Coronavirus

[Anne]

One thing that helps is that you don’t have to get the second dose at the same place as the first; just make sure you get your dose card. Again, booking the second dose was a lot easier.

This will vary based on state or county. In WI the health department really really wants people to get their 2nd dose at the same site because that is how they plan inventory and shipping schedules. The scripting they use is "you have a reserved 2nd dose" at the original site (although the sites are not actually holding back doses, the 2nd doses are calculated into future doses shipped). In order to make this work each site is supposed to schedule the 2nd dose right after administering the first. If someone shows up who had a first dose elsewhere, we are supposed to encourage them to return to their original site because "that is where your reserved 2nd dose has been shipped". Ultimately if that isn't possible for them we are supposed to give the 2nd dose.

 

[bnoble]

Michigan does the same thing: you schedule your second when you get your first.

 

[DopeyRunr]

Michigan does the same thing: you schedule your second when you get your first.

Same in NYS, although you don't actually "schedule" it per se - they just tell you that you HAVE to return (to the same site) in 21 days for dose two, and write down that date and time on the vaccine card.

 

[RetroCOTfan]

Here in TX, the same site that gave you the first shot will e-mail you when it's time to sign up for the 2nd shot with a list of appointment times for you to choose from. If you're not able to make that day, your name goes back into the hopper and you get e-mailed the next week (or with the next batch), and so on until you get your second shot.

 

[DopeyRunr]

It's kind of funny to me, given how disruptive living in a pandemic has been, that people wouldn't be able to make time to get vaccinated against it. Funny's not the right word.

 

[Alcachofa]

And just like that, our governor announces all statewide restrictions--including masking--are lifted, and that Texas is now 100% open for business with no limitations.

I saw that and the other state (Louisiana?) and my first thought was "the governor is a child and the people supporting this decision are children." I don't know how else to describe it. How can you not wait just a few more months after all this? Not that MA is much better--Baker dropped a bunch of restrictions which really should not have been dropped yet.

 

[RetroCOTfan]

It's kind of funny to me, given how disruptive living in a pandemic has been, that people wouldn't be able to make time to get vaccinated against it. Funny's not the right word.

To be fair, my wife had to delay her second dose because of unfortunate timing. She receives an infusion once every six months for her MS medication; thanks to the weather delays here, her MS meds were bumped back and, on her neurologist's recommendation, she had to bump back her second vaccine dose for two weeks.

On the other hand, my second dose was originally scheduled for the day before I was taking the bar exam. After reading about the potential side effects some have from the second Moderna dose, I was going to delay my second dose, but the weather delays moving the schedules here resolved that problem for me.

So it's not always just a matter of "not being able to make time for it." Sometimes life gets in the way, and I'm grateful the vaccine hubs are being both proactive and accommodating in making sure everyone gets their second dose.

 

[paxsarah]

And hopefully soon it won't be hard to book one at all.

At some point in the next couple of months, we're going to take a sharp turn from not having enough vaccine availability, to needing a multi-pronged approach to deal with vaccine hesitancy.

I saw that and the other state (Louisiana?) and my first thought was "the governor is a child and the people supporting this decision are children." I don't know how else to describe it. How can you not wait just a few more months after all this? Not that MA is much better--Baker dropped a bunch of restrictions which really should not have been dropped yet.

(I think it's Mississippi.)
It continues to be mind-boggling to me that people don't (or don't want to) realize that universal masking is what could allow us to actually open up wide sections of the economy fairly safely. Like, I don't see if you choose to completely lift all other distancing restrictions, why you wouldn't pair that with a continued mask mandate and a reminder that that's how we get across the finish line? It just seems like an obvious connection.

 

[DopeyRunr]

To be fair, my wife had to delay her second dose because of unfortunate timing. She receives an infusion once every six months for her MS medication; thanks to the weather delays here, her MS meds were bumped back and, on her neurologist's recommendation, she had to bump back her second vaccine dose for two weeks.

On the other hand, my second dose was originally scheduled for the day before I was taking the bar exam. After reading about the potential side effects some have from the second Moderna dose, I was going to delay my second dose, but the weather delays moving the schedules here resolved that problem for me.

So it's not always just a matter of "not being able to make time for it." Sometimes life gets in the way, and I'm grateful the vaccine hubs are being both proactive and accommodating in making sure everyone gets their second dose.

Absolutely - I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that there were NO valid reasons to reschedule the second dose. But not auto-scheduling ANY second doses because 1% of the people might have a situation like you described seems more complicated than it needs to be when we have 330 million people to inject.

 

[geek1997]

And just like that, our governor announces all statewide restrictions--including masking--are lifted, and that Texas is now 100% open for business with no limitations.

Guess we've beaten coronavirus in Texas, y'all!

Yep. This is a deflection technique and political posturing at it's best. One of the local news stations noted it "just happened" to coincide with Texas Independence Day.

I guess this means we are fully housebound once again (not that my husband has a choice). No more quick trips into a store and we'll once again have to reconsider take out. And our school district sent out a message saying they were going to "evaluate the situation" and make a decision on how to proceed. We were supposed to make a decision by Friday about the last grading period. Indecision by the district means our decision is a firm, "No". Sadly, our 8th grader may have to go back because she's struggling in math; we may not have a choice.

Burn it all down. (not really, but also yes)

 

[RetroCOTfan]

And our school district sent out a message saying they were going to "evaluate the situation" and make a decision on how to proceed.

We got the same type of thing from our district yesterday. They stated they're aware of the announcement and invited public comment through a Google form on what they should do. Solid leadership.

Unfortunately, based on the general attitudes of a large portion of our district, we're fearful they're actually going to make masks optional. Meanwhile, we're still not allowing teachers to get vaccinated unless they otherwise qualify. Though I am glad to see that CVS will allow teachers to get vaccinated along with others who qualify.

 

[geek1997]

Texas health department just (minutes ago) expanded the current groups to include people in schools and child care. But I think is based on a directive from the US DHHS.

According to my 5th grader's teacher, when the announcement went through yesterday, parents texted their kids while the kids were still in school and told them they didn't have to wear the masks anymore. Wheeeeee.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Yep. This is a deflection technique and political posturing at it's best. One of the local news stations noted it "just happened" to coincide with Texas Independence Day.

I guess this means we are fully housebound once again (not that my husband has a choice). No more quick trips into a store and we'll once again have to reconsider take out. And our school district sent out a message saying they were going to "evaluate the situation" and make a decision on how to proceed. We were supposed to make a decision by Friday about the last grading period. Indecision by the district means our decision is a firm, "No". Sadly, our 8th grader may have to go back because she's struggling in math; we may not have a choice.

Burn it all down. (not really, but also yes)

Is South Padre Island still a big spring break spot? The TX news is perfect timing for that.

 

[RetroCOTfan]

Texas health department just (minutes ago) expanded the current groups to include people in schools and child care. But I think is based on a directive from the US DHHS.

According to my 5th grader's teacher, when the announcement went through yesterday, parents texted their kids while the kids were still in school and told them they didn't have to wear the masks anymore. Wheeeeee.

That is good news. But, from a practical standpoint, we have 9 weeks of school left. Even if they were able to join waitlists today, what percentage of teachers/staff will be able to actually get fully vaccinated before school is out--much less by next Wednesday when the mask mandate is lifted? 10%? 25%? Whatever number, it's too low to risk it. Just keep that masks for a few more weeks. We're so close...

(At least, these are among the points I made in my letter to our school board/superintendent.)

 

[Disneyfan]

Here in TX, the same site that gave you the first shot will e-mail you when it's time to sign up for the 2nd shot with a list of appointment times for you to choose from. If you're not able to make that day, your name goes back into the hopper and you get e-mailed the next week (or with the next batch), and so on until you get your second shot.

Texas Children's didn't give us a choice for DD's second dose. We were automatically scheduled exactly two weeks from the first shot at the exact same time.

 

[ThemeParkCommando]

CVS Pharmacy in Texas also does an auto schedule of the 2nd dose. When I signed up, I got 2 appointments. First dose, then 2nd dose exactly 3 weeks later, same time, same place.

For me, it worked just fine. My company is not interfering in the vaccine process in any way. You get your appointment, you tell us when it is. You get paid time to go get the shot. You don't have to make up time or use PTO. We just request that you try to get a time outside of work hours, or try to minimize your time out of office. If you have a reaction to your 2nd shot, you can take off the rest of the day to recover. My department is a call center, so this is a HUGE concession to have people OOO without any scheduling, but the company does not want to make this thing any harder than it already is.

 

[Disneyfan]

OMG I signed up on the county health website, and got a text today. I was able to sign up for an appointment on Monday.

Is the J & J vaccine alright? I love the fact that it is one dose. Spring break starts Friday afternoon. So hoping any side effects will be over by then.

 

[geek1997]

Yay! Whatever one you can get is the right one! But yes, J&J is good. They are looking at a possible second dose down the line, I think, to improve the (already good) efficacy against the variants.

 

[Disneyfan]

Soooo
Not long after I posted this message, I got a text from a hospital waiting list. I was able to schedule an appointment for a two dose vaccine. So I cancelled the J & J vaccine appointment.

 

[Anne]

Soooo
Not long after I posted this message, I got a text from a hospital waiting list. I was able to schedule an appointment for a two dose vaccine. So I cancelled the J & J vaccine appointment.

Glad to hear you are set for your vaccine doses!

For anyone who is wondering about the J and J vaccine, this article is great. The experts I trust are recommending whichever vaccine you can get first and not to delay to get one over the other. They all have 100% protection against severe disease (hospitalization) and death once you are a few weeks out from the first (or only) dose.

The Latest Case of Vaccine Alarmism

And what else you need to know today.

www.nytimes.com