Covid And The Rest of Us

[leahgoogle]

Manitoba is entering its third lockdown, due to our third wave. No visitors allowed inside or outside a home. Businesses that are still open are back down to 25% capacity. Movie theatres, casinos, concert halls all remain closed.

The restrictions are so confusing because you aren’t allowed to stand on your driveway 10 ft away from someone (both masked) for a five minute chat, but it’s still ok for 4 non same household people to go to an outdoor patio for drinks and conversation. They are saying it’s because it’s easy to contact trace in public spaces, and I get that, but it just seems so counter intuitive. Our stay at home orders are until May 26, so, May long (weekend) (Victoria Day) has essentially been cancelled. It’s our unofficial start to summer. It would have to be pared down anyway because most people with cabins have them in Ontario, and those borders are closed too.

On the plus side, my husband got an AZ vaccine yesterday. One week ago the ago was dropped to anyone age 40 and over and Gen X came out in droves! It was great to see. Because of my multiple health concerns, I’ve been advised to wait for Pfizer or Moderna. The age limit is 50 and over and I’m 45 so I’m hoping the age limit will drop soon. Supply is a real problem here, as it is everywhere.

This is crazy to me! Especially outdoors. Restrictions in my state weren't that strict even when cases were at their highest. My daughter's last birthday was spent in quarantine. One of her friends brought her a pan of brownies and starbucks and they chatted and her mom and I chatted in our driveway while distanced for a while. It helped keep us sane during that time!

 

[prairie_girl]

Oh good, other provinces are also having the inconsistent confusing rules! Ontario has some what the what ones as well. They just dropped the age for Moderna and a Pfizer for hot zones here to 45+. It changed yesterday, late afternoon, with no official announcement. I had mine last week as an education worker in a hot zone, but I grabbed one for my husband for Friday now. Really hoping it makes a difference in Peel and Toronto, things are not good here.

Oh, right. I forgot we have a few hot zones that allow anyone 18+ to book an appointment. I have a few friends on Facebook who qualify for an az vaccine now but are choosing to wait for Pfizer. I debated saying anything and then just said that if they get one of those, they are taking a dose away from someone who can only get one of them. I doubt it will change anyone’s mind, but maybe it will just change one persons.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

All family that wanted to be vaccinated have been. We got our appointments as soon as we were eligible for them under the applicable phase.

My husband and I will be considered fully vaccinated come this Friday just before my birthday next week I did have a rough go on the side effects but that is on the "Have you gotten a covid vaccine thread" We received Pfizer, but we know only a few that got Moderna and one or two that got J&J.

Most of the restrictions are minimal or gone in my area. Mask mandates are one of the main ones to stick around. My county may be letting their public health order expire Friday along with the mask mandate however other parts of the metro have already and other parts of the metro are sticking with keeping the mask mandate some have adjusted to removing the outdoor part so long as you social distance (important caveat). My county is given the okay so long as they make it clear we haven't reached herd immunity, it's still very very strongly recommended to wear masks when social distancing cannot be maintained and is very very strongly recommended indoors period. We'll see what happens come Friday I suspect there will be masks continued to be worn for a bit at least. As with throughout the pandemic having different parts of the metro being under different rules means you need to keep this in mind. No removal of mask mandates affects businesses ability to require masks and MLB and MLS will require them (not sure what will be come NFL season) so don't ditch the masks quite yet peeps and you'll want to keep one on your person as you go out and about

I have been listening to stories of people from other countries and it's been a flip flop situation it appears..high restrictions elsewhere (which was the way the whole time basically) but not access to the vaccine as easily, lower restrictions here in the U.S. but access to the vaccine easily. By access I just mean eligibility because there are still quite a lot of barriers depending on the situation. It does appear most places are switching to combat vaccine hesitancy at this time by community outreach and educational tactics.

I am so sorry to hear about all the issues y'all have been having with lockdowns, vaccine access and more. The U.S. has def. seen some states rise sharply though I believe that is starting to get better again. It's all a cycle. One day you're the lowest case rate in the U.S. the next day you're in a bad position. I learned long ago to just take that in stride.

On a personal note my step-father-in-law's brother and his long-time significant other got covid early April. They would be considered the closest to us to have gotten it. Both ended up in the hospital (brother first then significant other) but they have both since been discharged and are doing much better. Sunday I found out how they got it. Non-biological sister to the brother lives in FL, she came up to Massachusetts to visit her brother. She didn't get tested beforehand. This is important because her son came down with covid before she left. Her son gave it to her, she gave it to her non-biological brother who gave it to his long-time significant other. Had she postponed the trip and isolated, gotten tested, and isolated while awaiting the results she would have discovered she was positive. Test and isolate while awaiting the results (unless you're fully vaccinated) before going on a trip even if you don't think you were exposed pwease!

 

[bcwife76]

When they dropped the age to 40+ here in BC last week for the AZ vaccine it was also a mad scramble for appointments! At first the earliest I could get for both dh and myself was May 8th. Took those, then put ourselves on several waitlists. One waitlist came through for May 1. Then another for April 26th. Then Costco came through for April 25th! So we took that one and cancelled all the others. So yay, on the way with one dose at least! Hopefully it's less than 4 months before the second dose Also hopefully we get more deliveries (AZ deliveries are not very consistent in Canada), not sure how I would feel about getting a different vaccine for my second dose....

 

[BadPinkTink]

European Parliament votes to introduce EU Covid-19 passports

The European Parliament has approved its priorities for introducing Covid-19 passports for the EU, also known as Digital Green Certificates, in time for the summer.

The idea behind the Covid passport system is to allow anyone who is fully vaccinated, or who has a negative Covid-19 test, or who has recovered from Covid-19, to travel within the EU by presenting this paper or digital certificate.

The result of the vote, cast yesterday and announced this morning, was 540 votes in favour, 119 against and 31 abstentions.

As part of the vote, the European Parliament aims as part of its priorities to scrap the name ‘Digital Green Certificates’, and instead call them the ‘EU Covid-19 certificate’.

MEPs also agreed that the system should be in place for no longer than 12 months.

MEPs also stress that, in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”.

The next stage will involve negotiations between the European Parliament, based on these prioirities; and the European Council, or the leaders of the 27 EU member states, about how to implement the certificates.

Once officially introduced, Ireland and other EU member states will be obliged to give one of these EU Covid-19 certificates to anyone eligible for one who requests it.

In a plenary hearing yesterday where the issue was debated, some MEPs expressed concerns about EU countries where Covid-19 tests are “prohibitively expensive”, particularly for cross-border workers and students; that the name ‘Digital Green Certificates’ was confusing; that there wasn’t enough scientific evidence for how long immunity after contracting Covid-19 or after being fully vaccinated would last.

“Haste is not a wise counsel,” Italian MEP Piernicola Pedicini said, raising concerns about how the committee stage for the certificate legislation was skipped.

“Is the effect the same for all vaccines? How long are we protected for? We don’t know if member states are going to discriminate through access to services.”

MEPs arguing in favour of the Covid certificates said that they would allow a return to some level of normality; that the system will ensure there aren’t several different systems for travel across the EU; and that it would allow the European economy – tourism in particular – to rebound.

Bulgarian MEP Petar Vitanov said that the proposal should have been introduced last year, when there was a “patchwork” arrangement for travel across the EU.

In the result announced today, MEPs said that EU member states must accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for persons inoculated with a vaccine authorised for use in the EU by the European Medicines Agency – currently Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen.

It will be up to the EU member states to decide whether they also accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for vaccines listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use.

 

[SirDuff]

My aunt died last night and I'm really torn with the go home/don't go home debate. Given all the rules, I think, at best, I get compassionate release from quarantine for the funeral. If they can even have one (they are in Ottawa). I'm getting a PCR test tonight, just in case I do end up going so that I can travel this weekend.

In normal times, no question, I'd be on a plane tomorrow or Saturday.

 

[ronandannette]

My aunt died last night and I'm really torn with the go home/don't go home debate. Given all the rules, I think, at best, I get compassionate release from quarantine for the funeral. If they can even have one (they are in Ottawa). I'm getting a PCR test tonight, just in case I do end up going so that I can travel this weekend.

In normal times, no question, I'd be on a plane tomorrow or Saturday.

I’m sorry - it’s difficult enough to be half-a-world-away at times like these even without Covid restrictions to contend with. It looks to me like a conventional funeral service is probably not possible but maybe that won’t stop you from coming home to family anyway so you can just be together.
https://thebao.ca/covid-19-faq-for-bereavement-licensees-and-grieving-families/

 

[ronandannette]

Oh, right. I forgot we have a few hot zones that allow anyone 18+ to book an appointment. I have a few friends on Facebook who qualify for an az vaccine now but are choosing to wait for Pfizer. I debated saying anything and then just said that if they get one of those, they are taking a dose away from someone who can only get one of them. I doubt it will change anyone’s mind, but maybe it will just change one persons.

Is anybody else grappling with the idea of vaccine distribution ethics in general, both at home and internationally? While I myself have thankfully taken an AZ shot, the truth is it likely came from the US stockpile and should those doses have more rightly gone to relieve India or one of the many third-world countries that have basically no access at all? With our supply contracts having been so badly botched, Canada has actually taken doses out of the Covax bank - an idea that strikes me as somewhat shameful. And then there’s the issue of distribution/eligibility priorities here at home, all side of which have various valid arguments.

 

[mrs. magoo]

Is anybody else grappling with the idea of vaccine distribution ethics in general, both at home and internationally? While I myself have thankfully taken an AZ shot, the truth is it likely came from the US stockpile and should those doses have more rightly gone to relieve India or one of the many third-world countries that have basically no access at all? With our supply contracts having been so badly botched, Canada has actually taken doses out of the Covax bank - an idea that strikes me as somewhat shameful. And then there’s the issue of distribution/eligibility priorities here at home, all side of which have various valid arguments.

I struggled with this early on in the US. I had friends who took spots over nurses and doctors because there were loop holes. I was very upset with colleagues who took spots from the school nurses but I came to terms with it. I believe that once you are eligible to receive a vaccine get a vaccine whatever one they are offering you. I see your point about other countries but if you don't take care of yourself first then you can't help others.

 

[leahgoogle]

European Parliament votes to introduce EU Covid-19 passports

The European Parliament has approved its priorities for introducing Covid-19 passports for the EU, also known as Digital Green Certificates, in time for the summer.

The idea behind the Covid passport system is to allow anyone who is fully vaccinated, or who has a negative Covid-19 test, or who has recovered from Covid-19, to travel within the EU by presenting this paper or digital certificate.

The result of the vote, cast yesterday and announced this morning, was 540 votes in favour, 119 against and 31 abstentions.

As part of the vote, the European Parliament aims as part of its priorities to scrap the name ‘Digital Green Certificates’, and instead call them the ‘EU Covid-19 certificate’.

MEPs also agreed that the system should be in place for no longer than 12 months.

MEPs also stress that, in order to avoid discrimination against those not vaccinated and for economic reasons, EU countries should “ensure universal, accessible, timely and free of charge testing”.

The next stage will involve negotiations between the European Parliament, based on these prioirities; and the European Council, or the leaders of the 27 EU member states, about how to implement the certificates.

Once officially introduced, Ireland and other EU member states will be obliged to give one of these EU Covid-19 certificates to anyone eligible for one who requests it.

In a plenary hearing yesterday where the issue was debated, some MEPs expressed concerns about EU countries where Covid-19 tests are “prohibitively expensive”, particularly for cross-border workers and students; that the name ‘Digital Green Certificates’ was confusing; that there wasn’t enough scientific evidence for how long immunity after contracting Covid-19 or after being fully vaccinated would last.

“Haste is not a wise counsel,” Italian MEP Piernicola Pedicini said, raising concerns about how the committee stage for the certificate legislation was skipped.

“Is the effect the same for all vaccines? How long are we protected for? We don’t know if member states are going to discriminate through access to services.”

MEPs arguing in favour of the Covid certificates said that they would allow a return to some level of normality; that the system will ensure there aren’t several different systems for travel across the EU; and that it would allow the European economy – tourism in particular – to rebound.

Bulgarian MEP Petar Vitanov said that the proposal should have been introduced last year, when there was a “patchwork” arrangement for travel across the EU.

In the result announced today, MEPs said that EU member states must accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for persons inoculated with a vaccine authorised for use in the EU by the European Medicines Agency – currently Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Janssen.

It will be up to the EU member states to decide whether they also accept vaccination certificates issued in other member states for vaccines listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for emergency use.

Glad they are including those with natural immunity too.

 

[Jrb1979]

Glad they are including those with natural immunity too.

I'm not cause there is no way to prove it

 

[Southernmiss]

Is anybody else grappling with the idea of vaccine distribution ethics in general, both at home and internationally? While I myself have thankfully taken an AZ shot, the truth is it likely came from the US stockpile and should those doses have more rightly gone to relieve India or one of the many third-world countries that have basically no access at all? With our supply contracts having been so badly botched, Canada has actually taken doses out of the Covax bank - an idea that strikes me as somewhat shameful. And then there’s the issue of distribution/eligibility priorities here at home, all side of which have various valid arguments.

I struggled with this early on in the US. I had friends who took spots over nurses and doctors because there were loop holes. I was very upset with colleagues who took spots from the school nurses but I came to terms with it. I believe that once you are eligible to receive a vaccine get a vaccine whatever one they are offering you. I see your point about other countries but if you don't take care of yourself first then you can't help others.

In the US...

I also did not want to "take a vaccine from someone who needed it more". But all of the officials came out and said take it when you can get it. If it's available to you-take it! I took it. And within 2 weeks even those 16 and up could get the vaccine in my state. The officials knew that the supply was there to cover those "who really needed it" as well as those that they opened the vaccine up to.

I do feel for those around the world who have not had the availability as quickly as we have had it in the US and pray that vaccines are available to all in an equitable manner ASAP.

Many areas of the US now have plentiful vaccines and no one to take them.

US officials are now reallocating unused stock to go to countries that desperately need it. Fingers crossed it happens soon without a lot of red tape.

 

[leahgoogle]

I'm not cause there is no way to prove it

You can get antibody tested.

ETA: I printed out my lab results that show I have antibodies

 

[Corien]

I just came home from my first Pfizer shot. It went pretty smoothly. They had set up a big tent on the parking lot of a building supply stop and it was all quite easy. Had to wait in a small queue to get registered, where they looked over my health form, then I was pointed to an area where I had to wait for a vaccination booth to be available (which it was within a few seconds). Was able to hang up my coat and sat down and within two minutes I was out again and being pointed to the 15 min wait area. Then walked home in the rain to get rid of my pent up energy.

As of feeling guilty about getting the vaccine, I did feel that way at the beginning. Halfway through February it was announced that people with a BMI of 40 and above are eligible for a vaccine a little bit sooner and I fall under that category. I didn't feel like I needed one sooner than other people, because so far I've not necessarily been more worried about getting sick than most other people. But then I realised that yes, I am more likely to get really sick from it and end up in hospital or the ICU and by getting vaccinated when I am eligible I will help hospitals to restart normal healthcare quicker, because I will not be needing a hospital bed or ICU bed if I do get Covid.

 

[howardlee2]

it is a shame that here in the US we have more vaccines then arms willing to take them! this virus has taken many of our freedoms from us, time to take them back but vaccinating everyone and ending this pandemic!

 

[fab1976]

My aunt died last night and I'm really torn with the go home/don't go home debate. Given all the rules, I think, at best, I get compassionate release from quarantine for the funeral. If they can even have one (they are in Ottawa). I'm getting a PCR test tonight, just in case I do end up going so that I can travel this weekend.

In normal times, no question, I'd be on a plane tomorrow or Saturday.

My uncle died last week, and though we are just a drive away from family we did not go to be with anyone. Funerals are limited to 10 people including the staff, so we can’t even do that since his kids, spouses and then my uncles siblings and spouses number many more than 10. Any other time we 100% would have been there with my mom because it was her first sibling to pass away. But Covid...oh Covid. It sucks.

 

[piglet1979]

I jumped at the chance to get the vaccine with the teachers. I don't work in the schools but many of my colleagues do and we work closely with a school district here. They had left over vaccines that their teachers were not using so they reached out to us to see if any of us wanted it. I had mixed feelings but I wasn't going to say no. DH wasn't too happy about it. Our age grouped opened up about a month later.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Bring this thread back to updates, today in Ireland the Irish Prime Minister announced a phased reopening.

May 4

• All construction allowed to restart

May 10

• Domestic travel allowed
• Maximum of 3 households or 6 people can meet outdoors or in gardens for social reasons
• Organised outdoor gatherings with a maximum of 15 people allowed
• Outdoor sports training for adults in pods of 15 people allowed
• Click and collect retail allowed
• Reopening of personal services such as hairdressers, barbers, beauty therapists etc
• Reopening of galleries, museums, libraries and cultural attractions
• Restart of religious services
• 50 mourners allowed at a funeral service
• 50 guests allowed at a wedding service, but no more than 6 at an indoor after service gathering or 15 at an outdoor after service gathering
• Public transport increased to 50% capacity

May 17

• All none essential retail allowed to reopen

June 2

• Hotels and guest houses allowed to reopen

June 7

• Bars and restaurants allowed to reopen for outdoor dining with a maximum of 6 people per party
• Gyms and swimming pools allowed to reopen for individual training
• Cinemas allowed to reopen
• Outdoor sports matches with no spectators allowed
• 25 people allowed at an after wedding service celebration
• Indoor visits from one household allowed

 

[SirDuff]

My uncle died last week, and though we are just a drive away from family we did not go to be with anyone. Funerals are limited to 10 people including the staff, so we can’t even do that since his kids, spouses and then my uncles siblings and spouses number many more than 10. Any other time we 100% would have been there with my mom because it was her first sibling to pass away. But Covid...oh Covid. It sucks.

I'm sorry for your loss. COVID-19 definitely does stink. I think most of my family in Canada are also not attending. I did go get tested this evening, so the possibility is still there to go, but seems very unlikely. Luckily, my cousin has her wife and our other aunt and my dad has his wife, so though I cannot be there to support them, I know that they have support.

 

[mommasita]

I’m sorry for those who have suffered losses. It makes it so much harder as ronandannette has well stated in these times, never mind being so far away.

Here in Quebec it was announced today the plan for general vaccinations:

• April 30, 2021: 50 years of age and older,
• May 3, 2021: 45 years of age and older,
• May 5, 2021: 40 years of age and older,
• May 7, 2021: 35 years of age and older,
• May 10, 2021: 30 years of age and older,
• May 12, 2021: 25 years of age and older,
• May 14, 2021: 18 years of age and older;

it did already go live to book today for the first group, and it does seem to be quite popular, so that’s a plus. Haven’t heard a word on anything opening up. We have no outdoor / indoor dining, only drive thru and pick up. Monday our curfew will be extended until 9:30pm. Our stores are open and we are able to purchase anything, our numbers are holding steady during this third wave. India makes me cry, and my PTSD go crazy. I will be doing my last week at the vaccination centre this upcoming week. Back to regular working hours,