Probably. It’s increasingly clear that the current vaccines, as well as natural infections by earlier variants (including the original Omicron variant), are much less protective against the newest Omicron variants.
This is certainly the case. The boosters induce very high antibody responses, that were highly effective against the original strain - it’s just that the antibody “key” doesn’t fit the mutated spike protein “lock” very well. We’re going to be chasing a moving target, with re-designed boosters, because the virus mutates faster than we can test the vaccine for safety. We can update the vaccine mRNA very quickly, but it has to be tested for safety. Most vaccine side effects from current vaccines occur within a few days of administration. Perhaps we will have to move towards a shortened safety testing period. Right now the big push is to get out an Omicron variant vaccine for next fall (currently in testing now), when Omicron was SO January, 2022. We’re two variants beyond the first Omicron variation at this point - who knows where we’ll be by fall. Thank God and Pfizer for Paxlovid!
What is interesting is that seasonal flu vaccines for the flu variant of the season do not need months of trials. But if months of trials are needed for each COVID-19 variant vaccine, then vaccines will always be behind, unless they do something like include predicted mutations or other ways of trying to reduce mismatch.
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I have been holding out getting my 2nd booster (last one end of October '21) because of having to travel to a family event this summer. So the 4 - 8 week effectiveness boost against infection is counted after a 2-wk period for the booster to become effective? I didn’t realize that (but didn’t drill down on the study, either). So this means I can plan on getting the 2nd booster sooner than I’d thought. Now I just have to decide if I’ll become MMPP or MMPM.
That definitely is the case in terms of the vaccine/boosters preventing you from getting the new variant. I do believe they are still highly effective (especially if recent) in protecting you from getting badly sick/hospitalized.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2119451 has the following:
It looks like, for vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease:
- Recency of last dose matters (effectiveness drops as more time goes on since last dose).
- The drop in effectiveness is less or slower after a third dose compared to a second dose.
- Effectiveness was generally lower against Omicron than Delta.
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For me personally, I breathe natural air. We’re a long way from where we were 2 years ago, and I just don’t think twice about it anymore. The goal was for all of us to do that sooner or later. You do what makes you comfortable. It’s impossible to know how or where the virus spreads.
If you’re high risk, and I might get some cranky responses after saying this (that’s OK), a mask won’t help you. There I said it. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it. Of course, this is anecdotal, but my wife and I both avoided COVID and all of it’s variants by simply social distancing and avoiding going out unless we had to. You don’t know how dirty those masks are around you, and I will SPECULATE they might be helping to spread the virus.
I go out like normal now, and I have done that for more than a year, and I haven’t gotten sick for two years. That’s me. You do you. 
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I don’t think I was thinking specifically about your post, but rather the general conversation that swirls around “living in fear” as a direct putdown - just yesterday, a huge sign on a front lawn read something like “I choose not to live in fear!” - which prior to Covid days would have provoked a different emotion in me, and I would have seen it as a decent mantra to live by. But I’m pretty sure that’s not the intention of that sign.
I’m not “fearful” of going to large indoor gatherings, I’m cautious and am unwilling to take unnecessary risks, where they aren’t necessary. I no longer roller skate because the risk far outweighs the reward (and my shins burn like heck when I do 
).
My D’s graduation is indoors and they are requiring masking - I’m not happy about it, but this graduation is extremely important to her, and our little family, so yes, we are going, and willingly, not kicking and screaming.
I just think (and feel) that any type of comment similar to “living in fear” “get on with life!” and so forth are demeaning and do not support those who have reasons for not wanting to put themselves or others at risk.
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It sounds like you are controlling the parts you can, and I commend you all for holding the gathering outdoors - that will make a world of difference. And yes, everyone has personal risk factors that need to be weighed and they shouldn’t be chided for doing that.
My son just get a text message from a groom who was married on Saturday. He tested positive today. My son said almost all the attendees were elderly. Because my son has had covid twice, including the recent omicron, he’s hoping he may avoid it.
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Yep, I felt fear for 2 years until I got Covid. I respect everyone else’s choices. Can’t say if they are living in fear or any other terms as I am not in their heads. But I will say that for me, this thing took a mental toll. And for ME it was fear. So many fears. Fears I never ever had. Fears I never want again.
Everyone has different opinions about how it all works, best practices, number of boosters and when and best medical options. I’ve come to the conclusion to respect all and to do what is best for our family. I might change direction in the future, but for now I’m living as I see fit.
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When Covid numbers are high (which they are now), we are both skipping all indoor gatherings. When they were lower, I ate indoors at restaurants in London, but now we are only eating outdoors. We still have some people in to our house. Last night we had a couple who both Covid a couple of weeks ago (she unknowingly had it when she attended a major museum event in NY).
Many of our friends have had the same luxury as we have had to be able to control our work and to work remotely for most of the pandemic. Hence, very few of our friends have gotten Covid. Now, however, more people in our circle are getting Covid. We probably need to reconsider having people indoors for dinner. Fortunately, the weather is getting warmer and we can, mosquitoes permitting, start eating outside (comfortably as opposed to prior years when we ate out with folks in frigid weather).
I have started working with clients F2F. Just talked about a trip to Brazil with two of my colleagues, both of whom have had Covid (one in January shared from his son’s school and one last month).
My son is getting married this summer, but the wedding and all events are outdoors. Hopefully, the event will not be derailed by a big upsurge in Covid infections.
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Fingers crossed!
We are in the same boat. Kid’s wedding is late summer. She had buyer’s remorse after picking an outdoor venue, but with Covid being so unpredictable and many people still being reluctant to attend indoor gatherings, she now thinks she made the right choice.
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Best of luck. There was no remorse in our case. ShawSon’s wedding will be at a farm that my in-laws own. We were married there sometime after the Dark Ages and the older cousins in ShawSon’s generation have been married there. ShawSon’s grandmother set aside a reasonable sum for each kid’s wedding expenses (with the implied condition that the wedding be at the farm).
There is added complexity because it is in Canada, so if there were a real flareup of Covid, people might be nervous about having to quarantine.
Heading to a son’s wedding this weekend. It will be outdoors. Unfortunately, there may be rain!
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Attended my niece’s Bat Mitzvah this past weekend. It was indoors (except for outdoor seating for the cocktail hour). By all measures, it met the criteria for a potential superspreader event (150 guests, packed dance floor). She had dozens of guests who intended to attend change their minds in the days leading up to it and not show. This was understandable, I suppose, but disappointing (and unnecessarily expensive) for her. Nothing significantly changed in the time between the rsvp date and the event (if anything, Covid case count has declined).
We attended, as the event passed my own personal litmus test: If I go and end up getting covid, will I regret that I went? No. I should note that I have declined numerous other indoor invitations over the past month or so because they weren’t important enough to me to take the risk.
We’re five days out and so far, everyone seems fine. My SIL and her family are traveling abroad in two weeks, so she intends to test this week and next as a precaution.
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18,000+ were in Ball Arena watching the Avalanche last night, each one screaming and shouting and hugging for 4 hours (definition of superspreader). If you didn’t want to risk it (or pay $1000 for a seat) you could watch outside on the big screen. Another 9000 did that, so although it was outside, probably not much safer. Me? Stayed home.
Go Avs.
Two weeks ago, I went to a concert in a giant stadium. They kept the roof closed. I figured if I was ever going to get Covid it would be there, but no. 
I was starting to think my family wouldn’t get it, but my daughter just did. She traveled several hours in a car with a friend who shortly afterwards tested positive. I think I will be more careful.
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I thought the same way, that I wouldn’t get it, and then I got it. At first I felt guilty, like I thought I was so pure, how could I have failed this ultimate test, but you know what? Dr. Fauci recently got infected. We can try our best but sometimes those MF-germs find their way in.
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