Mostly Apolitical Thread for Discussing/Venting our Rational/Irrational COVID-19 Fears and Experiences in 2020

I slept for an hour immediately after my shot but my radiotherapy sometimes makes me sleepy anyway. No signs of anything else yet.

We're on the UK's 12 week mass vaccine experiment so looking at May before I'll consider myself protected.

Ned, if you consider outdoor dining, may I recommend lunch instead of dinner? Much less crowded.

That was definitely the plan. And again, I'll see how I feel when I'm there.

I suspect your city, like mine, is one of the few where outdoor dining is comfortable but not comfortable enough for customers who insist on heat, therefore stay home, so it's a best-case scenario.

Yeah the heaters are definitely out as needed. But this being SF, a lot of people just go for it regardless.

So here's a thing: a friend of mine who works at an NYC hospital suggested that I look into the option of volunteering at a POD (point of dispersal) station as they apparently offer vaccinations for volunteers. There's no training involved and the work is mostly of the untrained "ushering people in" "getting boxes of gloves from the truck" "signing people in the line up" and rotates between indoor and outdoor work to process as many folks as you can. You're obliged to put in three sessions and they give you the first shot at the first session and the second at the third session. The catch is that each session is TWELVE HOURS of active and on your feet work and, unsurprisingly, the spots that need volunteer help are deep in queens and the bronx.

I've signed up for my first session, about an hour and a half away and running 7am to 7pm, this Monday; the idea is to be fully inoculated by the start of March. My partner had her first shot last week and is likely to go back to hybrid schooling in the upcoming month and the potential of one of us being more at risk than the other was making us pretty terrified. Even so, the inequities of exchanging a 40 hour work week for a life-saving vaccine is simultaneously maddening and a deep relief.

For other NY types curious to check this option out, here's the document they shared with me when I wrote to them:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnrhzfepmclxreu/ServNY%202.0%20Registration%20Guide.docx?dl=0
once you go through all the steps in that document, you have to make an account here:
https://mrcvp.cityofnewyork.us/custom/501/volunteer_home
Then wait till the next business day for them to process your account, log in and then pick a volunteer option.

I feel a bit like this is a set up for a Blumhouse horror movie? Like I show up with six other people and we have to fight our way to the top of the hospital for a hypodermic? Anyway, paranoia aside, I think this is legit and encouraged by the city in that they are desperate for administrative help at these sites.

wow that's wild. let us know how it goes!

sigh. I really need to contact my oncologist to see about getting the jab, since I technically fit two of the criteria for getting it in one of the earlier stages.

There was a work Zoom team meeting today and my boss was saying that 'a couple more' people had died of COVID - though I should point out that thousands of people work for this organization and they're not all in London. It comes the day after we got an email about how a Polish girl who worked here had died at the start of January, which floored me a bit because she was around when I was working there in the first half of December. No cause of death given. She was probably in her late 20s. Very quiet, introverted young woman. Very sad.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the death rate among younger people appears to be higher in the UK for some reason. In Quebec, out of 9973 dead, 1 was 10-19, 6 were 20-29 and 13 were 30-39. If memory serves, all of them had underlying conditions.

New variant? I have no idea what this poor girl died of tbh, so I shouldn't speculate.

I'm extremely frustrated that my parents (70+ but in good all around health) can't get a covid shot in the small town where I grew up, but at least one old friend of mine (30+, afaik in good all around health, not a health care worker) got one somehow. Like I'm guessing it's because she's a lawyer and knows people who provided access, because when I inquired how she got the shot, she said she called the health department directly, and that's what my mom has been doing to no avail. It's such a fucked up process.

guy in shop this morning ignoring the mask sign and the one-way system to buy his cigs, skyr and redbull.

Dunno what skyr is, gonnae guess it's a protein bar

Fake Icelandic yoghurt stuff, because, er, Icelanders are sort of Nordic and healthy. Apparently. It must be all the fish. And yoghurt.

You can eat skyr with a spork near a fjord.

Wearing a skort.

With Bjork.

(skyr is an actual icelandic thing, mentioned in the sagas. uses 4x the milk of normal yoghurt so it's high in protein. but yes, just fancy yoghurt)

Skyr is expensive but good... great texture and has like half the sugar most yogurts do, and no artificial sweeteners.

(less healthy if you breakfast consists of it, Red Bull, and cigarettes though)

Skyr might be an actual Icelandic thing but I'm think the stuff they sell in supermarkets is from Denmark?

Fwiw we've got two different brands of skyr in the fridge right now (we received one for free at the supermarket) and both were made in Canada so I have no idea how it compares to the stuff they sell in Iceland.

the article i just saw was them opening up a skyr processing plant in Yorkshire

Yeah the most commonly available Skyr is from Arla. I liked it at first but I'd rather get Greek yogurt with at least some actual fat in there like Fage's 5%.

^^ seconded. I go through several litres of Greek yoghurt a week. I don't like Skyr's consistency (or lack thereof)

Fat-free yoghurt is an abomination. Turkish 10% fett all the way!

I’m gonna make some with 8x the milk of normal yogurt! Call it skyrx2

the skyr's the limyt

Skyrim.

Frozen condensed milk ice cubes, pill-sized for easy “no more tears” swallowing

Skrillex

I guess our rational/irrational covid fears must be subsiding a bit. maybe that's a good thing.

i was genuinely worried about the guy in the shop fwiw, he blatantly didn't care, worst case i've seen in a month.

Read this in a National Geographic article:

"Changes that are beneficial to the virus can also drive its spread, leading to a variant that out competes other local varieties and may send cases surging. That seems to be what happened in the U.K., Brazil, and South Africa. In the United Kingdom, variant B.1.1.7 likely drove the region's record-setting spike of COVID-19 cases in January. The variant is now circulating in more than 60 countries, including the United States—and projections suggest it will become the most common virus variety in the U.S. by mid-March."

Nobody really thinks the high death rates in the UK and Brazil are related to a *variant* (rather than policy), do they?

The policy is to say they are.

New variant "news" emerged 3 months after it was first identifed as circulation but almost exactly as cases were surging everywhere, pubs were open, and we were being urged into 5 day Christmas get-togethers with elderly relatives.

Ah. I feel like I've only heard the words "new variant" since, um, around Xmas.

I switched cell phones recently and it didn't copy over my login data for the app I use to fill out my eDiary for the COVID-19 study.

getting help to get back in has been next to impossible. I've called four different numbers five times since last Friday, nobody has answered, and I've left voicemails with everybody I know, including my coordinator. I also called the number they provided when they called me and left a voicemail asking me why my diary wasn't done yet.

nothing. i don't care so much about the small reimbursement amount I don't get but the gaps in data I'm supplying! urrrgh.

my coordinator used to call me back same day, so I am guessing they're up to their ears in work at the moment.

My Dad is getting his vaccine (well, first dose) on Monday, which is a relief. He only turned 65 a month ago, so that was lucky. He only has one lung, and diabetes, so I was worried about him, and it took a lot to get him to take it seriously.

So here's a thing: a friend of mine who works at an NYC hospital suggested that I look into the option of volunteering at a POD (point of dispersal) station as they apparently offer vaccinations for volunteers. There's no training involved and the work is mostly of the untrained "ushering people in" "getting boxes of gloves from the truck" "signing people in the line up" and rotates between indoor and outdoor work to process as many folks as you can. You're obliged to put in three sessions and they give you the first shot at the first session and the second at the third session. The catch is that each session is TWELVE HOURS of active and on your feet work and, unsurprisingly, the spots that need volunteer help are deep in queens and the bronx. For other NY types curious to check this option out, here's the document they shared with me when I wrote to them:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnrhzfepmclxreu/ServNY%202.0%20Registration%20Guide.docx?dl=0
once you go through all the steps in that document, you have to make an account here:
https://mrcvp.cityofnewyork.us/custom/501/volunteer_home
Then wait till the next business day for them to process your account, log in and then pick a volunteer option.

Anyway, paranoia aside, I think this is legit and encouraged by the city in that they are desperate for administrative help at these sites.

this worked out and i got my first shot last night. AMA

How do I do that in Minneapolis?

I have no idea! It seems like a replicable program and a smart one to champion as virtually every dispersal unit is undermanned or under administrated.

Great job, forks, and good luck.

Forks that is AWESOME

I have been telling people about this

This week me and my wife found out we both qualify to get the vaccine under cuomo’s new preexisting condition rule that goes into effect on Monday. We both got letters from our docs. Doesn’t look like there’s anywhere with the actual supply to give us shots rn though.

Speaking of supply, this story (granted, Axios) is the clearest I’ve read so far on what the manufacturing process is and where things can change. Pfizer-specific in this case:

https://www.axios.com/vaccine-production-delays-0f361ca0-2227-4f31-a33e-8bb06a78778c.html

okay, this is the letter i sent out to friends detailing my experience; reprinting her to amplify and share

Hey NYC Friend,

I received my first COVID vaccination this week following a volunteer shift with NYC Medical Reserve Corp. They continue to be in need of additional volunteers and I wanted to tell you about my experience so that you can look into this option either for yourself or for your loved ones.

NYC MRC is a city service organization that is primarily built for healthcare professionals to volunteer in times of emergency. With COVID dispersal centers (which they call PODs or "Points of Dispersal") often drastically understaffed, they also need help from non-medical professionals to help check people into the system, act as language interpreters, escort people onsite to be vaccinated, and otherwise do basic customer service work. No prior training is required, they will train you on site. The PODs, mostly operating out of college and high school campuses for social distancing purposes, that currently need staffing assistance are in Bushwick, Jamaica and South Bronx.

Volunteer shifts are available on weekdays and weekends, run 12 hours, from 7am to 7pm (including a pair of half hour breaks) and most if not all positions require you to be on your feet for the entirety of the shift. NYC MRC provides on-site PPE (medical masks, face shields, gloves, sanitizer), lunch and water; you'll want to arrive with your own mask and with your own food if you have dietary restrictions.

It's a lot of high pressure work and, in exchange for your time, NYC MRC is offering full vaccination with the Moderna vaccine for anyone who volunteers for three shifts. They provide the first injection at the end of your first shift and schedule you for your second, 28 to 42 days after, immediately following. You are not required to sign up for all three volunteer shifts at once; they will vaccinate you at the first shift and leave you to sign up for the following dates on the honor system.

For those of us who don't fall neatly into the planned upcoming vaccination schedule, this offers an opportunity to "earn" a vaccine in exchange for public work. I spent about seven hours of my first shift outside, patrolling the very lengthy waiting line to assist disabled or elderly folks and get them to the front of the line so that they didn't need to stand on the sidewalk for an hour. It was by far the greatest amount of exposure I've had with strangers in a year, but it felt generally safe and distanced; literally everyone there was masked. I found the atmosphere at the POD to be chaotic and occasionally dramatic (a few folks passed out and there were occasional arguments when people showed up with missing or late appointments) but generally genial. Most of the many people coming for their second shot were deeply grateful. Ultimately, it was a rewarding - if exhausting - experience and I'm looking forward to my second shift later this month before I return for my second injection in mid-March.

I learned about this program from a friend who is a nurse. Though I have no idea why it's not better publicized, I assume the organization has limited infrastructure to work with large groups of untrained people. That said, they certainly made it clear that they welcomed my help and were openly appreciative of my time. Even if you're already immunized but would still like to give back to the city, this is a pretty good option. To the best of my knowledge, this program is only available to people who work or live in NYC. I do not know of any similar programs for NJ or in any other state, but please share if you do!

If you're interested in applying to volunteer, this document explains how to register to get a ServNY account which is step one:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/fnrhzfepmclxreu/ServNY%202.0%20Registration%20Guide.docx?dl=0

Once you go through all the steps in that document, you'll need to register a separate account with NYC Medical Reserve Corp here:
https://mrcvp.cityofnewyork.us/custom/501/volunteer_home

You'll need to wait until the next full business day after you register for them to update and add your info into their computer system. The organization's infrastructure is severely overtaxed given the circumstances, so don't be surprised if you run into computer problems when you register. If you do run into issues during this process, contact mrcsupp✧✧✧@hea✧✧✧.n✧✧.g✧✧.
I found them surprisingly responsive.

Once you're in the system, log in, go to the dashboard, click "events," then register for a shift under "General Staff" by picking out an available opening. If there are no openings, just set yourself a daily reminder to check in; the system is updated regularly and you should see potential opportunities after a few days.

Here is the long form "what you do on site" explainer but, again, they'll do most of the necessary training once you arrive:
https://dohmh.samaritan.com/custom/506/files/COVID-19-Vaccine-POD-Procedure-Guide.pdf

If you have additional questions, I'm happy to talk. Feel free to pass this email along to anyone who you think might benefit from it.

Thankyouforyourservice forks

I've registered with NJ to be put on the list for a vaccine. I'll be ahead of some others 'cause of being diabetic, but behind plenty of health care workers and old fucks. I'll probably be shot up by June.

I think our village/town has a similar medical reserves system up in place, can't remember if I signed up or not weeks ago. Maybe? I have lots of friends that have conveyed stories of their parents managing to get shots through Byzantine means. A couple of my friends apparently have leads themselves, but to their credit don't feel ethically comfortable cutting the line. One of them does have three kids, though, one with asthma (I assume a priority group), one who is about to turn 16, and a 10-year old. He's worried that we'll hit a point where everyone in his family will be eligible for an available vaccine *except* his two youngest, which would put them all in an awkward position, with 3/5 of them vaccinated but two of them (one more vulnerable) literally unable to get the shot.

I do know that supposedly 500 teachers got their first doses at our high school yesterday, so things are moving along. Also, been watching the Washington Post's vaccine counter, and it's been creeping up a percent or so every day or so, which is encouraging. Right now it says 37.4 million first doses have been given, which is 11.3% of the population, and 30.7% of the prioritized population, so as long as those numbers keep ticking up I'm feeling positive.

My parents got their first doses in MI! I didn't get the whole story but it seems like ppl just registered themselves online and then were contacted with an appt? I'll ask her. Not like in NY where ppl have been refreshing sites for a week for available appts, apparently.

A local mutual aid group was told by the county that public-facing food pantry workers qualified for doses, so it felt really good to tell our volunteers & people who have been staffing food distribution for a year that they were recognized & protected. I do my volunteering remotely from home so I didn't even try.

The food pantry where I volunteer has all been vaccinated, but just the staff. They haven't let regular volunteers do any public-facing work/home delivery/etc. for months, though.

great news io!!