COVID-19 (artist formerly known as Wuhan strain novel Corona virus)

I don’t think it is a non-concern - that was one aspect of the CDC guidance that was nice to see ... it didn’t project black and white. There is gray area and there are unknowns.

It means a lot of things at least in part

- Vaccines offer decent if not great protection. Against variants
- Risk of hospitalization or deaths from variants with vaccine is very low
- Variants are not dominating active cases (yet) so you are less likely to encounter it than the original strain(s)
- CDC is trying to balance protection and public buy-in. If they tell folks they can’t gather even after vaccine you’ll have people who say 1) why bother getting it and 2) I’m sick and tired of listening to the CDC.

 

I think the variants will end up causing mild illness in vaccinated.

But risk of hospitalization will fall to extremely low numbers, with vaccine.

But the problem is still kids. Vaccinated adults hanging out with vaccinated adults with unvaccinated kids will cause the kids to be the ones taking the brunt of new illness.

And while they can weather it better, they do not weather it 100%.

 

I’m getting my first dose (or only dose depending on what my county has) tomorrow. Wife has to wait, which sucks, but at least we’re close to only having to worry about one of us, and the one more likely to get it bad at that

 

Vaccine appointments are going unfilled so I'm jumping back in and giving zero [uck fay]s.

There is like 30 unfilled in 2 hours in Raleigh.

 

Look at this crap from yesterday.

 

I think some people think they should wait for others to get a chance, but that is not necessary because we have systems already to decide who is eligible. Everyone who is eligible who wants one should be signing up for a time. There's enough for everyone.

 

The broader picture here is that, even with eligibility guidelines, if you have slots the same day... let anyone sign up. And put that message out there. Let people who might not be eligible fill a slot same day. I'm taking my wife when I go, if it's like this the day I go. If there are spots free same day, I don't feel like I'm having her jump in front of anyone.

 

This is today, in two hours:

11:00am - 11:30am - 52 of 60 slots filled
11:30am - 12:00pm - 27 of 60 slots filled

Nobody is cutting in line if they aren't eligible for this round... TWO HOURS before the appointment. Someone should just grab that and get shot.

 

And what’s interesting is Tennessee (along with Texas) is tied for third worst doses/100 population in the country - ahead of only Georgia and Alabama.

 

We're going in two hours.

 

As numbers nationally have dwindled, the number of people I know who have it has been steadily increasing. My dad and step mom got it a week or so ago, my college roommate and his wife have it now, and one of the specialists on my team was just diagnosed yesterday or the day before.

Still blows my mind that I haven't gotten it. I've obviously been careful (social distancing, masking, etc.), but I also haven't been like, shutting myself inside or anything. I've been playing flag football for months, just started visiting hospitals and labs again in the last month or so, and we've even eaten outdoors at a couple restaurants in the past month.

 

Yea. The people I know who have picked it up picked it up way later than I thought they would.

The numbers are falling, but we are still at summer/early fall levels.

 

Essentially what my wife and I did yesterday. We signed up for the appointments like 15 min before the time slot because we live right down the road.

If it makes you feel better, these appointments were released yesterday, so less time to fill the slots. The appointments that got released on Friday filled up over the weekend

 

That makes me feel worse. Why drop appointments the day before. Drop them the week before.

There are still 25 slots for the 11:30-12:00 one in Raleigh, probably because when everyone looked, they were full.

Hell, @NorrisAlan could probably sign up for one today and just drive down from Knoxville.

That's bad planning to drop these appointments yesterday.

 

I believe they were unused 2nd shot appointments.

 

Makes more sense, at least.

 

Just got Pfizer’d at Kroger.

 

It's taking over 2 hours here.

 

Arrived at 11:35, rolled off the lot at 11:57.

 

One of my assistants showed up yesterday at 12:30 for a 1:15 appointment, finally got it at 2:30. MPD is having to direct people.

I'm going to get it, but it's going to be post 4/15, even if I'm eligible sooner.