Category: Covid-19 Vaccine

GRAND RAPIDS, MI The dining room of the senior living facility, which has mostly been empty since the start of the pandemic, was busy with activity again.

Music played over speakers, loud conversations filled the room and pharmacists drew dose after dose of the Moderna vaccine from small vials.

Over 200 residents and staff of a Grand Rapids senior living facility received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine Thursday. The vaccinations followed several recent coronavirus cases at the residential building.

Everyones excited and hopeful that this is a step in the right direction, said Beth Covault, executive director of Samaritas Senior Living Grand Rapids.

Samaritas partnered with CVS to vaccinate its staff and residents at The Woods building, 1900 32nd St. SE.

Sue Spielmaker, a licensed practical nurse with Samaritas, received her first dose at the temporary vaccination clinic. It took about two minutes for a pharmacist to put fresh gloves on, sanitize her arm and give her a long-awaited shot.

I feel wonderful, she said immediately after.

Spielmaker was then handed a chocolate Kiss from a basket that said kiss COVID goodbye.

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Direct care workers, residents, staff receive COVID-19 vaccine at senior living facility

Healthcare workers, residents and staff of long-term care facilities like The Woods are high on the list for vaccinations. In Michigan, they are a part of the first phase which started at the end of December.

Its been an eventful year, said Covault. This is just such a positive experience. Everyone seems more refreshed, energized.

RELATED: Ottawa County says current COVID-19 vaccine allotment isnt cutting it

The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the staff and residents of The Woods, said Covault. The building recently had a wave of cases, and it can be difficult for residents with cognitive impairments to social distance and remain isolated.

Jill Schrotenboer, the administrator of The Woods, said its been a long, hard 10 months at their facility but the vaccine brings hope.

It was quite emotional for me to see them get it, said Schrotenboer, who has worked with Samaritas for more than two decades.

Strict restrictions have only allowed residents to see their families with outdoor or window visits, which has been heartbreaking, but the vaccine takes a step forward in bringing families back together, Covault said.

RELATED: 10,000 veterans and healthcare workers vaccinated at Ann Arbor VA hospital

The Woods also stopped all in-person dining, programming and activities when COVID-19 hit. Schrotenboer is looking forward to residents being able to congregate and mingle again.

I hope that (the vaccine) will allow us to get back to what is kind of normal, she said.

Both Schrotenboer and Covault said the vaccine shows theres a light at the end of the tunnel.

Michigan also recently started allowing anyone over the age of 65 to sign up for a vaccination as well as expanded categories of frontline workers like teachers, corrections staff and workers at homeless shelters.

The state is aiming to vaccinate 70% of the state by the end of the year. About 800,000 Michigan residents have been vaccinated to date, which is about 8% of the nearly 10 million residents.

To register for a vaccine, visit vaccinatewestmi.com.

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See the original post:

First doses of COVID-19 vaccine bring hope to Grand Rapids senior living home - MLive.com

Officials said that the University of Tennessee Medical Center's goal is to vaccinate as many people as quickly and efficiently as they can.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. Officials announced Thursday that the University of Tennessee Medical Center will start scheduling appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The appointments are available for people 75 years old and up, officials said. People can register onlineor call UT Medical Center at (865) 305-6225. Only the patient and one support person will be allowed to enter the medical center, due to COVID-19 safety guidelines.

People will need an email address to sign up, or they can type "NONE@NONE" in the form if they don't have an email account. They will also need to bring proof of their age, such as a driver's license, birth certificate or other officials documents.

Insurance is not required to receive a vaccine, officials said.

People who receive a vaccination will be able to get a second dose 3 weeks later, on the same day of the week and at the same time as the original appointment.

The Knox County Health Department also announced that they would open more COVID-19 vaccine appointments Friday and that they were preparing to roll out a new waiting list system for people who want to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Officials said that they expect the appointments to fill up almost immediately because of the huge demand for vaccines. It only took a few minutes for nearly 1,000 appointments to fill up during the previous opportunity at the health department.

Read more:

UT Medical Center to start scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people 75 years old and up - WBIR.com

These interactive graphics and maps will show you how many people have received the COVID-19 vaccine in Colorado and beyond.

DENVER After months of staying home to slow the spread of COVID-19, a vaccine is finally here. But, that doesn't mean the pandemic is suddenly over.

Health officials in Colorado and around the world are working to distribute the vaccine to as many people as possible in a race against a virus that continues to take thousands of lives around the U.S. each day.

This effort has even more urgency due to new strains of COVID-19 that are believed to be even more infectious.

> The video above is from a previous 9NEWS story where 9Health Expert Dr. Payal Kohli discussed the efficacy of current COVID-19 vaccines on new variants of the virus.

Colorado's vaccination plan has three phases. Frontline healthcare workers were the first to receive vaccines, followed by Coloradans over the age of 70. Essential workers -- including teachers and grocery store employees -- are next in line, followed by Coloradans over 60 and those with preexisting conditions.

The general public isn't expected to begin receiving vaccines until the summer.

Officials are targeting vaccinating 70% to 95% of the population in order to achieve "herd immunity," or a level in which COVID-19 can no longer spread in the community.

The chart below shows the percentage of Coloradans who have received their first and second shots of the COVID-19 vaccine as compared to that herd immunity number.

Different states have different strategies when it comes to COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Each state is constrained by the supply of the vaccine, which is dictated by what the federal government receives from manufacturers.

Here's a look at the percent of the population who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by state.

Can't see the interactive?Click here.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) updates its vaccine statistics at 4 p.m. each day. Click here for the latest data, which includes a breakdown of the race and genderof who has received a vaccine.

Below are previous stories from 9NEWS about the COVID-19 vaccination process in Colorado.

Do you have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine or newstips you'd like to share? Text them to 303-871-1491.

See the article here:

See how many people have been vaccinated for COVID-19 in Colorado and across the U.S. - 9News.com KUSA

To start, the vaccine appointments this weekend are being offered to central office and school-based employees, including teachers.

Teachers in Prince Georges County, Maryland, are set to start getting COVID-19 vaccine appointments this weekend, part of a big push to get school employees vaccinated before students return to classrooms this spring, the school system announced.

Prince Georges County Public Schools is working with the county health department and Kaiser Permanente to provide vaccinations for teachers and other school staff members, according to a news release Thursday.

The appointments start this weekend and are expected to run for six to eight weeks.

From the beginning of the pandemic, the safety of our students and staff has been my top priority as we navigate these unprecedented times, schools CEO Monica Goldson said in a statement. With the arrival of a COVID-19 vaccine, I am encouraging all Prince Georges County Public Schools (PGCPS) employees to get vaccinated for their own safety and that of the children and families we serve.

To start, the vaccine appointments this weekend are being offered to central office and school-based employees, including teachers.

The school system is sending individual registration links directly to school employees to make appointments and are telling staff members not to share their registration link with anyone else.

Staff members will need to use their school system email to register for their appointments and also need to bring a work ID card or another form of employment verification, such as a printed pay stub or a supervisors memo to their appointment.

The appointments will take place at the Prince Georges Sports and Learning Complex in Landover, starting Jan. 30 and Jan. 31, and then Saturdays and Sundays after that. The appointments will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Next week, the school system will open appointments to support staff, including employees in building services, food and nutrition services, transportation and IT staff. Those appointments start Feb. 3 and will take place at the Kaiser Permanente Lanham Rehabilitation Center at 4400 Forbes Blvd. in Lanham. Support staff appointments will run Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

School employees will receive paid leave for the following day after their vaccine appointment or the Monday after their vaccine appointment for people vaccinated on weekends. Teachers are instructed to provide either recorded lessons or independent work for their students that day.

We are encouraging all employees to get vaccinated for their safety as well as their familys safety, schools spokeswoman Gabrielle Chew said in an email to WTOP. In an effort to allow for a recuperation period, some classes may be asynchronous, rather than live, to accommodate employees who recently received a vaccination. We want to make this as seamless as possible.

Teachers and child care employees are included in Marylands Phase 1b vaccine rollout plan. However, given the extremely limited supply of the vaccine doses, there has been a slow rollout to educators as health officials focus on getting vaccine doses to those age 75 and older.

In neighboring Montgomery County, teachers are beginning to receive vaccine doses this week by Johns Hopkins and Suburban Hospital. Overall, there are 8,775 doses of the vaccine, but the doses will be shared by public school employees and regular hospital patients who are older than 65.

School employees eligible for the vaccine doses are being identified by Montgomery County Public Schools and referred to the hospital for scheduling.

Elsewhere in the D.C. region, a mass vaccination of teachers in Prince William County, Virginia, is planned for this weekend. In Fairfax County, several thousand teachers are getting vaccine appointments this week after earlier appointments were canceled due to a shortage of vaccine doses.

More Coronavirus News

Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: Virginia|Maryland|D.C.

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COVID-19 vaccine appointments for Prince Georges Co. teachers begin this weekend - WTOP

DOYLESTOWN, PA Bucks County officials say they are working to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to members of the public, according to Pennsylvania's vaccination plan. This article is meant to share information about how and when you can get the vaccine in the Doylestown area.

Patch will be updating this post as new vaccination information becomes available. Bookmark it and return to get all the latest.

Who Is Eligible To Get The Vaccine Now?

Currently, Bucks County, like the rest of Pennsylvania, is in Phase 1A of the state's four-phase rollout of the coronavirus vaccine. Until last week, that meant the only people eligible for a vaccine were healthcare workers and residents and employees of nursing homes and other care facilities.

But state officials dramatically increased the number of Pennsylvanians eligible for the vaccine during the initial phase. Everyone 65 and older, along with residents 16 or older who have health conditions that put them at high risk from the virus immediately were made eligible, adding about 3.5 million Pennsylvania residents to the list of those eligible for the shots.

Where To Get The Vaccine In Doylestown

Multiple locations are expected to come online in the next few weeks to distribute the coronavirus vaccine to the general public in the Doylestown area.

A hospital in Bristol, as well as one in Langhorne, also is expected to be giving the vaccine to members of the public in the next few weeks.

St. Mary Medical Center, in Langhorne, now is accepting online applications to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

Currently, the hospital is vaccinating only healthcare workers and other essential workers, according to its website. But it has posted an online form that lets others eligible for the vaccine under Phase 1A of Pennsylvania's plan sign up.

See The St. Mary Medical Center COVID-19 Vaccine Form Here

The hospital is asking people 65 and older and those 16 and older with underlying health conditions to register.

Doylestown Health's priority is to vaccinate as many appropriate individuals in the current 1A Phase as supply and resources allow, hospital spokesperson Beth Long told Patch:

How To Sign Up

Bucks County has created an online hub for information on the coronavirus vaccine. The hub contains detailed information on who is eligible to be vaccinated under each of the state plan's four phases.

At the hub is a form letting residents register for the vaccine. Once registered, residents will be contacted to schedule a vaccination appointment once sufficient supplies arrive, officials said. Those whose status changed last week will be shifted from the 1B list to the 1A list and do not need to register a second time, officials said.

Click Here To Register For A COVID-19 Vaccination In Bucks County

Lower Bucks Hospital will be using the county list to alert residents when they can receive a vaccination. St. Mary Medical Center has created its own online registration form for coronavirus vaccinations.

See The St. Mary Medical Center COVID-19 Vaccine Form Here

Vaccine Supply In Bucks Co.

Last week, county commissioners said the county does not currently have anywhere near enough vaccine to vaccinate the number of people now eligible under the new version of the state plan. They said supply chain issues with the federal and state government has slowed the supply here and called on those governments to get more vaccine to the county as quickly as possible.

Monday, as new infection numbers in the county continued to drop after the fall surge, county officials said they are "working diligently" to get more vaccine in Bucks County.

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our app. Download here.

Link:

How To Get The COVID-19 Vaccine In Doylestown - Patch.com

Cities and counties are building strike teams to go out and vaccinate people who cannot get to clinics and drive-through sites on their own.

SEATTLE Cities and counties in western Washington are staffing up strike teams to go out and vaccinate people for COVID-19 who cannot get to clinics and drive-through sites on their own.

The Columbia Place senior home in Seattle's Rainier Valley neighborhood houses some of the city's most vulnerable residents.

On Tuesday, Seattle Fire Department teams vaccinated more than 80 people at Columbia Place and another location.

SFD vaccination crews work seven days a week at adult homes and affordable housing complexes throughout the city.

Were giving out every shot that we possibly can, said SFD Capt. Brian Wallace.

They've vaccinated more than 1,500 people over the last two weeks and are ready to expand their efforts as vaccine supply increases.

We'll stand up as many teams as we need to, Wallace said, noting that the city has diverted some resources from COVID testing to vaccination teams.

Puget Sound Fire launcheda similar program that will serve Kent, SeaTac, Covington, Maple Valley and South King County.

They said they plan to staff up four to six teams to visit adult family homes and long-term care facilities.

A Snohomish County Health District spokesperson said vaccination teams have already visited some group homes. They plan to do more once the vaccine supply increases.

The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department said it's still developing plans to use mobile vaccine teams.

The Seattle Fire Department said it'll return to Columbia Place in about a month to give patients their second doses.

That's all kind of built into our process, Wallace said.

He said his teams are getting 11 doses out of each vial of Moderna vaccine, which is manufactured for 10 doses per vial.

Rod Brandon, director of operations for the Seattle Housing Authority, which runs Columbia Place, said his organization has had few problems trying to convince residents to get vaccinated.

I actually was anticipating probably more reluctance, he said. In the first few days it's been going well. Weve just been getting a huge uptake in taking the vaccines.

Link:

Mobile COVID-19 vaccination teams visit the most vulnerable people - KING5.com

VACCINE. >> FROM THE TIME WE GOT TO THE PARKING LOT, UNTIL WE GOT BACK IN OUR CAR, IT WAS LITERALLY 30 MINUTES. LOWELL: BALTIMORE COUNTY SENIOR SAM MILLER AND HER HUSBAND RECEIVE THEIR FIRST DOSE OF THE COVID 19 VACCINE AT THE TIMONIUM FAIRGROUNDS LAST WEEK. SHE SAYS WHILE THEY HAD A LITTLE ANXIETY ABOUT IT, ONCE THEY GOT TO THE FACILITY THEY WERE PUT AT EASE. >> WE CAME WITH OUR CONFIRMATION IN HAND IN OUR IDS WITH SOME TREPIDATION, NOT KNOWING WHAT WE WOULD EXPERIENCE. IT WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE. LOWELL: AT AN AFTERNOON NEWS CONFERENCE COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS SAID MILLER AND HER HUSBAND WERE AMONG THE ALMOST 60,000 PEOPLE TO BE VACCINATED BUT HEALTH OFFICER DR. GREGORY , BRANCH SAYS THERE IS STILL A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE. >> WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO BE ABLE TO VACCINATE AS MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS AS WE CAN. WE NEED MORE VACCINE. LOWELL: VACCINE SUPPLY SEEMS TO VACCI.N SUPPLY SEEMS TO BE THE ISSUE NOT JUST IN BALTIMORE COUNTY BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY. RIGHT NOW BATIMORE COUNTY GETS ANYWHERE FROM 5000-8000 DOSES A WE, AND THERE ARE MORE THAN 150,000 PEOPLE SIGNED UP FOR A SHOT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PLEDGED TO GET MORE VACCINE TO STATES IN THE COMING WEEKS ALL THE MORE REASON MILLER SAYS TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE REGISTERED FOR A SHOT. >> THE SOONER WE ALL GET VACCINATED, THE SOONER WE CAN HUG OUR GRANDCHILDREN AGAIN. WE CAN CELEBRATE BIRTHDAYS. YOU CAN GO TO FOOTBALL GAMES. YOU CAN LIVE LIFE AGAIN. LOWELL: MOVING FORWARD, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS AIMING TO GIVE DIFFERENT STATES AROUND THE COUNTRY A SEVERAL WEEK HEADS UP JUST TO HOW MUCH VACCINE THEY WILL BE GETTING WEEK TO WEEK, AND THAT INFORMATION WILL BE PASSED ON TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES IN THE CITY. HEARING BALTIMORE COUNTY, THEY HAVE ALSO STARTED A NEW WEBSITE FOR VACCINE INFORMATION, YOU CAN FIND ON OUR WEBSITE, WBAL-TV.COM AND ON OUR MOBILE AP

'We need more vaccine': Short supply of COVID-19 vaccine hampers vaccination efforts

Baltimore County has vaccinated almost 60,000 people

Updated: 6:09 PM EST Jan 27, 2021

Health officials across Maryland said a short supply of the COVID-19 vaccine is hampering their efforts to get more people vaccinated.|| Coronavirus updates | Maryland's latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||Baltimore County has vaccinated more people than any other Maryland jurisdiction to date, closing in on 60,000 people vaccinated.While proud by this number, health officials said they could be doing even more, but the issue is the lack of vaccine and not knowing when more will be coming.Baltimore County Health Officer Dr. Gregory Branch on Wednesday said much work remains unfinished."We can and we will ultimately win the war against our COVID enemy," Branch said. "I would really like to be able to vaccinate as many of our residents as possible. We need more vaccine."Vaccine supply seems to be the issue, not just in Baltimore County, but around the country. Baltimore County currently receives anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 doses a week, and there are more than 150,000 people signed up to get a shot.Maryland online vaccination site locatorVaccine Data DashboardMaryland vaccination plan FAQsMeanwhile, frustrations are mounting in Annapolis from Gov. Larry Hogan, who said Tuesday: "(You) can't schedule appointments for too many people when you don't have the doses, and you don't know when you're going to get more doses, or if we're going to get more doses, or when they're opening up new factories. That's just the way the system is."President Joe Biden pledged to get more vaccine to states at all costs."We will increase overall weekly vaccination distribution to states tribes and territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses," Biden said.Baltimore County is still seeing people in the Phase 1A and 1B priority groups, and the key to getting further down the list will be getting more supply."As soon as were able to get more vaccine, we'll be able to move down the list and people will feel as if theyre getting their vaccines," Branch said.Baltimore County senior Sam Miller and her husband received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium last week."From the time we got to the parking lot until we got back in our car, it was literally 30 minutes," Miller said.Miller said that while they had a little anxiety about getting the vaccine, once they got to the facility, they were put at ease."We came with our confirmation in hand and our IDs with some trepidation, not knowing what we would experience, but it was an amazing experience," Miller said.Miller recommends everyone to make sure they register to get a shot."The sooner we all get vaccinated, the sooner we can hug her grandchildren again. We can celebrate birthdays and we can go to football games. We can live life again," Miller said.The federal government hopes to give states three weeks' notice as to how much vaccine they will get, which would then get passed on to the counties.Baltimore County published a new vaccine website with data and links to register for an appointment.

Health officials across Maryland said a short supply of the COVID-19 vaccine is hampering their efforts to get more people vaccinated.

|| Coronavirus updates | Maryland's latest numbers | Get tested | Vaccine Info ||

Baltimore County has vaccinated more people than any other Maryland jurisdiction to date, closing in on 60,000 people vaccinated.

While proud by this number, health officials said they could be doing even more, but the issue is the lack of vaccine and not knowing when more will be coming.

Baltimore County Health Officer Dr. Gregory Branch on Wednesday said much work remains unfinished.

"We can and we will ultimately win the war against our COVID enemy," Branch said. "I would really like to be able to vaccinate as many of our residents as possible. We need more vaccine."

Vaccine supply seems to be the issue, not just in Baltimore County, but around the country. Baltimore County currently receives anywhere from 5,000 to 8,000 doses a week, and there are more than 150,000 people signed up to get a shot.

Meanwhile, frustrations are mounting in Annapolis from Gov. Larry Hogan, who said Tuesday: "(You) can't schedule appointments for too many people when you don't have the doses, and you don't know when you're going to get more doses, or if we're going to get more doses, or when they're opening up new factories. That's just the way the system is."

President Joe Biden pledged to get more vaccine to states at all costs.

"We will increase overall weekly vaccination distribution to states tribes and territories from 8.6 million doses to a minimum of 10 million doses," Biden said.

Baltimore County is still seeing people in the Phase 1A and 1B priority groups, and the key to getting further down the list will be getting more supply.

"As soon as were able to get more vaccine, we'll be able to move down the list and people will feel as if theyre getting their vaccines," Branch said.

Baltimore County senior Sam Miller and her husband received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium last week.

"From the time we got to the parking lot until we got back in our car, it was literally 30 minutes," Miller said.

Miller said that while they had a little anxiety about getting the vaccine, once they got to the facility, they were put at ease.

"We came with our confirmation in hand and our IDs with some trepidation, not knowing what we would experience, but it was an amazing experience," Miller said.

Miller recommends everyone to make sure they register to get a shot.

"The sooner we all get vaccinated, the sooner we can hug her grandchildren again. We can celebrate birthdays and we can go to football games. We can live life again," Miller said.

The federal government hopes to give states three weeks' notice as to how much vaccine they will get, which would then get passed on to the counties.

Baltimore County published a new vaccine website with data and links to register for an appointment.

Visit link:

'We need more vaccine': Short supply of COVID-19 vaccine hampers vaccination efforts - WBAL TV Baltimore

Our Research Editor heard from two women in her family about their experience of getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Here is what they told her.

As vaccines are slowly rolling out across the globe, more and more people will get the opportunity to have their COVID-19 vaccine shots.

Many of us may be wondering what to expect.

To find out more about what happens before, during, and after the vaccination, I asked two women in my family to share their experiences of getting their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Stay informed with live updates on the current COVID-19 outbreak and visit our coronavirus hub for more advice on prevention and treatment.

My name is Shelly. I am originally from the United States but currently live in Jerusalem, Israel.

As for the flu vaccine, I received an email message from my health service telling me it was time for me to get the vaccine, and they gave me a number to call for an appointment. It took me several tries to get through by phone, and once I did, I was on hold for an hour.

Then, it was a matter of minutes to set up the appointments, one for 3 weeks after the first.

The appointments were for December 27, 2020, and January 17, 2021, at a facility a 5-minute walk from home. But the week before the appointment, I received a call from the health service saying that they were not able to administer the vaccines at that location, so could I please come to the Pais Arena on December 22 and January 13?

I quickly looked up the location on a map and agreed. The sooner the better!

On December 22, I walked the 3 miles to the arena, stopping on the way at the Gazelle Valley to see if I could spot any gazelles. I saw several. Then, it was another half-hour walk to the arena and 10 minutes to find the right entrance.

After that, it was smooth sailing. At the door, I took a number, checked in at the desk, and filled out a small form, giving my name and ID number and answering a couple of questions.

The form indicated that Id be receiving the Pfizer vaccine. Then, I sat down in one of the socially distanced chairs in the waiting area to watch the big screen and wait till my number came up. I had come early and waited about 2030 minutes, then headed to the cubicle indicated on the screen.

I was in the cubicle with the nurse for under 2 minutes, in which time the nurse accepted my form, swabbed my arm, told me that afterward I needed to wait 15 minutes before leaving the arena, asked if I had any other questions, and gave me the injection.

In typical Israeli fashion, within that time, we also determined that we both had lived in Cleveland. If I had stayed a few more minutes, we might have discovered that we were related

Getting the shot was no big deal at all. Afterward, I sat out in the waiting area, moving my arm as much as possible, waited 15 minutes, and headed home. Worried that I might feel tired or whatever, I even took the bus.

My arm was sore for a couple of days, and I might have been a little fatigued, but that was that. One down, one to go.

I had heard that the second shot was more likely to cause a reaction, so I prepared in advance, cooking up a big pot of chicken soup (aka Jewish penicillin) and canceling any appointments for the following 2 days.

Once again, I walked the 3 miles to the arena, took a number, and waited for my turn. The nurse this time confirmed my identity on his tablet, swabbed my arm, and gave me the injection. As I left the cubicle, he said, Bye-bye, corona!

I waited 15 minutes and walked home. Again, my arm was a little sore for a couple of days. I ended up putting most of the chicken soup in the freezer.

I have heard from one friend who had a somewhat allergic reaction to the first shot this is apparently common for her but no side effects from the second. Other friends just reported a little pain at the injection site.

My name is Janet. I live on the South Coast of England, near Brighton.

On Monday, January 18, 2021, the British government announced that people over the age of 70 and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable would start to get their invitations for the COVID-19 vaccine.

I received a call from my doctors surgery 2 days later, and they asked me if I would like an appointment to have my jab.

I was quite surprised. I thought at 78 I probably would not get a call until the middle of February.

They offered me an appointment in the afternoon the following day. I explained that I could only keep that appointment if I could take my two granddaughters because they are in my bubble, and I was going to be looking after them for the day.

They told me that I couldnt take them but offered me an alternative appointment at 6:40 in the evening, which I took up.

When I turned up at the vaccination center at the local village hall, the car park was full. It was so busy, even at that time of night. But it was all very, very organized. The floor was marked out all the way from the car park, right down a long corridor, and into a huge room.

There were wardens, for want of a better expression, making sure we stayed in the squares that were marked on the floor every 6 feet.

It was all very friendly. When I got in, I didnt have to wait very long. I gave my details and was ticked off on a list. I didnt have to produce ID.

Then, somebody came and guided me to a seat. I didnt sit very long before I was then called to have my vaccination.

The vast majority of people I saw were roughly in the same age group as me, but there was a younger guy ahead of me when I arrived. He was asked to show his ID.

I noticed that there were five booths doing vaccinations, with two people in each booth.

When I got to my seat, the lady introduced herself and asked me if I felt well and all the usual questions, like had I ever been allergic to anything like penicillin, or did I have an EpiPen. Negative to both was my answer.

She explained that I was having the Pfizer vaccine and that I would have to sit for 15 minutes afterward.

While I was talking to the lady who was about to give me the injection, another lady with a computer was documenting all this information.

I think she also documented the number of the vial of vaccine that I had. At least thats what it looked like.

I had the vaccine in the top of my left arm. It was totally painless.

She said to wait a couple of minutes while they were typing it all up and asked me if I was feeling all right.

She then asked me to go into the next room and explained that they would phone me any time between the next 3 and 12 weeks for the second vaccination.

She asked if was I happy with that, which I was. I then sat in the other room, where the chairs were very spaced out, and there were two or three staff monitoring everyone who sat there.

We were timed in and timed out. They told me when it was my time to leave, and out I went. It was all very friendly, very, very organized, and very professional.

I went home with four pages of detailed information sheets about COVID-19 and the vaccine.

I havent had any pain or any other side effects since having the vaccine 3 days ago. I dont normally have side effects when I get a seasonal flu shot.

I feel very lucky to have had the vaccine.

For live updates on the latest developments regarding the novel coronavirus and COVID-19, click here.

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COVID-19: What happened when I got the vaccine - Medical News Today

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis watches as nurse Christine Philips (left) administers the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 to Vera Leip, 88, a resident of John Knox Village, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, in Pompano Beach, Fla. Marta Lavandier/AP hide caption

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis watches as nurse Christine Philips (left) administers the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 to Vera Leip, 88, a resident of John Knox Village, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, in Pompano Beach, Fla.

Scarcely a day goes by that Gov. Ron DeSantis isn't holding a news conference somewhere in Florida, talking about his policy of providing the COVID-19 vaccine to "seniors first." The state now leads the nation in vaccinating senior citizens. In a state with 4.5 million people 65 and over, that's good news. The bad news is that in Florida, as elsewhere, the demand far exceeds the supply of vaccine, creating a first-come-first-served process that has left some groups out.

This week, at an event in Jacksonville, DeSantis announced a milestone. "By the end of this month," DeSantis said, "a COVID-19 vaccine will have been offered to every resident and staff member at all of Florida's nearly 4000 long-term care facilities."

Florida was one of the first states to make the vaccine available to everyone 65 and over. DeSantis says it makes sense because of mortality data. Eighty percent of COVID-19 deaths are among people in that age group. In a state where seniors make up one of the most important voting blocs, it's also good politics.

Office says milestone claim premature

DeSantis, a Republican with close ties with former President Donald Trump, sometimes brings a partisan edge to his comments on the state's COVID-19 response. This week, for example, he traded barbs with President Biden's spokesperson about the state's vaccine supply. On Fox News last week he took a shot at House speaker Nancy Pelosi and then touted Florida's vaccination program. "Today is the day that we're going to do our 1 millionth senior in the state of Florida," DeSantis said. "I have a World War II veteran here that you guys are going to see get the shot." Fox and Friends hosts watched as 100-year-old Henry Sayler got his shot on live TV.

Later, DeSantis' office said it was a bit premature. It would be a few more days before Florida hit that milestone. Still, some 22% of Florida seniors have received at least one shot, more DeSantis says than any other state in the nation.

But that's not to say it's been a smooth rollout. Many are frustrated there's no single registry for those eligible to receive the vaccine. Dr. Mary Jo Trepka, an epidemiologist at Florida International University says, "It's been very difficult for elderly people to deal with these multiple websites and having them fill up immediately. There's just been a lot of confusion."

On member station WLRN's South Florida Roundup show, a caller who identified herself as Connie from Margate said she was able to get the vaccine only because she got a tip that a local site had a few extra shots available. "And while I'm grateful for it, I just don't think this is the way things should happen. There's a lot of unfairness in. ... how people can get appointments."

Vaccination system favors the wealthy

The haphazard vaccination system, which varies county by county, is tilted toward those who can monitor social media and book appointments online before the slots run out. It's a system that so far has favored the wealthy. An analysis by the Miami Herald found the zip code in the county with the highest vaccination rate was Fisher Island, a wealthy enclave where half of the residents have gotten shots. The lowest was Opa-locka, where more than 40% of residents live in poverty.

Florida's Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried says, "We have seen numbers that should be morally shocking." Fried, the only Democrat holding a statewide office, says vaccine distribution has left out many African-Americans. In Miami-Dade County, where African Americans make up nearly 17% of the population, state records show they've received just 6% of vaccinations. "That is completely unacceptable," Fried says.

"What we've got going on right now is not working because we don't have a state-wide plan." State and county health officials say they're working to close the gap by organizing vaccination drives with Black churches.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava says Florida started using an online registration system for appointments because it got the vaccine out quickly. But she adds, "We need to slow it down and make sure we have an equitable solution."

Miami-Dade and some other counties have set up vaccine appointment phone lines for those without Internet connections. Mayor Levine Cava and county commissioners also now can reserve vaccinations for individuals and groups who may have trouble getting appointments otherwise.

Read the rest here:

Florida's Vaccine Rollout Rife With Snags And Inequities - NPR

Credit: Irfan Khan/ os Angeles Times/Polaris

Yolanda Javier, left, gives a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a Los Angels resident at St. John's Well Child & Family Center in Jan. 2021.

Yolanda Javier, left, gives a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a Los Angels resident at St. John's Well Child & Family Center in Jan. 2021.

A state effort to develop a more streamlined approach to vaccinating California residents against Covid-19 may get teachers their shots sooner.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the changes, which include a transition to an age-based eligibility system, in a press conference Monday. Starting next month, teachers and others in Phase 1B of the states vaccination priority list could begin to be vaccinated, even in counties where healthcare workers, who are in Phase 1A, are still being vaccinated.

Specifically, we believe that the cohort65 and older needs to be prioritized alongside healthcare workers, first responders, food and agriculture workers and school staffand teachers, said Newsom, in a press conference on Monday.

The plan which will be rolled out uniformly across all 58 counties will be implemented in mid-February pending vaccination availability, according to additional information released by the state Tuesday.

Phase IB includesemergency services employees, food and agriculture workersandpeople65 and older, as well as teachers. But when they will actually get vaccinated will depend on how many vaccine doses come into the state and are made available in each county.

Phase 1A: Healthcare workers and long-term care residents

Phase 1B: Individuals 65 and older, school staff and child care workers, emergency service employees and those working in the food and agriculture sector.

The state will transition to an age-based eligibility system after these groups are vaccinated.

We want to work through that cohort and continue to do what we can to vaccinate the vaccinators, our first responders, our farm workers, our critical workers on the front lines and our food delivery system and our teachers in order to get schools reopened as well as our support staff thats so foundational, critical not to ever be forgotten as it relates to making schools work, Newsom said Monday.

The announcement comes as school districts across California grapple with anunpredictable vaccine supplyand a lack of statewide coordination in order to figure out how and when to vaccinate their teachers in order to reopen schools. The result has been wide disparities in how far along school districts in different parts of the state are in vaccinating school staff.

A letter sent to members of the Community Vaccine Advisory Committee from Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California surgeon general, and Dr. Erica Pan, state epidemiologist, on Monday says that while 2 million doses of vaccine have been administered the state has several challenges to overcome, including spotty data collection, a lack of statewide coordination among its 61 local health jurisdictions in regard to eligibility requirements and decentralized accountability.

In short, there is no clear and easy way to tell people when it was their turn and where to go when it was, says the letter.

The statewide plan is meant to address those issues, according to the letter.

This is the second time this month that Newsom has moved teachers higher on the states vaccination eligibility list in an effort to get schools reopened. In December the governor announced Safe Schools for All,an ambitious plan to reopen some schools as early as February.

In the meantime, school superintendents across the state continue to push to get their staffs vaccinated.

Last week all 13 Sacramento County school district superintendents and Sacramento County Office of Education Superintendent Dave Gordon signed a letter asking Newsom to prioritize vaccinating teachers and school staff over Covid-19 testing.

The administration of vaccines is more critical than expanding the capacity or testing of staff and students as they will minimize the risk of infection for teachers and students returning to schools, they wrote. The lack of a coordinated vaccination plan for educators at the state and local level will prolong and inevitably jeopardize plans for the reopening of schools.

The letter asks for the governors support to make vaccine doses available for teachers and school staff so that schools can reopen. Sacramento County school officials are developing a coordinated plan to vaccinate all school staff in the county within a very short time frame once vaccine doses are made available.

Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Austin Beutner has been pushing hard to be allowed to open vaccination clinics for staff, students and the community at schools in the states largest school district.

Theres a unique and important benefit to vaccinating all who work in schools doing so will help reopen schools sooner, Beutner said Monday. This will not only protect the health and safety of staff but will provide enormous benefit to children and their families with a faster reopening of schools and of the economy more broadly by enabling the working families we serve to go back to work.

He expressed frustration at the slow rollout of vaccines, which he called critical to reopening schools.

Its not enough to just say the words schools need to reopen. State and local government leaders need to match words with deeds they must act to reduce the spread of the virus in the communities our schools serve, create a clear standard for a safe school that all can understand and quickly vaccinate school staff. Once thats done, well be at the school front door with big smiles (under our masks) to welcome students and their teachers back to classrooms where they belong.

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California teachers could get Covid-19 vaccinations starting in February - EdSource