Coronavirus

[lady_*nix]

Congrats! And aww that's really cool.

My parents are both vaccinated now too - my dad with the Pfizer one I think, my mom with the J&J. Went fine for both of them, just tiredness afterwards.

[Rommie]

4 million vaccines yesterday! Which I know is just a fluctuation in statistics, but damn that's impressive!

We had two couples over on Friday as it was warm enough to safely distance outside, and it was pretty clear why we hadn't seen half of one couple since this all started as she was really paranoid well above and beyond the official advice and our understanding of the virus's transmission. Like to the point where I mentioned buying a bunch of tulips last week, and she asked "but how did you decontaminate the tulips?!" and I had to say well, I put them in a vase and don't touch them? And a few other things like that, I don't want to list all the little things she said like that because I don't want to sound like I'm judging in what's been a crazy year for us all... but it did make me think about how a lot of people's worries and acquired habits are not going away once this virus is more contained. There's a lot of trauma we're all gonna have to work through.

[Rommie]

The announcement is out, general public in MA can start getting vaccinated April 19!

We are a few weeks behind some other states on that, but it's because we are letting essential workers (grocery, transit etc) go first. I'm pretty ok with that, what's two weeks more working from home after all this?

Was on the a with my supervisor this morning, and joked with him because Harvard advised him a year ago to plan for keeping his group remote until June. But it just didn't specify which June.

[SciFiFisher]

The announcement is out, general public in MA can start getting vaccinated April 19!

We are a few weeks behind some other states on that, but it's because we are letting essential workers (grocery, transit etc) go first. I'm pretty ok with that, what's two weeks more working from home after all this?

Was on the a with my supervisor this morning, and joked with him because Harvard advised him a year ago to plan for keeping his group remote until June. But it just didn't specify which June.

Yes, I recall when everyone was thinking this would be over by Summer 2020.

[geonuc]

I had a moderately bad reaction to the second Pfizer vaccine. During the night, I experienced mild fever (~100-101), significant chills, headache and a general 'did anyone get the number of that truck that hit me' feeling. All symptoms were gone by the next night. So, while the 24 hours following the vaccination were not my favor time lately, it was worth it.

And I will shout out to the Deschutes County/St Charles Hospital folks who run the local mass vaccination site. The process of getting the vaccine both times was virtually flawless. Very well organized, with great support from the Oregon National Guard.

[Rommie]

So I've ranted elsewhere about this a bit, but I now know several women from Europe who are also not going to get the vaccine "right now" because they're worried about fertility. And I looked into it further, and you know what the source of this is? A Russian troll farm is pushing the narrative on social media that the vaccine attacks some placental tissue because it is similar to the covid spike protein, or some such, in multiple languages.

It's both terrible and fascinating, to be honest, because it is in Russia's best interest if Europe doesn't get herd immunity, and no one is completely rational about issues when it comes to fertility.

Similarly, am I the only one mad about J&J being pulled back today? I am going to bet good money that more than one in a million people would die of those who got the vaccine already, that at least some of the blood clots are tied to birth control because that is a thing, but that far more people are just going to hear "it's too risky" now and not get a vaccine at all. I was also reading that a lot of people who are worried about the mRNA vaccines for whatever reason were ok until now with getting J&J, and a lot of low vaccination rate areas will still have demand for that one because it's a "one and done" shot... and now we just pull that out? Argh. I just can't imagine this is the right choice.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Wow

[geonuc]

Similarly, am I the only one mad about J&J being pulled back today? I am going to bet good money that more than one in a million people would die of those who got the vaccine already, that at least some of the blood clots are tied to birth control because that is a thing, but that far more people are just going to hear "it's too risky" now and not get a vaccine at all. I was also reading that a lot of people who are worried about the mRNA vaccines for whatever reason were ok until now with getting J&J, and a lot of low vaccination rate areas will still have demand for that one because it's a "one and done" shot... and now we just pull that out? Argh. I just can't imagine this is the right choice.

I had the same reaction when I read about it. People are going to refuse any vaccine now because "it's not been tested enough." For myself, I was happy to get the Pfizer vaccine because of its higher efficacy. Having to drive 18 miles to the vaccination site and spend an hour there twice was no big deal for me.

[Rommie]

Seeing as we are literally looking into driving several hours next week to get ours, I don't see why 18 miles would be a big deal at all!

[Rommie]

Vaccinated, whoop whoop!

After what I'm calling severe vaccine senioritis in our house, and a lot of game plans for how to prepare for snagging a last minute appointment once we became eligible today, it turns out we didn't need any of that because the MA automatic system texted us both 24 hours before we were expecting it on Sunday morning with an invitation to register. Went to discover that there were open spots that day and snagged some at the convention center (half hour apart but they were more than happy to wave us through together). And honestly I'm glad we got to go there because it was just so cool to see honestly- currently they process over 7k people a day, and despite those numbers we got our shots in maybe 5-10min and were out in a half hour including the 15min wait period. Lots of Navy folks helping out, and I confess I think I'd have high job satisfaction if I had that job- it must be rewarding to be involved in something like this.

Anyway, after a year of waiting and hearing about people crying upon getting theirs etc, I confess I felt it was a tad bit anticlimactic to join team Pfizer. Arm is def more sore than I usually get with the flu shot- the most interesting thing about it to me was I usually sew at night, and had to stop and just go to bed to read quietly because the repetitive motion in the arm that had the shot was making me feel weird (heart rate was def shooting up a little randomly). Well I hope this means I'm reacting well and won't get too many nasty side effects from the second jab on Mother's Day! And we are having fun discussing a trip for Memorial Day weekend, when we'll be fully vaccinated.

So, I guess I was the last of us regulars to get it right? Good job team!

[geonuc]

So, I guess I was the last of us regulars to get it right? Good job team!

Here's hoping none of us - or our SO's - have anything to do with COVID. Of course, once this year's slew of as-yet undiscovered vaccine-busting mutations hits the street, we'll all do this again. And again.

[Rommie]

So, I guess I was the last of us regulars to get it right? Good job team!

Here's hoping none of us - or our SO's - have anything to do with COVID. Of course, once this year's slew of as-yet undiscovered vaccine-busting mutations hits the street, we'll all do this again. And again.

Party pooper. (But yes, I think the best we can hope for right now is the contagious mutation that wins is also a much more mild one.)

On a more wild note, we are trying to gauge right now what level of insane we are for considering our Memorial Day long weekend "hooray we're 2+ weeks after being fully vaccinated" trip to... Iceland. Which apparently allows you in if fully vaccinated (you take a test at the airport and wait at your hotel until it clears, usually 5-6 hours), they haven't had much covid at all because they're good about it (<30 deaths, large percent of population is vaccinated), just a 5 hour flight from here, and we'd be doing primarily socially distant stuff like hiking. Frankly it's statistically legit far safer than anywhere we could drive (and pretty much all of the USA), the CDC guidelines for Iceland explicitly say it's fine when fully vaccinated (you just need a negative covid test to reenter the USA/ take a test 3-5 days after you return), AND so far as I can tell you can just walk close enough to the active volcano there right now to see lava which has been a bucket list thing for me... but it's somehow a tough idea to get used to traveling again I guess!

Well anyway, if it happens, it will be my first time out of the USA in just shy of two years. I can't say anyone was expecting that from me, combined with this hesitancy, before the pandemic.

[pumpkinpi]

So, I guess I was the last of us regulars to get it right? Good job team!

Here's hoping none of us - or our SO's - have anything to do with COVID. Of course, once this year's slew of as-yet undiscovered vaccine-busting mutations hits the street, we'll all do this again. And again.

Party pooper. (But yes, I think the best we can hope for right now is the contagious mutation that wins is also a much more mild one.)

On a more wild note, we are trying to gauge right now what level of insane we are for considering our Memorial Day long weekend "hooray we're 2+ weeks after being fully vaccinated" trip to... Iceland. Which apparently allows you in if fully vaccinated (you take a test at the airport and wait at your hotel until it clears, usually 5-6 hours), they haven't had much covid at all because they're good about it (<30 deaths, large percent of population is vaccinated), just a 5 hour flight from here, and we'd be doing primarily socially distant stuff like hiking. Frankly it's statistically legit far safer than anywhere we could drive (and pretty much all of the USA), the CDC guidelines for Iceland explicitly say it's fine when fully vaccinated (you just need a negative covid test to reenter the USA/ take a test 3-5 days after you return), AND so far as I can tell you can just walk close enough to the active volcano there right now to see lava which has been a bucket list thing for me... but it's somehow a tough idea to get used to traveling again I guess!

Well anyway, if it happens, it will be my first time out of the USA in just shy of two years. I can't say anyone was expecting that from me, combined with this hesitancy, before the pandemic.

That is a perfectly reasonable level of insane! Go for it! Can we join you? ;^)

[geonuc]

Iceland is fabulous.

[lady_*nix]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2 ... pdates-us/

"Most Americans who haven’t gotten a vaccine say they don’t plan to, poll shows"

Merry fucking Christmas

[Rommie]

So, I guess I was the last of us regulars to get it right? Good job team!

Here's hoping none of us - or our SO's - have anything to do with COVID. Of course, once this year's slew of as-yet undiscovered vaccine-busting mutations hits the street, we'll all do this again. And again.

Party pooper. (But yes, I think the best we can hope for right now is the contagious mutation that wins is also a much more mild one.)

On a more wild note, we are trying to gauge right now what level of insane we are for considering our Memorial Day long weekend "hooray we're 2+ weeks after being fully vaccinated" trip to... Iceland. Which apparently allows you in if fully vaccinated (you take a test at the airport and wait at your hotel until it clears, usually 5-6 hours), they haven't had much covid at all because they're good about it (<30 deaths, large percent of population is vaccinated), just a 5 hour flight from here, and we'd be doing primarily socially distant stuff like hiking. Frankly it's statistically legit far safer than anywhere we could drive (and pretty much all of the USA), the CDC guidelines for Iceland explicitly say it's fine when fully vaccinated (you just need a negative covid test to reenter the USA/ take a test 3-5 days after you return), AND so far as I can tell you can just walk close enough to the active volcano there right now to see lava which has been a bucket list thing for me... but it's somehow a tough idea to get used to traveling again I guess!

Well anyway, if it happens, it will be my first time out of the USA in just shy of two years. I can't say anyone was expecting that from me, combined with this hesitancy, before the pandemic.

That is a perfectly reasonable level of insane! Go for it! Can we join you? ;^)

lol it's funny how everyone is saying that. And it sounds like some fully vaccinated friends might actually do it! Think we will book tickets this week.

The real level of insane right now is that Iceland will never be this cheap for the rest of our lives. A 5 day car rental for a 4wd vehicle (ie a medium sized one) is $150, and I'm pretty sure it's normally that much a day.

[pumpkinpi]

Ugh. First covid scare in our house. Buster came home with two "less common" symptoms--runny nose and sore throat. Or, as we called it in the before times, a cold. But we're taking precautions, I'm keeping the kids home tomorrow, and ordered at home tests for him and me. I've just got to get through a few more days... dose 2 is next Tuesday and i can't get it if I'm positive. So I'll have a negative test in hand to be sure!

Covid is running through Buster's grade. His is the only 5th grade class of 3 in person--the other two are in quarantine.

[Rommie]

Oh no! I hope you get negative results!

Pretty sure everyone I know who got it lately got it from their kid bringing it home from school or day care. It's tough.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Hope it's just a cold.

[pumpkinpi]

He still has a super congested nose, but that's all. I think it is just a cold. Or I guess it could be allergies. I never thought that I got spring allergies. But last year I woke up every day in the spring with crud in my throat, and it would clear up throughout the day. It's happening again this year.

[Rommie]

The funny thing for me is I never got allergies in North America, but got them a few years into living in Europe. There must be a tree pollen there that doesn't happen here. The funniest part was I legit didn't know what it was, I just thought I had a cold that wasn't going away, until I mentioned it to a friend who was like "yep, that's allergies."

[pumpkinpi]

Hope it's just a cold.

It was. I got the negative covid test to prove it.

Last night was Vaccine Eve. I couldn't get to sleep and kept waking up! T-46 minutes until dose 2.

[Rommie]

That's great! My sister got her first dose yesterday, BIL is up on Saturday. Oh, and I'm pleased to report the SIL I mentioned elsewhere worried about fertility is also getting a dose this week- Pfizer, for random reasons that don't really make sense, but I've decided I don't mind vaccine hesitancy of that kind as long as she's actually getting vaccinated.

Also fun, my friends and I who have been steadily meeting virtually every Thursday have set a target for our "fully vaccinated" party in late May, because at that point everyone will have it plus two weeks. Even the folks who now live further afield are coming in for it, so that'll be fun. We are having it at our house and the joke is even if the weather is beautiful that we are having the party inside because it's the principle, dang it!

Also, Iceland is booked. Keeping it on the down low though because I know so many European friends feel adrift on when they'll get it, and the Indian friends are staring at their friends and family facing humanitarian catastrophe at home. (It seems crazy and tragic that India did such a relatively decent job of the pandemic so far, only to fall apart so terribly now...)

[pumpkinpi]

24 hrs post vaccine and I'm feeling fine. I got some chills last night and had a headache this morning, but that's pretty much it. My arm is much less sore than it was after the first dose. That hurt for about 3 days. I couldn't sleep on it.

So I wonder if that was it for me, or if I still haven't gotten the side effects!

I am on an immunosuppressant medicine, and I was reading up to see if that would impact the severity of my side effects. But what I found was that it potentially lowers the effectiveness of the vaccine as compared to the general population. That's a bummer. There aren't any conclusive studies yet, no data is out. I see my doctor next month and I'll ask him if there is any truth to that. I'm not super worried about it. The way medical reporting is done, without reporting actual numbers, things can seem a lot worse than they really are. Like I read that one of the medicines I was on while pregnant DOUBLED the risk of birth defects. Then I dug a little deeper, and read that it increased from 1% to 2%.........

[geonuc]

I think 24 hours gets you through the side effects.

Chills. It sounds so innocuous but when I get them - as I did after dose #2 - it's almost debilitating.