The Coronavirus Panic Thread

[Jay 2K Winger]

Got my first shot on Thursday. Felt no ill effects. Just the general soreness at the injection site, which was worse the next day, but otherwise felt nothing wrong and by the end of the day on Friday, the soreness had more or less faded.

[Ghel]

I have an appointment for my vaccination this afternoon!

The city arranged to have all their employees vaccinated at a pop-up clinic in the community center, and they had extras. Our state just expanded who's eligible for vaccination, and it includes financial employees, so they offered us an opportunity to get vaccinated. Unfortunately, I'm the only one of my coworkers who took them up on the offer.

ETA: One of my coworkers changed her mind when she heard that it was the J&J vaccine, and thus just one shot, but by the time she went to sign up an hour after me, all the slots were filled.

Our state announced yesterday that we've got 70% of seniors vaccinated, so they're expanding who can get vaccinated. The part that's most in line with the users of this site is that retail workers are eligible now.

[Dreamstalker]

I have a vaccine appointment Monday morning through our health center

I have no idea how my mom managed to get me one; we tried calling a few days ago and were told that I had to wait until the state opened it up to grocery workers (which had an unknown timeline). She called again today just for the hell of it to let them know that she had gotten an appointment elsewhere, and decided to ask about me. The clinic is privately run and only gets federal funding so they follow CDC guidelines and not the state's phucked-up phase system.

Slowly but surely, the family is getting vaccinated so maybe we will be able to get together for Christmas.

ETA: I let my managers know just in case I got some weird reaction and had to call out that day (highly unlikely, but you never know). As of right now, I am the only 'middle-aged' front end worker able to get the shot...mom pointed out that this may mean they throw as many shifts as they can at me?

[BPFH]

Not sure when I'll be getting mine - I won't be eligible to register for vaccination until April 5, when Michigan makes it generally available for everyone 16+ (which I assume is the youngest age the vaccines are approved for).

Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if the place I work for (which already brings in a company to get us our flu shots on the clock) arranges a drive-up clinic for employees.

[MadMike]

I finally got to see someone get called out for not wearing a mask. It was at the local burrito place, which is still operating through an online ordering system and a pick-up window. I saw a guy approach the window to pick up his order, and the employee told him firmly, "If you're not wearing a mask, please step away from the window!"

Meanwhile, no one else seems to be enforcing it, judging from the number of noses I see sticking out or complete lack of a mask. We were volunteering with the kitties today, and a whole family came in not wearing masks. And the kids were certainly old enough to be wearing them, they weren't little kids. When the manager saw them approaching the adoption center, she told us not to let them in, and then proceeded to rant about how she's still afraid to even eat at a restaurant, and the people who refuse to wear masks are the reason that this thing is still going on.

They're still not letting people into the adoption center just to visit the cats, but we do let them in if they're actually looking to adopt and want to get to know the cats better that they're considering adopting. But in this case, she didn't even want to do that. And I can't say I blame her.

[Food Lady]

I saw some non-masked people today. I'm going to be charitable and assume they've been vaccinated rather than assume they'd purposely put others at risk. It's the only way I can get through this with condemning people right and left. I'm grateful to the service industry people who have to wear one every shift.

[Nunavut Pants]

They're still not letting people into the adoption center just to visit the cats, but we do let them in if they're actually looking to adopt...

I just got a notice that the shelter I volunteer for is going to start letting potential adopters in to visit animals they are interested in. I'm not sure how I feel about that, as there is no schedule out for when people in my age group will be able to get vaccinated.

I think I'm going to decline to be a "matchmaker" until I'm vaccinated.

The "virtual adoptions" that we had been doing for most of the past year have worked very well! I hope they continue with that as well, rather than going to all in-person.

[Monterey Jack]

I saw some non-masked people today. I'm going to be charitable and assume they've been vaccinated rather than assume they'd purposely put others at risk.

This is going to be a problem moving forward as the vaccinated portion of the world's populace steadily increases...how can you TELL someone's been vaccinated, aside from maybe a card in one's wallet/purse that would easily be forged? And with summer only a few months away, people are going to want to tear those masks off before they lose out on a SECOND summer season in a row.

I know that, once I'm vaccinated and the CDC tells my managers I'm no longer required to wear a mask at work...I'm no longer wearing a mask at work. This has gone on long enough.

[MadMike]

This is going to be a problem moving forward as the vaccinated portion of the world's populace steadily increases...how can you TELL someone's been vaccinated, aside from maybe a card in one's wallet/purse that would easily be forged?

Not only that, I fear that there are going to be plenty of idiots who think they're immune as soon as that second shot goes in their arm and stop wearing the masks right away.

[csquared]

The CDC is recommending that you continue to wear a mask until we reach herd immunity. The vaccine is not a barrier that keeps you from catching the virus. It provides a shorter recovery and less severe symptoms. It is still undetermined if you can spread the virus after a vaccine,

I get me first shot Tuesday.

[Pixelated]

I walked in for my shift yesterday and the pharmacy in my workplace had set up a vaccination setup, appointment only. Okay. I went over to the pharmacy to set up an appointment.

Only to find I'm not eligible.

The vaccine is ONLY for people 60-64.

I am 65.

[Food Lady]

Thanks, csquared. Spreading it is my biggest concern. I'm wondering what I'll do when the mask mandate is lifted. Part of me wants to go on wearing one for the sake of safety but also because it will irritate some people to see it and though I'm generally an angel, I'm a bit of a stinker, too. But seriously, I don't know how we'll know if we have herd immunity.

[Pixelated]

Thanks, csquared. Spreading it is my biggest concern. I'm wondering what I'll do when the mask mandate is lifted. Part of me wants to go on wearing one for the sake of safety but also because it will irritate some people to see it and though I'm generally an angel, I'm a bit of a stinker, too. But seriously, I don't know how we'll know if we have herd immunity.

I've had the occasional customer ask, in passing, what I plan to do when we no longer need to wear masks. I point out that flu numbers are in the sub-cellar this year and it's being largely attributed to the wearing of masks, so ... I might never stop.

The fact I've bought nearly two dozen masks has, of course, nothing to do with it ...

[Monterey Jack]

I'm burning all of my masks once I'm no longer required to wear them at work or to enter any businesses/restaurants I frequent. If that makes me a "selfish asshole", so be it. I have had ENOUGH of this shit.

[MadMike]

I'm burning all of my masks once I'm no longer required to wear them at work or to enter any businesses/restaurants I frequent.

I would, but my sister-in-law made it herself. Not sure what I'll do with it assuming I'll never wear it again, but I hate to just throw something away if there's nothing wrong with it.

Found out today that they're lifting the extra restrictions on bars in my state in a few weeks. Back in July, when the numbers started to creep up again, they started requiring a food purchase with any alcohol purchase. And then in September they started cutting off sales at 11 PM. A few places started having karaoke shows again, but I usually don't even make it out until 10 or so, and it seemed pointless to get out there and have to leave an hour later. But I might try to ease back into it once those restrictions are lifted. I can deal with the mask thing until that's no longer a requirement.

Our governor expects to have enough vaccines available for everyone in the current group. Hopefully we'll be ready to move onto the next group soon after. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much just yet, but I'm cautiously optimistic. A year ago, I was checking the virus counts every day, and getting frustrated every time they went up. Now I'm checking vaccination counts, which are a lot more encouraging.

In a couple weeks, we're having our first family get-together we've had in months. Just a small one at my mom's house, I guess as an early Easter and also to make up for the holidays we missed. Everyone who's going to be there is fully vaccinated, except for my brother's two kids, one of which is too young, so we should be relatively safe. The older one will be turning 18 that day. Where did the time go?