Covid And The Rest of Us

[Corien]

Is that any age over 60? In this province it is not being administered to anyone over the age of 64 but all those people are currently eligible for Pfizer or Moderna. On that front, many appointments are available but alas the supply is not so a lot of them are being deferred.

I just looked up the article and the physician specifically asked people aged 65+ to come in. Here people 65+ get Pfizer, but there's no rule they cannot get AZ. The only rule we have here now is that people under 60 cannot get AZ. At the time of the tweet only people aged 70 and up were eligible for the Pfizer vaccine at the mass vaccination sites (and aged 60-64/65 are eligible for AZ at their physician), so some eager 65-70 people showed up to get a shot.

 

[Karin1984]

We also have a hospital that gives Astra to their staff despite the stop. They had their staff delayed twice first for Astra, then for Johnson. They have had enough of the minister of Health's 'yes-no'-game. The hospital tells the story of a man who had refused Astra because he got scared. Now he is in the hospital with Covid.

 

[hdrolfe]

Ontario is in rough shape with the hospitals and ICUs. At least one hospital here in Ottawa has no more ICU beds. While the new restrictions suck, I was going to the park to play basketball with my son and we can't now, it often took looking at multiple courts to find one with fewer than a dozen teens playing with no masks. The traffic hasn't changed, so people are still going out to do whatever.

I think the Astra zeneca has an ok take up rate here, it is for anyone 55 + and I wish they would offer it to younger because it feels like I could get it. They stopped at 60+ and started focusing on hot spots. Fair, but there are so many people who want to line up for whatever they can get. It certainly frustrates me to hear people not signing up or waiting for a "better" vaccine.

Also interesting to me, since we have so many bridges to Quebec here, and people live on one side, work on the other, but when things started last year it was the Quebec police stopping people. Now it's Ontario's.

 

[Corien]

We also have a hospital that gives Astra to their staff despite the stop. They had their staff delayed twice first for Astra, then for Johnson. They have had enough of the minister of Health's 'yes-no'-game. The hospital tells the story of a man who had refused Astra because he got scared. Now he is in the hospital with Covid.

That was a sad story indeed. I totally understand the frustration with the vaccine strategy (hell I was frustrated enough when they cancelled my appointment to get AZ tomorrow), but I also get what a difficult position De Jonge is in here. If they hadn't paused the vaccine and just continued it, a lot of people would also have been scared to get it (probably a bigger group of people because more people would getting AZ) which would delay vaccinations even further. The media's widespread attention to every other country pausing AZ or halting it to people under 60 altogether would've caused enough fear for people not to want to get vaccinated if they knew they might get AZ.

 

[NFLDERS]

I have had two relatives die from Covid, so I am a little more conservative than most when it comes to prevention. I would not have an issue with the neighbors if they would mask or social distance, but they aren’t doing either. I also do not know if any of them have been vaccinated. I agree it is more difficult to catch Covid outdoors, but it is not impossible, at least, not yet.

And the variants may be making it a heightened possibility.

 

[bcwife76]

Do you know how the up-take of the AZ vaccine is going? Here, not so good. The pharmacists and mass vaccination centres are basically twiddling their thumbs and wishing for people to show up.

To be honest no I don't know how well it's going. It's barely talked about on the news here so I'm really not sure. Yesterday our premier had his shot (he's 61) and did it at his local pharmacy in Victoria with the AZ vaccine and made a point of saying his wife has an appt next week to get the same vaccine, hoping to encourage more people in that age range to get it I suppose. It's only the 55-65 year age range here so I'm 10 years too young to get it.

 

[ronandannette]

To be honest no I don't know how well it's going. It's barely talked about on the news here so I'm really not sure. Yesterday our premier had his shot (he's 61) and did it at his local pharmacy in Victoria with the AZ vaccine and made a point of saying his wife has an appt next week to get the same vaccine, hoping to encourage more people in that age range to get it I suppose. It's only the 55-65 year age range here so I'm 10 years too young to get it.

Stephen Harper made a big splash of doing the same thing in Calgary. The Premier, our Mayor and almost all the rest of Alberta’s politicians aren’t in an eligible age range. There are many local celebrities and community leaders doing PSA’s with a special focus on educating/encouraging new Canadians, particularly those with language barriers.

 

[lisaviolet]

How are more restrictions the answer to people disregarding restrictions?

Not debating your premise at all, and just jumping off your post-

But simply want to be clear that up to now very few people have been disregarding restrictions. Compliancy is not a huge issue, as @ronandannette already relayed. I have listed some lack of compliancy, as have others. There are always outliers anywhere. But it truly has been minimal.

+++++++++++++

Our spread is really due to -

*Our vaccination program is not quick because we do not manufacture vaccines. Yes there is some disorganization, but most of the delay is because we are completely reliant on shipments. Some of which have been cancelled/delayed or reduced. It is difficult to have a top notch rollout with these issues.

(As an aside - Because of this issue, and every province is allowed to make their down decision, Ontario made the choice to push the second shots to close to four months. Obviously that will most likely impact the spread , as both shots does not guarantee immunity but one only is more of a risk.)

*We were totally unable to get ahead of the variant, that is a big deal here

*We also have put limitations, different in each province, with AstraZeneca. It is unfortunate that it came to that - not arguing why - because we have appointments not being filled due to the scare. In Ontario, no one under 55 ((decreased to under 40 now) can take AstraZeneca. That decision came when a lot of older residents had already got their vaccine, so here it really was just 55-69 - with some already vaccinated in that age group too due to other checkmarks pushing them through the system. And many in that age group are momentarily opening to other choices anyway - a why take the chance on AstraZeneca mentality.
And Johnson & Johnson has not been cleared.

*Here is an interesting comparison - we share rising numbers with Michigan, our neighbour, because of vaccination issues. But Michigan is because there is a percentage of people that do not want to be vaccinated. There are hundreds and hundreds of daily appointments unfilled in Michigan. The other day I caught that half a million vaccines in the States went unused. Here people will line up in the rain for hours at pop-up locations, including the young.
Although I have friends and family that do not want the vaccine, we do not suffer from vaccine refusal. Dougie, our premier, should send someone to the bridge to Michigan and hold out their hands.

*factories and large warehouses - outbreaks in many including Canada Post and Amazon. And then of course it leads to community spread.

*jumping off of that the refusal of our Premier to push through guaranteed sick leave. You work in one of those condensed warehouses without sick leave and you think you might be Iill or exposed, well easy for people to stay home in politician's eyes. Feed your family? Risk a job loss? (supposedly won't happen due to new laws) difficult choices. Yes we have programs but for some they are not quick enough. Guaranteed sick leave is a big issue here.

*And then there is the neverending thought that love is a force field against the virus. It is just my family coming over - only my friends - small party for a 50th etc etc. No big deal. The quiet expansion of a bubble. Indoor gatherings, especially during the winter, were a source of the spread. Hence why such stringent outdoor restrictions are asinine.

 

[lisaviolet]

Just want to be clear -

No one is stopping the people of Ontario from being outside, enjoying the outdoors to some extent. It is simply the bizarre focus on strigent outside restrictions being evoked - and the ramifications of those decisions - that is getting people going.

Our premier has backed down somewhat on police checks regarding these issues.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5991872

 

[lisaviolet]

To be honest no I don't know how well it's going. It's barely talked about on the news here so I'm really not sure. Yesterday our premier had his shot (he's 61) and did it at his local pharmacy in Victoria with the AZ vaccine and made a point of saying his wife has an appt next week to get the same vaccine, hoping to encourage more people in that age range to get it I suppose. It's only the 55-65 year age range here so I'm 10 years too young to get it.

Premier Ford and Mayor Tory did the same. Good on them.

 

[lisaviolet]

If I back up, they step forward.

What the ****?

I know it is not funny, but I almost choked on shock and laughter.

Some people must do that naturally. But for those who don't how big is your flippin' ego? Huge, I guess.

(And this is from someone who rarely wears a mask outside.)

 

[lisaviolet]

I have had two relatives die from Covid, so I am a little more conservative than most when it comes to prevention

I am so very sorry for your loss.

-++++++++

I think the issue that gets me the most is that many don't realize that they have just been lucky at times not to lose a loved one, although the chances are slim. There is no sense of grace for some. All that has nothing to do with living life as fully as you can, the best you can - under these circumstances.

The first line from Kate Bush song says it all for me, regarding the possibility of losing someone who is precious to you -


Pray God you can cope.



Regrets can truly do a soul in. I wish people realized that more.

 

[ronandannette]

Just want to be clear -

No one is stopping the people of Ontario from being outside, enjoying the outdoors to some extent. It is simply the bizarre focus on strigent outside restrictions being evoked - and the ramifications of those decisions - that is getting people going.

Our premier has backed down somewhat on police checks regarding these issues.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5991872

I’m thankful to hear it. As has been discussed several different ways here over the past year, the problem with making hastily-conceived or excessive rules is always the issue of enforcement. Back in December there was a highly-publicized incident in Calgary where a police officer tasered and very aggressively took down one of the young adults caught playing a prohibited game of pond hockey in a city park. The reaction was shock, rage and deep sadness - this type of life is just unacceptable in a safe, peace-loving Canadian city.

 

[NFLDERS]

Update from my post #2,587

https://www.insauga.com/still-no-an...at-mississaugas-pearson-airport-with-covid-19

 

[ronandannette]

Update from my post #2,587

https://www.insauga.com/still-no-an...at-mississaugas-pearson-airport-with-covid-19

A few things here are extremely troubling, aside from the very fact itself that airlines (primarily Air Canada it seems) are boarding Covid-positive passengers when pre-flight testing is supposed to be required.

1. A number of these flights have arrived in Halifax and St. John’s where cases are relatively low after the Maritime provinces going to great lengths in terms of lock-down. Here’s hoping Pandora’s Box has not been unleashed on them.
2. A number of the affected flights show “unknown” in the column of what rows were affected. What the flip!?! How can they not know where the infected passengers were sitting?

 

[fla4fun]

What the ****?

I know it is not funny, but I almost choked on shock and laughter.

Some people must do that naturally. But for those who don't how big is your flippin' ego? Huge, I guess.

(And this is from someone who rarely wears a mask outside.)

My sister, BIL and I had all quarantined for two weeks so we could get together for Christmas (just the three of us). I warned them when they arrived about how the neighbors would step forward if you try to back up, so they decided wearing a mask in the yard would be a good idea. I don’t think they really believed me though until the neighbors actually came over while just the two of them were in the yard, and they tried backing up - only to have the neighbors step forward. It is funny, so long as you aren’t the one being encroached upon.

 

[mom2rtk]

My sister, BIL and I had all quarantined for two weeks so we could get together for Christmas (just the three of us). I warned them when they arrived about how the neighbors would step forward if you try to back up, so they decided wearing a mask in the yard would be a good idea. I don’t think they really believed me though until the neighbors actually came over while just the two of them were in the yard, and they tried backing up - only to have the neighbors step forward. It is funny, so long as you aren’t the one being encroached upon.

I personally would have no issue telling them I was trying to keep some space.

 

[Aladora]

BC issues orders restricting people’s abilities to leave their health authorities; BC Ferries will no longer permit recreational vehicles to travel to and from the islands

Premier Horgan says the province is restricting travel to health regions, effective this Friday. Residents will no longer be permitted to travel beyond health regions for non-essential reasons.
Random stops of individuals will take place with the new restrictions to assess travel reasons. Fines will be levied to those breaking new rules.
Tourism organizers are being asked to restrict bookings and transport/travel plans. BC Ferries will no longer permit recreational vehicles and campers to board vessels headed to or from Vancouver Island and the islands, as of this Friday.
The province will also install signage at borders advising individuals from out-of-province of the new restrictions.
The current phase of restrictions are planned to remain through at least May Long Weekend.

 

[bcwife76]

BC issues orders restricting people’s abilities to leave their health authorities; BC Ferries will no longer permit recreational vehicles to travel to and from the islands

Premier Horgan says the province is restricting travel to health regions, effective this Friday. Residents will no longer be permitted to travel beyond health regions for non-essential reasons.
Random stops of individuals will take place with the new restrictions to assess travel reasons. Fines will be levied to those breaking new rules.
Tourism organizers are being asked to restrict bookings and transport/travel plans. BC Ferries will no longer permit recreational vehicles and campers to board vessels headed to or from Vancouver Island and the islands, as of this Friday.
The province will also install signage at borders advising individuals from out-of-province of the new restrictions.
The current phase of restrictions are planned to remain through at least May Long Weekend.

We live in one health authority (Fraser) but my husband works in another (Coastal). I hope they don't get cute and start pulling over drivers on the 91 or the 99 during the morning or evening commutes, ugh.

 

[hdrolfe]

We live in one health authority (Fraser) but my husband works in another (Coastal). I hope they don't get cute and start pulling over drivers on the 91 or the 99 during the morning or evening commutes, ugh.

I live in Ottawa and we have a lot of people who live here, work in Gatineau and vice versa, both commutes today was all about how busy the bridges were as the police were stopping everyone coming into Ontario. I am not sure how many were turned back but it certainly added to the commute. I imagine you have a lot more borders going from one area to another so probably not the same, but I'd expect some delays and checks.