Can we talk COVID and how it affected you financially, emotionally, physically, etc?

[QuarterMillionMan]

Everyone eligible should get the booster. Mixing and matching brands doesn’t matter. And I wouldn’t step foot in an airport or plane right now without an N95 or KN95 mask on.

For me on the plane it would be either get vax'd or wear a mask, one or the other but not both. For me, I cringe at the thought of wearing a mask for 6 hours or more on the plane so I'll get the vax.

[disneysteve]

For me on the plane it would be either get vax'd or wear a mask, one or the other but not both. For me, I cringe at the thought of wearing a mask for 6 hours or more on the plane so I'll get the vax.

Vaccines don't keep you from catching COVID. Masks do. I've worn a mask for up to 12 hours/day at work since March 2020. Doing it for a few hours on a plane is no big deal to me. I don't work that much now but I still wear an N95 for my full 4-hour shift.

[QuarterMillionMan]

CVS took too long so I left without getting vax'd. Checked in at 5:30 pm for my 5:45 pm appointment. At 6:45 pm I notified the technician that I'll reschedule for another appointment later. Another man also had to leave. Part of the reason the pharmacist an elderly Asian woman was so slow taking about 15 minutes per patient. Another guy also left as well. Another reason my feet were getting sore standing and waiting from the cheap $39 Fila tennis shoes that I recently bought and posted about here in the good feet thread which is my fault for buying those cheap uncomfortable shoes. About 6 people were waiting ahead of me for a shot but not sure if they were all waiting for the COVID shot or some other shots. When I left about 15 people were waiting after me for shots but again I'm not sure what shots they were waiting to get. But if they all were waiting for the COVID shot it seems to be in high demand when I read an article somewhere that the demand is low which is contrary to what I observed.

[kork13]

When I left about 15 people were waiting after me for shots but again I'm not sure what shots they were waiting to get. But if they all were waiting for the COVID shot it seems to be in high demand when I read an article somewhere that the demand is low which is contrary to what I observed.

It is also entering the time for folks to get the flu shot, so some of the line may have been that as well. I got that one myself just this week. Not sure when they'll get the COVID booster out here, but I'll probably get that at some point as well. I'm not vehemently for or against it (or others), besides my logic that something so simple & harmless as a vaccine has a significantly outsized benefit.... So why not?

[ua_guy]

My perspective on the flu shot changed over the years. A long time ago, I got into a tiff with an employer who started mandating it. I didn't enjoy working for them and felt it was overstepping their authority, and I was very negatively focused on the vaccine's efficacy and potential for reactions/side effects. I started seeing a different doctor around the same time, and he slapped some sense into me. He agreed it was a personal choice and also got inside my head to argue actual data and relevant studies. It is actually possible to change my mind! lol. Ever since then I've been choosing to take it, on my own, and well before my employer mandates it. I don't take it in their facilities. My husband and I often get it at the same time.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I noticed a pop up community service site in a park across the street from work so walked over to inquire about COVID shots. No appt needed & only 1 person ahead of me so I registered and got it. They only Moderna but beggars can’t be choosy so I got it 20 mins total including waiting 15 mins after the shot. Didn’t have my vax card but they were able to access my previous records online, scary but sign of times I guess of big brother.

[disneysteve]

Didn’t have my vax card but they were able to access my previous records online, scary but sign of times I guess of big brother.

Vaccine records have been online for at least the past two decades or more. That's nothing new. And as electronic medical records have become the norm, that's been one big benefit. Nobody ever remembers when their last tetanus booster was when they come into urgent care after stepping on a nail, but most of the time we can answer that question online and know whether or not we need to give them an updated booster.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Contact tracing was the biggest of Big brother's spying on us little brothers and sisters. Big brother knew every location. In California public service announcements recommended everyone download the app to be prepared just in case ahead of time to notify Big brother if anyone came in contact with someone who had COVID. I understood the logic but no way would I give Big brother my every location.

[disneysteve]

Contact tracing was the biggest of Big brother's spying on us little brothers and sisters. Big brother knew every location. In California public service announcements recommended everyone download the app to be prepared just in case ahead of time to notify Big brother if anyone came in contact with someone who had COVID. I understood the logic but no way would I give Big brother my every location.

Contact tracing has been a component of contagious disease treatment for decades. There is a list of reportable diseases. When we diagnose a patient with one of them, we need to report it to the health department. They then reach out to the patient and perform contact tracing, notifying those who may have been exposed.

COVID posed a far bigger problem than the occasional case of gonorrhea however. A disease that spreads simply by breathing has the potential to rapidly infect millions, exactly as what happened, so manual contact tracing wasn’t an option. They quickly employed new technology to automate the process which was quite amazing.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I didn't know that, thanks for the schooling. Moderna was rough on me last night. Started with a sore arm which is still sore, then chills. Still feel sluggish but luckily WFH today.

[ua_guy]

I noticed a pop up community service site in a park across the street from work so walked over to inquire about COVID shots. No appt needed & only 1 person ahead of me so I registered and got it. They only Moderna but beggars can’t be choosy so I got it 20 mins total including waiting 15 mins after the shot. Didn’t have my vax card but they were able to access my previous records online, scary but sign of times I guess of big brother.

Contract tracing and vaccine registries are two very different things. Either one typically involves consent, providing contact information, or being informed of policy.

The CDC no longer prints the vaccination cards for Covid.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I read that too that CDC no longer prints vax cards so I was delighted when the Parks & Recreation COVID pop-up site issued me a vax card for yesterday's vax. It helps me to remember the exact date I got it rather than writing it down somewhere. Update, my body aches like I aged 5 years overnight. Not sure if I can do my daily 100 sit-ups, 50 squats, dumb bell curls, jog around my neighborhood, etc. But I will push myself to try.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Today I got my flu shot at the same Los Angeles County parks & recreation pop up site. Can someone answer my question as to why they only took my ID and not my insurance card which I offered to them but they said only ID is required for the flu shot. They said for the COVID shot insurance is also required which I recalled 2 weeks ago when I got the COVID shot indeed they asked for my insurance card. Is the flu shot funded by the government? Years past when I took the flu shot at CVS or Walgreens I am pretty sure they took my insurance card.

[disneysteve]

Today I got my flu shot at the same Los Angeles County parks & recreation pop up site. Can someone answer my question as to why they only took my ID and not my insurance card which I offered to them but they said only ID is required for the flu shot. They said for the COVID shot insurance is also required which I recalled 2 weeks ago when I got the COVID shot indeed they asked for my insurance card. Is the flu shot funded by the government? Years past when I took the flu shot at CVS or Walgreens I am pretty sure they took my insurance card.

Maybe because you were there before so they have your insurance on file already.

[QuarterMillionMan]

That makes sense. It was the exact same crew from 2 weeks ago as well. I'm thinking they are Los Angeles county public health employees as opposed to a contract private agency hired by the county but I didn't ask them. Today I was the only patient and no others getting shots so total time was 3 minutes from registration to out the door.