Coronavirus 5: Let the Vaccination Begin

[louisa05]

2 hours ago, WiseGirl said:

I am very fortunate that my school district is holding vaccine clinics for employees.  Shot #1 will happen later today. Yes this means shot #2 will be Easter weekend but I will buy myself a bag of Cadbury eggs and eat them for brunch and dinner. Finally I will be able to see my parents...well once the orthopedic releases me to drive long distances.

My district is vaccinating everyone on Monday. Johnson and Johnson, so one and done. I get mine at 11a.m. So relieved. 

[nokidsmom]

Vaccine distribution ramping up in my local area (northern IL) so hopefully can schedule via our county's website.  Mr. No is first priority as he's over 65.  Since going back to the workplace 1-2 times a week, I am now classified as an "essential worker" per CDC guidelines but can wait on the vaccine myself.   Keeping fingers crossed we both can get it soon but not planning on camping out in front of the local CVS.

[Coconut Flan]

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

Well if she has Alzheimer’s I’d be inclined to give your friend a pass.  Especially if she didn’t act this way before. 

I could have worded it better.  The people I was chiding were the ones who had appointments that they bailed on because of what was offered.

My point with her is while she's expressing a wish to just get one injection, she's going to get what her son arranges.  She's beyond arranging things for herself.  

[louisa05]

2 hours ago, Coconut Flan said:

I could have worded it better.  The people I was chiding were the ones who had appointments that they bailed on because of what was offered.

My point with her is while she's expressing a wish to just get one injection, she's going to get what her son arranges.  She's beyond arranging things for herself.  

Some people may have reasons. I have had anaphylaxis and secondary anaphylaxis. Almost died twice. My doctor told me that if only Pfizer or Moderna were available to me that it was a risk-benefit scenario. He said I needed to make sure they were aware of my history and to make sure that an epi pen was basically on the table beside me and they kept me for a half hour if not more. He felt that a one shot non-mRNA vaccine would be safer for me. (None were approved yet when we discussed this). Fortunately, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is the one my district is giving on Monday. If it had not been, since it was approved and becoming available, I may have chosen to wait just for my own peace of mind. 

[JillyO]

I was extremely surprised when CA suddenly added higher ed faculty and staff to the eligible groups in mid-February AND Mr. O and I were able to book vaccine appointments immediately. We went to a FEMA-run drive-through site and while traffic to get in was a bit of a shit-show, the actual site was run very well. We were impressed. Got the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine and both of us only had a sore injection site for a day or two. We'll get our second round this coming Friday and are planning to spend the weekend at home, hopefully not too sick since we have a 7-month-old to take care of. Speaking of, I'm EXTREMELY excited since it's looking like some amount of immunity is passed through breast milk.

Meanwhile in Germany, things are going extremely shitty. My 87 year-old grandfather isn't even eligible yet. ?

[louisa05]

17 minutes ago, JillyO said:

I was extremely surprised when CA suddenly added higher ed faculty and staff to the eligible groups in mid-February AND Mr. O and I were able to book vaccine appointments immediately. We went to a FEMA-run drive-through site and while traffic to get in was a bit of a shit-show, the actual site was run very well. We were impressed. Got the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine and both of us only had a sore injection site for a day or two. We'll get our second round this coming Friday and are planning to spend the weekend at home, hopefully not too sick since we have a 7-month-old to take care of. Speaking of, I'm EXTREMELY excited since it's looking like some amount of immunity is passed through breast milk.

Meanwhile in Germany, things are going extremely shitty. My 87 year-old grandfather isn't even eligible yet. ?

My mom got her second dose of Pfizer yesterday. She's not feeling well today: chills, low grade fever, muscle and joint pain, headache. Hopefully, she is better in the morning. At the site she got hers, everyone had to first go to a table where a PA explained potential side effects and how to handle them. They did not do that when she got her first dose. My only concern is that since she doesn't drink enough liquid normally, she'll get herself dehydrated. That has happened every time she's been sick for the last five years. 

[NotQuiteMotY]

8 hours ago, louisa05 said:

Having been on the receiving end of it, the judgementalism around all of this is ridiculous. 
 

My husband’s job is essential and can’t be done from home. He never had a single day off due to Covid. We have been ranted at by friends and relatives who have determined that by their expert judgement, his job is either not essential or can be done from home. (He is the manager of parts distribution for a company that provides equipment for agriculture and food production). 
 

I am a sub teacher. My districts opened this fall fully in person. We rely on my income as well and once school opened I am not eligible for any unemployment. So I went back to work. Same people feel that we should go ahead and not eat so I can stay home. 
 

My mother is legally blind. We have seen her regularly throughout. She needs regular help with some household tasks. Her vision has declined during this year and for several months, we couldn’t get into the occupational therapist who assesses her assistive technology needs. So I’ve had to handle financial matters and paperwork. Grocery delivery is cost prohibitive and frankly so overwhelmed in her city that getting it is difficult. So I have continued to see her every 1-2 weeks throughout. Friends, acquaintances and relatives have all had to say their piece about how we should not be there even to drop off stuff and bragged about how they’re so virtuous that they will never see their parents again of it comes to that. 
 

No one is willing to consider that everyone’s situation is different. We’ve all had to do what we have to to survive and care for our family’s needs the best we can. This pandemic shaming culture that developed has been too black and white and, frankly, needs to stop. 

See, everything you list here? I'd consider that reasonable. Work and family care. You're doing the best you can, and unless you're not mentioning the massive parties and unnecessary travel, I can understand all of this. What I judge are the people who act like my brother: whine about restrictions, go everywhere they can, don't wear a mask unless they're required to and even then try to get away with their nose out of it. (Why, yes, I AM mad at him.)

[Coconut Flan]

2 hours ago, louisa05 said:

Some people may have reasons. I have had anaphylaxis and secondary anaphylaxis. Almost died twice. My doctor told me that if only Pfizer or Moderna were available to me that it was a risk-benefit scenario. He said I needed to make sure they were aware of my history and to make sure that an epi pen was basically on the table beside me and they kept me for a half hour if not more.

I've had anaphylaxis to vaccines before, too.  I also can't take epi unless it's absolutely, completely essential and if I get epi I get to stay in the hospital on another medication drip.  Oddly my doctor thought the mRNA was less likely to make me react than Johnson and Johnson.  It didn't cause me to have an allergic reaction so we lucked out.   It's all in our individual body chemistry.  They did need to do mine in the office not a mass site. 

My issue isn't people preferring one vaccine over another anyway.  It's signing up for one and no showing over it and wasting the appointment.  That's delaying the whole process for other people in the area over at least a good number of them being vaccine picky without a serious medical reason.  

Knowing what you want or need in advance and scheduling appropriately is what people should do.

Edited March 7, 2021 by Coconut Flan

[Coconut Flan]

59 minutes ago, NotQuiteMotY said:

What I judge are the people who act like my brother: whine about restrictions, go everywhere they can, don't wear a mask unless they're required to and even then try to get away with their nose out of it. (Why, yes, I AM mad at him.)

I'm feeling quite free to judge my anti-vax neighbors having not one, but two of the adult children plus families visit from out of state for a week all at one time without masks or social distancing.  

Edited March 7, 2021 by Coconut Flan

[louisa05]

59 minutes ago, NotQuiteMotY said:

See, everything you list here? I'd consider that reasonable. Work and family care. You're doing the best you can, and unless you're not mentioning the massive parties and unnecessary travel, I can understand all of this. What I judge are the people who act like my brother: whine about restrictions, go everywhere they can, don't wear a mask unless they're required to and even then try to get away with their nose out of it. (Why, yes, I AM mad at him.)

Yes. People being thoroughly careless are a different story. But, frankly, everyone we know who’s bitching at us (and probably a lot of others in their life, too) are people who are lucky enough to be able to work at home, and have access to things like grocery delivery (even pick up in our little town is expensive. Requires a $50/month “membership”). They assume anyone not doing the same things as them is 1–merely refusing to and 2–obviously being careless. 
 

And I know other people dealing with caring for elders getting criticism. The refrain is we should all hire someone. My issue there is that I know I’m taking precautions as much as I can. I would have no idea about hired help. 

[nausicaa]

3 hours ago, JillyO said:

Meanwhile in Germany, things are going extremely shitty. My 87 year-old grandfather isn't even eligible yet. ?

Wow, is that because there is a larger percentage of nonagenarians in Germany than in the U.S., because they are vaccinating essential workers first, or because there just still aren't enough vaccines available?

I was looking at vaccination rates for various countries, and the United States isn't sucking as badly at this as some think. Well, at least comparatively.

I do wonder how the dynamic will be a year from now when most people living in developed countries are vaxxed and most people living in undeveloped countries aren't. I worry about mutations. 

[JillyO]

36 minutes ago, nausicaa said:

Wow, is that because there is a larger percentage of nonagenarians in Germany than in the U.S., because they are vaccinating essential workers first, or because there just still aren't enough vaccines available?

Germany (and most European countries I think) just completely messed up when it came to ordering vaccines, so now they don’t have nearly enough. Technically over 80 year olds (or over 85?) were in the first priority group, along with health care workers working directly with Covid patients. But since supplies are so limited, the state my family lives in is still only vaccinating residents in assisted living facilities, not those who live on their own (which my grandpa does). Other states are handling this differently, as my husband’s grandparents recently got their first shot. But yeah, overall, just not nearly enough vaccines available (except AstraZeneca, which is not recommended for elderly people and now they can’t find anyone who’s eligible and wants it ?). It’s a pretty sad state of affairs overall. 

[Smash!]

@JillyOThere‘s an article on the website of the Robert Koch Institute from 04. March that says the STIKO decided to recommend the Astra vaccine now also for the elderly. If anyone is interested Christian Drosten talked about this topic in length on the Coronavirus Update podcast from 16 February (in German).

[47of74]

My aunt who is an RN asked me if I had my shot yet.  She said some of the sites around here are taking younger people with pre-existing conditions now and that since I had a VSG in 2017 she thought that might be a preexisting condition.  To humor her I did send a message to the surgeon's office to see what he thinks of that, if I should try to get one sooner.  I'm perfectly fine with waiting until it's generally available but I am curious now if having had a VSG puts me at higher risk of complications.  The surgeon and my regular doctor never said anything about it before.

Edited March 7, 2021 by 47of74
typo

[Ozlsn]

Friends of mine who are essential workers are reporting that they are being asked about marital status and maiden name as part of the lead up to getting the vaccine. I assume it's record keeping, but seriously WTF? When they finally get to my group I've decided my maiden name will be Petronella, because why not.

Also a male friend reported that he was asked if he was pregnant or breastfeeding... we tried to encourage him to say yes, but he insisted on being honest. Spoilsport.

[OHFL2009]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:29 PM, louisa05 said:

And I know other people dealing with caring for elders getting criticism. The refrain is we should all hire someone. My issue there is that I know I’m taking precautions as much as I can. I would have no idea about hired help. 

My grandfather was living in an independent living senior facility when the pandemic started, and as his memory/other health issues started to pick up in the Fall, my parents tried to hire a nursing service to come to his apartment daily until he could be moved to assisted living. The nursing service was so overwhelmed that at least 2 or 3 times a week they would call and say the scheduled nurse didn't show up or called out and they had no one to come help my grandfather. So my dad and his sister ended up being there all the time anyway. And hired nurses are NOT cheap.

[louisa05]

3 hours ago, OHFL2009 said:

My grandfather was living in an independent living senior facility when the pandemic started, and as his memory/other health issues started to pick up in the Fall, my parents tried to hire a nursing service to come to his apartment daily until he could be moved to assisted living. The nursing service was so overwhelmed that at least 2 or 3 times a week they would call and say the scheduled nurse didn't show up or called out and they had no one to come help my grandfather. So my dad and his sister ended up being there all the time anyway. And hired nurses are NOT cheap.

My mother doesn’t need nursing care. She needs assistance with errands, paperwork, basic things like changing light bulbs, etc...Someone suggested we hire a college student. Because that’s a way safer bet for avoiding Covid exposures than us. We work, take care of errands and stay home. Lord only knows what a college student would be doing in their free time. 

[Alisamer]

On 3/6/2021 at 7:23 PM, NotQuiteMotY said:

See, everything you list here? I'd consider that reasonable. Work and family care. You're doing the best you can, and unless you're not mentioning the massive parties and unnecessary travel, I can understand all of this. What I judge are the people who act like my brother: whine about restrictions, go everywhere they can, don't wear a mask unless they're required to and even then try to get away with their nose out of it. (Why, yes, I AM mad at him.)

Ugh, there's no way to win the judgelympics. If you're cautious, half the people will say you're being paranoid, and the other half will find something you did that they might not have chosen to do, and judge about that. If you get whatever vaccine is available to you as soon as you can, some will say others might have needed it more. If you wait a little bit because others might need it more, another group will get on your ass about it. (I'm in the "get thee to a vaccine site ASAP" camp, personally, but that's my decision for me.)

I'm sure there are people who would judge me - late in the fall my sister and I took a day trip that was completely unnecessary and just for fun. (It was 95% outdoors, 100% masked except while eating, and in an area we thought would likely have a large percentage of people who follow mask and distancing guidelines... but we didn't have to go. We were just sick of being stuck at home.) I've been shopping a handful of times. I generally don't wear a mask at work unless I'm dealing with a client or someone from outside our business. (Big building, good ventilation, we've all been more or less working together since before the pandemic, everyone currently eligible has been vaccinated, etc.)

We all do what works for us, and make our own choices about possible risks. To me, shopping in Walmart would be risky, being one of two masked shoppers in the Tuesday Morning store for 10 minutes was less so. I don't wipe down my groceries, but I do wash and sanitize my hands. Those things work for me, at my current risk level. 

What I do judge, however? Anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, it's-all-a-hoaxers, nose-hanging-out-of-the-maskers, and Trump supporters. They can all go catch Covid and sit home with it leaving the hospitals for people who have basic common decency, since they don't seem to think it's a big deal. (Sorry, they make me angry.)

Everybody else? Take care of yourself, judge your own risk willingness, wear a mask and get the vaccine when you can. You're doing OK.

Edited March 8, 2021 by Alisamer

[Sarcastically spinster]

On 3/6/2021 at 8:29 PM, louisa05 said:

And I know other people dealing with caring for elders getting criticism. The refrain is we should all hire someone. My issue there is that I know I’m taking precautions as much as I can. I would have no idea about hired help. 

Hiring help does literally nothing to reduce the overall risk.  It just transfers it to home care workers, who are usually overworked and underpaid at the best of times.  

I'm not one to cry privilege in a hurry, but to say you should just hire help is an incredibly privileged viewpoint that treats the hired help as disposable/less valuable.  (Which is also how so many people have seen healthcare workers and the elderly during the whole pandemic and it's been absolutely infuriating to me.)

[clueliss]

That’s intriguing 

 

[bea]

I got the letter today that allows me to get vaccinated - parents of kids with medical needs are 1b in Chicago.  Now I just have to FIND A VACCINE, which is pretty much impossible.  And I know how to use the Internet.

[Coconut Flan]

I've been vaccinated both doses which I called and arranged at of all places the regular family practice where I go for primary care.  I was on a county wait list here in San Diego which it turned out was totally bogus as neither the neighbors or I were ever contacted, but we saw open appointments at that site the next week and following.  However, I have now gotten TWO invitations from different hospitals in LOS ANGELES to set up an appointment and come on down.   

I'm still shaking my head at how the vaccine roll out is working so oddly in some places and not working at all in others.  

In Utah which started letting people with a BMI of 30 and up get vaccinated this week, a relative-in-law who is not obese, but is a very healthy body builder was vaccinated yesterday.  He has a BMI of around 30 due to all that muscle he's developed.  

[Maggie Mae]

Alaska just opened up to everyone over 16. 

[47of74]

A few people develop red patches on their arms after the vaccine.  It’s nothing to worry about. 

Quote

People getting the COVID-19 vaccine should know a very small percentage of them may develop large “scary looking” red patches on their arm that appear about a week after they get the shot.

The delayed reaction, which was documented last week in a letter to The New England Journal of Medicine, so far has only been observed in patients getting the Moderna vaccine.

Doctors are stressing people who experience it don’t need to be concerned.

“One of the biggest messages that we wanted to relay was that this isn't worrisome. It'll go away on its own,” Dr. Kimberly Blumenthal, an allergist at Massachusetts General Hospital and one of the authors of the letter, told TODAY.

It could turn my arm green and gold and cause Packer logos to appear on my skin and I’d still get the vaccine. 

[Alisamer]

1 hour ago, 47of74 said:

A few people develop red patches on their arms after the vaccine.  It’s nothing to worry about. 

It could turn my arm green and gold and cause Packer logos to appear on my skin and I’d still get the vaccine. 

A couple of my co-workers (who think Trump "did a good job!" for context here) have been making the "oh you don't need a button saying you've been vaccinated, people will be able to tell by the third arm you grow hahaha!" joke. Every time, I tell them I would rather have a third arm than die of Covid.

Actually, there have been many multiple times I'd really wished I could sprout an extra arm or two like Stitch/626. Especially when playing handbells. Growing an extra arm would be a feature, not a bug IMO!

I don't have high hopes of getting the vaccine from my doctor's office, I can't even get them to refill my Prozac prescription. I've been out for 2 weeks now and am NOT DOING WELL but daily requests via multiple avenues and also messages left have done nothing so far. They are usually good but this sucks!