Covid Vaccine Distribution

[ivinsfan]

What I read somewhere is that it will be voluntary until the FDA emergency authorization becomes an official one.

Thanks goodness for common sense.

 

[Gumby]

Anyone see any flying pigs?

For Now, US Troops Won't Be Required to Get New COVID-19 Vaccine

Notwithstanding this article, I would bet the rule will be different for submariners, because the circumstances are unique. If you say no, you may stay in the Navy, but you won't be a submariner anymore.

 

[Time2]

I have now struck out on the computer lottery 5 times, and missed the text one one occasion. I did get in the queue twice and still missed out.

 

[Nick12]

There's an Army base near where I live, the local paper stated that ~50% of soldiers are refusing the vaccine, the commanders are now working on 'educating' the troops on the need/benefits of the vaccine. Actual surprised that it's voluntary, the base was hit pretty hard by the recent covid upsurge.

Members in the military have a choice? Get vaccinated. That's an order.

 

[audreyh1]

Got a message from my doctor yesterday that I could schedule vaccination now at the hospital he's affiliated with. I was happy to reply that I already had it covered!

Yay!

 

[Freedom56]

My parents (in their mid 80's) received a shot of Pfizer's vaccine on Wednesday this past week. They had no issues so far. My younger brother (a doctor) got his second dose of and had a mild reaction. My sister-in-law (a Nurse) got her first dose of Pfizer this past week and had a mild reaction. My wife's parents (in their mid 80's and living in Switzerland) are scheduled for their shots next week. They are either getting the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The AstraZeneca vaccine is still pending approval but it does not look like it will be approved in Europe for those over 65.

 

[Souschef]

Our site is at a fairgrounds with quite a walk from the parking lot. DW suggested I buy a transfer chair to help her with the long walk.
After we both get our two shots, I will donate it to the hospice I volunteer at/

 

[harllee]

Thanks Harlee. What about your second shot. How will that work?

When I got the first shot they gave me an appointment for the second shot in one month (it was Moderna so the shots are spaced a month apart).

My 90 year old mother got her second shot yesterday (Pfizer) and so far no side effects except for tiredness. I am so grateful she has had her 2 vaccine shots. I have prepared her for the possibility she will need more booster shots in the future and she said "bring em on."

 

[Ronstar]

MIL is getting rebellious in her old age. Sometimes refuses to wear a mask. Now refusing to get vaccine because "I've had a flu shot and that's good enough".

I told her today that the IRS is auditing all senior citizens/ social security recipients who haven't been vaccinated.

That took care of that bit of rebellion.

 

[JoeWras]

Can Joe come out to play?

I have to say, the next few months are going to be challenging for me. Many of my volunteer friends are just past 65 and have gotten the first dose, with a schedule for follow up. They are planning work trips for March.

I may go with and mask up. They promise to also. However, I'm not sure. It is a bummer because they feel pretty free, and I don't blame them.

I'm aching to do anything other than site here and type, or take my long walks. Volunteering keeps me alive. I'll have to trade off the risk.

Oh, and you can bet your bottom buns that I'll take a J & J or AZ vaccine if available. There's not enough top shelf product to go around.

 

[Calico]

MIL is getting rebellious in her old age. Sometimes refuses to wear a mask. Now refusing to get vaccine because "I've had a flu shot and that's good enough".

I told her today that the IRS is auditing all senior citizens/ social security recipients who haven't been vaccinated.

That took care of that bit of rebellion.

Very creative!

 

[audreyh1]

MIL is getting rebellious in her old age. Sometimes refuses to wear a mask. Now refusing to get vaccine because "I've had a flu shot and that's good enough".

I told her today that the IRS is auditing all senior citizens/ social security recipients who haven't been vaccinated.

That took care of that bit of rebellion.

Whoa!

 

[audreyh1]

I have to say, the next few months are going to be challenging for me. Many of my volunteer friends are just past 65 and have gotten the first dose, with a schedule for follow up. They are planning work trips for March.

I may go with and mask up. They promise to also. However, I'm not sure. It is a bummer because they feel pretty free, and I don't blame them.

I'm aching to do anything other than site here and type, or take my long walks. Volunteering keeps me alive. I'll have to trade off the risk.

Oh, and you can bet your bottom buns that I'll take a J & J or AZ vaccine if available. There's not enough top shelf product to go around.

Relief volunteers - maybe there is an option for you? Check with your organization?

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

in my area if you volunteer at the clinic 2 shifts they will give your your 2 shots.

 

[travelover]

......I told her today that the IRS is auditing all senior citizens/ social security recipients who haven't been vaccinated. .......

I heard that, too. That's why I signed up.

 

[explanade]

Today at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, the biggest mass vaccination site in the country, a couple of dozen anti-vaxxers, unmasked and carrying signs, approached the entrance.

The LAPD closed the entrance to avoid confrontations and avoid having the protesters enter the site.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1355642351297785856

Police reinforcements arrived and they re-opened after about an hour.

 

[Gumby]

I can understand anti-vaxxers not wanting to get the vaccine themselves (I think that's stupid but I understand it), but why do they want to protest other people getting the vaccine? That makes no sense at all.

 

[Katsmeow]

DH and I both got Moderna on the 26th. I thought it was all a bit chaotic although based upon what I read here, it was relatively smooth. We live in Texas and most vaccinations are now being done by mass vaccination sites. In December it was initially limited to health care folks and nursing home residents and was more ad hoc. But, then I found we could sign up at the county health department. We did that on 1/2. A friend who signed up 4 days earlier than I had her husband, mother and her vaccinated 10 days to 2 weeks earlier than me.

Interestingly, DH and I and she and her husband (we all range from 66 to mid-70s) all went to the same mass vaccination site (less than 10 minutes from my house) and got the Moderna vaccine.

When we went it took about an hour from arrival until we got the shot. There was about 20 minutes while our car was online for a guy who would find you on the list and then direct you where to park. We were directed to any area which seem to mostly have older people (DH is 73, I'm 66). Mobility impaired people (walkers, canes, wheelchairs) were able to take an elevator and to somewhat cut the line. After getting in line it was about 40 minutes until getting the shot which was in a large ballroom (convention center). People mostly distanced in line although some would get too close (I would ask them to distance). We were cloth masks over a KN95 mask so I think it was relatively safe.

My friend's mother had a different experience, but was in her mid-80s. She signed up with the county but was sent to a different location -- an office not a mass site. She had a specific appointment time and no line. Clearly they were doing this for people over X age. At the mass site I didn't see anyone that I though was over 80. Anyway, this mother had the Pfizer vaccine and is set for her second shot next week.

For our second shot we got a card and were told we would be contacted with an appointment time 24 to 32 days from the first shot. That is 4 weeks, plus or minus 4 days.

Now that it is over it was relatively smooth. But the waiting was nerve wracking. We were notified by getting a call, email and text that said our appointment for 1/25 was cancelled as the site would be closed and we should appear for the "same time" on 1/26. Only problem was we didn't get the prior notice so had no time scheduled. DH called and found out the time. We got a 2 hour window. They typically give notice the day before.

One reason I think there was two weeks between when my friend got hers and I got mine even though she only signed up 4 days earlier is that our county started prioritizing the 10 hardest hit zip codes. They didn't allocate only to those zip codes (state won't allow that) but reserved about half their doses for them. Several of those zip codes are adjacent to mine. It is somewhat controversial. These hard hit zip codes are, quite honestly, in the areas that tend to be mask/regulation hostile. I mean -- there is no surprise why they are hardest hit. In some ways, it may seem to reward bad behavior. That said, plenty of people in those zip codes did everything right. The mask hostile, more irresponsible group is undoubtedly a minority.

I worry about the elderly that live at home, aren't computer savvy and don't drive. I think they should be making home visits for this vulnerable population.

This is a legitimate issue. There needs to outreach to a number of different populations. The mass sites are great for people who are aware of them and can navigate signups (our county does allow phone signups). Also, you need to be able to get to the mass site. The mass site I went to really requires you to either have a car or have someone bring you with a car. Public transportation is not an option. The short notice you get for the vaccination is fine for someone like me (retired) but would be much more difficult for working people particularly those who can't easily take off with little to no notice.

Here in North Texas, the little dribble of doses to pharmacies has been turned off, to instead vaccinate large numbers of people via a Hub Provider big-setup idea. Trouble is, the hub providers have their own signups, some were not meeting state guidelines, have been caught by TV stations. Hospitals seem to think they will do whatever they want once they get some doses, go away none of your business. This big big idea seems to me to be producing very little. It's all been, and continues to be, severely dose-supply limited. So now people have to keep signing up on new lists that don't move much, if they're lucky wait in long car lines after driving longer distances, etc.

I would really like to see running actuals on dose output per week per manufacturer, and how many doses are dedicated to each state, all on a week-by-week basis. We need transparency. Then we can see what it really looks like.

I think you live close to me. In Dallas county the county wanted to prioritize and vaccinate only people from certain zip codes. That was not allowed. In my county, they prioritized the hardest hit zip codes but still allowed at least half the vaccine to go to anyone. That was OK.

The state has a list that comes out every week that shows exactly how much vaccine is going to each site. You can look it up. So it is pretty transparent in that way.

The big issue with Texas is that vaccinations per capita are relatively low compared to other states. We've given a lot of vaccinations here but not enough per capita. I do think it is getting more efficient. The goal of the mass site I was at was to vaccinate 2000 people a day.

There's lots of discussion about making the interval longer, but I couldn't find any discussion about the possible effects of going shorter. Can someone give me some links to sites that discuss that issue?

If forced into the choice between 17 days and "maybe some day", I'll take the 17 days. But how hard should I try to get the full 21 days?

We were told that for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines up to 4 days "early" was fine.

My first Moderna shot and I felt the side effects for the next two days. Very sore right arm and feeling very tired were what I felt. For my second shot I will be ready.

Same for DH and I. The other thing we both noticed was feeling extremely hungry for a day or two. Very odd.

My state is asking people not to make multiple appointments.

They explicitly say, here, that making multiple signups at different sites is fine. If you get one then just cancel the others.

 

[skipro33]

I can understand anti-vaxxers not wanting to get the vaccine themselves (I think that's stupid but I understand it), but why do they want to protest other people getting the vaccine? That makes no sense at all.

In my opinion and all that;
Because the argument is that that virus does not go away with the vaccine. The virus goes away with herd immunity. If not enough people vax, the virus will continue to mutate and likely the vax will no longer be effective.

The anti vaxxer fear is that they will be forced to vax if the volunteer trials prove to be less than that required for full irradiation of the virus in all it's mutations.

 

[zinger1457]

In my opinion and all that;
Because the argument is that that virus does not go away with the vaccine. The virus goes away with herd immunity. If not enough people vax, the virus will continue to mutate and likely the vax will no longer be effective.

The anti vaxxer fear is that they will be forced to vax if the volunteer trials prove to be less than that required for full irradiation of the virus in all it's mutations.

There's a group of anti-vaxxers on my local Nextdoor forum. Their belief is that the entire covid pandemic is a big conspiracy made up so that the healthcare industry can cash in, that the number of deaths attributed to covid are all made up. They weren't shy about expressing their beliefs in other QAnon conspiracy theories and ended up creating a private Nextdoor group so they could discuss their 'facts' among themselves without outside comment.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Somewhat disconcerting reading about all of you who have already gotten the shots. In Oregon they have prioritized educators ahead of age 65 and older, except for such elders who live in nursing homes.

So age group 65 and older won't be on schedule to qualify to receive shots until late February.

So, I am lying low until my group qualifies so I don't get the covid before I get the shots!

 

[Katsmeow]

Somewhat disconcerting reading about all of you who have already gotten the shots. In Oregon they have prioritized educators ahead of age 65 and older, except for such elders who live in nursing homes.

In my state the first Phase was 1A which was healthcare workers and residents of nursing homes. After a few weeks of that, they added Phase 1B which is people over 65 Plus people with certain specified pre-existing conditions.

I read that they think that vaccinating just those groups with last through May! I found that hard to believe. But, it's a big state and there are a lot of people who are under 65 and have one of the pre-existing conditions.

That said, as someone just over 65 with none of the pre-existing conditions I was honestly surprised to be able to get my first shot in January. I had originally hoped for March.

 

[RetireeRobert]

I was honestly surprised to be able to get my first shot in January. I had originally hoped for March.

You are lucky! How did the shot go? Any "after effects"? And did you get Pfizer or Moderna?

 

[travelover]

In my county, they were opening on line registrations somewhat randomly as vaccines became available. That meant that anyone seeking an appointment just sort of had to keep logging on to check for availability at random times. Now, they have announced that at noon tomorrow, 3000-ish appointments will suddenly be available. I'm sure that will grind everything to a halt. There must be a better way.

 

[harllee]

Somewhat disconcerting reading about all of you who have already gotten the shots. In Oregon they have prioritized educators ahead of age 65 and older, except for such elders who live in nursing homes.

So age group 65 and older won't be on schedule to qualify to receive shots until late February.

So, I am lying low until my group qualifies so I don't get the covid before I get the shots!

I think it is the right thing to do to prioritize educators so schools can open for in person learning. In my state of NC they put us over 65 people ahead of teachers. Since I was over 65 I went ahead and got the vaccine but I wish they had vaccinated teachers first.