Are vaccines the light at the end of the tunnel?

[wrk2cruise]

Here in central NC the Duke health system is taking appointments for over 75.  Many of my neighbors are getting appointments for the next week.  Hold times to get an appointment are 1-3 hrs, but nobody is really complaining!

[mimbecky]

1 hour ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I agree.  I wish someone would explain the reasons for the much higher surge in California.  Do a lot of people ignore the mask and social distancing guidelines?  Is it transmission at home from other family members? 

 

What people don't understand is that the daytime temps are a lot different than the evening temps.  For example, on NYE day we had my brother's family over (outside and tables separated 6 feet). We started at 2:30/dinner 3pm when temps were in the mid 60s knowing that shortly after sundown it would be in the low 50s.  Even though we had small  heaters under the tables, everyone was cold and headed out about 5 with jackets and scarves.  My son in law's family still meets indoors without masks.  I will venture out to say it seems to be more of a cultural thing for them. 

I am inland San Diego...today's hi 71 but low is 39. Next Thursday hi 79 but low is 43, so yes people head indoors here too. 😒

 

Edited January 8, 2021 by mimbecky

[mimbecky]

BTW just got an alert that Biden will aim to not hold back second doses....

Edited January 8, 2021 by mimbecky

[Wine-O]

23 minutes ago, mimbecky said:

BTW just got an alert that Biden will aim to not hold back second doses....

What does this mean?  If you've had your first dose, the 2nd dose now may not be available because its being given to others as their first dose?  I understand some vaccines need two doses within a few weeks of each other.   If you can't get the 2nd one in the allotted time, do you need to start over?  🍷 

[Ken the cruiser]

I'm kind of glad in a weird way that Princess just cancelled cruises through May 14th, which I'm sure Celebrity and others will follow suit shortly. As we have an Alaska B2B on the Millennium scheduled to leave Vancouver on May 9th, the stress of getting a vaccine anytime soon has just been lowered for the simple fact that our state has one of the lowest dispensing rates in the country. My best guess is that for us folks over 65 (in Group 1C), we'll probably be getting ours sometime in March, if all goes well, and who knows about those folks in Group 2.

 

More Than 17.5 Million Shots Given: Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker (bloomberg.com)

[TeeRick]

Breaking news..........  Pfizer vaccine study suggests it will work against the UK and S.Africa strain variants.

 

https://apnews.com/article/pfizer-study-vaccine-coronavirus-strain-3094dd3cc91b4a20780402476cdcb5ae

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I'm kind of glad in a weird way that Princess just cancelled cruises through May 14th, which I'm sure Celebrity and others will follow suit shortly. As we have an Alaska B2B on the Millennium scheduled to leave Vancouver on May 9th, the stress of getting a vaccine anytime soon has just been lowered for the simple fact that our state has one of the lowest dispensing rates in the country. My best guess is that for us folks over 65 (in Group 1C), we'll probably be getting ours sometime in March, if all goes well, and who knows about those folks in Group 2.

 

More Than 17.5 Million Shots Given: Covid-19 Vaccine Tracker (bloomberg.com)

Yay!! We even have movement in Alabama!! Who knows, maybe us folks over 65 will be getting our shots in February, especially once the incoming administration releases nearly all of the vaccines being held in reserve!

 

COVID-19 vaccination appointments available for Alabamians 75 years and older, first responders (including law enforcement and firefighters) statewide effective January 18, as healthcare workers and others continue to be vaccinated | Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) (alabamapublichealth.gov)

Edited January 8, 2021 by Ken the cruiser

[UnorigionalName]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Breaking news..........  Pfizer vaccine study suggests it will work against the UK and S.Africa strain variants.

 

https://apnews.com/article/pfizer-study-vaccine-coronavirus-strain-3094dd3cc91b4a20780402476cdcb5ae

 

Hmm, promising first step but not quite out of the woods yet.  They tested against the spike binding mutation found in both the UK strain and the SA strain, but NOT against an actual UK and SA strain virus, and not against having the the E484K and especially the K417N  mutation in conjunction with the N501Y.  I will cross my fingers for the success of the subsequent study.

[wrk2cruise]

Here are the  NC estimates for phase 1.   As I turn 64 in April I'm in phase 4 so I may be able to jump up the list when I turn 65 in April 2022!

 

[eas2225]

I've been following this, and really appreciate all the awesome advice and information from all the knowledgeable posters.

 

Just wanted to share how we are vaccinating here at our hospital.

 

I work for a hospital system in Phila. Pa, and our vaccination system seems to be running pretty smoothly.

 

Staffing is definitely an issue, but the department I'm in,(HIM - Medical Records) has been asked to sometimes help out with the clerical portion:  making appointments, registering, completing the lot number cards, giving information to register for the online after-vaccine-health-checker, making 2nd dose appointments, and monitoring staff for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Oh, and making sure they get their "I got my COVID-19 vaccine" sticker.  

 

There are also some who for now are choosing not get vaccinated. 

 

Sometimes at the end of the day there are some doses remaining, so other departments are called to see if anyone on their department wants to come get the vaccine. 

 

I received the Moderna vaccine yesterday, and other than arm soreness, I feel fine.

 

Hopefully we'll be finished giving the first dose soon, and be closer to getting it out to the next tier group.

[TeeRick]

30 minutes ago, eas2225 said:

I've been following this, and really appreciate all the awesome advice and information from all the knowledgeable posters.

 

Just wanted to share how we are vaccinating here at our hospital.

 

I work for a hospital system in Phila. Pa, and our vaccination system seems to be running pretty smoothly.

 

Staffing is definitely an issue, but the department I'm in,(HIM - Medical Records) has been asked to sometimes help out with the clerical portion:  making appointments, registering, completing the lot number cards, giving information to register for the online after-vaccine-health-checker, making 2nd dose appointments, and monitoring staff for 15 minutes after receiving the vaccine. Oh, and making sure they get their "I got my COVID-19 vaccine" sticker.  

 

There are also some who for now are choosing not get vaccinated. 

 

Sometimes at the end of the day there are some doses remaining, so other departments are called to see if anyone on their department wants to come get the vaccine. 

 

I received the Moderna vaccine yesterday, and other than arm soreness, I feel fine.

 

Hopefully we'll be finished giving the first dose soon, and be closer to getting it out to the next tier group.

So glad to hear this.  I live in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia.

[TeeRick]

32 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

Here are the  NC estimates for phase 1.   As I turn 64 in April I'm in phase 4 so I may be able to jump up the list when I turn 65 in April 2022!

 

At least your state is starting to release time lines of the phases.

[mimbecky]

2 hours ago, Wine-O said:

What does this mean?  If you've had your first dose, the 2nd dose now may not be available because its being given to others as their first dose?  I understand some vaccines need two doses within a few weeks of each other.   If you can't get the 2nd one in the allotted time, do you need to start over?  🍷 

I understand getting shots into as many people as possible to at least get minimal protection to more people.  I must say however, I remember how utterly difficult it was to get my second shingrix vaccine-it was almost a full time job hunting it down.  

M

[D C]

DW got her first vaccine today.  CVS came into the residential rehab facility where she works and knocked them out faster than expected.   We both would rather it have gone to someone at risk, but unfortunately that's not quite how it works.   Hopefully she's not feeling too bad this weekend.  

 

If only they could do mini clinics like that for everyone that qualifies right now.

[Caymus88]

15 hours ago, mimbecky said:

Yay!  I am wondering under this system if you are able to make a follow up appointment right then and there for your second shot or do you have to fight for another online appointment later?

M

Follow up. We received a call from Publix today wanting to know how we were feeling. I asked about the second dose and was told they would call us. 

[D C]

1 minute ago, Caymus88 said:

Follow up. We received a call from Publix today wanting to know how we were feeling. I asked about the second dose and was told they would call us. 

Presumably the second shots will go quickly since the need for post-injection monitoring won't be reasonably necessary.

[eas2225]

20 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

So glad to hear this.  I live in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia.

 

We're neighbors!  I'm on the Green Lane/Pennsburg border. 

[Caymus88]

I heard Biden may use all the vaccine to inoculate as many as possible. Like the UK.

i wonder if the ones who received the first dose will have to start over. OMG

[nocl]

10 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I agree.  I wish someone would explain the reasons for the much higher surge in California.  Do a lot of people ignore the mask and social distancing guidelines?  Is it transmission at home from other family members? 

Yes and Yes

[phoenix_dream]

9 hours ago, mimbecky said:

 

What people don't understand is that the daytime temps are a lot different than the evening temps.  For example, on NYE day we had my brother's family over (outside and tables separated 6 feet). We started at 2:30/dinner 3pm when temps were in the mid 60s knowing that shortly after sundown it would be in the low 50s.  Even though we had small  heaters under the tables, everyone was cold and headed out about 5 with jackets and scarves.  My son in law's family still meets indoors without masks.  I will venture out to say it seems to be more of a cultural thing for them. 

I am inland San Diego...today's hi 71 but low is 39. Next Thursday hi 79 but low is 43, so yes people head indoors here too. 😒

 

I get what you’re saying. Not a resident but a frequent visitor to Arizona in winter months.  But at the same time, these warmer areas have so many more opportunities to gather outside during warmer daytime hours, and on warmer nights.  You have many more restaurants with nice big patios with big, heaters as well.   I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it.   Compared to what we have to deal with here in Illinois where our high today was 32 degrees, with snow flurries, I don’t understand why outside gatherings can’t be managed.  Is that really what is happening?  That people are still gathering inside?  Wow.  Blows my mind.

 

Please know, I am not attacking you personally.  Just flabbergasted that finding ways to gather outside and avoid inside get togethers in the warmer states is such an issue, even accounting for cooler evenings.
 

Edited January 9, 2021 by phoenix_dream

[mimbecky]

14 minutes ago, phoenix_dream said:

I get what you’re saying. Not a resident but a frequent visitor to Arizona in winter months.  But at the same time, these warmer areas have so many more opportunities to gather outside during warmer daytime hours, and on warmer nights.  You have many more restaurants with nice big patios with big, heaters as well.   I’m sorry, but I just don’t get it.   Compared to what we have to deal with here in Illinois where our high today was 32 degrees, with snow flurries, I don’t understand why outside gatherings can’t be managed.  Is that really what is happening?  That people are still gathering inside?  Wow.  Blows my mind.

 

Please know, I am not attacking you personally.  Just flabbergasted that finding ways to gather outside and avoid inside get togethers in the warmer states is such an issue, even accounting for cooler evenings.
 

No worries- I get you. Our family only gathers outside. Here in Southern California restaurants are closed now, even outside. Some argue this actually pushes people to gather indoors at home. My experience is that most people mask when out and about. A lot of spread apparently is in the workforce. 

[D C]

25 minutes ago, mimbecky said:

No worries- I get you. Our family only gathers outside. Here in Southern California restaurants are closed now, even outside. Some argue this actually pushes people to gather indoors at home. My experience is that most people mask when out and about. A lot of spread apparently is in the workforce. 

I would think that people absolutely congregate more indoors as more places close. 

[Arizona Wildcat]

13 hours ago, TeeRick said:

This is all good that Arizona is ramping up the vaccine.  They really need to as your state has been deemed by the media "the hotspot of the world".  Perhaps overly dramatic?

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/arizona-deemed-hot-spot-world-amid-virus-surge-75094296

 

So we have all been told that going indoors in close contact with infected people and poor ventilation is feeding the surge everywhere.  But I am struggling to understand places hit very hard like Arizona and southern CA where the weather is very nice and people are still outdoors.  Why/How has the virus proliferated so much there?

Almost exclusively young people congregating and older winter visitors.  Sadly many hospitalized here are not residents of Arizona.

Amazingly today DW went to eat lunch in an outside patio.  The staff greeted her and noted the regulars were stating home.  Who was eating there were mostly from NJ NY MN IL etc.  Seasonal rentals here are fully booked and these visitors are enjoying their visit.  No idea how many of these are spreading COVID but it cannot be helping.

The good news is hospitals are not full.  Capacity slowly going away.

[TeeRick]

13 hours ago, Caymus88 said:

I heard Biden may use all the vaccine to inoculate as many as possible. Like the UK.

i wonder if the ones who received the first dose will have to start over. OMG

No need to panic.  I do not think that any US president can dictate a policy like this even by executive order.  They maybe can try to influence it.  But the scientific experts, FDA, HHS and CDC are in control as are the states.  There is a lot of resistance in the US by these expert groups to go against the established dose spacing protocols from the clinical trials.  Or to reduce to half doses on the first shot as some have recommended.  But this is the wrong fix really IMO.  The issue is to immediately distribute and use the current doses as promised.  Period.  That will go a long way in getting the population vaccinated.

[TeeRick]

10 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Almost exclusively young people congregating and older winter visitors.  Sadly many hospitalized here are not residents of Arizona.

Amazingly today DW went to eat lunch in an outside patio.  The staff greeted her and noted the regulars were stating home.  Who was eating there were mostly from NJ NY MN IL etc.  Seasonal rentals here are fully booked and these visitors are enjoying their visit.  No idea how many of these are spreading COVID but it cannot be helping.

The good news is hospitals are not full.  Capacity slowly going away.

Probably outside patios are OK.  Still not really sure what is causing the surge unless it is no-mask young people as you say.  Most older folks even from other states are typically very careful.  Keep safe in AZ!