River Cruisers: How Are Things Where YOU Are?

[ural guy]

8 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Here in Toronto, we hit 20 degrees C yesterday. Tomorrow we are expecting a high of 1 with a chance of flurries. I guess it is spring.

Ditto, but on the eastern end of the lake we share, they're talking 3" - 10" of snow.  That's a pretty big range, so time will tell, as it always does.  At least it won't last.

[Coral]

Our COVID-19 news is bizarre in our state, but not surprising. A large part of our state doesn't believe in face masks or vaccines for that matter. Then our 2 largest cities/counties have a mask mandate and can't vaccinate people quick enough. The 2 largest cities have more medical and educational personnel and these individuals are part of a group more likely to want vaccines.

 

Our state has been allocating our vaccines due to population of our counties. We have areas that have an abundance of vaccines and our county is behind every other county in phases. Other counties have been vaccinating anyone who wants it who is 16 or 18 and older. We are focusing on age and this week those who are 59 qualify, next week 55 and older.

 

Finally - our governor decided to change from the % of population model of allocating vaccines to a "dynamic model" which is a term I hear mostly in cruise line and airline pricing. This is good news that our 2 largest cities will be getting more vaccines, finally!

 

Right now - most of my friends are having to drive out of town to get a vaccine in another county as it was going to take a long time to qualify in our county. This has been an accepted practice with the Federal pharmacy program. The small towns are accepting of it and welcoming it. Some are even advertising in our city to come to their town to get vaccines. Just bizarre......

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

13 minutes ago, Coral said:

The small towns are accepting of it and welcoming it. Some are even advertising in our city to come to their town to get vaccines. Just bizarre......

Come on down – get your shot, gas up, have lunch:  help our internal tourism economy.  Why not?

[gnome12]

18 minutes ago, Coral said:

Our state has been allocating our vaccines due to population of our counties. We have areas that have an abundance of vaccines and our county is behind every other county in phases. Other counties have been vaccinating anyone who wants it who is 16 or 18 and older. We are focusing on age and this week those who are 59 qualify, next week 55 and older.

 

Finally - our governor decided to change from the % of population model of allocating vaccines to a "dynamic model" which is a term I hear mostly in cruise line and airline pricing. This is good news that our 2 largest cities will be getting more vaccines, finally!

We had a similar problem in Ontario. At the beginning they allocated vaccines by population. However, one of the top priority groups was front-line health workers. Since Toronto has many of the large teaching hospitals, we didn’t get to start our older population inoculations until later than some neighbouring municipalities. It took the province a while to change the way they allocated vaccines. 

[Coral]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Come on down – get your shot, gas up, have lunch:  help our internal tourism economy.  Why not?

One of the towns that did this on Monday had a population of 1100. I don't know what internal tourism they have...... I did a search and they do have a few restaurants - who would have thought??!

[notamermaid]

Reputable news outlets here have suggested that there is evidence that Russia is "inviting" non-citizens to Moscow to be vaccinated. I know from third-party info of a local woman here (an expatriate) who was planning to fly to Saint Petersburg to get a jab. It may not be a perfect thing to do but I prefer to get annoyed with people who reject the idea of getting vaccinated for minor reasons. If people trust the Sputnik V and there are enough doses for those who want it it sounds okay to me.

 

Here in Germany, our chancellor and health minister have both said they will be willing to get the AstraZeneca vaccine when it is their turn. Our chancellor has only just become eligible and our health minister is now too young according to the new rules. But it has been announced this morning that our president has had his first AstraZeneca jab. Don't expect a thumbs up photo though, we do not regard this kind of publicity necessary here. 😉 They did take a photo of the procedure though. People have suggested that our chancellor do that publicly but I doubt she will and I do not regard it as necessary.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by notamermaid
Added info

[notamermaid]

It is a quiet sad day, Good Friday, in a religious sense but also quieter in that church services do not happen in most places. While every place seems to be going downhill and infections rising, much of Schleswig-Holstein and one place in Rhineland-Palatinate are holding out and shining bright - light orange on a map of varying intensities of red. The rural district of Bernkastel-Wittlich, which is near and along the Moselle, has the second lowest seven day incidence rate in the whole of Germany. Perhaps I should have a trip out to the Moselle again this weekend.

 

I am still off work until the 18th but I have the feeling it might be longer...

 

Tons of shipments of vaccines coming next week, they have promised us.

 

The big news is the weekly report from the British government: 30 cases of the rare blood clotting disorder have been confirmed in the UK, that is up from five known previously. That certainly changes the narrative for British statistics. To reiterate: the AstraZeneca vaccine is effective and an essential tool, there is no question about that neither in the UK nor Germany. Our leaders here were quick to point that out in the press conference. The aim is to find the subset of people who have a high risk of adverse effects, which in the age group 20 to 29 here in Germany has been statistically found to be so high as to potentially reverse the risk-benefit ratio, according to a doctor's association. Important to note on the British website is that the report included also many adverse effects for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, but no serious rare blood clotting.

 

I have just read that Australia is investigating a case of rare blood clotting in a 44-year-old man after the AstraZeneca vaccine.

 

Easter temperatures will be a bit lower than the really warm two days we have just had and rain will be with us on several days next week. Nature needs that.

 

Oh, and remember: wearing a mask helps against pollen, too. ☺️ 

 

notamermaid

 

[sharkster77]

For those who asked about the health of our old-man dog, not-bad news yesterday:  he doesn't have any liver tumors but has enlarged adrenals, which could mean Cushing's disease.  He'll be tested in the future for Cushing's, and if positive, it can be managed with drugs.  (He has a liver number that should be around 100, but is 2100 instead).  Cushing's often elevates liver numbers, we are told.  We were told he basically has the liver of an old dog, as expected.

 

Thanks to all those who inquired----pets really are family members!

[notamermaid]

Oh, so good to read. Old age comes with its problems, thankfully with your dog it sounds a manageable one. Hope the situation progresses well for your family, all human and animal members. ☺️ 

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Oh manageable news sharkster77  give the elderly gentleman a hug from me. Easter Sunday will be a big day for us we will see our family for the first time for about a year including our newest member Alba the rescue pointer, getting so excited. CA

[notamermaid]

I am really happy for you @Canal archive. Big excitement. I know you will be vigilant with the meeting and hugging but I fear the dog may be overcome with excitement, hope she does not run towards you after a good swim. 😁 

 

Have a great Easter weekend.

 

notamermaid 

 

 

[Daisi]

So glad to hear that @sharkster77, we lost our cat a few weeks ago from kidney desease.  She was 20, and had been living with it for over 5 years, so I guess that it was time.  Still doesn't make it any easier.

 

@Canal archive, how exciting to have a family dinner again.  We are doing our regular "travel" meal...delivering dinner to family members.  We drop off at the closest, then one of my sisters will pick up theirs and others.  She will deliver the ones to our other sister, who will then deliver them to the two sets of parents.  Then an arranged zoom call to all eat together.  We started doing this in August, and it works well....dinner together but safely apart.

 

Good news here though, they have opened up vaccines in the pharmacies for those 55+.  We are on a waiting list. 🙂  Hoping that by Christmas, we will be able to eat together in one room!

[Coral]

7 hours ago, Daisi said:

So glad to hear that @sharkster77, we lost our cat a few weeks ago from kidney desease.  She was 20, and had been living with it for over 5 years, so I guess that it was time.  Still doesn't make it any easier.

 

@Canal archive, how exciting to have a family dinner again.  We are doing our regular "travel" meal...delivering dinner to family members.  We drop off at the closest, then one of my sisters will pick up theirs and others.  She will deliver the ones to our other sister, who will then deliver them to the two sets of parents.  Then an arranged zoom call to all eat together.  We started doing this in August, and it works well....dinner together but safely apart.

 

What are you making?

[notamermaid]

The Netherlands have now also suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine in the under 60's after five incidences of rare blood clotting in women. The European Medicines Agency meanwhile has said in a preliminary statement that so far the scientific review has not given enough evidence to recommend to restrict the use to gender, age group or those with specific risk factors. It is staying interesting...

 

But first there is Easter. Wonder if I can find an Easter egg that Easter Bunny has hidden for me somewhere.

 

notamermaid

 

[AF-1]

I feel sorry for the AstraZeneca company.  They must wonder what is happening with our vaccine.

[Canal archive]

This is the link to the BBC report on the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Covid-19: Seven UK blood clot deaths after AstraZeneca vaccine https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56620646

 

Its interesting reading but still leaves some questions. CA

[notamermaid]

I am also not sure what to make of it all, even scientists are divided over this. I fear the EMA will get more reports. Very puzzling. AstraZeneca has made a few unhappy moves along the way but nobody can blame them for having missed something. These things are just too rare. Interestingly an in-depth article reminded me that for all vaccinations that are in emergency use mode we are in phase-4-trials (I hope I have understood it correctly), that is when it is tried out in the general public.

 

The Netherlands have now said they have suspended the AstraZeneca vaccine completely for a bit for logistical reasons so as not too waste doses. This is the article about the fatal incidence:  https://nltimes.nl/2021/04/02/woman-dies-lung-embolism-astrazeneca-vaccine

 

It is called HIT or when it resembles it HIT-like.

 

I am glad I do not know about all the nasty diseases I could get in my life. Eek!

 

I was looking forward to getting the AstraZeneca when it was opened up to my age group - not just the medical staff. After weeks of uncertainty now at least the decision is taken from me and I will have either the BioNTech or the Moderna. That day will be a good day - probably not the one after that but it will pass. 

 

I just want to see more relatives and look forward to being at ease. And I want to see river cruise ships back on the river of course!

 

notamermaid

 

[Daisi]

14 hours ago, Coral said:

What are you making?

Dinner will be easy, thanks to the Instant Pot... Saurbraten, Rotkohl, carrots and a GF Spätzle which my sister makes.  All easy to re-heat.  We've been passing around the "take out" dishes for almost a year now, as long as it's food you can re-heat easily in the microwave or oven, all the family members have to clean are the dishes they eat off of.  I was out last weekend picking up IP's from my sister (she has 3, I borrowed 2) so I can have 3 going tomorrow and dinner in an hour!  It will be nice ot have a fridge back.

 

Wishing everyone a great Easter weekend, or Happy Passover if you celebrate that.

[notamermaid]

Sauerbraten! Rotkohl! Getting hungry!

 

We are having lamb shanks.

 

Have a great Easter.

 

notamermaid

 

[Coral]

5 hours ago, Daisi said:

Dinner will be easy, thanks to the Instant Pot... Saurbraten, Rotkohl, carrots and a GF Spätzle which my sister makes.  All easy to re-heat.  We've been passing around the "take out" dishes for almost a year now, as long as it's food you can re-heat easily in the microwave or oven, all the family members have to clean are the dishes they eat off of.  I was out last weekend picking up IP's from my sister (she has 3, I borrowed 2) so I can have 3 going tomorrow and dinner in an hour!  It will be nice ot have a fridge back.

 

Wishing everyone a great Easter weekend, or Happy Passover if you celebrate that.

Your dinner sounds amazing!

 

I bought an Instant Pot and never used it. I was sort of afraid of pressure cooking. My Mom did canning when I grew up and that sort of scared me. It sat in the original box for over a year. I ended up giving it to a friend who gave it their daughter for Christmas. She immediately started using it and loves it so it ended up in the right hands after all.

[Daisi]

We love ours, especially if we have a busy day and want something quick....whole meal in 1dish, so we only have to wash the pot & lid.  We hand wash everything, so we tend to try and minimise dish use.   I started out being a cook who used a new dish/utensil/measuring cup for anything, now I can get away with minimal dishes...needless to say, DH is very pleased, as he usually does the dishes.  They make fantastic soups to, and very quick, no simmering over the stove & stirring for hours.

[ural guy]

Here's a story about small town vaccine tourism, in Potsdam NY.  Interesting to read about 'city folk' coming to upstate NY for the shot, it's 350 miles away from NYC.  To many of them, upstate is Newburgh, but no, the state keeps on going.  Overseas, when people ask where we are from, we say NY, they think city, yet we have more cows than people in our county.

 

I'm glad they get both the vaccine, and a nice (hopefully) introduction to the North Country.  Good thing they didn't interview anyone who drove up during a white-out snow storm.  That would really change your impression of our part of the state.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/28/covid-19-vaccines-new-york-available-potstam/7040787002/

[pacmom]

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!  Happy Passover! Happy spring!  It is a beautiful day here in southwest Ohio, daffodils survived the cold nights, seeing them all over the front of the house and transplants in new places makes me smile. 

DH was cleaning up some large pots by the front door and out popped some bunnies. He tried to return them, wearing gloves--didn't work.  They are so cute.

Am so looking forward to traveling again, hopefully in the fall.

Stay safe and well. Pat

 

[AF-1]

Happy Easter to everyone.  Almost time to watch the Reds game and spend time with family

[Coral]

19 hours ago, ural guy said:

Here's a story about small town vaccine tourism, in Potsdam NY.  Interesting to read about 'city folk' coming to upstate NY for the shot, it's 350 miles away from NYC.  To many of them, upstate is Newburgh, but no, the state keeps on going.  Overseas, when people ask where we are from, we say NY, they think city, yet we have more cows than people in our county.

 

I'm glad they get both the vaccine, and a nice (hopefully) introduction to the North Country.  Good thing they didn't interview anyone who drove up during a white-out snow storm.  That would really change your impression of our part of the state.

 

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/03/28/covid-19-vaccines-new-york-available-potstam/7040787002/

We have a similar story in our state. Lincoln and Omaha have the most healthcare employees and educators (along with most every other industry). Our vaccines went via population. Those in rural areas didn't want them so those in Lincoln and Omaha traveled out of town to our rural areas to get vaccinated as they had vaccines. As of this week - our vaccines will now be distributed dynamically by county (sounds like pricing on cruise ships and airlines) - where more vaccines will go to those areas that need them the most. Our county is behind every other county in the state as we have the most demand and our seniors all wanted to be vaccinated and they were right after healthcare employees. Hopefully with this change - people will not need to travel - many of my friends traveled 1-2 hours, not the 8 hours in your article. Though everything is rural outside of Lincoln and Omaha. So no need to travel far.

 

Cattle outnumber our people 4-1 where I live!