Just the Facts, the Crown virus.

[firefighter ontheside]

Just found out, I am in the next layer of folks to get vaccinated. Supposed to go get it tomorrow afternoon. They did the medical folks (police, fire and first responders as well) roughly 10 days ago.  

Amazing.  MO governor keeps saying MO is doing well, right on track, ahead of many other states.  As near as I can tell we are nowhere near to being done with phase 1A.  Some ff/emt types in the Stl area have gotten vaccinated, but not in my county.  Other than the hospital and nursing homes, my county has seen no vaccine.  They have said they are working on a list.  They are not working on a list.  Maybe they are working on working on maybe someday thinking about somehow making a list.

[Tacotodd]

FFOTS, why does that NOT surprise me?

[doc henderson]

often there are just a few people making decisions in a county.  need to be a squeaky wheel.  We think we have done well, but we have weekly covid meetings with the clinics, health dept., the prison, and all the departments of the hospital, Id, respiratory therapy ect., ect.  At least we all tell ourselves we are doing great, but maybe we have overlooked a group or two.  only know if they call up and say "when do we get our vaccines".  sure hate for any to go to waste.

[firefighter ontheside]

 @Nebraska and @Texas Ranger that's great for you guys.  It makes me happy to hear of friends getting the vaccine.  Cindy still has no ill affects.

[21incher]

It's pretty crazy here in NY.  The governor has determined who will get it first and has implemented a million dollar fine if the providers give one shot to someone not in that group.  Well they thaw it and give out a couple  shots to those that are qualified to get it then throw out the rest to avoid fines. The providers  have their hands tied and it doesn't  make sense to me to waste a precious item for no reason.  They originally talked  about a chip to prove you got it but now I heard they are looking  into an app that will be scanned to allow you to go into public  places like sporting  events only if you have been vaccinated. 

[Stephen1]

They originally talked  about a chip to prove you got it but now I heard they are looking  into an app that will be scanned to allow you to go into public  places like sporting  events only if you have been vaccinated.

Why do we need an app or a chip? If you did not get the vaccine then you are vulnerable, if you have the vaccine then you are safe. 

[Texas Ranger]

Once you receive the first shot you have the option to set up a phone app with someone (govt) to monitor your reaction to the shot.  They email once a day for a week or so to see how you reacted to the shot, then every couple of weeks, then every couple  of months.  All in a effort to see the effectiveness and reaction to a particular source.

An intrusion into your life?  No, part of science to make sure they have the right approach.

[Stephen1]

I am not against the app to help monitor the vaccine effects. 
I am against a chip or app that allows our movement in society. 

[kantuckid]

Yesterday I got an email from Baptist Hospital in Lexington, KY saying they had not chosen me for their covid vaccine trials. it came long after those trials had chosen the participants. In that same city's newspaper that day it had an article saying the same very large hospital was apologizing for giving the vaccine to some who weren't in the early eligible groups.
Today at 8:54 a.m., I got an email from my small regional hospital who also operates our local rural medical center where we get most of our medical  needs met. The email had a link to a form to obtain an appointment for a covid vaccination on either this thursday or friday and you checked your eligibility criteria, as health care worker, first responder or over 70. I did it within 2-3 minutes of receipt and got an email at 11:54 a.m. saying the supply had been depleted. It said further that the staff would call or message me with either an appointment or more info., when they had more vaccine. 
At least they decided to do appointments instead of the cluster they created what with people conglomerated on the 2nd floor then around the block, etc., for the vaccine last weeks vaccinations.
Not one word has been given forth from our area health district which has beautiful buildings, lots of staff, in each of 5 counties.
In KY news I see where the issues are who will give the shots. Most anyone who lives here can think of a bunch of people who'd do so IF! they had the vaccine. Based on numbers our guv gives out the vaccines IS in KY now. 

[Chuck White]

When you get the first injection, don't they give you a card to show them, when you show up for the second injection?   :P

That way they'll know that you've had both injections!  ;)

[firefighter ontheside]

There were suggestions months ago that some sort of proof of vaccination could be required to be able to do things.  I think those were just conjecture that never really were seriously considered.
They do give you a card so that they can be sure when you had your first shot and what vaccine you got.  That way you'd be sure to get the second one at the right time and that you get the right vaccine.  My wife has had no side effects other than a rash from the bandaid they put over her injection site.  

[Nebraska]

 

 

Here is my vaccination card. I was given the Modurna vaccine. Needle was tiny  ;)
the vaccination clinc was in the fire hall a couple towns over.  I feel fine and if I have any issues  I  will share them. I think most of rural Nebraska  could get vaccinated  (that wants to) in fairly  short order doing it the way this was handled. Simple and well organized.

[Walnut Beast]

That not wanting to get vaccinated like me. Isn't going to last. I think over time you will be required to show that card to do or get into many places you need to go

[21incher]

There were suggestions months ago that some sort of proof of vaccination could be required to be able to do things.  I think those were just conjecture that never really were seriously considered.
They do give you a card so that they can be sure when you had your first shot and what vaccine you got.  That way you'd be sure to get the second one at the right time and that you get the right vaccine.  My wife has had no side effects other than a rash from the bandaid they put over her injection site.  

They were just talking about a tracking app last week in the press conference. I think they are trying to convince people to get the vaccine by offering extra perks as they want to open up Football games soon and restaurants. For about 3 months our Governor was saying don't trust the vaccine so that  scared many about its safety. Now they realize it's the only way to beat this pandemic. looks like it will be some time before it's available in our area. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, I am not worried about this. My wife and I do plan to get vaccinated when it is available, but it is not a burning issue, there are too many who need it more than we do (she is 70 I am 65).
 Every time @firefighter ontheside mentions the impact on his crew I cringe, this is more of a concern to me than my wife and I. His situation is being replicated all over the country (and the world). 
 Not too long ago, just a few years I was an active Fire Service instructor and I taught with a team who would go to local department to do their annual OSHA Fire Service refresher. I was one of the guys on the team that had a free-hand class, in that I decided what subject I was teaching that year. Although this sounds like I had it easy because I was picking my own topic, it was actually harder because I had to create a complete new class each year that was accurate, detailed, and focused on what was killing or injuring Firefighters. This took a lot of research all year round. As part of that I had a subscription to the announcements of Firefighter fatalities among other things and although I don't teach anymore, I maintain that subscription and I get an email about each new fatality as soon as it is listed. It is my way of noting their service, mourning their loss, and honoring their sacrifice in my own private way. I may have left the job, but it hasn't left me.
 When I first started keeping track, the average yearly number was well over 100 Firefighters killed in the line of duty. In the last few years I was teaching, due largely to education efforts, widespread protocol changes across the country, and other initiatives, it had dropped to around 60 or a few more each year. This is still a high number, but it was much better. In 2019,there were 64. In the past years I have noticed these reports come in much more frequently and in 2020 we lost 96 Firefighters in the line of duty and way too many of these are Covid. These are not "he died in a fire and tested positive for Covid, so it's a Covid death", these are directly related to positive contact(s). Today is the twelfth of January and already this year we have 11 LODD. This saddens me greatly that it is taking so long to get this vaccine out to those who REALLY need it most. Police Officers are in the same boat. Imagine going to work everyday knowing it might be the day a perp rips your mask off or a patient coughs or sneezes in your face. I have suffered through a transmittable exposure while on the job, and let me tell you, it is no fun, because had I become infected it would have been a life changing event. I went through holy heck on that one because of the way the privacy laws are written, no way to get the patient tested, I was 'on my own'. 
 I know this is the 'just the facts thread' so I won't comment with my thoughts, but I will say that I have signed up for everything they have told us to and went through all the questionnaires my state and county have online and when you get to the bottom line it is this: 'Yes, you are qualified, but there is no more vaccine available in your area, we will let you know when'.  They are saying 'over 65' became eligible in our state today and yet they have not finished vaccinating tier 1a (direct healthcare providers) or tier 1b yet. How can this be? The politicians are falling over themselves trying to make it look like they did their jobs in a first class way in spite of the facts. I just want to know that our dedicated public service employees who have continued to do their jobs without a hitch all the way through this should have a red carpet to the front of the line. Were I still on the job, I would expect no less. I can wait, their lives depend on it, every day they go to work. They mean a lot more to 'us' than I do.
 FFOTS, thank you so much for your service and the many thousands like you doing the job every day. I think about you every day. When my email pings with that almost daily bad news, I hang my head for all of you and I think of the 5 bells. I thought I had it bad when I was an EMS Captain during the H1N1 thing, but this is something on a whole new level I still can't wrap my brain around.

[firefighter ontheside]

Thanks OG.  Firefighterclosecalls I assume is what you're referring to.
As I think I said before, this has been the most challenging year in my almost 29 year career.  So many new challenges to deal with, yet still having to do all the usual stuff.  My guys have done an outstanding job this past year and will continue to do.  We had a fire in a crematorium a few weeks ago.  I was safe outside standing at the command center, but my guys had to move bodies that were staged for cremation to a different part of the building so that they didn't get burned.  Ironic I know.  They couldn't help but wonder how many of the deceased had died of covid and were they exposed/contaminated.  First fire I've had like that in 29 years, so of course it would happen in 2020.

[Nebraska]

I feel fortunate to live where I do, the way things were run today was great.  They could do a lot of people in fairly  short order that way.. Roughly 10 days ago our police, fire and other first responders got their first dose, health care providers and workers were first in line to get vaccine before them. They have been doing the nursing homes as well. This process  really doesn't have to be hard with lots of extra stupid rules.  For kicks I checked myself with a micro chip reader afterwards (didn't pick up a signal) so I dont think I'm marked.....there was  no mention of a phone app...... just took my email and a phone number to txt a reminder  for the booster.  Card is too big for billfold so I don't think its an expected  carry thing.

[Don P]

I think I'm in one of the states that probably would have been better if it had been done from the fed level but water under the bridge at this point. It's always easier to quarterback from the couch. We're all close, just gotta stay safe a bit longer.

[Old Greenhorn]

Thanks OG.  Firefighterclosecalls I assume is what you're referring to.
As I think I said before, this has been the most challenging year in my almost 29 year career.  So many new challenges to deal with, yet still having to do all the usual stuff.  My guys have done an outstanding job this past year and will continue to do.  We had a fire in a crematorium a few weeks ago.  I was safe outside standing at the command center, but my guys had to move bodies that were staged for cremation to a different part of the building so that they didn't get burned.  Ironic I know.  They couldn't help but wonder how many of the deceased had died of covid and were they exposed/contaminated.  First fire I've had like that in 29 years, so of course it would happen in 2020.

Actually no, when I retired and tried to heal, I dropped pretty much all of the subscriptions I had because the chatter in my email was overwhelming me. Chief Goldfedder and that organization is a fine one and I met Billy, at a seminar one time. I recall that when I shook his hand and introduced myself he smiled at me and said "nice moustache!" I blushed, truly, because if you have ever met or seen the Chief, he has a substantial 'stache, and compared to his, mine was in puberty.  :D I was a devoted reader of his work and used much of his stuff in my classes when it applied. I read all his stuff and his daily emails. I even had my own blog contributing to the collective knowledge called  'Unlimited Unscheduled hours' or something like that, but all that material is, I am sure, gone now. There were a number of us that put out daily or weekly stuff about life on the job. I hope some of them are still at it. I had to separate myself from it all so I lost track. I had a copy of Chief Billy's DVD on my shelf, but I donated it to the department when I left. If you haven't seen "Everybody goes home" you should, and share it with your crew. I may have got the title slightly wrong, but you will find it.
 No, I get the daily emails from the USFA, they have a different tally from the NFPA (different criteria) but they both give the gist. NFPA is more time consuming, delayed, and usually lower. We would give a summary of both during our OSHA classes, but a death is a death and every single one sucks, especially if it could have been avoided by a procedural change. Each one represents a family, a Department, and a community. Training deaths are the ones that always haunted me, so unnecessary and largely avoidable. I have experienced training situations from the student perspective (FAST team training) where i clearly told the instructor I was beyond my limit (while in a live burn building trying to carry a 250 pound limp man up 2 flights of stairs) and the instructor got in my ear and screamed "WELL THEN i GUESS YOU ARE BOTH GOING TO DIE RIGHT HERE!" in his best Marine DI voice. No doubt it made him feel like a real instructor that was going to drill into me the severity of the situation and how I had do 'dig deeper', but with a mature 50 year old, he missed the point, I kept going but I was in severe distress, I didn't think I would survive that. This is how people get dead in training. I had served as the EMS officer on several of that instructor's training sessions and we came to disagreements often. I once took one of his students out of the game for a live burn and he was pithed at me no end. Really angry, but they guy didn't pass the look test, and he sure didn't get by on the vitals. I told the guy he needed to see a Doc within 48 hours, he had issues. He was ticked at me too, he wanted to finish the class. He did go to a Doc, and had 4 stents put in within 72 hours of that class. SO who was right? And who cares? Well I suppose he (the student) does. That same instructor had a regular track record of ambulances dispatched to his drills for transport.
 The point of all this is, I care about you guys, I know the cost you wager every day, and I think we, as a country, should be doing a lot better by you with this virus, that's all.

[SwampDonkey]

When you get the first injection, don't they give you a card to show them, when you show up for the second injection?   :P

That way they'll know that you've had both injections!  ;)

Yep, I still have my vaccine cards from any I have gotten over my lifetime in the safe. ;D

[doc henderson]

I showed up for the second shot, and did not have the first card.  they looked in the computer and made me a second card, and gave me the booster.  Us docs need lots of help...  now where is that second card?  

[kantuckid]

Regarding the general subject of who's been vaccinated, who not, late afternoon yesterday, I called my 71 yr old neighbor (77 yr old wife, like myself) to see if he could help me move lumber today. Knowing that he and his wife are among those many seniors who are non-computer people and that both of them also use the same health care system as we do, I asked if they'd been called about the covid shots as I had been called. No, he said, zero contact.
 My wife, age 72, also uses the same system and when she finally got home late yesterday from over 48 hours of alzhiemer's duty, neither has she been messaged online or by phone. 
The facts above indicate something is wrong about the vaccine rollout here within our own healthcare system. All four people I mentioned are in the over 70 group and get all their Rx and various other medical needs met by that healthcare provider. They do have computerized records of all my vaccinations and much more. When I mashed my finger late last fall and asked when was my last tetanus shot, I said too long to remember and they quickly looked it up online. 
I saw in yesterdays nearest cities TV news that their mayor has gathered a new taskforce to handle the rollout of vaccine as it's too sluggish and not all in 1A have been done yet others are due for the 2nd shot. They continue to say there are too few people to give the shots-she pointed out they have ~ 300,000 population.
 OK, what WAS? the plan before now? I don't buy that one at all. Maybe in Timbuktu but not in a city full of healthcare people.   
Typical of a politician to call a group, committee, taskforce, whatever when those with that responsibility don't do what's should have already been done?
I'm not frazzled but this IS about peoples lives. Within the small group (all seniors themselves and covid shot eligible) that provides care to my MIL in home, 24/7, two have covid now and the rest are wondering when any of them can get the shot. Not one of them lives in the same place excepting 3 locals in that county plus the 97 yr old patient. My BIL lives in Louisville a medium large city 200+ miles west, SIL lives in Lexington 135+ miles west and we are 75 miles west of there. My MIL remains on "the list" of the home healthcare group their area health district keeps.  

[doc henderson]

Many of the health department officials, tend to be young, and cannot fathom that there are folks that do not read the paper, watch the news, or listen to the radio, let alone are on face book and such.  Even if you have a regular doc, they may rely on a computer to put you on a list.  the systems were not designed to do this.  If you or people you know are being missed, you should be able to contact a health department.  although they may have a message telling you to follow them on face book.   :(   ;)  

[Sedgehammer]

Just thought I'd give you all an update.

We are fully open. bars, restaurants. movie theaters (we went to a movie last week) you name it. about a 1% uptick daily (.7 yesterday), which is a little above this summer. No forced mask mandates except for hospitals. every place else have signs posted, but mainly for insurance purposes and they don't enforce it.

Big mask study released a few weeks ago, compared all counties in the US. compared side by side counties with mask mandates and those with out. compared states with lock downs and those with out. In south Florida they compared 5 counties in the miami area. 3 with mask mandates, 2 without. Mask mandated counties have 23 cases per 100k. non mask mandate counties 17 cases per 100k. As a whole mask mandate counties have higher rates.

i went to see an eye specialist (i had eye surgery last week) back in dec. i had my mask on and was doing a test and when i pulled my chin off the rest, my mask came down. the doctor got very agitated and said if i wasn't going to wear my mask then i'd have to leave. i dryly said "these don't help anyway, but i'm putting it back on" He went on to say these save thousands of lives as they filter all your breath blah, blah, blah. Then i asked him why are your glasses fogging up? he was silent for about a good 10 seconds, then muttered he hadn't thought of that.

number of tests are way down here, but % of positives are up, so they (the media) claims we are out of control, when it's rate of spread is almost flat, with an occasional spike for a day here and there. reason testing is down is most people aren't worried about, unlike before.

We went to 2 CHRISTmas parties, 20 plus at each. Same on new years. no outbreaks

My oldest (31) daughter took the vaccine, came down with the virus 5 days later. she's better now, but did get fairly sick. My 30 yr old son caught it and didn't know he had it. slight head cold. he woodnt've known, but his mother caught it and she had a fever and winded for a few days. So he got tested.

so far i think 10 dead from the vaccine. many, many have caught it after the first jab. Reactions are about 50x higher than the flu vaccine. we will NOT get it. wife told the office manager and that is fine. dr. fauci said that the vaccines won't stop you from getting it, just lowers the symptoms. Most people don't have symptoms or so mildly they woodn't know. i understand if your elderly or have comorbidities, then i'd take it also. at this point if you're younger and healthy, too many unknowns long term with mRNA vaccines.

Wife still is seeing covid patients daily. only has lost 1. a 77 year old hispanic man that didn't go to ER as directed until 4 days later. everyone in the clinic has caught it except my wife and the other doctor.

[doc henderson]

most allergic reactions are mild, and similar to any vaccine.  I have not heard of anyone dying from the vaccine since rolled out.  I will look.  The test rate is up, due to docs and patients knowing well now the symptoms and only test if almost sure they have the disease.  that is why the % is up, and total testing is down.  also mask use tends to be mandated in high prevalence areas and higher populated areas.  many have viral type symptoms, but this is a positive sign the vaccine is inducing the immune system.  also just because masks are mandated, does not people comply or wear the mask correctly.  I have worked 8 inches from the face of positive folks replacing their breathing tubes, and at high risk.  I still have not got covid, and happy to have the vaccine.  when enough have had it or had the vaccine, then the numbers will drop off, and not until.  We are seeing almost no influenza so far this year, and we think that is due to mitigation including masks.  usually get hit with it in November.  out 4 point test, tests for covid, both influenzas and RSV.