Covid Vaccine Distribution

[RetireeRobert]

I think it is the right thing to do to prioritize educators so schools can open for in person learning. In my state of NC they put us over 65 people ahead of teachers. Since I was over 65 I went ahead and got the vaccine but I wish they had vaccinated teachers first.

Glad you got your shots.

But I disagree about prioritizing educators (average age maybe 40, or 45?) ahead of statistically shown more vulnerable over age 65's. Covid death rates for over 65's magnitudes higher than death rates for age 40's and younger.

Also, lots of reading I have done says opening schools "not a big risk", as kids seem to be not as susceptible themselves, and "also" not big spreaders to their teachers. European countries opened their schools long ago.

So, my conclusion is prioritizing educators ahead of over 65's is insensitive at best and keeping seniors age 65 and older at "grave" risk (pun intended).

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Agree with you. Vaccinate those with highest risk of mortality for biggest bang for the buck. I agree with over 65 and those with preexisting known to complicate conditions. I dont like otherwise healthy 30 year olds in line before the Grannies and Papas because they teach. Here in TX the daycare providers are campaigning to be "next" kind of hitching their wagons to the teachers unions who are also pushing to he next. My county is doing some teachers at night. Not making them compete for slots like the rest of humanity. I dont know about that also. Plenty of elderly and compromised competing for slots. I guess the teachers unions lobby hard and its mayoral election here soon.

Glad you got your shots.

But I disagree about prioritizing educators (average age maybe 40, or 45?) ahead of statistically shown more vulnerable over age 65's. Covid death rates for over 65's magnitudes higher than death rates for age 40's and younger.

Also, lots of reading I have done says opening schools "not a big risk", as kids seem to be not as susceptible themselves, and "also" not big spreaders to their teachers. European countries opened their schools long ago.

So, my conclusion is prioritizing educators ahead of over 65's is insensitive at best and keeping seniors age 65 and older at "grave" risk (pun intended).

 

[Nords]

Notwithstanding this article, I would bet the rule will be different for submariners, because the circumstances are unique. If you say no, you may stay in the Navy, but you won't be a submariner anymore.

"Sorry you didn't get to finish your qualifications and earn your warfare pin, LT Schmuckatelli, it's not punitive. It's an administrative disqualification from submarine duty, and it's for the good of the submarine crews who had to live with your attitude.

Now, would you like a minesweeper in Manama or an aircraft carrier refueling overhaul in Norfolk? We have plenty of room in both!"

 

[audreyh1]

Glad you got your shots.

But I disagree about prioritizing educators (average age maybe 40, or 45?) ahead of statistically shown more vulnerable over age 65's. Covid death rates for over 65's magnitudes higher than death rates for age 40's and younger.

Also, lots of reading I have done says opening schools "not a big risk", as kids seem to be not as susceptible themselves, and "also" not big spreaders to their teachers. European countries opened their schools long ago.

So, my conclusion is prioritizing educators ahead of over 65's is insensitive at best and keeping seniors age 65 and older at "grave" risk (pun intended).

I also agree.

The main reason, is those over 65 and those with severe medical conditions are the most likely to fill up the hospitals as well as die. And vaccinating them should significantly reduce the hospital stress which helps everyone, not just them.

Teachers with serious comorbdidities that put them at high risk - obesity, diabetes, heart disease etc. - are already priority to be vaccinated along with those 65+.

BTW - European schools are shut down again as their wave went back out of control. Not as bad as US, but bad enough.

 

[Sunset]

Today at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles, the biggest mass vaccination site in the country, a couple of dozen anti-vaxxers, unmasked and carrying signs, approached the entrance.

The LAPD closed the entrance to avoid confrontations and avoid having the protesters enter the site.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1355642351297785856

Police reinforcements arrived and they re-opened after about an hour.

Unmasked people are actually a threat to a person's health and even life.

Too bad Police are not allowed to shot them with tranquilizer guns loaded with vaccine.

 

[RetireeRobert]

BTW - European schools are shut down again as their wave went back out of control. Not as bad as US, but bad enough.

Recent CDC study in US said schools not major place for spread of covid: https://www.washingtonpost.com/educ...949222-5fe6-11eb-9061-07abcc1f9229_story.html

 

[gayl]

I was sent a Feb 1st application for the 2 shot vaccine. I turned it down as I want the J&J one.

 

[Katsmeow]

I think it is the right thing to do to prioritize educators so schools can open for in person learning. In my state of NC they put us over 65 people ahead of teachers. Since I was over 65 I went ahead and got the vaccine but I wish they had vaccinated teachers first.

I don't. Teachers here can get vaccinated first if they are over 65 or if they one of the listed health problems. That seems fine. Schools here are open for those who want to attend. Many do not and many teachers do not want to be there which I understand. And, yes, in person education is important.

However -- it is entirely possible that vaccinated people may be able to pass on Covid. They don't know yet if vaccination will prevent transmission. Maybe it will and maybe it won't. So those vaccinated teachers would be at risk of passing on Covid to students and would still have to do the precautions that they are already doing.

I also think that the highest priority after health care workers should be the people at the highest risk of death which are the older population and those with other health conditions. Teachers who are younger and without those underlying conditions do not have a great risk of dying from Covid (of course it is not zero risk).

 

[JoeWras]

Agree with you. Vaccinate those with highest risk of mortality for biggest bang for the buck. I agree with over 65 and those with preexisting known to complicate conditions. I dont like otherwise healthy 30 year olds in line before the Grannies and Papas because they teach.

I agree. And a lot of my teacher friends don't agree. That's OK, I think, although I could be "cancelled" if I speak up.

Otherwise, where do we stop? What about your grocery checkout person? Risky and very, very essential job.

Here in NC, our hospitalizations are dropping like a rock. Our overall case counts are just drifting down. One has to think that perhaps the vax is starting to have an impact.

I mentioned earlier about traveling with a volunteer group. Some suggested I try to get to the front of the line. One reason I'm not asking for that is because I think age is more important. I work with good people and they will respect my request to continue masking up, I'm sure. I just may not go to the restaurants with them.

 

[harllee]

I was sent a Feb 1st application for the 2 shot vaccine. I turned it down as I want the J&J one.

gayl, Why do you prefer J&J over Pfizer/Moderna? Doesn't the P/M vaccines have higher efficiency than J&J? I was so glad to get my first vaccine I just took whatever was officered which in my case happened to be Moderna

 

[harllee]

Glad you got your shots.

But I disagree about prioritizing educators (average age maybe 40, or 45?) ahead of statistically shown more vulnerable over age 65's. Covid death rates for over 65's magnitudes higher than death rates for age 40's and younger.

Also, lots of reading I have done says opening schools "not a big risk", as kids seem to be not as susceptible themselves, and "also" not big spreaders to their teachers. European countries opened their schools long ago.

So, my conclusion is prioritizing educators ahead of over 65's is insensitive at best and keeping seniors age 65 and older at "grave" risk (pun intended).

One reason I think teachers should be prioritized is the experience in my own family. My nephew and his wife (age 40 teachers in high school and junior high) both got infected back in Dec--they were teaching in person and there was an outbreak at their schools and they are sure that is how they got infected. It took them over a month to feel well enough to go back to work. Their teenage children also got the virus and were pretty sick too.
There were so many teachers, staff and students in the school district infected they have had to go to all virtual classes.

By the way in NC the only people who can get vaccinated now are over 65 and medical workers. Younger people with health problems are not eligible yet.

 

[audreyh1]

Here in NC, our hospitalizations are dropping like a rock. Our overall case counts are just drifting down. One has to think that perhaps the vax is starting to have an impact.
m.

I so hope we see this everywhere. Those medical workers need a break! Most states have really focused on the elder care homes and that should before too long make the death rate drop dramatically too.

 

[Golden sunsets]

Hospitalizations and deaths are dropping in ME as well. Our Gov and State CDC are indicating the declines are related to finally overcoming the holiday super spreader events.

We received our first shot on 1/26 and will receive our second shot 22 days later, so I've circled 3/3 as peak immunity day(2 weeks after 2nd shot). Our experience with the process once we reached the clinic was that it was well organized, quick, efficient and safe(it took 20 minutes including the 15 minutes monitoring).

Getting the appointments though required first seeking out the information, via newspaper and On line sources, and then redialing the appointment line over 50 times to get into a queue during the short 5 minute window each day before slots fill. The first day I failed. The lines opened at 8. Constant busy signals and slots all gone by 8:15. The second day I succeeded by double fisted dialing and redialing with 2 cell phones. Like most things those who are more aggressive in seeking out info and strategizing how to best achieve a goal will succeed first. It isn't really a very fair process, although I think it is intended to be. It's an early bird catches the worm scenario.

 

[audreyh1]

Looking at NY Times: Nationwide daily deaths aren’t dropping yet, but they have at least flatlined. Hospitalizations have definitely rolled over although still very high. Daily cases have dropped even more, and yes I attribute a big chunk of that from getting away from the holidays. Given the drop in daily cases, I expect the daily deaths to come down too soon.

Hopefully it continues dramatically and we can start attributing it to the vaccine. Folks getting the two vaccine doses completed in Jan are just now (or in a week) reaching full effectiveness of the vaccine.

 

[sengsational]

As an under 65, I'm "out there" in scheduling, but I did register with my mega-practice. One can only hope they call the fogies first.

I can understand anti-vaxxers not wanting to get the vaccine themselves (I think that's stupid but I understand it), but why do they want to protest other people getting the vaccine? That makes no sense at all.

Could be that they don't like that some vaccines use a very common cell line (derived from a fetus in the 1970's) in their design or manufacture.

 

[REWahoo]

Could be that they don't like that some vaccines use a very common cell line (derived from a fetus in the 1970's) in their design or manufacture.

That apparently had nothing to do with the recent anti-vaccine protest and temporary shut down of a mass vaccination site in LA yesterday:

A post on social media described the demonstration as the “SCAMDEMIC PROTEST/MARCH.”

“This is a sharing information protest and march against everything COVID, Vaccine, PCR Tests, Lockdowns, Masks, Fauci, Gates, Newsom, China, digital tracking, etc.”

Anti-vaccine protesters temporarily shut down vaccine site

 

[Gumby]

....
Could be that they don't like that some vaccines use a very common cell line (derived from a fetus in the 1970's) in their design or manufacture.

Further reading suggests that, for at least some of the protesters, their opposition was based on politics more than anything else. That is, they were not all true anti-vaxxers.

https://abc7.com/dodger-stadium-vac...n-site-is-open-for-vaccines-blocked/10168355/

 

[RetireBy90]

Looking at NY Times: Nationwide daily deaths aren’t dropping yet, but they have at least flatlined. Hospitalizations have definitely rolled over although still very high. Daily cases have dropped even more, and yes I attribute a big chunk of that from getting away from the holidays. Given the drop in daily cases, I expect the daily deaths to come down too soon.

Hopefully it continues dramatically and we can start attributing it to the vaccine. Folks getting the two vaccine doses completed in Jan are just now (or in a week) reaching full effectiveness of the vaccine.

In VA, we went from over 5,000 confirmed cases a day to over 3,000 in past week or so. I expect death counts to follow by 2 weeks or so as they lag case counts.

My concern now is next Sunday being super bowl turning into super spreader. Then we have St Patrick’s day perhaps in the midst of relaxing restrictions. I hope I’m wrong yet again.

 

[audreyh1]

I can understand anti-vaxxers not wanting to get the vaccine themselves (I think that's stupid but I understand it), but why do they want to protest other people getting the vaccine? That makes no sense at all.

If you look at what they are protesting, it’s not really anti-vax. Looked like most were claiming COVID is a hoax, the government is going to abuse you, you are selling your soul to the devil, etc.

 

[audreyh1]

In VA, we went from over 5,000 confirmed cases a day to over 3,000 in past week or so. I expect death counts to follow by 2 weeks or so as they lag case counts.

My concern now is next Sunday being super bowl turning into super spreader. Then we have St Patrick’s day perhaps in the midst of relaxing restrictions. I hope I’m wrong yet again.

I’m sure as more folks are vaccinated, many folks will naturally relax their precautions, so it will be back and forth for quite a while.

I just hope we can avoid the peaks of Dec/Jan.

 

[Gumby]

Passover and Easter will likely result in a new surge, so we've got two months to beat the numbers down.

 

[JoeWras]

I’m sure as more folks are vaccinated, many folks will naturally relax their precautions, so it will be back and forth for quite a while.

I just hope we can avoid the peaks of Dec/Jan.

That's unfortunately a very good point! Already catching the winds of relaxation from some of my vaxxed friends. And I don't mean sitting in lounge chairs, but rather boldly going out and about for coffee and such.

 

[Chuckanut]

As a former teacher of math I have to look at the numbers. In the state of Washington 90% of the people who die from Covid are 65+. I can assure you that 65+ people in my state are nowhere near 90% of the population.

Dr. Osterholm's latest podcast explains that properly managed schools are not significant spreader locations. The data to support vaccinating teachers before more vulnerable people is just not there. Of course, that could change with the variants. Or it may not change. If the data changes, do what we have done already - adjust the plans.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) office has come up with a plan give teachers who fall in a group that will currenlty get the vaccine to have their own special line where they don't have to wait as long. I think that is a good compromise.

 

[Chuckanut]

That's unfortunately a very good point! Already catching the winds of relaxation from some of my vaxxed friends. And I don't mean sitting in lounge chairs, but rather boldly going out and about for coffee and such.

If I had both shots I would probably open up a bit and on a warmer day get coffee outside with a friend. I might be tempted to go to the grocery store a bit more often. My status would be yellow alert - shields up at low power, be ready to charge the phasers and arm the photon torpedoes, just in case those rascally Covidians sneak up using one of their new variant cloaked ships. I would stay well away from the Neutral Zone. No point going looking for trouble.

 

[MichaelB]

Here’s an effort to project herd immunity by Youyang Gu, a data scientist who built an accurate model to project infections and fatalities last year. His current estimate is 60% herd immunity is reached in early May and 70% two months later, where he expects it to level off. https://covid19-projections.com/path-to-herd-immunity/

His Twitter feed is here https://twitter.com/youyanggu He’s smart and very open regarding the limitations and shortcomings of his effort to model and project something with such significant unknown factors.