The Coronavirus Panic Thread

[Pixelated]

I think I'm going to continue wearing masks even after we don't have to anymore - I've grown quite fond of it, and I have a sizeable selection of reusable masks now so I can express myself differently from day to day. (Also I don't have to force myself to smile all the time at work.)

Tomorrow is the first day grocery workers are eligible for the vaccine here, and I managed to snag a reservation at a pop-up site the county is running. It's supposed to be a drive-thru site, but I got in touch with someone from the county who told me I can still go through it on foot.

Same here. I've got so many masks now (and there will no doubt be more ) that I see no reason to ever stop wearing them.

I'm scheduled for the first AZ vaccine on Monday.

When it comes to masks, I have to look at the very low numbers of the flu this season. *snip*

How very ironic that you should say that. I was talking to a customer today about continuing to wear my masks because of the low flu numbers.

Her response: "They call flu cases COVID so they can get more money. My doctor said so."

I am quite impressed that I managed not to say "You're doctor's a fucking moron."

[Slave to the Phone]

Hubs thought it was a nice day, so hopped on his bike and went to town to get toilet paper. He was too late, shelves were already empty. Thank goodness we didn't really need it.

A lot of the wood pulp used for toilet paper comes from Brazil, as does coffee. Brazil's going belly up due to COVID, so production is already down AND they are on the other side of the Suez canal.

[Nunavut Pants]

You're on the other side of the Suez from Brazil? I can't think of where that would be! Most places it would seem quicker and simpler to not enter the Mediterranean at all.

[Seanette]

There are now reports that the Ever Given is unstuck.

[MadMike]

Some good news for the people of PA:

We've been stuck in the first phase of vaccinations for months, which was starting to really concern me, and I'm sure plenty of other people too. But we're not only about to move onto the next phase, but accelerate quickly through the rest of them as well.

Effective immediately, appointments can be made by a lot more groups who work with the public, such as law enforcement, food workers, and grocery store employees. And starting next week we'll be moving into a new phase every week, with everyone being able to make an appointment starting April 19.

Just last week, it was a nice day out so I decided to take a walk to the local pizza shop for lunch, and I was feeling a little discouraged because things seemed to be stalled, and that we had been dealing with this mess for over a year now. But then I started thinking that we have vaccines now, which we didn't a year ago, and also that a year ago I wouldn't have been able to have lunch at the pizza shop or any other restaurant. Still not crazy about the mask thing, but I can deal with it awhile longer.

[EricKei]

After an unexpected 2+ week delay, I was finally able to get my second shot this morning. Yaaaaaay!

[Dreamstalker]

Congrats! I get my second shot on the 12th. I requested the following day off weeks ago, but do we think I'll actually get it off...?

I don't know if this is just due to Covid lockdowns, the fact that she's semiretired or what, but my mom has gotten way too interested in whatever I'm doing when I'm home. Yes, we redid my closet but that does not mean she gets to decide what I'm getting rid of (I already had to refund an online buyer for an item that she decided to donate--which was in a box in my room clearly marked as "Listed On [website] Do Not Touch"). It didn't sell for a hell of a lot, but still...I was expecting money for it.

[telecom_goddess]

I get my first Pfizer shot today at 5. I feel good, and I feel historic, like this is a big deal moment. Am I the only one feeling that?

[KuariKaydrith]

I'm still waiting to get my first shot as I'm not considered to be eligible for the first wave of them. This is despite all my medical issues. I'd have to be over the age of 80, work in a hospital, or work in homecare. And there's been no word as to when the second wave of eligibility will start due to a seeming shortage of vaccine here. Ugh.

[Seanette]

I just became eligible yesterday. No health issues, not homeless or incarcerated, not working in a preferred field, but am over 50. $DEITY alone knows when I'll actually be able to get an appointment, though. I'm sure DH is getting nagged enough by various medical types (he's late 50s and diabetic), so I won't pick on him myself (yet). I did consult a nurse friend and she doesn't think my history of overreacting to flu shots puts me at any higher risk of problems with the COVID vaccine. I'm hoping for the J&J "one and done", but I'll deal with whatever I can land first.

[Mental_Mouse]

I managed to get an "appointment" a week or so ago, but when I went there they didn't even bother checking my QR code, just waved me into line. Something like 2 hours later, I got shot with a Pfizer. This week, the lines there are reportedly overflowing the former department store they'd set up in and running around the building (and it's been chilly lately!).

I get the sense that they threw open the gates and then got overwhelmed by the crowd. I do have an "appointment" there for a second shot in a couple more weeks, we'll see if they've managed to get their feet back under them by then. In the meantime, my BiL and his kids drove out of town to Trump country to get their first shots, we'll see how things go for their second. (The Trump-supporting counties got their full share of vaccine deliveries, but far fewer locals applying for them.... )

[Mikkel]

I'm so looking forward to my shot(s). I have diabetes and a bad heart, which should bring me up in the queue, but I will be vaccinated according to age.
Next week they should start on the 65-74 year olds, so hopefully, if the plans hold, I should have my first shot in a week or two. Then I will feel a bit safer among all the maskholes.

[EricKei]

'Round here, all they care about is that you show up in the right day; it seems that the vaxx site folks encourage this. My appointments were for something like 10AM and 1PM for the 2 shots. Thanks to advice from those who had gone before, I arrived half an hour before they opened both times (9AM). Both times, this turned out to be wise, because, by the time the lines started moving, there were about 20-30 cars ahead of me and easily a hundred behind, snaking through the (huge church) parking lot and out onto the street >_> Still took 2 hours before I got the shot, but most of that was sitting still with the car turned off.

[Mental_Mouse]

Oh, and today I got an "appointment ticket" through my hospital's medical app, trying to get me to make an appointment with them. No obvious way to tell the system "I already got it".... I sent an E-mail to my PCP explaining the situation.

[Monterey Jack]

I'm scheduled for my first on Wednesday, and the second on the 28th. Very happy about this.