Covid Vaccine Distribution

[simple girl]

Florida just announced, lowering eligibility age to 50+ starting Monday.

This is good for areas of excess, not so good for areas where the vaccine is scarce still.

 

[Ready]

California is still 65+ unless you have underlying conditions or work in certain public facing industries. Even then it’s very difficult to find any supply available. It’s been frustrating to see other states opening up access to everyone while we continue to wait and wait and wait.

 

[simple girl]

California is still 65+ unless you have underlying conditions or work in certain public facing industries. Even then it’s very difficult to find any supply available. It’s been frustrating to see other states opening up access to everyone while we continue to wait and wait and wait.

Agree! I'm frustrated for those who can't easily get access in certain parts of our state, and for other states as well.

 

[MichaelB]

Agree! I'm frustrated for those who can't easily get access in certain parts of our state, and for other states as well.

I agree, it has been very frustrating. The shortcomings of the current enrollment and distribution (in Florida) process are well known but the steps taken in response don't really address them. Also frustrating is the reliance on internet based information and enrollment, a real disadvantage for seniors that are not tech savvy or with limited access.

 

[explanade]

DW and I are done, second Pfizers 2+ weeks ago.

Don't be surprised if around Fall or Winter they urge you to get boosters.

There is one study showing that neutralizing antibodies fall off to 80% after 7 months.

However, they fall off to 47% in those over 65.

 

[Chuckanut]

Don't be surprised if around Fall or Winter they urge you to get boosters.

There is one study showing that neutralizing antibodies fall off to 80% after 7 months.

However, they fall off to 47% in those over 65.

Do you have a link to that study?

 

[Born2BRetd]

Where's California's J&J Vaccine? I keep looking but only find appointments for 2 dose vaccines. Just getting 1 shot or none

Hi Gayl,

I know some people here in San Diego who received J&J through the local pharmacies.

 

[saydiver]

Getting a COVID vaccine appt. in SWFL is tough, because Florida is 2nd in the nation in both percentage (20.5%) and number of people 65+(4+ million) yet the distribution percentage doesn’t appear to be higher than other states. In Lee County, FL it’s 30% 65+, slightly higher in Collier County and over 40% in Charlotte County, which is why it’s always the first county to run out of appts.

Last week I was finally able to sign up on the Publix website. I was on at 7AM and rather than just have one window open, I used 2 monitors and had 6 private windows running and auto-refreshing at different times. The Publix website refreshes every minute. It worked and I was able to book an appt. at my local Publix for 2 days later.

 

[RetireBy90]

Don't be surprised if around Fall or Winter they urge you to get boosters.

There is one study showing that neutralizing antibodies fall off to 80% after 7 months.

However, they fall off to 47% in those over 65.

Scott Gottlieb commented on this a while ago, the antibodies will fall off and that is where T and B cells come in, they contain the recipe for the antibodies and will signal your immune system to get to work if the virus invades. (My words, not his . This is where longer term protection comes from.

 

[mpeirce]

Scott Gottlieb commented on this a while ago, the antibodies will fall off and that is where T and B cells come in,

Exactly, antibodies aren’t the whole story.

Our immune systems are a study an example of defense in depth.

 

[explanade]

Scott Gottlieb commented on this a while ago, the antibodies will fall off and that is where T and B cells come in, they contain the recipe for the antibodies and will signal your immune system to get to work if the virus invades. (My words, not his . This is where longer term protection comes from.

I understand that but antibodies work before the virus infects cells and commandeer them to replicate.

T cells can only kill those infected cells and it’s a delayed response, during which the virus may have infected a lot of cells.

It’s still not sure. There are a lot of beta corona viruses which are benign — they cause colds — but human immunity to them is short term.

 

[Amethyst]

Based on my utterly fruitless forays on Publix and all the other pharmacy websites, I think yours is about the best way to go. I hadn't thought of opening multiple private windows, but it would be like having several people hunting for you. Singletons don't stand a chance.

Last week I was finally able to sign up on the Publix website. I was on at 7AM and rather than just have one window open, I used 2 monitors and had 6 private windows running and auto-refreshing at different times. The Publix website refreshes every minute. It worked and I was able to book an appt. at my local Publix for 2 days later.

 

[Amethyst]

Meanwhile, the county came through with my e-vite for a first shot. Being 64 when eligibility has just been lowered to 50, may have helped.

I am SO glad not to feel like I have to keep going on those fruitless pharmacy treasure hunts! Especially at midnight and all that nonsense. I'm a definite non-fan of treasure hunts where the "prize" for which I'm competing, is something I am paying for with my taxes.

You can tell a lot of oldsters have had their shots, though. We went for hamburgers in the middle of town today. Mobs of old people everywhere, mostly unmasked

 

[skipro33]

Usually it's mentioned that the J&J vaccine is 65% effective, while both two-shot vaccines are 95% effective. Doesn't sound like a big difference, but what it means is that with the two-shot, compared to no vaccine you have a 5% chance of catching the bug, and with J&J a 35% chance.

This is 7 times as much! So looking at it from this angle, the two-shot versions do look great and keep you seven times safer (of course in the statistical average).

The premise of the J&J is that it's the 'old school' technology and your body has a broader range of what it will fight off rather than the rather specific mRNA style vaccine. Meaning the J&J is likely to cover mutations of CV-19. J&J is actually made from a variant of the common cold virus and is speculated to keep someone's immune system up to avoid colds as well.

Don't quote me on this, just stuff I've read to understand the science behind the different versions. I'm much more comfortable thinking that the J&J technology is more of a tried-n-true method of prevention than mRNA, but that's only because of the way I can comprehend the explanations of how it works.

The bottom line is; everyone is responsible for doing their own homework and making their own decisions going forward with anything that goes into their body.

 

[harllee]

Meanwhile, the county came through with my e-vite for a first shot. Being 64 when eligibility has just been lowered to 50, may have helped.

I am SO glad not to feel like I have to keep going on those fruitless pharmacy treasure hunts! Especially at midnight and all that nonsense. I'm a definite non-fan of treasure hunts where the "prize" for which I'm competing, is something I am paying for with my taxes.

You can tell a lot of oldsters have had their shots, though. We went for hamburgers in the middle of town today. Mobs of old people everywhere, mostly unmasked

YAH!! so glad for you Amethyst

 

[MichaelB]

YAH!! so glad for you Amethyst

Yes, this is good news.

 

[gayl]

Usually it's mentioned that the J&J vaccine is 65% effective, while both two-shot vaccines are 95% effective. Doesn't sound like a big difference, but what it means is that with the two-shot, compared to no vaccine you have a 5% chance of catching the bug, and with J&J a 35% chance.

This is 7 times as much! So looking at it from this angle, the two-shot versions do look great and keep you seven times safer (of course in the statistical average).

Except I personally will never get 2 shots so 1 and done is still better than nothing. So the question may become 'is 1 shot of the Moderna / Pfizer worth it or just skip it altogether?'

FWIW I never get the flu shot, refuse the pneumonia one, so it's J&J for me (and a calming nurse to assure me so I won't freak out)

 

[gayl]

The premise of the J&J is that it's the 'old school' technology and your body has a broader range of what it will fight off rather than the rather specific mRNA style vaccine. Meaning the J&J is likely to cover mutations of CV-19. J&J is actually made from a variant of the common cold virus and is speculated to keep someone's immune system up to avoid colds as well.

Don't quote me on this, just stuff I've read to understand the science behind the different versions. I'm much more comfortable thinking that the J&J technology is more of a tried-n-true method of prevention than mRNA, but that's only because of the way I can comprehend the explanations of how it works.

The bottom line is; everyone is responsible for doing their own homework and making their own decisions going forward with anything that goes into their body.

[emoji106]

 

[JoeWras]

J&J vaccine is going to be crucial for world wide distribution. As much as we are complaining, keep in mind that worldwide there's a lot of work to do.

Both vaccine technologies are going into new territory of coronavirus. Hopefully when the dust settles, we'll look back at this as a leap in medicine.

 

[ivinsfan]

Except I personally will never get 2 shots so 1 and done is still better than nothing. So the question may become 'is 1 shot of the Moderna / Pfizer worth it or just skip it altogether?'

FWIW I never get the flu shot, refuse the pneumonia one, so it's J&J for me (and a calming nurse to assure me so I won't freak out)

There should be lots of J and J around in the near future. Give it a shot..HAHA! but seriously the J and J seems a good compromise for you.

 

[ivinsfan]

Meanwhile, the county came through with my e-vite for a first shot. Being 64 when eligibility has just been lowered to 50, may have helped.

I am SO glad not to feel like I have to keep going on those fruitless pharmacy treasure hunts! Especially at midnight and all that nonsense. I'm a definite non-fan of treasure hunts where the "prize" for which I'm competing, is something I am paying for with my taxes.

You can tell a lot of oldsters have had their shots, though. We went for hamburgers in the middle of town today. Mobs of old people everywhere, mostly unmasked

Finally!!!, now what will you do all day?

 

[RunningBum]

WHO you know is the power of finding a vaccine.

Yep. One of my friends in my community was very diligent. She's actually across the county line so some options like the one she finally got in on weren't available to me, but she did point me to an independent drug store in a small town a little under 2 hours away. I called them Saturday morning to get on their wait list, got a call back on Tuesday, and got my first shot this morning. 2nd one scheduled in 3 weeks. I never would've found this place on my own. No online sources showed them having availability. I did google and found a couple articles about them

 

[gayl]

I've tried and tried. I have turned down for Moderna time slots. I could have Pfizer tomorrow. But all J&J seems to be in LA which is 360 miles away. (Although its supposed to be up here too)

 

[ivinsfan]

I've tried and tried. I have turned down for Moderna time slots. I could have Pfizer tomorrow. But all J&J seems to be in LA which is 360 miles away. (Although its supposed to be up here too)

There is supposed to be a big release of J and J nationwide starting the last week of March.

 

[gayl]

There is supposed to be a big release of J and J nationwide starting the last week of March.

Thank you