Infections of SARS-CoV-2 Gamma Variant in Fully Vaccinated Gold Miners, French Guiana

As the title says. An early release article by the CDC is reporting fully vaccinated miners in French Guiana have contracted a supposed 'gamma variant' of the covid sickness.

The infection rate among the fully vaccinated miners was 60% the infection rate among unvaccinated miners was 75%. Make of that what you will I suppose.

wwwnc.cdc.gov...

An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 caused by the Gamma variant of concern infected 24/44 (55%) employees of a gold mine in French Guiana (87% symptomatic, no severe forms). The attack rate was 60% (15/25) among fully vaccinated miners and 75% (3/4) among unvaccinated miners without a history of infection.

We collected data by completing standardized forms with data gathered through interviews and medical examination of all gold miners and by reviewing the health center records. All employees of the mine were examined by a physician and screened by nasopharyngeal Panbio COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test device (Abbott Laboratories, www.abbott.comExternal... Link) if they were symptomatic; all miners underwent SARS-CoV-2 PCR EurobioPlex SARS-CoV-2 Multiplex (Eurobio Scientific, www.eurobio-scientific.comExternal... Link) testing on June 2, 2021. All employees were reassessed on June 8 and 15, 2021; those with negative results were rescreened by PCR. We performed serologic tests on blood specimens collected from 39 gold miners whether PCR was negative or positive. Serum samples were initially tested with anti–SARS-CoV-2 ELISA IgG (Euroimmun, www.euroimmun.comExternal... Link). We used descriptive statistics to analyze the variables and performed univariate analyses. Intervention was a public health response as part of activities of Cayenne Hospital. All gold miners gave their verbal informed consent for recording and processing of information during interviews and for the use of their biologic results for research purposes, and physicians completed a nonobjection form in accordance with laws of France.

Mine workers were mostly men (42/44); median age was 53.3 years. Eighteen of the workers had risk factors for severe COVID-19: high blood pressure (11/44), diabetes mellitus (4/44), or obesity (4/44). Miners lived onsite in separate rooms but shared face-to-face meals and machine cabins. They also worked outside without masks. Twenty-one workers reported contacts outside the mining site during the previous 2 weeks.

In conclusion, we describe a VOC Gamma COVID-19 outbreak with a strikingly high attack rate among persons fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 vaccine. Our observation suggested that BNT162b2 protected from severe COVID-19. However, this single unexpected outbreak in a small and isolated vaccinated population requires further real-life studies on BNT162b2 vaccine effectiveness against the VOC Gamma. Masking and social distancing —even among those fully vaccinated— may be necessary among persons with frequent exposure in Gamma variant–endemic zones.

Well I say make of it what you will, but the scientists seem to conclude, yet again, we will require yet more bull#, even if vaccinated.

I'm sure the news will be all over this Gamma variant stuff soon.

We have long passed pandemic stage to endemic - seasonal
The sooner people realize that the better.

Is a darn cold, nothing new, but those darn shots need to be pushed, with two yearly boosters for the rest of our lives. Because covid is going to kill us all.

Is a cold.

Seems like a good reason to use HCQ. I'm sure it works on all the fantasy variants.

originally posted by: all2human
We have long passed pandemic stage to endemic - seasonal
The sooner people realize that the better.

Either that, or we're starting to see the results of bestowing the Rona with the MRSA Method. I.E overdo the # out of it until it mauls you for the trouble.

a reply to: dug88

We have midterm elections coming up next year. If the Dems cannot get their "election reform" bills passed to allow fraudulent mail in voting then they will have to lock us down with covid again so that they can utilize fraudulent main in voting to keep their seats.

originally posted by: dug88

I'm sure the news will be all over this Gamma variant stuff soon.

I'm not going to worry until the Enhanced Super Omega Prime Variant rolls around. That will be caused by White Supremacist Gun Owners spreading misinformation.

At the rate they're going, that variant should appear around October 2022. Just in time for the elections.

a reply to: infolurker

You mean those super secure mail in ballots I could have actually had ordered to me in Canada because they didn't actually have any method of verification built into the application form and I got right to the point where if I'd clicked one more button I too could have voted in the 2020 US elections if I'd dared risk committing what amounts to meddling in another country's government?

a reply to: dug88

It says "(87% symptomatic, no severe forms)", NO SEVERE FORMS. Nobody's died, these are simply "cases". Now let's not all get our panties in a bunch eh. They have thrown a lot of technical crap at us and words like "ATTACK", but still, NO SEVERE FORMS.

Cheers - Dave

a reply to: bobs_uruncle

I figured that went without saying. The media's done nothing hut harp on cases, cases, cases....There's not enough deaths to go death, death, death,.that takes an actual scary disease.

a reply to: dug88

Won't be worried until the ' Mike-Tyson Variant ' comes-along.

originally posted by: all2human
We have long passed pandemic stage to endemic - seasonal
The sooner people realize that the better.

There used to be a threshold of sorts of excess deaths that was used to make this distinction. I haven't seen that in a while, but we are surely well below that currently.

I haven't looked at the article yet, but from the quotes provided it seems we are talking 44 total exposed, although the actual total may be something else.

55% were found to be infected, 24 of 44

87% symptomatic, 21 of 24. A little less than 50% of those who were exposed became infected had symptoms of unknown severity. I didn't see any data on what percent of these 21 symptomatic cases were vaccinated.

No one has died from this out break apparently, so 0 of 44 (0%) died, including those with health conditions.

These numbers may be different if you consider the following quote . . .

We performed serologic tests on blood specimens collected from 39 gold miners whether PCR was negative or positive.

Maybe the total number was more like 39?

The attack rate was 60% (15/25) among fully vaccinated miners and 75% (3/4) among unvaccinated miners without a history of infection.

25 fully vaccinated plus 4 unvaccinated leaves 15 with one vaccination, 34% of the total. About 9% of the total exposed was not vaccinated or previously infected and 91% of the total were vaccinated at least once.

That 15% difference between the vaccinated and unvaccinated in study of such a small outbreak doesn't rouse any fear or dread for me when you consider only half got sick vaccine or not and no one died.