Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #101

[dmac55]

That is my concern too--besides who in the pharmacy is giving the shot!!
probably not a nurse-- a pharmacist? a pharmacy tech who learned how to give
injections using oranges!!!!

I learned how to give shots using an orange while earning my BSN
True story
(then we moved on to practicing on each other)

At my local Walgreens, a pharmacist administers all vaccines, including for Covid-19

 

[Cool Cats]

I learned how to give shots using an orange while earning my BSN
True story

At my local Walgreens, a pharmacist administers all vaccines, including for Covid-19

Pretty busy pharmacist.

 

[dmac55]

Pretty busy pharmacist.

Yes
When I got my booster, there was one pharmacist who was only doing vaccinations

Another was filling and dispensing prescriptions, as usual

Although you can make an appointment for vaccinations at Walgreens, I just showed up when they opened, and I was 1st in line

I believe I was lucky though

 

[SouthAussie]

This is my state ...... a merry covid Christmas!

On 23 November, South Australia will open its doors to tourists, to loved ones, to residents finally returning home – and to Covid.
..... in Covid-free SA, lifting border restrictions means letting the pandemic in. Deliberately, almost. Authorities are calling it a “controlled entry”.

South Australia’s ‘freedom day’ to bring tourists, loved ones and Covid cases

(My state is expected to reach 80% fully vaxxed by this date)

 

[SouthAussie]

Fully vaccinated Australians will finally be free to leave the country from Monday when one of the strictest COVID-19 travel bans in the world ends after 18 months.

Aussies have been restricted from leaving and coming in for 586 days, since March 24, 2020.

Everything you need to know about international travel

 

[MimosaMornings]

I'm curious if anyone who has gotten a booster feels safer doing things, or do you plan on maintaining the same safety measures?

I will feel safer once I can get my booster, mainly because I’m back at work and the various site locations are in states with the lowest vaccination rates in the US.
I will continue to mask up indoors and when in close contact with others outdoors as well.

 

[Sundog]

We received our first two Pfizer shots at a special clinic run by the University of North Carolina Health System, and it was great! Super efficient, check-in stations, lots of vaccine stations, and a separate room for waiting afterwards. Everyone had an appointment so there weren't long lines. I was hoping they would offer such a clinic for the boosters but they didn't.

We've been getting our flu shots at a pharmacy for years so getting our Covid booster there seemed reasonable. They also have the Shingrix vaccine and we need to get those next.

I got my Moderna booster shot yesterday at a hospital clinic, same place I received the two earlier shots. I had to book an appointment online, and they were only offering vaccines in the morning, until 12 noon. I booked the last appointment, figuring that there wouldn't be a line, as everyone else would have gone earlier in the morning. The whole thing was different than the first two vaccine clinics. And I misjudged the situation, not realing that this would predominately be a flu vaccine clinic, with just a few seniors showing up for the COVID vaccine (just three of us, I think). So what happened is that all the hospital employees (nurses, aides, other hospital staff) showed up on their lunch breaks (starting around 11:30 or a little earlier) and were young and didn't seem to be that concerned about mitigation practices, except for masks (sometimes). I sat as far away as I could from the action. There was only one male nurse giving the flu shots. Finally when it was my turn, pretty much every one was gone, and since the clinic ended at noon, they were packing up the ice chests, documents, etc. and in a hurry to get out of there. After my vaccine, I was on my way out of the hospital and then remembered that you're supposed to wait for 15 minutes in case you have a reaction. So I walked back to the two people who were packing up, and said "am I supposed to wait 15 minutes in case I have a reaction?" The nurse who gave me the shot looked kind of sheepish and said "it's recommended." I think he was embarrased that he forgot about that. After all, this was mainly a flu clinic with only a handful of seniors showing up for the COVID booster shot. So I stayed 15 minutes, just in case, but they were gone after packing up. But I figured at least I was in an open area of the hospital, and someone would likely notice if I had an adverse reaction, or perhaps I could flag them down.

Very different experience than last time. I did ask several times if it was the Moderna vaccine he was giving me, before and after, to make certain that it was, since he was mostly giving flu shots.

Not a great experience, but at least it's done, and they added the booster information to my vaccine card and I got home without incident.

I would have rather gone to my pharmacist, but they only have the Pfizer vaccine and I needed Moderna.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Wishing South Australia all the best, South!

Here, since we reopened we've gone from 2 cases to 22 with 30 covid hot spots so far, and several schools having to close down the week after they opened.

This is my state ...... a merry covid Christmas!

 

[Sundog]

I'm curious if anyone who has gotten a booster feels safer doing things, or do you plan on maintaining the same safety measures?

Does anyone here know how long it takes for the booster shot (Moderna) to be fully effective after receiving it? I think it was 2-3 weeks after receiving the second dose in the spring. I tried to find information on this online, but couldn't find anything. I think I will call our pharmacist today and ask.

Yes, I will feel safer doing things, but still wear a KN94 mask when shopping for groceries and going to the office, although mostly I am working remotely, but will go in to the office now on occasion since I've had the booster shot. My remote working agreement ends in March, and I may renew it, who knows, probably by then we'll be getting the next booster shot, or the annual COVID vaccine. But then again, COVID-19 might surprise us. I'm all for being surprised, although not counting on it. If I wasn't a senior I think I would feel differently.

 

[mickey2942]

Personal and private health information is a joke now. Everyone knows everything about your health status, vaccination status. And it is basically considered "normal" conversation to discuss vaccination status with others.

Anyone else find that strange?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Not really.

Anyone else find that strange?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Fully vaccinated Australians will finally be free to leave the country from Monday when one of the strictest COVID-19 travel bans in the world ends after 18 months.

Aussies have been restricted from leaving and coming in for 586 days, since March 24, 2020.

Everything you need to know about international travel

Thank god you are going into summer and much of the everyday mingling will be outdoors. Keeping everything crossed for you

 

[MrX]

Personal and private health information is a joke now. Everyone knows everything about your health status, vaccination status. And it is basically considered "normal" conversation to discuss vaccination status with others.

Anyone else find that strange?

Everything about this has been strange. I'm still most fascinated by the differences between States. Once this is over it will be interesting to see the final tally between open and closed responses.

 

[ilovewings]

I learned how to give shots using an orange while earning my BSN
True story
(then we moved on to practicing on each other)

At my local Walgreens, a pharmacist administers all vaccines, including for Covid-19

Many many years ago I got a job as a medical assistant. The doc wanted me to learn to give injections and he used an orange to help teach me. I could not see myself sticking a needle in a person so I didn't last long at this job LOL

 

[Deleted member 158085]

Not really.

Me, neither. I don't know why it wouldn't be normal conversation, discussed as openly as flu shots. Oh, well.

My God. I just realized if this becomes a yearly thing, my mother will be calling all of her kids and grandkids to remind them, just like she does with flu shots and voting. She'll be busy!

 

[weepingangel]

Holyoke family speaks out after 13-year-old dies from COVID-19 complications
Much more at link
Gigi was at home recovering from the virus and the day before her quarantine was set to end, her mom said she was doing well. “She had a great day. It was her last day of quarantine, so we were all excited because she was getting back to normal,” Wanda Rodriguez added.

However, the next day - on October 22 - things took a bad turn. Gigi’s lips were purple and her mom decided to take her to Baystate Medical Center.

“She asked her sister for a hug before she left and we didn't even get out of the dining room when she collapsed,” Wanda Rodriguez said.

Gigi suffered from multiple organ failures and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

 

[weepingangel]

Ha! …..And voting. My kids could relate …It must be a mom thing
I just do the one friendly mention and that’s it.

I had to quit asking my long distance kid about her covid recovery progress as I think I was probably being annoying with it. I was worried *shrug* mom thing

My God. I just realized if this becomes a yearly thing, my mother will be calling all of her kids and grandkids to remind them, just like she does with flu shots and voting. She'll be busy!

 

[Lilibet]

Personal and private health information is a joke now. Everyone knows everything about your health status, vaccination status. And it is basically considered "normal" conversation to discuss vaccination status with others.

Anyone else find that strange?

BBM

I don’t think “everyone knows everything about your health status” unless you tell them. HIPAA is still in effect for medical providers. But as far as vaccination status, if I will be in close contact with someone like a dental hygienist, hairdresser, or health care provider, I will either expect them to tell me they’ve been vaxxed or I would ask and consider it my right to know. But it’s not something I would ask people in general just out of curiosity, so in that sense I don’t consider vaccination status to be a “normal” conversation. Why do you ask?

 

[mickey2942]

BBM

I don’t think “everyone knows everything about your health status” unless you tell them. HIPAA is still in effect for medical providers. But as far as vaccination status, if I will be in close contact with someone like a dental hygienist, hairdresser, or health care provider, I will either expect them to tell me they’ve been vaxxed or I would ask and consider it my right to know. But it’s not something I would ask people in general just out of curiosity, so in that sense I don’t consider vaccination status to be a “normal” conversation. Why do you ask?

Seriously? At work, that is all anyone talks about now. Who is vaccinated, who isn't, what vaccine they had, if they got the booster...it is "normal" office conversion now. What their reaction was to the vaccine, on and on...heaven forbid you get a cold! It is now "everyone's business"...

 

[Lilibet]

Seriously? At work, that is all anyone talks about now. Who is vaccinated, who isn't, what vaccine they had, if they got the booster...it is "normal" office conversion now. What their reaction was to the vaccine, on and on...heaven forbid you get a cold! It is now "everyone's business"...

Well, I’m retired and don’t get out much, so my experience is different. I can see how that would be annoying and intrusive. You can always use my dear departed mother’s technique for shutting down nosy questions. She’d fix the person with a steely gaze and say “Why do you ask?” in a withering tone of voice. Of course that doesn’t work for shutting down general chit chat among employees. Hopefully people with colds stay home. If they don’t, they deserve whatever reaction they get IMO.