Have you gotten a COVID vaccine?

[Mango7100]

There is no "absolute" right way of handling things. It doesn't mean people can't see the big picture. There's a compelling case to be made for vaccinating older people first based on the fact that they are most vulnerable. It's the quickest way to drop the death rate. And the need for ICU beds.

Exactly. I don’t think it’s fair to say that people who were saying 20 something year olds should not necessarily get the vaccine before a 75 year old are so myopic that they can’t see the bigger picture. Maybe the bigger picture includes vaccinating those who are vastly more likely to require hospitalization, further drain resources, and are more likely to die.

You can also argue that a lot of jobs are essential that aren’t necessarily prioritized. Everyone is going to think their job is essential. What about those working in pharmaceutical manufacturing? What about truck drivers and fedex pilots? What about electrical lineman? They are just as essential. And in my opinion it’s hard to argue that a therapist working from home should get a vaccine before some other jobs just because they are medical.

Of course people are going to evaluate the vaccine tiers through their own life experience because that’s what they know. Just like the 20 year old IT person sees themselves as essential to society and can’t understand why a 80 year old who stays at home thinks they should get a vaccine before them. The 80 year old who has had to cut themselves off from contact with others for self protection is more likely to die without a vaccine and can’t see why the 20 year old gets it first.

Bottom line is, nobody is going to be happy until we have an abundance of supply and ability to deliver that supply. There are many ethical questions about how to prioritize and the answer is not black and white.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I’m in NJ and my grandma got a call from a grocery store chain pharmacy to schedule her vaccine. She is 72 but she says she got the call because of her part time job at a senior daycare/LTC facility. They want her to return back to work but, according to my grandma, they must be vaccinated to return. I don’t know if she confused mandatory with preferred but that’s the story I got today.

She is scheduled for Thursday.

 

[DopeyDame]

Sigh....
DH is an EMT/FF and last week they got a form to fill out if they wanted to be vaccinated on January 6 or 7. Then today they were told that only 50 people would be selected for vaccination on Jan 6 and they hope to have enough for everyone else next week.
The one week difference, in and of itself, doesn't really matter in the long run. But the confusion/bungling seems indicative of the bigger problems with the role out.

 

[bdcp]

My MIL (88) has 24/7 private care at her senior IL apt. She's not scheduled yet, but her caregivers are getting them this week through the county as they provide care to at risk seniors. My parents (83) are hoping to get it as soon as it's available at CVS. Some of my family in TX (over 75) were able to go to the county hospital in town and get the shot. The hospital is getting 150 doses a day and my mom's cousin and her husband went right down at were like #45 and 46 on the first day. You have to prove you live in the county. They're not doing it like that here in VA, but I also think the population of their county is why it's working that way there. I doubt it'll work as well in larger cities such as Dallas or Houston. My DIL who is an RN got her first shot this past Sat here in VA with no side effects. So, the rest of us wait.

 

[huskies90]

Having an order of vaccine makes sense on paper. But it is becoming counter productive. We are arguing over who goes first and being outraged about 7 people who cut the line when we need over 250 million to get the vaccine as soon as possible!! Meanwhile, 2/3 of what has been shipped in the US is sitting idle as we continue to argue and governors threaten penalties for going too slow when it was their own priority schedule that is creating the bottleneck. This will only get worse as production/shipment increases.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rida-move-to-penalize-hospitals-idUSKBN2992BG
There should be priority recommendations: health care, first responders, elderly etc. should be encouraged to go first but then just get the darn vaccine into peoples arms!! We all need to get it eventually. We have been isolating for months. Is an extra few months waiting going to make a difference? Meanwhile, as vaccines sit, the virus continues to rage and the people we are trying to prioritize and protect continue being hospitalized.

We should just follow what we do with flu shots. We vaccinate 100+ millions of Americans for the flu usually in the span of a few months every Fall. But because of the priority schedule, we have only been able to vaccinate a few million for Covid in a month during a major health crisis.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Having an order of vaccine makes sense on paper. But it is becoming counter productive. We are arguing over who goes first and being outraged about 7 people who cut the line when we need over 250 million to get the vaccine as soon as possible!! Meanwhile, 2/3 of what has been shipped in the US is sitting idle as we continue to argue and governors threaten penalties for going too slow when it was their own priority schedule that is creating the bottleneck. This will only get worse as production/shipment increases.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...rida-move-to-penalize-hospitals-idUSKBN2992BG
There should be priority recommendations: health care, first responders, elderly etc. should be encouraged to go first but then just get the darn vaccine into peoples arms!! We all need to get it eventually. We have been isolating for months. Is an extra few months waiting going to make a difference? Meanwhile, as vaccines sit, the virus continues to rage and the people we are trying to prioritize and protect continue being hospitalized.

We should just follow what we do with flu shots. We vaccinate 100+ millions of Americans for the flu usually in the span of a few months every Fall. But because of the priority schedule, we have only been able to vaccinate a few million for Covid in a month during a major health crisis.

Not that you don't have good points but we can't treat it like the flu vaccine because the flu vaccine does not have the same storage components to it. The flu vaccine should be stored around 40 degrees F making the issue of pre-planning just what happens to those doses less of an issue. And way more places can store it. Theoretically your fridge at home could store it. Flu vaccine is 1 dose. We have two vaccines presently that each require 2 doses and each of those vaccines has a 1 week difference between their dosages.

As far as priority well there's merits to having such a system in our country with how large it is in size and population. If you are trying to curb the death rate letting just anyone and everyone get it right now won't ensure that. If you are trying to curb the spread letting just anyone and everyone get it right now won't ensure that merely by that. It may help curb spread for parts of the community I think that's a strong possibility but would leave out certain congregate settings and could lead to uneven vaccination.

I think the frustration with how we are doing it is because we're hearing it's going too slow. But that doesn't mean the method itself is the problem. If we had the same method and it was going at a more steady rate we probably wouldn't be saying "just let everyone get it now don't have any order just get it done". I think that should be kept in mind.

 

[mom2rtk]

Sigh....
DH is an EMT/FF and last week they got a form to fill out if they wanted to be vaccinated on January 6 or 7. Then today they were told that only 50 people would be selected for vaccination on Jan 6 and they hope to have enough for everyone else next week.
The one week difference, in and of itself, doesn't really matter in the long run. But the confusion/bungling seems indicative of the bigger problems with the role out.

So frustrating for someone on the front lines like that. I hope they git it figured out soon!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I agree with let’s get into peoples arms. I have been getting emails from my job (3 in the last week) saying to come in and get the vaccine as a walk in that same day (employees only). Makes me wonder if they aren’t getting the amount of people scheduling appointments like they thought they would so they are wide open and taking walk ins. If that’s the case just start giving it out.

They will be going to ambulatory offices next week so maybe that’s the reason for lower numbers and so many open slots. People working the ambulatory sites can’t make it to the hospital to get vaccinated during work hours.

 

[huskies90]

Not that you don't have good points but we can't treat it like the flu vaccine because the flu vaccine does not have the same storage components to it. The flu vaccine should be stored around 40 degrees F making the issue of pre-planning just what happens to those doses less of an issue. And way more places can store it. Theoretically your fridge at home could store it. Flu vaccine is 1 dose. We have two vaccines presently that each require 2 doses and each of those vaccines has a 1 week difference between their dosages.

As far as priority well there's merits to having such a system in our country with how large it is in size and population. If you are trying to curb the death rate letting just anyone and everyone get it right now won't ensure that. If you are trying to curb the spread letting just anyone and everyone get it right now won't ensure that merely by that. It may help curb spread for parts of the community I think that's a strong possibility but would leave out certain congregate settings and could lead to uneven vaccination.

I think the frustration with how we are doing it is because we're hearing it's going too slow. But that doesn't mean the method itself is the problem. If we had the same method and it was going at a more steady rate we probably wouldn't be saying "just let everyone get it now don't have any order just get it done". I think that should be kept in mind.

The storage issue really only applies to Pfizer as I believe Moderna can be stored in a normal freezer. Either way, it should be distributed so it can be used immediately. Locations would know in advance how many doses they are getting and can schedule people accordingly. As for the 2 doses, everyone getting the first dose will be scheduled immediately for the second dose based on which vaccine they received. If locations cannot rely on a second shipment within 3/4 weeks, we have bigger problems anyway so it makes no sense to hold the second dose.

Your second paragraph is exactly why we are doing a priority schedule and I agree it makes 100% sense on paper. But in reality, it is slowing down the process so that it becomes counter productive in curbing the death rate and curbing the spread. I think it will get a bit better but unfortunately, putting restrictions and dependencies always slows down a project (Project Management 101). We should be doing 20-30 million a month. Not 5 million. And if we did 20-30 million, the high priority would get their dose as well and we would get there much faster.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The storage issue really only applies to Pfizer as I believe Moderna can be stored in a normal freezer. Either way, it should be distributed so it can be used immediately. Locations would know in advance how many doses they are getting and can schedule people accordingly. As for the 2 doses, everyone getting the first dose will be scheduled immediately for the second dose based on which vaccine they received. If locations cannot rely on a second shipment within 3/4 weeks, we have bigger problems anyway so it makes no sense to hold the second dose.

Your second paragraph is exactly why we are doing a priority schedule and I agree it makes 100% sense on paper. But in reality, it is slowing down the process so that it becomes counter productive in curbing the death rate and curbing the spread. I think it will get a bit better but unfortunately, putting restrictions and dependencies always slows down a project (Project Management 101). We should be doing 20-30 million a month. Not 5 million. And if we did 20-30 million, the high priority would get their dose as well and we would get there much faster.

Moderna is -4 F for freezer. Significantly less than Pfizer for sure. You're right fridge-wise it's about the same as the flu vaccine but I'm thinking about transportation. Moderna is frozen for transport.

The priority aspect to our approach is only a problem to you because we're not doing as much doses as we should be. But that's also because we don't have the supply. Pfizer and Moderna are supplying the world too. We may have purchased doses but so has other countries. The flu vaccine is a well-oiled machine in which vaccine compositions for the expected strains are worked out well in advance. Purchasing for flu vaccines is typically done by countries months and months in advance of their initial distribution. Unfortunately we haven't got that luxury right now.

The free for all approach was already accounted for in plans when it came to the general population where if you want it you come and get it and anyone who didn't get it before is eligible for it still. The likely reason to put them in the back is because by that point the supply would be ramped up to the point where this very large bucket would have an easier chance at a more plentiful supply and their perception of the burden on the healthcare system was viewed as minimal. Plus you can think of it that when it comes to gen pop there hopefully will be more than 2 vaccines (J&J is close-ish, AZ has been approved elsewhere in the world, etc).

What you propose is just a different strategy and I can't say it's wrong because we have no clue if it is or isn't. People will still be fighting over who gets the vaccine only for different reasons. On this thread you see how people have struggled to get into making an appointment between the slots filling up and the websites crashing and that's with an order. Even on this thread you see the upset aspect of someone who is seemingly not needing it gets it.

With respects to your 2 doses that's not how it's being done though everywhere with people walking out with an appointment and with how some things have been done who knows if these people who randomly got the vaccine will even get the second one.

I'm all for more people being vaccinated; no argument there. IMO I think the issue lies elsewhere with the issue of not as many people getting vaccinated between the amount of doses each state is being sent to plans made for when xyz happens, to NOT allowing health officials to turn away people and call up their friends and family members, etc to the methods a given state is using to get the vaccine to various parts of their state to more. For you the issue lies in the priority ladder set up. I don't think doing away with that will remove the angst surrounding who has the opportunity to get the vaccine and who doesn't though. It may just make it worse at the present moment as the Haves stand a chance at getting the vaccine over the Haves Not if the Haves Not haven't been given some sort of consideration. That's purely my opinion. Like I said I think you brought up good points

 

[disneygirlsng]

Scheduled to get my 2nd dose on Friday! Again waiting for before the weekend even though I could get it tomorrow. I'll update with any reactions.

 

[EACarlson]

The prosecutor says that the pharmacist claims that he thought that it was unsafe. But I don't see how leaving it unrefrigerated would somehow do anything to render it "safe" or if he thought that maybe they'd throw it out and not administer the vaccine.

https://apnews.com/article/milwauke...rus-pandemic-ac00faee3cf10a9558665d472123b96c

Information released today that the pharmacist believed that the vaccine would alter people's DNA, he claimed to be trying to save people from that.
In both good and bad news, they are testing the vaccine to see if it is still effective and can be distributed. If it is there will be no criminal charges against the pharmacist.

 

[snappy]

Maybe it’s just me but after I read all the comments about trying to hunt down an appointment for a vaccine at a pharmacy or clinic on Nextdoor for my neighborhood, I am reminded of how many were posting about trying to find the elusive clorox wipes, sanitizer, and masks not long ago. It was deja vu

 

[tippity]

If it is there will be no criminal charges against the pharmacist.

I am enraged by the pharmacist's actions. On top of that, I am experiencing the same frustrations as everyone else. I think this guy should be thrown in jail for his actions.
However if he isn't charged, I am confident that his life is destroyed. He has lost his license and he will face public censure for the rest of his life. No one will forget his actions.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Information released today that the pharmacist believed that the vaccine would alter people's DNA, he claimed to be trying to save people from that.
In both good and bad news, they are testing the vaccine to see if it is still effective and can be distributed. If it is there will be no criminal charges against the pharmacist.

Sounds like he is mentally unstable.

 

[Dan Murphy]

My son (paramedic/firefighter) got his second vaccine today. His wife (ER nurse) got her first today (she was off on medical leave, just returned to work). She sent this to me today. I told her I was so 'envious', can't wait for my turn.

 

[Katie Dawn]

Got my first dose 5 days ago. Woot Woot! My employer (where I got it from) has Pfizer. Our local Health Department has Moderna. If I start to sprout a 3rd arm I'll let ya know.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Sounds like he is mentally unstable.

This is a large group of extremists who believe this who have gotten a lot of traction in the last year or so. I have a family member who believe it. I don’t talk to them anymore - not because of this.

 

[disneyfam1986]

I am waiting for my email for it now

 

[bdcp]

Information released today that the pharmacist believed that the vaccine would alter people's DNA, he claimed to be trying to save people from that.
In both good and bad news, they are testing the vaccine to see if it is still effective and can be distributed. If it is there will be no criminal charges against the pharmacist.

He should still be charged. Basically it's attempted murder.