COVID-19 Thread [V2.0]

[nodakfan17]

Alex Lasry got a COVID vaccine early and then posted about it on Twitter. I get that occasionally people jump the line because hospitals have batches that will go bad if not used quickly enough, but what horrible optics.

 

https://www.wbay.com/2021/01/29/33-year-old-bucks-exec-alex-lasry-gets-covid-vaccine-early/

[Baldkin]

Wisconsin ranks 48th in percentage of vaccines which have been administered.

 

https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/public-health/states-ranked-by-percentage-of-covid-19-vaccines-administered.html

[homer]

Alex Lasry got a COVID vaccine early and then posted about it on Twitter. I get that occasionally people jump the line because hospitals have batches that will go bad if not used quickly enough, but what horrible optics.

 

https://www.wbay.com/2021/01/29/33-year-old-bucks-exec-alex-lasry-gets-covid-vaccine-early/

 

This is exactly what happens when they don't throw the vaccines away (and they shouldn't). Someone's gonna skip the line and sometimes that person will be rich.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Alex Lasry got a COVID vaccine early and then posted about it on Twitter. I get that occasionally people jump the line because hospitals have batches that will go bad if not used quickly enough, but what horrible optics.

 

https://www.wbay.com/2021/01/29/33-year-old-bucks-exec-alex-lasry-gets-covid-vaccine-early/

 

This is exactly what happens when they don't throw the vaccines away (and they shouldn't). Someone's gonna skip the line and sometimes that person will be rich.

 

Right. If someone wants the vaccine, and has the opportunity to get one that would otherwise go to waste, by all means, shoot 'em up.

 

I was initially scheduled to get the vaccine next Friday, but got a call from my provider that they had six cancellations today, so they had six doses that they needed to used before they expired at 6:30 p.m. tonight. So I jumped in the car and went, and my wife and I got our first doses of the Pfizer vaccine at 1:30 this afternoon.

 

I was the 50th person they called this morning, but was the first to pick up the phone and confirm that I could make it today. People possibly need to be more flexible with their schedules, and maybe answer the phone right now, even if it from an unfamiliar number. I hope the clinic was able to find takers for those other four doses. I realize that jobs and life can sometimes make that impossible. Fortunately I was able to move my schedule around to make it work.

[nodakfan17]

Alex Lasry got a COVID vaccine early and then posted about it on Twitter. I get that occasionally people jump the line because hospitals have batches that will go bad if not used quickly enough, but what horrible optics.

 

https://www.wbay.com/2021/01/29/33-year-old-bucks-exec-alex-lasry-gets-covid-vaccine-early/

 

This is exactly what happens when they don't throw the vaccines away (and they shouldn't). Someone's gonna skip the line and sometimes that person will be rich.

I’m not upset that he received the vaccine. I’m upset that he took to Twitter to brag about it. For a guy who prides himself on being a community leader, that showed an awful lack of self awareness. Clearly, I’m not the only person who thinks so if the local news cranked out a story right away.

[homer]

Alex Lasry got a COVID vaccine early and then posted about it on Twitter. I get that occasionally people jump the line because hospitals have batches that will go bad if not used quickly enough, but what horrible optics.

 

https://www.wbay.com/2021/01/29/33-year-old-bucks-exec-alex-lasry-gets-covid-vaccine-early/

 

This is exactly what happens when they don't throw the vaccines away (and they shouldn't). Someone's gonna skip the line and sometimes that person will be rich.

I’m not upset that he received the vaccine. I’m upset that he took to Twitter to brag about it. For a guy who prides himself on being a community leader, that showed an awful lack of self awareness. Clearly, I’m not the only person who thinks so if the local news cranked out a story right away.

 

I agree on that point. Although if it came out later he jumped the line and kept it quiet I'm not sure that would play any better.

[nate82]

 

People possibly need to be more flexible with their schedules, and maybe answer the phone right now, even if it from an unfamiliar number.

 

But then I will have to listen to the telemarketer tell me about extending my auto warranty. Though sometimes I like messing with them and ask them if they can get a flux capacitor for my mechanic Doc and oh yeah make sure the part is not from some Iranian's they pulled some nefarious actions the last time!

[nodakfan17]

I agree on that point. Although if it came out later he jumped the line and kept it quiet I'm not sure that would play any better.

That’s a fair point too. And I sympathize to some degree. It sounds like his wife is expecting and he probably has her health and the health of the baby in mind.

[reillymcshane]

My wife got her second shot yesterday. Her first one had no side effects whatsoever.

 

This time she got tired and just felt a bit off about 8-9 hours after the shot. This morning, her arm was definitely sore, but not terrible. She still felt a little groggy - but has gotten pretty much back to normal by this afternoon. So pretty good results for her.

 

I'm happy she got the vaccine, and looking forward to when I can (it will be a long while for that).

[TURBO]

Question for the experts: (which is pretty much everyone here who does all the research...impressive!)

 

The vaccine from what I understand, will not prevent you from getting the virus, but instead just makes the symptoms lesser than not having the vaccine. (hopefully prevents people from serious symptoms, hospitalization, and/or death.)

 

Is this a fair take?

[Zad Fnark]

My brother's a correctional officer at our county jail. Of course, he got put in charge of the Covid pod at the jail, and sure enough, he eventually caught it. Once over it, he then got his vaccine, which completely kicked his ass. He felt like he had it all over again.

 

I've been sick with something since Thu night. Beginning to suspect the worst. Yesterday at work, I completely fainted. Was laying n the floor and couldn't even push myself off the ground. First responders wound up helping me. Probably get tested tomorrow.

[LouisEly]

Question for the experts: (which is pretty much everyone here who does all the research...impressive!)

 

The vaccine from what I understand, will not prevent you from getting the virus, but instead just makes the symptoms lesser than not having the vaccine. (hopefully prevents people from serious symptoms, hospitalization, and/or death.)

 

Is this a fair take?

That's fair. You can still get infected or be a carrier, but are much less likely to have serious symptoms. The efficacy data is based on prevention of serious infection/illness.

[DHonks]

Question for the experts: (which is pretty much everyone here who does all the research...impressive!)

 

The vaccine from what I understand, will not prevent you from getting the virus, but instead just makes the symptoms lesser than not having the vaccine. (hopefully prevents people from serious symptoms, hospitalization, and/or death.)

 

Is this a fair take?

 

My understanding is that the vaccine helps your body build the ability to attack the spike protein. The vaccine is 95% effective at teaching the body to make antibodies should someone be exposed. So you can be exposed, possibly have cells on your body, and pass them to others...but you likely won't get sick from it. At least that's how I understand it.

[igor67]

In general all vaccines work by getting you to have a 'memory' of how to make the antibodies against a particular disease. When exposed to the disease again your body then quickly responds by cranking out a lot of antibodies, which greatly help other parts of the immune system defeat the infection. So you can absolutely be exposed again, from my understanding of how the Moderna and Pfizer trials were conducted though people only rarely showed signs of having the infection at all. For most vaccines the response you get to the new pathogen is so much faster and effective you never know you had an exposure. Specifically in the Moderna and Pfizer trials they were waiting for patients to show signs of Covid-19, then testing to confirm they had it and 95% of those who had the disease were given the placebo vaccine. Typically the rapid response of a vaccinated individual drastically reduces or eliminates their ability to pass it on to others as well, though this remains less well understood in Covid.

 

Given that both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines tend to provoke stronger immune responses in the second shot (most of our feeling sick symptoms come from the immune system not the pathogen) it's not surprising Zad Fnark that your friend experienced a strong reaction after getting vaccinated.

[Fear The Chorizo]

In general all vaccines work by getting you to have a 'memory' of how to make the antibodies against a particular disease. When exposed to the disease again your body then quickly responds by cranking out a lot of antibodies, which greatly help other parts of the immune system defeat the infection. So you can absolutely be exposed again, from my understanding of how the Moderna and Pfizer trials were conducted though people only rarely showed signs of having the infection at all. For most vaccines the response you get to the new pathogen is so much faster and effective you never know you had an exposure. Specifically in the Moderna and Pfizer trials they were waiting for patients to show signs of Covid-19, then testing to confirm they had it and 95% of those who had the disease were given the placebo vaccine. Typically the rapid response of a vaccinated individual drastically reduces or eliminates their ability to pass it on to others as well, though this remains less well understood in Covid.

 

Given that both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines tend to provoke stronger immune responses in the second shot (most of our feeling sick symptoms come from the immune system not the pathogen) it's not surprising Zad Fnark that your friend experienced a strong reaction after getting vaccinated.

 

I've also read and heard anecdotally that some people who have previously had a confirmed covid case exhibited more significant reactions after receiving their 1st dose...almost like that first jab acted like a booster that a second jab to a previously uninfected person would do. Based on Zad's post and the timing of how things are being rolled out, it wouldn't surprise me if his brother has only received the first vaccination to this point.

[Machu Peach]

Question for the experts: (which is pretty much everyone here who does all the research...impressive!)

 

The vaccine from what I understand, will not prevent you from getting the virus, but instead just makes the symptoms lesser than not having the vaccine. (hopefully prevents people from serious symptoms, hospitalization, and/or death.)

 

Is this a fair take?

No, this is a seemingly common misunderstand arising from how the vaccine trials were designed and use of the word "asymptomatic" instead of "subclinical". The trials were only designed to look at people with infections severe enough to warrant clinical attention and did not look into subclinical infections. Why not look at subclinical infections? Because that would require PCR testing 70,000 people twice a week for up to 9 months. It's simply not feasible. Thus the trials can only claim that it reduced disease severity and cannot claim that it reduces infections.

 

However, just because they're unable to claim a reduction in subclinical infections does not mean one did not occur. In fact, based on results from every other vaccine and basic immunology it's quite likely a significant reduction in subclinical infections did occur. I, personally, would be very surprised if that were not that case.

 

The vaccines certainly do reduce viral loads in infected individuals. Viral spread directly correlates with viral load in pretty much every disease. Thus vaccinated individuals are much less likely to spread the virus. It still can occur, but the risk greatly reduced.

[igor67]

Not strictly clinical data, but in some ways better since it is real world data

https://www.yahoo.com/news/israels-rapid-rollout-provides-the-first-realworld-proof-that-covid-vaccination-works-as-well-as-promised-152103525.html

 

My biggest takeaways in a sample roughly 4 times bigger than the original clinical trials Pfizer is still 92% effective at preventing clinically noticeable symptoms, but 100% against hospitalization and death in a group that heavily skews towards the highest risk. And it still seems to be working as well against the UK variant.

 

I would encourage everyone to talk this up, frustration with the speed of availability is the problem of the moment but the problem of the future is going to be pushing the vaccination level worldwide high enough to put Covid close to eradication. That is almost exclusively a problem of hesitancy, and it is as simple as every infection is a lottery ticket that might hit on the winning combination that can evade the vaccine and start the madness all over again. I'm asking everyone to help on this because frankly the literature out there on these types of science communication issues is utterly depressing and positive messages from friends and family is way more likely to convinced people than any advertising, public service announcements, an army of Neil deGrasse Tysons, Faucci's, or anyone else you can think of.

[homer]

My parents are scheduled to get their first shot on Monday. Seems like WI is doing a little better.

[Zad Fnark]

I tested positive this week.

 

Pretty much the worst experience of my life. Just sat through an hour long call with the state health depth.

[reillymcshane]

My parents are scheduled to get their first shot on Monday. Seems like WI is doing a little better.

Wisconsin has actually been lagging way behind most states in distributing shots. My wife told me the state is 2nd worst in the nation at getting our people vaccinated. Roughly 1/5 of all the vaccines sent to Wisconsin haven't been used (source below).

 

One big reason is that so many of the shots reserved for nursing homes and assisted living has not been given - or they are just starting. Much of this was allocated to the larger pharmacies - Walgreens, CVS, etc. And they have struggled throughout the country to get the vaccine distributed. My mom, who is 86, is getting her shot next week when Walgreens sends someone to her retirement facility. She's been eligible for a while - but finally getting it. I'm not sure if the pharmacies were prepared to be doing stuff like this. They may have just taken some time to get up to speed. Let's hope it goes quicker and smoother going forward.

 

Another reason is that many vaccines are allocated for 2nd shots.

 

Another issue is that the state simply isn't getting that many vaccines.

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2021/02/04/wisconsin-covid-vaccine-doses-unused-so-where-they-shortage-appointments/4308990001/

 

I think the big thing is that the vaccine distributers (pharmacies, healthcare systems, etc.) have just gotten things under control - plus the public is understanding what is ahead (whether they like it or not). The initial surge was hundreds of thousands of people trying to get scheduled for their vaccine - and no one was prepared for that so it was just chaotic.

[homer]

My parents are scheduled to get their first shot on Monday. Seems like WI is doing a little better.

Wisconsin has actually been lagging way behind most states in distributing shots. My wife told me the state is 2nd worst in the nation at getting our people vaccinated. Roughly 1/5 of all the vaccines sent to Wisconsin haven't been used (source below).

.

 

I know they started out slow but I thought a lot of progress was made in the last week. I thought they had moved up to like 28th best or something.

 

Per this guy they are now 6th in the nation:

 

[homer]

I tested positive this week.

 

Pretty much the worst experience of my life. Just sat through an hour long call with the state health depth.

 

Stay strong and get better soon!

[Machu Peach]

My parents are scheduled to get their first shot on Monday. Seems like WI is doing a little better.

Wisconsin has actually been lagging way behind most states in distributing shots. My wife told me the state is 2nd worst in the nation at getting our people vaccinated. Roughly 1/5 of all the vaccines sent to Wisconsin haven't been used (source below).

.

 

I know they started out slow but I thought a lot of progress was made in the last week. I thought they had moved up to like 28th best or something.

 

Per this guy they are now 6th in the nation:

 

Yep. Publicly available info lists Wisconsin as 6th in the nation as far as percent of vaccine used and near the national average in percent of people receiving one dose and percent of people receiving two doses.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

[reillymcshane]

Wisconsin has actually been lagging way behind most states in distributing shots. My wife told me the state is 2nd worst in the nation at getting our people vaccinated. Roughly 1/5 of all the vaccines sent to Wisconsin haven't been used (source below).

.

 

I know they started out slow but I thought a lot of progress was made in the last week. I thought they had moved up to like 28th best or something.

 

Per this guy they are now 6th in the nation:

 

Yep. Publicly available info lists Wisconsin as 6th in the nation as far as percent of vaccine used and near the national average in percent of people receiving one dose and percent of people receiving two doses.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

I can't read the bloomberg info as it's pay - but I can just say that my wife's organization is frustrated. The feeling is that the rural and poor areas are bypassed for the bigger cities. My wife's org can't fill all the 2nd vaccines that they are supposed to dispense this week. Immensely frustrating. Shouldn't happen.

[Machu Peach]

I can't read the bloomberg info as it's pay

It is accessible with a free account. In case you don't want to do that.

WI has used 79.9% of its vaccine, the national average is 68.3%

WI has given 10% of its population one dose, the national average is 9.5%

WI has given 2.7% of its population two doses, the national average is 2.7%

 

- but I can just say that my wife's organization is frustrated. The feeling is that the rural and poor areas are bypassed for the bigger cities.

I can't speak to feelings and I don't know the factors going into distribution plans, but it would make sense to prioritize geographical locations at the most risk. Urban areas have had significantly higher mortality and morbidity rates than rural areas.

 

My wife's org can't fill all the 2nd vaccines that they are supposed to dispense this week. Immensely frustrating. Shouldn't happen.

There was outcry a couple weeks ago that too much vaccine was being withheld for second doses. There's just not a balance that's going to satisfy everyone.