Coronavirus prep

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  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
    baconslave wrote: »
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    baconslave wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I admit to not reading everything here and all around the internet related to Covid, but I'm wondering if there are any stats out yet, regarding side effects from getting Covid vaccines? I hear stories here and there, positive and negative, but am wondering if there's anything with greater numbers involved. Maybe too early to tell?
    Thanks all :)

    Anecdotal, but my Dad (76) got the Moderna vaccine on Wed. He said he got some chills that night, and the injection site was a little sore the next day. That was it. He's doing fine.



    Not related to Reenie's post but I'm in northeastern TN, and Dad got vaxed Wed thanks to serendipity. The local health dept still has no vaccine (it's been 15 days since they ran out on the first day of 75+, which is weird b/c we have a lot of anti-vaxxers here). But a FB friend who works at the VA hospital posted about a Veteran's vaccine clinic. Dad went and was in and out in 15 min.

    This is an example of one of the problems. The right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. Dad IS on the VA's Covid Vaccine email notification list. He never got one. The local papers and news don't know about it. If I hadn't logged into FB, and the VA nurse hadn't posted a link, Dad would still be waiting. He gets the second one Feb 28th. This is great news for my oldest who is starting her second semester of her freshman year and has a service learning class for her Honors scholarship which will occasionally be meeting in person (masked and distanced.) I would prefer to not expose the other kids and my husband, but she is a very conscientious young woman and will be very careful to maintain distance and mask properly. As it is, it will be the fall before the rest of us get ours most likely.

    305 days of mostly locked down. I'm so tired mentally. Community spread is still bad here. Hubby said mask compliance was worse than it's been in awhile yesterday when he went grocerying. Locally, people have learned nothing apparently. :disappointed: I know my husband's family hasn't. It's sad when insisting on living your lifestyle undeterred by a pandemic is more important than spending time with your grandkids.

    One of my employees who’s been remoting in since April texted me this weekend ... She has auto-immune issues which make her more vulnerable to the virus. Her bf’s family is very touchy-feely and has been throughout the whole thing in spite of her protests “But we’re FAMILY!” When my staffer and her bf stopped going over because no masks/physical distancing and surprise guests, the family started coming to them. 🤬

    Bf was positive as of Friday. She now has symptoms (one bedroom apartment). And his mom is in the hospital due to COVID. 😢

    Oh boy! I hope she's ok. That's unfortunate about the bf's mom. :disappointed:

    Thanks. She feels worse today. 😞 Because she is 100% remote, campus is not managing her and her insurance won’t test her yet!? (Not the first time I’ve heard that.) We are blessed with additional paid COVID-specific leave from the campus, so she’ll use that and save her accrued leave.

    We’re doing a drop-off of stuff tomorrow at her apartment.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,629 Member
    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    lynn_glenmont wrote: »
    I'll get the vaccine when my turn comes, but I can't say I'm too unhappy about being in the last priority (general public) group, because going into an enclosed space with dozens or scores of people lined up and waiting will be pretty much the highest-risk thing I've done since the pandemic began, except maybe for giving blood, but I'm expecting the waiting areas for the vaccine to have a lot more people in them than a blood drive. I'm not eager for the irony of getting covid while waiting in line for the vaccine.

    Hopefully by the time my turn comes, we won't be in a surge, we won't be facing a brand new mutation that is creating greater transmission, and the effect of all the earlier priority groups getting vaccinated will be tamping down on the spread (assuming that at least some of the vaccines limit the recipients' ability to spread the vaccine).

    Maybe it's not happening in your area, but at least some of the local vaccination sites seem to be gearing up for drive-though, so you wait in a *longer* line (in distance, not necessarily number of people), but in your car.

    This is true even with our Northern winters (freezing temps, so 32 +/- 10, daytimes, right now, but can go to zero F and below).

    In some cases, from photos seen, the medical folks are in a tent. Others seem to be talking about using buildings that have a drive-through route that's normally used for things event set-up or vehicle service. Examples are livestock exhibition fairgrounds-type structures, big conference facilities, former auto-service buildings.

    Not vax, but I was impressed with the organization and sanitation measures at a drive-through Covid test I took in the Fall, required before I could do an important outpatient surgical procedure.

    I'd be much more comfortable with a drive-through scenario, and there has been talk about that locally, and it makes sense from the standpoint of reaching the volume of jabs they want to reach. But I kept thinking of all the news footage we saw they first rolled the vaccine out for health care workers, and there were a dozen or so people sitting in socially distanced chairs, with nearly as many people tending to them, and they were being asked to stay for observation for 5 or 10 minutes, and longer if they had a history of allergic reactions to vaccines.

    FWIW, and I should've mentioned this in my first comment about the drive throughs: What I've heard from folks is that after one has the vax, they have you park in a designated area for the 15 minute (or whatever) waiting period, and a medical staff person is nearby, keeping an eye on the people in the cars in case of allergic reactions.

    The health care staff people getting vaccinations have probably been working around the same people giving them vaccinations for months now, and probably at times in closer proximity to the vaccinators, for longer time intervals, during work than during the vaccination process. It's a whole different scenario.

    (I have seen stuff about indoor in-person vaccination scenarios for the general public, though - not really enough to generalize about conditions, though.)

    ETA: Fix to incorrectly included quote. 😬


    Thanks. That sounds like a good approach. I hope that's they way they do it here as they move out to larger parts of the public. (So far, even though they're doing a good job of getting all the vaccine doses they receive into people's arms quickly, it's still less than 2% of the county population, assuming they've all been administered as first doses -- so, less than 1% of the number of doses they would need to fully vaccinate everyone.)

    This isn't exactly a direct reply to you, but, yeah, samesies, though I don't know the percentages.

    I got an email update today from my county health department (where I'm signed up to be notified when appointments are available). The heart of it:
    This email is to inform you that either we do not currently have open appointments for your priority group OR your prioritization group is not yet eligible . Please rest assured we will be in touch as soon as your priority group and available appointments allow. We appreciate your patience.

    When I signed up, I checked the 65+ box, but didn't claim complicating medical conditions. I have early COPD, but since it's not creating any life limitations (I'm still able to do quite-intense exercise, for example), I don't feel like I should be bumped up much in priority for that, compared to others at higher risk. As more has come out about risk factors, I'm less convinced that Covid would be likely to kill me (long-term complications, maybe), so I figure I'm OK to be at the priority for other healthy 65+. Ya never know, of course . . . and I'm still doing many things to limit my exposure.

    Meanwhile, I heard this morning that my state (Michigan) has gotten a waiver to reallocate doses from the supply held by pharmacies for congregate facilities (where they have more supply than demand/distribution capacity currently) to the supply available to continue providing dose #1 to the eligible segment of the public (where demand has outpaced supply). I'm not 100% certain this is solid: It came from a usually-sound mainstream media source, but so far I haven't found other sources that corroborate (not even a press release from the state, which makes me wonder if it's accurate).

    Anything’s possible. But I would think the logistics could get tricky as both vaccines have a rather short shelf life after they’re thawed (and can’t be refrozen). And there are multiple doses per vial. Hope so—it’d be great to be able to redistribute doses to where they’re most needed.

    Our campus on-site staff are next in line for vaccination. My appointment is this Friday. So excited! It’s been sheer luck that I haven’t gotten sick so far. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 I’m careful, but around so many people. And I deliver stuff to people in quarantine and isolation.

    It's not a few random doses sitting around unadministered somewhere, it's 60,000 doses being reallocated to start . . . happening way up the supply chain, still frozen. I finally found some reports on it, such as:

    https://www.crainsdetroit.com/coronavirus/michigan-dip-covid-19-vaccine-bank-double-expected-vaccine-supply
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Our vaccine delivery from Pfizer is behind here in Italy. Promises, promises from Pfizer......
  • RetiredAndLovingIt
    RetiredAndLovingIt Posts: 1,395 Member
    Wow, Iowa changed their plans today. Phase. 1b will now be down to age 65! Not sure when or how we can sign up yet, but hopeful it will be early Feb.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    They'll be offering the vaccine this next week to 75+ and my sister's in that group. Her possible reaction worries me a lot!! She has Fibromyalgia, IBS, had Iritis, has inflammatory issues such as arthritis, wasn't able to tolerate regular flu vaccines so hasn't taken them for many years. She seems to have so many things in her system that go against her, that I'm afraid it won't go well for her. :( But she said she'll take the first one and see how it goes. :(
    Any input with her situation anyone? I'm going to suggest she see her dr. first.
    Thanks so much for reading. :)

    I think it’s a good idea to see her doctor first. ❤️

    My husband is 68. A cancer survivor. He’s still working. Minnesota opened up vaccines for 65+ this week. He has his 3 month check up in early February. He’s going to ask his doc about it then. As it is throughout the country, there’s not enough vaccine, so chances are he wouldn’t be able to get it until after his dr appointment.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    SModa61 wrote: »
    So Florida has finally caught on that people are coming to Florida for "Vaccine Vacations", even foreigners. As of yesterday, they have gotten smarter and are tightening up who qualify for the vaccines currently being distributed.

    How are they keeping track of this? Don’t you have to show ID’s at least?
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    https://www.cnbc.com/2021/01/21/dr-fauci-says-covid-vaccines-appear-to-be-less-effective-against-some-new-strains.html

    Expected bad news.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 3,117 Member
    missysippy930 wrote: »
    SModa61 wrote: »
    So Florida has finally caught on that people are coming to Florida for "Vaccine Vacations", even foreigners. As of yesterday, they have gotten smarter and are tightening up who qualify for the vaccines currently being distributed.

    How are they keeping track of this? Don’t you have to show ID’s at least?

    I believe that the prior requirement was solely proof of being over 65. As of yesterday, must prove full time or seasonal residency. There is a list of how to prove.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,629 Member
    edited January 2021
    SModa61 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Just an observation, of partial applicability to some previous posts.

    As a generality, there's nothing about simply being a cancer survivor that, IMU, increases risks of the vaccine or disease, if there are no other complications. (I'm a long-term survivor of quite advanced cancer, and had quite aggressive treatment.)

    However, if the cancer or its treatment caused (for example) long-term organ damage that's still in the picture, or had other long-term health consequences, perhaps that would be a thing that could cause differences in response, and talking with one's doctor would be a really good idea.

    Also, if someone has recently been treated for cancer, it does take a period of time for the immune system to move from the immunosuppressed state that some treatments may cause (and where there may be special risks), so that's another "talk to doctor" scenario. Likewise if there's an ongoing medication regimen related to cancer treatment that might be a concern, that's a "talk to doctor" scenario, too, IMO. (Sometimes people don't think of these long-term meds as cancer treatment, which is why I mention that . . . but I haven't heard that the meds I'm most familiar with (antihormonals, basically) are a cause for concern. Can't hurt to ask, though.)

    @AnnPT77 With my father, I never know what is going on as he is great for creating excuses for anything he does not want to do. To his credit, he was saying that there is some defect in his blood that was identified just prior to his last cancer and may be associated that cancer (I think it was his lymphoma and I remember the defect can be associated with multiple myeloma). He claims that that defect also is somehow associated with the modality of either COVID or the vaccine and he is concerned that that puts him at a different risk. I honestly did not follow it and was driving at the time or I would have written notes to investigate. My big question is could the johnson and johnson vs the two mRNA vaccines be safer in his case. As I mentioned, I may see if my sister has useful input. I certainly do not.

    Posting mainly so it's clear I'm not ignoring your post.

    Yes, that makes sense. I said what I did because there seemed to be an implication - or at least an opportunity for lurkers to infer - from some posts that having had cancer in and of itself created extra risk from the virus or the vaccine, independent of other factors. IMU, there's not currently a reason to believe that just having had cancer or cancer treatment, regardless of timing or type of cancer treatment, has any implications for Covid or its vaccines.

    Just my amateur understanding, though . . . but from a topic I do pay pretty close attention to, because of possible personal implications.
  • SModa61
    SModa61 Posts: 3,117 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    SModa61 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Just an observation, of partial applicability to some previous posts.

    As a generality, there's nothing about simply being a cancer survivor that, IMU, increases risks of the vaccine or disease, if there are no other complications. (I'm a long-term survivor of quite advanced cancer, and had quite aggressive treatment.)

    However, if the cancer or its treatment caused (for example) long-term organ damage that's still in the picture, or had other long-term health consequences, perhaps that would be a thing that could cause differences in response, and talking with one's doctor would be a really good idea.

    Also, if someone has recently been treated for cancer, it does take a period of time for the immune system to move from the immunosuppressed state that some treatments may cause (and where there may be special risks), so that's another "talk to doctor" scenario. Likewise if there's an ongoing medication regimen related to cancer treatment that might be a concern, that's a "talk to doctor" scenario, too, IMO. (Sometimes people don't think of these long-term meds as cancer treatment, which is why I mention that . . . but I haven't heard that the meds I'm most familiar with (antihormonals, basically) are a cause for concern. Can't hurt to ask, though.)

    @AnnPT77 With my father, I never know what is going on as he is great for creating excuses for anything he does not want to do. To his credit, he was saying that there is some defect in his blood that was identified just prior to his last cancer and may be associated that cancer (I think it was his lymphoma and I remember the defect can be associated with multiple myeloma). He claims that that defect also is somehow associated with the modality of either COVID or the vaccine and he is concerned that that puts him at a different risk. I honestly did not follow it and was driving at the time or I would have written notes to investigate. My big question is could the johnson and johnson vs the two mRNA vaccines be safer in his case. As I mentioned, I may see if my sister has useful input. I certainly do not.

    Posting mainly so it's clear I'm not ignoring your post.

    Yes, that makes sense. I said what I did because there seemed to be an implication - or at least an opportunity for lurkers to infer - from some posts that having had cancer in and of itself created extra risk from the virus or the vaccine, independent of other factors. IMU, there's not currently a reason to believe that just having had cancer or cancer treatment, regardless of timing or type of cancer treatment, has any implications for Covid or its vaccines.

    Just my amateur understanding, though . . . but from a topic I do pay pretty close attention to, because of possible personal implications.

    @AnnPT77 I agree with you and I thought that was why they were specifically trying to vaccinate medically compromised individuals. BTW I did a search, and I recognized what my father referenced and that was IgG and IgA. That should at least help my call with my sister.

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