OUR FIRST COVID-19 SHOT

Last week, Patrick went on the State University of New York at Buffalo’s Covid-19 web site at 4 o’clock in the morning and signed Diane and me up for the vaccine shots…on February 24th.

I thought I might be able to arrange our Covid-19 shots earlier. Early last week, I spoke to the pharmacists at our local Rite Aid about the coronavirus vaccine. They told me, “We expect to get 30 doses next week.” I asked them to sign Diane and me up.

And, as luck would have it, the Rite Aid pharmacist called me on Monday–Martin Luther King Day–and asked, “Can you and your wife come in tomorrow at 1:00 P.M. for a Covid-19 shot.” “Yes we can,” was my response.

Diane and I got our shots, sat for 15 minutes to make sure there were no side effects (there weren’t), and went home happy. We’re scheduled for the second shot on February 16.

Are you having any luck getting a Covid-19 shot?

31 thoughts on “OUR FIRST COVID-19 SHOT

  1. Todd Mason

    Haven’t tried yet. But having diabetes and living with an MD while middle-aged doesn’t put me in the first or second round, I don’t think.

    Glad you’re on the path, and hope it proves effective….

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Todd, the vaccine rollout in New York State has been a debacle. First, the initial target group–doctors, nurses, EMTs, etc.–resisted getting the shots. Then the target group was residents in nursing homes and people 75 and old. Then, last week, that changed to people 65 and older. That’s how Diane and I qualified.

      Reply
    2. Todd Mason

      Turns out that those facts put me in category 1B. So now I’m on the Jersey list.

      Genetically and personally I’ve been surprisingly resistant to viral diseases. Somehow this doesn’t lead to my wearing a mask around my neck, nor spitting in public too much (nor at all)…as a Central Casting redneck did while I was walking down the main drag of my current town of residence a month or so back. He spat in my general direction, apparently, as much as I could make out in his drunkenly-slurred shouted speech from the passenger window of his buddy’s pickup, for wearing a mask.

      Reply
      1. george Post author

        Todd, with the new Covid-19 variants appearing to be more contagious and deadlier, people who don’t take precautions–wear masks, social distance, wash hands–may find they’ll get more than they bargained for.

  2. Steve Oerkfitz

    Having mine later this morning. The Moderna. I’m lucky to get it so quickly. I wasn’t expecting it until late spring. Walmart is doing it and they are coming to my apartment building. Convenient.

    Reply
  3. Deb

    I’m a school employee which (I’m not sure if these are state or National guidelines) puts me in Phase 1B, Tier 2. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I suspect the translation is “you’re gonna wait a while.” My oldest daughter works as a caregiver for mentally-disabled adults—and she’s scheduled to get her first dose next week. Another daughter works for LSU and they have a vaccine rollout plan—she’s waiting to see when her first shot will be. With covid now running rampant (as we begin to truly understand what “exponential growth” is), I just hope all of us can get the vaccine before we get covid!

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Deb, the Covid-19 numbers in Western New York are going up. Diane and I were relieved when we got our shots. Of course, we still have to wear masks, social distance, and wash our hands but at least we have some level of protection against the virus now. Glad your daughters will be vaccinated soon! But, we need to get you and John vaccinated!

      Reply
      1. Jeff Meyerson

        Deb, YOU are the one who needs the vaccination first. Good that the girls are getting them but you are most on the front line.

        My brother got his (he is working keeping a health maintenance org. running), and my cousin in Connecticut (whose husband is a doctor) who is 75 just got hers.

  4. Jerry House

    I’ve been told that, because we both just recovered from Covid, it will be about 90 days before we can get our shots. So sometime in April, perhaps — unless Florida changes its guidelines.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jerry, the National News shows plenty of people traveling to Florida to get their Covid-19 shots. I heard a story that some Canadians plan to fly to Florida to get shots because the Canadian Government didn’t order enough vaccine.

      Reply
      1. Jeff Meyerson

        George, there was just a story in the Daily News here that Florida is finally cracking down and demanding proof of residence to get a vaccine.

      2. george Post author

        Jeff, the citizens of bordering States of Florida flocked to the Sunshine State for Covid-19 shots. Floridians complained that non-residents were getting their shots before residents.

  5. Michael Padgett

    Right now the people getting shots are either people with some kind of connection or people willing to spend all day on the computer checking one site after another hoping for an opening. It’s somewhat like playing the lottery, with about the same chances of success. I’m old enough to get one, but being old enough and actually getting the vaccine are two different things. I’m just hoping things will change with the new administration.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Michael, we simply lucked out with our Covid-19 shots. I’ve had a good relationship with our Rite Aid pharmacists over the years so that counted for something. Hope you get your shot soon.

      Reply
  6. Prashant C. Trikannad

    That’s great, George! While the vaccination drive has just started in India, it will be several weeks, maybe months, before we get our shots. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue to weak masks for the next one year.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Prashant, I suspect wearing a mask will be a permanent fixture of the Age of Coronavirus. With the mutant variants of Covid-19 spreading fast, the dangers are increasing for all of us! Keep safe!

      Reply
  7. Jeff Meyerson

    No! Lucky you. Can Patrick get us shots too?

    😉

    We’ve heard from Langone (where all our doctors are affiliated) and they will notify us when available. Jackie has checked all the online sites and at Costco, but it looks like it will be some time for us. Since New York City and State are both going to run out of doses by today or tomorrow, looks like we will just have to wait until the Federal government starts to catch up. We are old enough, but that’s it. Unlike Jackie, I am not sweating it. We only leave the house to go shopping or pick up food, and everyone is masked.

    Reply
  8. George Kelley

    Jeff, Patrick can do amazing things on the Internet. But, as you point out, NYC (and most of NY State) is running out of coronavirus vaccine. Appointments are useless without either the Pfizer or Moderna shots. As usual, Trump hacks didn’t have a plan to distribute the vaccine effectively. Let’s hope Biden and his team can roll out more vaccine to the States soon!

    Reply
  9. wolf

    Congratulations!
    I have to admit that I’m not a fan of the big chains like walmart, CVS, Riteaid etc – but in this case they’re really active and that’s a good sign.
    In Europe it’still a “KuddelMuddel” (German for mess, chaos, …) so we’ll have to wait though we’re in group 2 (over 75 years).
    Let’s hope for the best, stay healthy and follow the social distances rule – luckily here almost everybody agrees with them.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Wolf, several of the State’s coronavirus events for the Covid-19 shots have been canceled because of the lack of vaccine. Somehow Rite-Aid secured a supply and we benefited!

      Reply
  10. maggie mason

    I’m in the same boat as many. Over 65, but unable to get vaccinated yet. Kaiser (per my doc) is supposed to get some, but when the list in the paper the groups that have them, Kaiser is never mentioned

    They’ve been having a big event at Petco park for a few days the first day it was a mad house, but a friend of mine got one and said it took only 30 minutes total, with minimal wait time (they make you stay 15 minutes to check on bad reaction). It was a drive up event. I’m going to check with Kaiser later this week on availability, but I’m guessing it won’t be soon for me.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Maggie, one of my sisters in Florida got her Covid-19 shot at a drive-in event. She didn’t even have to leave her car! But Florida just seems to give out shots at random.

      Reply
  11. Rick Robinson

    Im 75, but here it’s 80 to get a shot, and tat’s after the frontliners and other medical people. I expect it will be April for me, May for Barbara, which is ridiculous! I tested negative while in hospital, Barbara still has not been able to even get a test.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Rick, testing for the coronavirus is iffy here, too. I was lucky when I got tested last August before my colonoscopy: quick and easy.

      Reply
    1. maggie mason

      Calif. just went to 65 but the reality is no vaccines available for several months. Kaiser (mine) is the least available. Yet there was a new location for shots with no lines on Wed. go figure.

      I think they should go down only 5 years at a time, or fewer, to allow people to get them. I’m not expecting to be able to get one until March at the earliest

      Reply
      1. george Post author

        Maggie, New York State dropped their vaccination age to 65 and then just angered people because they ran out of vaccine after getting people’s hopes up. And, this week, scheduled appointments for the Covid-19 shots were all canceled. There’s plenty of rage in Western NY over that state of affairs!

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