COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:51 am

While the official ruling is still out, reports so far seem to be that the vaccine is also reducing transmission significantly. It's my hope that by the time we've got the second doses and they've had time to percolate, we'll have better info. But right now, I'm thinking that after the second shot we'll switch back to regular cloth masks. The KN95s are awesome, but they're hugely expensive (just my son is going through $40 per month in masks at school.) If we can be reasonably certain we're less likely to spread it, I'll let the KN95s lapse. They're just not sustainable.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:56 am

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:45 am
Zaxxon wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:19 am Congrats to you both. I'm sure that is a mental load off, even if a small one
Not yet. In five weeks when we're all at first shot + 2 weeks and have protection it'll be a small load off. Until then I'm going to be even more nervous/cautious. In nine weeks when we're all at two shots + 2 weeks it'll be a big mental load off.

I am preparing to be able to play a board game on the weekend of May 22nd if I can find people. It's more than I had at 07:30 this morning. A lot more. When I woke up, I was pissed that I still didn't have a roadmap. The radio pissed me off more, stating if you want one you can get one. And then my boss pointed me to a clickondetroit link where they compile known areas where shots are available but snatched up quickly throughout the day every day, which led me to try my expanded daily search again and this one CVS must have just gotten their confirmation for an Easter Sunday shipment because they had a roster of time slots, the registration took like five minutes form filling and I still got my appointment.

Had the radio and my boss not prodded me, I don't know if I'd have tried CVS again today, as it had been brick wall for me to date.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 10:55 am

Lassr wrote: Tue Mar 30, 2021 8:15 pm Round 1 of Pfizer is done!

Got mine this morning. The process was super smooth, stayed in the car throughout, in and out in ~25 minutes, including the 15 minute observation time. The flow of car in and out of the site was pretty impressive.

Torfish · Post by **Torfish** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:19 am

Got my first dose yesterday morning. Moderna. I'm pretty healthy and rarely get sick. But man did the side effects hit me hard. I got the shot at 9:30. My arm was starting to get sore by noon. By dinner time it was almost unusable. Very sore. Last night was very little sleep. By midnight I had a low grade fever and just felt bad. Probably got an hour of sleep the entire night.

Around 9 this morning, I'm starting to feel better! A nasty 24 hours. Hope my second dose goes easier.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:26 am

Torfish wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:19 am Hope my second dose goes easier.

I mean I hope so too, but I would make sure you don't have anything you need to do for a couple days after your second shot.

Torfish · Post by **Torfish** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:36 am

coopasonic wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:26 am
Torfish wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:19 am Hope my second dose goes easier.
I mean I hope so too, but I would make sure you don't have anything you need to do for a couple days after your second shot.

Yeah good point!

Xmann · Post by **Xmann** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 11:41 am

Wife got her second dose yesterday. First dose she was sick for a few days. So far, so good on the second.

Post by **FishPants** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:35 pm

Ontario now has more people in the ICU than ever before due to COVID. This is bad enough on it's own, but now that approximately 68% of new cases are variants, a lot more young and previously healthy people are in ICU as well (Not fat, no heart issues, 30s). That's alarming.

Looks like we are headed back into lock down while the feds and provincial governments are unable to grab their own ass with both hands. Our premier in Ontario is "hinting" that on Friday he will tell people not to travel on Easter -- this fucking guy loves "teasing" about what is coming up; like it's a damn mini-series on TV "Next week on you're fucked in Ontario..". We see the record numbers, we see it's variants, we don't need a teaser - lock it down and try to save some lives until the feds unfuck the supply chain already.

gilraen · Post by **gilraen** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:11 pm

Our parent company is in Toronto, so the Canadians on our team calls are now getting jealous of all my local coworkers starting to get the vaccine. (Feels so odd having the US do something right for a change...)

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:14 pm

At some point, individual people also need to get their heads out of their arses and do the right thing. Ottawa Public Health has been consistently telling us that social gatherings are a primary source of spread. Lockdowns won't do enough if covidiots insist on getting together behind closed doors and infecting each other.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:24 pm

Max Peck wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:14 pm At some point, individual people also need to get their heads out of their arses and do the right thing. Ottawa Public Health has been consistently telling us that social gatherings are a primary source of spread. Lockdowns won't do enough if covidiots insist on getting together behind closed doors and infecting each other.

We jumped by 400 cases inpatient aka not in critical yesterday, to say nothing critical and vent care and then, you know, deaths and the reports are that we are also trending younger with our hospitalizations. Not good. I just keep hunkering down and now I can finally tell myself the path to immunization begins in less than week (though I'm terrified of the neighborhood I must go to, to finally start on that path. It is... under-served (to be euphemistic)...)

https://www.clickondetroit.com/health/2 ... in-icu/#//

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:48 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:03 am
Alefroth wrote:Washington is basically going on the honor system starting tomorrow. The phase finder tool is being eliminated and providers are being instructed not to inquire about eligibility. Our eligibility tiers are still in effect and they are counting on people doing the right thing and waiting their turn. I really don't feel like being the person who does the right thing once again.
I think there is a disconnect between the official order from Governors’ offices and the reality on the ground (especially at the large vaccination sites run by hospitals, not talking about publix, CVS, et al)

I’m sure there are state by state differences, but I’ve read about this happening in more than just my area.

While we are technically still following phases here, informally these larger sites are begging people...ANYbody to come and get vaccinated.

My 16 YO got hers last week bc there was a slew of ppl talking on Instagram about ‘anybody who wants to get vaccinated should go to x location now’.

I personally was not asked about my ‘qualification’ at all, in person. Was only warned when I signed up online that I would need to show some kind of proof that I was eligible.

Bottom line is that “total number of shots in arms” is the primary metric, and as more supply has obviously opened up, the restrictions and phases have loosened (if only informally).

Western Washington is just not like that. i'm on several stand-by lists and i have heard _nothing_ from them.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:01 pm

hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:48 pm Western Washington is just not like that. i'm on several stand-by lists and i have heard _nothing_ from them.

I was also like that and when my frustration with being in the dark eventually saw me advised to start being more active starting with

https://vaccinefinder.org/

and also start looking for the people people who were looking for vaccines generally. clickondetroit, a local web presence for a TV station, saw me get in check in to a CVS service I hadn't checked in a week and their timing push got me signed up today.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:58 pm

we're still in Phase 1B-Tier III, Subunit 46, Title 13, Chapter 5, Verse 18, Section 82113.55.0016x:

Officials urged patience, noting that there are more requests than doses available. This week, the state received 408,730 doses, according to the Washington State Department of Health, with 238,050 first doses and 170,680 second doses. So far, about 3.25 million doses of vaccine have been given in the state, and 27% of residents have received at least one dose.

“It’s going to take persistence and patience for going in, trying to sign up, and eventually we want to, and we will, get full vaccination for everyone who wants to be vaccinated,” said Dr. Chris Spitters, Snohomish Health District’s health officer, in a Tuesday media briefing.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... -vaccines/

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:27 pm

Got my second Modena shot a couple of hours ago. So far no reaction, but based upon experience with vaccines in general I don't really expect much of anything. Tomorrow I take the wife out to lunch so she can shop, then back home till near suppertime when I take her over for her shot and then out to dinner.

wonderpug · Post by **wonderpug** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:38 pm

jztemple2 wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 5:27 pm Got my second Modena shot a couple of hours ago. So far no reaction, but based upon experience with vaccines in general I don't really expect much of anything. Tomorrow I take the wife out to lunch so she can shop, then back home till near suppertime when I take her over for her shot and then out to dinner.

FWIW, I had my Moderna #2 at about 8:30 in the morning. I felt fine that whole day, just a sleepy at one point in the early afternoon, (and even that could have been just normal sleep desires). The next day though I had flu symptoms for most of the day, and a 101 temperature.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 6:14 pm

2nd shot on 04/09.

hitbyambulance · Post by **hitbyambulance** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 6:56 pm

speak of the devil - the tier system has been completely abolished in WA state:

Inslee to open COVID-19 vaccine to all Washingtonians 16 and up starting on April 15

All 6.3 million Washingtonians 16 years and older will become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine on April 15, Gov. Inslee has announced. The announcement comes after the federal government has signaled to state officials that Washington will continue to see an increased supply of vaccine doses in the coming weeks.

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... -april-15/

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:22 pm

hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:48 pm
Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:03 am
Alefroth wrote:Washington is basically going on the honor system starting tomorrow. The phase finder tool is being eliminated and providers are being instructed not to inquire about eligibility. Our eligibility tiers are still in effect and they are counting on people doing the right thing and waiting their turn. I really don't feel like being the person who does the right thing once again.
I think there is a disconnect between the official order from Governors’ offices and the reality on the ground (especially at the large vaccination sites run by hospitals, not talking about publix, CVS, et al)

I’m sure there are state by state differences, but I’ve read about this happening in more than just my area.

While we are technically still following phases here, informally these larger sites are begging people...ANYbody to come and get vaccinated.

My 16 YO got hers last week bc there was a slew of ppl talking on Instagram about ‘anybody who wants to get vaccinated should go to x location now’.

I personally was not asked about my ‘qualification’ at all, in person. Was only warned when I signed up online that I would need to show some kind of proof that I was eligible.

Bottom line is that “total number of shots in arms” is the primary metric, and as more supply has obviously opened up, the restrictions and phases have loosened (if only informally).
Western Washington is just not like that. i'm on several stand-by lists and i have heard _nothing_ from them.

Ditto. I've checked the vaccine locator site a few times today and there have been at least 12 locations with available appointments within 25 miles of me all day. It seems like there is either plenty of supply or lack of demand. I'm okay waiting my turn, but I also don't want unfilled slots at the end of the day.

Alefroth · Post by **Alefroth** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 7:24 pm

hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 6:56 pm speak of the devil - the tier system has been completely abolished in WA state:

Inslee to open COVID-19 vaccine to all Washingtonians 16 and up starting on April 15

All 6.3 million Washingtonians 16 years and older will become eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine on April 15, Gov. Inslee has announced. The announcement comes after the federal government has signaled to state officials that Washington will continue to see an increased supply of vaccine doses in the coming weeks.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-ne ... -april-15/

Huh. Well okay then.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:25 pm

FishPants wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:35 pm
Looks like we are headed back into lock down while the feds and provincial governments are unable to grab their own ass with both hands. Our premier in Ontario is "hinting" that on Friday he will tell people not to travel on Easter -- this fucking guy loves "teasing" about what is coming up; like it's a damn mini-series on TV "Next week on you're fucked in Ontario..". We see the record numbers, we see it's variants, we don't need a teaser - lock it down and try to save some lives until the feds unfuck the supply chain already.

Man, the guy loves to drag his feet. This is partly why I feel everything is rolling out so slowly for us. It's like we need a prelude to everything done before he actually does it, and then people wonder why we're in such a bad shape. Just do it and announce it at the same time? It feels like a trainwreck happening in slow-motion.

Daehawk · Post by **Daehawk** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 9:49 pm

They just keep opening stuff back up and the shit just keeps rising. I think in a argument where humans says its all good and COVID says no uh uh that COVID wins.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:19 am

I became immortal (i.e., two weeks out from shot two) on Tuesday, and I've been celebrating by doing crazy things like getting an oil change and scheduling an eye doctor appointment.

Kraken · Post by **Kraken** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:43 am

ImLawBoy wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:19 am I became immortal (i.e., two weeks out from shot two) on Tuesday, and I've been celebrating by doing crazy things like getting an oil change and scheduling an eye doctor appointment.

I envy you. I still dream of having my teeth cleaned again.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:25 am

I get my second shot in about 8 hours but I don't feel any safer than I did without any shots. All I hear is take the same precautions as before, the vaccine may not keep you from getting sick again or for the first time.
So I isolate.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 7:58 am

ImLawBoy wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:19 am I became immortal (i.e., two weeks out from shot two) on Tuesday, and I've been celebrating by doing crazy things like getting an oil change ...

Oh sure, they don't taunt you. Maybe it's because your name is in Red.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:03 am

Hey, got my text from the Mass preregistration site, and now I have a vaccination appointment on Sunday. Looking forward to joining others in the Microsoft-run Borg hive mind. Is that all the vaccines, or just one? I don't know which one I'm getting yet.

Zaxxon · Post by **Zaxxon** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:24 am

El Guapo wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 8:03 am Hey, got my text from the Mass preregistration site, and now I have a vaccination appointment on Sunday. Looking forward to joining others in the Microsoft-run Borg hive mind. Is that all the vaccines, or just one? I don't know which one I'm getting yet.

I got Moderna and haven't heard from Bill Gates in my mind. I have started speaking with a Baaahsahhn accent, though. Strange.

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 9:50 am

dbt1949 wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:25 am I get my second shot in about 8 hours but I don't feel any safer than I did without any shots. All I hear is take the same precautions as before, the vaccine may not keep you from getting sick again or for the first time.
So I isolate.

It won't ever be 100% guaranteed that you won't get sick. It's vastly less likely, though, and even less likely as more and more people are vaccinated. The main reason for the continued precautions isn't to keep you safe, though. It's to prevent you from getting infected and getting other people who haven't been vaccinated sick in the window between the time the virus arrives in your body and the time your newly trained immune system wipes it out. You likely won't get sick - or at least not meaningfully sick - but it could still be bouncing around in your body for a little while. Once the people around you are also vaccinated, that ceases to be as much of a concern, and precautions can start to ease.

Carpet_pissr · Post by **Carpet_pissr** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:02 am

Rumpy wrote:
FishPants wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:35 pm
Looks like we are headed back into lock down while the feds and provincial governments are unable to grab their own ass with both hands. Our premier in Ontario is "hinting" that on Friday he will tell people not to travel on Easter -- this fucking guy loves "teasing" about what is coming up; like it's a damn mini-series on TV "Next week on you're fucked in Ontario..". We see the record numbers, we see it's variants, we don't need a teaser - lock it down and try to save some lives until the feds unfuck the supply chain already.
Man, the guy loves to drag his feet. This is partly why I feel everything is rolling out so slowly for us. It's like we need a prelude to everything done before he actually does it, and then people wonder why we're in such a bad shape. Just do it and announce it at the same time? It feels like a trainwreck happening in slow-motion.

He’s testing the waters to see how it “plays”then will use that reaction to act. Or not act.

Sign of a true leader.

I guess all pols do that to an extent, but this guy sounds like he’s really milking the process.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:33 am

Kraken wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:43 am
ImLawBoy wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:19 am I became immortal (i.e., two weeks out from shot two) on Tuesday, and I've been celebrating by doing crazy things like getting an oil change and scheduling an eye doctor appointment.
I envy you. I still dream of having my teeth cleaned again.

I went to the dentist in may and nov of last year. I figured I am probably more of a risk to them than the other way around. They are way more careful than my in-laws.

Post by **FishPants** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:56 am

Rumpy wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:25 pm
FishPants wrote: Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:35 pm
Looks like we are headed back into lock down while the feds and provincial governments are unable to grab their own ass with both hands. Our premier in Ontario is "hinting" that on Friday he will tell people not to travel on Easter -- this fucking guy loves "teasing" about what is coming up; like it's a damn mini-series on TV "Next week on you're fucked in Ontario..". We see the record numbers, we see it's variants, we don't need a teaser - lock it down and try to save some lives until the feds unfuck the supply chain already.
Man, the guy loves to drag his feet. This is partly why I feel everything is rolling out so slowly for us. It's like we need a prelude to everything done before he actually does it, and then people wonder why we're in such a bad shape. Just do it and announce it at the same time? It feels like a trainwreck happening in slow-motion.

Yeah in true form it's being "leaked" that at 1:30pm today he's locking it down again. Unbelievable, my region as hardly any active cases but we need to lock it down? Canada is now what somewhere around 55th in the world for vaccinations (and that's after taking vaccines from the fucking COVAX pool for third world countries). In a sea of incompetence there really doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

I'm fortunate enough I'm working at home and making good bank; whenever I can pay for a vaccine stateside I'll just drive/fly my family there and get it done - but I feel for the folks that are borderline bankrupt from this fucking mess who don't have that option. Cluster. Fuck.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:22 am

You're apparently assuming that the international border will be open for anything other than "essential" travel before the vaccine supply situation here is up to snuff. I wouldn't bet on that.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:58 am

They're called coyotes on the southern border. Does that still work in French?

Post by **FishPants** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:59 am

Max Peck wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:22 am You're apparently assuming that the international border will be open for anything other than "essential" travel before the vaccine supply situation here is up to snuff. I wouldn't bet on that.

You know you can cross the border right now without problem right? Maybe not in a vehicle but I can book a flight right now to the USA and get in there no sweat; and with all of us armed with Nexus cards it makes it even easier. The idea of closing the borders was a good one, but like everything else JT fucked that up to and didn't enforce air travel restrictions. My only hesitation in all of this is the amount of COVID that comes into Pearson on the regular, I'd hate to go through the expense and logistics only to get damn COVID on the flight in.

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:12 pm

I'll take your word for it. I have no desire to travel to the US, or hop on a plane to anywhere, at the best of times let alone during Coronatide, so I haven't looked into the loopholes. The only news coverage I've seen about crossborder travel has been about people getting hit with fines for what was deemed nonessential travel, but the ones I can recall off the top of my head were related to ground crossings.

dbt1949 · Post by **dbt1949** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:42 pm

second shot done. No reaction yet.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:19 pm

dbt1949 wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:42 pm second shot done. No reaction yet.

Me too!

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:51 pm

Jaymann wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:19 pm
dbt1949 wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:42 pm second shot done. No reaction yet.
Me too!

I got my second shot (Modena) yesterday about 22 hours again. Nothing last night and this morning woke up with just a sore arm; turns out I had slept on it part of the night. In the four hours since I've been up I've had a little bit of an iffy stomach, but not enough to stop me from taking my wife to lunch and out to her shopping

. I was feeling rather fatigued after the activity, but after sitting for a few minutes at home I feel fine.

Rumpy · Post by **Rumpy** » Thu Apr 01, 2021 2:59 pm

FishPants wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 10:56 am I'm fortunate enough I'm working at home and making good bank; whenever I can pay for a vaccine stateside I'll just drive/fly my family there and get it done - but I feel for the folks that are borderline bankrupt from this fucking mess who don't have that option. Cluster. Fuck.

Yeah, not to mention the small businesses. Thankfully some of them have started transitioned to offering online ordering and curbside pickup, but it's a pain in the ass when everything is changing all the time. For example, just before the province-wide lockdown was decided upon, locally they had allowed restauraunts with patios to open even though we were in a grey zone, but now I'm sure they won't be allowed to remain open.

And all through this whole debacle, I haven't even mentioned our University insolvency. Yes, that's right, Laurentian University is my local, and while I've been hesitant to mention it because it's semi-political. While Ford announced a special relief fund for learning institutions hit hardest by Covid, the one that's needed help the most during this has become insolvement and surprise, it wasn't on the list of institutions to receive it, which is another reason I'm unhappy with Ford at the moment.

It will have to heavily restructure itself, and while it's where our astronomy club has held its meetings with its mechanical planetarium (one of the few left in existence), we don't know what things will be like when we emerge from Covid as the University has already threatened to cut the astronomy program and planetarium from its curriculum in the past.

FishPants wrote: Thu Apr 01, 2021 11:59 am You know you can cross the border right now without problem right? Maybe not in a vehicle but I can book a flight right now to the USA and get in there no sweat; and with all of us armed with Nexus cards it makes it even easier. The idea of closing the borders was a good one, but like everything else JT fucked that up to and didn't enforce air travel restrictions. My only hesitation in all of this is the amount of COVID that comes into Pearson on the regular, I'd hate to go through the expense and logistics only to get damn COVID on the flight in.

Hah, air travel here is ridiculously expensive, so much so that the joke is that Canadians often travel to Detroit, leave their car there and fly from to wherever they need to go. But of course that wouldn't work during Covid.