Cuomo's extremely slow action on rolling out the vaccines. New York is currently ranked 28th for its distribution of the vaccine. It's appalling.
One main difference that I've seen during all of this is that states like NY and CA see their elderly and disabled citizens as expendable, while states like Florida, who have done a great job vaccinating their populations (the media will not give Florida credit), value those citizens. This divide cannot be more clear.
Overall, I think things will be moving forward exponentially faster in a pretty brief length of time.
I’m in a slower state too, and I’m wildly eager to be vaccinated.
Even mismanagement during this horrific situation was slow to “trickle down”.
As actual FACTS emerge from this swamp of distrust and rumor, I will no doubt change my opinion, but for me, FACT FIRST.
There is an article in the Detroit Free Press which states many frontline workers are declining the vaccine. This was also stated:
"Launching mass vaccinations over the December holiday season created delays with some individuals intentionally delaying vaccines for themselves until after the holidays and clinics not being operational due to the holidays," said Bob Wheaton, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. "Although it was appropriate to start vaccinations as soon as the vaccine was available, it has caused the rollout to be slower."
Fortunately, my mom's nursing home was contacted by CVS to let them know they'll be doing a clinic there and need consent forms by January 12. There's no date for the actual clinic, mind you, but it's a tiny step forward.
I just wish they'd have gotten to this before my mom was put on hospice. I wanted to avoid causing her more pain, but now it's unavoidable.
1. They need to give so many injections. Personnel is tied up in hospital.
2. Kaiser can't do the usually drive up and get the flu shot because anyone getting the injection has to stay on site 15 minutes to 30 minutes to be certain there is no deadly reaction (there were two in UK, both cured with epi pen and one in USA also cured with epi pen)
3. Logistically they cannot find venues huge enough to schedule large amount of people to come, stay and return in 21 days.
4. vaccine requires colder than freezer freezing. Dry ice cold. Can last only 6 hours without that.
The vaccine is here and they can't figure how to give it. Figure it out. If they tell all Kaiser patients to come get it there would be lines miles long of people standing in the street and perhaps dying in the street waiting. There's no staff to be spared to send them out to nursing home and they are unable to bypass laws to teach people the simple thing of giving injections; calling back retired folks not easy as it seems.
So basically Joel I would ask you how you would do this. We know they are there and can tolerate no more than 6 hours out of their deep freezers unless on dry ice. Has to be no normal freezer.
I have three friends who have it now. All immune suppressed individuals who have to show up for other IV treatments.
This is a logistical nightmare. It will get done but I won't be surprised if it takes well more than 6 months.
There are issues with State funding to get said vaccine.
The smaller towns around the country, personnel from those towns need to drive hours to the nearest hospital that has the vaccine in order to get what is allotted to those small towns.
And as mentioned prior, lack of trained personnel to give said shots. Yesterday it was mentioned on the news of getting students who are studying medical care to go out and give shots.
Believe me, I rather have an expert give me a shot. Here in my area is a nursing association that does the flu shots at the local hospitals.... those nurses are great, rarely an achy arm afterwards. I remember when a local pharmacist gave me my shingle shot, I was hoping my arm would drop off it hurt so bad :P
The second dose is being stockpiled to be administered to the first dose recipients.
Curious is anyone is paying to the CDC’s reporting on vaccine adverse reactions & deaths? 1 doctor dead. As of a January 1st, 11 nursing home residents have died. Many life threatening reactions. 5 left permanently disabled......scary stuff!
Florida has been given the impression of being a Perfect Wonderland for seniors. That is simply not the case. All states have their issues.
You are luckly, you lived a life, had a wife you loved and can be secure where you are. Alot of younger people do not have the same security. In my opinion, if there is a choice, a vaccine should always go to a front line worker over someone who can live in comfort in their home. If you ask my old geography professor, this is cyclical because we abuse the Earth which in turn purges. Harsh, right?
All people are important, not just the elderly.
from 12/4-12/34 there were already 4,400 reported adverse reactions reported. And multiple deaths
"After Unused Vaccines Are Thrown in Trash, Cuomo Loosens Rules - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Across New York State, medical providers in recent weeks had the same story: They had been forced to throw out precious vaccine doses because of difficulties finding patients who matched precisely with the state’s strict vaccination guidelines — and the steep penalties they would face had they made a mistake.
On Saturday, state health officials responded to the outcry over discarded vaccines by again abruptly loosening guidelines as coronavirus cases continued to rise.
Now, medical providers can administer the vaccine to any of their employees who interact with the public if there are extra doses in a vial and no one from “the priority population can come in before the doses expire,” the new guidelines read. A pharmacy’s “store clerks, cashiers, stock workers and delivery staff” could qualify, the guidelines said. California last week took a similar step.
This is the second time in two days that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s administration has loosened the restrictions around who can get vaccinated in New York State. On Friday, the governor announced that medical providers could vaccinate a wider range of essential workers, including teachers, as well as New Yorkers 75 years and older starting as early as Monday. That same day, the governor also expanded the types of medical professionals that can administer vaccines to include licensed practical nurses, pharmacists, dentists and podiatrists."
Now, with so many people wanting this vaccine, myself included, I think that is unforgivable. I have no problem waiting my turn, but I'm sorry - this vaccine was approved a month ago. He was so concerned with making sure the vaccine was distributed "equitably" (I'm not sure what that even means) that we are about 1 million vaccinations behind where they originally said we'd be at this point.
Vaccine reactions: Yes, I do follow CDC. 11.1 reactions to the vaccine for every million doses given so far. I do also follow the reliable science on the subject.
I was asked how many"reactions" I find acceptable. Yes, this many for sure, and a good many more. Certainly preferrable over the 340,000 deaths we have had so far from the disease. As I said, life is not without risk. You take a risk when you walk down the stairs. You take a risk when you cross the street. When you take an Aspirin.
So far most are mild reactions with the exception of some more severe less often, but cleared at once with an epi pen. this is why you will be asked to remain on site for 15 minutes after your injection.
There are many fewer reactions to this vaccine than bee stings. Many fewer than peanut allergies. And some well publicized anecdotal stuff like the "dead doctor" are already debunked.
I recommend anyone worried about the Covid vaccine reactions versus getting covid 19 itself discuss with their doctors and follow the doctor's recommendations. If a history of severe reactions to anything then you already have your epi pen and be sure to take it with you. Make you own decision about getting the vaccine, and I am great with that.
I will be first in line soon as I am able. So I will feel very protected myself; it will be much less a concern to me whether you choose to be vaccinated or choose not to. In fact, I often include the "Shhhhhhhh. I've got this" picture of Charles Darwin on my pages.
My opinion, for what it's worth. And hey, we all got one.
We've been living with this since March. I myself have hope for the next 6 months to bring us some relief of the numbers we are seeing dying now--about 3,000 per die I hear. But time will tell.
And of course there is always long term stuff we cannot yet know about. Guillian Barre came later if I recall. Thalidomide problems also took a while to show. We can't know what we can't know until we know it.
I recall major news networks and public officials downplaying both the Spanish flu and the annual winter common flue as a major cause of deaths. So flu deaths were portrayed to be business as usual and COVID merely a bump in the road. That was the initial messaging. "Leaders" downplayed COVID.
Journalists and photographers have stayed busy documenting Covid history. In time world leaders, including ours, will want to deny this as a major crises. Photographers and journalists documented the nightmare at snfs in NY and other states. Frontline workers were too busy and worn out to be able to keep the world updated without help from their partners - those documenting this horror.
I think people at the frontlines of historical preservation are essential workers and I hope they can be vaccinated soon, regardless of age.
It concerns me that we can't know this early on what the side effects might be. That said, I think we just have to proceed and hope long-term side effects are rare. People urgently need to get back to work and school and think vaccination is necessary
In the meantime, there is nothing more powerful than the local restaurant, Walmart, Best-Buy, Lowes, beauty and barber stores, medical providers, and God forbid, morticians and tax preparation firms refusing service to those who refuse to wear masks as this logistical nightmare is unfolding. I've concluded elected officials are inept at handling this level of responsibility.
I want a vaccine and hope it doesn't drag into next year! I'm not in the highest priority level but will get a Covid test as a requirement to get some preventive heath exams a week later at the local clinic/hospital. I skipped some stuff last year as there was not even a testing in place and people were still roaming into/out of facilities without masks.
It's a mess, isn't it? But slowly slowly it is getting done, and there is more vaccine coming on now with Johnson and Johnson. We will be able to wait a while I hope and keep ourselves safe.
Gotta tell you that I reacted MAJOR bigtime for a day and one half on shot number two. Well worth it, however. Partner just sailed through both shots.
Joel, hope you say my message of "apology" to you. Hope you are doing well.
Meanwhile, my trainer's 87 year old step-grandmother can't get an appointment in Florida and my daughter's FIL in Dallas reports that they have ONE site for the entire city.
I left NY state a few years ago. My friends there have had great confusion dealing with vaccination dates. They get appointments and are canceled. In one case a couple got them because they had an in at a specific pharmacy. I can't fault them as they spent weeks making appointments only to be canceled and are both in their 70's and very high risk.
Usually, I get sick a few times a year so does everyone I know. The sanitizing requirements at stores I think helps with colds, flu, etc. Most people I know have not been sick this year, overall. I think it is unfortunate it took Covid to make stores sanitize. My hope is going forward, the cleaning practices continue just as a good safety practice. They are trying to pass a law for all employers not to have to pay sales tax on cleaning supplies and
PPE to keep people safe.
No offense but yeah maybe he was inappropriate with his staff or women in general but so was Clinton and Trump so that is not really an issue for Covid. Just my opinion as usual.