Muh Muh Muh My Corona (virus)

I'll remain a seething skeptic until my 78-year-old mom with MS gets vaccinated.

She's gotten three emails from the state health department, one acknowledging her eligibility and two asking for "patience."

 

We're going to be at 310 million vaccinated by the time my turn comes around. May not even bother.

 

Very true, but even with just the first shot you have about 80% or more protection, which should knock some numbers down appreciably.

And the J & J is a one-time shot, so that will reduce the total number of shots necessary for herd immunity considerably.

Probably I'm just trying to be somewhat optimistic in the face of so much negativity (not from this board) in the news, etc. It's just my nature.

 

The inconsistency of all this is ridiculous. Both my mom and my in-laws, all in their 70s, got it no issues or with much hassle setting it up (in Colorado). That your way qualified mom can't get one is stupid.

I've seen more than a few people on my social media feeds who in no way are a priority -- one a stay-at-home mom not married to a front line worker and not a volunteer at a hospital or anything -- get them. Yet people who need them first are still waiting.

 

We're waiting. Both my mother and I have worked in clinic and been at the front of the line for other vaccines. I work from home and she's officially a retired revenuer. (Yes, she did the sin taxes. One of her last assignments was to help set up the recreational substances administrative devices for Bonnaroo. Fun times!) We hope to get stuck late this year or early 2022. Everybody who HAS to be out should go first.

 

I wish there was a master list and those of us that wanted to could give up our spot for a teacher, etc.

 

You always see stories about how a certain percentage of nursing home residents, healthcare workers and the like refusing the vaccine. How much time are we spending on trying to convince these people to pretty please get a shot before moving them to the back of the line? Because I’ve got to say, my patience is wearing a bit thin at this point.

 

Every day on the news there are stories about scamming the system (what a country!!). One of them is parents with autistic children claiming they are at-home health-care providers and deserve priority. They write their own confirmation letters. Oh, my kid stubbed his toe, I'm taking care of him, I need a shot.

 

They've begun clawing back some of the vaccine that was reserved for nursing homes and making it available in the general pool. Partly this is because of people like that, and partly it is because the vaccine was distributed by the number of beds in the facilities rather than the number of patients they had.


The single biggest root of this problem is Trump's refusal to devise and execute a plan to put the vaccine in people's arms. He didn't want any responsibility that he could avoid, so he put distribution on the states, without offering a plan, guidelines on how to do it, or money to pay for it. That's why they made such a big deal of the truckloads of vaccine leaving the factories. So far as the Trump administration was concerned, that meant that they had succeeded and were through with protecting the population.

 

The Bay Area has gone back and forth from 65+ to 75+ a couple of times. And at last check, they went back down to 65+ again. My guess is your parents may only have to wait a week or two.

My wife has some doctor appointments coming up. I told her, in all seriousness, to ask if they need an arm to put a vaccine into. When I tried (and failed) to make an appointment about a month ago, the very nice operator told me she had heard of people showing up for other things getting the vaccine.

California's roll out is a disaster. They just made a big deal that they are opening Levis Stadium to serve as a mass vaccine center, but there is a very real question if they will have enough doses to justify it. Just a mess.