six months old can get the fourth dose since the third dose was given, "said the doctor.........

The latest Cdn reports indicate that 2 doses now equate to being unvaccinated as the protection deteriorates over time....

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ … -1.6298799

WW did you catch the virus from your family or did your vaccinations keep you well?

I am well..... nothing happened to me
My booster was early November - before a visit to the new baby
My initial shots were march/April

Public Health activates epidemiological alert in Greater Santo Domingo and Santiago

https://www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/ … 19/1558182

The Minister of Public Health , Daniel Rivera, reported this Wednesday that the National District and the Santiago, Santo Domingo and San Cristóbal provinces have been placed on epidemiological alert due to the increase in COVID-19 cases .

The alert was issued for being the demarcations with the most cases. "In the first place the National District, in second place Santiago, in third the province Santo Domingo and in fourth place San Cristóbal, all with many cases," said Rivera.

"In recent weeks, a significant increase in COVID-19 has been observed worldwide, largely due to the omicron variant. The Dominican Republic has not been exempted and a more significant increase in COVID-19 cases is expected from the omicron variant, ”says the Public Health statement .

In this sense, the minister called on the population to "use the mask properly, go as soon as possible to a vaccination post to complete the COVID-19 vaccination plan , apply the optional booster dose, fourth dose, starting with doctors, pharmaceutical personnel, those over 60 years of age, and those who require it due to a special condition ”.

He also called for reducing the capacity of people to no more than 50%, including sports stadiums. "We recommend unvaccinated people not to expose themselves unnecessarily to avoid contagion."

Plan Nacional de Vacunación

Acumulados al 28 de Diciembre de 2021

6,935,718 Primera dosis
5,694,921 Segunda dosis
1,426,613 Dosis refuerzo
14,057,252 Total dosis aplicadas

These figures tell us there are about 4 million in DR without any vaccination and at highest risk of serious infection from Omicron which is now spreading very fast through the country with very high positivity.

There are about 1.3 million with one shot and will be at risk of moderate infection.

There are another 5.7 million with two shots who amy get sick enough to feel uncomfortable for a few days.

And there are 1.4 million with a booster shot who may or may not get infected and if they do it should be mild.

We are told that omicron shows milder infection from countries that have much higher vaccination and booster rates but even in those countries hospitalization is near to epidemic highs already. In DR there are limited good facilities that expats would feel comfortable staying in, and in any case a limited resource of doctors and nurses who will also be at risk of infection too. Time to take care of one's health and avoid potential risks of contact.

Let's hope this peaks quickly in the next few weeks.

A lot depends on when - how long ago - a person got the 2nd vax

If 5-6 mo ago..... they're about equal to a no vax person... until they get boosted

WillieWeb wrote:

A lot depends on when - how long ago - a person got the 2nd vax

If 5-6 mo ago..... they're about equal to a no vax person... until they get boosted

A vaccinated person will have some T cell protection but few antibodies. This should apply to previously infected too.

Greater Santo Domingo, Santiago and San Cristóbal have the most cases of omicron and delta

https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2 … on-y-delta

The National District, Santo Domingo, San Cristóbal and Santiago is where the largest number of cases of the omicron and delta variants have occurred.

Ronald Skewes, director of Epidemiology, reported that between December 14 and 27, the National Laboratory processed 509 samples, of which 59% were delta (299 samples) and 41% omicron, this last figure represents about 210 samples with the variant that "is gaining ground due to its ease of transmission.".........

Still pleny of Delta but Omicron is taking over rapidly.

All as expected.

(reported) CoViD cases in the DR
[link under review]

Dec 17 252
Dec 18 214

Dec 19 272    Dec 26 339
Dec 20 162    Dec 27 478
Dec 21 139    Dec 28 655
Dec 22 241    Dec 29 911
Dec 23 422
Dec 24 506
Dec 25 696

Yes these are the ones we know about.

DR tests varying numbers of people each day and the numbers taken in each province vary greatly too. There is a delay between test and report.

What is now very significant is the huge recent rises in day postivity which was at 29.33% yesterday and will include some PCR tests for people needing them for work. The day totals mean little without day positivity alongside.

All the indicators of cases provincially, day positivity, accumulated active cases and hospitalizations are trending upwards rapidly. Omicron and Delta are in full swing in DR now and people are getting sick all around. There is also a big flu epedemic - two strains apparently.

I would not want to be a resort manager right now with potential staff shortage problems and the risk of a virus breakout and consequential bad publicity at the busiest time of year when full of locals and vistors and no real testing for a virulant and very transmissable virus.

You worry about resort managers and bad publicity..... Just like the govt! 

I worry about hospital staff, nurses and doctors. I worry about cashier's and stock boys.  I worry about public transit workers. I worry about Dominicans with no resources who can't afford tests or medication!

Globally, it is affecting travel - flight cancellations b/c of staff  shortages.

I worried about my flight last Monday, but I made it.

Christmas day flight was canceled but Sun/Mon went as planned

998 new cases yesterday and day positivity 36.24% which is or very close to a record for DR.

https://eldia.com.do/salud-publica-repo … cimientos/

"Odyssey of the Seas" arrives in Puerto Plata, one of the largest cruise ships

https://hoy.com.do/odyssey-of-the-seas- … -cruceros/

This ship on it's last cruise had to abort and return to home port at the weekend with a reported 55 case on board and was refused landing at several islands.

https://fortune.com/2021/12/26/carnival … -outbreak/

It has sailed again from Florida and is now visiting Puerto Plata where Omicron has been dentified and there is a spike in cases.

What is the betting it has more cases in a couple of days after this stop?

Omicron positive tests were found in the following provinces: Santo Domingo, DN, San Pedro de Macoris, Azua, La Vega, Santiago, Espaillat, Duarte, Puerto Plata, Samana, Maria Trinidad Sanchez, Independencia, Baoruca

All those ships have been bringing the virus.  Lack of testing means no one knows.

We were in Puerto Plata on Tuesday.  We saw a huge ship at the end of the street. The downtown was crowded with tourists. . .  hardly a mask in site.

Excuse me....  I'm going to go at take my temperature now!

Those ships are tested regularly these days - according to the papers

Proof of vaccination and PCR test 2 days before departure with kids being getting antigen test at port and every 5 days so it reads on cruise ship websites. Not conclusive especially after stops imo. Suspect they may randomly test suspected cases too.

Better than DR hotels but perfect spread zones once cases appear.

Hi. I'll be coming to the DR, Las Terrenas, in February, with my sister. We're both triple vaccinated.  Staying in some small villa or Airbnb, not a big resort so hoping we'll be safe. Bringing our own test at home kits, but if they aren't accepted, hoping to find a quick testing place before we fly back out of SDQ. I read somewhere there were testing sites at the Santo Domingo airport.
Thoughts?

We all are reading about cruise ships being turned away at other ports but welcomed in DR!

Jennifer Storm Nelson wrote:

Hi. I'll be coming to the DR, Las Terrenas, in February, with my sister. We're both triple vaccinated.  Staying in some small villa or Airbnb, not a big resort so hoping we'll be safe. Bringing our own test at home kits, but if they aren't accepted, hoping to find a quick testing place before we fly back out of SDQ. I read somewhere there were testing sites at the Santo Domingo airport.
Thoughts?

There are a number of places in Las Terrenas to be tested. You can go early the day before your flight and get results either right away or later the same day, depending on how busy they are. We've done all our testing at the International Clinic (also known as the Cuban Clinic) and have been pleased with the speed of results. The big lab in town, Sireny, is also an option, but after having difficulties getting results from the lab work that was part of our physicals, we haven't gone there for the time-critical COVID tests for travel.

The testing at the airport is supposed to be for emergencies, but I don't think they enforce it. The issue is timing. The tourism site shows the airport testing provides results in 2-4 hours. Considering you need the testing done before you check-in for your flight, that could lead to a long day at the airport!

I have lost faith in the CDC but..... anyway....

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/co … ruise-ship