Covid vaccination status?

[oscar]

How are various jurisdictions handling eligibility verification?  I've heard stories locally of people's IDs being checked before they are able to proceed with their appointments, but some states (such as Washington) appear to be on the honor system.

My county asked me for proof of identity, when I showed up for my appointment, and a few more times during the process. At the first ID check, I was told to keep my ID handy until I was done, rather than immediately put it back in my wallet. Nothing about proof of residency, or of working in the county, though that might've been verified behind the scenes before I was invited to make an appointment.

One Maryland county that had its act together on vaccinations, started insisting on proof of residency when people from a large but more disorganized neighboring county started hogging the appointment slots.

[Scott5114]

I woke up this afternoon and feel 100% fine. Barely any pain at the injection site, even if I press my fingers into it.

How are various jurisdictions handling eligibility verification?  I've heard stories locally of people's IDs being checked before they are able to proceed with their appointments, but some states (such as Washington) appear to be on the honor system.

There was no verification when I entered the building and got in line–I was asked my name, the volunteer marked it off a paper list, and I had my hand marked with a highlighter (presumably to indicate I had an appointment; the same site had also been accepting walk-ins earlier in the day). I had my ID checked at the vaccination table, but I think that was mostly to see that I was the person the appointment was scheduled for (one of the nurses had a tablet that she cross-checked it with, I am guessing to mark the appointment as "done"), as well as filling out the CDC vaccination card. At no point during the enrollment process did the Oklahoma State Department of Health verify that I actually work in an essential-services industry–I don't think they even asked what industry I worked in, even in the form of supplying a NAICS code.

My guess is that because of the politicization of the virus, the partisan lean of Oklahomans, and the resulting vaccine skepticism, OSDH figured that if someone wanted the vaccine enough that they were willing to lie during the enrollment process, they may as well get a shot in their arm to get another vaccine in a willing body before they have to start the fight to convince the unwilling. That, and verification procedures distract from the primary mission of just vaccinating people.

[kphoger]

I woke up this afternoon and feel 100% fine. Barely any pain at the injection site, even if I press my fingers into it.

My wife's arm is still sore, two days later–but only while doing certain motions.  Taking her left arm out of a sweatshirt is brutal for her.  But Advil is keeping her going.  And still zero other side-effects.

[Jim]

Regarding ID, I was not asked for anything when I got my first dose at the UAlbany NY state-run clinic, but that was on its first day of operation and while it was running very efficiently, I think they hadn't quite worked out all the details.  When I returned to bring my father for his first dose, and when we each went back for second doses, I believe we were each asked for ID.  It seems eligibility was on the honor system, as I was never asked for the letter from my employer verifying my status as an in-person college instructor, making me eligible in New York's "1B" back in January before other groups were added.

[wxfree]

I want to be vaccinated as soon as I can, with whatever is available.  My age, medical status, and employment don't give me any special priority, so I just have to wait for mass availability.  Of course, I'm not in a high risk category, so I can wait.  I'm glad my mother is vaccinated.  Because of the risk profile, she should be before I am.

I want any vaccine that is approved.  The Johnson and Johnson vaccine has a lower headline efficacy rating, but those ratings don't compare that way.  The first two vaccines were tested earlier, when the virus spread was lower.  The JNJ vaccine was tested when spread was more rapid, and it faced more infectious variants.  It's entirely possible that it's more effective overall than the first two, but it looks worse because it had a harder fight in the trials.  The most important thing is the 100% effectiveness all of the vaccines had in the trials at preventing hospitalization and death.  That said, since I live in town, near many pharmacies and a state vaccination hub, I'd have no problem going back for a second dose.  The single-dose vaccine may be better for people who would have a harder time returning for a second shot.

[bugo]

due to my muscle mass I am "obese"

The BMI is complete bullshit. According to it, many elite athletes are "obese", despite having very little body fat. You can't measure something with 3 or more variables with just 2 pieces of data. It's like trying to measure the volume of a box using only the height and width, omitting the depth of the object. The BMI is designed to make Americans feel bad about themselves. It is total nonsense.

[interstatefan990]

^ "Wuhan flu"

Uh...what?

[Max Rockatansky]

^ "Wuhan flu"

Uh...what?

As opposed to pork or reviving a long dead thread from 2009?

[SectorZ]

due to my muscle mass I am "obese"

The BMI is complete bullshit. According to it, many elite athletes are "obese", despite having very little body fat. You can't measure something with 3 or more variables with just 2 pieces of data. It's like trying to measure the volume of a box using only the height and width, omitting the depth of the object. The BMI is designed to make Americans feel bad about themselves. It is total nonsense.

It works for most of the population though. I'd bet at least 3/4 of those considered obese due to BMI are genuinely obese.

I have plenty of fat on me despite all my exercising. My most recent doc didn't seem to believe me until she ordered a blood draw and the results spoke for themselves. That's typical in this country though. My wife is a runner, and multiple times docs have been concerned about her resting heart rate being too low. It's not low, it's just peak physical fitness, because they're used to seeing sedentary people all day.

Like anything, it's a guideline. I've never gotten too bent out of shape over it despite being lumped into its category. I know what I am and that's good enough for me.

[Rothman]

In NY, I think BMI was used not because it is actually a great measure of body fat or obesity, but because they simply wanted to broaden the requirements and get more people into the sites.

[vdeane]

I suspect BMI is used because it's a simple and easy measurement (anyone can just plug in their weight and height into a BMI calculator online) that gives a definitive answer as to whether someone is eligible or not.  Standardizing things with objective criteria is basically the government MO, after all.  Given that the end goal is to vaccinate everyone, if a few extra people become eligible, that's probably considered fine as long as that extra isn't too large.

[tolbs17]

Seems like we may back off from the AstraZeneca vaccine since there has some been reports about patients getting blood clots. Maybe we don't need it here. We can just take Novavax.

[tidecat]

Who has and who hasn't taken the covid shot, and who doesn't plan to take it at all?

I chose to make it three options for those who haven't taken it yet to register their choice for the one-dose or two-dose shot.

I'm in tier 1C in Kentucky because of high-risk medical conditions, but still I can't get an appointment. I hope I can get the one-dose vaccine, but I'll accept whatever is available.

I just booked one at Walmart in Winchester (about 80 miles from home for me). Probably best to check just after midnight for availability.

Not sure where you live in the Bluegrass, but unless you're like me and live out in the sticks, you probably have to pass a lot of other places to drive that distance to get to Winchester.

I live in this podunk town near the Indiana border called Louisville. Louisville area, Frankfort, and Elizabethtown were all booked solid. Didn't see any offerings available in Lexington either.

Most of the Louisville sites were still prioritizing age 60+ when I booked mine, so it may have been different had I waited until tomorrow to book.

[vdeane]

Seems like we may back off from the AstraZeneca vaccine since there has some been reports about patients getting blood clots. Maybe we don't need it here. We can just take Novavax.

We never approved it in the first place and it didn't seem like we were going to as we already had questions regarding their trial and how well it works.  Last I heard, the EU was trying to buy our doses from us, at least before this.

[kphoger]

My wife's arm is still sore, two days later–but only while doing certain motions.  Taking her left arm out of a sweatshirt is brutal for her.  But Advil is keeping her going.  And still zero other side-effects.

I hadn't mentioned this before, but it isn't quite accurate to say my wife has zero other side-effects.  The tip of her tongue has been tingling ever since she got the shot four days ago.

[bugo]

^ "Wuhan flu"

Uh...what?

It's a joke from the second Borat movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EuyDMq3mYQ

[NWI_Irish96]

Finally gave up waiting for appointments to open up close to home and drove 2 hours to get my first dose today.

[kphoger]

Finally gave up waiting for appointments to open up close to home and drove 2 hours to get my first dose today.

Do they let you do that?  Isn't it county-by-county?

[NWI_Irish96]

Finally gave up waiting for appointments to open up close to home and drove 2 hours to get my first dose today.

Do they let you do that?  Isn't it county-by-county?

I guess not. Yesterday I started searching for appointments from farther and farther away, and finally found one. This site had 15 open appointments for today as of 5pm yesterday, so clearly the people in that county aren't availing themselves of the opportunity. Everybody else who was there the same time of me was also from > 1 hour away.

[JayhawkCO]

Finally gave up waiting for appointments to open up close to home and drove 2 hours to get my first dose today.

Do they let you do that?  Isn't it county-by-county?

Not in a lot of places.  You could drive out here and get one.  There is no residency requirement.  I live in Arapahoe County but I am getting my vaccine in about 30 minutes in Denver (City and) County.

Chris

[kphoger]

My wife was fortunate.  When she first attempted to schedule an appointment, there were no slots that worked for her, but she was busy at the time and put it off till later.  When later came, there were still no slots, but then she got busy again and put it off till later.  When she finally got some real free time, a secondary, temporary clinic had opened up in a local church, and she was able to get a slot for the very next evening.

Later, when she booked her second shot, it told her to go to the same place she got her first one at.  Well, that location was just temporary, so going there again is impossible.  The system didn't even give her location options anyway, so her next one is scheduled at the former downtown library.

[JayhawkCO]

Just got my first shot of the Moderna vaccine.  When I checked in, they didn't even ask for an ID.  In and out in 5 minutes.  They did say to hang out for 15 minutes in case of adverse reactions, so I sat in my car for a bit.  Next one comes 4/14. 

Chris

[hbelkins]

For the last two days, local medical providers have been alerting residents that our Walgreens has extra doses that have to be given by the end of the day or else they'll be discarded.

[Max Rockatansky]

For the last two days, local medical providers have been alerting residents that our Walgreens has extra doses that have to be given by the end of the day or else they'll be discarded.

That's how one of my friends got her first shot.  She just went to the mass vaccination site and asked if they had leftovers they were going to toss.  They did, so they signed her up and got her a shot. 

[bugo]

Finally gave up waiting for appointments to open up close to home and drove 2 hours to get my first dose today.

Do they let you do that?  Isn't it county-by-county?

Not in Oklahoma, at least. The nearest site to me that was available on the day I signed up was Claremore, which is in another county.