September 2021 Politics Covid Thread

[elle]

Sept 20, 2021 12:30:52 GMT -6 lagom said:

And while we’re at it, H had a death in the family this weekend. We were already estranged for other reasons, but were told through the grapevine that the family was uncomfortable having vaccinated people at the service. So LOL?, makes that easy. I had no idea vaxxed people were a risk to unvaccinated people.

There are several conspiracy theories running around that vaccinated people are shedding covid and are a greater risk than covid infected unvaxxed persons, also that vaxxed people are the source of the mutations and so on. Obviously it's a complete load of bs but when has that ever stopped people believing in it. 🙄🤬

[piratecat]

Sept 20, 2021 13:20:17 GMT -6 lagom said:

Sept 20, 2021 12:33:18 GMT -6 piratecat said:

lagom , ugh, could you convince your dad to get a second opinion?

His PCP won’t go against neuro reccs. And I don’t think the neuro is giving poor advice overall, just weighing risks in a way that doesn’t seem to account for anything other than sitting at home alone until the pandemic is over. It’s tough because he’s had a bad reaction to a recent vax and they’ve been treating symptoms so long rather than identifying his underlying problem that it is very difficult to sort out what’s what anymore.

Overall, I’m just stressed and pissed at everyone and everything. So there’s that.

Ugh, I'm sorry, that must be so worrisome. 

[lagom]

Sept 20, 2021 13:20:22 GMT -6 elle said:

Sept 20, 2021 12:30:52 GMT -6 lagom said:

And while we’re at it, H had a death in the family this weekend. We were already estranged for other reasons, but were told through the grapevine that the family was uncomfortable having vaccinated people at the service. So LOL?, makes that easy. I had no idea vaxxed people were a risk to unvaccinated people.

There are several conspiracy theories running around that vaccinated people are shedding covid and are a greater risk than covid infected unvaxxed persons, also that vaxxed people are the source of the mutations and so on. Obviously it's a complete load of bs but when has ever stopped people believing in it. 🙄🤬

Thank you, and AmyG too. I wasn’t going to google because my head would explode.
Like, I knew these people didn’t get flu shots but wow. Those are some wild claims. Somehow I’m guessing they aren’t masking to protect themselves from us shedders, though.

[AmyG]

Sept 20, 2021 12:54:05 GMT -6 Minerva said:

Sept 20, 2021 8:41:22 GMT -6 notblanche said:

My county hit 70% of the total population vaccinated with at least one dose! Now let's do the kids!

Woot! And our R0 value is hovering right around 1 according to COVIDActnow. Hopefully we can bring it down further and get our number per 100,000 to go down fast once the 5-11 crowd can be vaccinated!

I didn't see covidactnow R0 value for my area.
but they have the number vaccinated in my county wrong.
They have the county at about what the whole state is, 57.4
My county is 42.3 according to AZ DHS. 

[orangebird2020]

I had a bad dream that my kiddo was anti-vax. He is 6, so it was ridiculous.

I am sure it's just all the stress of flu shots and hoping Covid vaccinations for his group really happen in October.

I was also feeling stressed about how his learning in the Kindergarten year didn't go as well as it could have with me working full time and virtual school. His 1st grade teacher moves fast and they are already doing spelling tests with 10 words and story read aloud. Everything feels a year faster than I expected, but of course it's been 30 years since I experienced 1st grade. Luckily he has done well, but I was worried.

[Deleted]

Over 20% of our elementary is in quarantine as of today. They made pto cancel all activities until November. But otherwise no plans (including spacing kids more) are in the works.

[piratecat]

Sept 20, 2021 13:47:56 GMT -6 orangebird2020 said:

I had a bad dream that my kiddo was anti-vax. He is 6, so it was ridiculous.

I am sure it's just all the stress of flu shots and hoping Covid vaccinations for his group really happen in October.

I was also feeling stressed about how his learning in the Kindergarten year didn't go as well as it could have with me working full time and virtual school. His 1st grade teacher moves fast and they are already doing spelling tests with 10 words and story read aloud. Everything feels a year faster than I expected, but of course it's been 30 years since I experienced 1st grade. Luckily he has done well, but I was worried.

My 4YO has gone from being super pro-vaccine to anti-vaccine but I think getting the flu shot could have turned things around for him. 

[cnf]

Sept 20, 2021 13:58:20 GMT -6 kbw said:

Over 20% of our elementary is in quarantine as of today. They made pto cancel all activities until November. But otherwise no plans (including spacing kids more) are in the works.

A district in my region has quarantined classes too. Cool, good job NY.

[jkjacq]

I think I made the carrot/stick comparison last week but she says it SO MUCH BETTER

[doublestuf]

My aunt texted a bunch of us today to say that she is having cake and balloons for my grandma's 90th birthday on Wednesday for all who would like to celebrate...

*she and my uncle are unvaxxed
*my brother and his fiancee are unvaxxed
*cousin A is unvaxxed (already had COVID and tested for antibodies and there are none and still unvaxxed)
*I don't know the vax status of cousins B and C and their 6 kids, some of which are too young, but several have had COVID (because my cousin took the oldest to Florida on vacation recently). All the kids are in school or daycare.
*Cousin D and wife are vaxxed (probably won't go)
*My dad and his wife are vaxxed
*H and I aren't going

I have had this sinking feeling in my stomach all day. This is not safe at all for my grandma. I feel conflicted. I don't know if this is a surprise, but I feel like someone should ask her if she is okay with this? For the record, she has no problem speaking her mind, but I don't know if she'd chase them away either. And of course it's supposed to be rainy on Wednesday, not that I'd expect they'd consider that anyways.

She rarely sees my aunt and uncle (like if she has a doctor's appt). Cousin A brings her groceries and checks on her often. My brother sees her some. She tells me she sits far away from them in her house, but I've told her that's not enough and that she needs to tell them to wear a mask in her house.

Anybody got any advice? Like if something happened to my grandma because of this, I don't know that I would forgive whoever gave it to her. This woman means the world to everyone in our family. I am not that close to most of these people, and really after COVID, I don't know if I want any kind of relationship with them.

[byjove]

Sept 20, 2021 18:53:51 GMT -6 doublestuf said:

My aunt texted a bunch of us today to say that she is having cake and balloons for my grandma's 90th birthday on Wednesday for all who would like to celebrate...

*she and my uncle are unvaxxed
*my brother and his fiancee are unvaxxed
*cousin A is unvaxxed (already had COVID and tested for antibodies and there are none and still unvaxxed)
*I don't know the vax status of cousins B and C and their 6 kids, some of which are too young, but several have had COVID (because my cousin took the oldest to Florida on vacation recently). All the kids are in school or daycare.
*Cousin D and wife are vaxxed (probably won't go)
*My dad and his wife are vaxxed
*H and I aren't going

I have had this sinking feeling in my stomach all day. This is not safe at all for my grandma. I feel conflicted. I don't know if this is a surprise, but I feel like someone should ask her if she is okay with this? For the record, she has no problem speaking her mind, but I don't know if she'd chase them away either. And of course it's supposed to be rainy on Wednesday, not that I'd expect they'd consider that anyways.

She rarely sees my aunt and uncle (like if she has a doctor's appt). Cousin A brings her groceries and checks on her often. My brother sees her some. She tells me she sits far away from them in her house, but I've told her that's not enough and that she needs to tell them to wear a mask in her house.

Anybody got any advice? Like if something happened to my grandma because of this, I don't know that I would forgive whoever gave it to her. This woman means the world to everyone in our family. I am not that close to most of these people, and really after COVID, I don't know if I want any kind of relationship with them.

I agree this sounds dicey. Do you think everyone would be willing to do this outside + masks if she isn’t going to tell them no?

[addymac]

doublestuf I would have no problem being loud as fuck and direct AF about the stupidity of it.

I went balls to the walls when my sister was trying to fly from CA to FL for Xmas 2020 (her and my parents were still unvaccinated at that point cuz duh it had just started). I would not, could not entertain and pressed hard on her about how she might feel if she passed Covid on and killed them. She got real pissed at me over it but I didn’t care.

[orangebird2020]

doublestuf Would you be up for calling your grandma to ask how she feels and offer to be the barrier? Even if you ruin a surprise.

I go round and round with this in my family but I live 2 hours away and feel powerless. After the last visit for my mom's birthday, I can't see ever returning with how careless my older siblings are. I remind my mom every day how risky they make her life right now and she says I know......

[doublestuf]

Sept 20, 2021 19:27:15 GMT -6 byjove said:

Sept 20, 2021 18:53:51 GMT -6 doublestuf said:

My aunt texted a bunch of us today to say that she is having cake and balloons for my grandma's 90th birthday on Wednesday for all who would like to celebrate...

*she and my uncle are unvaxxed
*my brother and his fiancee are unvaxxed
*cousin A is unvaxxed (already had COVID and tested for antibodies and there are none and still unvaxxed)
*I don't know the vax status of cousins B and C and their 6 kids, some of which are too young, but several have had COVID (because my cousin took the oldest to Florida on vacation recently). All the kids are in school or daycare.
*Cousin D and wife are vaxxed (probably won't go)
*My dad and his wife are vaxxed
*H and I aren't going

I have had this sinking feeling in my stomach all day. This is not safe at all for my grandma. I feel conflicted. I don't know if this is a surprise, but I feel like someone should ask her if she is okay with this? For the record, she has no problem speaking her mind, but I don't know if she'd chase them away either. And of course it's supposed to be rainy on Wednesday, not that I'd expect they'd consider that anyways.

She rarely sees my aunt and uncle (like if she has a doctor's appt). Cousin A brings her groceries and checks on her often. My brother sees her some. She tells me she sits far away from them in her house, but I've told her that's not enough and that she needs to tell them to wear a mask in her house.

Anybody got any advice? Like if something happened to my grandma because of this, I don't know that I would forgive whoever gave it to her. This woman means the world to everyone in our family. I am not that close to most of these people, and really after COVID, I don't know if I want any kind of relationship with them.

I agree this sounds dicey. Do you think everyone would be willing to do this outside + masks if she isn’t going to tell them no?

It's supposed to be rainy. I think there is a zero percent chance they would wear a mask outside. The unvaxxed probably don't wear masks anyways 🤬. Not trying to shoot this down, just the reality of who I'm working with.

[byjove]

Sept 21, 2021 4:11:16 GMT -6 doublestuf said:

Sept 20, 2021 19:27:15 GMT -6 byjove said:

I agree this sounds dicey. Do you think everyone would be willing to do this outside + masks if she isn’t going to tell them no?

It's supposed to be rainy. I think there is a zero percent chance they would wear a mask outside. The unvaxxed probably don't wear masks anyways 🤬. Not trying to shoot this down, just the reality of who I'm working with.

I think you’re in a bit of an impossible situation :/

[klw]

The teacher and para across the hall from me tested positive yesterday. One woke up with fever, she's, etc. and the other was a little stuffy, but got tested since the teacher tested positive. I'm thinking it must of been an exposure they both had on Thursday. We weren't in the building on Friday.

[Deleted]

Here’s a new one I haven’t heard before and no idea where it came from, anyone who takes the vaccine has 6 months-3 years to live because of what they’ve put in the vaccine. I can’t even fathom that people believe this shit.

[goldenbird]

Sept 21, 2021 6:42:52 GMT -6 kbw said:

Here’s a new one I haven’t heard before and no idea where it came from, anyone who takes the vaccine has 6 months-3 years to live because of what they’ve put in the vaccine. I can’t even fathom that people believe this shit.

I want to darkly respond to this that even that is better than zero months. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[greykitty]

Sept 21, 2021 6:42:52 GMT -6 kbw said:

Here’s a new one I haven’t heard before and no idea where it came from, anyone who takes the vaccine has 6 months-3 years to live because of what they’ve put in the vaccine. I can’t even fathom that people believe this shit.

So basically the smart money is buying up funeral homes, crematoriums, etc.?  I don't know that I'm seen a stock surge in that sector, and I would assume the myth believers also believe vaccine developers planned the short life expectancy rate?

[greykitty]

That said, to be dark, why haven't I bought into the funeral industry in states with poor vax rates? Damn, just using Fidelity to do boring old investments.

[gymngemini]

So I have a probably dumb question regarding vaccine dosages for the next age group. From what I'm reading, it seems like they are suggesting going with a smaller dosage for the 6-11 crowd, but do they take the size of the child into consideration? Or will pediatricians be able to make that call?

My oldest is 11, but summer baby so newly 11. However, she's over 5 ft tall, over 100 lbs, etc. So it worries me that she will be getting a smaller dosage than some of her peers that are way smaller that her but 12. But maybe that's not how it works and I'm just not understanding.

[sewf]

Sept 21, 2021 8:26:19 GMT -6 gymngemini said:

So I have a probably dumb question regarding vaccine dosages for the next age group. From what I'm reading, it seems like they are suggesting going with a smaller dosage for the 6-11 crowd, but do they take the size of the child into consideration? Or will pediatricians be able to make that call?

My oldest is 11, but summer baby so newly 11. However, she's over 5 ft tall, over 100 lbs, etc. So it worries me that she will be getting a smaller dosage than some of her peers that are way smaller that her but 12. But maybe that's not how it works and I'm just not understanding.

I have this same worry. My son is 8, but the size of a 12 year old. I'm tempted to ask his pediatrician if he should get the 12-17 dose.

[jkjacq]

Sept 21, 2021 8:37:46 GMT -6 sewf said:

Sept 21, 2021 8:26:19 GMT -6 gymngemini said:

So I have a probably dumb question regarding vaccine dosages for the next age group. From what I'm reading, it seems like they are suggesting going with a smaller dosage for the 6-11 crowd, but do they take the size of the child into consideration? Or will pediatricians be able to make that call?

My oldest is 11, but summer baby so newly 11. However, she's over 5 ft tall, over 100 lbs, etc. So it worries me that she will be getting a smaller dosage than some of her peers that are way smaller that her but 12. But maybe that's not how it works and I'm just not understanding.

I have this same worry. My son is 8, but the size of a 12 year old. I'm tempted to ask his pediatrician if he should get the 12-17 dose.

I was half listening to an expert this morning.  (some pediatrician CNN books)

they tested the doses to see if they could head off side effects, and found the lower dose gave the same efficacy but less severe sides in children which is why they go with the smaller dose.

I miss lemondrop and hope she is doing well, she could explain this so much better.

[LoisLoan]

Sept 21, 2021 8:26:19 GMT -6 gymngemini said:

So I have a probably dumb question regarding vaccine dosages for the next age group. From what I'm reading, it seems like they are suggesting going with a smaller dosage for the 6-11 crowd, but do they take the size of the child into consideration? Or will pediatricians be able to make that call?

My oldest is 11, but summer baby so newly 11. However, she's over 5 ft tall, over 100 lbs, etc. So it worries me that she will be getting a smaller dosage than some of her peers that are way smaller that her but 12. But maybe that's not how it works and I'm just not understanding.

So I actually asked my pediatrician about this a few weeks back because weight-wise, my 10 year old is probably around the same weight as a 12 year old.  He told me that vaccines don't go by weight like medications do, so size doesn't matter as much as age. I googled it because I found that interesting and what I found on one site said:

"People are sometimes concerned about the dosing of vaccines because they compare them with medications, which are given in different doses based on body weight. This is like comparing apples and oranges. Medications work when a certain level is present in the bloodstream; so, the weight of a person is important. It takes more of a medicine to see the same effect in a larger person than it does in a smaller person. This is similar to the effects of alcohol on a large man and a small woman.

Vaccines work differently. For a vaccine to be effective, the cells of the immune system are important. Immune cells, called T cells and B cells, must be able to recognize the component of the vaccine, so that if a person comes into contact with that virus or bacteria again, these educated cells can become active and protect the person from an infection. Since these cells are throughout the body, they are usually educated near where the vaccine is given and then the cells, not the vaccines, travel throughout the body. Because of the way that vaccines work, they typically require very low quantities of active ingredients." (source: immunizebc.ca/ask-us/questions/does-adult-get-same-amount-vaccine-baby). 

[lion]

My county just reported we're "nearing 48% vaccination rate!" and I want to scream. At least we're getting close for kids.

[gymngemini]

Sept 21, 2021 9:02:35 GMT -6 LoisLoan said:

Sept 21, 2021 8:26:19 GMT -6 gymngemini said:

So I have a probably dumb question regarding vaccine dosages for the next age group. From what I'm reading, it seems like they are suggesting going with a smaller dosage for the 6-11 crowd, but do they take the size of the child into consideration? Or will pediatricians be able to make that call?

My oldest is 11, but summer baby so newly 11. However, she's over 5 ft tall, over 100 lbs, etc. So it worries me that she will be getting a smaller dosage than some of her peers that are way smaller that her but 12. But maybe that's not how it works and I'm just not understanding.

So I actually asked my pediatrician about this a few weeks back because weight-wise, my 10 year old is probably around the same weight as a 12 year old.  He told me that vaccines don't go by weight like medications do, so size doesn't matter as much as age. I googled it because I found that interesting and what I found on one site said:

"People are sometimes concerned about the dosing of vaccines because they compare them with medications, which are given in different doses based on body weight. This is like comparing apples and oranges. Medications work when a certain level is present in the bloodstream; so, the weight of a person is important. It takes more of a medicine to see the same effect in a larger person than it does in a smaller person. This is similar to the effects of alcohol on a large man and a small woman.

Vaccines work differently. For a vaccine to be effective, the cells of the immune system are important. Immune cells, called T cells and B cells, must be able to recognize the component of the vaccine, so that if a person comes into contact with that virus or bacteria again, these educated cells can become active and protect the person from an infection. Since these cells are throughout the body, they are usually educated near where the vaccine is given and then the cells, not the vaccines, travel throughout the body. Because of the way that vaccines work, they typically require very low quantities of active ingredients." (source: immunizebc.ca/ask-us/questions/does-adult-get-same-amount-vaccine-baby). 

This is super helpful, thank you! That makes me feel much better.

[trueblue]

Thanks LoisLoan. I had similar concerns with my 95th+ percentile height and weight 11 year old who’s almost the same height as his grandmother.

[Dr. Cox]

My mom just texted me when we can come visit. That will be in about never, because their vaccine rate sits at 34% and no one in that area masks. I also hate that place, but that’s not really Covid related.

Anyone else dealing with pressure to visit family?

[trueblue]

@dr. Cox, not pressure to visit per se but I have flatly put my foot down on my parents coming to visit us any time soon, they were ready to jump in the car and drive for 2 days to see us. And I am currently waiting to see if SIL is going to cancel her international trip over here in October. It all just sucks. I miss my parents and the kids miss their grandparents. MIL (who eats crackers for me grain of salt and all) is going to be impossible if SIL doesn’t come.

[byjove]

I just saw a terrifying warning on FB to not put hydrogen peroxide in a nebulizer and breathe it in to treat covid. Dear god.