Coronavirus 5: Let the Vaccination Begin

[Coconut Flan]

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/05/14/opinions/cdc-new-mask-guidance-concerns-holtgrave-rosenberg/index.html

What I wish the CDC had considered before issuing the revised guidance.

[Dandruff]

I'm fully vaxxed and will continue to wear a mask indoors around anyone I don't know to be vaxxed.  I expect that most of the selfish, mf assholes who have refused to wear masks indoors will continue to do so (unvaxxed), and the new CDC guidance will help them blend in.  They're not going to suddenly have a revelation and decide to be considerate of others.  Also, I'm getting concerned about the virulent mutations currently in Asia and recent reports of fully vaccinated people testing positive.

Just because people want this pandemic to be over doesn't mean it's going to end any sooner.  The virus certainly doesn't care and there's ample evidence that some will refuse to do the right thing, even with potential death looming for themselves and those nearby.  Therefore, it would make sense for those making the rules to consistently err on the side of caution.

[Becky]

Even under new leadership, the CDC has a long way to go to earn back trust and reliability, and this  somewhat sudden announcement that vaccinated people can go maskless is simply not detailed enough to give me the warm fuzzies.  It will give anti-vaxxers a cover, and it has a whiff of political/economic expediency, IMO -  as it is happening just in time for public places to prepare for Memorial Day, the big summer kickoff event. 

I'm vaccinated, but I'll continue to mask up in public indoor spaces.  I was also just beginning to think I could go into a restaurant under social distancing rules, but now occupancy limits have been lifted in my state, and people can congregate at the bars in restaurants - I'm just not ready to be close to strangers without masks. 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

4 hours ago, Becky said:

It will give anti-vaxxers a cover, and it has a whiff of political/economic expediency, IMO -  as it is happening just in time for public places to prepare for Memorial Day, the big summer kickoff event. 

I have the same feeling.  We're having to work around supply chain issues at work due to the new spike in India, I don't understand why it's suddenly okay to be on the honor system for vaccines when we know there is a non-trivial percentage of people who are both anti-mask and anti-vax.

In other news I'm getting my second shot Tuesday and I'm a little nervous because I had a horrible migraine after the first and an after headache that lasted days.  I'm scheduled for after work and am wfh at least Wednesday just in case.  I got stuck at work last time because lost vision in my right eye due to migraine and had to wait until I could see properly before I could drive home.  

[usmcmom]

My grandson was born a couple weeks early and is now eighteen days old!  We wore masks when meeting him, but my daughter called her pediatrician to clarify mask usage around baby.  Both sets of grandparents were going to be in the house most of the first week and we all wanted to do what was best. He said vaccinated grandparents could hold the baby without masks. We were so excited. 
 

We still are not allowed to kiss Baby but I am so thankful to be holding him and staring into his face while he stares right back. 
 

Anyway, my mother has not and will not be vaccinated.  My poor daughter is so sad because the doctor also said no unvaccinated people are to hold the baby.  She knows she cannot take her new child to visit her grandma and it breaks her heart.  
 

I don’t really want to push anybody to get the shots; but refusing to be vaccinated will have consequences and missing out on special family moments is one of them. I guess my mom will have to live with that. 

[Smash!]

@HerNameIsBuffy I hope you don‘t react as badly to the 2nd vaccine!

@usmcmom Congrats on your grandson, how exciting! If your daughter is vaccinated, baby is somewhat protected through breastmilk (if she nurses).

[usmcmom]

8 minutes ago, Smash! said:

@HerNameIsBuffy I hope you don‘t react as badly to the 2nd vaccine!

@usmcmom Congrats on your grandson, how exciting! If your daughter is vaccinated, baby is somewhat protected through breastmilk (if she nurses).

Thank you! Yes! We are very excited to see if he has the antibodies. She does breastfeed and she did receive the vaccine; so chances are good that he is protected. She also had Covid last July.  Maybe the baby will be protected from all directions.  We sure hope so  

 

 

[Tangy Bee]

I had close friends and relatives who could have died from Covid. Double pneumonia, coughing up blood, can't breathe, can't eat or sleep, high temp, body aches, and some had nice little oxygen tanks as an accessory for a few months after recovery.  So far only one had to have a trache put in. He's finally home after a month in the hospital. I'm certain I will be wearing masks longer.

[mamallama]

Buffy, FWIW I had a huge reaction to the first shot-six days of 102+ fevers at night and the second shot just a few swollen glands, no fever or headache.  

Usmcmom, I breastfed my daughter and chicken pox went around her daycare multiple times and she never got it.  

 

[MomJeans]

9 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

In other news I'm getting my second shot Tuesday and I'm a little nervous because I had a horrible migraine after the first and an after headache that lasted days.  I'm scheduled for after work and am wfh at least Wednesday just in case.  I got stuck at work last time because lost vision in my right eye due to migraine and had to wait until I could see properly before I could drive home.  

For my second shot I kept moving my arm all day long, and drank tons of water on advice from my doctor.  It's not by any means reliable advice, but I had barely any reaction to my second shot.  Hope this helps.

[Dandruff]

Did anyone get a strange taste in their mouth following the vaccine?  I did, briefly, while in the waiting area after my second shot (and it has taken me this long to remember).  Fortunately, it only lasted a few minutes.

[Alisamer]

8 hours ago, Dandruff said:

Did anyone get a strange taste in their mouth following the vaccine?  I did, briefly, while in the waiting area after my second shot (and it has taken me this long to remember).  Fortunately, it only lasted a few minutes.

I didn't, but I've felt like my body temperature is higher than normal ever since the vaccine. It apparently isn't, or if it is it's only a degree or less, but like... say if I was to tuck my hand into my waistband - that skin there feels much warmer than I expect. It's wierd. 

It's an acceptable side effect, IMO. lol!

[usmcmom]

14 hours ago, MomJeans said:

For my second shot I kept moving my arm all day long, and drank tons of water on advice from my doctor.  It's not by any means reliable advice, but I had barely any reaction to my second shot.  Hope this helps.

After my second shot, my daughter texted me to let me know that exercising the arm might prevent soreness. I responded with “Does coloring count? Because it’s my colorin’ arm.” She said “Well...maybe AGGRESSIVE coloring.” 
 

So, I colored like an angry two-year-old. Heh. Not really; but she made me laugh.  

[church_of_dog]

10 hours ago, Dandruff said:

Did anyone get a strange taste in their mouth following the vaccine?  I did, briefly, while in the waiting area after my second shot (and it has taken me this long to remember).  Fortunately, it only lasted a few minutes.

I had a metallic taste in my mouth for several hours following one of my shingles shots last year.  I guess it's not an unheard-of side effect of vaccines.

I think I had a brief moment of it following one of my covid shots but literally just a few seconds.  

I did also hear that massaging the arm/shot site afterwards would help reduce arm soreness -- I would think aggressive coloring or other exercise would work as well!

[HerNameIsBuffy]

2 hours ago, Alisamer said:

I didn't, but I've felt like my body temperature is higher than normal ever since the vaccine. It apparently isn't, or if it is it's only a degree or less, but like... say if I was to tuck my hand into my waistband - that skin there feels much warmer than I expect. It's wierd. 

It's an acceptable side effect, IMO. lol!

I was freezing the next day after my first shot.  Actually wore my mask in my office as it was keeping my face warm.

Not sure if I should post here or in Work Related Woes, but I'm already here and it's vax related...

I met with our safety consultant from insurance agency today - he's here doing audio testing in the plant and I asked him how other clients were going to handle the new CDC directives when the mandate has been lifted.  I didn't know this, but our governor already gave people (including in the workplace) the blessing to follow the CDC guidelines on not needing to mask if fully vaxed + 2 weeks....but isn't revoking the mandate.

So we could still technically get fined if someone who doesn't meet the criteria is reported maskless, but not if they've been fully vaxxed for over 2 weeks.  I can't ask people if they have been, but I thought if they volunteer and can prove they meet requirements we give them some kind of button or something like someone got at work (I think @Alisamer ?) so we'd know who should and shouldn't be wearing a mask.  But we're all uncomfortable with any procedure that involves people publicly disclosing private medical information.  But without some indicator how will anyone remember who is and isn't exempt from mask wearing?  

Apparently the government is comfortable with the honor system, but I'm furious because what the governor did was basically leave a mandate in place while telling people they can disregard it and that is NOT how policy works.  I don't issue policies or even directives that tell them they can disregard same and have no way to check if requirements have been met.  I am IT and QC, my entire brain functions like an If Then Else statement...this breaks the rules of internal controls.  Shouldn't the government in charge of public health know that?

I'm just going to keep stressing that until the mandate is lifted we could be fined, so if it happens and that person didn't meet the requirements they can't say they weren't warned.  So basically I can cover my ass, but do nothing to ensure actual safety.  That's textbook bad policy.

ETA fyi OSHA is currently gearing up to take the maskless in the workplace if vaccinated to court.  

Edited May 17, 2021 by HerNameIsBuffy

[thoughtful]

1 hour ago, usmcmom said:

After my second shot, my daughter texted me to let me know that exercising the arm might prevent soreness. I responded with “Does coloring count? Because it’s my colorin’ arm.” She said “Well...maybe AGGRESSIVE coloring.” 

The trick is to do the coloring on a wall!

 

[Alisamer]

4 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

So we could still technically get fined if someone who doesn't meet the criteria is reported maskless, but not if they've been fully vaxxed for over 2 weeks.  I can't ask people if they have been, but I thought if they volunteer and can prove they meet requirements we give them some kind of button or something like someone got at work (I think @Alisamer ?) so we'd know who should and shouldn't be wearing a mask.  But we're all uncomfortable with any procedure that involves people publicly disclosing private medical information.  But without some indicator how will anyone remember who is and isn't exempt from mask wearing?  

 

Yes, we got buttons! The boss wears his every day, I have one on my purse but keep forgetting to put one on other than that. 

I modified it slightly and it's up on RedBubble now. Also available in masks, t-shirts, etc. LOL! I haven't got my order yet to check the quality on it though. Hopefully it's good!

[ADoyle90815]

California is keeping the mask mandate in until June 15th, which was the original plan to begin with. This will give more people time to get vaccinated by then. After all, state and other guidelines still apply.

[Dandruff]

4 hours ago, church_of_dog said:

I did also hear that massaging the arm/shot site afterwards would help reduce arm soreness -- I would think aggressive coloring or other exercise would work as well!

I never tried aggressive coloring but I do make a point of massaging my arm following vaccines.  It seems to help.  I try to keep it up for at least 5 minutes continuously, or longer with breaks.  When I got my first Shingles vaccine I was in a supermarket with a pharmacy.  As usual, with new substances, I was concerned about a possibly bad allergic reaction.  I shopped right after I got the shot and was thinking "I hope I'm not allergic to this and need epi or have to go to the hospital or die, and - oh - I should push the cart with the shot arm and massage it with my other arm, and don't forget the milk".

[mango_fandango]

Ta da!

[bea]

I took Older to get her first vaccination on Sunday. Younger has 4 months before she turns 12.
We will wear masks this summer. The Venn diagram of people willing to lie about having the vaccine and people who won’t wear masks is pretty much a circle. There’s a LOT of kids in the US under 12, and a lot of kids whose families won’t get them vaccinated. With the rapid pace of variant development, it seems like a huge risk to have everybody just toss the masks.

I am never going to get over the fact that 40% of the country lost its goddamned mind when asked to consider others. Wearing a piece of cloth over their face was simply too much to ask of them. People have apparently lived their whole lives so insulated from others that being inconvenienced feels like being oppressed.

It’s like there’s a huge rainstorm and 60% of us are scrambling around pulling tarps up and sharing umbrellas and putting raincoats on. The other 40% are breaking other people’s umbrellas while shouting at us angrily that it can’t POSSIBLY be raining because they, personally, aren’t wet.

[Ali]

I am so tired of anti-maskers! My freshman told me Friday that don't have to wear masks anymore. I informed them that is only true if you are fully vaxxed. All of them are 14 or 15 so that is not possible unless they were part of an experimental group or they were able to lie to get a shot. I really wish they could have waited until the school year ended! 

I am so tired of complaints about masks and feeling like people don't care if I live or die. 

I am over this school year!

[louisa05]

7 hours ago, Ali said:

I am so tired of anti-maskers! My freshman told me Friday that don't have to wear masks anymore. I informed them that is only true if you are fully vaxxed. All of them are 14 or 15 so that is not possible unless they were part of an experimental group or they were able to lie to get a shot. I really wish they could have waited until the school year ended! 

I am so tired of complaints about masks and feeling like people don't care if I live or die. 

I am over this school year!

I had fifth graders telling me they don’t have to anymore yesterday. Me: you’re ten. You’re not vaccinated. You have to wear them. 
Never mind that the school hasn’t changed their policy. 

[ILoveJellybeans]

Im getting my first dose on Thursday. Getting the Pfizer one.

Here in the UK, theyve been doing it in age order. Currently in the whole country, theyre offering it to people in their mid thirties and above, but our area have officially opened it up to all over 18s because a nearby town has about five times the rate of the surrounding area and theyre concerned about letting this variant spread over here (high compared to the rest of the UK, but not the worst).

I cant wait to get it over and done with, I expected to have to wait longer, so I am glad I can get one as soon as possible. I cant wait for things to go back to normal, and I am glad that I have followed the rules for all of this time and have not gotten covid. I cant wait for hugs (currently you are allowed to hug people as the rules have relaxed a lot, but I am still being careful until I am fully vaccinated), I just want to squish my best friend again, and I have a new nephew coming any day now that I want to meet without worrying (and another due in November!) 

I am absolutely terrified of needles though, but I dont feel as scared about this one and booked an appointment the day I found out that I could. Usually with medical stuff, I will put it off forever and have a friend help talk me into it and help me make the call. I guess that covid seems like a more dangerous threat than anything I have been vaccinated against before because the amount of deaths are so high and the amount of emergency measures that are put in place make it so visible, but all the other ones are under control as there's been a vaccine for it for a while. Im more relieved to be offered it now than anything. Also everyone else who has had it done is just so proud of themselves, with Facebook profile frames and showing off stickers and vaccine cards, so I feel I am missing out.

[Ozlsn]

We have another potential outbreak here. I'm hoping it will convince some of the hesitant to get vaccinated. No one wants to lock down again, and hopefully people will start realising that it's a lot more likely to happen the longer people put off getting vaccinated.

Partly as a result of this they cracked down today on the mask wearing requirements for public transport, which about bloody time. The line that runs to the area where the new cases are had terrible compliance when I travelled on it last month. 

I'm still not in the right age group to get the vaccine, sigh.