Covid Vaccine Distribution

[Souschef]

We are waiting for an e-mail for our appointment. There are slots open, but I have to book DW's the same day as mine. She got her first dose 4 days after me.

 

[Chuckanut]

Politico have a European tracker with live data that shows when each country will reach 70% if they keep vaccinating at the same rate that they have been doing in the last 7 days.

https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-vaccination-live-data-tracker/

Germany is 2023 and Italy is 2024. This is just mathematics. However I do think that when the US is done, the American factories are likely to supply Europe. So I think it will probably look better next year.

Despite our frustrations with getting a shot appointment, the USA is doing very well compared to Europe and Canada. Internationally, the clear winner is Israel.

Here's and interesting discussion on Post Covid podcast. The guest points out we have done a lot of things right over the past year. Let's not be so hard on ourselves. Stop complaining so much. <--- And that definitely includes me.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/will-we-do-better-next-time/id1539292794?i=1000509870991

We did some amazing things in a year. Whether it's Zoom rising to the occasion, vaccine development, or just keeping the important supply lines up and running. It's a remarkable achievement that We The People can take credit for. And, yes, the Gubmint also did some smart things to encourage that public-private partnership.

Is there any good news? Are there any lessons from the crisis that should give us some optimism about how we contend with future pandemics? That’s what we try to untangle today with science journalist Jim Meigs. Jim helps us think about the promise of public-private partnerships that gave birth to Operation Warp Speed, as well as the new critical infrastructure we are building for vaccine manufacturing and hopefully distribution, and how we discern the public health news we get from political leaders, public health authorities and the media to inform our decisions during a crisis. We also discuss what we’ve learned about cultures at large institutions - government agencies and companies - and how they can make better decisions in a future crisis like this.

 

[mpeirce]

Russ Robert's Econtalk also has a good "one year later" podcast about the pandemic from an economic perspective.

https://www.econtalk.org/john-cochrane-on-the-pandemic/

 

[5Miler]

Received my 2nd Pfizer vaccine today. In and out in about 40 minutes including 30 minute wait time due to Penicillin allergy. First shot was at Dept. of Health facility about 25 minutes away but they recently opened a new location 5 minutes from my home. The county is utilizing a long deserted Sears store in a local mall centralizing vaccines for the County Health Dept in a three county area.

Fortunate for me but DGF is only 61 so still waiting her turn. I did not receive a vaccination card as most people have mentioned they received. Instead, I have a sheet of paper for each visit annotating the vaccinations. I was told to take a picture of them and keep them in my cell phone to use for travel if needed. Apparently there is no standard established for documenting the vaccination. Not exactly the response I was expecting but it is government after all.

 

[braumeister]

Nice bit in the Journal today about a 90 year old woman who walked three miles each way through the snow on her new artificial hip to get vaccinated. (I assume it was uphill both directions )

That contrasts with a phone conversation I had today with a friend. He's only in his 50s and says he'll put off vaccination for as long as he can, because he has multiple health issues and doesn't want to add another thing to worry about.

 

[ivinsfan]

Nice bit in the Journal today about a 90 year old woman who walked three miles each way through the snow on her new artificial hip to get vaccinated. (I assume it was uphill both directions )

That contrasts with a phone conversation I had today with a friend. He's only in his 50s and says he'll put off vaccination for as long as he can, because he has multiple health issues and doesn't want to add another thing to worry about.

I'm guessing he's hoping the rest of us will get vaccinated so he doesn't have to. That's the hope of most anti-vaxxers. let someone else do it so I don't have to.

 

[Gumby]

Our governor's press conference today was quite interesting. Apparently, after wrestling with issues regarding what precisely is a co-morbidity and how those should be ranked and proven, as well as precisely who is one of the essential workers, Connecticut has decided to simply move to an age based system. The task force running the vaccine program determined that such a system would result in the most number of shots given in the least amount of time with the least confusion and would generally address the highest risk the earliest, since co-morbidities are strongly correlated with age. It is by far the simplest to administer - all you need is an ID with your age.

The only exception to the age levels will be a parallel program that will have special vaccine clinics at schools, so that all the teachers and other direct contact staff can be vaccinated. This should ensure that the schools can re-open to full-time in-person learning and stay open, with all of the ancillary benefits that brings to parents trying to return to work.

So, next Monday, 3/1, they will open the queue to all those 55+. The age will be reduced to 45+ on 3/20, to 35+ on 4/12 and to 16+ on 5/3. It's an ambitious plan, but the assets are already in place to give the shots and they appear confident that vaccine supply, which has to date been the bottleneck, will continue to ramp up to support that schedule.

Now I need to get busy figuring out precisely how to sign up on-line for an appointment. I was not expecting I would need to do that before June.

 

[Calico]

Our governor's press conference today was quite interesting. Apparently, after wrestling with issues regarding what precisely is a co-morbidity and how those should be ranked and proven, as well as precisely who is one of the essential workers, Connecticut has decided to simply move to an age based system. The task force running the vaccine program determined that such a system would result in the most number of shots given in the least amount of time with the least confusion and would generally address the highest risk the earliest, since co-morbidities are strongly correlated with age. It is by far the simplest to administer - all you need is an ID with your age.

The only exception to the age levels will be a parallel program that will have special vaccine clinics at schools, so that all the teachers and other direct contact staff can be vaccinated. This should ensure that the schools can re-open to full-time in-person learning and stay open, with all of the ancillary benefits that brings to parents trying to return to work.

So, next Monday, 3/1, they will open the queue to all those 55+. The age will be reduced to 45+ on 3/20, to 35+ on 4/12 and to 16+ on 5/3. It's an ambitious plan, but the assets are already in place to give the shots and they appear confident that vaccine supply, which has to date been the bottleneck, will continue to ramp up to support that schedule.

Now I need to get busy figuring out precisely how to sign up on-line for an appointment. I was not expecting I would need to do that before June.

It sounds like Connecticut could teach other states a thing or two about how to get it done efficiently.

 

[REWahoo]

...Connecticut has decided to simply move to an age based system.

I think that's essentially what they did in the UK from day 1. Makes sense to me as no matter what system is chosen there will be complaints that it isn't fair. Heck, just get the most people vaccinated in the shortest time possible so we can start getting back to the new normal, whatever that's going to be.

 

[JoeWras]

It sounds like Connecticut could teach other states a thing or two about how to get it done efficiently.

I'm thinking of becoming a tourist and take a trip up there.

Seriously, keep it simple. CT has a good plan.

 

[harllee]

One of the funnier stories I have heard about vaccination distribution--2 ladies around 35-40 dressed up as "grannies" in bonnets, gray wigs, old fashioned clothes, etc and tried to sneak into a second shot vaccine event for those over 65. They had fake IDs and a fake card showing they had the first shot. They were caught and charged with trespassing. I remember when teenagers use to have fake IDs to buy beer--now young people have fake IDs to get covid vaccines.

 

[obsessed]

Our governor's press conference today was quite interesting. Apparently, after wrestling with issues regarding what precisely is a co-morbidity and how those should be ranked and proven, as well as precisely who is one of the essential workers, Connecticut has decided to simply move to an age based system. The task force running the vaccine program determined that such a system would result in the most number of shots given in the least amount of time with the least confusion and would generally address the highest risk the earliest, since co-morbidities are strongly correlated with age. It is by far the simplest to administer - all you need is an ID with your age.

The only exception to the age levels will be a parallel program that will have special vaccine clinics at schools, so that all the teachers and other direct contact staff can be vaccinated. This should ensure that the schools can re-open to full-time in-person learning and stay open, with all of the ancillary benefits that brings to parents trying to return to work.

So, next Monday, 3/1, they will open the queue to all those 55+. The age will be reduced to 45+ on 3/20, to 35+ on 4/12 and to 16+ on 5/3. It's an ambitious plan, but the assets are already in place to give the shots and they appear confident that vaccine supply, which has to date been the bottleneck, will continue to ramp up to support that schedule.

Now I need to get busy figuring out precisely how to sign up on-line for an appointment. I was not expecting I would need to do that before June.

That almost makes too much sense. In our state, once you remove the over 65 and under 16 groups, 96% of the population is listed in a special class (medical, those with 2 or more co-morbidities, those with only one co-morbidity, critical workers, essential workers and so-on), none specific to age. Once they open it to the next phase I don't see how they could enforce any of it with any efficiency so it will be a free for all.

 

[Badger]

One of the funnier stories I have heard about vaccination distribution--2 ladies around 35-40 dressed up as "grannies" in bonnets, gray wigs, old fashioned clothes, etc and tried to sneak into a second shot vaccine event for those over 65. They had fake IDs and a fake card showing they had the first shot. They were caught and charged with trespassing. I remember when teenagers use to have fake IDs to buy beer--now young people have fake IDs to get covid vaccines.

That is Florida for you.


Cheers!

 

[explanade]

Some recipients of the mRNA vaccines have developed immune thrombocytopenia.

Officials with the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that they were looking into the reports, but that so far, rates of the condition in vaccinated people did not appear higher than the rates normally found in the U.S. population, so the cases could be coincidental. Overall, the vaccines are considered safe. A small number of severe allergic reactions have been reported, but they are treatable, and the rates are in line with those reported for other vaccines, regulators say.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/health/immune-thrombocytopenia-covid-vaccine-blood.html

 

[audreyh1]

I think that's essentially what they did in the UK from day 1. Makes sense to me as no matter what system is chosen there will be complaints that it isn't fair. Heck, just get the most people vaccinated in the shortest time possible so we can start getting back to the new normal, whatever that's going to be.

Given the extreme curve starting above 50 for increasing deaths/bad disease by age, it certainly seems like a good approach if the goal is to limit those filling up the hospitals and dying.

 

[PaunchyPirate]

Received my 2nd Pfizer vaccine today. In and out in about 40 minutes including 30 minute wait time due to Penicillin allergy. First shot was at Dept. of Health facility about 25 minutes away but they recently opened a new location 5 minutes from my home. The county is utilizing a long deserted Sears store in a local mall centralizing vaccines for the County Health Dept in a three county area.

Fortunate for me but DGF is only 61 so still waiting her turn. I did not receive a vaccination card as most people have mentioned they received. Instead, I have a sheet of paper for each visit annotating the vaccinations. I was told to take a picture of them and keep them in my cell phone to use for travel if needed. Apparently there is no standard established for documenting the vaccination. Not exactly the response I was expecting but it is government after all.

The part about getting a sheet of paper noting your vaccination is interesting. The vaccination card most are getting is a standard format including the CDC logo. I wonder why your county isn’t using them. Unless, like many things, they are now in short supply.

 

[Momcpa]

DH got his first shot at a Walgreens (location#1) and got a card with his info. I got my first shot at a different Walgreens (location #2) on the same day, but got the flimsy piece of paper. I will ask at the second shot to see if they have cards available, and if my info can be transferred to a card.

 

[Alan]

I think that's essentially what they did in the UK from day 1. Makes sense to me as no matter what system is chosen there will be complaints that it isn't fair. Heck, just get the most people vaccinated in the shortest time possible so we can start getting back to the new normal, whatever that's going to be.

That is exactly what they did from the start in December and have been sticking to that timetable. At age 65 and 66 my wife and I got our 1st jab today. They are on schedule to have all over 50s plus those with medical conditions done by April. My sister, who is in her 40's but has lupus gets her jab today, Irene's brother and sister in their 50's both have asthma and they got their first jabs yesterday.

At the briefing yesterday the CSO put up charts that showed a dramatic fall off of deaths and hospitalizations in the under 50s. Target now is for all adults (over age 16) to be offered a first jab by July 31st.

Schedule of vaccinations here:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55045639

 

[braumeister]

Nice bit in the Journal today about a 90 year old woman who walked three miles each way through the snow on her new artificial hip to get vaccinated. (I assume it was uphill both directions )

Just saw the photo of her. Looking amazingly good for 90 years old!

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Just read that Ft Hood will vaccinate anyone age 16 and up with a DOD ID card. That's a fairly large swathe

 

[regenaeb]

Our governor's press conference today was quite interesting. Apparently, after wrestling with issues regarding what precisely is a co-morbidity and how those should be ranked and proven, as well as precisely who is one of the essential workers, Connecticut has decided to simply move to an age based system. The task force running the vaccine program determined that such a system would result in the most number of shots given in the least amount of time with the least confusion and would generally address the highest risk the earliest, since co-morbidities are strongly correlated with age. It is by far the simplest to administer - all you need is an ID with your age.

The only exception to the age levels will be a parallel program that will have special vaccine clinics at schools, so that all the teachers and other direct contact staff can be vaccinated. This should ensure that the schools can re-open to full-time in-person learning and stay open, with all of the ancillary benefits that brings to parents trying to return to work.

So, next Monday, 3/1, they will open the queue to all those 55+. The age will be reduced to 45+ on 3/20, to 35+ on 4/12 and to 16+ on 5/3. It's an ambitious plan, but the assets are already in place to give the shots and they appear confident that vaccine supply, which has to date been the bottleneck, will continue to ramp up to support that schedule.

Now I need to get busy figuring out precisely how to sign up on-line for an appointment. I was not expecting I would need to do that before June.

Wow Gumby, can I come down to CT to get my vaccine? J/k! I am in Massachusetts so CT is close for me. I wish MA would start implementing something like this. It would make things so much more efficient. Last week MA opened to 65+, was 75+ before that. After this group they are going to open up to below 65 that are essential workers. Meaning teachers, grocery store workers, public transit employees. This I think is going to lead to mass chaos. How do these people prove it? Bring in a paystub, who gets a paystub anymore or even looks at it. Plus that puts the burden on the pharmacy staff at say Wegmans or CVS to verify the information. So when people are in line arguing with the staff because they forgot their paystub, no one can get a shot. It would be great if they just ditched that idea and went to the age blocks. I understand their criteria, but I think it is asking for problems.

 

[Chuckanut]

DH got his first shot at a Walgreens (location#1) and got a card with his info. I got my first shot at a different Walgreens (location #2) on the same day, but got the flimsy piece of paper. I will ask at the second shot to see if they have cards available, and if my info can be transferred to a card.

I got the card with the little stickers showing the manufacturer and the batch number of the vaccine. I also received an email confirming each shot. I have saved the emails and photographed the card.

I regards to prioritizing groups who work at essential jobs, I think that will be a mess. And I certainly would not want to be the person who has to tell a a supposed transit worker that a pay stub for 2016 is not sufficient proof. FWIW, I think I might still have my teacher ID badge from my old job. I haven't worked as a teacher for at least 8 years, and it has no date on it. You can also slip the photo out and replace it. The bidding will start at $100.

 

[harllee]

As for teacher vaccines, it appears that here in NC the health departments are working with the school boards to go to the schools to vaccinate the teachers and staff at each school. So that should do away with some of the confusion for that group. Maybe they will do the same thing for grocery workers, etc, that is require that you get vaccinated at your place of work.

 

[Souschef]

WE just got our notice for availability of our second dose of Moderna. We will have to wait until 5 March for DW to get hers. They have opened up 2 new sites, one of which is much more convenient for us.

 

[Amethyst]

The "funniest" part is that these middle-aged women (one was 35, one 45, so not young) believed that is how old women dress! Gloves and bonnets, in Florida, yet!

They should have just gotten their hair cut super-short above their ears, put on a pair of capris and a tunic with a parrot painted on the front. They'd've passed in a minute.

One of the funnier stories I have heard about vaccination distribution--2 ladies around 35-40 dressed up as "grannies" in bonnets, gray wigs, old fashioned clothes, etc and tried to sneak into a second shot vaccine event for those over 65. They had fake IDs and a fake card showing they had the first shot. They were caught and charged with trespassing. I remember when teenagers use to have fake IDs to buy beer--now young people have fake IDs to get covid vaccines.