COVID-19 vaccine discussion

19 minutes ago, XYZ said:

Does anybody know how many covid vaccines per day are currently being given in Texas and in the USA?

Over the past 7 days, Texas has averaged around 56k-60k "first shots" per day.

Texas has given 478k shots in the last seven days (first and second shots), about 68k shots per day.  The number is growing as more second shots arrive.  Eventually the second shot number should roughly equal the first shot number if vaccine allocations remain constant.

We are finally being underpromised/overdelivered.  The motivation of these pharma companies isn’t being factored in.  Moderna and Pfizer are motivated to get shots in arms before JNJ and others get their products to market.  JNJ and others will be motivated to haul ass to cash in before immunity starts showing up in the numbers and people stop clamoring to be vaccinated.  This will bleed out into other poorer countries.  I do not think the US will see another significant nationwide spike once the current one dies down, which it appears to be doing already.

Edited January 24, 2021 by Snake Diggity

I’m thinking about volunteering to help with vaccine distribution. Anyone here already doing so? Seems like a community need that is accelerating 

1 hour ago, NAVY said:

I’m thinking about volunteering to help with vaccine distribution. Anyone here already doing so? Seems like a community need that is accelerating 

If you find out how to do that, please post it on this thread.

Edited January 24, 2021 by XYZ

On 1/22/2021 at 11:35 PM, Bernard said:

Eat shit, HEB!!!!! I got my mom a vaccine appointment via City of Houston at Delmar Stadium drive through site for for Tuesday 1/26. 🙂

Signed up for alerts from Everbridge app; subcategory HoustonAlerts; subcategory HoustonRecovers or some such shit... I’m kinda drunk now. 🙂

App alerted me at 4PM today about 1,600 vaccination slots open for next week. I slammed my brakes and stopped on the shoulder of I-45 S near Beltway 8. Greenspoint, represent!!!!  A few taps later, appointment confirmed. A few moments later, all 1,600 slots were filled.

Bernard

 

i got that same alert, im scheduled for thursday. 

Got my second dose yesterday.  The nursing student was hot (no pics, sorry didn’t want to be that guy) but she gave the damned thing into my tricep. 😐

I was talking with the health department director while she was giving me the business. He said they are expecting to get 400 first doses every week going forward. On top of that he is requesting 400 additional first doses to transfer to the hospital and my Shop. Looks like that didn’t work this week, but hopefully next week I’ll be iff the sidelines and into the game. 

Got 1st shot (Moderna) on Friday.  No side effects. Injection site a little sore, but only if touched.

EMT who oversaw the 15 minute observation period commented that the 10 dose vials actualy had enough for 12 doses.

50 minutes ago, 77horn said:

EMT who oversaw the 15 minute observation period commented that the 10 dose vials actualy had enough for 12 doses.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/23/us/us-coronavirus-saturday/index.html

Something to that effect.

Right, so in my youth I was in the first gulf war. I served my country, but I never really got the feeling that I served/protected my fellow citizens. I mean really? Were my friends, family and neighbors really in danger? 

Covid is different. Covid is local. Covid is fucked. I'm probably not in danger of death, but others are. And the economy is falling apart. I feel much different about the need to volunteer in this situation. This is got damn critical. I've had 4 friends and one family member dirt nap from this shit and I'm tired of doing nothing. 

I'm taking a leave of absence from my day job or will just quit if they say fuck you. I still have a part time night gig teaching at UT so we'll be fine. 

A little internet sleuthing found this article (https://www.kxan.com/news/coronavirus/hospitalizations/volunteer-group-of-ut-austin-students-faculty-and-graduates-ready-to-fill-medical-staffing-shortages/) about The University of Texas Medical Reserve Corps stepping up to help with vaccine delivery. I'm not a medical person but they take non-medical surly bastards like me. 

To sign up, you have to join The Texas Disaster Volunteer Registry (https://www.texasdisastervolunteerregistry.org) and then select the Medical Reserve Corps in your area. I'm a 5 minute walk to campus so UTMRC is now my org. 

Like all .gov websites, it's unclear about next steps beyond UTMRC contacting me in the next couple of days about being assigned to a local mission. Until then, I see there are some courses to take so I'm jumping in to learn the lingo and command structure.  

I'll keep y'all updated. Aye aye fuck it. 

3 hours ago, 4HE said:

Got my second dose yesterday.  The nursing student was hot (no pics, sorry didn’t want to be that guy) but she gave the damned thing into my tricep. 😐

I was talking with the health department director while she was giving me the business. He said they are expecting to get 400 first doses every week going forward. On top of that he is requesting 400 additional first doses to transfer to the hospital and my Shop. Looks like that didn’t work this week, but hopefully next week I’ll be iff the sidelines and into the game. 

I’ve heard that the best way for a location to get more doses is to keep proving they can quickly inject the doses as quickly as possible. The state wants more vaccinations so successful locations and providers will be rewarded with more and more opportunity. And I don’t believe there are guarantees, but it makes sense this will occur.

9 minutes ago, NAVY said:

Right, so in my youth I was in the first gulf war. I served my country, but I never really got the feeling that I served/protected my fellow citizens. I mean really? Were my friends, family and neighbors really in danger? 

I wish more people would think like that.

6 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I’ve heard that the best way for a location to get more doses is to keep proving they can quickly inject the doses as quickly as possible. The state wants more vaccinations so successful locations and providers will be rewarded with more and more opportunity. And I don’t believe there are guarantees, but it makes sense this will occur.

That’s my understanding as well. All doses sent to our county are in arms within 2-3 days after receipt. Small county and only getting 400-500 per week, but at this rate we will have the whole county vaccinated in 6 months. That’s if everyone would take it. We know that isn’t happening...  So we may be done in 3-4

6 hours ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I’ve heard that the best way for a location to get more doses is to keep proving they can quickly inject the doses as quickly as possible. The state wants more vaccinations so successful locations and providers will be rewarded with more and more opportunity. And I don’t believe there are guarantees, but it makes sense this will occur.

That reminds me - at Methodist yesterday I asked “what happens when we come back for shot 2 and there are no shots?” to the administering nurse.  Some admin lady overheard, and came over to say “that won’t happen.  We are bypassing the state and getting ours directly from Pfizer amd Moderna to ensure supply. ”

When I pressed she reiterated that all they’re doing is reporting their vaccine supply numbers to the state, not getting them from or through government channels. She said they were designated as a “hub” by the state because they were able to get supply, not the other way around.

I thought that was pretty interesting.  

Bell County and Williamson County continue to let people schedule appointments while NOT contacting their wait list participants first.

These wait lists are going to be useless for a while. Just find the direct scheduling links and refresh all day.

Just slammed a reservation through for myself at the Family Hospital whatever in CP.

I’m 1b, so no guilt.

43 minutes ago, Liquor and Poker said:

That reminds me - at Methodist yesterday I asked “what happens when we come back for shot 2 and there are no shots?” to the administering nurse.  Some admin lady overheard, and came over to say “that won’t happen.  We are bypassing the state and getting ours directly from Pfizer amd Moderna to ensure supply. ”

When I pressed she reiterated that all they’re doing is reporting their vaccine supply numbers to the state, not getting them from or through government channels. She said they were designated as a “hub” by the state because they were able to get supply, not the other way around.

I thought that was pretty interesting.  

From my googling and reading, I think the way it is works is:

1. Sites are putting in requests for doses, so a hub might request 10,000 doses for next week.  Hubs are supposed to have the capacity to inject those doses during the week, not to hold on to doses.

2. The state is granting requests via their weekly vaccine list.

3. During the week after the grant, those quantities of doses arrive ... probably shipped directly from the manufacturer.  There are kits that come with it with all of the stuff you need to inject the vax.

4. Three (Pfizer) or four (Moderna) weeks later, a second identical shipment arrives for second doses.

So the doses are probably coming directly from the manufacturer but the trigger for the whole thing is to get on the state allocation list.  The state isn't getting a giant bulk drop and then parcelling it out to the sites.

Edited January 25, 2021 by Texas Jeff

That makes sense.  Seems like the hubs are getting the most bang for the buck.   

1 hour ago, Texas Jeff said:

From my googling and reading, I think the way it is works is:

1. Sites are putting in requests for doses, so a hub might request 10,000 doses for next week.  Hubs are supposed to have the capacity to inject those doses during the week, not to hold on to doses.

2. The state is granting requests via their weekly vaccine list.

3. During the week after the grant, those quantities of doses arrive ... probably shipped directly from the manufacturer.  There are kits that come with it with all of the stuff you need to inject the vax.

4. Three (Pfizer) or four (Moderna) weeks later, a second identical shipment arrives for second doses.

So the doses are probably coming directly from the manufacturer but the trigger for the whole thing is to get on the state allocation list.  The state isn't getting a giant bulk drop and then parcelling it out to the sites.

That may be true but I know a person from East Austin who works for Texas HHS who seems to be able to get all her family and friends vaccinated. The system is shit and is pretty much a free for all as far as I can tell. But, I don't think it matters a whole lot. I can envision a time in the next few months where there will be TV ads basically begging people to get vaccinated.

That may be true but I know a person from East Austin who works for Texas HHS who seems to be able to get all her family and friends vaccinated. The system is shit and is pretty much a free for all as far as I can tell. But, I don't think it matters a whole lot. I can envision a time in the next few months where there will be TV ads basically begging people to get vaccinated.

2 hours ago, Texas Jeff said:

From my googling and reading, I think the way it is works is:

1. Sites are putting in requests for doses, so a hub might request 10,000 doses for next week.  Hubs are supposed to have the capacity to inject those doses during the week, not to hold on to doses.

2. The state is granting requests via their weekly vaccine list.

3. During the week after the grant, those quantities of doses arrive ... probably shipped directly from the manufacturer.  There are kits that come with it with all of the stuff you need to inject the vax.

4. Three (Pfizer) or four (Moderna) weeks later, a second identical shipment arrives for second doses.

So the doses are probably coming directly from the manufacturer but the trigger for the whole thing is to get on the state allocation list.  The state isn't getting a giant bulk drop and then parcelling it out to the sites.

FWIW, this woman’s story was that Texas has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with what vaccines Methodist gets, how many they get, or when they get them. It’s just a fact Methodist tells to the state who then publishes it as part of the Weekly Allotment spreadsheet.  
 

I will admit that it was what I wanted to hear - and that may have been the actual point of the whole story. 

Hey, something that just occurred to me.  What’s the plan, idea, thought or whatever about vaccinations for those under 16? Are there tests going on of kids?  Do they do that?  I guess they must.  I know one or the other between Pfizer and Moderna went down to 12 in their trials, but right now aren’t kids undet 16 just not supposed to get the shot even if they’re otherwise high risk?

My kids turn 15 this week and they’d be first in line if it was possible.  They want this shit over worse than their parents. 

3 hours ago, scottsins said:

Bell County and Williamson County continue to let people schedule appointments while NOT contacting their wait list participants first.

These wait lists are going to be useless for a while. Just find the direct scheduling links and refresh all day.

Just slammed a reservation through for myself at the Family Hospital whatever in CP.

I’m 1b, so no guilt.

we're all 1B my friend...

8 hours ago, Bevo said:

That may be true but I know a person from East Austin who works for Texas HHS who seems to be able to get all her family and friends vaccinated. The system is shit and is pretty much a free for all as far as I can tell. But, I don't think it matters a whole lot. I can envision a time in the next few months where there will be TV ads basically begging people to get vaccinated.

There are always some people that will bend if not break rules. I could see insiders knowing when schedules will be opening and letting someone know. And if the friends and family meet the current who-to-vaccine criteria, at least the vaccine program is continuing to meet its goals. However I agree that creating a higher priority for friends and family goes against the spirit of the program even all of them are 75+.

There are always some people that will bend if not break rules. I could see insiders knowing when schedules will be opening and letting someone know. And if the friends and family meet the current who-to-vaccine criteria, at least the vaccine program is continuing to meet its goals. However I agree that creating a higher priority for friends and family goes against the spirit of the program even all of them are 75+.

Can confirm that it's pretty easy to skip the line if you know the right person. Group 1b will basically end up being "high risk people and also family of doctors or anyone in leadership in healthcare".

(I did not skip the line. I will once we're vaccinating all groups)

Shockingly, there are definitely people making up their 1b status 

A doctor in Houston in on trial from sneaking a vial home and vaccinating his family.   If its going to go to waste.  I dont care.  If that could have gone into an olds arm different story.   If this was all orderly and efficient I'd say no one has the right to skip but the fact that there seems to be no real understanding of when just normal people will get it creates the chaos.   

Edited January 25, 2021 by midtown

Shockingly, there are definitely people making up their 1b status 

Who cares. Just get shots in arms.

49 minutes ago, Neonmoon said:

Shockingly, there are definitely people making up their 1b status 

I imagine there are a nonzero amount of vaccinations of body builder types who have 30+ BMI and qualify as 1b via obesity, which is pretty funny.

1 hour ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

agree that creating a higher priority for friends and family goes against the spirit of the program even all of them are 75+.

The providers are happy to let some people move to the front of the line. It’s official policy, not just an rogue employee. Just about the time I secured my mom’s appointment via the City of Houston alert map, a doc I know at a local hospital sent me a link for friends and family to sign up for the vaccine. The link included a definition of “immediate family” that I didn’t fit, but he insisted I could sign up that way anyway.

Bernard

12 hours ago, scottsins said:

Bell County and Williamson County continue to let people schedule appointments while NOT contacting their wait list participants first.

These wait lists are going to be useless for a while. Just find the direct scheduling links and refresh all day.

Just slammed a reservation through for myself at the Family Hospital whatever in CP.

I’m 1b, so no guilt.

Where did you find your direct scheduling link?

Mrs. Brat & I are both 1b and have been registered (and reregistered) at APH & FHS for three weeks with no response to schedule an appointment.

The providers are happy to let some people move to the front of the line. It’s official policy, not just an rogue employee. Just about the time I secured my mom’s appointment via the City of Houston alert map, a doc I know at a local hospital sent me a link for friends and family to sign up for the vaccine. The link included a definition of “immediate family” that I didn’t fit, but he insisted I could sign up that way anyway.
Bernard

We donated furniture this weekend to a young couple. She offered up that she’s been working for a contact tracing group and that are still lots of issues with not enough 1a / 1b at various locations and that these sign up links often pop up and that she’ll share with us when she sees them. I won’t say no if a dose would go to waste otherwise.

Also, on my vaccine registration /signup I thought about checking a history of cancer given basal cell skin “cancers” i’ve had removed, but they are cosmetic and couldn’t in good conscience.

1 hour ago, Neonmoon said:

Shockingly, there are definitely people making up their 1b status 

Not me....

 

34 minutes ago, texhorn said:

Who cares. Just get shots in arms.

I agree with this to some extent. The more bureaucracy that is placed on the process, the slower the process will become. I do believe that vaccine centers and hubs should follow their and the state rules, but it might be better to accept some shenanigans will occur as opposed to requiring more admin tasks to prevent said shenanigans. Now, the state medical boards can warn their members that willfully and knowingly breaking the guidelines could lead to discipline measures. 

2 hours ago, Armybrat said:

Not me....

 

You sleep on a twin at home?

Merck is stopping the development of their vaccine due to disappointing results. 

Merck is stopping the development of their vaccine due to disappointing results. 

Well that ain’t great. What kind of vaccine was it?

3 minutes ago, midtown said:

Merck is stopping the development of their vaccine due to disappointing results. 

That sucks.  And really amplifies the point that we struck the fucking lotto with the mRNA approach pumping out two vaccines. 

The results from a Phase 1 trial, described briefly in Merck’s press release, were resoundingly disappointing. The hope was that Merck’s vaccines, which were unique because they used viruses that could replicate once they were in the body, would be long-lasting, one-dose vaccines. The virus used for the vaccine being developed with IAVI is the one used in Merck’s successful vaccine against Ebola. The other vaccine used measles virus, a type of vaccine Merck has manufactured for decades.

 

The whole article here: 

https://www.statnews.com/2021/01/25/in-a-major-setback-merck-to-stop-developing-its-two-covid-19-vaccines-and-focus-on-therapies/

Edited January 25, 2021 by midtown

4 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Well that ain’t great. What kind of vaccine was it?

Two different vector vaccine candidates. 

 

 

8 minutes ago, Anastasis said:

Two different vector vaccine candidates. 

 

 

So....they failed TWICE?   Who's running their program, Tom Herman?

17 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Well that ain’t great. What kind of vaccine was it?

 

55 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

So....they failed TWICE?   Who's running their program, Tom Herman?

Merck has a very strong vaccine line of business. They took a swing and missed. GSK also falling short.  Just proves up that the shotgun approach to vax development was the right approach. 

Jesus.  Pick what you want to believe on this South African strain's vaccine resistance.  

CBS - we're fucked.  Just pack it in.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-africa-covid-strain-resistance-antibodies-coronavirus-vaccine-latest-research/

Washington DC CBS affiliate says Johns-Hopkins says not to worry too much:

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/what-do-we-know-about-the-south-african-strain-of-coronavirus/65-a3b45afc-daaf-4c5a-8f7a-bcfecdf9123e

Salon floating in the middle:

https://www.salon.com/2021/01/23/the-south-african-coronavirus-mutation-can-infect-multiple-times-could-hamper-vaccine/

CFR says who knows but don't panic yet:

https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-dangerous-are-new-covid-19-strains

3 minutes ago, Liquor and Poker said:

Jesus.  Pick what you want to believe on this South African strain's vaccine resistance.  

CBS - we're fucked.  Just pack it in.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-africa-covid-strain-resistance-antibodies-coronavirus-vaccine-latest-research/

Washington DC CBS affiliate says Johns-Hopkins says not to worry too much:

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/what-do-we-know-about-the-south-african-strain-of-coronavirus/65-a3b45afc-daaf-4c5a-8f7a-bcfecdf9123e

Salon floating in the middle:

https://www.salon.com/2021/01/23/the-south-african-coronavirus-mutation-can-infect-multiple-times-could-hamper-vaccine/

CFR says who knows but don't panic yet:

https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/how-dangerous-are-new-covid-19-strains

Moderna already ramping up a new vaccine, despite saying that it works against the SA variant. 

 

1 minute ago, Anastasis said:

Moderna already ramping up a new vaccine, despite saying that it works against the SA variant. 

 

Yep.  AZ says their vaccine will work against the new strains, too.

https://www.businessinsider.com/astrazeneca-vaccine-seen-working-for-new-covid-19-strains-2020-12

And here's a NYT article quoting the same doctor as the CBS "we're fucked" article but coming to a very different conclusion:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/09/world/europe/coronavirus-mutations.html

So yet again we just wait and see.  In masks. 6-20 feet apart.

Moderna already ramping up a new vaccine, despite saying that it works against the SA variant. 
 

“The variant found in Britain had no effect on the levels of neutralizing antibodies — the type that can disable the virus — produced after vaccination. But with the form from South Africa, there was a sixfold reduction in those levels.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/25/world/covid-19-coronavirus/moderna-says-its-vaccine-provokes-a-weaker-response-against-the-south-african-variant

5 minutes ago, texhorn said:

“The variant found in Britain had no effect on the levels of neutralizing antibodies — the type that can disable the virus — produced after vaccination. But with the form from South Africa, there was a sixfold reduction in those levels.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/01/25/world/covid-19-coronavirus/moderna-says-its-vaccine-provokes-a-weaker-response-against-the-south-african-variant

"Even so, the company said, those antibodies “remain above levels that are expected to be protective.”  Same article.  Very next sentence.

Same exact statements produced this article, too:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-moderna-vaccine-south-africa-uk-variants-coronavirus-should-work/

This whole thread is good:

 

I just made my appointment with H‑E‑B for my second shot.  If anyone else got their first shot there and hasn’t gotten a text with a link for scheduling the second appt, call them and have them send it to you.  I never received it and some coworkers of mine were unsubscribed from their alert system for no reason.  After I got the link on Friday, I have been clicking it nonstop until some appointments opened up for next week just a few minutes ago.  I will get shot 2 on day 30, close enough.  It feels good to have it scheduled.

Also, none of my 3 coworkers got the scheduling link you need to make the appointment that they should have gotten automatically.  If I hadn’t told them there were appointments, they would not have been notified.

Picked up a piece from NY today that says China is really pissed that there vaccine is only 60% effective vs America's that are +90%.   Don't be surprised if people start quoting some of the mis-information China is apparently pushing out.  There are multiple articles about it.  Worth a google if you want to stay up on the whole topic.