Kaiser has not finished vaccinating age 75+ despite being quick to use the doses it is given, even though that rest of the state has moved on to including age 65-74. That suggests that either
Kaiser is getting fewer vaccines relative to its population in the priority groups, or
The competitive sign-up method used elsewhere led to many age 75+ people not being able to get a vaccine appointment before other providers moved on to including age 65-74. (Kaiser is doing the “we will call you when vaccine is available for you” method with its subscribers.)
Probably would not be surprising if the more disadvantaged age 75+ people were the ones least able to get vaccine appointments in the competitive signups.
I went to a favorite restaurant of ours in RI to pick up Valentines Day Eve dinner takeout. I was shocked to see every booth filled, every table filled, and people waiting at the door to be seated! I don’t know what is allowed for restaurant capacity in Rhode Island, but I am almost sure it isn’t 100%! Drove by another restaurant here in MA where we live on my way, and its parking lot was jammed full.
@Mabelsmom Where did you go to get the vaccine? I have an aging relative in SE PA who needs a vaccine fast. So far no luck. Any tips on where to look will be greatly appreciated.
D is a hostess at a restaurant in CT. They put plexiglass dividers between tables, so at least according to her, they can seat a full capacity. Maybe that’s the same in RI?
So I can’t figure out / or I do not have pm privileges but my appt was through the rite aid pharmacy scheduling site and I went to the Toybehanna
PA store. Multiple family members were able to secure an appt here .
That is absolutely NOT the guideline in CT. The capacity is a %age of what is usually allowed. Having plexi between booths and tables does NOT increase that capacity %age.
The capacity limit right now is 50%, not 100%.
They are lucky someone hasn’t reported them. Some places are losing their licenses because of violations.
Like my friend who says they don’t need to quarantine after returning from skiing in New York next week because they are going to be careful. I told her flat out they are supposed to quarantine. Nobody thinks the rules apply to them.
Regardless of what the rules are, there is also the issue that many people’s definition of “careful” still includes what should be obvious (but apparently not to them) and easily avoidable virus risks.
Also, the rules vary from place to place and time to time. People who assume that anything allowed by the rules is “safe” may be taking unnecessary risks in a place with lax rules. On the other hand, sometimes rules are more strict than they need to be. Or they may be too strict in some aspects and too lax in others.
Primary care offices and hospitals can only handle so much vaccine traffic. They are already spacing out appts to avoid/minimize traffic in the office - if they are giving vaccines for hours a day how are they going to serve patients who are coming for routine or sick calls?
Same with hospitals - they are still have the same day to day business going on of inpatient, outpatient procedures etc - only so much extra staff or time for non-billable service.
NY is a mess. I had tried for 2 weeks to try to get appts for Dad (age 93) and his wife in NY (they are not as computer savvy as we are). FINALLY this week the log jam seems to be budging, and they were able to get appts by phone at Rite Aid.
Physician’s offices and urgent cares can give vaccines to their patients at regularly scheduled appointments. Older people and those with preexisting conditions generally need to see their doctor regularly. The office would call them and schedule a visit plus vaccine.
The healthcare organization my husband works for has a branch in NJ. They receive and administer vaccines every week at regular appointments. The same organization has over 300 locations in NY, which are registered and approved to administer vaccines, but they can not get any. Every week, they put in their order with the hospital system (our regional hub), and every week they get nothing.
I understand supply is low, and mass vaccination sites are efficient. But many seniors and people with chronic illness would rather go to their doctor than the Javits Center. Also, DH’s organization is ready and willing to take the vaccines to shut-ins and underserved neighborhoods for free. He’s looking forward to the day when they can do that.
It’s such a gift to be able to prevent Covid when so many of your patients have died from it. When DH’s patients die now, he feels an extra level of heartbreak because they could have been protected if only we had more vaccine.
There is also Covid Angels in Westchester County … did not help my father in Dutchess County.
In NY, there is an illogical combo of state, county and pharmacy options (you have to try to keep up with them all). If Physician offices offered vaccines, it was not in a way easily figured out by the typical elderly citizens without easy computer access, even those dealing regularly with their physicians.
Not that it means much, but yesterday I received a new email inviting me to sign up for a drive through clinic, different location but I still think county-run. The email was very clear that it was for first vaccine only and that I should disregard it if I had already received the vaccine. Now they are doing it at the airport parking lot - there were options for 3 days next week. The return email address and the website for signups were from a different agency than the email address/ website for the clinic I went to at at the county event center.
So I am guessing the county is working through multiple agencies to coordinate the vaccinations and they don’t have a great system in place for updating their email list.
There have also been cancellations of vaccine events locally when supplies were exhausted - so it is not as if there are unlimited supplies. But definitely opportunities for people who simply signed up on the notification lists.