Community Chat

[skatting44]

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@CelticCrafter wrote:

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@Pearlee wrote:

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@skatting44 wrote:

 Our CDC guidelines are to blame. I certainly understand that  direct care Hospital staff and  first responders  for fire, ambulance, police needed the vaccine first along with our military. However, the initial CDC guidelines included so many others who were young and who  may have already had the covid 19 virus . This set back the highest risk  who are age 65+  from getting the vaccine. Many states have been  slow in the rollout despite being told by the Feds the vaccines were coming. The states that have  administrated the most vaccine to residents have gone around the initial CDC guidelines. States have been holding back 2 doses of vaccine for the  health care workers other in category 1A , but many in that group refused the vaccine causing some states to end up throwing away doses . Now the CDC cjhanged it's guidelines to hurry up and admin vaccine to those 65+  fast  and they are also quitely saying that 2nd dose for either vaccine  can be givebn up to 6 weeks later  when the manufacturers Moderna & Pfizer  say 21 to 28 days later for the 2nd vaccine dose. I have no faith in CDC nor NIH nor local health departments .

They just keep adding more and more to each group bumping all those l 65+ iving at home not working at various institutions  further behind in getting the vaccine .  I don't know why they don't just  don't have drive through  vaccinations at  a school or mall  manned by the National Guard . They could call you by each zip code or one street or raod at a time to come to the drive up . This is crazy going on so many websites constantly  having the vaccine appointment say  check  back later - no appointments .

Private Physicians  at Johns Hopkins in Maryland seem to be no help - their site promises vaccine but it says  no appointments yet. My Husband received an email that he was in high risk but  that they may contact him later  for an appointment . They further suggested  trying to schedule through other companies

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@skatting44 I wouldn't go-to a drive through vaccine. If I.go, I'm going to the center set up by my health care provider, which monitors us for possible reactions for 15 minutes after the injection.

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Doesn't matter if you go to a walk in center or a drive through center, they all make you wait the 15 minutes be it inside or in designated area in your car.....

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 The 15 min post vaccine monitor peroid is standard nursing/medical protocol for All Vaccines .  These protocols are inherent every place that administers vaccines  fas evidenced based practice  and liability  reasons . However most places have staff that  bypass these  measures. I can say that if any place administers a vaccine and they  don't monitor someone for the 15 mins for anaphalysis  with epinephrine on hand  they can really be sued or someone could die.

[Isobel Archer]

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@1Snickers wrote:

   I'm in VA and my state has almost the worst reputation for vaccine amounts given. We are right next to West VA that has the best! Each county does whatever they want and teachers are coming first now but schools are closed. I'm supposed to drive 30 miles to my county site when it opens if I get an appointment when there is one 5 minutes away in the next county. 
   The hospital is supposed to notify people through their charts but they haven't even started yet. 

   They are supposed to be giving preference to 75 up and are still doing many others. I'm 78 I've registered but am afraid there are thousands ahead in the same group.

   If I were incarcerated or homeless it would be easier to get a shot. The websites are terrible and crash. 
    England gave preference to the elderly as suggested by the CDC. ...😥

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I'm in Fairfax County and the admin is interesting.  My husband 75+ got his first shot through Kaiser (and I am on their waiting list for 65+).  They appear to be doing an orderly process of priority (75+ first etc.).

I am also signed up on the County list - did that when the 65+ was added.  One of the County supervisors' newsletters said once they opened it to the 65+/16+ with conditions, it then became first signed up first served.  So if a 75+ signs up today (if they can figure out the online system or wait hours on the phoneline - they will be in line apparently behind all those already signed up.

Then there is the INOVA hospital system - which somehow got vaccine as well.  In the first days, it was - just show up - doesn't matter your category.  Two friends of mine 75+ did that - no appointments and got shots - AND appointments for the second (which the County is NOT doing - they will notify you when you are due and you can try to find an appointment for the second shot.)  In addition my friends, while waiting in line, talked to several people who weren't even 65 yet (at the time it was supposed to be 75+ only.)  I just heard that another friend of mine who is not even 50 and - according to her, has no health issues - just got her shot from INOVA yesterday.  She is not working so is not in one of those essential categories either.

So, yes, it is a mess in VA - at least here.

[suzyQ3]

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@agb80 wrote:

The Moderna vaccine has to be reworked.  One of the variants (the article didn't say which one) is rendering the vaccine pretty much useless.  Please look this up for yourselves.  Since that vaccine is so similar to the Pfizer I wonder about it too.  

I find this news to be devastating.  The Moderna rep also stated this pandemic will be an endemic because it won't be going away ever.  

We haven't had our shots yet since our state relegated the 65 - 69 year olds in a later group.  

I'm cancelling the auto insurance on our additional cars tomorrow.  No need to have more than 1 car with no place to go; we are letting the vehicle registration lapse too.  Our plans to drive out of state are futile since we will not eat at a restaurant or stay at a hotel.  

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@agb80. Please cite your source for this very disturbing statement.

[riley1]

I have not seen or heard any info regarding the Moderna vaccine. Where did you see or hear this? Or, read this?

My hubby got his appt. They called this morning and he goes Thursday for his first shot. Second shot already booked. 

I have to wait for the next Phase.

[sydsgma1]

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@Meowingkitty wrote:

In Arizona it's been running pretty good. They opened up 150,000 appointments for February for those 65-74 and they were booked in 14 hours. I've heard that if one person in the car has an appointment and the other one doesn't but is eligible they will often vaccinate both. We have sites open 24/7. I had no problem registering both of us. Get on the computer to the website and follow directions. Not rocket science. Took about 5 minutes. Drive in, handle the paperwork, hang your arm out and get the shot. Sit for 15 minutes to signs of any reaction and your on your way.

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[sydsgma1]

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@Meowingkitty wrote:

In Arizona it's been running pretty good. They opened up 150,000 appointments for February for those 65-74 and they were booked in 14 hours. I've heard that if one person in the car has an appointment and the other one doesn't but is eligible they will often vaccinate both. We have sites open 24/7. I had no problem registering both of us. Get on the computer to the website and follow directions. Not rocket science. Took about 5 minutes. Drive in, handle the paperwork, hang your arm out and get the shot. Sit for 15 minutes to signs of any reaction and your on your way.

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You are lucky..I am finding Az to be a mess. I am very tech savvy and have spent several hours tying to get appointments.  This is true for many of my friends. 

[ECBG]

We just happened to get two spots in another county the day before our county opened up their shots.  NC.

[Isobel Archer]

Today's Washington Post announced that INOVA - which was supposed to be vaccinating Fairfax County teachers - and had scheduled appointements beginning the end of this month - now had to cancel all those because they "ran out" of vaccine.  Of course, they are blaming the State and Feds, but I wonder if letting people without appointments get shots (including those whose categories hadn't even been authorized yet - see my above post - )had anything to do with their "shortage."

[Isobel Archer]

Just got an email from Fairfax County to those on the waiting list.

They now have to stop with the list so they can vaccinate the teachers that INOVA was supposed to do - since INOVA now has a shortage.

I hope all those who got shots at INOVA without appointments - and who were not even in an authorized category -  are proud of themselves - although I also clearly blame INOVA for not following procedures.

[shoesnbags]

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@suzyQ3 wrote:

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@agb80 wrote:

The Moderna vaccine has to be reworked.  One of the variants (the article didn't say which one) is rendering the vaccine pretty much useless.  Please look this up for yourselves.  Since that vaccine is so similar to the Pfizer I wonder about it too.  

I find this news to be devastating.  The Moderna rep also stated this pandemic will be an endemic because it won't be going away ever.  

We haven't had our shots yet since our state relegated the 65 - 69 year olds in a later group.  

I'm cancelling the auto insurance on our additional cars tomorrow.  No need to have more than 1 car with no place to go; we are letting the vehicle registration lapse too.  Our plans to drive out of state are futile since we will not eat at a restaurant or stay at a hotel.  

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@agb80. Please cite your source for this very disturbing statement.

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@suzyQ3 

My take away from the news reports was different from @agb80.  My understanding was that one of the new strains seems to be not fully ( or maybe not at all?) prevented by any of the current vaccines. Moderna however, is working on some kind of "booster shot" that will cover this variant.  I can't remember which variant it is that's the problem.  But the point is that it's not a problem specific to the Moderna vaccine.  

ETA

@suzyQ3 

I did a little more research on this (because the Moderna vaccine is the one that's available to me) and this is what I found:

As explained by the World Health Organization's Chief Scientist, "these vaccines elicit a fairly broad immune response, a host of antibodies and cell-mediated immune responses...so a couple of changes or mutations in the virus should not make these vaccines ineffective." While there is evidence that the Moderna vaccine has diminished efficacy against the B.1.351 variant (i.e., the "South African variant"), the vaccine is still considered to provide sufficient immunity to protect against this variant (Wu, bioRxiv — preprint). Out of caution, however, Moderna has announced plans to develop a booster shot to target this variant.