Octopus Overlords

The county beside me is going 1c which means 16 and up with problems. One of them is blood pressure. So I could go down the road for a shot. But I can only imagine the madhouse that will be so still waiting.

So the wife got her first Modena shot this evening. Four hours later she still feels fine, no effects. We'll see how things are in the morning.

Anyone seen this before? I don't think I saw it mentioned in the thread: Bishops Tell Catholics to Avoid Johnson & Johnson Vaccine if Possible

The leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) are discouraging Catholics from receiving Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine because it was made using abortion-derived cells.

The organization, however, stopped short in its statement Tuesday of forbidding Catholics from taking the vaccine, instead saying that if they have the choice, they should opt for the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead.

The USCCB noted that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were tested using abortion-derived cell lines but deemed those more acceptable than Johnson & Johnson’s, which it said was developed, tested and produced using such cells, “raising additional moral concerns.”

The statement was written by Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana — who is the chairman of USCCB’s Committee on Doctrine — and Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas — chairman of the group’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

The bishops cited guidance from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which said “when ethically irreproachable Covid-19 vaccines are not available … it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.”

“If one can choose among equally safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, the vaccine with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines should be chosen,” the bishops said. “Therefore, if one has the ability to choose a vaccine, Pfizer or Moderna’s vaccines should be chosen over Johnson & Johnson’s.”

Due to limited availability, however, people generally are not given a choice of which vaccine they will be administered. So while the bishops made their preference clear in their statement, they also sought not to leave Catholics choosing between the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or no vaccine at all.

My cohort (under 65, good health, inessential) was supposed to go in April, but 400,000 teachers and school personnel just cut the line. Probably be May now. I agree with educators being more important than me, btw. I'm fine with spending a few more months in stealth mode. I've got nothing to do but work and nowhere to go anyway.

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:08 am Anyone seen this before? I don't think I saw it mentioned in the thread: Bishops Tell Catholics to Avoid Johnson & Johnson Vaccine if Possible

I'm going to ask that discussion of this topic move to R&P, because it's pretty R.

ImLawBoy wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:22 am

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:08 am Anyone seen this before? I don't think I saw it mentioned in the thread: Bishops Tell Catholics to Avoid Johnson & Johnson Vaccine if Possible

I'm going to ask that discussion of this topic move to R&P, because it's pretty R.

Hmm, I wasn't going to pursue it. I thought it relevant because it was about the vaccine, but I don't really care myself. Consider it dropped, by me at least.

Ya I posted it in the other area yesterday.

Next day after my shot and no side effects.

My 70 year old wife got her first shot (Modena) yesterday evening and by bedtime reported arm soreness. As of about 15 hours after the shot the arm is still sore, but functionally unimpeded. Otherwise she feels rather chipper, probably because I'm around or maybe because she finally got that shot. I'm going to assume it was the former

You first time shot folks, we want to hear about what happens to you after the SECOND shot. Please let us know so we can send sympathy

Looking at traveling to Texas and Washington state in November for board game conventions. I'm thinking by then there should be enough vaccination for the US for the indoor activities to be OK. I will be wearing a mask however even though I'm vaccinated.

Also for many/most/all? countries, it's a two week quarantine to get back into the US if you leave.

My wife had identical reaction to her first shot. Soreness, and general shitty feeling for about a day. Did not impede her ability to work.

Lorini wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:11 pm You first time shot folks, we want to hear about what happens to you after the SECOND shot. Please let us know so we can send sympathy

Four weeks seems like a long time. Have you had your second shot?

Lorini wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:11 pm You first time shot folks, we want to hear about what happens to you after the SECOND shot. Please let us know so we can send sympathy

The 2nd shot has been going badly. To the point, I woke up in the middle of the night and said, if they told me I had to do an annual booster I might not want to. I spiked a 103 fever for a little while that came and went and came back again. Now just a low grade fever. My arm hurt so badly I could not sleep. I'd fall asleep shift onto it and immediately wake up, and the fever had me shivering all morning. It is probably the sickest I've been acutely in years.

That's good news though - it means you're body is responding to the vaccination and you're likely building strong immunity. I bet your 5G connections are also better after this as well!

Smoove_B wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:52 pm That's good news though - it means you're body is responding to the vaccination and you're likely building strong immunity. I bet your 5G connections are also better after this as well!

Totally. Before the first shot, Bill Gates only gave me shitty stock tips. Now he is berating me...though that might be the fever talking.

I feel like the 5G conspiracy theories around the vaccine would be an incentive for people on this forum to take the vaccine rather than a drawback.

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:37 am

stessier wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:26 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 2:31 pm

stessier wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:24 pm I think I may as well. Really hoping so anyway.

Do you have any idea how we will be able to find out if we are eligible for the vaccine? Will we need a doctor's note if we have an underlying condition? I haven't really heard anything about how this is going to work.

They said on the news today that it was determined it would be too difficult to verify people are actually eligible and they don't want to disenfranchise people by requiring a doctor's note to document any severe illness, so the whole round is going to be on the Honor System.

Sweet. Fortunately for me, I have no honor.

But I think I might be actually eligible anyway

Finally got the email today that we are considered eligible for the shot due to our manufacturing-in-person status and that all we'll need is our ID to verify our age (I'm assuming showing we are over 18) and our work badge.

Can't wait for Monday to see how the system holds up to everyone trying to register.

Nice! It definitely will be interesting to see if the systems hold up when half the state becomes eligible. I was planning to just check the pharmacies around here for appointments, but I'm guessing they'll fill up quickly.

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:24 pm

Lorini wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:11 pm You first time shot folks, we want to hear about what happens to you after the SECOND shot. Please let us know so we can send sympathy

Four weeks seems like a long time. Have you had your second shot?

Yup, my arm was killing me for three days. Didn't get the fever/chills others have experienced however.

First, the good news (nationally): Health Canada approves 4th COVID-19 vaccine as Pfizer agrees to accelerate deliveries

Canada's national campaign to inoculate people against the novel coronavirus got good news on two fronts today: one vaccine maker now plans to accelerate its deliveries and federal regulators have cleared a fourth COVID-19 vaccine for use in this country.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said today that, after negotiations with the federal government, vaccine manufacturer Pfizer has agreed to move up delivery of 3.5 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine — originally scheduled to arrive in the summer — to the next three months.

The company will deliver an additional 1.5 million doses in March, one million more doses in April and another million in May, Trudeau said, bringing the total number of doses of all approved vaccines expected to arrive by the end of this month to 8 million.

The announcement came just hours after Health Canada approved the use of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine in Canada, providing provinces and territories with another vaccine in addition to those previously approved from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca-Oxford.

A second version of the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine that is biologically identical but manufactured under different conditions by the Serum Institute of India under the brand name "Covishield" has also been authorized.

Then, the bad news (locally): Dr. Vera Etches says it seems Ottawa's 3rd COVID-19 wave is coming

Ottawa's medical officer of health said Friday it seems the city's third wave is coming, and is asking people to maintain physical distancing to prevent a surge in COVID-19 cases.

"It looks like [a third wave] is coming. It's apparent in the wastewater and that's been a pretty reliable predictor," said Dr. Vera Etches in an interview on CBC Radio's Ottawa Morning.

Etches said the spread is being driven in social settings and people can't get complacent with behaviour such as distancing and wearing masks because of positive news about vaccines.

It will still be a few months until vaccination has an impact on the general population, she said.

On Wednesday, Ottawa Public Health (OPH) warned it's seeing a rise in the number of people believed to have one of the more contagious variants.

So far, 10 people have tested positive for variants of concern first identified in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

But according to Etches, 73 more people have a genetic indicator after initial screening that could signal they've contracted one of the variants.

Wastewater testing now suggests there could be more of the variant first identified in the U.K.

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 12:42 am So the wife got her first Modena shot this evening. Four hours later she still feels fine, no effects. We'll see how things are in the morning.

My wife did fine with that one and she gets sick from everything. The second one is supposed to be the telling one.

Took my mother in for her first shot (Moderna) over the weekend. She said her arm was pretty sore for a day and that was it.

Both my parents will get theirs on Monday. Myself, as a work from home non-old person, I may have to wait until May (though the timeline could change if my state starts getting a bunch more vaccine).

Daehawk wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:40 pm

Smoove_B wrote: Tue Mar 02, 2021 1:33 pm

Daehawk wrote:I have no idea when i can get one.

Tell me what county you live in and I can aim you in the right direction. It will likely be through your county health agency, but perhaps there are corporate pharmacies offering them as well. Here in parts of NJ WalMart is providing them to people over the age of 75, though it's not being widely communicated.

My local family pharmacy plans to do them just not sure when. If I can get it there I dont mind waiting. Im not doing drive through due to the crazy amounts of reactions these shots are getting. And the place must be trained in shots and safety and have epi pens. Im not allergic to anything but not taking chances with this by driving away and having a problem that could kill me or others I might kill because of it. Also dont want to be sitting in a car and no one see whats happening or cant get out to me quick.

I wouldn't get a spoon of cough medicine from Walmart.

Today my mom (in Burlington County, South Jersey) snagged an appointment (Moderna) for 14th March at the Walmart pharmacy in Cinnaminson.

As much as I don't care for Walmart, I'm really happy that's she's getting it done. She's 79 so really should already have had it. She's been trying for a while to schedule a shot from the Moorestown Mall megasite, with no luck.

I think Smoove is right about the "not widely communicated" part. My mom thinks the only reason she got this appointment is that Walmart (at least this site) is just starting vaccinations and the only way to learn about it is word-of-mouth. One of her Bingo friends called to tell her about it.

MI just opened up for people 50+ who know how to navigate bureaucracies so I have first shots scheduled for my Wife and I Tuesday and second shots for the 30th.

The treatment and vaccine thread? My immediate family is all done with dose 1 this week (all three on the Pfizer). My only side effect of note was a 2-hour nap mid-afternoon (I *never* nap). I'd go get one of these shots every Saturday for the rest of my life if this is what I should expect. (It is not.)

Phase 1B.3 opened up yesterday here in CO. Our daughter (who got her shot earlier this week due to her public health connections) went above and beyond to get me and MHS appointments at the same place at the same time. I'm pretty sure she went through more than I know to make it happen. We ended up at a small clinic in a grocery store (fun side note, I've never seen more above-the-neck tattoos in one place at the same time). The lady in line in front of us checked in due to some sort of illness. She then proceeded to get everything out of whack by a half-hour as she monopolized the nurse's time for well over the allotment. (No fewer than a half-dozen people stopped at the desk and asked if they were taking walk-ups during that span. They were not.) Still we got our shots, then skedaddled across the parking lot to wait out our fifteen minutes in the drivethru lane at the local Burger King, and from there the hour long drive home.

I cleared my appropriateness with my doctor during a conveniently-timed follow-up visit yesterday. I needed a combination of obesity (BMI = 30.1, so I just squeaked in on that one!) + "severe persistent asthma" which has implications on my ability to keep a mask on for extended durations. MHS's status as a transplant recipient was sufficient for her place in the line. However, our reality is that appropriateness is all done on the honor system in these parts. (Promise me you'll use that information only for good.)

Pfizer dose 2 appointment is on 3/27. I believe they need the second shot to tweak the wifi settings on the tracker.

I wouldn't spend any brain cells on feeling like you squeaked in on appropriateness, Meal. I'm kind of amazed you aren't eligible just from living with a transplant recipient.

In other news, a whopping 2.9M doses added in today's Bloomberg vaccine tracker update. 7-day rolling average is now up to 2.16M/day. Great news if this trajectory keeps up for awhile.

Zaxxon wrote: Sat Mar 06, 2021 8:01 pm I wouldn't spend any brain cells on feeling like you squeaked in on appropriateness, Meal. I'm kind of amazed you aren't eligible just from living with a transplant recipient.

Yep, it feels highly appropriate especially in our new world where I'll be the primary disease vector into the home. While I was able to do the ultimate in social distancing, I was A-ok with leaving myself at the back of the line.

A behind-the-scenes look at why Canada delayed 2nd doses of COVID-19 vaccines

Danuta Skowronski was poring over Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine data on a Friday night in mid-December when she had an "aha!" moment.

The epidemiology lead at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control realized she could actually "correct" the data Pfizer had submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the effectiveness of just one dose of its vaccine.

In clinical trials, Pfizer couldn't accurately determine the efficacy of a single shot because participants had already received their second dose after three weeks, and there was no comparative one-dose study done.

Pfizer reported an efficacy of 52 per cent for one shot, compared to the more commonly cited 95 per cent after the second.

But Skowronski, who has been working on vaccine effectiveness analyses for more than 15 years, realized the company had included in its analysis the two-week time period immediately after vaccination — before the body's immune response typically kicks in.

She told CBC News vaccines are never expected to protect "instantaneously," and that there is always a "grace period" of a couple of weeks that factors into vaccine effectiveness.

"What we found was that they were underestimating the efficacy of the first dose, and rather than the efficacy being 52 per cent, it was actually 92 per cent, " she said. "For us, that was a game changer."

The finding led the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) to change the recommended time between doses of COVID-19 vaccines from three weeks to an unprecedented four months.

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:52 pm Nice! It definitely will be interesting to see if the systems hold up when half the state becomes eligible. I was planning to just check the pharmacies around here for appointments, but I'm guessing they'll fill up quickly.

I do not approve of the state system. When every recommendation says "accepting eligible appointments", I would expect them to have slots. That is not the case. You have to visit each individual organizations site to see if they have any open slots (Narrator: They do not), so I get to check CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Sams Club, Doctors Care, and Prisma Health every few hours? Days? It's unclear.

stessier wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:57 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:52 pm Nice! It definitely will be interesting to see if the systems hold up when half the state becomes eligible. I was planning to just check the pharmacies around here for appointments, but I'm guessing they'll fill up quickly.

I do not approve of the state system. When every recommendation says "accepting eligible appointments", I would expect them to have slots. That is not the case. You have to visit each individual organizations site to see if they have any open slots (Narrator: They do not), so I get to check CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Sams Club, Doctors Care, and Prisma Health every few hours? Days? It's unclear.

It could be better, but I guess that because places like supermarkets can only handle a relative few each day at each individual store they prefer their own system. Our Publix supermarkets have their availability broken down by counties and they were doing a sign-up event three times a week. My county filled up before I could get a slot but I got one in the neighboring county.

I guess in a better world all the different companies would be feeding into a central website, but I suspect that companies like Publix prefer to have control over their own sign-up system.

stessier wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:57 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:52 pm Nice! It definitely will be interesting to see if the systems hold up when half the state becomes eligible. I was planning to just check the pharmacies around here for appointments, but I'm guessing they'll fill up quickly.

I do not approve of the state system. When every recommendation says "accepting eligible appointments", I would expect them to have slots. That is not the case. You have to visit each individual organizations site to see if they have any open slots (Narrator: They do not), so I get to check CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Sams Club, Doctors Care, and Prisma Health every few hours? Days? It's unclear.

Yeah, its pretty inefficient, at least on the user end of it. I checked the usual places this morning when I first woke up and they've all been booked. Perhaps I should've stayed up until midnight when the eligibility change went into effect. Since then I found a site - findashot.org - that scans a number of the different places in the area to look for available appointments. Seems like it could be pretty useful.

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 11:39 am

stessier wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 9:57 am

Ralph-Wiggum wrote: Fri Mar 05, 2021 1:52 pm Nice! It definitely will be interesting to see if the systems hold up when half the state becomes eligible. I was planning to just check the pharmacies around here for appointments, but I'm guessing they'll fill up quickly.

I do not approve of the state system. When every recommendation says "accepting eligible appointments", I would expect them to have slots. That is not the case. You have to visit each individual organizations site to see if they have any open slots (Narrator: They do not), so I get to check CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Sams Club, Doctors Care, and Prisma Health every few hours? Days? It's unclear.

Yeah, its pretty inefficient, at least on the user end of it. I checked the usual places this morning when I first woke up and they've all been booked. Perhaps I should've stayed up until midnight when the eligibility change went into effect. Since then I found a site - findashot.org - that scans a number of the different places in the area to look for available appointments. Seems like it could be pretty useful.

Thanks for that. If I use it to check out CVS, it says we are not eligible as the list of priority groups is much smaller than the actual list. Kind of a bummer.

I thought Biden had a plan to get distribution more organized and accessible?
It's a clusterfuck of disorganization. Where's the direction from our Leader?
All I've heard him crow about was ramping up production.
BFD if the system to actually....ya know....get the shot is so f-ed up.
Hard to believe he's been in office for a couple of months, had many more months to sit back and get a plan together before taking office, and the system is as broke as ever.

stimpy wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:45 pm I thought Biden had a plan to get distribution more organized and accessible?
It's a clusterfuck of disorganization. Where's the direction from our Leader?
All I've heard him crow about was ramping up production.
BFD if the system to actually....ya know....get the shot is so f-ed up.
Hard to believe he's been in office for a couple of months, had many more months to sit back and get a plan together before taking office, and the system is as broke as ever.

This is a Very Serious Take that is Clearly Well Thought-Out and Informed by Current Events.

stimpy wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:45 pm I thought Biden had a plan to get distribution more organized and accessible?
It's a clusterfuck of disorganization. Where's the direction from our Leader?
All I've heard him crow about was ramping up production.
BFD if the system to actually....ya know....get the shot is so f-ed up.
Hard to believe he's been in office for a couple of months, had many more months to sit back and get a plan together before taking office, and the system is as broke as ever.

Take it to R&P.

Zaxxon wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:49 pm

stimpy wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:45 pm I thought Biden had a plan to get distribution more organized and accessible?
It's a clusterfuck of disorganization. Where's the direction from our Leader?
All I've heard him crow about was ramping up production.
BFD if the system to actually....ya know....get the shot is so f-ed up.
Hard to believe he's been in office for a couple of months, had many more months to sit back and get a plan together before taking office, and the system is as broke as ever.

This is a Very Serious Take that is Clearly Well Thought-Out and Informed by Current Events.

That Response is As Useless as The Distribution System Seems to Be.

Zaxxon wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:49 pm

stimpy wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:45 pm I thought Biden had a plan to get distribution more organized and accessible?
It's a clusterfuck of disorganization. Where's the direction from our Leader?
All I've heard him crow about was ramping up production.
BFD if the system to actually....ya know....get the shot is so f-ed up.
Hard to believe he's been in office for a couple of months, had many more months to sit back and get a plan together before taking office, and the system is as broke as ever.

This is a Very Serious Take that is Clearly Well Thought-Out and Informed by Current Events.

It's also A Big Surprise from this Poster, Who Clearly Found the Appropriate Thread in the Right Forum in Which to Grind His Axe.

stimpy wrote: Mon Mar 08, 2021 12:45 pm I thought Biden had a plan to get distribution more organized and accessible?
It's a clusterfuck of disorganization. Where's the direction from our Leader?
All I've heard him crow about was ramping up production.
BFD if the system to actually....ya know....get the shot is so f-ed up.
Hard to believe he's been in office for a couple of months, had many more months to sit back and get a plan together before taking office, and the system is as broke as ever.

Did you mean to post this in R&P as it's completely political?