Coronavirus 4

[church_of_dog]

My tiny county (tiny in population, that is) was doing pretty well with the vaccine schedule.  They were actively vaccinating age 75+ and making appointments for 65+ and those with existing health concerns.

Then today Public Health announced that our vaccine supply was from the batch that is now suspended due to a small spike of allergic reactions.

So now all vaccination appointments are cancelled until we get a new supply.

As a healthy, nonessential, almost 60-year-old, I was a ways down the list but was hoping for maybe late January or mid-February for my first dose.  Now, who knows.  Not complaining though, as I don't have anywhere to go that's all that important.

[Alisamer]

My parents are on a waiting list for the vaccine. My aunt has gotten her first shot already (her husband was in the Pfizer trial so has been vaccinated for a while now). I'm hoping things smooth out enough that I can get mine soonish.

An older friend of mine posted a poll on facebook asking whether people were planning to get the vaccine, and I was shocked at the number of people saying no! And these aren't young "vaccines give you autism" conspiracy theorists, either. None of them gave their rationale for avoiding it, either. 

I get choosing not to get it if you have a medical reason not to, but some of these people are just dumb. My brother-in-law doesn't want to get one (despite many members of his - thankfully not nearby - family having Covid right now), because he thinks it'll weaken his immune system or something like that. And he's one of those not-super-bright guys who thinks he's a genius and can't be told anything. I told my sister she should up his life insurance.

[clueliss]

The hospital system where I get my mammogram at (and that my GYN is with) sent an email out for a per-registration that I filled out this morning.  I'm way down the list but at least I'll get notified when they do start with people in my group. 

[OHFL2009]

15 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

An older friend of mine posted a poll on facebook asking whether people were planning to get the vaccine, and I was shocked at the number of people saying no! And these aren't young "vaccines give you autism" conspiracy theorists, either. None of them gave their rationale for avoiding it, either. 

I do understand somewhat a fear of the unknown, since we're mostly all used to getting medical care that has been around for a long time, and I know several people who are not anti-vax who want to wait a few years because they're concerned about not knowing long term side effects of a vaccine that's only been around for less than a year. But I also feel that the benefit outweighs the risk and will be getting mine when I can (which will probably be a while).

The one that blew my mind was my dad. He has to get tested at least once a week because he's my grandfather's one allowed contact at the assisted living facility, so he has to get tested before he goes there. When he found out that they will still require the test after you've had the vaccine, since it's not known if the vaccine entirely prevents you from spreading it asymptomatically, he said it's not worth getting it right now. I can't understand the mental gymnastics to convince yourself that it's worth getting the vaccine if it saves you an hour a week, but not for the fact that it could save your life. At least my grandfather has been vaccinated. ?‍♀️

[Alisamer]

I do also understand a fear of the unknown. I just get annoyed with the people who are going on about how masks don't work and the government shouldn't "tell people what to do" and how they just want things to "get back to normal" who continue to refuse to do anything at all to help that plan along! 

I'm hoping vaccination will continue, quickly. 

And once we get to the point where everyone who wants the vaccine should have gotten it, what little sympathy and patience I have will have run out. At that point anyone who could get the vaccine but CHOSE not to is getting no sympathy from me if they get Covid. Sometimes the phrase "a hill to die on" becomes literal. Choices have consequences.

[Black Aliss]

On 1/15/2021 at 1:12 PM, clueliss said:

Governor:  We're going to 1B.

County Health Dept:  Ummmmm not here we aren't, we don't have enough.

 

Also from our County Health Department: We have only managed to use 40% of our initial vaccine delivery. (Meaning all that Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine we got in December is no longer usable)

Spouse and I are eligible for the vaccine as 1Bs, yet most of the vaccine sites in our area say they are only giving it to 1As even when there are no takers in that group. 

ETA: After spending several hours online this morning, Mr. Black and I do have vaccination appointments. In February.

It wasn't easy. I feel for people who are unfamiliar with using ecare/mychart or other online medical scheduling tools. My first attempts at scheduling (after receiving an email saying we  could do that) took me to a page that required me to select a reason for my visit, with "Immunizations and vaccinations" flagged as "NOT for Covid vaccinations". But no Covid vaccination option. That turned out to be accessible only via another link marked "learn more about Covid" and following a link on that page.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Black Aliss

[Hane]

This just in—

The Good: A friend called me to tell me that a major healthcare system in my state opened up vaccinations to 65+. I immediately went on line and got an appointment for this Friday. Good thing I did—the slots filled up fast and now no more appointments are available.

The *Just So Fucking Bad I Could Fucking Scream*: I checked in with another friend my age today. She takes care of her grandkids so often they might as well live with her, and she goes to tons of musical performances and other social venues. (She claims everyone’s “being safe,” but she posts so many pics of unmasked people hugging each other that I had to unfollow her on FB.) She thinks that fresh air and organic homegrown foods are rendering her invulnerable. And when I told her I’m getting vaxed, she said, “You do you—I don’t do vaccines,” I responded, “Well, I believe in germs” and damn near hung up on her. We’ve been friends for some forty years. I was her matron of honor and made her wedding cake and cooked for her when she was recovering from surgery and after her husband died. I think it’s time to loosen the connection.

Edited January 19, 2021 by Hane

[47of74]

The first female Bishop of an Anglican Communion church in Africa died from Covid. 

Quote

The Bishop of Swaziland, Ellinah Wamukoya, died Jan. 19 after contracting Covid-19. Her death was announced by Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town, Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa. Bishop Ellinah, known around the world for her advocacy on environmental issues, was admitted to hospital late last week and put on Oxygen therapy after contracting Covid-19. She was 69.

“It is with profound sorrow that I have to announce the devastating news that the Bishop of Swaziland in eSwatini, the Right Revd Ellinah Wamukoya, died today”, Archbishop Thabo said. “We express our deepest condolences to her husband, Okwaro Henry Wamukoya, their children and grandchildren. May her soul rest in peace.”

The Anglican Communion’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Jack Palmer-White, paid tribute, saying: “She was wonderfully dedicated to so many causes – particularly demonstrated through her leadership of the Anglican Communion Environmental Network for a number of years.”

Bishop Ellinah Ntfombi Wamukoya was elected Bishop of Swaziland in 2012, becoming the first female bishop in the Anglican Church in Africa. She was previously the Town Clerk of Manzini, eSwatini’s commercial hub, having earlier served as the City Planner. She held a Master’s degree in Town and Regional Planning.

 

[Duggarite]

6 hours ago, Alisamer said:

My parents are on a waiting list for the vaccine. My aunt has gotten her first shot already (her husband was in the Pfizer trial so has been vaccinated for a while now). I'm hoping things smooth out enough that I can get mine soonish.

An older friend of mine posted a poll on facebook asking whether people were planning to get the vaccine, and I was shocked at the number of people saying no! And these aren't young "vaccines give you autism" conspiracy theorists, either. None of them gave their rationale for avoiding it, either. 

I get choosing not to get it if you have a medical reason not to, but some of these people are just dumb. My brother-in-law doesn't want to get one (despite many members of his - thankfully not nearby - family having Covid right now), because he thinks it'll weaken his immune system or something like that. And he's one of those not-super-bright guys who thinks he's a genius and can't be told anything. I told my sister she should up his life insurance.

I am a healthcare professional and got a reaction that looks like an allergy with the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. I am having some tests done tomorrow to confirm/rule out said allergy and make a plan with a doctor specialized in drug allergies in order to receive the second dose safely. I might not be able to receive it but at least every effort will be made so that I can have my second dose. I imagine if it is deemed unsafe for me to get the second dose I will be vaccinated later with something that I am not allergic to.

 

Some people don't know how much privilege they hold. It pisses me off.

 

I hope you are able to get your jab soon (with no side Effects).

[Duggarite]

5 hours ago, Hane said:

This just in—

The Good: A friend called me to tell me that a major healthcare system in my state opened up vaccinations to 65+. I immediately went on line and got an appointment for this Friday. Good thing I did—the slots filled up fast and now no more appointments are available.

The *Just So Fucking Bad I Could Fucking Scream*: I checked in with another friend my age today. She takes care of her grandkids so often they might as well live with her, and she goes to tons of musical performances and other social venues. (She claims everyone’s “being safe,” but she posts so many pics of unmasked people hugging each other that I had to unfollow her on FB.) She thinks that fresh air and organic homegrown foods are rendering her invulnerable. And when I told her I’m getting vaxed, she said, “You do you—I don’t do vaccines,” I responded, “Well, I believe in germs” and damn near hung up on her. We’ve been friends for some forty years. I was her matron of honor and made her wedding cake and cooked for her when she was recovering from surgery and after her husband died. I think it’s time to loosen the connection.

With all due respect and first of all I do understand that you are upset. Friends are scarce and difficult to get. I promised myself I would not get angry with any of my friends regarding this and even though there have been very difficult moments have managed so far. I do not promise this will work out in the end. Getting the jab will benefit you the most. Once you get the full schedule and enough time passes you are extremely unlikely to end up in an ICU or severely ill. It is also highly likely that you are leas contagious even if you get the disease although the evidence on that is less solid. You are obviously worried about your friend but she has the right to make her own health choices so, my advice would be to do not bring up the subject again and talk about anything else. Chances are she will discover her choice is quite dangerous either in herself or in someone close to her. She might change her mind at that point.

[AmazonGrace]

This scared me

 

[47of74]

Today is the one year anniversary

Quote

It’s been one year since the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the United States. The first case was a man in Washington who had traveled to Wuhan, China where the pandemic began. Since then there have been over 24 million cases in our country, 307,000 of them have been right here in Iowa.

“We are far, far from the end yet,” says Dr. Jorge Salinas, a Hospital Epidemiologist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

In Iowa alone there have been over 4,300 deaths from the virus.

And if the Republicans hadn't sabotaged everything we wouldn't have had as many cases or deaths. 

[Ozlsn]

UK hits record number of covid-19 deaths.

Britain registered a new record for daily COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday, with 1,820 people dying in the space of 24 hours.

The UK has suffered the highest death toll in Europe from COVID-19 and its economy has shrunk the most among the world's industrial power-houses in the first half of 2020.

But the nation has also vaccinated more people against COVID-19 than almost any other country, raising hopes of recovery once its latest lockdown ends and the Government begins to ease restrictions.

My favourite quote from the article is:

British intensive care consultant Greg Fletcher described the situation as "a perfect storm".

"The new variants arrived, we've hit winter at just the wrong time. Christmas has arrived at exactly the worst time it could have done and there has just been a steady, inexorable rise of cases," he said.

"We are still on the ramp of the patients coming through."

Who could possibly have predicted winter and Christmas arriving when they did, right? Or that they would have an effect? Other than all the public health experts who called for tighter regulations to try and reduce transmission at those times of course. 

They are also setting up 'pop up morgues' due to lack of space. Anecdotally a friend working in the UK tells me that some of the hospital problems are due to long covid cases - people are still needing beds who were infected in the first wave. It's scary stuff.

[clueliss]

Fauci will be on Rachel Maddow tomorrow night.  He’s finally back on the media circuit (now that OFM is gone)

[Coconut Flan]

Talk about effectiveness of masks:

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/22/health/face-mask-n95-coronavirus-transmission/index.html

This article or a similar one was recommending a close fitting cloth mask with a surgical mask over it for riskier situations like store, elevators, etc. until N95 masks are more available.

There is a company making medical masks that sells excess production to the public to keep running at top speed on the medical supply chain:

https://www.businessinsider.com/n95-mask-co-review#how-n95-mask-co.-allows-average-consumers-to-buy-masks

[Hane]

I just got Part One of the Pfizer vaccine last night. My healthcare group opened up appointments for people aged 65+ a couple of weeks ago, so I went into its app and snagged mine in the very short window before it got all booked up. An extremely community-minded friend let me know about this, because, as she said, “You’re the only person I know who actually *is* being careful!” Our theory is that these vaccinations became available because the healthcare system wound up with a larger number of doses than expected and wanted as many people to be vaccinated as possible so they wouldn’t go to waste.

I’m not sharing this publicly because so many people we tried to share the info with told us first accused us of lying or sharing false info or “cheating” by “lying about our ages.” (People, the system already knows *everything* about me, with a history of every damn medical appointment and test I’ve ever had, so I’m pretty sure they know my birth date.)

Someone on NPR was urging senior citizens to forgo vaccinations at this time so teachers can have them. Would I have done so if I could have a guarantee that my dose would go to a teacher (such as my sister, who has health factors, or my daughter)? You bet your @$$ I would—but no such guarantee exists.

 

[CTRLZero]

44 minutes ago, Hane said:

I just got Part One of the Pfizer vaccine last night

Congratulations!  ❤️  This whole vaccine availability is so haphazard (at least to me).  We don’t know if we need to wait for notification or be more proactive.  As mentioned in another post, our daughter (a teacher) got a call out of the blue and that worked out for her.  We keep checking our health provider website.  Hopefully we’ll learn something soon. 

Edited January 23, 2021 by CTRLZero

[Hane]

Today I found out why my 24-year-old niece (who teaches elementary school music) has been vaccinated, when my 56-year-old diabetic sister (who teaches middle school science in the same town) hasn’t (but will be in February).  My sister says it’s because my niece teaches little kids who aren’t mask-compliant.

[Coconut Flan]

My county just opened to 65 and up this afternoon.  I'm on a waitlist for a super site and will call my PCP's office Monday since our healthcare system says it now has vaccine.  I may also try our county health office list.

[Becky]

By all means, get on as many lists as you can.  Last week, I put my parents and Mr. Becky on 6 lists - county health department,  state list, multiple medical centers.  He got a call yesterday from one of the medical centers, and will get his first jab on Tuesday.  Parents also have appointments for the first shot.  It pays to be proactive!  

They are all eligible, I am not yet eligible and likely won't be until the very last, when it's "All Swim."  

[clueliss]

But you know, that roll out is going well.  
 

Copper county to my west got its first 250 doses Friday.  They lost their one small hospital during 2020.  

 

[SassyPants]

On 1/23/2021 at 4:01 PM, Hane said:

Today I found out why my 24-year-old niece (who teaches elementary school music) has been vaccinated, when my 56-year-old diabetic sister (who teaches middle school science in the same town) hasn’t (but will be in February).  My sister says it’s because my niece teaches little kids who aren’t mask-compliant.

My paramedic nephew, who has treated and transported dozens of Covid positive patients, still has not received his vaccine. I just can’t understand it.

[AmazonGrace]

 

[Skyline]

We did a trial run at a local daycare on Thursday and I am pissed. They weren't following covid rules at all! At one point a staff member pulled down her mask to blow bubbles in the baby room ? I'm kicking myself for not storming out as soon as I saw that while swearing like a sailor but instead I just complained to another staff member and was brushed off.

Now? Now I have two sick babies awaiting covid tests, a husband who can't work until they test negative, and a mother who may have been exposed. 

I don't know if I'm more scared or angry but I'm alternating between crying and swearing. ??

I have to return to work, this is the only place in two towns that has room for the twins, and I am completely broken. 

[Coconut Flan]

I'm so sorry to hear that.

In slightly better news, my PCP now has vaccine.  They are only vaccinating 75 and up and ACTIVE healthcare workers at this time.  She said perhaps next week they could get to me.  Our county moved to 65 and up today, but I'm guessing it will take a day or two to get direction from the top level of the healthcare group to the individual offices or they're following their own path.