Coronavirus prep
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snowflake954 wrote: »snowflake954 wrote: »Vaccinations are a wonderful possibility, but If you consider how long it took to eradicate smallpox I hope it will not take anything like as long as the 200 years. To take as long with covid is unthinkable. It seems ultimately even when most of the population were covered by vaccine it was only when a doctor in some really remote place was faced with a massive outbreak and only relatively few vaccines available with no extra supplies due. he/she did the only thing they could, prioritise. They sought out all the active cases and then vaccinated those people round them and eventually each case was ringfenced and the virus was ultimately eliminated because it had no where to go. This is possibly the way we need to go in each and every country because with our more mobile populations reinfection with covid could so easily occur.
To those who say these vaccines have been produced too quickly to be safe. The issue comes down to the amount of money and scientific experience has been directed towards this result. in the region of 200 years working on different viruses, that makes a mountain of knowledge.
Thankfully this is the first time a rogue virus has gone international, not been stopped by the intense actions in/of the first infected country. Ebola was a hard fought battle because of some extended spread, with international help it has been stopped. Then the one which was a virus rife in South America which was a problem for pregnant mothers and their neonates. There have been others stopped by prompt action.
This time, many of the world governments have thrown money at the problem. From the outset scientists have provided information to each other so they all could bring their areas of expertise to the international effort. There are quite a few vaccines on the horizon, each one will be being assessed at each and every step. This means that with continuous on going assessment progress is quicker. Unlike in the past many companies do not need to wait for funding at each and every stage because research is not one companies property, the process has been able to be much more efficient.
The best thing about the second vaccine I know of is, it will be produced and supplied at cost, said to be between £3 or £4 UK, per dose, to many countries once production is scaled up sufficiently with other production facilities coming on line, this one gives more hope because it can also be stored in clinic fridges and for a while in cool boxes rather than at -70 degrees C
Best wishes to every one.
You do realize that animals can get this virus also? Animals don't get polio.
How do you think it can be eradicated? Sorry, but COVID is going to stay with us--like the flu. We will be getting vaccinations every autumn (as we do the flu) for a long time to come. If you have studies to the contrary, I'd love to see them.
It really all depends on how long vaccinated immunity lasts, how many people refuse to get vaccinated, and whether any of the vaccines turn out to be sterilizing or not. All of which will probably take several years to figure out. There is also no conclusion yet whether getting it once leads to life long antibody production. If you can get it twice, and no vaccine is sterilizing, it will not be eradicated and there will not really be herd immunity. It will still be circulating, just not making vaccinated people sick, and anyone who doesn't keep up with their shots could get it and get sick.
The first trials started when, September or so? By the end of this year they should be able to start testing for antibody levels in the first folks who got the vaccines and see whether it will be annual or maybe (hopefully) last longer.
Yes, all valid. What I'm asking is something else. How can you eradicate COVID if it has the ability to mutate and is circulating in certain animal populations? Look at the minks in Denmark. The idea that we can hope it will disappear with time, just doesn't seem realistic to me.
So this is totally getting into the weeds, but I'm not sure that just because covid is circulating in animal populations and circulating in human populations necessarily means it will jump back and forth. First, it is I believe an unusual event for a virus to jump species, and depending on what species you are talking about can sometimes jump one way but not the other. Mind you, I am completely out of my depth here just piecing together things I think I've learned
. There was actually little scientific support for the mink culling in Denmark, and I read the government official that pushed the policy has since apologized for over reacting. Mink farms in the US have basically been told that there is no reason to think the minks could spread it to humans and gotten some general guidelines from the CDC just in case.
Considering we keep seeing a new avian flu or swine flu pop up, I guess viruses can mutate enough in animals that can transmit viruses to humans to no longer be protected by the old vaccine. I don't know if the other coronaviruses (either the common less dangerous ones or the uncommon but scary ones) are likely to do that or not - I'd bet the answers are in that history and hopefully being studied.
I think also "eradicated" is probably a loosey goosey term anyway. Alot of the stuff we don't have to worry about anymore isn't 100% gone. It's just we have generations of vaccine induced immunity and it gets stuck circulating in some small animal population that can't transmit to humans or is hiding in some permafrozen ice at the pole somewhere. <gulp>
I'm totally not disagreeing with you, just thinking out loud. It would prob be best for all of us to get right with the idea of this being another annual vaccine we'll have to get, and we can be pleasantly surprised if it's not.
ETA: You now have me fascinated by species-jumping viruses and I will probably go aGoogling lol10 -
Early on it was reported 12 people got Covid-19 from mink farms but then there is not solid science when it comes to Covid-19 today.0
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A local news report just stated that due to changes that went into effect on Jan. 1, not all covid tests will be covered by insurance. If not, the average cost is $260.3
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A local news report just stated that due to changes that went into effect on Jan. 1, not all covid tests will be covered by insurance. If not, the average cost is $260.
Here, in Italy, pharmacies are doing testing for $20, as well as other testing centers. Usually they have a tent right outside and one registers, pays, and stands in line. It's quick and doesn't cost much and the results are also immediate (quick testing). If you get a positive, you can go to get a more thorough test at a center.2 -
A local news report just stated that due to changes that went into effect on Jan. 1, not all covid tests will be covered by insurance. If not, the average cost is $260.
Where are you located? Hubby and I have done some of the Massachusetts free, but then opted into some of the asymptomatic "paid" options. Hubby went to one place, $150, then I found a better - same day PCR for $120. Excellent response. He will be using that source in two weeks after traveling home again.
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Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.0
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Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.
IMHO, anyone that can get a vaccine should. Some of the news this morning is that there was never really a plan to distribute the vaccine at the Federal level. If that's the case, it's not terribly surprising, but incredible. The only way to put this thing behind us all is if we can get people vaccinated in high numbers. Too many vaccines are being wasted by government incompetence.14 -
RE: testing and positivity rates...
Since I've returned to work about a month ago, my company has been testing us twice a week, using a private lab. I imagine a lot of companies are doing the same. Im curious if they report the results, both positive and negative, to the local heath authorities. I just wonder if it's up to the private company if they want to report their numbers, or if they are required to.
The results from a private company, who is testing everyone, would actually give you a better idea of the community positivity rate. Most people who are getting tested at public sites are going because they have symptoms or have been exposed, which is going to skew the numbers.3 -
SuzySunshine99 wrote: »RE: testing and positivity rates...
Since I've returned to work about a month ago, my company has been testing us twice a week, using a private lab. I imagine a lot of companies are doing the same. Im curious if they report the results, both positive and negative, to the local heath authorities. I just wonder if it's up to the private company if they want to report their numbers, or if they are required to.
The results from a private company, who is testing everyone, would actually give you a better idea of the community positivity rate. Most people who are getting tested at public sites are going because they have symptoms or have been exposed, which is going to skew the numbers.
That may depend on where you are. Hubby and I have never been exposed, but between us, we have done 3 tests and 4th in two weeks. All have been precautionary due to travel. And given the state of my county, travel is IMO less concerning than just living at home, so a little illogical in our case, but following state guidelines.
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Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.
Anyone who is offered the opportunity to get the vaccine should get it. If she passes up the opportunity, who knows when she'll have the chance again. And, it just helps the entire community to have as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible.
My sister works for a hospital, but has been working from home, seeing patients virtually. She was offered, and has received, the first vaccine dose. Her employer made it clear that, even though she is currently working from home, she could get called in on an emergency basis if the hospital gets overwhelmed. I'm not sure if that's the case with your daughter as well, but it's something to consider.18 -
SuzySunshine99 wrote: »RE: testing and positivity rates...
Since I've returned to work about a month ago, my company has been testing us twice a week, using a private lab. I imagine a lot of companies are doing the same. Im curious if they report the results, both positive and negative, to the local heath authorities. I just wonder if it's up to the private company if they want to report their numbers, or if they are required to.
The results from a private company, who is testing everyone, would actually give you a better idea of the community positivity rate. Most people who are getting tested at public sites are going because they have symptoms or have been exposed, which is going to skew the numbers.
That may depend on where you are. Hubby and I have never been exposed, but between us, we have done 3 tests and 4th in two weeks. All have been precautionary due to travel. And given the state of my county, travel is IMO less concerning than just living at home, so a little illogical in our case, but following state guidelines.
Whereas where I live, you can only get the public test if you have symptoms or if the national authorities contact you to tell you you are at risk (e.g. close contact of someone who tested positive). If you want to do it as a precaution, or because you might have been in close contact but you were not informed by the authorities and do not have symptoms yourself, you need to pay.1 -
Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.
I don't know what state you're in, but given that at least some states are disposing of the vaccine rather than offering it to people in lower priority groups, I would choose to take the vaccine if offered.
If I was completely confident that it would get to someone else who might need it more than me, then I would turn it down. But I wouldn't have that level of confidence today.11 -
Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.
I agree with the other two posters who responded to you. Anyone who has the opportunity should get the vaccine ASAP. I actually am of the opinion that we should not be picking and choosing people based on demographics, especially when you have situations like you describe where people who are eligible are turning it down.
My husband is a first responder. He has not yet been vaccinated but has been told that he should expect it soon. A few people he works with got vaccinated a week ago because a different agency had a few leftover doses from people who chose not to get vaccinated. And those doses were offered and accepted by my husband’s coworkers.
Correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is that the vaccines currently being distributed must be used within a certain timeframe after being taken from the deep freeze. If not, they ‘spoil’ for lack of a better word. It seems to me that the country could get much higher rates of vaccination if we weren’t limiting those who are eligible.10 -
@MikePfirrman @suzysunshine99 @janejellyroll @cbihatt Thank you for your thoughtful responses. I will share with DD today when I baby-sit again. The leanings you all have match mine and I have made many of the same points. She is just so concerned she is cheating someone else out of their shot.
@Redordeadhead Massachusetts has had a "Stop the Spread" campaign. For that campaign, test were ONLY free if individual is asymptomatic. Those with symptoms have insurance billed, and I believe there was an additional plan for those that are uninsured. We chose to pay for those last two tests as there were rumors of multiple hour long lines. My first test was one of the free but was at a facility that did it by appointment. They have since left the "free" program. To do appointment, we had to go for paid option - or lie (ie claim we have symptoms and hope insurance covers).
Edited to add cbihatt. Our posts crossed because of my slow typing.4 -
Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.
Vaccine supply is high compared to actual distribution. There is concern that they are doing so poorly getting actual shots in actual people's arms that many doses may expire. It is frustrating...
She isn't taking the vaccine from someone else if it will just get thrown out otherwise. Please encourage her to take it.13 -
T1DCarnivoreRunner wrote: »Getting thoughts on behalf of daughter. Yesterday, she came to me (I was babysitting during their work from home) and said she had a question and was stressing. Basically, her boss wants all staff to get the COVID vaccine now (she works for a hospital, but does not have contact with any patients). DD wants the vaccine, but feels very guilty accepting it as she feels that she would be taking a vaccination from someone in more critical need. I don't want to bias your responses, so I will not share my response. Curious what yours might be.
Vaccine supply is high compared to actual distribution. There is concern that they are doing so poorly getting actual shots in actual people's arms that many doses may expire. It is frustrating...
She isn't taking the vaccine from someone else if it will just get thrown out otherwise. Please encourage her to take it.
Agreed. A local hospital is vaccinating admin employees, especially the senior staff who interact with doctors and occasionally patients, the public at large, etc.
In addition to lowering workplace risk, there is a logistical consideration. Getting it into arms is, apparently, hard. Having to offer it to employees in multiple waves would just further complicate something already, apparently, cripplingly difficult. Make it simple and fast. Everyone take the vaccine when it is offered. People who actually had responsibility for making distribution decisions had a lot of information available to them, and this is what they decided. Go with it.10 -
I agree that anyone that is offered the vaccine, should have no guilt taking it, no matter the tier you are in. There is a certain percentage of people eligible for receiving the vaccine that are refusing it for whatever reason they have to do so. It’s better to get it into a shoulder than having to destroy the dose. It’s crucial to get as many people vaccinated, as quickly as possible.10
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I agree with everyone else - no guilt, take the vaccine. There is plenty of supply right now. And localities that are well organized ( like some of the hospital systems in NYC) are doing an awesome job of blowing through jabs by the thousands. It's the places that for whatever reason weren't prepared with good logistics slowing the chain down (and there are a lot of them).5
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Yes, anyone who can get the vaccine should get it. By doing so, they help limit the future spread. That's a public service.
By refusing, even for theoretically noble reasons, they create friction in the distribution system, a system which (as others have observed) is having logistical difficulty getting vaccines into arms in the first place, on a timely basis. Refusals just gum up the process more.
Take it, then talk up how easy and trouble-free it was (assuming it was - which I expect).13 -
@T1DCarnivoreRunner @ahoy_m8 @missysippy930 @kimny72 @AnnPT77 Thank you all. I have passed on your comments as well as those I acknowledged earlier. I think my daughter is much more comfortable now with accepting the earlier vaccination due to her job.16
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