Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Newburyport: confidential, home, buying)

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Looks like Northeastern is now requiring vaccines for the Fall

https://news.northeastern.edu/2021/0...nts-this-fall/

Guess that means incoming students from other countries need to get the trio of vaccines available here.

My only hesitation is the fact that the Covid Vaccines are fully approved yet and EUA at this time. I know that Pfizer is requesting full approval now, and likely will have it for the fall so that should settle that issue.

Is that your personal hesitation, or is there a potential legal issue? Only asking because I believe Rutgers was the first major university to announce this requirement for incoming fall students, about 2 weeks ago. If this can hold up to the legal challenges, I can see the dominoes falling quickly and universities/colleges starting to make similar announcements.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Is that your personal hesitation, or is there a potential legal issue? Only asking because I believe Rutgers was the first major university to announce this requirement for incoming fall students, about 2 weeks ago. If this can hold up to the legal challenges, I can see the dominoes falling quickly and universities/colleges starting to make similar announcements.

Not a personal hesitation. I'm getting my vaccine. More or along the lines of legal, however I believe Pfizer will likely be fully approved by the fall, so my hesitation for legal reasons is likely moot.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Not a personal hesitation. I'm getting my vaccine. More or along the lines of legal, however I believe Pfizer will likely be fully approved by the fall, so my hesitation for legal reasons is likely moot.

Is it illegal to require a vaccine that's under EUA? There is zero mention of any such contingency in today's announcement.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Is it illegal to require a vaccine that's under EUA? There is zero mention of any such contingency in today's announcement.

Hard to get a clear answer.

https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard....date-business/


That’s specific to businesses and employees, so not sure it applies to a private college. However, like I said, this may all be moot by the fall anyway so i'm really not too hung up on it

[NorthofHere]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

Well, I don't know. Just got off the phone with my friend who is in the hospital with COVID and he sounds better. He's the one who had one shot of Moderna and was due for the next one April 9th. He said he's hoping to get out in time to get the shot. I told him I don't think he'll be getting the shot any time soon. He is immune now and they make people who have had COVID wait for...? months? before getting the shot. What a mess--does he start all over again with shot #1 or does he get shot #2 and when does he get them?

At least he said he got the drug Remdesivir or at least that's what he thinks he got. Said it started with an "R." Could have been the other "R" drug but whatever it is, he sounds better than he did.

From talking with him I also found out what happened to his elderly woman friend who is homebound and was exposed to COVID when he visited her. Turns out she is now in the hospital too. She called 911 and was admitted today. She wasn't returning my calls and I was concerned since she lives alone and twice tried to get the vaccine but both times there was not enough vaccine available when the time came.

I am a bit upset! This woman is almost 80 years old, legally blind, lives alone and should have had the vaccine when it first came out. Now younger people can get vaccinated but they still haven't figured out how to get the vaccine to a homebound elderly person who was in the first group! This is in the Newburyport area.

I believe it is two weeks or at least it was when I got mine back in January and February. No he doesn't start all over again. He can delay up to six weeks maybe more but if he delays it until the end of April he'll be good.

A quick search provided this number to call for homebound seniors to get the vaccine

Homebound residents can call 1-844-771-1628. The line is staffed 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Is that your personal hesitation, or is there a potential legal issue? Only asking because I believe Rutgers was the first major university to announce this requirement for incoming fall students, about 2 weeks ago. If this can hold up to the legal challenges, I can see the dominoes falling quickly and universities/colleges starting to make similar announcements.

Roger Williams University (Bristol, RI) is also requiring students to be vaccinated.

The problem, as I see it, is that there are exceptions for medical and religious reasons. I guess they probably have to do that for legal reasons, but it defeats the purpose.

[in_newengland]

Originally Posted by rach5

This is really really awful. Truly - she should have been amongst the very first to receive the vaccine - still living independently (and therefore likely with a higher quality of life than many nursing home residents), but not able to isolate due to disabilities. A true, entirely predictable, oversight of the system that may cost this lady her life (and, I suspect, if she dies, your friend will have a feeling of guilt for what they had assumed was a good deed helping a friend). I have an older homebound relative who booked an ambulance to make it to a mass vaccination center (not in MA), as the homebound vaccinations kept being postponed. Second shot this week, again via an ambulance-type transportation service. However, had help getting signed up and getting the ambulance...so one of the lucky ones.

I just called the hospital and, yes, she is in there with COVID. She sounded in good spirits though but she is the upbeat type anyway. I hope she recovers and gets outa there. She said her friend who took her for a ride and helps her (and gave her COVID in the process) is in a room across the hall.

I see someone gave the phone number to call--thank you. I am out of state but if she gets through this, I will call it for her and if it takes an ambulance to get her there then that's how it will be done. The state dropped the ball at the beginning when elderly homebound people should have had someone set it up and take them OR just have someone come to the house.

[yesmaybe]

Reading the article it sounds like the FDA could in theory allow companies/orgs to mandate but they haven't so far. It's one of those where you may as well fully approve.

Still haven't seen anything about what they will do about students overseas who got a vaccine that hasn't/won't be approved here.

[htfdcolt]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

Reading the article it sounds like the FDA could in theory allow companies/orgs to mandate but they haven't so far. It's one of those where you may as well fully approve.

Still haven't seen anything about what they will do about students overseas who got a vaccine that hasn't/won't be approved here.

Arrive 2 weeks ahead, quarantine, and get the vaccine here.

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

Arrive 2 weeks ahead, quarantine, and get the vaccine here.

You run into the issue as to whether having two different vaccines would cause unknown side effects.