Coronavirus in Massachusetts (Swiss, reputation, house)

[yesmaybe]

MA got a decent shipment of vaccine today - 130k.

[bizcuit]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

I agree. In at least 2 other states (Ohio, New Jersey) where relatives/close friends in vulnerable groups have been vaccinated, they were able to sign up in advance of when their Phase was officially open. Yes, in some cases the initial time slots were showing way out in March, or even May, but they were at least able to get something on the calendar, and keep looking after the Phase opened to see if they could get in earlier (which they did). The MA system is chaotic and confusing by comparison, and I continue to be alarmed by the large number of open/unclaimed slots (there's hundreds showing at Springfield today, for example).

What I don't understand is, the country has been at this long enough at this point to have concrete some lessons learned by now. Some states seem to be doing much this fairly well, while other states, like Massachusetts, are failing miserably. Why aren't the states who are not doing this right learning from the states that are better managing their rollout?

[GeoffD]

Originally Posted by bizcuit

This is so sad. I am so afraid that I am going to be the loser who gets covid a week before I am finally scheduled to get a vaccine (whenever that will be). I am being very careful, but with the more contagious variants out there, who knows what we're in for?

Yep. I went back to InstaCart and curbside pickup. I’m now close enough to the finish line that I’d be a total moron to do anything beyond what epidemiologists classify as “low risk”. My fiancée and my cat are inside my bubble and that’s it. Two people on either side of a 6-seat chairlift wearing masks is as close as I plan to get to anyone.

[rach5]

Long (2 hr!) lines in the cold. https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news...astfield-mall/
Seriously? How many are catching covid waiting like this in the cold for hours (which lowers your immune system)? How many elderly/infirm simply can't stand in line that long/have to use the bathroom etc. Why no drive through clinics? This is a war-time effort, and we are failing...This time, we had months of advance notice - there is no excuse. I should mention that MA is still doing FAR better than neighboring RI... At least there are appointments available.

[bizcuit]

Originally Posted by htfdcolt

This is my nightmare scenario also. Partly because I'm a firm "Phase 3", unless I hang out near a senior community trying to strike a quid pro quo with a horny widow before then.

Well, I'm glad to know that I'm not alone anyway!

[bizcuit]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Yep. I went back to InstaCart and curbside pickup. I’m now close enough to the finish line that I’d be a total moron to do anything beyond what epidemiologists classify as “low risk”. My fiancée and my cat are inside my bubble and that’s it. Two people on either side of a 6-seat chairlift wearing masks is as close as I plan to get to anyone.

Me too. I was going to the grocery store, but am back to delivery now. I am also double-masking when I do go out (which isn't often).

[robr2]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

We don't even know yet if the vaccines prevent asymptomatic transmission. We're flying blind. The best data collection is in Israel. Half the country has now had two vaccinations. They should have a pretty good sense for whether herd immunity is even possible in another 3 or 4 months assuming they vaccinate the Palestinians, too.

Israel finally released 5000 doses to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to vaccinate front line workers. Their stance is that they are under no obligation to care for Palestinians in occupied territory under current treaties and are offering vaccines only to those in occupied East Jerusalem.

[rach5]

Originally Posted by bizcuit

This is so sad. I am so afraid that I am going to be the loser who gets covid a week before I am finally scheduled to get a vaccine (whenever that will be). I am being very careful, but with the more contagious variants out there, who knows what we're in for?

Thinking the same thing.

[msRB311]

Does anyone know anyone who has had one of the new variants? Or is there a way to even tell ?

[OutdoorLover]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Does anyone know anyone who has had one of the new variants? Or is there a way to even tell ?

Here's an article out of Johns Hopkins. Just skimmed it, but from what I can see there, I don't see any mention of routine clinical tests capable of speciating the various variants that have been identified as being of concern. In fact, some tests can apparently fail to detect the infection at all... these PCR tests are very selective for particular genetic codes, but this very property can also make them miss when the organism has a number of mutations relative to the reference sequence.

They do say that the CDC is setting up surveillance efforts to monitor, identify and track the evolution of the virus here - ideally that information should be fed back into testing and vaccine R&D to be sure these tools remain effective wherever the virus' evolutionary paths take it. It's doable, but all this takes time to set up and work out of course.

https://www.jhsph.edu/covid-19/artic...9-testing.html