The COVID Vaccination Thread (1 Viewer)

[Scott Merryfield]

My wife and I just got our Pfizer booster scheduled for December 6 at one of the CVS locations. We had a difficult time scheduling the appointment through CVS's website (you have to search one day at a time, and scroll through the stores each time you change the date), but finally got two slots for us. There are only two CVS stores anywhere near us that are carrying Pfizer -- all the really close ones just have Moderna. This CVS is actually in a Target store on a very busy road about 10 miles from here -- we have four within probably 3 miles, but none of them carried Pfizer.

Since we were being frustrated initially by CVS's website, we tried scheduling the booster at the hospital where we received our initial two doses. The website rejected our attempt, stating we were not eligible. My wife called, and she was told that you had to be 65 or older to receive the booster unless you had underlying medical conditions (we are each 59). I know that's not correct, as we know several folks under that age with no underlying conditions who have received it already, including our 39 year old niece.

Anyway, scheduling our initial two vaccinations was much easier than getting this one scheduled. I could see frustrated people just giving up.

 

[Mike2001]

The CA website took about 10 days to change the eligibility questions after the rules for the booster were updated. One of the reasons we did walk up.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

but wonder about the mask policy of upstate New York.

The State of New York currently recommends but does not require masking. Masks are required on public transit and in medical offices due to federal rules. Individual businesses may choose to require patrons to wear masks, but there is no regulation to insist that businesses do so. (New York City requires proof of vaccination for just about every indoor activity, but no other county has implemented a similar rule.) There is a statewide rule for large indoor entertainment venues (that hold thousands of people, like sports arenas) requiring attendees to present either proof of at least one vaccine dose or a recent negative test. There isn’t a similar requirement for smaller venues like a local movie theater.

I really don’t mean to sound all doom and gloom about it but want to give what I believe to be the honest take: there is a lot of exhaustion here towards the virus and mitigation efforts. Numbers are climbing throughout the state though not at as high of a rate as this time last year, and there does not seem to be any enthusiasm for new regulations in response. A lot of vaccinated people have taken off their masks and accepted that there is a chance they could get a breakthrough infection rather than continuing to stay at high alert at all times. With no obvious end to the pandemic in sight, people here seem ready to go back to their lives.

With that said, I don’t want to discourage you from coming but if there are specific activities you planned on doing or places you planned on visiting, it may be worth doing a little recon and calling/emailing to see what their specific policies and procedures are, and seeing if those fall within your comfort zone.

But it probably looks a little different on this side of the border than it does in Canada.

 

[Bryan^H]

Currently running rampant on my side of Michigan. Even though I'm vaxxed, I know people that are also, and still having COVID make them very sick.

Ruined my plans to go to a theater again. Will this ever end?

 

[Robert Crawford]

Currently running rampant on my side of Michigan. Even though I'm vaxxed, I know people that are also, and still having COVID make them very sick.

Ruined my plans to go to a theater again. Will this ever end?

I know what you mean because even though I even had my Pfizer booster shot, I wear my N-95 mask anytime I'm out and about in stores. I go early in the morning when they open to limit the number of people I come in contact with.

I've been to a movie theater a couple of times, but always for morning matinees in an Emagine theater with reduced crowds and limited capacity due to their reclining chairs. Of course with my N95 mask on and I make sure people aren't seating near me. I'll be taking a pass on going to the movie theaters through the holiday season as I think it's going to get even worse here in Michigan.

 

[Mark Booth]

The rate of new infections is rising in many areas of the country. Three reasons:

1) Still too many unvaccinated people.
2) Mask wearing has declined dramatically.
3) Vaccine efficacy is waning a bit as the vaccinated reach 5 to 6+ months since their second shot. Thus, boosters are needed. But booster uptake is going much more slowly than the initial vaccines.

I fear it is going to be a bad winter.

Mark

 

[LeoA]

The Us/Can. border has opened up here to allow for day trips of less than 72 hours provided you are double vaxed. We would like to plan such a trip, but wonder about the mask policy of upstate New York. We wear masks everywhere in Ontario, but what are the rules there? I don’t think we are prepared to go without them yet.

Here in St. Lawrence County along the St. Lawrence River with two border crossings to Ontario, mask wearing is optional but recommended in many places (With some obvious exceptions such as healthcare settings, as Josh said).

People wearing them are on the uptick lately for obvious reasons after plummeting for quite a while since Delta has been hitting the region hard, but I'd say they're still well outnumbered by those going without. But I'm not alone in wearing a mask when I'm out and about like I was for a time earlier this year.

I've never stopped. Back circa June I was thinking I'd be fine to drop the mask by the end of summer (Wearing one rarely bothers me, so I was in no rush to stop), but the Delta variant upswing changed that and I've not stopped. Maybe next year...

 

[Malcolm R]

Anyone waiting for COVID to disappear to resume normal activities is going to be waiting a very long time. We don't have enough uptake on the vaccine to stop the spread, and likely never will. If you're vaccinated, wear your mask, and try and maintain distance, you just have to get on with life the best you can.

We're also having our highest case counts of the entire pandemic here in Vermont over the past couple of months despite nearly 93% of 12+ years being at least partially vaccinated, and 82% of everyone 5+ having at least one shot.

 

[Kevin Hewell]

I've never stopped. Back circa June I was thinking I'd be fine to drop the mask by the end of summer (Wearing one rarely bothers me, so I was in no rush to stop), but the Delta variant upswing changed that and I've not stopped. Maybe next year...

I'm exactly the same way.

 

[bujaki]

My son (42) got his Moderna booster yesterday afternoon. Sore muscle at point of entry. Period.

 

[Johnny Angell]

I’ve been wondering are the drug companies working on modifying the vaccine so it works better for the Delta Varient? I hope they’re working on making it easier to update the vaccine. I have resigned myself to needing yearly vaccinations.

I have a paralyzed right diaphragm, COPD, Parkinson’s, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and I’m an old fart. Breathing is something I don’t take for granted anymore. I have no sympathy for the selfish people who can’t be inconvenienced to wear masks.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I think they are working on one tailored for Delta but it may not be as urgently necessary - it’s looking like the booster restored efficacy on the mRNA vaccines back to something like 95%.

Most of the vaccines we get in life are multiple doses over a longer period, it just happened when we were so young that we don’t remember. I think the hope is that once we’re out of this emergency period and getting the vaccine becomes a routine immunization, that giving it on a more spaced timetable will work on providing a longer lasting immunity. The two doses shortly after each other were enormously effective at generating short term protection which is incredible in and of itself but normally a two dose vaccine would be given months or years apart rather than weeks.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Getting a Moderna booster now. I was told it should still be OK to go along with the J&J shot 6 months ago, but they recommend to use the same make of shot.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Everything I’ve read from doctors and epidemiologists suggests that following J&J with an mRNA booster, particularly Moderna, is the best choice for getting the most protection. I know several people who have done that or are scheduled to and it’s been all good thus far. That’s the combo I’d opt for if J&J had been my first. Good luck!

 

[Jeffrey D]

I figured today was the ideal time to get the booster- I have off the whole holiday weekend (), and will have recovery time from possible side effects. I felt fatigue for a day or two when I got my J&J shot 6 months ago.

 

[Malcolm R]

It's no wonder people don't know what to believe or are skeptical about the vaccines when we hear different info and advice from all levels of "experts," from the federal officials and CDC down to local officials and pharmacists.

"yes, you can mix and match vaccines"/"no, you should have all your shots from the same vaccine manufacturer"
"yes, you can have the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time"/"no, you should not have your flu vaccine within two weeks of any COVID vaccine or booster"
"yes, anyone 18+ is eligible for a booster six months after their original vaccine"/"no, only those 50+ are eligible for boosters unless you have an underlying condition."

I scoff at the anti-vaxxers overall, but have to admit there's a lot of bad and confusing info out there at all levels. I'm not sure why it's so difficult to get everyone on the same page.

 

[Jeffrey D]

I myself don’t believe or trust anything, but I’m doing my part in being cooperative, at least for now.

 

[TJPC]

You have 50 states with 50 different medical experts.

 

[David Norman]

It's no wonder people don't know what to believe or are skeptical about the vaccines when we hear different info and advice from all levels of "experts," from the federal officials and CDC down to local officials and pharmacists.

"yes, you can mix and match vaccines"/"no, you should have all your shots from the same vaccine manufacturer"
"yes, you can have the flu and COVID vaccines at the same time"/"no, you should not have your flu vaccine within two weeks of any COVID vaccine or booster"
"yes, anyone 18+ is eligible for a booster six months after their original vaccine"/"no, only those 50+ are eligible for boosters unless you have an underlying condition."

I scoff at the anti-vaxxers overall, but have to admit there's a lot of bad and confusing info out there at all levels. I'm not sure why it's so difficult to get everyone on the same page.

Part of that confusion is the dates on the advice and realizing that things are being learned very rapidly on the fly.

Comparing current recs with advice that came out 4-6 months ago or even last year when little data had been accumulated (esp the 2nd and 3rd lines above) is where a lot the confusion lies. Some of it is less confusion than people being behind on the research accumulating daily -- some intentionally using it as a reason to cast doubt of the up to the minute information

 

[BobO'Link]

It really doesn't help when you have Doctors like my middle granddaughter's pediatrician who told my wife (an "anti vaxxer") when she took her in to be checked for a possible ear infection (my granddaughter asked - not my wife - because I'd looked up online and saw where her Dr.'s office was giving vaccinations to the 6-12yo group) - "Well, we're out of the vaccine, but she's had Covid and has natural immunity so doesn't really need it. My kids have natural immunity for the same reason and I don't plan to have them vaccinated." That flies in the face of just about every study on the subject with the majority saying "You *still* need to be vaccinated even if you've had Covid as those natural anitbodies don't last as long and the vaccine gives them a tremendous boost."

They were out of the vaccine so my daughter scheduled her for a local pharmacy. She's getting dose #2 on December 10th and, in spite of her arm being sore for a few days from dose #1, is ready for it - she also says she's still wearing her mask when we go back to school on Monday - so am I (the district dropped the mask mandate, making it optional for faculty/staff/students, going against historical evidence that numbers *will* rise in the weeks following a holiday).

I'm so sick of this being a political issue rather than strictly social and community well being based. If today's attitudes had been around in the early 60s we'd still be battling polio.

I'm just glad that, on the 10th, everyone in my family, except my wife and oldest grandson (who listens to grandma - they've both had Covid so have *some* immunity), will be fully vaccinated.