January 24—
From Andy: Michael is the first one I’ve heard from for a while. Diane Gallagher Acri is home. YEAH! Happy Sunday.
From Michael: Feels like 2020 has another month.
I registered for the vaccine and got my Priority Code from the NJ Department of Health >> but there are no appointments available. They said I will get a notice when the vaccine is available. I’m an Emergency Responder but the Chief said he received no info that the vaccine will be available on a special list to anyone at the station. I guess putting out cones and flares is not considered an essential activity. EMS is different; they are assigned to the station but work for the hospital system.
Check with Ernie. It doesn’t matter if an individual gets the vaccine, things won’t change until ‘everyone’ gets the vaccine. That won’t be at least until the end of the year. Vaccines will be ‘available’ but the number of emerging virus variations and getting vaccines to all individuals is the problem. ‘Safe’ and ‘normal’ seem to get pushed further and further out.
NJ has only a few vaccine centers and they don’t have an adequate supply of vaccines and can’t handle the demand for the vaccines that are available. How is the situation in PA? Do you know anyone who has gotten the vaccine? Florida seems to be doing a better job with vaccinations – maybe Roberta can provide some info.
From Chuck Bolash: I got my 1st shot here in Georgia.
From Ernie Davis: re the covid vaccines: a recipient of the vaccine: at present time the recommendations are to continue correctly wearing a face cover, frequent handwashing/hand sanitizer use, physical distancing
From Carol Vic Maclennan: Wonderful news about Diane. Share my best regards.
Vaccine distribution will be dicey until production ramps up. Here in CO, some high risk friends of mine have been vaccinated, and I’ve registered with Kaiser, awaiting notice of availability.
Mike is right. Getting the vaccine is great, but certainly doesn’t signal back to normal. And there isn’t any data yet suggesting that while the vaccine protects most of those who have gotten it, there is no data indicating whether vaccinated individuals can’t infect others.
We’re going in the right directions, but not out of the woods yet.
From Pat Thomas Hickey: Chet & I are Volunteers for Meals on Wheels. Bob Burns, the Director for Aging in Dauphin County, requested the volunteers be eligible to receive the vaccine. We are presently waiting for date/time of our “special moment”
From Bert “Herb” McCarthy: As a Home Care RN in Nevada, I was steered toward both doses early on. The second dose was on January 7. Not at all sure when non-medical and non-elderly folks will be vaccinated. Be well!
From Dotty McAuliffe Engle: Signed up for vaccine at the Drs. office. Will be available in February.
From Mary Stuart: Maine is doing pretty well with the rollout. Since we are the oldest state in the country by median age (so nice to blend!), that means that a lot of nursing home residents and staff, plus front line and really elderly people were the first recipients. Most of my friends have registered. Many have their first dose. A few—mostly medical people—have their second, as well. Since I live alone back in the woods and rarely need to venture out, I feel like more exposed people should have first dibs. One more excuse to stay home; although, I do have an extensive collection of really cute masks! I do listen to our CDC director, Dr. Nirav Shah, to see whether he’ll throw in a musical reference during his briefing. If you’re up on your music, you might catch the quotes from a Prince or Coldplay song, presented in his calm, scholarly cadence. See what passes for entertainment here? That and bird-watching from inside the attached greenhouse. Yeah, living large in central Maine.
Andy, you are the BEST for keeping everyone in the great big loop. Thank you.
From Diane Gallagher Acri: Thanx for the prayers, I made it through & I did receive the first shot while I was in the nursing home, but the people at the nursing home did not get in touch with me for the second shot, they are supposed to get in touch me in 2 weeks for the second shot. Here’s hoping.
From Bonnie Muretic Kelly: My PCP has not gotten any of the Vaccine, so I’m on a list. My mom age 93 is on a list at her MD office. It was shared on PA web that CVS on Progress Ave and Rite Aide on Linglestown Rd would be distributing vaccines but if you call they only say they have not gotten word of when this will happen.