Coronavirus 5: Let the Vaccination Begin

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

1 minute ago, violynn said:

DD and I had no reactions to our 2nd Pfizer shots other than a sore arm and a mid-size headache the next day.  I've had more reaction from my yearly flu shot.

I get my Pfizer booster next week, and I'm reassured to hear stories of smaller side effects. My husband felt crappy and had chills the day after his 2nd shot. I guess I won't know how it affects me until I know.

Also, thanks for the news about the vaccine being available to younger kids soon, @47of74. My 12 year old absolutely freaks out about shots, but she'll be getting hers when it's allowed and her doctor recommends it. 

[FiveAcres]

I had nothing beside some soreness at the site with both first and second Pfizer shots. People's reactions seem to be all over the map with the vaccinations, though there does seem to be a rough inverse correlation between age and severity of reaction. 

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

1 hour ago, FiveAcres said:

I had nothing beside some soreness at the site with both first and second Pfizer shots. People's reactions seem to be all over the map with the vaccinations, though there does seem to be a rough inverse correlation between age and severity of reaction. 

My main reaction with the first one was a sore, stiff arm, but I did feel a little nauseated right after the shot. It went away before my 15 minutes in the post-shot waiting area were up, thankfully. (I'm pretty unphased by needles and shots, so it wasn't a psychological thing.) I'm generally in better health than my husband, so I guess might be in my favor. My parents are both over 80, and my dad has colon cancer. Both of them said they didn't have much of a reaction, thank Rufus.

Even if I knew that I would feel like crap for days afterwards, it's still too important to put off or skip. First rule of being a growup (ish) person:  sometimes you have to do things that suck because they really matter.

Edited May 4, 2021 by WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?
added missing word that I didn't see the first 5 times I reread my post :eyeroll:

[NotQuiteMotY]

20 minutes ago, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

My main reaction with the first one was a sore, stiff arm, but I did feel a little nauseated right after the shot. It went away before my 15 minutes in the post-shot waiting area were up, thankfully. (I'm pretty unphased by needles and shots, so it wasn't a psychological thing.) I'm generally in better health than my husband, so I guess might be in my favor. My parents are both over 80, and my dad has colon cancer. Both of them said they didn't have much of a reaction, thank Rufus.

Even if I knew that I would feel like crap for days afterwards, it's still too important to put off or skip. First rule of being a growup (ish) person:  sometimes you have to things that suck because they really matter.

I ended up getting a migraine the afternoon I got mine (Moderna), but I'm prone to them anyway, so...  And I felt crummy the next day after that passed (generally tired and achy), but I can't be sure that it was the shot rather than a migraine "hangover", outside of the sore arm. 

Either way, I'm glad I got it. I have 70+ family members and a grandfather in his 90s, I'm not risking it!

[Ozlsn]

Positive thing: my parents have gotten the first dose. No idea if my in laws have.

Stressful thing: positive case in Sydney with no known connections to hotel quarantine or any other case. Tracing is happening. My personal conspiracy theory is it's come fromQld via Byron Bay and the hens party. I am assuming that I am probably wrong!

Very stressful thing: the situation in India is bloody awful and our government's recent announcement is not helping. I have many colleagues and friends with family there, and the helplessness is excruciating. Wish some of the billionaires would stop competing with weddings, yachts and parties and start competing to vaccinate the most people in low income areas, build the best healthcare (and other) infrastructure, feed the most low income workers, be the best citizens, gain the most karma points (not sure if that is an accurate assessment of how it works).

Edited May 6, 2021 by Ozlsn

[smittykins]

Got the first shot this morning(Moderna).  It stung a little, but no other issues so far.

[thoughtful]

On 5/5/2021 at 11:27 PM, Ozlsn said:

the situation in India is bloody awful and our government's recent announcement is not helping. I have many colleagues and friends with family there, and the helplessness is excruciating

I am with you there. What has been going on in the hospitals there is truly terrifying.

I mentioned earlier that a piano student's uncle was in a hospital in India, with Covid. He  died last week, after two brief rallies. The inability to help, other than listening to her, is awful (luckily, her lessons are not followed immediately by anyone else's so at least she can vent to me after her lesson).

Being the decent person she is, she's not just heartbroken about her family, she is also worried about the whole country, and what could happen to the rest of the world if such a sudden change happens anywhere else.

I ventured out for my first extended time indoors with other people - my car inspection was way overdue, and The Old Gray Mare, as I call it, needed lots of other work, as well. I was there for four and half hours, and felt like I got off easy at that (really, they did a lot!).

I did go outdoors for an hour of it. Also, the place is huge and well-ventilated, and people were masked and keeping distance. I didn't feel nervous or odd about it, but it was the first time, other than getting our vaccines, that I broke my "never indoors with anyone" habit, since March 10, 2020.

[Dandruff]

2 hours ago, thoughtful said:

I mentioned earlier that a piano student's uncle was in a hospital in India, with Covid. He  died last week, after two brief rallies. The inability to help, other than listening to her, is awful (luckily, her lessons are not followed immediately by anyone else's so at least she can vent to me after her lesson).

Being the decent person she is, she's not just heartbroken about her family, she is also worried about the whole country, and what could happen to the rest of the world if such a sudden change happens anywhere else.

I ventured out for my first extended time indoors with other people - my car inspection was way overdue, and The Old Gray Mare, as I call it, needed lots of other work, as well. I was there for four and half hours, and felt like I got off easy at that (really, they did a lot!).

Having someone willing to listen can make a big difference.  You may be helping her more than you know.

COVID has been hard on cars.  Mine is a senior citizen.  It needed to be jumped once last spring, after I hadn't driven it for months.  After that, I started taking it for a weekly drive, typically to nowhere, to charge the battery.  The tires were old and started losing air.  When I finally got it to the mechanic I was told that it was also leaking oil.  The final bill was not low but my car is fixed and I feel much safer driving it.

[FiveAcres]

1 minute ago, Dandruff said:

Having someone willing to listen can make a big difference.  You may be helping her more than you know.

COVID has been hard on cars.  Mine is a senior citizen.  It needed to be jumped once last spring, after I hadn't driven it for months.  After that, I started taking it for a weekly drive, typically to nowhere, to charge the battery.  The tires were old and started losing air.  When I finally got it to the mechanic I was told that it was also leaking oil.  The final bill was not low but my car is fixed and I feel much safer driving it.

When we started the social isolation in March 2020, I warned my partner that he would need to figure out how to keep his Prius (a hybrid car) exercised so the battery wouldn't go dead. He assured me it wouldn't be a problem. I THINK I refrained from saying "I told you so" three months later when he went to drive it and the battery was dead. 

[thoughtful]

I had been vigilant about starting the car and driving it around, until December, which is when my inspection sticker expired. Because of not wanting to be indoors with other people, I didn't get it inspected. So, after December, I only drove to the nearby pharmacy drive-through (after dark), and to get our shots, hoping I wouldn't be spotted by a police officer. Getting the car inspected and repaired was high up on my list of things to do as soon as I was two weeks past my second vaccination.

In fact, the battery died when I absent-mindedly turned the car off in the pharmacy drive-through, when it had only been running for a few minutes, and I had to call AAA (or AA, as Gary would probably call it) for a jump start.

So, a new battery was one of the things I got yesterday. And, now that I am legal, I'll go back to taking the Old Gray Mare out for regular spins, and try to keep her healthy.

[Smash!]

A very long but super interesting Twitter thread about the history of airborne and droplet transmission history. Explains why WHO is still so reluctant to accept aerosol transmission for Sars-CoV-2

 

[WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo?]

On 5/4/2021 at 11:24 AM, WhatWouldJohnCrichtonDo? said:

My main reaction with the first one was a sore, stiff arm, but I did feel a little nauseated right after the shot. It went away before my 15 minutes in the post-shot waiting area were up, thankfully. (I'm pretty unphased by needles and shots, so it wasn't a psychological thing.) snip

Even if I knew that I would feel like crap for days afterwards, it's still too important to put off or skip. First rule of being a growup (ish) person:  sometimes you have to do things that suck because they really matter.

Well, I got my second vaccination this morning. My arm was stiff pretty quickly and I had the light nausea last a bit longer this time. I'm starting to feel physically tired, like I exercised too much for my couch potato body.  ?  I'm sure it won't get too bad, and I'm going to keep reminding myself that having an immune reaction to a vaccine is a good thing!  

I'm so glad that we have a vaccine and that so many people have gotten/are getting it! Science is awesome.  

[mango_fandango]

My brother had his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine today. We’re both in our twenties, the reason we’re eligible to get vaccinated earlier than others our age is because we live with an immunosuppressed adult (our dad) and the vaccine may not be as effective in them. My brother and I each had to send off an email to ask about getting vaccinated early, my brother sent his email off before I did hence why he’s already had his first dose. I’m waiting on a response to my email, hopefully I get my appointment soon!

Dad has had his two doses of the vaccine (AstraZeneca), we just don’t know how effective it has been in him. My mother has her first dose of the vaccine as she’s over 50, the newest age group who are eligible are those 40-49. So if my mother, brother and I can all be vaccinated, it’ll help protect my dad. 

[catlady]

I got #2 of Moderna last night, and so far my arm feels bruised (like with #1) but no other side effects yet.  I feel a little tired; but I’m 50, overweight, and I stayed up a bit late so it may have nothing to do with the shot ?.  Now my household of three is done.

[bea]

Just made my 14yo daughter’s vax appointment!!
Hooray!

[clueliss]

So at work today, they gave the second round of covid vax.  I had mine outside of work and am at full immunity already.  Then HR sent an email saying that effective May 31 (in other words, after those that got fully based at work) they are removing  all emergency leave pay due to covid.  That if exposed those who are fully vaccinated and after the two week Mark can come to the office so long as they are asymptotic.  However those not vaccinated or who only got one of the two needed vaccines will have to stay out - without any extra leave allowed (in other words, without pay).  
 

I actually wondered if something like this was going to take place.  

[Ozlsn]

8 hours ago, clueliss said:

However those not vaccinated or who only got one of the two needed vaccines will have to stay out - without any extra leave allowed (in other words, without pay).  

Well that's an interesting way to keep the outbreaks going. 

[Alisamer]

17 hours ago, clueliss said:

However those not vaccinated or who only got one of the two needed vaccines will have to stay out - without any extra leave allowed (in other words, without pay).  

Hopefully that'll end up encouraging the hesitant to get their shots, rather than just encouraging an outbreak.

(Also, a little self promo - I posted my Hamilton parody "get your shots" graphic in the comics section a while back, and now it's available on Redbubble as a mask (linked) or stickers or whatever.)

[HerNameIsBuffy]

9 hours ago, Ozlsn said:

Well that's an interesting way to keep the outbreaks going. 

Yep.  The lack of covid pay for those who need is not helping.  I knew when our governor "recommended" employers provide covid pay rather than mandating it we were screwed.

Had to send out yet another email today reminding people the mask mandate is still in effect and as the CDC doesn't yet know everything about if you can be a vaccinated carrier/spreader, how long it lasts, how it works with variants that we still have to be safe, etc.

Before that email three people had walked into my office without masks.  Now I'm back to being the mask police.  They were doing so well but once most of the office was vaccinated so many people started getting sloppy with mask wearing, distancing, etc.  I am over this having to treat people like toddlers thing.

[Sarcastically spinster]

And CDC says that vaccinated adults can go back to normal life, essentially.  

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fully-vaccinated-americans-return-life-masks-cdc/story?id=77665771&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=curated 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

3 minutes ago, Sarcastically spinster said:

And CDC says that vaccinated adults can go back to normal life, essentially.  

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fully-vaccinated-americans-return-life-masks-cdc/story?id=77665771&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=curated 

Wow - that was not noted when I pulled up the CDC to quote for the email I sent out at work saying they still didn't know if the vaccinated could still spread it.

I wonder how this will shake out for businesses.  If the state lifts the mask restrictions for the vaccinated how do we police this in the workplace.  Managers won't be able to remember the vac status of all their people, so .... everyone who is exempt wears a sticker or something?

I'm thrilled if being vaccinated offers this kind of safety, thanks for posting this.  

[Alisamer]

I'm grabbing a "fully vaccinated" button from my boss before I leave today. I'm glad for this, but also worried it might be too soon. I'll probably still wear a mask in crowded places at least, but probably not bother outdoors anymore. 

[Sarcastically spinster]

49 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I wonder how this will shake out for businesses.  If the state lifts the mask restrictions for the vaccinated how do we police this in the workplace.

I believe in my state, it's actually illegal to wear a mask unless it's permitted by a situation like the current when there's a state of emergency and executive orders saying otherwise.  I'm *really* curious how that's going to shake out for businesses.  I haven't checked into the actual statutes myself yet, but I wonder if businesses can even require them if they aren't state mandated.  

[Bluebirdbluebell]

2 hours ago, Sarcastically spinster said:

And CDC says that vaccinated adults can go back to normal life, essentially.  

 

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fully-vaccinated-americans-return-life-masks-cdc/story?id=77665771&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=news_tab&utm_content=curated 

I'm so angry about this. This is a horrible decision. Letting all Americans walk around without masks INDOORS! F^^k the CDC! It's only for fully vaccinated people, but how much do you want to bet anti-vaxxers won't care? This is really stupid and short-sighted for the CDC! We haven't had a chance to vaccinate the children yet! What are they thinking?

[louisa05]

7 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I'm so angry about this. This is a horrible decision. Letting all Americans walk around without masks INDOORS! F^^k the CDC! It's only for fully vaccinated people, but how much do you want to bet anti-vaxxers won't care? This is really stupid and short-sighted for the CDC! We haven't had a chance to vaccinate the children yet! What are they thinking?

My hillbilly anti-vax relatives are literally discussing that they’re going to have to start wearing masks because they think vaccinated people are somehow going to pass (imaginary) side effects to them. So there is that.