custodian Loc: New York

anyone 75 and older in NYS does not get to have a covid shot per our wonderful governor!! He figures you dont have much longer to live so why use it on them.. He needs to go!!

Nigel7 Loc: Worcestershire. UK.

All quite different in the UK. We have bands, 80+,75+,70+. 65+ etc. We can't apply but wait until called. We're strictly working down the bands so still on 80+ which is also including front line health workers. Those who are considered "extremely vulnerable" are also to be included with the 70+.

We've had some reports of delays although roll out is ramping up fast. The one issue was that we were receiving the vaccine nationally but every batch had to be checked before it could be distributed. However, that does seem to have gone quiet now so hopefully it's sorted.

We're targeting to get all 70+ vaccinated with first dose by mid February. Second doses will follow 12 weeks after the first. It's considered preferable to get more injected with the first dose before starting the second. Testing suggests the second dose only improves immediate effectiveness a little but does make a larger improvement on longevity of protection.

Hal81 Loc: Bucks County, Pa.

Im 91.. .I don't think they want to waste a shot on me. They think Ive got one foot in the grave anyway.

Dossile

I’m just happy that everyone commenting is anxious to get the shot. One of the problems in vaccine distribution is that so many people are rejecting even getting the shot that the vaccine sits idle. I got my second shot Monday with noticeable fatigue and a few aches yesterday. Better now though.

As for distribution, I have been fatally scarred after working within the VA system. I simply can’t believe that the federal government would do a better job then the very imperfect states who have a public health systems in place. Every country (except maybe Israel) is having trouble with the distribution of the too scarce life saving resource, we shouldn’t feel special in the US. I am unaware of a federal system or organization that could administer the vaccine in an equitable rapid fashion based on tiers of need. And as wonderful as our service women and men are, please don’t say the military, the impetus for the term FUBAR. It’s tough enough to find people to execute the census, let alone professionals to administer a shot in an environment safe enough to deal with a very rare case of anaphylaxis.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Well the Army learned something from that. At the main supply depot in our region of Vietnam (66-69) they a full division's worth of winter clothing, gear, lubricants etc. in case Korea heated up and troops from Nam had to be sent there.

Any of the Vietnamese workers at the depot who didn't know what the stuff was there for must have thought the Army was "boo coo dinky dau".

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Our oldest is Army Reserve here in So Cal. A Civil Affairs company. He is a rated EMT by the Army and took all but one class for Special Forces medic so he has been working testing stations etc. He said they have rumors they may get called on to help with shots, esp. those like him with a lot of medic training. They had their testing stations in the parking lots of hospitals and medical centers. They have been helping set up and man tents for overflow in hospital parking lots, lawns etc. In fact he is being super cautious around the house (mask, gloves, staying in his room doing another degree on line and using a lot of sanitizing wipes) since his immediate higher is in one of those overflow tents with Covid. They are using the tents for the milder cases.

Dossile

I have worked with many, many military medical personnel and have little doubt about their exceptional capabilities and their ability to care for people. They are lights out great. Mobile hospitals with medical personnel for over flow will be a huge life saver, especially in areas with inadequate hospital beds, like California. The military is set up exactly for such an undertaking. They certainly can help administer the vaccine. However, I have little respect for the ability of the federal government to integrate with the manufacturers, create a distribution chain, protect the vaccine in transit and provide for efficacious administration in a fair and logical sequence at the local level any better than is already happening. I interface with the federal government in regards to health care frequently, and it isn’t pretty.

As the world is seeing, the first experience with such an undertaking as vaccinating their country’s entire population is going to be rough the first few weeks. Vaccination experts predicted the difficulties, even with years to plan. This isn’t a surprise. Federal interference and starting again would be disastrous without a ready infrastructure. The federal government does not have a ready infrastructure. Public health is constitutionally a State function and the federal government has institutionally behaved accordingly for over 2 centuries. On the Federal level, it would be starting from scratch on a complex undertaking when time is critical. It doesn’t make any sense to me.

Smokin' Joe

I'm 81, use VA care and haven't heard a word from them but have an appointment with a local health care through the VA on the 21st. Will ask them about shots. Not too happy with VA in general.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

On the news just now they said that 30+ million doses have been delivered to the states but they have only given 11 million shots so far. Yet many states keep screaming "we need more vaccine".
My son and I were talking this morning, he is Army Reserve in a Civil Affairs unit and has a lot of medic training, EMT certified and working on another degree, this on in disaster relief logistics. He has helped man testing stations, his immediate superior is in the hospital with Covid. He says he thinks if we want this done faster the Feds should do it, not the states. If that happens he expects units like his to be running vaccination centers.

Triple G

I’m all for that.

JBRIII

I am sorry, but I do not except excuses on this. We had months to get this right and failed. My group of 4 people, ran a international meeting involving pickups at airports for people from everywhere but Anarctica, had a main speaker have a heart attack in D.C. days before the meeting and solved whatever was needed on the fly. The youngest member could do better at 16 then all our experts have done. Heads need
to fall, federal, state, local?? Give authority and get it done, or get out of the way!!

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I heard on commentator on he radio say he thought the problem was officials who know nothing about doing mass inoculations but will not delegate the authority to others because they are afraid they will lose power and a chunk of their bureaucratic empire.

JBRIII

Late in my career I was awarded a post-Doc, before I designed all research and win or lose paid the piper. It was hard at first, but guess what if the post-doc successed, we both won.I
Even in science too many make it to management for the wrong reasons (Peter principle?).
P.S. Never made it to management.