How is vaccination going where you are?

[smilequeen]

Here we are today in Missouri thanks to our awful excuse of a governor. From the rural county's news FB page on a mass vaccination event approximately 3 hours from STL :


"Update: At 3 p.m. ANYONE can go get the COVID vaccine at the Knights of Columbus. The health department has opened it up to anyone to avoid wasting the vaccine.
A mass COVID-19 vaccination clinic is happening right now in Bollinger County at the Knights of Columbus in Leopold. Officials say they still have over 1,000 doses to give out. No appointment is necessary, but you can register before hand at xxxx. The event goes until 5pm today. KFVS-TV

4:40 p.m. UPDATE: 648 shots administered. 1,302 still available.
3:25 p.m. UPDATE: 517 shots have been administered so far. They started with 1,950. "

You have to “love” how he’s sending excess vaccines to counties with high rates of covid hoax believers and anti-maskers. Sigh. At least my parents got in next week. I got mine in St.C county because that’s where our big office is. The whole team went the same day. But my parents had been struggling over here until last week.

[AngB]

You have to “love” how he’s sending excess vaccines to counties with high rates of covid hoax believers and anti-maskers. Sigh. At least my parents got in next week. I got mine in St.C county because that’s where our big office is. The whole team went the same day. But my parents had been struggling over here until last week.

I despise Parsons BUT I am also trying to wrap my head around how they just ended up with an extra almost 2000 vaccinations. I seriously doubt 2000 people canceled appointments on this gorgeous beautiful sunny day here. (A sudden ice storm? Sure, I can see a ton of people unable to make it and cancel.) NOT that he is competent on any level but what the hell is that health department doing?!

[zukeypur]

I wonder if the uptake is lower in redder areas due to the various conspiracy theories.

This probably has some effect.

Could it be that red areas are less populated and therefore it is easier to have a higher "percentage" of vaccines available for the populace?

If you compare the number of vaccines per capita, the weekly distribution to the Amarillo and Lubbock areas is much higher than the Austin area and surrounding counties. If you look at the CVS website for Texas, the "available" appointments are almost always in the Amarillo and Lubbock areas, because so many people have been vaccinated already. Their "vaccinated" rates are MUCH higher than here, and I assure you it's not due to lack of demand.

Honestly, this was the speculation in Missouri too. Whatever the reason was, blue St. Louis was getting 16% of the vaccines, despite having 37% of the state population and the bulk of the cases.

I finally got an appointment for DH yesterday!!!!! It's in a town 30 minutes away, which isn't ideal, but it's an appointment! And it is on his day off, so he won't have to miss work. SO RELIEVED!!!!

[specialp]

Could they be looking at the % of the population likely eligible vs. total population when allocating where to send it? The whole population isn't eligible so it doesn't make sense to use that as a marker. I live in the highest populated area and we aren’t getting vaccine # proportional to our total population. When I look at the map, however, the areas where some are going appear to me to be targeting areas that have a higher % of seniors, lower income, diversity, and many factories, and less HCS compared to us. I do not know that is their reasoning, but am making assumptions. I would not be surprised if 2/3 of those vaccines are actually going other county residents who are willing and able to drive long distances to get it.

[zukeypur]

Could they be looking at the % of the population likely eligible vs. total population when allocating where to send it? The whole population isn't eligible so it doesn't make sense to use that as a marker. I live in the highest populated area and we aren’t getting vaccine # proportional to our total population. When I look at the map, however, the areas where some are going appear to me to be targeting areas that have a higher % of seniors, lower income, diversity, and many factories, and less HCS compared to us. I do not know that is their reasoning, but am making assumptions. I would not be surprised if 2/3 of those vaccines are actually going other county residents who are willing and able to drive long distances to get it.

The county that I live in has one of the highest percentages of persons over 65 in the state. We have a huge community here called Sun City, which is a giant retirement community large enough to have it's own zip code. I just calculated the percentages of population vaccinated per county. For the county that Amarillo is in, 24%. Lubbock county, 23%. My county, 10.9%

[bisous]

I'm not saying this is the answer. What I'm saying is that while the ease of vaccine distribution should be related to population, maybe there is a real barrier in sheer amounts? Like how much easier is it to vaccinate 10% of the population of Mono County--where Mammoth is located (which would be only about 1400 people) than 10% of LA County which would be one million people. I just wonder if that could be a bigger factor than political affiliation? I don't know how liberal/conservative Mammoth Lakes area is but I know that my friend that moved there is one of the most progressive people I know. I guess I just wonder how much of the red/blue county distribution issues relates to population and diseconomy of scale vs politics. Like I said, I don't know the answer. It just SEEMS logical to me that the logistics of distribution in a giant county would be much, much more complicated.

[o_mom]

I'm not saying this is the answer. What I'm saying is that while the ease of vaccine distribution should be related to population, maybe there is a real barrier in sheer amounts? Like how much easier is it to vaccinate 10% of the population of Mono County--where Mammoth is located (which would be only about 1400 people) than 10% of LA County which would be one million people. I just wonder if that could be a bigger factor than political affiliation? I don't know how liberal/conservative Mammoth Lakes area is but I know that my friend that moved there is one of the most progressive people I know. I guess I just wonder how much of the red/blue county distribution issues relates to population and diseconomy of scale vs politics. Like I said, I don't know the answer. It just SEEMS logical to me that the logistics of distribution in a giant county would be much, much more complicated.

One thought as well... The Pfizer vaccine comes in packages with 975 doses, so in some of the very small population counties, they can cover the whole population with just a few packages. The example above from MO - it looks like they received 2 packages (1950 doses) and then had to figure out how to get them out. Yes, the rural areas (which tend to be more red) are going to get more doses per capita at first just due to the vast difference in populations.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

it's bad here (Texas). My MIL had an appt to get the vax one day last week, but then there was the storm, she lost power for like 3 days and could barely move to get out of the house. She thankfully got it though.

Like others have mentioned, certain populations (elderly, low-income, minorities, etc) are a huge disadvantage to getting it - it's really a "survival of the fittest" or "survival of the most priveleged" i should say. You have to be in the know re: which places to sign up, be available for whenever an appt is avialable. You get on a list, places send emails saying "appts open" for a "xx dates", they fill up INSTANTLY, and process repeats. Only fairly tech-savvy people with flex jobs, who can be constantly checking email, where they can leave work at any time to make an appt can do this. For example, i tried signing up my DH for an appt through our local fire department. I was too late every single time (and i have notifications of when i get email). I went to log on to the site 30 SECONDS after i gto the email and already all the spots were taken.

My DH finally got first dose a few days ago, and i was so relieved. He is the one i am most concerned over in our immediate family. He was like 81,000 on our county list and finally got the call this week. He qualified for it through his BMI. In TX basically anyone who has a BMI of over 30 would qualify under Phase 1B, which i swear probably includes 1/3 of people in Texas. He is scheduled for his second dose next month. He has no other health issues, though does wear a CPAP due to his sleep apnea.

I would love to get the vaccine myself but never signed up as i don't think I qualify under the TX 1B category. I have no risk factors, not overweight, work from home. I do wonder when it will be open to general population.

I am grateful that now both my parents (in California) and my ILs (Texas) have gotten the vax, and my DH as well. We have not gone ANYWHERE in nearly a year, and I would love to road trip to ILs over spring break next month but as my BIL/SIL have not gotten vax, and they are totally not social distancing, still doing social-get togethers, and kids go to school in-person, it will be a no, probably until the summer. Sigh.

[zukeypur]

One thought as well... The Pfizer vaccine comes in packages with 975 doses, so in some of the very small population counties, they can cover the whole population with just a few packages. The example above from MO - it looks like they received 2 packages (1950 doses) and then had to figure out how to get them out. Yes, the rural areas (which tend to be more red) are going to get more doses per capita at first just due to the vast difference in populations.

All of the locations noted above have received primarily Moderna. There are very view places in Amarillo and Lubbock with -80 freezers for Pfizer, although there are some (mostly the health sciences center at Texas Tech). CVS is receiving Pfizer, and notably currently has available appointments in both Amarillo and Lubbock. Those go in seconds when they are available in the Austin area. You just have to be lucky enough to be online when they appear.

it's bad here (Texas). My MIL had an appt to get the vax one day last week, but then there was the storm, she lost power for like 3 days and could barely move to get out of the house. She thankfully got it though.

Like others have mentioned, certain populations (elderly, low-income, minorities, etc) are a huge disadvantage to getting it - it's really a "survival of the fittest" or "survival of the most priveleged" i should say. You have to be in the know re: which places to sign up, be available for whenever an appt is avialable. You get on a list, places send emails saying "appts open" for a "xx dates", they fill up INSTANTLY, and process repeats. Only fairly tech-savvy people with flex jobs, who can be constantly checking email, where they can leave work at any time to make an appt can do this. For example, i tried signing up my DH for an appt through our local fire department. I was too late every single time (and i have notifications of when i get email). I went to log on to the site 30 SECONDS after i gto the email and already all the spots were taken.

My DH finally got first dose a few days ago, and i was so relieved. He is the one i am most concerned over in our immediate family. He was like 81,000 on our county list and finally got the call this week. He qualified for it through his BMI. In TX basically anyone who has a BMI of over 30 would qualify under Phase 1B, which i swear probably includes 1/3 of people in Texas. He is scheduled for his second dose next month. He has no other health issues, though does wear a CPAP due to his sleep apnea.

I would love to get the vaccine myself but never signed up as i don't think I qualify under the TX 1B category. I have no risk factors, not overweight, work from home. I do wonder when it will be open to general population.

I am grateful that now both my parents (in California) and my ILs (Texas) have gotten the vax, and my DH as well. We have not gone ANYWHERE in nearly a year, and I would love to road trip to ILs over spring break next month but as my BIL/SIL have not gotten vax, and they are totally not social distancing, still doing social-get togethers, and kids go to school in-person, it will be a no, probably until the summer. Sigh.

Trying to get DH a vaccine has basically been like a second job for me. There is no way he would be getting one tomorrow if it were up to him to try to find one, because he does not have the flexibility with his job that I do. I have had the website for everyone in the area who has vaccine open on both my phone and computer for weeks, checking constantly all day to get appointments. I just happened to be on HEB's website yesterday when they were updating it and opened up appointments. My next door neighbors are still waiting, and I don't know how in the world people who don't spend all day hovering over their computers get an appointment. The nextdoor app has been great for alerting me to when someone has vaccine, but I always miss it. Still, it led me to places that I didn't know were offering it. While it's irritating that some areas of the state have no problems getting a vaccine and others have been struggling, I am thankful that all of our parents have been able to easily find vaccines. My dad, aunt, and uncle are fully vaccinated, and have been for a while, and my mom and IL's have had their first shots. They all basically got right in when they wanted to.

[doberbrat]

Another thing to consider is the freezer requirements esp for Pfizer make it harder for places to keep/distribute the vaccine. You have to buy it, have some place to put it, alarms to monitor it etc.

MA governor is getting crucified over the roll out but honestly, its been available to group/senior/nursing home residents & staff, health care workers, 75+, 1st responders/ homeless and inmates. we're in line with what his plans said we would be

An additional 1M+ people became eligible last week and 3/4 are screaming b/c they cant access the web site but we only get 130k shots a week.

I think the J&J shot becoming available will really help.


ETA I did manage to get an appt for Monday for which I am EXTREMELY grateful. I was also able to get appts for my friend's elderly parents and a friend's dh but it did take a TON of work and some shear luck.