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wh500special

Vaccine rollout, take 2.

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dcrage

And I for one am anxiously waiting for my turn to get vaccinated to arrive!

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adsm08

One of the debates I have seen go up in the medical community this last week was about the best way to distribute the 2-dose vaccines while production has not yet met demand. With both doses they are 90-95% effective, but apparently with only the first dose they are still above 80% effective. The debate was over a slow rollout getting both doses to front line medical workers and other particularly vulnerable, leaving the rest of us to wait, or getting almost everyone hit with the first round and hoping for the best. Compelling arguments were made on both sides.

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CCW

Having grown up getting all the vaccines that were offered I have no fear of this one.  As soon as it is offered my wife and I will be standing in line.

 

Steve, @wh500special, thank you for participating in the trials.  I figure by the time I can be in line hundreds of thousands will have been vaccinated and the knowledge base of ailments will be pretty well known.

 

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bc.gold
3 hours ago, wh500special said:

This is a long post.   Bear with me.  
 

I’m surprised the “vaccine rollout” topic hasn’t taken off...so I’m restarting it

in a different way here.  

 

Yesterday the second mRNA COVID vaccine got the blessing for general use.   This is quite possibly one of the most exciting and significant breakthroughs in a century...certainly in my lifetime.   If their efficacy tracks the trial phases and production and distribution can keep up, we can be out of the woods on this pandemic by summer. 
 

The thing so exciting about these is how the vaccine works.  It tricks your own cells into producing one of the proteins present on the protein coat of the virus and in turn triggers your immune system to mount a response against it.  No live or dead virus is needed or used.  No stem cells.  No specially reared chicken eggs. 
 

There is zero risk of contracting the very disease it is meant to protect against which can’t be said for normal vaccine development.  The dose of injected mRNA is low and the material is consumed, so lingering and long term consequences should be minimal. 

 

It’s such an elegant solution that can very well pave the way to faster response to future regular viral ailments and pandemics.  
 

And no; it can not, does not, and will not alter your genetic material or DNA.  Refer to any high school biology textbook for information on how the central dogma works.  
 

As millions of people receive their doses there are bound to be undiscovered side effects that crop up.  But the 30000-patient trials were so promising with so few significant side effects reported that we are looking at something truly novel and revolutionary.  
 

Last spring when my wife and I saw that they were calling for volunteers to be in the trials we both signed up immediately.   They were specifically searching for volunteers with health problems to ensure that the vaccine didn’t conflict with various persistent ailments.  They also were looking for people who were at risk of unavoidable exposure to the virus in their daily lives. 
 

 We applied for both the Pfizer and Moderna studies which were both being trialed locally through the St. Louis medical research centers.   St. Louis has a lot of problems, but lack of world class healthcare isn’t one of them. 


 I was picked for further follow up, she wasn’t.  I was probably a better candidate since my job creates a lot of exposure for me and she is healthier than I am. 
 

Enrollment in the study wasn’t automatic.  There was a phone “interview” to verify a bunch of things.   After that gate is cleared they had me come in for a screening visit which was, essentially, the normal history and physical you get as a new patient when you go to a new doctor.  And the requisite nasal swab to check for active covid infection as well as a blood draw.  
 

Ouch.  
 

This was early September.   In mid September I went in for my first injection of either the vaccine or a placebo.  The odds were 50/50.   In these “double blind” studies neither I nor the research center doing the workup knew if I was getting the real thing or the control. 
 

The shot itself is a normal shot.   Clean the skin, make the stick, it’s over.  You wouldn’t probably choose to get a shot for no reason, but it’s no

big deal.  The price we pay for living a civilized life.  
 

After my first dose in September I had no side effects.  Of course the spot where they stick a needle in is a little tender for a day, but other than that it was uneventful.  They held me in the office for 30 minutes to make sure everything was stable.  Checked blood pressure, heart rate, etc.  then I left.  
 

For the next 5 days they had me keep an electronic diary of my symptoms and provided a checklist of things to check: fever, soreness, aches, swollen nodes, etc.  Had to take my temperature And keep a record.  Each day the diary is uploaded.   I never missed an entry, but if a patient does they get a phone call to check what’s going on.  Serious business and very well managed. 
 

In addition to the diary, they call once a day for those 5 days for a safety call with a litany of Questions.  After the initial 5 days these things all happen once a week.  
 

At the 3-week mark in October, I returned for dose #2.  Again the nasal swab and blood draws.  Shot #2 was The same as the first.  Same protocol of waiting after the shot, doing the diary, having the phone calls, etc. 

 

my shot was around 10:00 in the morning. I went to work as normal.  That night around 5:00 I just felt a little lousy.   Not bad, but a little achy and just a little off.   Was running a very mild fever around 8:00.  Nothing bad and it didn’t disrupt my normal activities.   Slept it off that night and woke up normally and feeling fine.  Easy.  
 

At was at this point that I was pretty optimistic that I’d received the real deal instead of the placebo.  The placebo in the Moderna study is just saline, so it seems unlikely I’d show effects from that.   And it makes sense...after dose #1 my body had mounted a response and created antibodies.   Dose #2 put more of the stuff in my system that my body had to react to. 
 

In the meantime we had a few cases of COVID go Around the office and shop at work.  I managed not to catch it so far as I know.  I did get a nasty cold in November. 
 

Part of the deal with the study is I am suppose to report ANY ailment to them.  So I called and told them i was sick. They had me come in for a comprehensive workup and poked, prodded, measured, and tested me.  It wasn’t pleasant.  This time I got multiple nasal swabs.   Fun.  
 

Verified no covid.   But i did have a rhinovirus cold.   Being a typical whiny adult male, I’m sure I acted like the cold was killing me.  
 

The study period is to last 25 months from my first visit in September.  They will continue to take blood samples presumably to check for antibodies in me and the other 30000 participants.   This will monitor for lasting protection.
 

There is talk that they will “unblind” the study so that those that got the placebo can get the vaccine.   So I expect to know for sure whether I got it or just the dummy very soon.  Based on my response to dose #2, I’m fairly certain I received the actual vaccine.  
 

The point of this post is to reveal that I’m 100% behind this science and to give you another datapoint and to make your decision when you’re offered the vaccine.  I obviously thought the risks as I understood them were worth the reward.  
 

 I was in the Moderna study and see at the volunteer level how thoroughly things have been monitored and how their selections for candidates were made, but I am sure Pfizer and the other companies took similar or identical steps. 
 

the day the Pfizer vaccine was approved for use last week I cried I was so happy and excited.   Yesterday, I did it again.   I truly think in a few years we are going to look back at this as a turning point in fighting disease and can hopefully ward

off Such a calamity in the future. 
 

best wishes,

Steve


 

 

Sauce.

 

Suburban Hospital Temporarily Pauses Vaccinations ‘Out of Abundance of Caution' Following Adverse Reactions

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wh500special
18 hours ago, bcgold said:

Sauce.

 

Suburban Hospital Temporarily Pauses Vaccinations ‘Out of Abundance of Caution' Following Adverse Reactions


BC,

 

I don’t know what “sauce” means in this context.   You’ll have to explain. ;) 

 

It’s expected that some additional side effects are going to manifest.  Some of them that have popped up so far have shown to be statistically even in prevalence with just living a life normally.  
 

Fortunately, all seem to be mindful and watchful for any trouble. 
 

The medical community clearly has faith in this science since they are putting their necks on the line first.   I think if there was much doubt we’d see a rollout in a more metered or scattered sequence.   Jeopardizing the entire healthcare workforce is on the line. 
 

I’d like to reiterate that I’m not providing any kind of healthcare guidance.   I’m an engineer, not an MD.    Just wanted to share my excitement and experience with this.  
 

steve 

Edited by wh500special
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stevasaurus

At first, the Libertyville thing may be a bad batch...and they therefor stopped.  Truth is, I have not heard anymore about the Libertyville thing.  I am about 15 miles from there.

   Steve...outstanding that you and your wife got to get into this program...and that was an excellent write up for us to look at.  Hope you and yours are still OK.  I share with you the importance of the truth coming out here...I trust my Red Square Brother.  
Thanks Mate!!!  :occasion-xmas:

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rmaynard

You who volunteer to test a vaccine, are like the astronauts who first set foot on the moon. A little bit crazy, a whole lot courageous, and like a soldier on the battlefield facing down the enemy. I salute your selfless bravery.

 

Being 70, and having underlying conditions, I'm hoping that my turn in line is not far away. 

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wallfish

Thanks for sharing your experiences with it Steve!

 

 

On 12/19/2020 at 4:32 PM, bcgold said:

 

Sauce.

 

Suburban Hospital Temporarily Pauses Vaccinations ‘Out of Abundance of Caution' Following Adverse Reactions

WOW, this is actually MUCH better than I expected and although it's still early on, that's a promising statistic

From that article.

Advocate Aurora Health reminded that the four people who experienced the adverse reactions account for fewer than 0.15% of the approximately 3,000 individuals who have so far received vaccinations throughout their health system.

The health center said as of Friday, three team members are at home and "doing well," while one person is receiving additional treatment.

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wh500special
On 12/22/2020 at 5:45 PM, rmaynard said:

You who volunteer to test a vaccine, are like the astronauts who first set foot on the moon. A little bit crazy, a whole lot courageous...


Thanks.   The crazy part certainly fits but replace the courage part with just trying to cut in line as early as I could 🤪

 

Seriously, the science on these things is pretty straight forward and mostly proven. Vaccination has been one of mankind’s best triumphs and the statistics of safety are generally very promising.  
 

I’ve volunteered for other studies before too.  I doubt this will be the last.  
 

happy new year!
 

steve. 

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953 nut
On 12/24/2020 at 6:22 PM, bcgold said:

A study you say,

 

Study investigates effects of COVID-19 vaccine on male fertility.

I'm 75 years old and am less concerned about fertility than I am about becoming fertilizer and pushing up daisies!

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AMC RULES

:rolleyes: People have the craziest priorities these daze. 

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wallfish

I say study away! The more the merrier as we all (or at least most of us) want more truthful information about this vaccine!

Directly from that article of that study posted.  

"From the biology of the COVID vaccine we believe it shouldn’t affect fertility"

Headlines can undoubtedly be deceiving depending upon how they are worded and what the purpose or agenda is. 

Such as

A very small study investigates the remote possibility of adverse effects of the Covid 19 vaccine.

It may not have the same "click bait" ring to it but still a valid headline for that same exact study article.

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Sparky

If getting the vaccine is my “ticket” to get into tractor and machinery shows this year then SIGN ME UP :D !
  My wife is a nurse and she is scheduled for dose#1 January 4th....couple weeks later dose#2. 

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AMC RULES

:text-yeahthat:

Anyone out there wanting to decline your Covid inoculation, just let me know.

I'd gladly take it in your place.  :greetings-wavingyellow:

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adsm08
21 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

:text-yeahthat:

Anyone out there wanting to decline your Covid inoculation, just let me know.

I'd gladly take it in your place.  :greetings-wavingyellow:

 

I plan to get it eventually, just like I do with a flu shot every year. Not because I think the virus is going to kill me, but because I'd rather not deal with being sick.

 

But since I just had COVID, I'm safe for at least three months, so even if I'm given the option sooner I'll probably wait until fall.

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adsm08
On 1/2/2021 at 7:09 AM, 953 nut said:

I'm 75 years old and am less concerned about fertility than I am about becoming fertilizer and pushing up daisies!

 

I'm 35 and I want to get rid of my fertility, so I say bring it on.

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DennisThornton

I've seen some folks that I don't think should propagate.

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wh500special

Well, an update...

 

The vaccine study in which I am enrolled decided the ethical thing to do was to "unblind" the study and offer participants who had not received the actual vaccine and had instead received the placebo the opportunity to get the real thing.  Today was my day.

 

I had an appointment this morning where they did the requisite blood draw and nasopharyngeal swab then told me the news...

 

I indeed received the real Moderna mRNA vaccine during my first shot in September and on my followup in October.  Based on the extremely mild reaction I had after my second shot I suspected this was the case all along, but it's great to have confirmation.

 

I'm now 4 months in and still haven't grown a third foot, went crazy, or otherwise had any bad effects that can be reasonably be attributed to the vaccine.  I'm sure my wife has noticed that my attractiveness has waned, my hair has receded, and my wit has dulled but we're willing to chalk that up more to the elapse of time than anything else.

 

I haven't noticed any unmarked vans or drones following me around either from the theorized tracking microchips that so many crazies are insisting is the true purpose behind a complicated pandemic conspiracy ruse that has changed or ended so many lives.

 

I encourage you to do your research from trustworthy sources, talk to your DOCTOR, and - when you become eligible - to do what's best for you and the rest of us.  Having a vaccine doesn't absolve any of us from wearing masks, maintaining distance, and doing the right thing just yet but it will eventually get us back to life as normal.  The race is on.

 

Good luck to all, get registered with your health departments, and keep your eyes open for your opportunity!

 

Steve

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Handy Don
10 minutes ago, wh500special said:

Well, an update...

I'm sure my wife has noticed that my attractiveness has waned, my hair has receded, and my wit has dulled but we're willing to chalk that up more to the elapse of time than anything else.

Dang, I got the Moderna recently and was hoping for improvements in all these areas. Sigh.

Glad to hear your good news, though! :)

Edited by Handy Don
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953 nut

Hope everyone else is having a better roll-out than we are. Our county health department administered vaccine to all medical workers and first responders in November and then sat around for four months to give them the second dose. Once that was done they began taking appointments for the 75+ age group and promptly ran out of vaccine. The state is allocating vaccine allotments based on the county's history of shots in arms. Since our wonderful health department was slow to react we are at the bottom of the barrel.  :sad-darkcloud:

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Handy Don

It's been 100+ years since the U.S. had to deal with a pandemic. And we bungled that one. I'm not really that surprised at how hit and miss the response to this one has been. Disappointed yes, surprised no.

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tom2p

too many states were not prepared and still not prepared to administer the vaccine 

 

the CDC provided the information (detailed plan/templates/etc) beginning last fall 

 

Edited by tom2p

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Lane Ranger

Pfizer vaccine  shot two scheduled in three weeks!

91E8EB33-45B1-4EF6-ADD6-E723EE21010B.jpeg

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