Vaccination nation

[marshwiggle]

Our Dean has relayed that we'll get access to the Pfizer vaccine sometime between mid-Jan and mid-March, depending on availability. It'll be administered through the University medical center, and will be optional. Since the university is pushing for more in-class instruction (we traced zero cases of contact to the classroom in fall 2020), instructors are encouraged to get the vaccines. I find it interesting that my colleagues who most want the vaccine are the ones who have opted out of in-person instruction.

Wouldn't that make sense if they were concerned about the risk of covid infection? In-person isn't a desirable option unless and until everyone has been vacinated.

[Ruralguy]

My state has been indicating, when queried, that college instructors and school staff that interact with students regularly are to be categorized as teachers.  But yes, it's a state by state thing,and within each school there may also be interpretation.

The vaccine is free, but if you get it at a doc office they can charge for the visit. Best to get through a pharmacy visit to your school or pharmacy direct,when possible (i think direct from pharmacies will not be possible during the first six months of triage..they won't want to deal with requiring proof that you are an EMT or teacher, etc.).

Yes, states and municipalities, etc. can require inoculation. These always get challenged at some level, but never to the extent that they are voided. It's probably tougher for an employer to do on their own, but I don't think it's blatantly illegal to try.

[lightning]

How will people prove they have been vaccinated? Is there going to be a state or national registry? (Hard to imagine politicians going for this in the US.) Will there be standard forms signed by some health care professional? If so, will there be a market in fake certifications among those who resist vaccinations but need to show their employers or schools they have done it?

I'm imagining the emergence of "clubs," where only the vaccinated have access. For example, instead of a traditional "happy hour," a bar could host a "vaccinated only" hour where entrants during the "vaccinated only hour" have to show not only proof of age and identity, they also have to show their vaccination certificate. The vaccinated will wear wristbands, just like the same wristbands that people wear when they have proven that they are old enough to be in the bar.

[Hegemony]

I find it interesting that my colleagues who most want the vaccine are the ones who have opted out of in-person instruction.

Wouldn't that make sense if they were concerned about the risk of covid infection? In-person isn't a desirable option unless and until everyone has been vacinated.

Yes, it makes total sense to me that the people who are the most concerned about coronavirus are the ones who don't want to teach in-person and who are most eager to get the vaccine. What's contradictory about those two things?  I myself fit both categories.

[Caracal]

(i think direct from pharmacies will not be possible during the first six months of triage..they won't want to deal with requiring proof that you are an EMT or teacher, etc.).

Pharmacies providing direct vaccinations does seem to be the plan. It makes a certain amount of sense to use places that already have existing infrastructure to provide vaccinations. EMTs are already being vaccinated, I think that is easy enough because you either give the vaccine at the workplace or it is scheduled through work, so you don't have to deal with issues of verification. Other categories like age aren't particularly problematic to verify. After that, I suspect it is going to be almost impossible. The problem is that the more documentation you require the more you are going to make it difficult for people to get it and you risk increasing inequities.

[PScientist]

At my workplace, the existing vaccination requirements for students are based on state law, which requires all public and private educational institutions at every level to verify documentation of 2 doses of MMR or one of the allowed exemptions.  It seems appropriate to me to amend that law to require a Covid vaccine as soon as it is widely available and fully approved for younger people.  (But in spite of the fact that both halves of our state legislature and the governor's office are currently controlled by the Democrats, getting any legislation passed here is still surprisingly difficult.)

[downer]

Some places are allowing college faculty who are teaching in-person classes to get vaccinations now.  If you can find a place that has a spare appointment slot. But at this point, that is not so easy.

The people I have talked to who have made appointments have had their patience tested sorely by having been given misleading and conflicting info, dealt with crappy websites, and asked for info which they could not possibly have.

So business as usual for most things to do with health care in the US.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Some places are allowing college faculty who are teaching in-person classes to get vaccinations now.  If you can find a place that has a spare appointment slot. But at this point, that is not so easy.

The people I have talked to who have made appointments have had their patience tested sorely by having been given misleading and conflicting info, dealt with crappy websites, and asked for info which they could not possibly have.

So business as usual for most things to do with health care in the US.

This is the case at my place. I'm getting my first dose next week.

[apl68]

Our state is planning to open vaccination up to anybody over 70 next week. 

My nurse friend at church who has actually been working with COVID patients has now had her first shot.  She hasn't mentioned any side effects other than a sore arm.

[apl68]

The Governor has also clarified that starting Monday higher education faculty and staff in actual contact with students will be eligible for vaccination, in addition to school teachers.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Got my first shot about three hours ago (Pfizer). Feeling fine and looking forward to the next dose in ~3 weeks.

[apl68]

Got my first shot about three hours ago (Pfizer). Feeling fine and looking forward to the next dose in ~3 weeks.

Congratulations!

At our scheduled Rotary Club meeting for tomorrow our speaker will be from the local pharmacy that has the vaccine.  He says that if we can get together a group of 10 Rotarians or spouses who qualify, he'll give them a round of shots right then.

Meanwhile my parents are on a long waiting list at their local vaccination center.  Par for the course at this point.

The Mayor says that they are trying to get together a time for city workers to be vaccinated as essential staff.  I made them promise to include the library staff in that (They sometimes forget that we're a city office too).  I want to at least encourage the front desk staff to get vaccinated ASAP.  One is a senior citizen who is already working on it.  I'm hoping to persuade another to stop listening to whatever garbage she's been hearing on the radio and do the right thing. 

I don't know how long it will take to get city staffers their chance.  If there's not enough to go around I'm prepared to wait longer, since I don't have as much direct contact with the public.  If at all possible, though, I plan to get the shot to try to show a good example.

[Hegemony]

I have been waiting with resignation for all these many months, but now that the vaccine is on the horizon, I find myself really, really impatient. However, our state is way down on the list of states getting the vaccine out. Apparently we're not getting nearly as much delivered as was requested, and the vaccine that has been delivered is not being administered very efficiently. I presume someone has been vaccinated, but no one I know has.

And I am way down the list of eligible categories, even though I'm on the brink of several others. I'm old, but not quite old enough to be early in line; stout, but not quite heavy enough to be early in line; and so on.  In practical terms, the vaccine seems to be months away.

[Larimar]

I have been waiting with resignation for all these many months, but now that the vaccine is on the horizon, I find myself really, really impatient. However, our state is way down on the list of states getting the vaccine out. Apparently we're not getting nearly as much delivered as was requested, and the vaccine that has been delivered is not being administered very efficiently. I presume someone has been vaccinated, but no one I know has.

And I am way down the list of eligible categories, even though I'm on the brink of several others. I'm old, but not quite old enough to be early in line; stout, but not quite heavy enough to be early in line; and so on.  In practical terms, the vaccine seems to be months away.

Same here, in that the vaccine doesn't seem to have materialized in my area, and I'm not quite in any of the categories that would get me any priority either. I have health issues that put me at risk, but are not considered serious enough to get me moved up the list. Each week month season that passes, it's been nope, Godot isn't here yet. Looks like I'll still be living like a hermit for a while.

I thought 2020 was supposed to have ended.

At least my truly elderly relatives have appointments to get vaccinated. They are in different states. I wonder if I should trust that the vaccine will be there when they show up for said appointments.


Larimar

[apl68]

I have been waiting with resignation for all these many months, but now that the vaccine is on the horizon, I find myself really, really impatient. However, our state is way down on the list of states getting the vaccine out. Apparently we're not getting nearly as much delivered as was requested, and the vaccine that has been delivered is not being administered very efficiently. I presume someone has been vaccinated, but no one I know has.

And I am way down the list of eligible categories, even though I'm on the brink of several others. I'm old, but not quite old enough to be early in line; stout, but not quite heavy enough to be early in line; and so on.  In practical terms, the vaccine seems to be months away.

Same here, in that the vaccine doesn't seem to have materialized in my area, and I'm not quite in any of the categories that would get me any priority either. I have health issues that put me at risk, but are not considered serious enough to get me moved up the list. Each week month season that passes, it's been nope, Godot isn't here yet. Looks like I'll still be living like a hermit for a while.

I thought 2020 was supposed to have ended.

At least my truly elderly relatives have appointments to get vaccinated. They are in different states. I wonder if I should trust that the vaccine will be there when they show up for said appointments.


Larimar

Have you tried looking at your state's public health web site for location information on local vaccination sites?  Our state's site has a locator map with contact information for each pharmacy that currently has the vaccine.  It's available in at least one location in each county.  Of course there are now long waiting lists.

Just learned this morning that the Rotary Club's "vaccination party" for 10 eligible (i.e. elderly) Rotarians and spouses will be going ahead at today's meeting.  I'm just planning to Zoom in.

Our county's official total of known active cases has just gone down by two.  And the number of known deaths has gone up by the same number.