Coronavirus 5: Let the Vaccination Begin

[Ozlsn]

8 hours ago, 47of74 said:

One thing I wish states would do would be to give people the option to have a sticker placed on their drivers licenses and print new licenses with some sort of symbol that indicates a person is fully vaccinated.  Same with the Federal government and passports.  I don't see the vaccine cards lasting too long if people have to carry them everywhere.  Having them on licenses and passports would be better because those documents are a lot more durable than vaccine cards.  Of course with covidiots like Reynolds, Abbott, DeSatan, Noem and so on that's a lot easier said than done.   (Note I said option.  I'm not down with making it mandatory). 

I do wonder if it will become like yellow fever vaccination for a while in that you need to show evidence of vaccination to enter/get a visa for certain places. 

I am happy because NZ and Australia have come to an agreement to allow cross-Ditch travel, so quite a few friends will be able to go and see family without needing to quarantine soon. 

[ADoyle90815]

I just got a plastic sleeve for my vaccine card and put it in the place I keep my passport. I'm not laminating it in case we need to get boosters for a few years.  I did stop by Krispy Kreme as there's one where I live for the free donut on the way home from the vaccination site although it's not something I would do every day even though it's the offer. About a full day after I got the second Moderna, I got the body aches which I say are just like when you've overdone it during a workout. I did feel my body temperature go up, but it's not high enough to be considered a fever. I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow, as I've been drinking plenty of water and rested today.

Edited April 8, 2021 by ADoyle90815

[clueliss]

Staples and I think Office Depot (look for a coupon for the latter I think) will laminate your vax card for free after the second dose.

[Audrey2]

My BFF got his today! His brother will be eligible on April 19th. My brother is eligible but doesn't have his scheduled yet.

[Alisamer]

On 4/6/2021 at 6:50 PM, 47of74 said:

One thing I wish states would do would be to give people the option to have a sticker placed on their drivers licenses and print new licenses with some sort of symbol that indicates a person is fully vaccinated.  Same with the Federal government and passports.  I don't see the vaccine cards lasting too long if people have to carry them everywhere.  Having them on licenses and passports would be better because those documents are a lot more durable than vaccine cards.  Of course with covidiots like Reynolds, Abbott, DeSatan, Noem and so on that's a lot easier said than done.   (Note I said option.  I'm not down with making it mandatory). 

Yeah, I can see that being nice - my yellow card is kept in my passport wallet and very rarely handled but it's still starting to get that "old card stock" softness to it and feels fragile. Right now I have my vaccine card in there with it. With all the RFID stuff passports have it seems like travel vaccine records could be linked to that electronically - what I have now is handwritten scrawls with a grungy ancient-looking date stamp beside it recording what vaccine was given, where, and when. It looks very mid-last-century compared to how most things are these days. Which I guess is probably necessary for many of the areas where vaccines like Yellow Fever are required - they aren't generally the most technologically advanced countries and governments out there. But for Covid, which will likely effect most if not all countries, I think it could be recorded electronically.

I'm also slightly amused that there is some uproar among the Trumpsters online about the Covid vaccine possibly being required (OMG!) for international travel in the future. Clearly the uproar is not by people who have traveled much... there are already plenty of vaccine requirements for travel to certain places, and already a yellow card to record those vaccines that has to be presented when asked upon entry to those countries. (I've never been asked, but I have the card!)

I get my second Pfizer vaccine THIS AFTERNOON! I have never been so excited to get a shot before. I think my mom (already fully vaccinated) is going to join me and after the shot is done we'll go walking and to catch some Pokemon. She's already 4 levels ahead of me in Pokemon Go. There are few things more hilarious than having a notification come up on your phone from Discord planning a raid and saying "-alisamer's (70+ yo) mom - I got u fam!"

[OHFL2009]

11 hours ago, ADoyle90815 said:

I did stop by Krispy Kreme as there's one where I live for the free donut on the way home from the vaccination site although it's not something I would do every day even though it's the offer. 

I can't eat Krispy Kreme (dairy allergy) but I'm getting my shot at the grocery store this weekend, so I might have to buy myself a treat while I'm there. Like when you used to get a lollipop when you got shots at the doctor as a kid. Except it might be a pint of dairy-free Ben & Jerry's...

[CTRLZero]

52 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

I get my second Pfizer vaccine THIS AFTERNOON! I have never been so excited to get a shot before.

Ditto!  ❤️  Afterwards, we’re picking up takeout to celebrate.  We are so looking forward to eventually seeing our loved ones in person again.  Feeling hopeful! 

We both have old yellow cards.  My husband has an extensive vaccination record from his military days.  I don’t get the uproar over producing records for international travel.  It’s been a requirement in some jurisdictions for eons.  
We are keeping copies of our Covid-19 cards with our passports, in our vehicles, in our carry-on luggage, etc., and we’ve also taken photos to keep on our phone.  I’ll have to buy some plastic sleeves for them, like @ADoyle90815 mentions above.  

[47of74]

1 hour ago, Alisamer said:

I'm also slightly amused that there is some uproar among the Trumpsters online about the Covid vaccine possibly being required (OMG!) for international travel in the future. Clearly the uproar is not by people who have traveled much... there are already plenty of vaccine requirements for travel to certain places, and already a yellow card to record those vaccines that has to be presented when asked upon entry to those countries. (I've never been asked, but I have the card!)

I bet a lot of the Branch Trumpvidians whining about the vaccine being required for international travel wouldn't travel internationally.  If they did it would just be on a cruise ship or to some resort in Mexico at most.  Traveling internationally would mean being exposed to other cultures and languages which is anathema to many BTs.  Especially if they're to non-Christian and/or non-white parts of the world. 

I always let my primary care doctor know if I was traveling outside the US so they could refer me to travel medicine.  I think most of the time if vaccines were required they were ones I got a long time ago.  I do recall having some shots that were not required but highly recommended by the travel medicine doctor on a couple of my trips.  Plus it was good to get a letter to carry with my documents saying that I had medication and if foreign officials had any questions who they could call. 

[church_of_dog]

12 minutes ago, CTRLZero said:

Ditto!  ❤️  Afterwards, we’re picking up takeout to celebrate.  We are so looking forward to eventually seeing our loved ones in person again.  Feeling hopeful! 

We both have old yellow cards.  My husband has an extensive vaccination record from his military days.  I don’t get the uproar over producing records for international travel.  It’s been a requirement in some jurisdictions for eons.  
We are keeping copies of our Covid-19 cards with our passports, in our vehicles, in our carry-on luggage, etc., and we’ve also taken photos to keep on our phone.  I’ll have to buy some plastic sleeves for them, like @ADoyle90815 mentions above.  

Triplo!

And I'll get some Thai food takeout too, not so much to celebrate but because getting the vaccine requires going into the big city (of 2500 people) which is an event in itself.  So my day also includes plans for an oil change, a pop into the drugstore for a few things (including possibly some post-easter chocolate eggs?  Why yes please!), a trip to the 'fancy' grocery store, and some takeout thai soup for dinner -- actually enough for a few meals just in case I'm not feeling up to cooking tomorrow.

[Coconut Flan]

18 hours ago, ADoyle90815 said:

I just got a plastic sleeve for my vaccine card and put it in the place I keep my passport. I'm not laminating it in case we need to get boosters for a few years. 

I bought plastic sleeves for my whole family.  I heard not to laminate it, too.

Only two days until all the adults will have at least one dose.  

Edited April 8, 2021 by Coconut Flan

[47of74]

I think of this scene from MASH every time I see some unmasked person in a business.

God where's Colonel Potter when you need him?  Few anti-maskers would want to cross him.

[Ozlsn]

Meanwhile our rollout has hit another speed bump with the Astra-Zeneca vaccine now being not suggested for under-50 year olds due to the clotting risk. This has led to people with appointments being turned away today, ffs, and a lot of confusion. The only vaccine we really have here is the A-Z vaccine, with a limited amount of Pfizer. CSL is making the A-Z vaccine under licence, but we don't have capacity at this stage to produce the RNA vaccines. 

To be honest I'm frustrated. Yes, there is a clotting risk, but it is significantly less than the risk of DVT caused by travelling or of clotting caused by the pill. My state will let you get the vaccine as long as you're aware of the risks, which hopefully means the rollout will continue, but at this rate I'll be over 70 before I get vaccinated. I am now extremely dubious as to whether I'll be able to travel internationally again ever - well other than to NZ, which I am travelling the hell out of ASAP.

[SassyPants]

On 4/7/2021 at 3:42 AM, Ozlsn said:

I do wonder if it will become like yellow fever vaccination for a while in that you need to show evidence of vaccination to enter/get a visa for certain places. 

I am happy because NZ and Australia have come to an agreement to allow cross-Ditch travel, so quite a few friends will be able to go and see family without needing to quarantine soon. 

Costa Rica denied me entrance from So America because my Yellow Fever shot had been administered too close to my travel date. All of my family took a vacation  and I went back home to the US. I’m still bitter some 5 years later. Still haven’t been to Costa Rica.?

[FiveAcres]

I had to go to Urgent Care this morning for what was diagnosed as a superficial eyelid infection. The physician and I were bonding over how great it was to get our vaccinations against COVID-19. (And how irritating it was to see people who didn't know how to wear a mask properly.) A few minutes later, before I left, I saw that her laptop had a Fauci sticker on it. 

I went to CVS to pick up my prescriptions and was surprised about how many people there were in a store that was usually pretty empty in the mornings. Then I saw that they were signed up for COVID-19 vaccinations. It mainly looked like people who were younger than sixty. Colorado recently opened up eligibility to all adults.

Edited April 10, 2021 by FiveAcres
typo

[Denim Jumper]

Mr. Jumper and I both got our second doses last week, so it was a relief to feel like we are moving forward... and then one of children was placed in quarantine after a classmate tested positive. So far she has no symptoms, thank goodness, but she is not handing it well emotionally (very outgoing teenager, pissed about missing gymnastics).
 

We have been on tenterhooks from day one, obviously because of worry that she’d get sick (my grandma died from it, so I know it’s no joke)... but also because I a really important specialist appointment this week that I made 6 months ago, which I would have to cancel, even though I am vaccinated. Geez, that sounds really selfish when I type it out.

[47of74]

Local health officials have said yes the cards are important but don't stress too much over them.

Quote

After questions from recipients of the vaccines against COVID-19, area health officials said Friday that people need not worry too much about the cards they receive after their first dose.

These cards, explained Kara Nadermann, pharmacy director at MercyOne Medical Center-Dubuque, are provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control along with the vaccine shipments and are for the recipients themselves.

“It is really for their records,” she said. “It is their own personal record for having the vaccination, if they ever wanted to go back and see what lot of vaccination they got. As far as health care providers go, we all have access to the IRIS registry.”

“We’re not into the era yet where vaccines are required, but we don’t know what the future holds,” said City of Dubuque Public Health Specialist Mary Rose Corrigan. “So, everyone having a vaccine card to show proof of vaccination is a good option for that. The other time it’s going to come in handy is if you have a workplace exposure or other exposure. You probably wouldn’t have to quarantine and could just monitor for symptoms, since we know the risk of exposure is much lower for those who are vaccinated.”

 

[WiseGirl]

On 4/4/2021 at 10:45 PM, SassyPants said:

I agree about the Shingles vaccine. Have you gotten the second one? I had to delay d/t getting the 2 Covid vaccines. I’m afraid of that one.

I did. I got them both before COVID  hit. I was pleasantly surprised that shot #2 was so much easier. A bit of arm pain and that was it.

This Girl is still masking and sanitizing even though vaccinated because you can still get COVID (although supposedly rare).

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/yes-you-can-still-get-covid-after-being-fully-vaccinated-but-what-are-the-odds/2476593/

[SilverBeach]

Fully vaccinated for five weeks now (Moderna). Yay! No thanks to the county I live in, I camped out on a drug store site and found a slot that way.  The first injection was a nothing burger. After the second, I was extremely fatigued the next day, and back to normal the day after that. Pretty much nothing then either.

The key people in my life are now fully vaccinated, and I cried the first time we were able to gather indoors without masks. When I go out though, I'm still masked and nervous around lax strangers and while indoors. The vaccine is excellent, but old timers like me do not attain maximum protection levels, and it's not 100% anyway, plus variants, and I'm high-risk. In my area, cases are rising although mostly among younger folks. So, I'm breathing easier, but not easy, not just yet. BTW, I'm literally breathing easier, I had a second nasal surgery after attaining full vaccination status, and I'm feeling great. 

I do wish that more education was given about vaccine maximization, such as avoiding anti-inflammatory medicines for a few weeks before, if at all possible, including steroids. These drugs reduce immune response and should be avoided or allowed to clear the system before taking any vaccine (if at all possible), not just the Covid one. Some people will not attain maximum effectiveness because of this. But still, this vaccine is just about a miracle and I'm so thankful for modern science. And I'm so happy for all of you and your loved ones that have been vaccinated also. The rest of you, hang in there. Your day is coming soon!

Edited April 12, 2021 by SilverBeach

[OHFL2009]

Got my shot yesterday! I ended up with the J&J, so I'm done with shots! Well COVID shots. I still have to get 3 shots a week for allergies. I had a bit of a headache last night, but that could just have easily been from the nasty weather we were having, and my arm is slightly sore today, but only noticeable if I move it a certain way. And when I went to buy myself a pint of dairy-free ice cream as a post-shot treat, a new brand of oat milk ice cream I'd been wanting to try was BOGO. Double treat! My mom asked if I was having any side effects and I asked if I could justify wanting to eat an entire pint of ice cream as a side effect. She said no ?

[Alisamer]

Got my second Pfizer shot on Thursday afternoon! Taking Friday off work was a good call. The first shot my only side effect was mild arm pain for about 24 hours where the shot was. This time? It reacted JUST like a flu shot for me - very painful, very itchy, swollen and red. It still is, but the pain is now just when I bump or touch it, not constant. Friday I had a headache and was tired (but tired=normal IMO) which was OK, but then later in the day I started running a low fever and felt really lousy. Saturday was a little better, and yesterday was much better. I did give in and take some Tylenol Friday night so I could sleep, but otherwise I've just rested and been lazy. I'm back at work today. 

Definitely worth it! Not fun, but much better than having COVID. 

Co-worker I complained about last week had gotten appointments for Saturday, but then the place didn't get their doses in so now she and her husband are being re-scheduled. 

I'm counting down the days until 2 weeks past second vaccine. I'll still wear masks and all, but I'll be so relieved. I'm gonna go back to the gym! My mom and I had planned to start walking most afternoons, but then my sister decided to join in and I only made it one outing. Her pace is far too fast for me, so she's like "Hehe gonna make it?" and I'm like "what choice have I got?!?!" (I feel like I could probably walk for hours/miles at my own pace, but at her pace? Not so much. I was done after 2 miles. I'm going to try again today and I think mom and I are just going to let her go off on her own and not bother trying to keep up with her.)

The world feels like it's starting to inch out of panic mode, for me. 

[CTRLZero]

1 hour ago, Alisamer said:

Got my second Pfizer shot on Thursday afternoon!

Me, too!  My symptoms were similar, but my arm wasn’t as sore as I anticipated.  It was a little itchy, though.  
I’m starting to dream of things like a haircut, gym membership, and travel.  It’s great to be fully vaccinated.  I wonder if we’ll eventually need boosters, but that’s a question for another year.  ?

[therulesofjinx]

Eligibility opened up to folks 30 yo+ today in my state (there's been a huge drive to get older folks, front line workers, teachers, folks with underlying conditions, etc. done first, so I've been patiently waiting...) and my fiance and I were able to schedule our vaccine appointments! Our appointments aren't until May 10th, but I'm going to keep an eye on drugstore appointments to try to get in a little earlier! My mom had her second vaccine last Friday and my fiance's mom gets her second shot soon! He hasn't seen her since last October for a very, very brief visit so she's excited to be able to travel here in late spring!!!  I was going to apologize for my overuse of exclamation points but I'm excited and I feel that they are warranted.

[bea]

Moderna #2! And my arm is killing me, I wish I’d ordered takeout!

[Dandruff]

The CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare clotting disorder:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/coronavirus/what-to-do-now-if-you-got-the-jj-vaccine/2638339/

 

[OHFL2009]

12 minutes ago, Dandruff said:

The CDC and FDA have recommended a pause in use of the J&J COVID-19 vaccine following reports of rare clotting disorder:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/coronavirus/what-to-do-now-if-you-got-the-jj-vaccine/2638339/

 

I was not excited to see this today after getting my J&J shot on Sunday. I know it's super rare (looks like less than 1 in a million who have gotten the shot so far reported) but I was very excited to be vaccinated and now I'm nervous. It looks like all reported cases occurred within 2 weeks of the shot, so now I guess I have even more reason to countdown to 2 weeks from Sunday.