What New Mask Guidelines Means For Immunocompromised People

Dr. Peter Hotez joins Chris Hayes to discuss the effectiveness of the Covid vaccine for people with compromised immune systems—and what the new CDC mask guidance means for them and their loved ones. 
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46 comments

  1. This is me. I have multiple sclerosis. I go next week for my 6 month infusion of Ocrevus, which kills B cells. What do B cells do, well ya know they help with antigens…kind of important for vaccine efficacy. Per the national MS society they say 30 fold less. I was fine after 1st, 2nd I felt horrible for a day or so, no biggie. However, people like me and what they are talking about, might need that 3rd dose. Even though I am vaccinated, how long will it last.
    This is a great example why many require HERD IMMUNITY! Why I feel mask lifting was a bit early.

    1. Yes I completely agree with you. And I know this means nothing coming from a complete stranger but I wish you the best of health from now on. and if you want to get that 3rd shot stay vigilant and you probably will receive it. Not to sound like a doctor but for some reason Pfizer has a better reputation for longevity. But please don’t take my word for it do your own research and do what’s best for you yourself. Thank you for sharing your life. I wish more would do the same.!

    2. Too early for me too! I’m like we have a threatening new strain from India like what are y’all doing?! If the vaccines they have out now are still causing a great number of ppl to be reinfected, how can the CDC keep saying these same vaccines are going to work for all of these deadly strains that have made it to the US?! I have a young son that I am deathly afraid to let outside because his immune system is so sensitive to everything even to the point that his food allergies change like twice a year where his pressure drops because his food allergies change drastically. He also has asthma and I can’t even fathom what would happen if I got any unforeseen medical expenses right now in my situation. I feel for those of u, who like my son, have a constant fear of what others take for granted, and that’s the freedom to go out. Some can’t even understand how blessed/lucky they are but are so selfish they still put other’s in danger by never wearing a mask in the first place. Sorry for being lengthy, just wanted u to know I really care.

    3. @James Conway thank you for the kind words! It is always nice to hear from strangers as such. I did get the Moderna. I am hoping it stays in my system long enough. I wish you well too.

    4. @Julie Rondeau thank you that’s very sweet of you. God bless you😀 you sound like a wonderful person and the only advice I can give is to try to avoid stress as much as possible.. I don’t know about you but for me the best thing is just sit outside and enjoy nature. Every time I do that it takes a load of stress off.🏝🌴🌷🌼🌊🌤🎆😀

    5. @Zaza Tyson I don’t know if this helps or not but you qualify for all kinds of programs with your son’s condition should be able to receive extra financial aid being that you are the caregiver for your son especially now with covid-19 being such a risk you may even qualify for government loans through banks that you do not have to pay back if it has affected your business or work. Just the fact that you have a son that is so vulnerable should automatically qualify you. As someone that has worked with the CDC getting crew members vaccinated for cruise ships such as Miami Cape Canaveral Galveston Texas Mobile Alabama and now California I can tell you that the CDC has confirmed that the vaccines are working especially the Pfizer vaccine against these new strains coming from India and even Brazil these are clinically tested results and what they don’t tell you on the news is the vaccine has also helped many people be cured. That actually had the virus when they were given the shots and then proved to be negative after the vaccine was able to take effect. But as with your son’s condition please do all the research you can I realize every individual is different. I wish you and your son the best. As a child I suffered all kinds of allergies I was allergic to almost everything grass plants meet nuts even cucumbers but now that I am in my 50s I do not have allergies other than I am allergic to a phenobarbital. They also told me that I would never walk as I was born with club feet after having surgeries and a very Vigilant mother and father I now do not suffer from allergies. And I’m able to walk and bike. So I hope this will be the same for your son. They told me when I was little that I would have these allergies for the rest of my life. But they’re not always right just like they told me I would never walk now I bike and walk with no problem and can even lay in the grass.

  2. CANDACE OWENS: Why I Launched The Campaign Against Chrissy Teigen
    It’s time to make the Left play by its own rules.

  3. Arthritis medications are generally immunosuppressors. But, we don’t want to talk about that, man; because, that’s like 1 out 4 people, at a minimum, and as high as 1/2, depending on the population. Augh! lol

    1. I have MS, and that is similar medicines…many have MS as well. Not as much as RA, but it is not a small population

  4. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and use the biologic medication Enbrel to keep my body from destroying my joints (and you all have seen RA victims with twisted, knotty hands as an example). I am 64, have COPD and a host of other comorbidities. And I hike upwards of 20 miles per week.
    I REFUSE to give up my mask until they are 100% sure they got all the bugs worked out of this vaccine (sorry for the pun – 😄😷

    1. Don’t blame ya one bit! Hopefully, more data on folks with RA will become available soon! I know a lot of people who are keeping their masksbfor a host if reasons.

    2. @B Bodziak Common Cold, The Flu, peoples with compromised immune systems… Relatives and distant relations. I mean, the list goes on. 😁

    1. The flu season last year wasnt as big either because everyone was hygiene friendly and wearing masks. Now we gonna back to the days of being unwashed heathens sick and sniffly.

  5. I will keep wearing my MASKARINO even though I’m fully vaccinated, my MASKARINO makes me a superhero who saves lives every day !!!!

  6. Thank you. I’m a kidney/pancreas transplant recipient. I was wondering should I follow the CDC guidelines and loosen up on wearing my mask. I have recently went without a mask when visiting family members bc they were vaccinated as well. This won’t happen again until I get further notice on the testing of immunocompromised individuals

    1. Unfortunately I lost my father due to kidney failure he went from 1.5 up to 5.0 Unfortunately they didn’t detect that he was covid positive until just before his death we couldn’t figure out why his numbers increased so quickly. So if you can’t get vaccinated I would highly highly recommend you keep wearing your mask and take all the precautions you can. I’m sure you will do much better than my father did because if I read your text correctly you had a kidney transplant. And even if you didn’t there are things you can do to increase your health as I’m sure you’re well aware of unfortunately my father had a very bad doctor. That simply did not run tests that he should have. So please don’t let my texts overwhelm you or scare you in anyway I’m sure you are being well taken care of and every individual is different. God bless you and I wish you the best of health.!

    2. Cancer surviving-er here. Multiple transplant recipient as well. This previous November, I got caught off guard with liver and double kidney failure. Oof! I was on dialysis a handful of times. I still cannot fathom how I’ve recovered to the point I’m at now. I can’t imagine living with long term kidney issues, especially with everything else.
      I will continue to wear my mask, its been effing awesome not having pneumonia and constant infections

    3. @Jona Parker Wow have you been through a lot. You are living proof never to give up to keep the fight. I can only assume that you must have an excellent support group. Either way you truly are an amazing person. I think it’s absolutely fantastic the way you continue to look forward. Stick with that type of mentality and you’ll do just fine ! Thank you for the wonderful inspiration.! You are living walking testimony.!

  7. All I read it takes 3 months for the antibodies to reach it’s highest peak and were not to 50% yet and we know there will 38% refusing to take it So be safe

    1. Maybe if all states did a $1million weekly giveaway like Ohio we could more people interested.

  8. N95 masks should be readily available now, the same masks that doctors use during surgery and to protect healthcare workers during the pandemic,, full-blown medical mask.

    1. And I say they should be free, since it was the government’s fault at the time – back when Dumbo let-in those 15 people whom were infected on the ship, back onto US soil; not to mention how horrifically he handled the pandemic.

    1. I live with two Immuno-comprised people. Ditto on keeping my masks.
      P.S. for some “strange” and “unknown” reason, cases of the common cold and flu dropped significantly during this time period… I wonder why? 😷

  9. Thank you for this interview! It helps people understand what some of us are going through! My son and I have Minimal Change Disease (kidneys) and I’ve currently relapsed and in treatment that crushes my immune system so even though I’m vaccinated We are still doing everything we can to stay safe!

  10. In our family we will keep wearing the mask even after the mandates are lifted in our state. My husband who has recently been trough a bone marrow transplant is now fully vaccinated but we are still acting as if we have not gotten our vaccines yet. We are doing everything we can to stay safe ♥️

  11. To “Inject” some levity into this conversation/situation…
    “Keep Penetrating the population” Oh, myyy…

  12. I keep thinking of the story about Flu season 2020
    the Flu cases saw its lowest number cause ppl were wearing masks!
    I think I will be wearing my mask even after I receive my 2nd shot

  13. Thank you so much for covering this! Do an update on it too when they have more data. I am immune compromised due to Rheumatoid Arthritis and had no idea about this

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