Covid vaccine

[Qvart]

My understanding is that the "cause of death" is whatever primarily led to the person's passing.

So, if someone died from respiratory failure due to Covid-19 but also had heart disease and diabetes, their death would be attributed primarily to Covid-19.

Their heart disease and diabetes were complicating factors that may have made them more vulnerable to infection by the virus, but were conditions that did not directly result in death.

I don't think the issue is that underlying conditions make people more vulnerable to infection. The issue is that people who have underlying conditions and contract COVID are less able to fight it and have more severe symptoms than others who don't have underlying conditions. But even in healthy people, there are many who have extremely severe symptoms because their immune system overreacts to the virus and that creates a whole new set of problems. Not to mention those who recover but then have recurring symptoms for months afterwards and those who have long term/permanent damage from the virus.

My brother had sleep apnea, but that did not make him more susceptible to contracting the virus. What it did do, however, is make it much harder to fight. The coroner listed the cause of death as "COVID-related." There's a lot of debate about how to properly record deaths related to COVID and it may be a long time before we know the full extent of the damage caused by this pandemic, but I suspect it's much worse than we think. Anyway, getting back to preexisting conditions like sleep apnea - yeah, that combined with COVID was lethal for my brother, but he was in no danger of dying anytime soon from sleep apnea. He died from COVID.

 

[dreadnut]

I have sleep apnea, and I sleep with a Bipap machine. This is one of my underlying conditions.

 

[Qvart]

I have sleep apnea, and I sleep with a Bipap machine. This is one of my underlying conditions.

Take care, brother

 

[JohnW63]

I might get a dose of vaccine simply because our local hospital may have doesn't that they haven't gotten appointments to inject and they don't want them to go bad. The school district is trying to work with them on that issue. I'm not in any group that should get it, and I'll feel rather guilty if my name comes up to get injected. They asked for volunteers, so I raised my e-mail hand. I will feel better visiting my Dad every Saturday, but I would rather HE get it.

 

[davismanLV]

I might get a dose of vaccine simply because our local hospital may have doesn't that they haven't gotten appointments to inject and they don't want them to go bad. The school district is trying to work with them on that issue. I'm not in any group that should get it, and I'll feel rather guilty if my name comes up to get injected. They asked for volunteers, so I raised my e-mail hand. I will feel better visiting my Dad every Saturday, but I would rather HE get it.

John it's a screwed up system and Nevada is even worse. If you get the chance, TAKE IT!! These things aren't transferable and it is what it is..... so get it and wonder at the messed up system that allows this. That's all you can really do. Things are such a mess here in this state.... well, just get it if you can. Don't let a dosage go to waste. That won't help anyone.....

 

[JohnW63]

Tom,

My other concern is that this dose seems a bit random, but to get it right, I should get a second dose within a certain time slot. If they don't have extra for round two, where does that leave me? Do they reserve a dose in 6 weeks for me after this one, should I get it? Seems as unorganized as a snowball fight, right now.

 

[davismanLV]

From what I've witnessed, once you get the first one, you're pretty much guaranteed #2 in approximately 3 weeks. At least everyone I know has had no trouble with #2. It's getting #1 that's difficult.....

 

[fronobulax]

In the DC suburbs there are lots of people who are eligible in one jurisdiction but not in another and people cross boundaries to get shots. Eligibility also varies. I know clergy in parts of Nebraska and parts of Virginia have already been declared essential or first responders or something that moves them to the front of the line and so have been vaccinated but other clergy a couple miles away in another county are just waiting with the general population.

There has been mixed messaging but at the moment it is local health departments that are calling the shots (in the places I know about and the lame pun is intended) and those say that if you get the first shot they will have your second shot. Regardless of the advice from above, the ones I monitor intend to reserve doses even if it slows down the rate of first shots.

My advice - if you are undecided about getting a shot then chill until you make that decision. If your eligibility stems from your employment, work with your employer. Otherwise work with your health department.

If you are not eligible but in a position to get something because it is otherwise unused, take it. The commitment to the second dose does not seem to change based upon eligibility for the first dose. The commitment seems to be that if you had one, you will get two. If you go the opportunistic route some people will hate you for cutting in line but more people will thank the health department for not wasting what is still a scarce resource.

And remember, it is unlikely that the concerns we have about distribution and availability now will be the same ones we have 30 days from now.

 

[davismanLV]

Well, that's what I meant although in the wee hours of the morning when I posted, I didn't have that many words available to say it. Thanks, frono......

 

[fronobulax]

Well, that's what I meant although in the wee hours of the morning when I posted, I didn't have that many words available to say it. Thanks, frono......

The claim "one picture is worth a thousand words" is often made to try and shut me up. Doesn't always work

 

[walrus]

As has been said, you get a chance, you take it. Cannot let the dose go to waste...

I had one yesterday, second dose appointment is set up when you get the first.

walrus

 

[dreadnut]

Got my 2nd dose 3 days ago, no ill effects except a sore shoulder for a day afterward.

 

[Budha]

I got my first shot last week. My understanding is a number of states thought they needed to hold back half of their vaccine inventory for 2nd shots. It seems they were wrong. I believe I am hearing the first round vaccines are shipped to the state government for distribution to vaccination providers. 2nd round shots are delivered directly to the vaccination provider based on the number of 1st shots given. I was instructed to go home from my first vaccination and go online into the VAMS (federal vaccination management system) and make my second vaccination appointment. From talking to family members around the country, states appear to be using a variety of online systems for scheduling vaccination appointment. The process for getting into the VAMS system for a first shot appointment was not an easy process. I believe my state is going to quit having the general population use the VAMS system next week.

 

[walrus]

I'm in MA, got it through a hospital. Got the appointment for the 2nd dose in person right after the first dose was in!

walrus

 

[dreadnut]

Got mine at the county health department. They made the appointment for my 2nd shot when I was there for my first one.

 

[geoguy]

It seems that the sign-up/scheduling process varies from state to state.

My wife got both of her shots through her workplace. No ill effects, other than a sore shoulder for a day or two.

I'll consider myself fortunate if I can get vaccinated by April.

 

[fronobulax]

Parts of Virginia are using VAMS to schedule appointments.

 

[JohnW63]

The California web page to sign up for vaccine seems to be crashed more than up.

 

[bluesbill]

The California web page to sign up for vaccine seems to be crashed more than up.

I went through Walgreens because the government website was so horrible, I am also in SoCal. Got my first dose yesterday and they set up the second at the same time I scheduled first. Left shoulder hurts a little, does not keep me from fretting.

 

[davismanLV]

The Southern Nevada Health District offers several different options, but they set it up before everyone was ready and on-board with doing business. So you can select Smith's Grocery stores, or Walgreen's, or other options on the SNHD website. First choice was Walgreen's, but they link you to the Walgreen's site to sign up and you complete the entire sign up process and then it takes you NOWHERE!!! And you look and look and search and THEN, they tell you that only certain states have actually received the vaccine and are up and running and taking appointments and Nevada isn't one of them. So you pick another option and go through the whole signing up thing again, to find the same thing. It's just too awful and such a waste of time that one just gives up. Nevada just doesn't have it together yet.