Will I be the first BCBer to get their covid jab....?

[kath]

I've heard SUCH a variety of experiences from others, that the most likely answer is you lucked out. Though supposedly the J&J has less side effects in general (as stated above, I thought I was in the clear until- BOOM!)

My mother - who's 88 - actually asked if her second shot was completed as she didn't feel a thing. But she's tough as nails in general - tougher than me with stuff like that for sure. Her arm was slightly sore after the first one, but nothing else.

i love yer mother.

that is all.

[Six String]

Younger people are pussies. That is all.

[souphound]

Call the cops, I've just been Pfizered.

[pcqgod]

Done with the second, along with everyone else in my immediate friend/family group.

[Rorschach]

Call the cops, I've just been Pfizered.

Done with the second, along with everyone else in my immediate friend/family group.

Congratulations!

Meanwhile, Spain is managing to screw everything up again. And they seemed to be getting so much better at it...

I got my first Astra Zeneca jab a couple of weeks ago, and so did my wife and various other friends who work for the British Council.

Now, thanks to a total inability to understand data and risk, the government has decided to stop using the Astra Zeneca vaccine for under 60s. So, I can still get my second jab but my wife and her colleagues don't.

Unbelievable incompetence.

[pcqgod]

Call the cops, I've just been Pfizered.

Done with the second, along with everyone else in my immediate friend/family group.

Congratulations!

Meanwhile, Spain is managing to screw everything up again. And they seemed to be getting so much better at it...

I got my first Astra Zeneca jab a couple of weeks ago, and so did my wife and various other friends who work for the British Council.

Now, thanks to a total inability to understand data and risk, the government has decided to stop using the Astra Zeneca vaccine for under 60s. So, I can still get my second jab but my wife and her colleagues don't.

Unbelievable incompetence.

That's a shame. Hope they get things straightened out over there.

[Samoan]

Terrific. Now it seems the South Africa, the Brazil and the Kent variant mutations are lurking in this vicinity. I'm not feeling especially enthusiastic about going to my local vaccination centre for my 2nd Pfizer in about 3 weeks time. So much for being the metropolitan elite.

[Minnie the Minx]

I turned on the news for the first time in a week to see India and Canada surging. What gives, BCB Indians and Canadians?

[souphound]

Well, I can only speak to what I see on Canadian news. The situation is rather dire indeed, but the present surges seem to be mostly due to variants and are concentrated in a few main areas.

In British Columbia, it seems to be the "Brazilian" variant that is being nasty. In Ontario, it's mostly the "British" variant. Here in Quebec, it's a bit of a mix, with one surprising aspect - the surging numbers are from regions other than Montreal (let me get more into this down below). There are numbers n all other regions/provinces but what is the biggest problem there is the shortage of medical preparedness (especially in terms of personnel, equipment and nearby availability of such things).

The largest numbers are found, of course, in the larger metropolitan areas (Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal mostly). The (what I would call) second tier metropolitan areas, such as Ottawa and Quebec City are being hit way above expectations and the regional hospitals are being overrun. In Montreal, where I am, the numbers have been fairly steady but folks are VERY nervous indeed, not really understanding why this is the case. I do see (finally!) more masks being worn out and about, but large gatherings in parks and other common areas continue to a certain extent. I live in an area called The Plateau which is near enough downtown, but mostly residential with a numerous lovely parks which are still magnets for fairly large "friendly" gatherings (picture 20 to 40 people, mostly in their 20s, gathered around a park picnic table, sharing beers and wine (illegal with no accompanying food), passing a joint around, (also illegal in public) standing inches from each other and sometimes hugging, and you get the picture. I live across the street from a large popular park and I tell you, what I see especially on weekends is pretty scary given the present environment.

We are lucky in Montreal and most other large urban centers that our medical services are widely available and nearby. Of course, just like everywhere else, the system is being tested massively, but it has held up so far. The situation seems to be a bit different at this time in certain places in Ontario where federal help (as well as help from other provinces in terms of personnel mostly) has been requested and is on its way. In smaller centers all around the country, there is a shortage of available beds and personnel which is more difficult to deal with.

Like I said, my observations are probably more precise in terms of the Province of Quebec, especially Montreal, since this is where my feet are. I am swamped with local news coverage so, pretty much up to date. What is going on in other parts of the country, well, I may be more off the mark, depending on the accuracy of the national news networks (and their inevitable bias - most of it run out of Toronto, Ontario).

Vaccination is going fairly well, but there is a lot of resistance to the Astra-Zenica jab due to negative press given the few blood cloth cases (again, I blame media focus - let's talk about the one person who suffered blood cloths one or two weeks after a jab but ignore the hundreds of thousands for whom there was no problem at all.

People freak over things with such low probabilities, but continue to gather like horny squirrels in the parks, shopping centers and wherever else they can. Frustrating.

[Jimbo]

.

[Jumper K]

Research is underway about giving combination vaccination. Pfizer/AZ.

[Positive Passion]

I have had my second AZ dose now.

[Minnie the Minx]

Well, I can only speak to what I see on Canadian news. The situation is rather dire indeed, but the present surges seem to be mostly due to variants and are concentrated in a few main areas.

In British Columbia, it seems to be the "Brazilian" variant that is being nasty. In Ontario, it's mostly the "British" variant. Here in Quebec, it's a bit of a mix, with one surprising aspect - the surging numbers are from regions other than Montreal (let me get more into this down below). There are numbers n all other regions/provinces but what is the biggest problem there is the shortage of medical preparedness (especially in terms of personnel, equipment and nearby availability of such things).

The largest numbers are found, of course, in the larger metropolitan areas (Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal mostly). The (what I would call) second tier metropolitan areas, such as Ottawa and Quebec City are being hit way above expectations and the regional hospitals are being overrun. In Montreal, where I am, the numbers have been fairly steady but folks are VERY nervous indeed, not really understanding why this is the case. I do see (finally!) more masks being worn out and about, but large gatherings in parks and other common areas continue to a certain extent. I live in an area called The Plateau which is near enough downtown, but mostly residential with a numerous lovely parks which are still magnets for fairly large "friendly" gatherings (picture 20 to 40 people, mostly in their 20s, gathered around a park picnic table, sharing beers and wine (illegal with no accompanying food), passing a joint around, (also illegal in public) standing inches from each other and sometimes hugging, and you get the picture. I live across the street from a large popular park and I tell you, what I see especially on weekends is pretty scary given the present environment.

We are lucky in Montreal and most other large urban centers that our medical services are widely available and nearby. Of course, just like everywhere else, the system is being tested massively, but it has held up so far. The situation seems to be a bit different at this time in certain places in Ontario where federal help (as well as help from other provinces in terms of personnel mostly) has been requested and is on its way. In smaller centers all around the country, there is a shortage of available beds and personnel which is more difficult to deal with.

Like I said, my observations are probably more precise in terms of the Province of Quebec, especially Montreal, since this is where my feet are. I am swamped with local news coverage so, pretty much up to date. What is going on in other parts of the country, well, I may be more off the mark, depending on the accuracy of the national news networks (and their inevitable bias - most of it run out of Toronto, Ontario).

Vaccination is going fairly well, but there is a lot of resistance to the Astra-Zenica jab due to negative press given the few blood cloth cases (again, I blame media focus - let's talk about the one person who suffered blood cloths one or two weeks after a jab but ignore the hundreds of thousands for whom there was no problem at all.

People freak over things with such low probabilities, but continue to gather like horny squirrels in the parks, shopping centers and wherever else they can. Frustrating.

I have read some stuff that runs along the lines of what you're saying above. Vaccination availability is an issue also, right? Or at least the coordination of it. Or am I imagining that?

Interestingly, I read a few articles, especially an excellent one in the New Yorker, speculating why India and surrounding areas had not been hit as hard as expected- this was months ago, though. I remember thinking it was just a matter of time and predictably, the virus has caught up with loosening restrictions and the Delhi reporter I was listening to earlier was mortifying- she was outside hospitals where people were dead in ambulances waiting to get in and there was absolute chaos - dreadful sorrowful wailing. They are in for a shit storm.

[souphound]

I have read some stuff that runs along the lines of what you're saying above. Vaccination availability is an issue also, right? Or at least the coordination of it. Or am I imagining that?

For sure, on both counts. Supply seems to be getting a bit better, but there are mixed opinions on the A-Z vaccine. So what they do is open up to a new age category so people can get that with no appointment. Every time, the first couple of days, there are storms of people getting in lines for it. But then, the appetite wanes and the age needs to be reduced again to use up whatever is available. We're down to 45+ now. Of course, all those who do not want the A-Z wait for appointments which can easily be several weeks later. They then learn what they're getting (Pfizer, Moderna or A-Z) when they sow up. No guarantees, but always a right to refuse.

With regards to distribution, I actually think they've done fairly well under the circumstances. I suppose it could have been better, but I sure wouldn't want to be in charge of that project.

Interestingly, I read a few articles, especially an excellent one in the New Yorker, speculating why India and surrounding areas had not been hit as hard as expected- this was months ago, though. I remember thinking it was just a matter of time and predictably, the virus has caught up with loosening restrictions and the Delhi reporter I was listening to earlier was mortifying- she was outside hospitals where people were dead in ambulances waiting to get in and there was absolute chaos - dreadful sorrowful wailing. They are in for a shit storm.

Yup. It's been all over the news in the last couple of days. People here want better restrictions for incoming travelers too. Apparently there has been at least one infected passenger on every single flight from Delhi to Vancouver for the last moth+. And that's travelers, generally people of some means. The masses are sh*t out of luck. Ugly as can be.