Just the Facts, the Crown virus.

Lostinmn · March 05, 2021, 09:46:02 AM

Quote from: doc henderson on March 05, 2021, 09:19:20 AM
go give blood, and you will get a report about antibodies for free. they need blood.

Schedule Your Blood Donation With The Red Cross

Do the tests tell you whether you have antibodies and/or the level of them?

doc henderson · March 05, 2021, 09:54:30 AM

it is a go no go test so a yes or no. I do not think they differentiate vaccine induced vs disease induced antibody. the levels are not specified, but yes, they tell you if you have a significant (above the min. threshold of the test) antibody level.

doc henderson · March 05, 2021, 09:56:11 AM

lets see if we can make a difference. if you report giving, starting today, lets follow with a number given.

gspren · March 05, 2021, 05:45:00 PM

So for those donating blood is having had the vaccine a plus? Any time period of waiting after the second dose? I used to donate regularly and am guilty of not donating much since I retired, I never really minded donating so should start back up.

21incher · March 05, 2021, 08:02:17 PM

Well they finally are setting up a site at the NYS fairgrounds for central NY vaccines and they have appoints available. Found out they only have the J&J vaccine there and we don't like its base is aborted fetal cells so not going to make the 75 mile trip each way with that being the only option and It sounds like they are the only appointments in the area because of that. There still are no other appointments available in the area for the other 2 vaccines closer then Albany that would be a 450 mile round trip for us. Every time area appointments pop up on the NY website they are filled by the time you respond. One county over they have vaccines but won't accept appointments from anyone not living in Monroe county. Tired of wasting our time constantly searching for appointments. Western NY has not properly been handled by our leaders.

doc henderson · March 05, 2021, 10:00:33 PM

early on they gave covid + patient plasma to sick patients. now we have monoclonal antibodies. so not a plus except it means you are immune and may not get the disease or not get as sick. 21 sorry you do not have good options for vaccine. the fetal cells are prob. from a culture taken in the 70s not ongoing. not sure that matters to you. good luck!

Texas Ranger · March 05, 2021, 10:17:21 PM

Doc, years ago I picked up a bug on a fun travel adventure trip to the tropics. The last time I tried to give blood they found something they didn't like. Could not give, that has been some time ago, but also some time after my tropic vacation. How long does that stuff linger in your blood?

doc henderson · March 06, 2021, 03:23:59 AM

not sure what you had. was it Malaria? I guess go try and see, or let me know if you find out what it was.

Texas Ranger · March 06, 2021, 08:31:44 AM

Dengue

Old Greenhorn · March 06, 2021, 11:23:53 AM

Quote from: Old Greenhorn on March 05, 2021, 07:41:14 AM
Well I didn't think it would happen quite this soon, but the wife and I both got our first shots yesterday at noon. She had no issues last night and all I had was a little soreness at the injection site, kind of like a sire muscle, but very minor. No trouble sleeping beyond normal. This morning I have a small headache, but nothing else, wife is fine. Just glad we got it done so we can stop being run around like nuts trying to find out what the plan is, who has the vaccines, and when they are available. Our local county government really did a terrible job for the last mile, but they are getting the vaccine out there, just driving the population nuts trying to figure out their system, which changes twice a week. We got ours through a local private pharmacy that really has their act together on the logistics front. Our second shot is scheduled for the exact time and place as the first one in 4 weeks, this cuts down on scheduling issues.
I am just glad its done. 8)

Well we got shot on Thursday noon and Friday I had no discomfort at all except that tenderness at the spot of the shot. I did have a runny nose for part of the day, as did the wife and a headache in the morning (quickly resolved with OTC). There was minor tiredness but hard to tell if that was just a normal day. This morning another mild headache, but everything else is clear. That headache may be from something else with my normal 'all the time' sinus problems.
So all good and I see they have been searching for more folks to come get the shot with last minute vacancies every other day or so. The county continues to do a poor job of communicating, but that one private Pharmacy is kicking butt doing a daily clinic rotating through 3 towns and also doing home visits for the very aged homebound patients. I think they did 3,000 this week so far. Next shot is April Fool's day, wonder if there is a connection? ;D Funny, but I have been trying to spread the word on these same day appointments and shots, but the folks I contact have either already gotten it, or are not too interested in getting it. I respect their choices, but still have to wonder at the logic.

gspren · March 06, 2021, 07:40:19 PM

It's now been a few days after my second shot and no after effects, the worst pain was removing the bandage after the first shot, the bandage was hairy and I had a bald spot on my normally hairy upper arm, they didn't use a bandage the second shot, maybe because I told her I cried for hours after removing the first one. :D

firefighter ontheside · March 06, 2021, 09:44:43 PM

I was just watching a science show about bugs from the tropics and one they talked about caused a disease called chagas. It can be chronic like lymes disease, but go unnoticed by the person for years and years.

DbltreeBelgians · March 06, 2021, 11:19:54 PM

Happy Birthday Batt Chief

Brent

firefighter ontheside · March 07, 2021, 09:18:29 AM

Quote from: DbltreeBelgians on March 06, 2021, 11:19:54 PM
Happy Birthday Batt Chief

Thank you! I guess it says 47 by my name now.

kantuckid · March 08, 2021, 06:51:43 AM

One of our twins in Knoxville, a civil engineer & branch manager, saw that the VA in Johnson City, TN had covid shots for any veteran as the older ones were apparently avoid. He works there often so he scheduled his shot, then saw that Knoxville had them and re-scheduled for there, close to home for this Saturday. He's only 43 but the news said ALL veterans so he signed up. He stood in line at the VA for over three hours then when his turn came he was screened again and rejected based on him "making too much money". Reality is that he's an extremely busy guy with projects in cities all over several regions and literally falls in bed most nights exhausted, compounded by having a wife that teaches FT and three young grade school girls who relish time with their Dad. needless to say he was ticked off over wasting most of his Saturday. His wife got vaccinated with her school staff some time back. FWIW, those GK's have been in FT contact public school where their Mom teaches since the school year started.

FWIW, in comparison to his covid shot rejection: His twin brother in AL, a non-veteran, was told he was qualified for the covid shot based on him being an engineer and he got his the same day, yesterday in Birmingham. He also called his FIL who owns a landscaping nursery and business to let him know that his occupational category in AL also qualified for the shot. His MIL had her shot as she's a physical therapist in a nursing home and had hers early on.

Our oldest son, also a veteran in TX, age 46, got his shot couple weeks back from the VA as they'd opened it up age wise in Amarillo based on many older veterans not getting their shots. He makes a similar income as a test pilot to his civil engineer younger brother, both well into 6 figures. Of his pilot group (all veterans as they fly a military helo) he's the only one to date that has opted to get the shot.

kantuckid · March 08, 2021, 06:58:43 AM

Quote from: doc henderson on March 05, 2021, 10:00:33 PM
early on they gave covid + patient plasma to sick patients. now we have monoclonal antibodies. so not a plus except it means you are immune and may not get the disease or not get as sick. 21 sorry you do not have good options for vaccine. the fetal cells are prob. from a culture taken in the 70s not ongoing. not sure that matters to you. good luck!

That J&J vaccine topic of aborted fetal cell source concern was circulating on FB last few days.
I read up on it and the AMA has good basic info on the cell sources as "elective" and from many years back as you say in the 70's and 80's. The reality is that the specific elective factor is unknown from that source I read and could have been a severely deformed fetus or other elective reason aside from the pro-life vs. pro-choice hot button issue. it mentioned there that other vaccines such as rabies and more were derived from the same cell sources.

21incher · March 08, 2021, 07:31:45 AM

Got lucky yesterday. My wife uses Facebook and found they post the local clinics on there first. She liked the local county page a couple weeks ago. They posted a pop up clinic for Tuesday yesterday morning and we immediately went to the state site and got appointments. It's the Pfizer vaccine tomorrow morning. 8)

Old saw fixer · March 09, 2021, 10:07:31 AM

Our younger daughter (38 yoa) has been going to a chiropractor for back pain, but yesterday the pain was different and and also in her neck. She went to the real Doc and ended up with a positive Covid test. No other symptoms yet, but is quarantined at home. Her husband and our grandson have to quarantine for 14 days. He will need a negative test before he can go back to work. I am concerned about the little fellow (16 months old) , since we ordinarily keep him 4 days a week while they work. Wife and I have had both Moderna shots. SIL adamantly refuses any shots so neither of them had any shots.

doc henderson · March 09, 2021, 11:48:45 AM

I think with everything you are doing, all should be fine. hope and pray!

Ianab · March 09, 2021, 08:27:45 PM

Vaccinations have started here, with border workers and their families getting shots first.

Govt have outlined the timeline, which is realistically going to take the rest of the year to get through most of the population. It appears we all get the Pfizer shots.

Phase 1 - Border workers should be completed by the end of this month.
Phase 2 - They have April / May for healthcare workers and rest home residents.
Phase 3 - May / June it gets expanded to all older folks and pre-existing conditions, I should be on that list.
Then from July it's "everyone else that wants it".

Hopefully the logistics of all this has been thought through. Bound to be some teething problems, but the timeline seems realistic and achievable.

donbj · March 10, 2021, 03:14:30 AM

Quote from: Ianab on March 09, 2021, 08:27:45 PM
Vaccinations have started here, with border workers and their families getting shots first.

Govt have outlined the timeline, which is realistically going to take the rest of the year to get through most of the population. It appears we all get the Pfizer shots.

Phase 1 - Border workers should be completed by the end of this month.
Phase 2 - They have April / May for healthcare workers and rest home residents.
Phase 3 - May / June it gets expanded to all older folks and pre-existing conditions, I should be on that list.
Then from July it's "everyone else that wants it".

Hopefully the logistics of all this has been thought through. Bound to be some teething problems, but the timeline seems realistic and achievable.

I think the workload on the people dealing with getting this done is absolutely incredible. I watch our Provincial authorities dealing with and fielding the BS that comes with it and am just thankful for them and the medical profession over all. Hats off! Yes there are questions and unknowns but they are just trying to keep us healthy and alive. The politics side of things can side track good things.

firefighter ontheside · March 10, 2021, 08:07:03 AM

@donbj I can't agree more. Our local health dept. has done nothing during this past year, but try to make people stay healthy and alive. You would think more people would appreciate that, but no. The director is a friend of ours and she received threats to her and her family when they proposed the mask mandate for the county. Someone said that the health department shouldn't focus on prevention, but should promote people eating healthy and taking vitamins and that would prevent them getting coronavirus.

doc henderson · March 10, 2021, 08:16:15 AM

this pandemic has made us all a little crazy, but some people got a head start!

barbender · March 10, 2021, 10:04:16 AM

Kantuckid, is your son flying the Osprey? My BIL works for Bell Helicopter and he used to work on that project up in Amarillo.

donbj · March 10, 2021, 03:31:44 PM

Quote from: firefighter ontheside on March 10, 2021, 08:07:03 AM
@donbj I can't agree more. Our local health dept. has done nothing during this past year, but try to make people stay healthy and alive. You would think more people would appreciate that, but no. The director is a friend of ours and she received threats to her and her family when they proposed the mask mandate for the county. Someone said that the health department shouldn't focus on prevention, but should promote people eating healthy and taking vitamins and that would prevent them getting coronavirus.

Yes, I don't get it. Our Provincial Health Officer is a very compassionate Lady. She has received death and harm threats over this as well. I literally cannot fathom where someone goes in their head to be able to do such things. Goes for a lot of things I suppose.