It is clear that the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant is a partial vaccine escape variant. This means that people with MS who have been vaccinated in the past are likely to need a booster.
Prof - I actually caught covid despite being double jabbed but I am on ocrelizumab so it wasn't a big surprise. I've since had another round of ocrelizumab (possibly a mistake but I was worried about the virus kicking off a relapse) Does my infection effectively act as a booster jab? I probably had no bcells at the time and almost certainly won't now. Does this leave me as vulnerable to reinfection? Reinfection rates appear fairly low generally but for the anti CD20 users, are we just constantly vulnerable to the virus?
These are giving me a lot to think about. I’m 61 and have been using DMTs since1997, (I’m in the UK) I had a 5 year break from 2005-2010, not my choice! (Postcode lottery) Much better care from neurology department in Sheffield meant I could try them again after a major relapse in 2010. I’ve had Avonex, Copaxone, Gilenya and then in late 2019 started Orcrevus infusions. I’m due to go for my 4th round of treatment in September. I’ve decided to put that on hold. Because of ‘immunosenescense’ (a new word for me, hope I’ve spelt it right) I think it’s time for me to stop taking DMTs (I’m going to talk this through with consultant). I’m going to try and offer a one off payment to offer some support
I understand that other therapies like Natalizumab work differently but will I be likely to need a covid booster too? I am double vaccinated with Astrazeneca vaccine. I do have my annual flu vaccine today - never been offered a Pneumonia jab though.
On the BBC news this morning they said that both the Pfizer and the Oxford offer the same protection against delta as the original variant which is not what you are saying
I paused my Kesimpta (ofatumumab) injections for almost 4 months. During that pause I got my two Pfizer doses after 4 and 3 weeks. Three weeks later I tested my B-cell (4 cells/microliter) and antibody counts (9.5 U/mL), and found that both were measurable but low. Six weeks later I got a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine, and three weeks after than retested. My B-cell count was higher but still low (17 cells/microliter), but my antibody count was high (> 250 U/mL). I resumed my Kesimpta shots a week later, but I plan to instead take them every 3 months, not every one month, admittedly in part due to some of the concerns you've voiced about the long term risks of the therapy.
So clearly, taking a break helped my immune response.
Note: I didn't wait for FDA and CDC approval, as I was already on a pause of my ofatumumab injections, so got my booster shot a couple of months sooner that I would have if I had waited for what seemed like an eventuality, and, to me, frustrating bureaucratic delays.
Prof - I actually caught covid despite being double jabbed but I am on ocrelizumab so it wasn't a big surprise. I've since had another round of ocrelizumab (possibly a mistake but I was worried about the virus kicking off a relapse) Does my infection effectively act as a booster jab? I probably had no bcells at the time and almost certainly won't now. Does this leave me as vulnerable to reinfection? Reinfection rates appear fairly low generally but for the anti CD20 users, are we just constantly vulnerable to the virus?
These are giving me a lot to think about. I’m 61 and have been using DMTs since1997, (I’m in the UK) I had a 5 year break from 2005-2010, not my choice! (Postcode lottery) Much better care from neurology department in Sheffield meant I could try them again after a major relapse in 2010. I’ve had Avonex, Copaxone, Gilenya and then in late 2019 started Orcrevus infusions. I’m due to go for my 4th round of treatment in September. I’ve decided to put that on hold. Because of ‘immunosenescense’ (a new word for me, hope I’ve spelt it right) I think it’s time for me to stop taking DMTs (I’m going to talk this through with consultant). I’m going to try and offer a one off payment to offer some support
I understand that other therapies like Natalizumab work differently but will I be likely to need a covid booster too? I am double vaccinated with Astrazeneca vaccine. I do have my annual flu vaccine today - never been offered a Pneumonia jab though.
On the BBC news this morning they said that both the Pfizer and the Oxford offer the same protection against delta as the original variant which is not what you are saying
I paused my Kesimpta (ofatumumab) injections for almost 4 months. During that pause I got my two Pfizer doses after 4 and 3 weeks. Three weeks later I tested my B-cell (4 cells/microliter) and antibody counts (9.5 U/mL), and found that both were measurable but low. Six weeks later I got a booster shot of the Pfizer vaccine, and three weeks after than retested. My B-cell count was higher but still low (17 cells/microliter), but my antibody count was high (> 250 U/mL). I resumed my Kesimpta shots a week later, but I plan to instead take them every 3 months, not every one month, admittedly in part due to some of the concerns you've voiced about the long term risks of the therapy.
So clearly, taking a break helped my immune response.
Note: I didn't wait for FDA and CDC approval, as I was already on a pause of my ofatumumab injections, so got my booster shot a couple of months sooner that I would have if I had waited for what seemed like an eventuality, and, to me, frustrating bureaucratic delays.