How is the corona virus affecting you?

[caseydog]

I am so lucky really. My kids are all vaccinated with boosters as am I and my partner. But - we still don't want to take any risks at all. They feel the same way so there is no problem or pressure. We'll exchange a few gifts on the doorstep, maintaining distance. You are right to take a stand on this I think, however difficult.

I think you are being more cautious than you need to be. Dr Fauci (our leading authority figure here) and the CDC have both said that it is safe for fully vaccinated (especially if boosted) families to get together for Christmas. My parents are 87 and 89, and we are all triple vaxxed, and we are getting together for Christmas Day.

CD

 

[garlichead]

I think you are being more cautious than you need to be. Dr Fauci (our leading authority figure here) and the CDC have both said that it is safe for fully vaccinated (especially if boosted) families to get together for Christmas. My parents are 87 and 89, and we are all triple vaxxed, and we are getting together for Christmas Day.

CD

Sure sounds logical and they're authorities, but even boosted we're only about 70% guaranteed with Omicron and England is Omicron territory now, which aren't the best odds and gets exponentially worse as the number of people you come into contact with. Compound that with any comorbidities and age where the over 80 represent 90% of all the deaths, I'd be careful, very careful during a time like Christmas where letting your guard down toughs at our emotions. cheers.

 

[caseydog]

Sure sounds logical and they're authorities, but even boosted we're only about 70% guaranteed with Omicron and England is Omicron territory now, which aren't the best odds and gets exponentially worse as the number of people you come into contact with. Compound that with any comorbidities and age where the over 80 represent 90% of all the deaths, I'd be careful, very careful during a time like Christmas where letting your guard down toughs at our emotions. cheers.

I think the risk is within the limits I'm okay with. My sister, who is a hospital nurse feels the same way. You also have to figure in that people at my parent's stage of life would rather die than never get to spend Christmas together as a family. We missed Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2020. That was hard on them.

CD

 

[garlichead]

I think the risk is within the limits I'm okay with. My sister, who is a hospital nurse feels the same way. You also have to figure in that people at my parent's stage of life would rather die than never get to spend Christmas together as a family. We missed Thanksgiving and Christmas in 2020. That was hard on them.

CD

I'm glad to hear that CD, very glad. Assessing personal risk during this pandemic seems to be a forgotten option and now we're mandating, banishing and firing people, that don't fall into group think, so good for you. I mentioned my previous comment more to inform than to dictate. Be safe.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Here it is just done by the date of your second vax. I got mine at a local pharmacy (chemist). I made an appointment online in the morning, and got the shot that afternoon.

CD

In Texas it was done like that, not in Ohio. I started looking for vaccine appointments in November and finally got an appointment after looking every day, several times a day. And the first available appointment was 12/15 so I just got it.

 

[caseydog]

The vaccine process in Texas is really pretty efficient, in spite of efforts by the ruling party in Texas government to mess it up. The hospital systems and private entities are running the show, and doing a good job. The ruling party is busy defending the "freedoms" of individuals to not get vaxxed or wear a mask in public spaces. Individual rights are sacred here -- well, except when it comes to gay people and pregnant women.

BTW, when I say "ruling party," I don't mean just the majority party. There is only one political party (for now) in Texas, and they don't govern, they rule without compromise. They take all the credit for the good stuff, and none of the blame for the bad stuff.

CD

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I think you are being more cautious than you need to be. Dr Fauci (our leading authority figure here) and the CDC have both said that it is safe for fully vaccinated (especially if boosted) families to get together for Christmas. My parents are 87 and 89, and we are all triple vaxxed, and we are getting together for Christmas Day.

CD

MG needs to be more cautious simply because she's the sole carer for her husband.
that makes her situation harder because of the what if situation.

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

The vaccine process in Texas is really pretty efficient, in spite of efforts by the ruling party in Texas government to mess it up. The hospital systems and private entities are running the show, and doing a good job. The ruling party is busy defending the "freedoms" of individuals to not get vaxxed or wear a mask in public spaces. Individual rights are sacred here -- well, except when it comes to gay people and pregnant women.

BTW, when I say "ruling party," I don't mean just the majority party. There is only one political party (for now) in Texas, and they don't govern, they rule without compromise. They take all the credit for the good stuff, and none of the blame for the bad stuff.

CD

Rights without responsibilities is a dumb route to go down. It is my right not to be vaccinated, but it is also my responsibility to the society I massively benefit from to ensure that I am vaccinated.

 

[caseydog]

Rights without responsibilities is a dumb route to go down. It is my right not to be vaccinated, but it is also my responsibility to the society I massively benefit from to ensure that I am vaccinated.

That's how I see it, and how my grandparent's generation (called the "Greatest Generation" by many historians) saw it. They lived through the Great Depression and WWII, and made many sacrifices. If today's generation of Americans were running things back then, you Brits might be speaking German. That, and Polio would still be around.

CD

 

[Morning Glory]

MG needs to be more cautious simply because she's the sole carer for her husband.
that makes her situation harder because of the what if situation.

Point of correction. I am not married nor have I ever had any desire to be. I'm staunchly anti- marriage, as many here know. He is my partner or at least, the partner I'm with at the moment and (how shall I put this?)..... it isn't exactly a conventional relationship.

I'm being cautious because I don't want to get ill (or die!). As has been said, the vaccine is not 100% and the new variant is in very high numbers here. I also have a heart issue which could be triggered by the virus.

To be honest its no big deal for me to cancel Christmas. I'm not a Christmas person.

 

[TastyReuben]

In Texas it was done like that, not in Ohio. I started looking for vaccine appointments in November and finally got an appointment after looking every day, several times a day. And the first available appointment was 12/15 so I just got it.

Was that for your booster? I think it must come down to locality, maybe. The only shot I had any effort in scheduling was the first one, back in March. The second one was automatically scheduled, based on the date of the first one, and a few days before I hit the mark for the booster, I went out to the pharmacy's scheduling app, checked my local one...nope, checked one the next town over...nope, checked one the next town up...yep, scheduled. It's weird how it's so patchwork-like.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Was that for your booster? I think it must come down to locality, maybe. The only shot I had any effort in scheduling was the first one, back in March. The second one was automatically scheduled, based on the date of the first one, and a few days before I hit the mark for the booster, I went out to the pharmacy's scheduling app, checked my local one...nope, checked one the next town over...nope, checked one the next town up...yep, scheduled. It's weird how it's so patchwork-like.

Yeah, it was the booster. I had my 2nd Moderna jab in April. When I was looking for boosters I was looking for a pharmacy nearby., not in other towns. And I live in the suburbs of Akron, which has a pretty sizeable population.

 

[TastyReuben]

When I was looking for boosters I was looking for a pharmacy nearby., not in other towns. And I live in the suburbs of Akron, which has a pretty sizeable population.

Yeah, my first two shots were 25 miles away, and my booster was 15 miles away - but both very pleasant backroads country driving.

 

[The Velvet Curtain]

The first real studies of the performance of Omicron are coming through at last. Dr John Campbell presents some findings from the University of Hong Kong showing that it infects and reproduces in the large bronchial pathways very easily, but infects the deep lung tissue and alveoli much less than Delta leading to fewer instances of the pneumonia manifestation of symptoms which is the killer.
If supported by other studies this is good news.

Dr John takes a couple of minutes to get really into the report.

View: https://youtu.be/84XMFVcLScw

 

[garlichead]

Watched this already. It's encouraging.