CTH is just presenting data without too much interpretation on this study, because it could be analyzed two separate ways.

A Denmark study of vaccine effectiveness (VE) to “prevent infection“, and that’s a key point, shows both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine benefits essentially disappear after 90 days to six months. [Study pdf Here]  Now, some people are interpreting the bottom line result to say the vaccine makes you more susceptible to Omicron variant infection after the 150 day point [SEE HERE]. However, I’m not sure that’s the key takeaway.

The data does show that during the 91 to 150 day waning period of vaccine effectiveness, the vaccinated group who used Pfizer were 76.5% more likely to be infected with a variant versus the unvaccinated population.  And the vaccinated group who used Moderna were 39.3% more likely to be infected with a variant versus the unvaccinated population.  [Note, all natural immunity groups (previously infected) were removed from the study]

Yes, the study shows the vaccinated groups are more likely to be infected with Omicron than the unvaccinated population.

However, ¹if the Pfizer vaccinated group within the total population is at or near 76%, and ¹if the Moderna vaccinated group within the total population is at or near 39%, then what this Denmark study actually shows is a non-existent benefit from vaccination toward the Omicron variant.  Not, and I repeat NOT, a finding that the vaccination itself makes you more prone to infection from Omicron.

What we need to know is how many people in the total population are vaccinated, AND what percentage of that total vaccinated population used Pfizer and Moderna.

If the total population Omicron infection rates for both Pfizer and Moderna groups mirror the vaccination rates for Pfizer and Moderna, then the vaccine effectiveness is nil for the prevention of Omicron infection.   To me, that seems the most likely scenario.

The study conclusion is that booster shots are needed and provide essentially a 54.6% reduction in the risk of Omicron infection for Pfizer, and a (small sample) 82.8% reduction of the risk of Omicron infection for the Moderna group.

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has risen in profile due to his strong leadership in the sunshine state during COVID.   Here’s Ron DeSantis’ Christmas message:

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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The New York Post {HERE} and Politico {HERE} are sharing stories from White House aides about how their job sucks and many of them are likely to leave at the beginning of the year.  The staffers give examples of a joyless and miserable job at the White House while the top tier pass out champagne perks to their DC elite friends and treat the Biden aides as simple servants.

Apparently, under the regime of Joe Biden, if a White House staffer wants to attend an event or bring their family to visit, the aide must agree to work as an unpaid volunteer delivering services and taking care of the invited list of guests and clients.

As the New York Post noted, “Some White House workers reportedly blame the low morale on the presence of longtime Biden aides who remain distant from their colleagues, a situation summed up by the phrase: “No new friends in Biden world.””

WASHINGTON DC – […]   The small perks of working in the White House, like the chance to take part in holiday parties and ceremonies, have also been in short supply. For the White House’s Independence Day party, most White House staff could only attend if they worked as unpaid volunteers staffing the event, per an email from White House operations sent at the time and shared with us. For the Thanksgiving turkey pardoning and the Christmas tree lighting, attendance was doled out via a lottery system, leaving out many White House aides.

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President Trump gave an interview to Candace Owens for The Daily Wire.  The full interview is only available for subscribers [link]; however, there is a segment released by Mrs. Owens where Donald Trump talks about the specifics of his position on the vaccine and the mandates.

President Trump supports the three vaccines that were developed during his administration, and is proud of the system he put into place to develop them and get them available to the public.  However, President Trump does not support mandating the vaccine or forced vaccination for anyone, and believes that people should have the freedom to decide what is in their individual best interests.  WATCH:

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At approximately 05:10 of the interview, President Trump notes the specific issue of a government mandated vaccine developed by a private corporation, and the risk of corruption and conflicted interests involved.   President Trump accepts that reasonable people would be skeptical of the vaccine itself and would have personal reasons not to participate.

Toward the very end of the interview Trump states he is proud of the accomplishment and will not “give up” on his belief of the vaccine development as a success during his administration.  However, he sees the forced mandate as very detrimental to the economy and views the consequences of the mandate itself as a problem for national security.

Given the range of opinions on the issue of the vaccines overall, and the mandate specifically, President Trump’s position seems quite pragmatic and reasonable.  He’s proud to have developed the vaccines, believes they are of benefit, but strongly respects individual choice, liberty and the freedom to decide for yourself and your family.  I don’t see anything controversial in this position.

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Former police officer Kim Potter was found guilty on two counts of manslaughter by a jury in Minneapolis, Minnesota.   After four days of deliberations the jury originally came back with a deadlock.   The judge instructed the jury to keep deliberating and try to resolve their differences.  The jury came back today and delivered a guilty verdict:

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Jurors on Thursday convicted a suburban Minneapolis police officer of two manslaughter charges in the killing of Daunte Wright, a Black motorist she shot during a traffic stop after she said she confused her gun for her Taser.

The mostly white jury deliberated for about four days before finding former Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter guilty of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter. Potter, 49, faces about seven years in prison on the most serious count under the state’s sentencing guidelines, but prosecutors said they would seek a longer term.

Potter, who testified that she “didn’t want to hurt anybody,” looked down without showing any visible reaction when the verdicts were read.

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Yesterday, the political FDA approved Pfizer’s Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir tablets and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults and pediatric patients {LINK}.

Today, the political FDA approved Merck’s molnupiravir for the treatment of mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in adults with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing {LINK}.

The White House has been under considerable criticism for their lack of preparedness for the latest COVID variant called Omicron.  The FDA has rushed both oral medications under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) process.

FDA Announcement – […]    Molnupiravir is not authorized for use in patients younger than 18 years of age because molnupiravir may affect bone and cartilage growth. It is not authorized for the pre-exposure or post-exposure prevention of COVID-19 or for initiation of treatment in patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 because benefit of treatment has not been observed in people when treatment started after hospitalization due to COVID-19.

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