COVID-19 treatment and vaccine update thread

[Daveman]

Schools in NJ are largely closed this Thursday and Friday for the NJ teachers convention. We were busy yesterday so we didn't look around for an open site for our 11 year old until this morning. There was a State run site nearby so we went at 9am and there was no one there, only a few walked in while we were there.

We asked if it's been like this but apparently we were lucky, they said hundreds of youths showed up yesterday. So it was nice to hear people are getting their kids vaccinated and nicer it took us all of 20 minutes.

[El Guapo]

My son now has an appointment to get vaccinated (at a nearby Walgreen's) a week from Sunday.

[ImLawBoy]

After hearing about how it was going at LB's hospital we tried a clinic that a lot of people at the twins' school had been going to. Google Maps said they opened at 9 so we got there by 8:45. Turns out they opened at 10. I had to take a call at that time so we tried again later, getting there around 11. Waited in the line outside the building for a while and when we made it inside we found out they weren't doing walk ins because they had so many appointments booked.

After lunch I decided to try a place that the CDC vaccine finder said was doing kids and maybe walk ins. Got there and there was no line at all. I got my Moderna booster and a flu shot while we were there.

[Zaxxon]

Nice, ILB. 5-11 appointments have been extremely hard to find out here so far, the implication of which pleases me but has been vexing while I'm trying to get my kids jabbed ASAP. We initially had appointments for Sunday about 50 miles away, but I hit our local supermarket's website at the right time today and snuck in appointments within a few miles. Got the first kid signed up for tomorrow AM, and by the time I started in on the 2nd kid's form, Sunday afternoon was the best I could do.

[Daehawk]

ill check next week for my pfizer booster.

[Jeff V]

What hospital system?

The medical group is now called Duly, formerly DuPage Medical Group (DMG). They serve Edward-Elmhurst, Delnor-Central DuPage, Rush Copley and Adventist Bolingbrook to name a few. They said they would text me when I can sign up for an appointment...still waiting.

[LawBeefaroni]

What hospital system?

The medical group is now called Duly, formerly DuPage Medical Group (DMG). They serve Edward-Elmhurst, Delnor-Central DuPage, Rush Copley and Adventist Bolingbrook to name a few. They said they would text me when I can sign up for an appointment...still waiting.

Got it. They're kind of adrift between systems. Would still think they'd have plenty of vax.



The kids doses are just smaller amounts of existing supply. They use the same vials and put lesser amounts in the syringe.

[Zaxxon]

Kiddos jabbed this am, and I got my 3rd Moderna. Woooooo.

[stessier]

Got my SpikeVax booster. It's a half dose of the normal vaccine. I'm assuming this means they've been able to shrink the microchips substantially.

Got the shot Friday at 11:00am. Woke up Saturday with body aches everywhere and very tired. Unfortunately our dryer broke, so I spent about 4 hours working on that rather than just resting. I finally took a nap around 4pm. Didn't really feel like eating all day either. Was in bed by 7pm (normal time) and slept 9 hours. Feel fine now - energy is back, body aches are gone, and I'm hungry.

[raydude]

Got my Moderna booster this past Friday (J&J initial vaccine, so I could choose from either Pfizer or Moderna). Then my youngest daughter got her first shot on Saturday.

[Unagi]

Stessier, did you just say that 7:00pm is your normal bedtime?

I recall (I think) that you get up early to exercise before work, but that you have a ‘normal hours’ job.

7:00 pm bedtime? I don’t know how you pull that off in a full house.

[stessier]

Stessier, did you just say that 7:00pm is your normal bedtime?

I recall (I think) that you get up early to exercise before work, but that you have a ‘normal hours’ job.

7:00 pm bedtime? I don’t know how you pull that off in a full house.

With the time change this week, it was closer to 7. Normally it's closer to 7:30-8. My kids are 12 & 15. I get home from work around 5:30, help with homework and eat dinner, watch a 20 minutes sitcom, and then off to bed (generally). I'm fortunate in that I rarely have to stay late for work, although I am on call and so have to take calls a few times a month on average (some weeks can be way worse).

[El Guapo]

Stessier’s parents never formally lifted his childhood bedtime, so he’s stuck with it.

[El Guapo]

My son (9 YO) just got his first shot. Glad to have that done.

[Carpet_pissr]

The boy (11) and I got stuck 4x at Wally World this morning, and when I saw the ‘menu’ of all the vaccines they offer, I would have tried for more, but was not sure which specific ones I’m overdue for.

He got his first Covid and flu, I got my 3rd Covid and flu. Prob need another tetanus by now, at least.

[LawBeefaroni]

It just registered with me that my kids' second dose appointment is on Black Friday. We're not traveling so that's good but man, did not want to leave the house on that day.

[ImLawBoy]

It just registered with me that my kids' second dose appointment is on Black Friday. We're not traveling so that's good but man, did not want to leave the house on that day.

Us too, but I thought of it as a positive. I'm off work and they're out of school. Plus the place we went to is pretty out of the way, so I don't see big problems for us.

[Daehawk]

Dont think pharmacies will have a huge Black Friday crowd so theres that

[Archinerd]

Stessier’s parents never formally lifted his childhood bedtime, so he’s stuck with it.

*****

My kid got dose one at school last Wednesday. Illinois Department of Public Health sent two nurses for an at school event, which had 2 days of advanced notice. We already had an appointment at Mariano's set for Saturday, but thought it might be good since it was a (surprise!) 4-day weekend. It would give the kid a few more days to recover in case there were any side effects.

The whole thing was a shit show and very disorganized. There was an advanced sign up but they were still writing kids names on a list to figure out which classes to pull them from as each parent reached the front of the line. Some kids were getting first dose, some boosters, all the same line. No grouping of grade level or classroom. No appointments, and no staggered time windows.

What little information the Principal provided was relayed to the waiting parents outside of the building by a security guard (poor guy). She used the rest of her time blaming IDPH instead of addressing some of the issues she could have improved or fixed. The whole thing took 3 hours... but it's done.

Dose two is sceduled for Mariano's the first week of December. Fingers crossed that whole process goes much more smoothly.

[Alefroth]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is the booster simply just another shot like the first two, or is it a different dosage/ package?

[Zaxxon]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is the booster simply just another shot like the first two, or is it a different dosage/ package?

For Moderna, it's a reduced dose. I believe for Pfizer, it's the same as the first two (Pfizer's normal dose was much lower than Moderna's).

[Daehawk]

Walgreens pharmacist told me my 3rd shot / booster is the exact same as the first two I had gotten back in April and May. Pfizer. Im very glad I got it.

[Smoove_B]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is the booster simply just another shot like the first two, or is it a different dosage/ package?

For Moderna, it's a reduced dose. I believe for Pfizer, it's the same as the first two (Pfizer's normal dose was much lower than Moderna's).

Yes. But you still get a solid 37% 5G signal boost after the 3rd shot, no matter the manufacturer.

[Alefroth]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is the booster simply just another shot like the first two, or is it a different dosage/ package?

For Moderna, it's a reduced dose. I believe for Pfizer, it's the same as the first two (Pfizer's normal dose was much lower than Moderna's).

Thanks. So wide availability for initial doses doesn't necessarily translate to wide availability for boosters, for Moderna anyway.

[Daehawk]

Yes. But you still get a solid 37% 5G signal boost after the 3rd shot, no matter the manufacturer.

I actually do get a stronger wifi signal now. Im sure it has nothing to do with the router I was sent.

[stessier]

I haven't seen this mentioned yet. Is the booster simply just another shot like the first two, or is it a different dosage/ package?

For Moderna, it's a reduced dose. I believe for Pfizer, it's the same as the first two (Pfizer's normal dose was much lower than Moderna's).

Thanks. So wide availability for initial doses doesn't necessarily translate to wide availability for boosters, for Moderna anyway.

I'm pretty sure it does. The Moderna is a half dose - uses the same vial, you just get half as much administered.

[jztemple2]

I'm pretty sure it does. The Moderna is a half dose - uses the same vial, you just get half as much administered.

Yup, that's what my pharmacist told us. My wife and I got our doses from the same vial

[Alefroth]

Ah, thanks for the clarification. That will help me pick a location. How romantic, jz =)

[Kraken]

My friend's sister and her husband got covid at my friend's son's funeral a week ago Sunday. There were over 100 people, including many teens and 20s, almost universally unmasked, and two receptions after the service. I'm not the least bit surprised that the coronavirus was in attendance. Wife and I are going for tests tomorrow. I've been feeling a little tired and achy all week, but no overt covid symptoms.

[Isgrimnur]

[raydude]

Well, my oldest daughter came down with Covid. She's fine except for no sense of smell - covid test came back positive today. We're all quarantining at home and the rest of us will get tested in about 3 days.

[Jeff V]

Wow, I hope she recovers without incident.

My kids get their first dose on Saturday. They are excited about it. Since full immunization is a few weeks after the second dose (so around Xmas), I bought my wife tickets for the Broadway in Chicago production of Frozen in January. It's easier that way, any earlier and the kids would need to take a Covid test the day before.

I probably need to see about getting a booster. I didn't claim special circumstances first time around although I probably could have (type 2 diabetic). Wife will be getting a booster at work soon.

I should mention how proud I am of my kids through this whole thing, doing what is necessary to stay safe. They both returned to dance class a month ago...and they are the only kids who wear masks throughout their lessons. Over the summer I took them to a playground they are fond of, they were stunned to see so many unmasked people...and I mean stunned. When I asked if they were going to play, both shook their heads and said no. I took them to a less crowded playground where it wasn't so much of an issue...it wasn't the "superpark" (which they named the Riverwalk park in Naperville) but they made the best of it.

[Zaxxon]

Go get it today.

Best of luck, raydude.

[Blackhawk]

...and Michelle's mother was just admitted and tested positive in the process. She's right around 80, and was fully vaccinated early, was careful, and was smart. But this is Indiana, and smart has to come with lucky. We'll see how it goes.

Michelle (2 shots + booster) has been around her, so she was sent home from work (she works at the same hospital her mother went to.) Ian (2 shots) was around her last week. We're cancelling all of his appointments for this week and getting him tested tomorrow morning, just to be safe. Caiden (2 shots) is scheduled for outpatient (but still under general anesthesia) surgery on Monday, and would be getting a test on Friday regardless. We're hoping it won't interfere with his surgery, as it's been in the works for quite a while. I (2 shots) am mostly just reorganizing everything and trying to keep everyone else from freaking out.

Sigh.

[Zaxxon]

Ugh. Best of luck to you and yours, too.

[Daehawk]

Had 3 shots as of last week. Have to mulch tomorrow then head out to pick up some paperwork at the pharmacy then mail that at the crowded post office then hit up the food store on the way home for canned cranberry sauce that I forgot last trip.

[Kraken]

Just got back from my first-ever covid test at the Walgreen's drive-thru. Somehow I made it through 20 pandemic months without any known exposures until now. My friend's test came back negative today, so we're probably in the clear. Will know for sure in a day or two.

[disarm]

I received my Moderna booster around noon yesterday (nine months after my second dose), and it's still kicking my ass more than 24 hours later. I had a fever and rigors last night (same as last shot), but the fatigue and muscle soreness today is much worse than last time. I still see it as a small price to pay if it keeps me from catching COVID, but I find myself really hoping that I don't have the same reaction where this becomes an annual vaccination.

[Isgrimnur]

Scheduled Moderna booster for Sunday to complement my Pfizer double from March/April.

[Smoove_B]

Just got back from my first-ever covid test at the Walgreen's drive-thru. Somehow I made it through 20 pandemic months without any known exposures until now. My friend's test came back negative today, so we're probably in the clear. Will know for sure in a day or two.

Boston area wastewater monitoring. Spoiler - the virus is lurking nearby. Prepare.