Vive la Resistance!

Vaccine resistance is growing. This should not come as a surprise to anyone, because resistance to intervention is a ground rule of evolutionary biology.

Take antibiotics.

Over time, if you apply an external threat to a genetically unstable population of bacteria, a cell will emerge with a mutation that allows it to survive preferentially. This cell’s descendants will carry increasingly resistant genes down through the generations until the antibiotic becomes ineffective. In an elegant example of Darwin’s natural selection, antibiotic use selects for antibiotic resistance. After decades of uncritical antibiotic overuse, we may be at the end of the age of antibiotics (ie 1-3).

The same pattern is seen with cancer drugs (ie 4), herbicides (5, 6), pesticides (7), anti-trypanosomals (8), anti-viral drugs (9) and anti-viral vaccines (ie 10, 31). The Covid ‘vaccines’ are no different. Data from the UK, US and Israel show that Covid vaccine efficacy is fading fast, and is clearly less effective than the natural immunity gained after Covid infection (11-26), in both symptomatic and asymptomatic cases (15). So where do we go next?

In Israel, the PM Naftali Bennet recently opined that the most vulnerable are ‘those who received two vaccine doses, they walk around feeling protected but must quickly get vaccinated with the third dose’ (27). His Covid ‘czar’ Salman Zarka is now promoting a fourth jab, a fifth (28) … while in Australia, NSW Chief Health Officer Kerry Chant sees repeat booster shots being necessary for ever (29).

I assume that these three stooges have substantial Pharma holdings, because this is not a sensible way forward. There are better options.

One of these is to catch Covid and develop natural immunity.

The odds are surprisingly reasonable (30); among all individuals, vaccinated and unvaccinated, the global survival rate is 99.2%. Among those under 70 the survival rate is 99.97%, and higher if you do not have one of the significant co-morbidities. The survival rate for children is 99.995%.

In naturally acquired immunity, the immune system makes many different antibodies to different parts of the virus including the spike and multiple structures in the viral envelope. The vaccines target the spike only, and produce a much smaller number of antibodies (18, 24, 51) The smaller range of antibodies makes it easier for the virus to mutate enough to escape immune control (31, 51), and is one reason why current vaccines do not clear the virus.

For this reason Covid vaccines are categorized as ‘leaky’ vaccines. Vaccinated subjects shed viruses, become reinfected and infect others (32), which explains why the virus is spreading rapidly in heavily vaccinated areas (33). Vaccinated folk who think themselves virtuous are in fact Typhoid Mary’s, full of Covid virus (34) and infecting the unvaccinated.

Worse, in individuals with a pre-existing immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the second vaccine dose not only fails to boost humoral immunity but downgrades the spike-specific T cell and spike-specific antibody responses (25). The vaccines seem to be degrading naturally acquired immunity.

And it gets more problematic. The Covid ‘vaccines’ are driving viral evolution, and not necessarily in a good way.

Virulence is related to replication rates: The more pathogens there are in a person, the sicker that person generally becomes. This cuts two ways. More pathogens shed in bodily fluids means more hosts if they are available; but at the same time more risk of killing the first host before new ones can be found. This is why, over time, some pathogens become less virulent (ie 35).

Leaky vaccines change the math. By enabling pathogens to multiply unchecked while giving some protection to the primary host, viral and other pathogens can more easily evolve to become deadlier because they can gain the benefits of increased replication rates (virulence) without costs. This is how Marek’s virus has become more lethal in poultry (36), leading to higher mortality and eventually to vaccine failure.

Are the vaccines at least safe? VAERS reporting reveals that the numbers of those damaged or killed by Covid vaccines are greater than for all other vaccines combined (37, 38). The numbers of Covid vaccines administered are probably as high or higher than for all other vaccines, including the many flu vaccines, so this is not in itself conclusive.

However, the top-down VAERS system suffers from significant under-reporting (39-41), a problem with any passive reporting system, so we need also to ask what is happening at the intermediate level (national death statistics), and on the front line.

At the intermediate level, the UK data is inconclusive (42). Among the under-50’s, deaths occurring within 28 days of confirmed Covid include 48 unvaccinated and a mere 13 who were doubly vaccinated. In the over-50’s the picture is reversed, with 205 deaths in unvaccinated and 389 in the doubly vaccinated. As roughly 2/3 of the population have been vaccinated (43), this hardly provides a conclusive case for vaccination.

Finally, some news from the front. Dr Ryan Cole is a polarizing figure with strong anti-Covid vaccine views which have not endeared him to more mainstream figures (44), but he is highly qualified, sees patients, runs a medical lab and appears to take the Hippocratic oath seriously.

Dr Cole reports a consistent decline in CD8+ cell counts in vaccinated subjects (45). These include cytotoxic T cells, which are important for killing cancerous and virally infected cells, and it is concerning that he also reports seeing a) a parallel and significant uptick in cases of herpes, shingles, Papilloma viruses and Molluscum contagiosum and b) an increase in cases of endometrial cancers and invasive melanoma.

When faced with chronic infection and / or clinically successful cancers, CD8+ T cells show a progressive loss of cytokine production and cytotoxicity, a state termed T cell exhaustion. It is bad news if you’re starting out with less of them.

It is important to note that other scientists report enhanced CD8+ cell counts and responses at up to 4 months after vaccination (ie 46). Dr Cole may be seeing a different picture because he is looking at his patients further down the line. I asked his lab for details but have not yet received a response.

Pro- vs anti-vax is a false dichotomy, and I believe that individual vaccines must be judged on their own merits. Some vaccines have better risk / benefit ratios than others.

I accepted two work-related vaccines this year but will not take Covid shots because of insufficient efficacy and unclear safety data, and because I have had Covid. I would not give the shots to children, in whom the longer-term results of codon-optimised gene therapies simply cannot be predicted.

For a disease with a 99.7% survival rate for those below age 70, mass vaccination makes no sense when the shots do not prevent infection or transmission, do not prevent severe infection, hospitalization and deaths, will require new variant vaccines / boosters indefinitely, and, for all we know, may eventually cause more deaths than the disease it is supposed to prevent.

Moving on to treatment options the people’s choice is currently Ivermectin, a safe and well-known drug re-purposed for Covid. Medical opinion on this re-purposing is deeply divided. Clinical trials and meta-analyses have shown positive results (47/48, 49) but substantial problems with the data mean that the case cannot yet be said to be proven.

Other interesting potential treatments are the nitric oxide nasal spray, which cuts viral load by 95% within 24 hours and 99% within 72 hours (50); and KIB500 aka exogenous lactoperoxidase, which I used myself. Neither of these have been put through a clinical trial, yet.

What is certain is that we can improve our chances via lifestyle modification. The major co-morbidities which increase the risk of severe illness and death (obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, innate immune dysfunction, dysbiosis and chronic inflammatory stress), can all be modified using dietary change and supplementation.

This kind of lifestyle change is cheaper and safer than the political classes’ preferred enforced immunisations, mask mandates and lockdowns. It will make us all healthier by providing protection not only against Covid, but also against the 95% of deaths that are NOT linked to Covid. And by removing a major excuse for governmental coercion, it may even help to protect our shrinking political freedoms.

Next week: We are all the walking dead now.

References

1. Antibiotic / Antimicrobial Resistance. 2019 AR Threats Report. https://www.cdc.gov/DrugResistance/biggest-threats.html
2. Weigand MR, Peng Y, Cassiday PK, Loparev VN, Johnson T, Juieng P, Nazarian EJ, Weening K, Tondella ML, Williams MM. Complete Genome Sequences of Bordetella pertussisIsolates with Novel Pertactin-Deficient Deletions. Genome Announc. 2017 Sep 14;5(37):e00973-17.
3. Croucher NJ, Harris SR, Fraser C, Quail MA, Burton J, van der Linden M, McGee L, von Gottberg A, Song JH, Ko KS, Pichon B, Baker S, Parry CM, Lambertsen LM, Shahinas D, Pillai DR, Mitchell TJ, Dougan G, Tomasz A, Klugman KP, Parkhill J, Hanage WP, Bentley SD. Rapid pneumococcal evolution in response to clinical interventions. Science. 2011 Jan 28;331(6016):430-4.
4. Mansoori B, Mohammadi A, Davudian S, Shirjang S, Baradaran B. The Different Mechanisms of Cancer Drug Resistance: A Brief Review. Adv Pharm Bull. 2017 Sep;7(3):339-348.
5. Powles SB, Yu Q. Evolution in Action: Plants Resistant to Herbicides. Ann Rev Plant Biol 61 (2010), 317-347
6. Manalil S, Busi R, Renton M, Powles SB. Rapid Evolution of Herbicide Resistance by Low Herbicide Dosages. Weed Sci 2011 59:210-217
7. Aktar MW, Sengupta D, Chowdhury A. (2009). Impact of pesticides use in agriculture: their benefits and hazards. Interdisciplinary toxicology, 2(1), 1–12.
8. Barclay VC, Sim D, Chan BH, Nell LA, Rabaa MA, Bell AS, Anders RF, Read AF. The evolutionary consequences of blood-stage vaccination on the rodent malaria Plasmodium chabaudi. PLoS Biol. 2012;10(7):e1001368.
9. McKimm-Breschkin JL. Influenza neuraminidase inhibitors: antiviral action and mechanisms of resistance.Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2013 Jan;7 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):25-36.
10. Hsu HY, Chang MH, Ni YH, Chen HL. Survey of hepatitis B surface variant infection in children 15 years after a nationwide vaccination programme in Taiwan. 2004 Oct;53(10):1499-503.
11. Keehner J, Horton LE, Binkin NJ, Laurent LC, Pride D, Longhurst CA, Abeles SR, Torriani FJ. Resurgence of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Highly Vaccinated Health System Workforce. N Engl J Med. 2021 Sep 1. doi: 10.1056/NEJMc2112981. Epub ahead of print.
12. Gazit S, Shlezinger R, Perez G, Lotan R, Peretz A, Ben-Tov A, Cohen D, Muhsen K, Chodisk G, Patalon T. Comparing SARS-CoV-2 natural immunity to vaccine-induced immunity: reinfections versus breakthrough infections. medRxiv doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.24.21262415
13. Ivanova EN, Devlin JC, Buus TB, Koide A, Cornelius A, Samanovic MI, Herrera A, Zhang C, Desvignes L, Odum N, Ulrich R, Mulligan MJ, Koide S, Ruggles KV, Herati RS, Koralov SB. Discrete immune response signature to SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination versus infection. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Apr 21:2021.04.20.21255677.
14. Turner JS, Kim W, Kalaidina E, Goss CW, Rauseo AM, Schmitz AJ, Hansen L, Haile A, Klebert MK, Pusic I, O’Halloran JA, Presti RM, Ellebedy AH. SARS-CoV-2 infection induces long-lived bone marrow plasma cells in humans. Res Sq [Preprint]. 2020 Dec 31:rs.3.rs-132821.
15. Le Bert N, Tan AT, Kunasegaran K, Tham CYL, Hafezi M, Chia A, Chng MHY, Lin M, Tan N, Linster M, Chia WN, Chen MI, Wang LF, Ooi EE, Kalimuddin S, Tambyah PA, Low JG, Tan YJ, Bertoletti A. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell immunity in cases of COVID-19 and SARS, and uninfected controls. 2020 Aug;584(7821):457-462.
16. Shrestha NK, Burke PC, Nowacki AS, Gordon SM. Necessity of COVID-19 vaccination in previously infected individuals. medRxiv [Preprint]. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.06.01.21258176
17. Cohen KW, Linderman SL, Moodie Z, Czartoski J, Lai L, Mantus G, Norwood C, Nyhoff LE, Edara VV, Floyd K, De Rosa SC, Ahmed H, Whaley R, Patel SN, Prigmore B, Lemos MP, Davis CW, Furth S, O’Keefe J, Gharpure MP, Gunisetty S, Stephens KA, Antia R, Zarnitsyna VI, Stephens DS, Edupuganti S, Rouphael N, Anderson EJ, Mehta AK, Wrammert J, Suthar MS, Ahmed R, McElrath MJ. Longitudinal analysis shows durable and broad immune memory after SARS-CoV-2 infection with persisting antibody responses and memory B and T cells. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Jun 18:2021.04.19.21255739.
18. Sureshchandra S, Lewis SA, Doratt B, Jankeel A, Ibraim I, Messaoudi I. Single cell profiling of T and B cell repertoires following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. bioRxiv (Preprint). doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.14.452381
19. Neidleman J, Luo X, McGregor M, Xie G, Murray V, Greene WC, Lee SA, Roan NR. mRNA vaccine-induced SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells recognize B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants but differ in longevity and homing properties depending on prior infection status. bioRxiv doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.12.443888
20. O Murchu E, Byrne P, Carty PG, De Gascun C, Keogan M, O’Neill M, Harrington P, Ryan M. Quantifying the risk of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection over time. Rev Med Virol. 2021 May 27:e2260. doi: 10.1002/rmv.2260. Epub ahead of print.
21. Abu-Raddad LJ, Chemaitelly H, Coyle P, Malek JA, Ahmed AA, Mohamoud YA, Younuskunju S, Ayoub HH, Al Kanaani Z, Al Kuwari E, Butt AA, Jeremijenko A, Kaleeckal AH, Latif AN, Shaik RM, Abdul Rahim HF, Nasrallah GK, Yassine HM, Al Kuwari MG, Al Romaihi HE, Al-Thani MH, Al Khal A, Bertollini R. SARS-CoV-2 antibody-positivity protects against reinfection for at least seven months with 95% efficacy. 2021 May;35:100861.
22. Goldberg Y, Mandel M, Woodbridge Y, Fluss R, Novikov I, Yaari R, Ziv A, Freedman L, Huppert A. Protection of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection is similar to that of BNT162b2 vaccine protection: A three-month nationwide experience from Israel. medRxiv prepreint doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.20.21255670
23. Jung JH, Rha MS, Sa M, Choi HK, Jeon JH, Seok H, Park DW, Park SH, Jeong HW, Choi WS, Shin EC. SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell memory is sustained in COVID-19 convalescent patients for 10 months with successful development of stem cell-like memory T cells. Nat Commun. 2021 Jun 30;12(1):4043.
24. Cho A and 25 others. Antibody Evolution after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccination. bioRxiv Preprint. doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.29.454333
25. Camara C, Lozano-Ojalvo D, Lopez-Granados E, Paz-Artal E, Pion M, Correa-Rocha R, OrtizA, Lopez-Hoyos M, Iribarren ME, Portoles J, Portoles P, Perez-Olmeds M, Oteo J, Berin ZC, Guccione E, Bertoletti A, Ochando JK. Differential effects of the second SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine dose on T cell immunity in naïve and COVID-19 recovered individuals. bioRxiv Preprint. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.03.22.436441
26. Israel A, Shenhar Y, Green I, Merzon E, Golan-Cohen A, Schäffer AA, Ruppin E, Vinker S, Magen E. Large-scale study of antibody titer decay following BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine or SARS-CoV-2 infection. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Aug 21:2021.08.19.21262111.
27. https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/israels-virus-czar-tells-citizens-prepare-eventual-4th-shot
28. https://www.timesofisrael.com/virus-czar-calls-to-begin-readying-for-eventual-4th-vaccine-dose/
29. https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/nsw-residents-told-to-expect-covid19-booster-shots-indefinitely/news-story/abda9fcf5d5344c6c8ed22bc5d939b16
30. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
31. Pascarella S, Ciccozzi M, Bianchi M, Benvenuto D, Cauda R, Cassone A. Cutting epitopes to survive: the case of lambda variant. doi:https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.14.456353
32. Riemersma KK, Grogan BE, Kita-Yarboro A, Halfmann PJ, Segaloff HE, Kocharian A, Florek KR, Westergaard R, Bateman A, Jeppson GE, Kawaoka Y, O’Connor DH, Friedrich TC, Grande KM. Shedding of Infectious SARS-CoV-2 Despite Vaccination. medRxiv Preprint https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.31.21261387
33. https://www.theblaze.com/op-ed/horowitz-no-this-is-not-an-epidemic-of-the-unvaccinated-its-a-pandemic-of-censored-early-treatment
34. Riemersma KK, Grogan BE, Kita-Yarbro A, Jeppson GE, O’Connor DH, Friedrich TC, Grande KM. Vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals have similar viral loads in communities with a high prevalence of the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant. medRxiv Preprint. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.07.31.21261387
35. Geoghegan JL, Senior AM, Di Giallonardo F, Holmes EC. Virological factors that increase the transmissibility of emerging human viruses.  Natl Acad. Sci. USA113, 4170–4175 (2016).
36. Read AF, Baigent SJ, Powers C, Kgosana LB, Blackwell L, Smith LP, Kennedy DA, Walkden-Brown SW, Nair VK. Imperfect Vaccination Can Enhance the Transmission of Highly Virulent Pathogens. PLoS Biol. 2015 Jul 27;13(7):e1002198.
37. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/adverse-events.html
38. https://www.precisionvaccinations.com/covid-19-vaccine-related-fatalities-updated
39. Collignon P, Doshi P, Jefferson T. Child influenza vaccination. Ramifications of adverse events in children in Australia. 2010 Jun 9;340:c2994.
40. Institute of Medicine (US) Board on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Vaccine Safety Forum: Summaries of Two Workshops. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 1997. Improving Detection of and Response to Adverse Events.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232983/

41. Cunningham A. Underreporting Vaccine Adverse Effects. Rapid response to BMJ 2010;340:c2994
42. Public Health England. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England, Technical Briefing 20. Table 5. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1009243/Technical_Briefing_20.pdf
43. https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55274833
44. https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/boise/article253556914.html
45. https://drive.google.com/file/d/17jVCBwrDJ-4Ktf6G-AOFdxcXKsj2MTg7/view
46. Oberhardt V, Luxenburger H, Kemming J and 30 others.Rapid and stable mobilization of CD8⁺ T cells by SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. Nature (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03841-4
47. Bryant A, Lawrie TA, Fordham EJ. Ivermectin for Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Trial Sequential Analysis to Inform Clinical Guidelines. American Journal of Therapeutics, 28, e434-e460, July 2021. Am J Ther. 2021 Aug 18;28(5):e573–6.
48. Bryant A, Lawrie TA, Dowswell T, Fordham EJ, Mitchell S, Hill SR, Tham TC. Ivermectin for Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Trial Sequential Analysis to Inform Clinical Guidelines. Am J Ther. 2021 Jun 21;28(4):e434-e460.
49. Kory P, Meduri GU, Varon J, Iglesias J, Marik PE. Review of the Emerging Evidence Demonstrating the Efficacy of Ivermectin in the Prophylaxis and Treatment of COVID-19. Am J Ther. 2021 Apr 22;28(3):e299-e318.
50. Winchester S, John S, Jabbar K, John I. Clinical efficacy of nitric oxide nasal spray (NONS) for the treatment of mild COVID-19 infection. J Infect. 2021 Aug;83(2):237-279.
51. Wang L, Zhou T, Zhang Y, Yang ES, Schramm CA, Shi W, Pegu A, Oloniniyi OK, Henry AR, Darko S, Narpala SR, Hatcher C, Martinez DR, Tsybovsky Y, Phung E, Abiona OM, Antia A, Cale EM, Chang LA, Choe M, Corbett KS, Davis RL, DiPiazza AT, Gordon IJ, Hait SH, Hermanus T, Kgagudi P, Laboune F, Leung K, Liu T, Mason RD, Nazzari AF, Novik L, O’Connell S, O’Dell S, Olia AS, Schmidt SD, Stephens T, Stringham CD, Talana CA, Teng IT, Wagner DA, Widge AT, Zhang B, Roederer M, Ledgerwood JE, Ruckwardt TJ, Gaudinski MR, Moore PL, Doria-Rose NA, Baric RS, Graham BS, McDermott AB, Douek DC, Kwong PD, Mascola JR, Sullivan NJ, Misasi J. Ultrapotent antibodies against diverse and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants. 2021 Aug 13;373(6556):eabh1766.