Octopus Overlords

Booster status for teens (16 + 17):

https://twitter.com/EricTopol/status/14 ... 0537513984

El Guapo wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 1:51 am

Carpet_pissr wrote: Thu Nov 25, 2021 1:03 am

El Guapo wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:10 pm

Carpet_pissr wrote: Wed Nov 24, 2021 3:40 pm I had absolutely no COVID symptoms after my 3rd jab (just a sore arm from the jab I guess), but wife, again, has been wiped out within 24h of getting hers (3rd for her as well). We must have very different biologies. It's like she has the flu. Great idea to get it 2 days before Thanksgiving!

Yes, I bet she is all torn up about getting incapacitated right before a big family event. That must be an unexpected and devastating turn of events for her.

??

Sorry, just joking around - in my experience getting knocked out and unable to attend a family event is often far preferable to family events.

No need for apology, I just didn’t pick it up. She would certainly not have been devastated if she had had to stay home.

BBC

Greece is to make Covid vaccinations mandatory for people aged 60 and over.

Fines of €100 (£85) will be imposed at monthly intervals from mid-January on those who refuse, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

The money will go towards the Greek health system, which is struggling with a surge in hospital admissions.

About 63% of Greece's 11-million population is fully vaccinated, but data show more than 520,000 people over 60 are yet to get the jab.

What a concept.

In other news, my kids got dose 2 today. Woo.

Got my booster shot today, along with a flu shot. Only have to wait 20 minutes, then 10 minutes paperwork, then another 20+ minutes of needle and wait time to make sure you don't faint.

Heading out for my Moderna booster at 11:00 am. Fortunately, I have no real work to do tomorrow if I feel crappy, so it can just be a Netflix on the couch with soup day if needed.

raydude wrote: Tue Nov 16, 2021 2:12 pm Well, my oldest daughter came down with Covid. She's fine except for no sense of smell - covid test came back positive today. We're all quarantining at home and the rest of us will get tested in about 3 days.

Sorry, I forgot to post the aftermath. The rest of us tested 3 days later and my youngest turned out positive. So good news they both got to quarantine together. Fast forward to the week of Thanksgiving and my daughter regained her sense of smell on Black Friday. None of us had any symptoms. Per the local health guidelines my youngest had to quarantine for 10 days since her positive test (Nov 19) so she went back to school on Nov 30 while my oldest could go back to school on Monday Nov 29.

Oh, and more good news: today is the day my youngest gets her second Pfizer shot. Woohoo!

Caiden's last day of quarantine was four days ago. Ian and I got tested again today. Provided that the results come back by tomorrow and are negative, we'll get boosted on Friday.

We'll still be avoiding humanity until day 10 after our most recent close contact (IE - the last day of his quarantine.)

He never did develop symptoms, by the way.

i'm going to wait for third dose - it's been six months, but i would like to increase the long-term effectiveness by waiting some time longer. it's never been a real COVID hotspot here in Seattle (relative to most of the rest of the country) and i take a lot of precautions.

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:43 pm Caiden's last day of quarantine was four days ago. Ian and I got tested again today. Provided that the results come back by tomorrow and are negative, we'll get boosted on Friday.

Everyone in the household is now confirmed negative. Tomorrow morning Ian and I will get boosters. Tomorrow after school we'll get Caiden his. That'll be all four of us.

Bonus: Caiden was 17 when he got his first two. He turned 18 about three weeks ago, so we can boost him with Moderna. The rest of us will Triple-M.

hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 3:24 pm i'm going to wait for third dose - it's been six months, but i would like to increase the long-term effectiveness by waiting some time longer. it's never been a real COVID hotspot here in Seattle (relative to most of the rest of the country) and i take a lot of precautions.

While I'm not in a position to give medical advice, based on the advice I've seen/heard, this is inadvisable. Instead, they're urging anyone that is 6+ months out to get the booster. I pass this along as you're one of my OO peeps and I'd be busted up if something happened to you out there on the other side of 'merica.

Blackhawk wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 7:53 pm Everyone in the household is now confirmed negative. Tomorrow morning Ian and I will get boosters. Tomorrow after school we'll get Caiden his. That'll be all four of us.

Bonus: Caiden was 17 when he got his first two. He turned 18 about three weeks ago, so we can boost him with Moderna. The rest of us will Triple-M.

That's all good news. You all are apparently making the best of (from what you've shared) an awful situation in your part of 'merica over the last 21+ months.

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 8:29 pm That's all good news. You all are apparently making the best of (from what you've shared) an awful situation in your part of 'merica over the last 21+ months.

You're helping. Thank you.

COVID-19 boosters to open to Ontarians 50+ as of Dec. 13, province reports 959 new cases

Ontario reported 959 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, while the province announced the expanded eligibility for vaccine booster shots to those aged 50 and older.

In a news release issued Thursday afternoon, the province said that starting on Dec. 13 at 8 a.m. ET, people aged 50 and older will be able to schedule their booster through the COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the provincial vaccine contact centre, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, and in select pharmacies and primary care settings.

Appointments will be booked for about six months after a person's second dose, officials said.

As well, people receiving dialysis are now eligible to receive a third vaccine dose if it has been 56 days since their second dose. The province is also recommending re-vaccination post-transplantation for people who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplants, hematopoietic cell transplants, and recipients of CAR-T-cell therapy, due to the loss of immunity following therapy or transplant.

Starting in January, the province says it will further expand eligibility for booster shots based on age and risk, with an interval of six to eight months from a second dose.

Assuming that the 6-month interval from completing the initial course to the third shot is based on sound science, this is about as fast as they can go (without reducing the interval). I'm in the 50+ cohort and received the first and second doses within a week of becoming eligible, and I won't hit the 6-month mark until 27 December, two weeks after they start booking appointments.

Max Peck wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 12:37 am COVID-19 boosters to open to Ontarians 50+ as of Dec. 13, province reports 959 new cases

Ontario reported 959 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, while the province announced the expanded eligibility for vaccine booster shots to those aged 50 and older.

In a news release issued Thursday afternoon, the province said that starting on Dec. 13 at 8 a.m. ET, people aged 50 and older will be able to schedule their booster through the COVID-19 vaccination portal, by calling the provincial vaccine contact centre, through Indigenous-led vaccination clinics, and in select pharmacies and primary care settings.

Appointments will be booked for about six months after a person's second dose, officials said.

As well, people receiving dialysis are now eligible to receive a third vaccine dose if it has been 56 days since their second dose. The province is also recommending re-vaccination post-transplantation for people who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplants, hematopoietic cell transplants, and recipients of CAR-T-cell therapy, due to the loss of immunity following therapy or transplant.

Starting in January, the province says it will further expand eligibility for booster shots based on age and risk, with an interval of six to eight months from a second dose.

Assuming that the 6-month interval from completing the initial course to the third shot is based on sound science, this is about as fast as they can go (without reducing the interval). I'm in the 50+ cohort and received the first and second doses within a week of becoming eligible, and I won't hit the 6-month mark until 27 December, two weeks after they start booking appointments.

I'm 45 and am at 6 months as of Dec 20; I'm ok with this if they open it up in January. I'm not ok if they continue to age gate and drag heels - I'm not even sure why they are waiting until Dec 13th when their own press releases indicate the current 70+ crowd isn't showing up, and slots remain open. Maybe their stupid vaccine portal still can't scale to letting everyone in to just book an appointment?

The current "age gating" seems mostly to be reflecting how the initial roll-out was staged, modified to some degree by current risk factors. As I understand it, they started with pretty much everyone that was at or past the 6-month mark, or are subject to a risk factor that overrides the 6-month requirement, and now they're adding in the people who are coming up on 6 months. If they continue to follow through in a similar manner, it will likely be a matter of weeks before they open it up for everyone, similar to how they accelerated the initial dose roll-out back in the spring when they were trying to get ahead of the Delta surge.

I'm not sure why they aren't opening up the bookings until 13 Dec, although one possible reason is that they need to push out updates to the system to accommodate the need to verify the date of the last dose received, which isn't something they've needed to worry about until now. They may also need the time to get mass vaccination sites up and running in some areas, if they aren't already fully mobilized. Here in Ottawa it looks like they've already spun up all the new sites (which are different from the previous sites and not particularly accessible for me personally, but whatever), but that may not be the case in all regions.

Wife got her booster yesterday and it came down hard on her. She had to call out from work today.

I still have not had the booster but will hopefully soon.

Brian wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 1:43 pm Wife got her booster yesterday and it came down hard on her. She had to call out from work today.

I still have not had the booster but will hopefully soon.

Wife got hers on Tuesday. Didn't come down hard but she says she still feels "woozy/groggy" today.

Me, I got slammed hard right away but was ok the next day.

Blackhawk wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 7:53 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:43 pm Caiden's last day of quarantine was four days ago. Ian and I got tested again today. Provided that the results come back by tomorrow and are negative, we'll get boosted on Friday.

Everyone in the household is now confirmed negative. Tomorrow morning Ian and I will get boosters. Tomorrow after school we'll get Caiden his. That'll be all four of us.

Bonus: Caiden was 17 when he got his first two. He turned 18 about three weeks ago, so we can boost him with Moderna. The rest of us will Triple-M.

This has now happened. Triple doses all around. A little bit of 'wheew' in a storm of 'oh shit.'

Blackhawk wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 3:52 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 7:53 pm

Blackhawk wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:43 pm Caiden's last day of quarantine was four days ago. Ian and I got tested again today. Provided that the results come back by tomorrow and are negative, we'll get boosted on Friday.

Everyone in the household is now confirmed negative. Tomorrow morning Ian and I will get boosters. Tomorrow after school we'll get Caiden his. That'll be all four of us.

Bonus: Caiden was 17 when he got his first two. He turned 18 about three weeks ago, so we can boost him with Moderna. The rest of us will Triple-M.

This has now happened. Triple doses all around. A little bit of 'wheew' in a storm of 'oh shit.'

Great news.

Relatedly, very excited to get my 9 YO shot #2 on Sunday, and then my wife shot #3 a week from tomorrow.

Smoove_B wrote: Thu Dec 02, 2021 8:29 pm

hitbyambulance wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 3:24 pm i'm going to wait for third dose - it's been six months, but i would like to increase the long-term effectiveness by waiting some time longer. it's never been a real COVID hotspot here in Seattle (relative to most of the rest of the country) and i take a lot of precautions.

While I'm not in a position to give medical advice, based on the advice I've seen/heard, this is inadvisable. Instead, they're urging anyone that is 6+ months out to get the booster. I pass this along as you're one of my OO peeps and I'd be busted up if something happened to you out there on the other side of 'merica.

alright, i'll follow this guidance. but ofc everyone here in the area is also getting their third doses, so again, impossible to find anyone with available appointments. i had to settle for the University of Washington medical center waiting list.

I got my booster from the grocery store pharmacy. It came with a 10% off $200 in purchases coupon. I made the appointment the day before.

My kids get their second dose on 12/11, and should be fully immunized by Presents Day.

No reaction from Moderna 1 or 2, but I feel pretty blah from the booster. It isn't flu blah, but it is bad cold blah. It set in about 12 hours after the shot.

It turns out that I'm eligible for my booster as soon as Ontario enables the expanded booking on 13 December. All the news coverage has been citing a 6-month interval from when you were fully vaccinated, but it's actually 168 days (i.e. 24 weeks, or 6 x 4-week "months"), which means I'm good to go on 12 December, rather than 27 December as I had been expecting.

If my luck holds up from the previous rounds, I should be able to book an appointment within the first week and beat the holiday rush.

Wife and I got our boosters yesterday. So far neither of us are having major issues. We feel okay. Arms are a bit sore (we got flu shots as well - separate arms). Hopefully there won't be any late effects.

TheMix wrote: Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:50 pm Wife and I got our boosters yesterday. So far neither of us are having major issues. We feel okay. Arms are a bit sore (we got flu shots as well - separate arms). Hopefully there won't be any late effects.

I got mine in the same arm because I need to be at least half-functional (we painted the boy's room this week). Almost a moot point though, the soreness from the vaccine is met with equal pain and discomfort from arthritis.

Kids get their second shots next Saturday and should be fully invincible for the Xmas party we are hosting on 12/24.

I've been run in to the ground since last week. My boss recommended I get tested last week. My first test. Results in. Both rapid and PCR came back negative. Since then I've developed a sore throat and rash on my chest. At what point do I go back and get tested again? Do I go back and get tested again. In the before times, I'd soldier through it or call in sick if the exhaustion was too bad and that was that. In the now times, something out of the ordinary like this leaves me having no idea how to act. No fever, breathing, smell, or coughing problems which had been barometer for worry but the testing agents told me extreme fatigue and ache is enough of a symptom that getting tested was warranted.

LordMortis wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 7:47 am I've been run in to the ground since last week. My boss recommended I get tested last week. My first test. Results in. Both rapid and PCR came back negative. Since then I've developed a sore throat and rash on my chest. At what point do I go back and get tested again? Do I go back and get tested again. In the before times, I'd soldier through it or call in sick if the exhaustion was too bad and that was that. In the now times, something out of the ordinary like this leaves me having no idea how to act. No fever, breathing, smell, or coughing problems which had been barometer for worry but the testing agents told me extreme fatigue and ache is enough of a symptom that getting tested was warranted.

COVID isn't the only possibility. I'd call your PCP or get in to an urgent care facility for a look-see. Or do a telehealth visit.

I’m scheduled for my Moderna booster this afternoon. After reading many experiences here, I’m expecting this to affect me more than the other shots. Any particular reason why people are getting hit hard with a booster that is less potent than the first couple shots, or is it the interaction with what’s already in the body?

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:01 am

LordMortis wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 7:47 am I've been run in to the ground since last week. My boss recommended I get tested last week. My first test. Results in. Both rapid and PCR came back negative. Since then I've developed a sore throat and rash on my chest. At what point do I go back and get tested again? Do I go back and get tested again. In the before times, I'd soldier through it or call in sick if the exhaustion was too bad and that was that. In the now times, something out of the ordinary like this leaves me having no idea how to act. No fever, breathing, smell, or coughing problems which had been barometer for worry but the testing agents told me extreme fatigue and ache is enough of a symptom that getting tested was warranted.

COVID isn't the only possibility. I'd call your PCP or get in to an urgent care facility for a look-see. Or do a telehealth visit.

It's not bad enough to worry about it. Though it will be on Wednesday. I was told this morning sore throat is enough to ban me from the office in spite of testing negative.

telcta wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:20 am I’m scheduled for my Moderna booster this afternoon. After reading many experiences here, I’m expecting this to affect me more than the other shots. Any particular reason why people are getting hit hard with a booster that is less potent than the first couple shots, or is it the interaction with what’s already in the body?

I had zero reaction to my Moderna booster (mild response to the first two Moderna shots). It's seemingly totally random.

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:45 am

telcta wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:20 am I’m scheduled for my Moderna booster this afternoon. After reading many experiences here, I’m expecting this to affect me more than the other shots. Any particular reason why people are getting hit hard with a booster that is less potent than the first couple shots, or is it the interaction with what’s already in the body?

I had zero reaction to my Moderna booster (mild response to the first two Moderna shots). It's seemingly totally random.

2nd dose of Moderna and the booster both kicked my butt. Felt like I had the full on flu for 24 hours and still was a bit tired the next day. No regrets, but I'd sure like to not have that happen. I'm a healthy guy in my late 40's with no underlying conditions so no idea what triggers that.

Hamlet3145 wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:54 am

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:45 am

telcta wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:20 am I’m scheduled for my Moderna booster this afternoon. After reading many experiences here, I’m expecting this to affect me more than the other shots. Any particular reason why people are getting hit hard with a booster that is less potent than the first couple shots, or is it the interaction with what’s already in the body?

I had zero reaction to my Moderna booster (mild response to the first two Moderna shots). It's seemingly totally random.

2nd dose of Moderna and the booster both kicked my butt. Felt like I had the full on flu for 24 hours and still was a bit tired the next day. No regrets, but I'd sure like to not have that happen. I'm a healthy guy in my late 40's with no underlying conditions so no idea what triggers that.

Yes, no regrets at all, mostly curious on how it’s affecting the same person differently.

It was recommended to me to drink water before the shot which may help, but maybe that’s more for muscle aches. I’ll try and get my exercising in for the day just in case.

But as Smoove said, seems random, so it’s good to know it’s most likely not a buildup of the vaccine in the body.

LordMortis wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:44 am It's not bad enough to worry about it. Though it will be on Wednesday. I was told this morning sore throat is enough to ban me from the office in spite of testing negative.

On the bright side, March looms ever nearer, and you're free at home.

LordMortis wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:44 am

LawBeefaroni wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:01 am

LordMortis wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 7:47 am I've been run in to the ground since last week. My boss recommended I get tested last week. My first test. Results in. Both rapid and PCR came back negative. Since then I've developed a sore throat and rash on my chest. At what point do I go back and get tested again? Do I go back and get tested again. In the before times, I'd soldier through it or call in sick if the exhaustion was too bad and that was that. In the now times, something out of the ordinary like this leaves me having no idea how to act. No fever, breathing, smell, or coughing problems which had been barometer for worry but the testing agents told me extreme fatigue and ache is enough of a symptom that getting tested was warranted.

COVID isn't the only possibility. I'd call your PCP or get in to an urgent care facility for a look-see. Or do a telehealth visit.

It's not bad enough to worry about it. Though it will be on Wednesday. I was told this morning sore throat is enough to ban me from the office in spite of testing negative.

Sore throat with a rash could mean a strep infection - I second the suggestion of getting an actual doctor visit of some kind, you may need antibiotics.

I had a milder reaction to my Moderna booster than I did to the second shot. I felt mildly blah the next day, but not enough to keep me from working.

telcta wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 11:20 am

Hamlet3145 wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:54 am

Smoove_B wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:45 am

telcta wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 10:20 am I’m scheduled for my Moderna booster this afternoon. After reading many experiences here, I’m expecting this to affect me more than the other shots. Any particular reason why people are getting hit hard with a booster that is less potent than the first couple shots, or is it the interaction with what’s already in the body?

I had zero reaction to my Moderna booster (mild response to the first two Moderna shots). It's seemingly totally random.

2nd dose of Moderna and the booster both kicked my butt. Felt like I had the full on flu for 24 hours and still was a bit tired the next day. No regrets, but I'd sure like to not have that happen. I'm a healthy guy in my late 40's with no underlying conditions so no idea what triggers that.

Yes, no regrets at all, mostly curious on how it’s affecting the same person differently.

It was recommended to me to drink water before the shot which may help, but maybe that’s more for muscle aches. I’ll try and get my exercising in for the day just in case.

But as Smoove said, seems random, so it’s good to know it’s most likely not a buildup of the vaccine in the body.

A strong reaction may indicate that your immune system is already well-primed against the spike protein, so it frenzies when it encounters the vaccine. It might also indicate that you're at high risk of a strong reaction to actual covid. Or not; that's all speculative.

Moderna. No reaction to 1 or 2, but the booster put me halfway between a cold and the flu, mostly chills, headache, and exhaustion. Most of it was gone after 24 hours, although the fatigue hung around for 48.

Fun note here in my local area in NJ. I've spent time dialing around the afternoon looking to get testing for my wife. We can't find anything before Thursday. I don't know what it means but it doesn't sounds too good.

Are the pharmacies sold out of the home tests in your area? Last time I was in my CVS (Friday, I think) they had some. It's hit or miss, though.

ImLawBoy wrote: Mon Dec 06, 2021 4:05 pm Are the pharmacies sold out of the home tests in your area? Last time I was in my CVS (Friday, I think) they had some. It's hit or miss, though.

That's the next idea. I just found a family pharmacy nearby that might have slots tomorrow. It's wild though that we are having trouble again finding testing.