Information on COVID-19 Vaccine distribution for Mayo Clinic patients

@mayofeb2020- This is just so discouraging. I don't think that they are thinking about it clearly.

@merpreb. Unfortunately, this is happening across the country, not only in NYC. I always thought it is safer going to a doctor than walking into a grocery store, but this is worrisome. Do they know something we don't?

Hello Everyone - I just wanted to chime in here, because I am as anxious as everyone else to get vaccinated so I can resume something that resembles my pre-Covid life.

First, let me say we need to acknowledge that it is remarkable beyond anything I have ever seen that we even have a vaccine 12 months after this virus was first identified! (It took researchers almost 20 years to develop the polio vaccine.) It is true that there has not been as much planning for the orderly delivery of the vaccine as we would like, but I believe most people doubted there could possibly be a vaccine this quickly.

Remember too, the same public health staff responsible for vaccine delivery planning has been overwhelmed just dealing with the pandemic itself for the past 10 months, and received little guidance or funding to help with the rollout. Finally, our health care providers are DEPLETED from this past year, and we are asking them to undertake another monumental task.

If you've seen my posts before, you know I am a research nerd, so I just did a little math.

20 million doses of vaccine have been delivered in the past 2 1/2 weeks, during a time that included 2 major holidays and some major winter storms. That is enough to vaccinate 10 million people. 4-5 million doses have been injected so far, in 18 days. That's remarkable - about 225,000 doses a day, or 400,000 a day if you just count "business" days. Depending on whose estimate you accept, another 50 - 100 million doses will be delivered by February, for 25 - 50 million more people.

There are:
20 million front-line health care workers
2 million long-term care residents
2 million law enforcement and fire fighters
20 other essential front-line workers (delivery, cashiers, utility & public works, food production, day care providers, transportation & truckers, etc)
4 million K-12 educations workers (incl aides, bus drivers, etc)
18 million over age 75

That's 66 million people needing over 130 million doses of vaccine. That accounts for all of the vaccine we can expect to be delivered in the next 6 weeks.

As you can see, unless you fall into one of the categories above, it is mathematically unlikely that you will be receiving a vaccine in the next few weeks or maybe even months.

The way I see it, no matter how much I would like to travel, or to eat out, or ____, it's hard to justify trying to "jump the line" even though I am 69 and high risk, and my husband is over 70 and also high risk.

So in the meantime. I will mask up, wash my hands, avoid close contact, and try to be patient.

Sue

Absolutely we have hope! WE, you, me and most of the folks on the Connect groups are made of steel! If we weren't full of stubborness and tenacity, we'd have given up long ago on our multiple health issues. I've been fighting, through a lot of tough times, tough symptoms and too many doctors who treated everything/me as 'a female', with 'female anxiety', how many times did I hear 'it's really not something to concern yourself about' or 'take this valium and it'll calm you down...'.....So, I realized I own my body, God loaned it to me-just me. It's my responsibility. I'm responsible for the maintenance and for seeing to it I get the help I need from the best to offer. So, we become gorillas! Do the same re my son and his years of fighting for help! This is a small example of what we do. I just kept digging.

Merry, I've been on that page on that site at least 10 times, looking for information. It's a real puzzle.....maybe Mayo admin put this together like this to test cognitive ability? Well, of course not, they're trying to help us. But, we found it and now have a plan. That's what we want....info, knowledge so we can make our plans for ourselves. I understand much of the problems our governments and society have dealt with were new, untamed territory. Everyone, even the so called experts/leaders, has floundered trying to do the best thing. But, mistakes were made.

The Warp Speed is fantastic combination of private business and gov't.I think it's the best way to do these things. But, now, to be blunt, the beauracracies are trying to distribute and unless they get out of the way they'll muck it up. That's what's happening now.

And, it seems wealthy, donors, others with power are gettiing shots first. Why did all our Washington congress people -many under 50 and healthy- and some of their staff - most under 40 and healthy, get shots first? Why are many hospitals giving ALL the staff shots, not just front-line? Why are prisoners in CA and NY?? getting shots BEFORE the elderly, even those in facilities? Makes me furious!~!!!!!

But, I have control over my life, my vaccine.....at least over getting info and follow through. I think we need to all stand up and let our leaders understand we they can't make these decision!.....prisoners?

DeSantis, Florida, is giving all over 65. Most of the facilities are getting shots first. We're just having to get them delivered to Florida. County health dept.- which could do better.....why are they closed on the week-end? Why are the phones not answered on the week-end or only from 8:30 - 5:00? Get more phones, more people to answer, get organized. Stay open!!!!!!!This is a global emergency! I'm horrified at this kind of thinking.

Why didn't the CDC have the plans for who gets the shots when, all completed and announced in July or August? Why wait until DEC. 20th to meet and make plans? That's caused a lot of states to have to hustle and play catch up.

Why did and is the FDA only seeing research results when the pharm co is ready to ship out? Why don't they keep up with the research as it's happening? This should be done as a normal thing. THIS IS A GLOBAL EMERGENCY! Think out of the box! Good, qualified people.....stuck in the box thinkingl 9-5 only

OK. I'm through. This is a real serious issue, I take it seriously and can't believe the incompetence of so many. We've seen some remarkable, stellar actions taken and forced on the beurocratic govt's. Now, we see the 9-5ers, M-F only. take over.

Blessings. (apologize for the rant, but I think it says some good things. Made me feel better!!), I go to Mayo for everything because they think out of the box and search for answers. Elizabeth

AMEN!!!!! We are living in such a remarkable time! To think we are fussing about not getting a vaccine fast enough, within 2 weeks of approval.....I think it is indeed a Christmas miracle we have a vaccine at all. And, now, as the delivery and injection process goes foward, there are some serious issues slowing the shots. Several states do need guidance or to follow the guidance.....prisoners??? But, for me, now that I see the process working in my state and city, I have contact information with the city and Mayo, I have taken a deep breath and settled back to complete the forms I printed off-line, staying safe at home and at Mayo when I go there. You know, we've been doing this for a year. We can do it for a few more months.......BUT, only with good information and progress. When I see the folks in nursing homes and elderly communities not getting the shots before that list.....then I see red and want to get action to resolve the misconduct. So, Sue, you and your logical brain are right on target. Just with the above 'BUT" addendum. Blessings in this new year! Elizabeth

Good morning everyone. As we wait for our vaccines or think about getting one, please remember that this is not a one dose and done deal. The vaccine is intended to be delivered in two doses on a strict schedule. The first injection teaches the immune system to recognize a new pathogen by showing it a harmless version of some of the virus’s most salient features. After the body has had time to study up on this material, as it were, a second shot presents these features again, helping immune cells commit the lesson to memory.

These vaccines are teachers, intending to give our bodies directions on how to recognize and kill COVID-19. But for it to be effective we need at least 70% of people in the US, and hopefully the world to get both shots. Then it takes about a month after the last one for it to be about 70+% effective.

I have no idea why the rollout is so slow. But I do know that it gives time to decide whether we will get it and if not why. My decision was easy. I'd much rather have a reaction to the vaccine than to have COVID-19 and all of the possible, horrific side effects that it can cause. A few days in bed, if it comes to that sure beats a lifetime of side effects from covid or death.

Your decision will also affect those around you. Please weigh all of the known facts, check with your doctors, and have a talk with the people closest to you. Then decide.

Thank you, Merry, for the clear and easy to understand explanation re the vaccine and how it thinks.Appreciate this...'vaccines are teachers...' Thank you. Blessings. Elizabeth

@mayofeb2020, Your response didn't give reasons nurses gave for not taking the vaccine but it triggered something concerning that my daughter recently shared.

Her closest friend is part of a very large, family owned commercial/ personal laundry in Dallas. The friend shared that many hospital staff coming into the laundry have expressed misgivings about taking the vaccine, even though they've not had Covid themselves and although they are first listed. Their shared concern is that they feel that the ill and very elderly need the vaccine first.

My daughter and I were surprised at this because TX is a state with high Covid numbers and medical staffing throughout the state is reaching crisis status in many areas.

At 77 in my state, I am eligible for the vaccine but my ambivalence about the vaccine is that most in the over 65 yr age group are retired and can stay home to allow those crucially daily needed first responders the opportunity first. Without them, we'll all be out of luck!