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

Are you talking about on the link you sent?

A lot of what's listed on that site is for this week. I can't get my booster this week. The graphic with the permanent sites says they may vary the week of Christmas (next week). If I go that route, I guess I'll have to call in and see if the one I'd use will actually be available next week.

I would prefer to schedule something at a specific date/time, as doing so would allow me to work around it with my schedule, but my options appear extremely limited at the moment.

 

You could schedule for later, and then check the no appointment required list next Sunday. If you're able to then do a no appointment one, cancel the appointment.

Not being able to get it on the week they list availability isn't really a process problem. It's a you problem. Since you need a schedule, you'll have to fight all the other people that need a schedule, too. Unfortunately, in the US, the work force doesn't generally have much flexibility, and as such, those that need schedules far exceed those that don't.

 

Then I guess it gets back to the initial post, where I said someone reached out to me the first time around, and now I'm having trouble just getting an appointment in a reasonable timeframe. You mentioned it's because the booster is treated as "personal protection," whatever that means. I was under the impression that to protect against Omicron, the booster was recommended. Seems like the booster should be classified as protecting others, same as the vaccine 6 months ago.

Either way, it'll get done. It's just been a much more time consuming process this time around, which, to me, seems problematic if we are trying to convince people who don't really want to get boosted that they need to get boosted. I'm going to put the time in because I want the booster. I'm not sure someone who doesn't want it would put in the time.

 

No, it doesn't get back to that initial post. You are not having trouble getting an appointment in a reasonable time frame. I almost guarantee you are able to make an appointment to get a booster faster than you could get an appointment to get a physical from your physician. Further, you don't need an appointment. You've placed this barrier upon the process. You can go to a non appointment location and get a booster. You're choosing not to do so. That's a choice you made.

A booster is not needed to protect against omicron. You're protected from the initial vaccination. You may experience personal protection at a higher level by being boosted, which is why it is a personal protection. But from a spread point of view, you are less likely to spread due to being vaccinated, than being not vaccinated. That's why people reached out to you for the first vaccine. Not to protect you. But to get you to protect others. Now it is on you to decide whether you want to protect yourself... more. There is no current generally held medical belief that the booster will create less spread than general vaccination. There is a generally held medical belief that vaccination limits spread more than those not vaccinated. It may come that the booster does in fact limit spread, substantially more than no-booster. But until then, the use of a booster is a personal only thing, because if it doesn't limit spread... then it's only really dealing with you.

I know of little to know effort in place at the moment to get people boosted. The CDC didn't even open up boosters to everyone until a few weeks ago. And even then, they didn't say everyone should go get boosted. The message has always been vaccinated. Vaccinated and boosted is not the same.

 

Heard the Omega Mu variant is going to be a real [itch bay].

 

We'll probably just stop testing after the Omega variant.

 

I got boosted in July the day after the CDC/FDA said it was ok for immunocompromised. In fact, I'm pretty sure I got a 3rd full dose instead of a booster dose.

That said, anyone have any idea if I should be checking on a booster in January? I'll take 100 boosters if it will give me a better shot at living.

 

Good man!

 

You probably would have been eligible for a literal 3rd dose (booster is the same as doses 1 and 2), but you would have had it 28 days or so after your 2nd dose, just as you had your 2nd dose 28 days after your 1st dose.

I don't know if there is second booster (where the first booster was an additional dose many months after the 2nd (or 3rd) initial dose) criteria. But some immunocompromised folks will have 4 sticks by January. Whether that is you is probably more up to your desire than anything else.

I can't think of a reason why, suddenly, a 4th dose would be harmful, when the first 3 weren't. Nor can I see someone preventing you if you really want one. Just "forget" your card, and tell them you're there for a booster.

 

Doing things without the supervision/authorization of a licensed medical professional is a bad habit to start. I'd get a doctor's recommendation. What's the difference between going off on your own vaccine protocol and demanding a particular drug for off-label use?

 

Immunocompromised have been authorized four doses. The lines between what constitutes a third dose and a booster after, for a total of four doses, are blurred, because the protocol itself is not well defined.

Jay getting his third dose six months ago lines up more with those who got three doses, and not those who got two doses, and just became eligible for a booster.

 

That seems to be good news, no?

 

Potentially, yes. But I am super cautious to say so because some only internalize good news and get mad if more information later dampens it.

 

Here's the potentially no:

If it is as contagious as measles (and some are speculating that it is) and more severe than flu (it clearly is), those two things combined make it less risky on an individual level but far more risky on a population level and a LOT of people are going to die. As in, less on a per case basis but a butt load more cases.

 

I see it burning out quickly. At least in the US.

 

Maybe. Depends on how many asymptomatic cases are going undiagnosed. Could be a whole lot, judging by the only heavily tested group-- professional athletes. They are having a lot of cases, but most asymptomatic.

 

And it is [uck fay]ing frustrating that at this point in time, we aren't having more widespread testing or observation groups.

 

But we’ve already tried the bare minimum and it didn’t work, why would we do anything else?

 

It sure seems like the sentiment. We ought to be mailing tests to every household. No one refuses tests, so it could help unvaxxed avoid spreading it. Feels like the foot went off the gas last summer. I get that vaccine hesitation us a big part of the current situation, but there has been plenty of time to try more things besides repeating to get vaxxed and mandates?