COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:08 am

Massachusetts just announced that everyone 16+ will be eligible as of April 19th. We'll see how that shakes out.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:26 am

stessier wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 9:25 am It was sore when touched (which my kids kept doing for some reason).

The Meal · Post by **The Meal** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:10 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 11:01 am I'll just ask for it in my left arm. II don't move it much anyway, so if it hurts to move it I likely won't even notice.

Vaccination guidance is to get it in the arm you'll use more actively. And drink lots of water.

I *believe* that's to propagate the vaccine material into your bloodstream, but maybe it's just to help you get over the soreness. If the former, it's probably advice to be heeded. If the later, then handle it however you think would be best for you.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:25 pm

Well, if there's an actual reason to choose one over the other, I'll bow to the guidance. I just don't want to have a situation where I have two half-functional arms.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:29 pm

The Meal wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:10 pm I *believe* that's to propagate the vaccine material into your bloodstream, but maybe it's just to help you get over the soreness. If the former, it's probably advice to be heeded. If the later, then handle it however you think would be best for you.

The nurse that injected me specifically said to work/flex/use my arm throughout the rest of the day as that will help to minimize soreness because the vaccine will be actively distributed into the body as the muscles contract.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:42 pm

They suggested to us that we get the vaccine in the arm we use less. Go figure.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 12:55 pm

Per nurses' advice, I always get vaccines in the lesser used arm and consciously flex it/use it to help avoid soreness. Best of both worlds.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:00 pm

I got it in my less used arm and flexed throughout the day (while grimacing). This morning it was much improved - at this point, 48 hours exactly since the shot, it's perfectly fine.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:06 pm

If Im ever able to get one I plan the first in my left arm and the second in my right as thats my good arm and plan to move it around more.

Ralph-Wiggum · Post by **Ralph-Wiggum** » Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:21 pm

stessier wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:00 pm I got it in my less used arm and flexed throughout the day (while grimacing). This morning it was much improved - at this point, 48 hours exactly since the shot, it's perfectly fine.

My arm is fine ~48 after as well. I did do some arm/shoulder stretches the night of the shot for other reasons (strained rotator cuff), so perhaps that helped. But the timing of those exercises coincided to when my arm was first really starting to feel sore, so hard to know.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:03 pm

Got mine this morning (Moderna), wife got hers yesterday (Pfizer). Arm is a little sore, nothing more.

Lassr · Post by **Lassr** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:09 pm

I'm on the wait list now. Most people said it took about 3 weeks from the time they got on the list.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 4:36 pm

i'm starting to feel a significant portion of everyone i know is now at least on vaccination #1. still not eligible in WA state.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 5:24 pm

Interesting article from our local 24 hours news station, The Waste List: How to Get a COVID Shot Before You're Eligible

OVIEDO, Fla. — As vaccine eligibility continues to expand many more Floridians are getting their shots, but sometimes demand does not outpace supply. Younger people are now receiving doses because of unused vaccine that would go to waste otherwise.

On any given day at the Oviedo vaccination site, vaccine hunters's odds are not in their favor. It’s literally a 1 in about 1,000 shot to get vaccinated at the end of the day, but hunters are on the prowl looking everywhere for a chance at a vaccine.

Depending on which vaccine a site is using, a vial could have either 5 or 10 doses in it. So there is no clear indicator at the end of the day how many doses could be left.

Several pharmacies across Central Florida do have waste lists, but the best thing to do is call each individual pharmacy near you to ask if they in fact have a waste list, and if you can be added to their waste list, otherwise you could also try at the end of the day at a vaccination site. There is no guarantee you will receive a vaccine, however.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 6:49 pm

i signed up to a couple waste lists, but no go yet.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:05 pm

Wife and I become eligible next week, and we're in the state's pre-registration file. We'll probably be able to get jabbed in April.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 1:45 pm

Pfizer Round 1 acquired.

Scuzz · Post by **Scuzz** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 2:50 pm

So I get my second shot next week and the government (whom I work for) is granting me 4 hours paid leave to get it done. But if I feel I need more I will have to take sick leave. They have also issued everyone a letter from the Treasury Dept declaring us all essential personnel so that those who haven't yet qualified for a shot could get one if they want.

Archinerd · Post by **Archinerd** » Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:15 pm

Appointment confirmed, I get J&J shot tomorrow morning!

I just learned this morning that everyone in my office is eligible & encourged by Cook County to get vaccine in current 1b phase. We suspected this was the case (we do a lot of work with Senior Living Centers and sometimes have to visit the site), but didn't have any definitive ruling on it until now.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Sat Mar 20, 2021 5:35 pm

As of Feb. 21, about 87.5% of vaccinated people received their second shot on time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 21 days between the first and second shot of the Pfizer vaccine and 28 days for Moderna. Another 9.4% got their second dose shortly after the recommended amount of time between doses and 3.2% have missed a second dose, said DOH spokesperson Shelby Anderson.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... f-vaccine/

Hipolito · Post by **Hipolito** » Sun Mar 21, 2021 6:29 pm

I got my second Moderna shot on Friday. Again, I went to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and again the place was so well-organized and friendly. It had an almost convivial atmosphere. I wonder why we don't have it this good in Illinois.

The side effects were stronger this time, with a day of headache, fever, and shortness of breath, but I'm feeling my bad self now.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:43 am

Hipolito wrote: Sun Mar 21, 2021 6:29 pm I got my second Moderna shot on Friday. Again, I went to Kenosha, Wisconsin, and again the place was so well-organized and friendly. It had an almost convivial atmosphere. I wonder why we don't have it this good in Illinois.

The side effects were stronger this time, with a day of headache, fever, and shortness of breath, but I'm feeling my bad self now.

I had pleasant experiences in Illinois (well, as pleasant as reasonably possible given the circumstances). I'm not sure our sample sizes are big enough to draw any effective conclusions, though.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Mar 22, 2021 9:45 am

My brother became vaccine eligible in IN today at 8am and got an appointment for himself at 1:30pm today and his wife at 1:40. They had to use County locations rather than commercial (the commercial sites were scheduling out around April 10th).

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Mon Mar 22, 2021 10:08 am

Tentative good news, but it is still science-by-press-release. Hopefully their data stands up to scrutiny this time.

AstraZeneca says U.S. trial data shows vaccine 79% effective

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine provided strong protection against sickness and eliminated hospitalizations and deaths from the disease, including in older adults, in final-stage U.S. testing, the company announced Monday.

AstraZeneca said its experts did not identify any safety concerns related to the vaccine, including finding no increased risk of rare blood clots identified in Europe. The question now is whether the findings will help rebuild public confidence in the vaccine around the world, as the company seeks to win clearance in the United States

In a statement, AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine was 79% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 and was 100% effective in stopping severe disease and hospitalization, though it has not yet published full data so it's unclear if there were enough severe cases to make that finding significant. Investigators said the vaccine worked across adults of all ages, including older people - something experts wanted better data on.

AstraZeneca's interim results are based on 141 COVID-19 cases, but officials declined to tell reporters during a news conference Monday how many were in study volunteers who received the vaccine and how many in those who received dummy shots.

“These findings reconfirm previous results observed,” said Ann Falsey, of the University of Rochester School of Medicine, who helped lead the trial. “It's exciting to see similar efficacy results in people over 65 for the first time.”

AstraZeneca will apply for authorization for use of the vaccine in the United States from the Food and Drug Administration in the first half of April, Ruud Dobber, a company executive vice-president, told reporters Monday. An FDA advisory committee will publicly debate the evidence behind the shots before the agency decides whether to allow emergency use. Dobber said that, if the FDA OK's the vaccine, the company will deliver 30 million doses immediately - and another 20 within the first month.

The AstraZeneca shot, which has been authorized in more than 70 countries, is a pillar of a U.N.-backed project known as COVAX that aims to get COVID-19 vaccines to poorer countries, and it has also become a key tool in European countries' efforts to boost their sluggish vaccine rollouts. But confidence in the shot has taken repeated hits because of concerns about how data was reported from some previous trials, confusion over its efficacy in older adults and a recent scare over clotting.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Mon Mar 22, 2021 11:16 am

Still no contact from anyone but today, in addition to being able to register at Meijer, my local municipality are making plans to do a a 2nd clinic that I was able to sign up to get in line. So now I'm registered to register in two places. Rite Aid still won't accept me. The county is still no where in sight to work with my and PCP/health care system has no avenue for me to register yet.

Not thrilled about the idea of the AZ vaccine as an option. It may be rare, but we (Mom's family across the board) have a rare blood clotting issues. I don't remember the name of the protein, but it's got numbers the word segment -thormb- in there somewhere.

Still, I'm now in two databases, so still moving forward...

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Mar 22, 2021 12:27 pm

Trying to get an appointment scheduled for myself has been an adventure.

I get a text from Fairfax County telling me I'll get an email with scheduling information on Saturday. The email never came. I called the county health department yesterday, and they said they had assigned me to Inova, the local hospital group here. I created an account online, tried to schedule, and can't, because I'm eligible under the high risk group, and Inova isn't vaccinating people like me. So, I called Fairfax again today, got the same answer (we've given you to Inova), I told them the situation, and eventually got hung up on. I've been on hold with Inova now almost an hour waiting to talk to someone. If they tell me they don't understand why I was pushed off to them and they won't schedule an appointment, I'll be super annoyed.

Edit: After almost 2 hours on hold, apparently I'm caught in limbo while they open up a new vaccination center that's closer to where I live. Until that gets squared away, no appointment for me!

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:19 pm

We became eligible today, so Wife waited in the state's queue for 3 hours...until her computer froze and she lost her spot. Oh well, maybe someday.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:07 am

hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:51 am speaking as someone with mild-to-moderate trypanophobia, i can certainly sympathize (but it doesn't stop me from getting vaccinated):

I don't. I have a tendency to pass out when I get my blood drawn. I still donate.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:09 am

2nd Pfizer done yesterday.

Arm is definitely sore today and a little tired, but nothing brutal.... so far.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:25 am

noxiousdog wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:07 am
hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:51 am speaking as someone with mild-to-moderate trypanophobia, i can certainly sympathize (but it doesn't stop me from getting vaccinated):
I don't. I have a tendency to pass out when I get my blood drawn. I still donate.

I used to donate every 6 weeks until they decided my blood pressure was too high. Then I spent the next three years getting that diagnosed, eventfully getting a stent put in my LAD, and meds for the rest of my life.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:41 am

LordMortis wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:25 am
noxiousdog wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:07 am
hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:51 am speaking as someone with mild-to-moderate trypanophobia, i can certainly sympathize (but it doesn't stop me from getting vaccinated):
I don't. I have a tendency to pass out when I get my blood drawn. I still donate.
I used to donate every 6 weeks until they decided my blood pressure was too high. Then I spent the next three years getting that diagnosed, eventfully getting a stent put in my LAD, and meds for the rest of my life.

It has to be pretty high to be denied for donation. I'm glad you were diagnosed and treated.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:45 am

Still makes me sad. It was the easiest form of civic duty next to voting I could do. I'm not good at charity or commitments but I could go somewhere sit in a chair and relax for 30 minutes and get a cookie and apple juice for my effort once every six weeks and be doing something for my fellow man.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:15 am

After all that wait time on the phone, appointments were available when I logged in later that afternoon. I get my first poke tomorrow.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:35 am

Utah is opening up to anyone over 16 tomorrow, and they started taking appointments today. Earliest wife and I could get was April 16, so I guess I'll be extra careful between now and then.

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:41 am

Skinypupy wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:35 am Utah is opening up to anyone over 16 tomorrow, and they started taking appointments today. Earliest wife and I could get was April 16, so I guess I'll be extra careful between now and then.

That's my secret Skiny - I'm always extra careful.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:36 am

Meanwhile, AstraZeneca keeps on being AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca used “outdated” info in vaccine press release, safety board says

A board of independent experts tasked with monitoring the data and safety of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial has raised a red flag about the company’s Monday press release, which trumpeted that the vaccine was 79 percent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19.

In the wee hours of Tuesday, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases released an unusual statement indicating the trial’s Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) had been in touch with the federal agency as well as the company. The statement read:
The DSMB expressed concern that AstraZeneca may have included outdated information from that trial, which may have provided an incomplete view of the efficacy data. We urge the company to work with the DSMB to review the efficacy data and ensure the most accurate, up-to-date efficacy data be made public as quickly as possible.

“It really is unfortunate that this happened,” Fauci said this morning on GMA, calling the press release debacle an “unforced error” that would raise doubts further and may contribute to vaccine hesitancy. “The fact is, this is very likely a very good vaccine,” Fauci added. “If you look at the data they really are quite good but when they put it into the press release it wasn’t completely accurate.”

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:37 am

Skinypupy wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 9:35 am Utah is opening up to anyone over 16 tomorrow, and they started taking appointments today. Earliest wife and I could get was April 16, so I guess I'll be extra careful between now and then.

And the eight days afterwards.

Malificent · Post by **Malificent** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:55 am

Got my first shot this morning (Pfizer), second shot already scheduled. Process was super efficient and very comfortable, so yay. Biggest side effect is giddiness from finally getting a vaccine and seeing a return to my board gaming schedule in my future.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:00 am

Malificent wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:55 am Got my first shot this morning (Pfizer), second shot already scheduled. Process was super efficient and very comfortable, so yay. Biggest side effect is giddiness from finally getting a vaccine and seeing a return to my board gaming schedule in my future.

Nice. I haven't even allowed myself to start dreaming of board gaming's return yet.

I got my first shot (Moderna) out of state last weekend, which will make the 2nd shot scheduling a bit more 'fun.' I'm scheduled at the location where I got the first, but that happens to be about 750 miles from me. Each entity that is vaccinating here in CO has their own process for registration, and at present they range from 'come back 2 days before you're due for your 2nd dose and we'll let you schedule' (Kroger) to 'you're free to schedule but we have no appointments for you right now; check back every hour for the next 25 days' (Wal-Mart) to 'lol that vaccine isn't available in your metro area' (CVS).

Fun times.

I'm hopeful that with the supply continuing to rise and CO set to open to everyone a bit before I'm due for the 2nd dose, things improve before I start to sweat it. Worst case, road trip.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:05 am

Malificent wrote: Tue Mar 23, 2021 10:55 am Got my first shot this morning (Pfizer), second shot already scheduled. Process was super efficient and very comfortable, so yay. Biggest side effect is giddiness from finally getting a vaccine and seeing a return to my board gaming schedule in my future.

:envy: That is the exact giddiness I want from the same cause. Assuming the same 2 shot course, the two months between shot one and the belief it's OK to go game will be like the final days of a prison sentence, I imagine.