Covid vaccination status?

[jakeroot]

You mean to say a fancy Spirographed piece of paper is enough to prove I own a car, and a printed piece of plastic is enough to prove I can drive it, but we have to have a piece of software involved to prove vaccination?

Obviously not. Those are excellent examples of things forged all the time. Who knows when they'll both be replaced with something digital.

I would not be surprised if smart phones are eventually paid for by the government in some fashion. They are not getting less important with time. My internet is covered by my taxes here in Tacoma. I'm sure a crappy public cell network is just around the corner...

Personally, I think the solution, if we have to have one, is to just have the Bureau of Engraving and Printing print a bunch of fancy paper certificates for the CDC, with all the bells and whistles a $100 bill has. If anyone forges them, charge them under whatever sort of forgery/counterfeiting statute makes the most sense.

I actually think this is a great idea.

The problem is that if I travel to another state or country, how do they get access to the relevant OSDH record?

Excellent argument for something resembling Israel's healthcare system, for sure.

[Rothman]

You mean to say a fancy Spirographed piece of paper is enough to prove I own a car, and a printed piece of plastic is enough to prove I can drive it, but we have to have a piece of software involved to prove vaccination?

Obviously not. Those are excellent examples of things forged all the time. Who knows when they'll both be replaced with something digital.

I would not be surprised if smart phones are eventually paid for by the government in some fashion. They are not getting less important with time. My internet is covered by my taxes here in Tacoma. I'm sure a crappy public cell network is just around the corner...

Personally, I think the solution, if we have to have one, is to just have the Bureau of Engraving and Printing print a bunch of fancy paper certificates for the CDC, with all the bells and whistles a $100 bill has. If anyone forges them, charge them under whatever sort of forgery/counterfeiting statute makes the most sense.

I actually think this is a great idea.

The problem is that if I travel to another state or country, how do they get access to the relevant OSDH record?

Excellent argument for something resembling Israel's healthcare system, for sure.

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

[jakeroot]

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

Clearly Israeli's suck at avoiding COVID-19. But at least something is in place for when they get vaccinated.

[zachary_amaryllis]

taking shot #1 this monday.

[DandyDan]

Currently scheduled for next Friday with the second shot to come in April.

[Avalanchez71]

The shot does not prevent one from getting Covid-19.

[hotdogPi]

The shot does not prevent one from getting Covid-19.

It greatly reduces the possibility, even though it's not perfect (no vaccine is).

[Max Rockatansky]

The shot does not prevent one from getting Covid-19.

It does prevent people from excessive pork and reviving dead threads from 2009.   

[thspfc]

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

Clearly Israeli's suck at avoiding COVID-19. But at least something is in place for when they get vaccinated.

Europeans (Asians and even Canadians too, but mostly Europeans) spent six months laughing at us because we couldn't contain Covid. Now we're almost done with the pandemic and they're a ways behind. Most European countries have far more cases per capita than we do. It's all just anti-American propaganda.

[Rothman]

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

Clearly Israeli's suck at avoiding COVID-19. But at least something is in place for when they get vaccinated.

Europeans (Asians and even Canadians too, but mostly Europeans) spent six months laughing at us because we couldn't contain Covid. Now we're almost done with the pandemic and they're a ways behind. Most European countries have far more cases per capita than we do. It's all just anti-American propaganda.

Our death rate is still horrifyingly embarrassing.

[kphoger]

I would not be surprised if smart phones are eventually paid for by the government in some fashion. They are not getting less important with time. My internet is covered by my taxes here in Tacoma. I'm sure a crappy public cell network is just around the corner...

You get free internet service?  Does tax money also pay for people's PC and modem, their landline phone service and handset?

[kphoger]

A close friend just got his first (second?) shot, and he is in really bad shape, sick as a dog from it.

I'm now eligible to schedule mine.  (I thought it would be some time before I was eligible, but I forgot that the industry I work in is considered 'essential business'.)  I'm trying to be smart about what day of the week I schedule it for.  If I end up getting sick from the vaccination, then I want to be able to stay home and not have that affect work or church responsibilities.

[thspfc]

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

Clearly Israeli's suck at avoiding COVID-19. But at least something is in place for when they get vaccinated.

Europeans (Asians and even Canadians too, but mostly Europeans) spent six months laughing at us because we couldn't contain Covid. Now we're almost done with the pandemic and they're a ways behind. Most European countries have far more cases per capita than we do. It's all just anti-American propaganda.

Our death rate is still horrifyingly embarrassing.

Yeah, that's because our obesity rate is through the roof.

[MikeTheActuary]

A close friend just got his first (second?) shot, and he is in really bad shape, sick as a dog from it.

I'm now eligible to schedule mine.  (I thought it would be some time before I was eligible, but I forgot that the industry I work in is considered 'essential business'.)  I'm trying to be smart about what day of the week I schedule it for.  If I end up getting sick from the vaccination, then I want to be able to stay home and not have that affect work or church responsibilities.

Around here, demand vs availability has been such that it seems the pattern is "take whatever appointment you can get, and then keep an eye out to see if you can get something better". 

I became eligible this morning.  Interestingly, when I got into VAMS, the only appointments available within the next month were all on Sundays.

[jakeroot]

I would not be surprised if smart phones are eventually paid for by the government in some fashion. They are not getting less important with time. My internet is covered by my taxes here in Tacoma. I'm sure a crappy public cell network is just around the corner...

You get free internet service?  Does tax money also pay for people's PC and modem, their landline phone service and handset?

It's bring-your-own device. But not free: funded by a combination of taxes and utility bills. "Heavily subsidized" might be better.

[index]

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

Clearly Israeli's suck at avoiding COVID-19. But at least something is in place for when they get vaccinated.

Europeans (Asians and even Canadians too, but mostly Europeans) spent six months laughing at us because we couldn't contain Covid. Now we're almost done with the pandemic and they're a ways behind. Most European countries have far more cases per capita than we do. It's all just anti-American propaganda.

Our death rate is still horrifyingly embarrassing.

Yeah, that's because our obesity rate is through the roof.

Which, well, that pretty much shifts the embarrassment to another source and another public health disaster...Perhaps the sugar industry loading products with sugar far beyond what's normal in other countries has finally caught up to us. All while they said fat was the devil in ad campaigns when it was really sugar.

[Rothman]

I don't understand the praise for Israel's system when their daily case per capita is around ten times the U.S.'

Clearly Israeli's suck at avoiding COVID-19. But at least something is in place for when they get vaccinated.

Europeans (Asians and even Canadians too, but mostly Europeans) spent six months laughing at us because we couldn't contain Covid. Now we're almost done with the pandemic and they're a ways behind. Most European countries have far more cases per capita than we do. It's all just anti-American propaganda.

Our death rate is still horrifyingly embarrassing.

Yeah, that's because our obesity rate is through the roof.

Which, well, that pretty much shifts the embarrassment to another source and another public health disaster...Perhaps the sugar industry loading products with sugar far beyond what's normal in other countries has finally caught up to us. All while they said fat was the devil in ad campaigns when it was really sugar.

Although obesity is a comorbidity, the fact of the matter is Americans also didn't do a very good job taking precautions in the first place, partially due to muddled leadership.

[D-Dey65]

Has anyone's home state/county/city amended its face mask and/or physical distancing order to exempt people who have been fully vaccinated?

As far as I can tell, no. Since you mentioned the masks, when I went to get my shot, I wore a face shield I bought at a nail salon at my local Wal-Mart, and some member of the National Guard told me that the people in one of the tents weren't going to let me in with just that. Luckily, I also carried my own extra mask, although that National Guard member offered me a new one.

[MikeTheActuary]

Has anyone's home state/county/city amended its face mask and/or physical distancing order to exempt people who have been fully vaccinated?

Sedgwick County's most recent order was issued two days ago, when 196 citizens were already fully vaccinated and nearly 3000 had already received their first shot but not their second.  My mother (retired lifetime nurse, current school teacher) is scheduled to get her second shot soon, and she is adamant that nobody is going to tell her to wear her face mask once she's fully vaccinated.  And that got me thinking, there is bound to be an increasing number of resentful people being ordered by law to do something they consider to be completely pointless.  And then that got me to wondering if there were any jurisdictions that have actually amended their orders along those lines.  Are there?

I'm not aware of any changes to government mandates along those lines, but I do know of retirement communities that have amended their policies to (essentially): "wear masks in common spaces, but masks are not required in rooms where everyone is vaccinated".

AFAIK, there is no evidence that being vaccinated prevents you from being able to transmit the virus; the only documented benefit is that the rate of hospitalization and death drops to near zero after vaccination.  So, even if you're vaccinated, there's still a need to wear a mask to try to keep your germs to yourself, unless you are around only people who are also vaccinated.

[interstatefan990]

Vaccination does lower your chances of transmitting the virus. Because your body has created vaccine-induced antibodies to COVID, the virus is unable to replicate inside you and therefore there is a lower viral load (amount of pathogen particles) leaving your system when you exhale and are around others. But we do still need to wear masks and take other precautionary measures because vaccination is never foolproof and you could still be a spreader.

[Scott5114]

Has anyone's home state/county/city amended its face mask and/or physical distancing order to exempt people who have been fully vaccinated?

Norman's mask mandate was last considered by the city council at the end of February. Then, they acted to extend it to June 1, believing that by then they will be in a better place to judge whether continuing it is necessary or if it will simply be allowed to expire entirely.

The governor made a big hoopla about lifting Oklahoma's restrictions at about the same time Texas did, although everyone immediately pointed out that he'd never issued any real restrictions to begin with so there was nothing to lift–all restrictions and mandates were passed at the city level because the state had shown no interest in doing so.

[bandit957]

Norman's mask mandate was last considered by the city council at the end of February. Then, they acted to extend it to June 1, believing that by then they will be in a better place to judge whether continuing it is necessary or if it will simply be allowed to expire entirely.

June 1??? I guess they've never heard of something called "vaccines."

[Scott5114]

Norman's mask mandate was last considered by the city council at the end of February. Then, they acted to extend it to June 1, believing that by then they will be in a better place to judge whether continuing it is necessary or if it will simply be allowed to expire entirely.

June 1??? I guess they've never heard of something called "vaccines."

At the time that they last deliberated the issue, vaccines weren't available for most Oklahomans. They still aren't for the general populace, only people in essential industries, though that list of industries is very large compared to most other states, and declaring you're part of one of those industries is apparently on the honor system. Additionally, it is rather difficult to get an appointment in Norman proper (or anywhere in the OKC metro for that matter)–I drove 62 miles one-way to get my first dose, two counties away. That's not an option for everyone.

The tribes have apparently reached the point where they've vaccinated enough of their populations and employees that they're giving them away to anyone who wants them, but again, there are no tribal health clinics in Cleveland County, so you have to drive to Purcell at the closest. Again, not an option for everyone.

June 1 makes sense as an expiration date as well because it is after the end of spring classes at the University of Oklahoma. To my knowledge, we haven't recorded anyone in city limits suffocating to death of having a mask on, so there's little reason to call for an early end to the mandate.

[jeffandnicole]

Norman's mask mandate was last considered by the city council at the end of February. Then, they acted to extend it to June 1, believing that by then they will be in a better place to judge whether continuing it is necessary or if it will simply be allowed to expire entirely.

June 1??? I guess they've never heard of something called "vaccines."

At the time that they last deliberated the issue, vaccines weren't available for most Oklahomans. They still aren't for the general populace, only people in essential industries, though that list of industries is very large compared to most other states, and declaring you're part of one of those industries is apparently on the honor system. Additionally, it is rather difficult to get an appointment in Norman proper (or anywhere in the OKC metro for that matter)–I drove 62 miles one-way to get my first dose, two counties away. That's not an option for everyone.

The tribes have apparently reached the point where they've vaccinated enough of their populations and employees that they're giving them away to anyone who wants them, but again, there are no tribal health clinics in Cleveland County, so you have to drive to Purcell at the closest. Again, not an option for everyone.

June 1 makes sense as an expiration date as well because it is after the end of spring classes at the University of Oklahoma. To my knowledge, we haven't recorded anyone in city limits suffocating to death of having a mask on, so there's little reason to call for an early end to the mandate.

If we're using university class schedules as a basis, then every state would look at June 1.  That's not happening.

[vdeane]

Norman's mask mandate was last considered by the city council at the end of February. Then, they acted to extend it to June 1, believing that by then they will be in a better place to judge whether continuing it is necessary or if it will simply be allowed to expire entirely.

June 1??? I guess they've never heard of something called "vaccines."

It's not enough for vaccines to have been invented.  Needles have to go into arms.  This isn't a game of Plague Inc: Evolved.  The general population won't even be eligible until May 1 - even assuming every single person was able to get vaccinated that day, they'd still need the second shot, and it takes two weeks for the vaccine to fully take effect.  I'd say June 1 is a little optimistic.