Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Boston, Pittsfield, Franklin: frost, insurance, homes)

[msRB311]

I don't think anyone feels like they can escape this. Although in a rural area like it or not there is less exposure than if you live in a crowded city. Doesn't mean people in rural areas shouldn't follow the rules though.

[sawyer2]

Key questions to be answered are the durability of the vaccine and continued transmission risk of those who have been vaccinated.

Also, although the focus has been on the mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer, there are more vaccines in late stage clinical development that will drive the global roll out - from J&J, Astrazeneca, Novavax and many others

https://www.raps.org/news-and-articl...accine-tracker

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I don't think anyone feels like they can escape this. Although in a rural area like it or not there is less exposure than if you live in a crowded city. Doesn't mean people in rural areas shouldn't follow the rules though.

I just think any time they report a place is "low" they go crazy. It happened with Stergis and then Vermont etc.

Remember this one from '83 (dramatic but safe). Keep in mind she said that it was just five days. We're beyond weeks and months. Now we're looking at mid Fall for normalcy. I trust Falchi but I thought it was mid late summer and now it's back a few months. I think it would be really hard for people to have a second separated Thanksgiving.

You can't see it, you can feel it and you cant taste it.

https://youtu.be/Iyy9n8r16hs?t=4871

[charolastra00]

Hope everyone made it through the storm ok!


For an experience I never expected: my neighbors parked on either side of me and I all had to shovel our cars out at the same time to move them in time for the plow that clears our lot. We all wore masks because we were close to each other and breathing heavily. As if shoveling couldn't get worse!

[in_newengland]

I wish they'd hurry up and get the elderly vaccinated, not just the elderly who live in assisted living and nursing homes. Yes, the virus spreads there but at least the people in assisted living can stay relatively isolated (meals brought to their apartment or room) and they don't have to go out into the world.

But most elderly people don't have those luxuries. They are babysitting for the grandchildren or maybe they have part time jobs, they have to get groceries (or at least go and get pickup or have delivery), they have to put gas in the car, get to the doctor, and many need dental appointments or have put off surgeries and medical tests. They have to take care of themselves, to cook and clean, and can't afford to get COVID with no one to look after them. Many of them live alone in apartments.

Anyway, this group of independent elderly would even help the economy if they could get the vaccine because they would travel, eat out, go shopping. I don't think they should have to wait until Feb or March or even later. This is the age when people are more likely to die from COVID.

[rach5]

Originally Posted by in_newengland

I wish they'd hurry up and get the elderly vaccinated, not just the elderly who live in assisted living and nursing homes. Yes, the virus spreads there but at least the people in assisted living can stay relatively isolated (meals brought to their apartment or room) and they don't have to go out into the world.

But most elderly people don't have those luxuries. They are babysitting for the grandchildren or maybe they have part time jobs, they have to get groceries (or at least go and get pickup or have delivery), they have to put gas in the car, get to the doctor, and many need dental appointments or have put off surgeries and medical tests. They have to take care of themselves, to cook and clean, and can't afford to get COVID with no one to look after them. Many of them live alone in apartments.

Anyway, this group of independent elderly would even help the economy if they could get the vaccine because they would travel, eat out, go shopping. I don't think they should have to wait until Feb or March or even later. This is the age when people are more likely to die from COVID.

Your second paragraph is precisely why the idea of isolating the vulnerable is wishful thinking! Not to mention that the idea of isolating for many many months when you have only a few more years of life left and your abilities are on a steady decline (physically and mentally) is all the more cruel. Most other people have many, many years of joy left once this pandemic winds down.

[yesmaybe]

Originally Posted by sawyer2

Key questions to be answered are the durability of the vaccine and continued transmission risk of those who have been vaccinated.

Also, although the focus has been on the mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer, there are more vaccines in late stage clinical development that will drive the global roll out - from J&J, Astrazeneca, Novavax and many others

https://www.raps.org/news-and-articl...accine-tracker

J&J and AZ are going to be too late I think. At least in the US. The Feds already bought 200M doses of Moderna's and 100M of Pfizer's, and there's been talk about them buying another 100M of Pfizer's vaccine. That should be plenty to cover Adults in the US, presuming you will only get so much of the adult population to take it.

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by yesmaybe

J&J and AZ are going to be too late I think. At least in the US. The Feds already bought 200M doses of Moderna's and 100M of Pfizer's, and there's been talk about them buying another 100M of Pfizer's vaccine. That should be plenty to cover Adults in the US, presuming you will only get so much of the adult population to take it.

It’s two doses so you have to divide those numbers by two. In the longer term, I expect we will all be getting our COVID-19 shot at least once per year. The RNA vaccines are expensive and a PITA to transport and store. Assuming they are effective, I’d expect to see the more traditional vaccines replace the biotech miracle vaccines at some point in 2021. In the mean time, we vaccinate the front line workers and geezers. My guess is that they’ll be getting vaccinated again in 6 months. We don’t know how long the vaccines remain effective but people with natural antibodies are getting infected again at 6 months so it’s a plausible guess.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

It’s two doses so you have to divide those numbers by two. In the longer term, I expect we will all be getting our COVID-19 shot at least once per year. The RNA vaccines are expensive and a PITA to transport and store. Assuming they are effective, I’d expect to see the more traditional vaccines replace the biotech miracle vaccines at some point in 2021. In the mean time, we vaccinate the front line workers and geezers. My guess is that they’ll be getting vaccinated again in 6 months. We don’t know how long the vaccines remain effective but people with natural antibodies are getting infected again at 6 months so it’s a plausible guess.

thousands have been over frozen. This is logistics at its finest. If you don't give states and local governments support for this they might not be able to do this. Berkshire county for example has only one hospital for 120,000 people and no drug store clinics. Personally I think the big E fairgrounds would be a great logistical center for all of this but I don't make the plans.Franklin county is going up and it's only 70k people.

Either people go to the vaccine or the vaccine goes to the people. Chances are we're going to need fleets of buses to make anything work.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by mdovell

Either people go to the vaccine or the vaccine goes to the people. Chances are we're going to need fleets of buses to make anything work.

The Pfizer must be stored at -70C (-94F), but from what I understand the Moderna can be stored at normal refrigerator temperature.

Buses sound like a really bad idea.