Got my COVID vaccine

[Christy]

The NE is very impressive. I thought WA would be higher by now but that likely shows my immersion in my Seattle bubble. Isn't everywhere like us? No. No they aren't.

I love the maps the county puts out. This is by zip code. Seattle is the hourglass shape on the left; the suburbs across the lake to the east are the highest income burbs. Further south is more working class and east rural; those areas lag. My zip is at 89% while the zips to the west, east and south are in the 90s.



By congressional district, the area between Seattle and Tacoma really stands out. The county is knocking itself out trying to get people down there vaxxed, with all kinds of pop ups, working with people in the community, etc. I have to say my hackles go up when I see it. It doesn't seem like there is much excuse at this point.

Vashon Island, on the left, was a hotbed of anti-vax sentiment before Covid. It had the highest unvaxxed kids-in-school rates of anyplace in the state. It's where Seattle people move if they want a relaxed island/alternative life. But I guess Covid put fear into them and they believe in science again.

 

[SkiBam]

I'm pleased that three of my grandchildren (aged 19, 17 and 13) have all received their first shot. I guess the 10-year-old has to wait a bit. The mother of the 17- and 19-year-old was so relieved when the younger got her shot yesterday that she (the mother, not the kid) cried.

Quebec claims they're ahead of schedule and we should be able to get our second shots earlier than originally planned. So that's a good thing.

 

[marzNC]

A couple of happy families in Ohio after the first weekly drawing. The Governor called the adult winner. He also went to the home of the 14yo who won a full-ride college scholarship. The boy's mother entered him just before the deadline. His father is a teacher.

May 27, NY Times
Meet the Ohio vaccine lottery’s $1 million winner: A 22-year-old who ‘thought it was a prank.’
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/27/us/ohio-vaccine-lottery-winner.html

 

[kiki]

Here on the canadian west coast we’ve been a bit behind some of you. I finally got my first shot today. Despite an appointment time there was a super long line up winding all around the building and I thought I would faint from the heat, and inside it was sweltering. I guess I looked peaky as the nurse offered for me to go lie down in some other area but I toughed it out and home now in the A/C and icing it.
Sounds like we can get a second shot in 8 weeks.

 

[Christy]

Here on the canadian west coast we’ve been a bit behind some of you. I finally got my first shot today. Despite an appointment time there was a super long line up winding all around the building and I thought I would faint from the heat, and inside it was sweltering. I guess I looked peaky as the nurse offered for me to go lie down in some other area but I toughed it out and home now in the A/C and icing it.
Sounds like we can get a second shot in 8 weeks.

It feels so hot!! I guess 84 (in Seattle) isn't THAT hot but maybe because it's so much warmer than it usually is or has been.

 

[Jilly]

Oh, goody. We usually get your weather a couple of days later!

 

[marzNC]

What Ohio started with the $1 million prize based on a few weekly random drawings has been copied by several other states. Usually slight variations to the process. Some states require people to sign up either after or before they are vaccinated. Others are using the database of people who get vaccinated. Younger folks ages 12-17 are being offered college money in various ways.

California, Kentucky, Colorado, and North Carolina are among the states with drawings for big money. The NC program was announced today and has an extra twist. People who get vaccinated between June 10 and early August get two entries into the bi-weekly drawings.

One clear advantage of having drawing winners is the positive news reports that can be generated. The six winners so far in Ohio are perfect spokespeople to help convince hesitant folks who aren't actually anti-vax types. There is a 64yo retired man, an Amazon driver with plenty of bills to pay, and a recent college graduate who is working and attending graduate school.

Ohio's third Vax-a-Million winners announced: Who won this week's vaccine lottery?

Ohio's third Vax-a-Million winners have now been revealed! Meet Mark Cline and Sara Afaneh.

www.wlwt.com

 

[Christy]

Let's hope it works! Did you hear about the crazy doctor that the Ohio legislature invited to testify? And what a nice reception she got, even after testifying that if you're vaccinated you become magnetic, and spoons and forks will stick to your forehead and your body?

 

[contesstant]

Let's hope it works! Did you hear about the crazy doctor that the Ohio legislature invited to testify? And what a nice reception she got, even after testifying that if you're vaccinated you become magnetic, and spoons and forks will stick to your forehead and your body?

I saw her testimony! OMG what a loony toon! I want to stick some forks to me and video it and declare it's from the vaccine

 

[Christy]

I saw her testimony! OMG what a loony toon! I want to stick some forks to me and video it and declare it's from the vaccine

Oh, you know those videos are out there…

 

[Christy]

Washington has jumped on the lottery bandwagon too, and apparently the state is having trouble getting people to collect their prizes because they are calling people and no one is answering their phone! So they been trying to get the word out in the news, here's the prefix we will use and if you are not picking up because you think this is spam, at least listen to your voicemail. There are big cash prizes plus fun stuff like suites at Mariners games, Xbox's for the teenagers, etc.

 

[scandium]

Let's hope it works! Did you hear about the crazy doctor that the Ohio legislature invited to testify? And what a nice reception she got, even after testifying that if you're vaccinated you become magnetic, and spoons and forks will stick to your forehead and your body?

Surely if it's that magical, even spoons and forks made of non magnetic materials will stick as well, right?

 

[sibhusky]

I wasn't sure, but was the key that kind of stuck in the video a brass key, it looked like with a plastic cover? I think if you're sweaty enough that will stick to your chest.

 

[newboots]

I think if you're sweaty enough that will stick to your chest.

But only if you're vaccinated!

Does it matter whether it's Pfizer, Moderna, or J&J?

 

[ilovepugs]

Has anyone spent much time reading about the inventor of the mRNA vaccine, Katalin Kariko? Apparently she started her research in the early 90s and was continually slighted professionally because her idea was too fringe at the time. She lost her tenure track appointment at the University of Pennsylvania because she kept losing out on grant funding. But she stuck with her idea and had faith in herself, and here we are today. I will be very shocked and disappointed if she doesn’t win the next Nobel Prize for medicine!

 

[marzNC]

Has anyone spent much time reading about the inventor of the mRNA vaccine, Katalin Kariko? Apparently she started her research in the early 90s and was continually slighted professionally because her idea was too fringe at the time. She lost her tenure track appointment at the University of Pennsylvania because she kept losing out on grant funding. But she stuck with her idea and had faith in herself, and here we are today. I will be very shocked and disappointed if she doesn’t win the next Nobel Prize for medicine!

Good to know! Here's a pretty good overview.

The story of mRNA: How a once-dismissed idea became a leading technology in the Covid vaccine race

The story of mRNA began is a tale of personal perseverance, eureka moments in the lab, soaring expectations — and an unprecedented flow of cash in biotech.

www.statnews.com

Turns out there is another scientist that worked on the idea of mRNA a bit before the 1990s. Also was not taken seriously even though he had patents.

RNA Vaccine Inventor — RW Malone MD, LLC

www.rwmalonemd.com

 

[MissySki]

Very interesting!

 

[MissySki]

MA is now joining in on the lottery thing as well. Fully vaccinated people can register to enter on July 1st and there will be 5- 1 million dollar cash prizes for 18+ and someone 12-17 enters to win 1 of 5 $300,000 scholarships. I'm excited and will definitely be registering! haha Not that I'll win, I have the worst luck with these sorts of things. It's pretty funny to see social media, the reactions have been angry and saying it's a waste of money. I wonder if those are folks that don't want the vaccine and are therefore pissed they can't enter.. The money is part of the federal stimulus to the state I believe.

 

[ilovepugs]

Darn, I wish Vermont would join in on this! The state is using its federal funds to provide free community college in certain in-demand fields (like nursing) so I guess that’s an OK alternative.

 

[MissySki]

Darn, I wish Vermont would join in on this! The state is using its federal funds to provide free community college in certain in-demand fields (like nursing) so I guess that’s an OK alternative.

Well, it's supposed to be an incentive for getting more vaccinated.. and it doesn't seem like Vermont is in desperate need of that right?

Here it will open for registration July 1 and the first drawing will be at the end of July and then weekly through the end of August. You can only register once fully vaccinated, so it gives time for those who are still unvaccinated to get in by even the first drawing if they get started soon.

Right now we have over 4 million fully vaccinated, so I don't love the odds but here's hoping! lol