Covid-19: Update on Vaccines and Implications of the New Variants

As Covid-19 continues to tear through the nation and the world, we once again see a split-screen view: two remarkably effective vaccines, but whose rollout has been bumpy and sluggish in California and across the country. And now, we also are in a race against time, as new variants of the coronavirus are galloping across the UK and have entered the U.S. We know that the variants are more infectious, and there is a concern that some might also be partly resistant to the vaccine.
We’ll begin with a short update on UCSF’s vaccine distribution program, which has gone quite well, particularly compared with experiences elsewhere. Speakers will be Desi Kotis, PharmD, UCSF Health Chief Pharmacy Executive, and Susan Smith, MD, UCSF Health Chief Faculty Practice Officer.
We then bring back Paul Offit, MD, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and one of the world’s leading expert on viral vaccines. We’ll talk about the roll-out so far, the threat of vaccine resistance, the variety of proposed adjustments to the vaccine distribution plan (including the recently announced plan by the Biden team to release 2nd doses), vaccine hesitancy, and more.
Finally, we’ll hear about the new viral variants, including the one that is causing a major surge in the UK, and another first reported in South Africa that has alterations that may affect the effectiveness of current vaccines. The speaker will be Charles Chiu, MD, PhD, UCSF Professor of Laboratory Medicine and Internal Medicine, and one of the world’s authorities on the diagnosis of unusual infections and the implications of mutation. The session is moderated by UCSF Department of Medicine chair Bob Wachter.

Program
Bob Wachter: Introduction
00:05:08-00:11:12 – UCSF Vaccine Distribution Update: Desi Kotis (UCSF Health Chief Pharmacy Executive; Associate Dean, School of Pharmacy) and Susan Smith (UCSF Health Chief Faculty Practice Officer)
00:11:12-00:18:59 – Q&A
00:19:04-00:52:11 – Vaccine Roll-Out: Q&A with Paul Offit (Professor of Vaccinology, University of Pennsylvania; Director of the Vaccine Education Center, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia)
00:52:14-01:14:14 – Viral Variants: Charles Chiu (Professor, UCSF Dept. of Laboratory Medicine and Dept. of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases)
01:14:14-01:20:05 – Q&A
Bob Wachter: Closing

See previous Covid-19 Medical Grand Rounds:
• December 17: Covid-19: The CDC, Vaccine Roll-Out, and Ethics and Policy Issues Surrounding Immunity Passports
• December 3: Covid-19: How Should We Handle the Schools, and the Challenges of Vaccine Distribution
• November 19: Covid-19: Update on Vaccines and Therapeutics
• November 5: A Conversation with Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, Ezekiel Emanuel, and Andy Slavitt: The Implications of the Election on the Future of the Pandemic

[keyissues]

Why the initial report of the ages 65 and older at high risk, and then removed from the report? It's wrong to remove them and it's disengenuous.

[rosedecaro]

Waiting on the Canadian “Medicago” vaccine being made in Quebec! SB here by summer! 💪🏼

[daveninjaneuro]

IT would be nice to provide these PPT slides and links to studies mentioned (like in the last presentation about SA variant).

[aquillatyler]

I really enjoyed the first speaker and would love to follow him in other platforms and discussions.

[sjoyceboyer]

When does Faucu, stop with his projections?

[kathybrady]

And it’s now been a month since Dec 16th when UCSF says they began vaccinating. Why is there still a huge “surge” in cases in No Cal??

[originalkk]

Ref variants: no mink farms in UK. Illegal since 2000. Mink mutation was in Denmark.

[dn]

Thank you so much for sharing your presentation. I appreciate staying informed.

In your next video, could you address whether ADE (antibody dependent enforcement) is relevant if people were to receive the covid-19 vaccine and they were infected with a strain, such as the South Africa strain or the new strain found in California? Thanks.

My biggest fear is that getting the vaccine is great for now, but then another virus that is immune to the vaccine will become the dominant virus and then people who were vaccinated are now more susceptible.

[hbolano]

What is the science for Shut downs? Any efficacy study done?

[johndoe]

Charles Chiu has a gift for concise structured communication.

[MM-dven]

Yoo've waited too tong fo.many on dose 2 for many iLTHCs many

[Cathy-xicb]

Here in the NY metro area, there is a huge difference between highly educated healthcare professionals' willingness to be vaccinated, and willingness from staff w/o education but who interact frequently with patients. I am doing everything I can to avoid accidents and maintain my health. I do not need to contract this virus from the person who mops my hospital room or delivers my tray. I understand their historical and current hesitancy. That doesn't make them less of a threat to me. As a provider, I have received my first dose of vaccine, and look forward to assuring my patients that I am less (not fully) likely to transmit this virus to them during treatment.

[dc]

Dr. Paul Offit is a fantastic speaker. Lordy that is impressive.

[paulinegoldsmith]

Life boats analogy so true. Yet failure by some to truly understand the need here not to make the perfect the enemy of the good. Save more people by prioritising the first dose is what Osterholm is arguing. Not the ideal way of course but existing data already shows levels of protection given by first shot. No one is suggesting only one to be promoted but by making sure more get first jag, deaths from variant could be reduced. This is an emergency situation needing emergency strategy and this seems like watching impending disastrous situation in slow motion. I hope Mr Osterholm is wrong.

[sjoyceboyer]

Stop, wasn't the pool exclusively to everyone other than people of ethnicities that compose the population who have been devastated by the Pandemic, as usual the pool consists of?

[patriciahoke]

I too look forward the UCSF videos, but I must say your recent editorial in the Washington Post was incredibly unwelcome. I will, for the moment, not say much else, given that you say you have Paul Offit on the program, who in response to questions about your proposal said empthatically STICK WITH THE SCIENCE.

[kdub]

Killers are doubling down on fear. Convient

[christinejackson]

2. Variants in ohio and anothr variant in Sacramento.

[t.c.s.]

I must applaud your recent article recommending a delayed second dose vaccination schedule. Well done, sir. Paul Offit is wrong on this one.

[buzzpedrotti]

Your professionalism is a credit to all involved and to UC. This is hard. Well done.



(and thanks for keeping the epidemic of political strife out of it)