What new shots are coming, is anybody liable, and getting flu might protect you from COVID

Despite the USG ordering new COVID boosters for $3.2 B, it is not clear yet what will be used

Many older vaccines are already approved for this coming flu season, while many others remain in development.  Some have been promised to the public despite complete lack of human trials of the COVID Omicron BA. 4 and BA. 5 variants.

It is amusing to watch the media, citing CDC, try to push as many vaccines as possible while admitting in the same article the vaccines don't actually work:  if you are lucky to get some immunity from them, it quickly evaporates, while you are likely to get no immunity to current strains from the current vaccine, which is still based on the original Wuhan strain of COVID that disappeared 2 years ago.

For example, the NY Times bobs and weaves around these facts in a classic demonstration of propaganda, telling the truth but then immediately misdirecting your attention:

Some people may also be discouraged by new research that shows immunity against infection dips significantly within three months, and the newest Omicron subvariants are much more adept at dodging immunity than earlier versions of the virus, Dr. Osterholm added.

New vaccines more targeted toward Omicron subvariants will likely arrive in the fall, and the Biden administration is considering expanding booster eligibility. But if you are in a high-risk group that is eligible for second boosters, you should not try to game out the timing of your shots. According to the C.D.C., getting vaccinated now “will not prevent you from getting an authorized variant-specific vaccine in the fall or winter when they are recommended for you.”

What new vaccines will be offered?  The manufacturers tested vaccines against BA.1 but FDA decided it wanted vaccines against a mix of the original strain, plus BA.4 and 5.  Biden ordered 105 million doses from Pfizer the day after the FDA advisory meeting that signed off on adding some omicron variant(s) to the mix.  Were somebody’s campaign coffers running low?

Other manufacturers have promised they will have large quantities of new COVID boosters, or flu-COVID vaccines, ready during the fall, but which will the FDA authorize or approve for use?  That we don't know.

Does the government think it will get away with mandating the newer, still-to-be-revealed vaccines?

I have selected just a few of the vaccines in development from the precision vaccinations website, to show what you might be encountering soon.  These use either the insect/baculovirus Novavax platform (1) or mRNA platforms (4).

What is the takeaway message?  For decades, hundreds of companies have designed vaccine prototypes, but very few ever made it past the hurdles to licensure.  Now, those hurdles have been kicked to the curb, and if you are lucky enough to have a prototype in 2022, you may be able to sell it to the USG with virtually no trial data, in record time.  You will have hit pay dirt.  But what will those contracts look like?  What is being hidden?  Is the manufacturer or the government in charge of the potion?  Are any of the actors subject to liability?

1. NanoFlu is a quadrivalent recombinant hemagglutinin (H.A.) protein nanoparticle influenza vaccine produced by Novavax in its SF9 insect cell baculovirus system. NanoFlu uses H.A. amino acid protein sequences similar to the recommended wild-type circulating virus H.A. sequences. In addition, NanoFlu contains Novavax's patented saponin-based Matrix-M™ adjuvant.  [Note:  the vaccine does not include neuraminidase antigens for influenza--Nass]

2. CureVac's seasonal influenza second-generation mRNA vaccine candidate, CVSQIV, was developed with GSK. The differentiated multivalent vaccine candidate features multiple non-chemically modified mRNA constructs to induce immune responses against relevant targets of four different influenza strains.

3. Moderna's combination respiratory vaccine candidate (mRNA-1230) is envisioned as an annual booster targeting SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus, and RSV vaccines.

4. Moderna's seasonal influenza vaccine candidates, mRNA-1020 and mRNA-1030, include eight mRNAs targeting hemagglutinin and neuraminidase at different doses and ratios.

5. Moderna's mRNA-1010 Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine candidate encodes for the hemagglutinin protein from four seasonal influenza viruses, including A/H1N1, A/H3N2, and influenza B/Yamagata- and B/Victoria-lineages. [Neuraminidase antigens have been omitted here too.]

Oh, and by the way, the precision vaccination site reveals that it may actually help you to get COVID and influenza at the same time. Look at this:

A peer-reviewed study published by the Journal of Virology on Jul. 12, 2022, suggests that coinfection with influenza A virus (IAV) and the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus changes neither the trajectory nor the severity of influenza A virus, regardless of timing. However, contracting influenza A first could suppress any COVID-19 infection caused by SARS-CoV-2. 'We observe a significant loss of SARS-CoV-2 replication following IAV infection.' Notably, the investigators found that the influenza A virus interferes with SARS-CoV-2 replication in the lung and can continue to do so even more than one week after clearance of the IAV, according to the research.