My niece in Upstate NY is a 6th year pharmacy student and she's been vaccinated and been vaccinating, both at the hospital at which she is doing her clinical rotations (I think that's the proper term) and at the chain drugstore at which she works as a pharmacy tech.

Our granddaughter’s best friend is a nursing student (CNA license) working at Shands in Gainesville. She has received both vaccinations. She‘s in the hospital doing the dirty work, meeting with many patients. It’s important that she doesn’t spread Covid.

We are trying to get our student interns vaccinated, and it has been super frustrating. There is conflicting information on whether they should be vaccinated or not. (Oops, ETA in this first wave, but still—why is this being debated). We have athletic trainers, dietetics interns, and students working in outpatient PT and cardiology clinics and with sports teams in strength and conditioning.

^^^EVERYONE should get vaccinated.

I will get my appointment set next week via my school system but the date will likely be in February. The 75 and above will start Monday in my state then the essential workers.

Gosh...I wish ALL college students (especially those living on campus & attending classes) AND teachers AND those 65+ AND those with health conditions could get vaccinated now! Of course, along with police, fire, medic (hoping these folks have already been vaccinated actually.) I think when these groups are fully vaccinated things will start to get better. I’m in the last group like many of us here, and I am imagining by the time we get it...things will be getting a tiny bit more normal. It will be such a blessing to see that death rate fall!

Nini804, what’s so frustrating also is those attending classes on campus or living on campus must show proof of negative COVID test, but they can’t schedule the tests right now or the waiting is very long. And college students are in the last group to get vaccinated.

And my sister’s vaccine #1 is done!

I received the Moderna vaccine today. Happy Dance!!! The site was run very well, with those 65 and older taken in immediately. I arrived about an hour early and was glad, as it took an hour till they called me. As I left I was surprised to see the line was a block and a half long. Though they were taking everyone with an appointment they obviously had over-scheduled or were short-staffed.

Last week NJ added anyone over 65 to the 1B category. It took several hours but I managed to schedule both of us for our shots in mid-February. They'll be staging in an empty Lord & Taylor at our local mall so at least we'll be indoors. I just hope the anticipated shipments of vaccines arrive.

My sister and BIL got their Pfizer vaccines yesterday and no side effects so far. Yay.

That was a typo, my Dad is in group 1b in our state. The problem with group 1b, is that there is no prioritization of that group, nor any system for rationing the limited supply of vaccine. How to parse the prioritization when there are all the people who fall into the 1b category, many who are younger with no underlying conditions, and not as much at risk. I actually believe in protecting the most vulnerable first. People who have connection are jumping ahead of the line . . . from what I've seen. And ironically, the "It's just the flu" folks are among them. If you don't believe in following CDC guidelines, you should willingly place yourself at the bottom of the list, because the list is made by the CDC. And like all "voluntary" measures, without accountability, there is no way the system will work the way the guidelines say . . .

I don't begrudge my Dad's 1c neighbors their vaccination, but I know how they "got in" without standing in line at all, and it was through a connection with someone in health care. We have no methodology in place locally for locating 1a or 1b citizens and making sure they all have an opportunity to get vaccinated first. No clear information on where we are in the distribution process and no creating waiting lists based on evaluating the people on the list to see if they meet the criteria. And as someone who has worked all her life as a science/math based program director, such things are knowable, and track-able, and good practice dictates that you use such metrics to implement your procedures and evaluate your success. Accountability.

Here's our plan for Michigan. https://www.michigan.gov/documents/coronavirus/MI_COVID-19_Vaccination_Prioritization_Guidance_710349_7.pdf The group of 1b is general and large, and includes all "front line" workers, which then includes people working in schools, child care, retail service work, first responders, agriculture, etc., etc., etc. Now, if you clean houses for elderly people, does that put you in the 1b category? Should you go ahead of someone who is exposed to hundreds of people eight hours a day with minimal protection, and where does that put school teachers, when administrators are trying their darndest to get and keep schools open? A good plan would address these issues and more, and not try to pit these groups against each other. I don't know about everyone else, but my priorities are elderly, care workers for elderly, teachers and emt and health care workers. And so ironically, if people would just practice social distancing and wear their masks, we could keep the rest of us safe until our turn comes. Meanwhile, there are folks who want to get it and are fine with infecting others, working at cross purposes. This keeps me up at night.

Edited to add that of course everyone should get vaccinated. But when supply is limited, you have to prioritize. Economics 101 and also standard leadership and program implementation and time management 101. Resources are almost always limited, so wise leaders learn to prioritize wisely. I have had to study this for a long while, how to figure out how to get the most "bang" for the least "buck" which is efficiency. One system pioneered by Steven Covey says successful people spend the most time doing important but non urgent work. This builds resilience. However, there are always going to be urgent issues too. Theoretically the more time you spend on the resilient, non urgent things the fewer urgent catastrophes you will face. Wise managers are proactive when it comes to problem solving. But with the corona virus, that ship has somewhat sailed, and wise leaders have to figure out what is most important among all the urgent problems and issues. And if you watch a good leader, they will both walk and chew gum at the same time, they will spend the majority of their time in the important quadrants, and not waste time in the seemingly urgent but not important or worse yet, neither urgent nor important. This is from the "Seven Habits of Highly Successful People" school of personal management. I read for personal growth and then taught it as leadership development to college students.

Slow but sure progress. I'm just continuing to wait patiently until I hear something applicable to DH or me. We are under 65 but he will probably qualify as someone with underlying conditions.

It's kind of ironic - some people are going off the deep end because they can't get the jab soon enough and others insist they will refuse to get it.

There are almost 50 million Americans over age 65, and thus far only 13.7 vaccines have been administered in the US, many of which rightly went to front line health care workers. Patience.

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

I know @3katz4me! It’s crazy! I don‘t think people should be vaccinated against their will, of course, but I have no patience for those that won’t get the vaccine. I’m particularly annoyed with teachers who are saying they don’t trust the vaccine, and are in the same breath saying it’s too dangerous to go back to work. Can’t have it both ways. If you are so worried about contracting Covid that you are petitioning your employer to close down your place of work...you’d better damn sure be first in line with your sleeve rolled up IMO.

I am applauding employers of front line employees (grocery employees, etc) who are offering monetary incentives for vaccination. That seems like a great way to go about ensuring these vulnerable populations are protected and not spreading the virus.

Oklahoma is doing very well at #10 as far as the efficiency of getting out the vaccine to Oklahomans. I know so many people who have gotten it so far. Another study came out that if you've had Covid, you are immune for years now, so not sure my DH and DS will need or get it, although we'd be last to get it anyway. I'm sure more and more updated info will be coming out by then also. So happy the vaccine is here for those who need it!

Orange County, California I got mine yesterday. I registered through Othena.com downloaded the iPhone app and signed in. That was late Thursday. I clicked on the appointment calendar whenever I'd think to do it and finally hit a time on Sunday for 11:45 am. (It was 11:40 am LOL) I got dressed quickly and was at the appointment site at 12:08 pm and had my shot at 12:31 pm.

This morning I felt like the world just reopened for me. I want to clean the house, clean my yard, plant new flowers, go shopping, etc. I'm hoping soon it will be widely available.

So happy for you, Isitdoneyet! Orange County is my favorite place-this last summer was the first summer in YEARS we’ve missed going.

isitdoneyet - was there an age requirement to get the vaccine?

My mother, DH and I are all having our first shot on Wednesday. We are getting it at a pharmacy in an adjacent county. DH registered all three of us at every pharmacy site in Georgia and the one very close to us called first. I am very excited....I feel like I am getting a first glimpse of land after being at sea for almost a year.

DH received the first dose of the Moderna vaccine last week. He was able to get it because of his age. A day or two later, while I was online trying to set an appt for his 2nd dose, I noticed that they had opened up access for my age group. I immediately made an appt. So many in my age group jumped on it, that it later crashed the site.

I received the first dose of my vaccination, Pfizer, yesterday. It was drive through. From the time we drove onto the property until we drove off was a total of 22 minutes (yes, I timed it out of curiosity), including the 15 minute wait time after the injection.

Both times I found the process to be orderly, organized, and efficient.

Neither DH nor I have had any side effects. In fact, my arm is not even sore. I could not tell you exactly where I had the injection.

I am acquainted with someone who is giving vaccinations at long term care facilities. The vaccination rate is not what was hoped for. Some elderly are simply refusing the vaccine. Some are not competent to give consent and their guardians/conservators are either refusing to give consent or dragging their feet about it. It is very frustrating.

Kswl, if you’ve registered at multiple places, should you go back and remove yourself from their lists?

Great news KSWL!!

I would not remove myself from other lists before having the shot in my arm.

Just found out my dad's wife is getting hers today. Seems to be moving pretty quickly here.

Got my first vaccination dose today, as did DH at one of the county government health department sites. They said that they expected to do 400 shots at that site each day.

@terezosa / terriks I believe there is an age requirement anywhere to get the vaccine. I have seen 65 and in some states (such as ours) 75 and above. It looks like the Mr. and I will have some time to wait before getting the vaccine. I would get it tomorrow if I could. Of those I know that have gotten the vaccine, I have not heard of any side effects. My sister is in the medical field and she said she knew of a few who have had a "bad headache" afterwards.

They have a master list and removed us from all other locations once we had appointments. They make the second appointment for you when you get the first dose.

Great to hear things are progressing.

I belong to an HMO and got a text from a friend yesterday to drop everything and get on their website to make a vaccine appt. The HMO had sent me an email, but it went into my inbox on my page at their site, where I never look unless I'm waiting for a message from my doc. Anyway, I got an appt for Friday evening and they scheduled the 2nd shot appt for the 3rd week in February.

They gave flu shots from our cars but they are requiring us to go inside for the vaccine because they want a 15 minute observation after receiving it. I wish they could have done that in our cars, but their protocols at the clinic made me feel very safe when I had to visit recently.

I'm very relieved to be getting the vaccine.

MIL’s friend just made an appointment for April!

April?? Dang!

We are having a drive in hub about 40 minutes away from my house for 4 counties and they opened up Registration on Monday which crashed the phone system due to over 100K calls from all over the state of Texas. I think many of those were just repeat ones, as I logged over 400 re-dials on my phone. To fix it they did something to the system that captured your phone number after that and then started calling people back. They said within 24hr, but it turned out to be longer than that, but I have my appointment at 4pm today.

I would be ecstatic to secure an appointment in April!

So far about 5% if the population has been vaccinated. At that rate it will be 20 months to vaccinate everyone.
An appointment within the first 6 months would be fantastic.

DH checked this morning, and our age group opens up on May 31.

The three of us had the first

vaccination this morning. It was very low key and easy. They checked the forms we printed and filled out at home and sat us in chairs separated by dividers and vaccinated four people at a time. Everyone had an appointment and those were 30 min apart so there was no crowd or scrum of people waiting. Very civilized and an enormous relief. We all received the Moderna vaccine. TBH I would have taken the Devil vaccine if it worked and they had it. Such a huge relief!

terezosa / terriks Yes there is an age cut off of 65. After 24 hours my soreness in my arm is gone. I'm still giddy from being able to get it!

Yes, April would be nice.

My 90 year old mother got her first shot of the Moderna vaccine today!

When the Johnson & Johnson vac gets approved, surely that will enable more groups to get in quicker?? That vac can be stored in a regular refrigerator and only needs 1 shot...I HAVE to believe that will speed things up! Right?!? It’s supposed to get emergency approval in Feb

I assumed that MIL friend ^above^ was in the older age group and would be vaccinated in the beginning. So, April seems a little too long, IMO. I would think in April, around here, we will be into the average-age healthy adult stage in getting the vaccine. Didn't mean to offend-was just surprised, is all.

I am stunned at just how poorly things are progressing in my area./county/state. I am in Pa.

Jan 4 our health dept did a presentation which gave me some comfort. They were on top of things and were just beginning with the health workers in tiers.

They have had a few updates, so we were able to register BUT there is no confirmation, and if you register again, it lets you. (This is supposedly one central site. )

Yesterday they updated again and provided a map indicating hospitals and pharmacies and recommended each person to check out where and when vaccines are available--------in other words, it seems they have no clue and it's each man/woman for oneself.

I am beside myself and am on multiple lists, but I know of no one in my area who has gotten the vaccine who is not a medical worker.

My friends in other states, NY, NJ, FL, NC have either gotten the vaccine or are in the process for real of getting it. We moved from NJ a few years ago ( ha and prior to that from NY) and NJ has it available in numerous numerous places, whereas in my part of Pa the places that have it available are hospitals and they have limited supply.

I am baffled as to how different it is in each place.

I feel so discouraged and am using this to vent.

My husband just had his first shot today. I’ll have to wait till who knows when as I’m in a different age bracket.

Yes things will speed up, just as testing capacity did. Our state has a vaccination dashboard and you can see how the pace is picking up every week.

Didn’t you have Covid already, terrilynn?

^^^ not terrilyn, as long as it’s been over 90 days since having Covid, vaccinations are still suggested.

Hi Ollie, yes we both had it but as Maddie said over 90 days has passed. My husband had put his name in at several sites doing the shots, in our county he was told it would be a few months. He ended up going to a less populated county just north of us.

terrilynn, we still wear masks and social distance here, out in public, but I am not worried about getting Covid again, since I am immune. There are updated PubMed reports on Durable Cars Covid 2 now, if you've had mild to severe cases (and most likely even asymptomatic-but the reports aren't out on those yet) of Covid-immunity is much longer now, 8 to 9 months-and with the probability of total immunity. They can't check it any longer, since Covid 19 is only a year old. But, I will let everyone do their own research, and of course each individual needs to be comfortable with their individual decisions. I'm definitely not trying to talk anyone into my thinking but, just know, the CDC is very slow at getting info out. I think it's best, everyone do their own research and not depend solely on CDC or especially the media. Heck, for example, they were very slow at stating people should be taking Vitamin D, and I had been taking it 5 months before they came out with the info. And, that is just one example. Ridiculous.

Oklahoma should be reaching herd immunity by April, if they keep up with the vaccines as well as they are now. Now, if other states were doing as well. At least Texas is doing a great job too, good to know, as we go to the Dallas area quite a bit. California is doing horribly at getting people vaccinated, I hear. Unless that's changed in the last week. Hope so. And, kudos to West Virginia for being the best!

Hey Ollie, I am a bit nervous about doing the vaccine when my time comes up. I can’t even take regular doses of meds without bad side affects so I’m not rushing in to it. I had a somewhat light Covid experience though which surprised me as I normally get hit hard by whatever is going around. I had been taking “D” and zinc and am also on high BP meds (but only take 1/2 a dose). I have read that all helps.

My 84 y/o MIL got her first dose on Monday. She lives in San Francisco, but my SIL found an appointment through her health care provider an hour away across the Bay.

We found out late last week here in Maryland that we were moving to 1B as of this past Monday, which included people ages 75+ which meant my parents were finally eligible. Getting them an appointment was an exercise of sheer frustration though as the info being putting out by the MD Vaxx website was pretty useless. They were finally able to get an appointment two months away in mid-March! OMG, I was livid. In the meantime, I continued my efforts to find something sooner and happened to get a text from a friend that a healthcare group at my local hospital had appointments. I dropped everything, called my mom, and with her on the phone filled out all the required info online - got them appointments for this morning!

I got a text from my 85 y/o father afterward that it was a smooth process. They had 15 stations set up with ipads to check in, their second dose appointment was scheduled first, then the shot. They were in and out in 25 minutes. So very thankful to have them done!

Dh and I, however, are in tier 3, basically the last group. I registered with my local health department to get notified when we are eligible - the projected date is May or June 😞 Hopefully it will be sooner than that!

I’m happy to say that we are feeling like we won the lottery!

Last evening we had a call from the county offering us appointments for the vaccination. I grabbed the first time available and were at he site (only a few miles from our front door) at 10 am today. The whole process went smoothly with much help from the National Guard who were directing traffic through the maze of check points through an unused parking garage. Pfizer vaccine, second dose is 2/16. We never left our car, back home within an hour.

It took awhile, and many tries by the county, to find a system that works. This one seems to be part of the answer. Now there is a number to call and leave basic info. When the Vaccine and appointment times are available you get a call back. The wait for a callback for us was 4 days.

Hooray!

eta: just realized that we got our vaccinations through a state run program that is being tried out in our county.