For people who live in NJ, here is a portal for you to register for vaccine. You’ll get notified when it is your turn. They ask 20+ questions to determine your eligibility.
https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/
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Washington Post story about the vaccine rollout state by state. FYI it’s not behind a paywall
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/health/covid-vaccine-states-distribution-doses/
That is very smart
Your examples are NOT people who can telework. People who can telework or who do not do “frontline” work which involves being in contact with many outside people daily do not deserve prioritization over age. It’s the definition of “essential” that will be inappropriately applied to too many people.
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My experience in Florida is that it’s been a disaster. I have an appointment at a drive through. It is only if you are 65 or older. Sign up has been by phone or on line and it’s only through word of mouth that you can hope to get through to anyplace. The drive through site has crashed multiple times and calling had gotten me nowhere. I can only hope that it will get easier as time goes on.
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Most non-drive through immunizations are requiring those who receive the vaccine to sit for 15 minutes afterwards for observation/allergic reaction.
What are drive through immunization spots doing? No observation time??
I’ve read that if you have allergies, you’re not recommended to go through the drive thru ones and the people that are supposed to wait 15 mins are people that have a known history of allergies. So that is probably the main difference.
For now, our area (Chicagoland) has not activated any of the drive thru plans because of the need for observation, for example our large HS parking lot was an identified site and that is not happening as of now.
I saw someone posted above that their area was doing drive thrus with the time of injection written on the car, but I don’t really understand how that can work…how can an HCW see if someone is having a serious allergic reaction while in their car? I doubt there is someone observing each occupant continuously, so agree with srparent…those with a history of allergies shouldn’t do the drive thrus.
Hopefully the JNJ vaccine will have good data (should know within a month or so) without the need for observation. Plus, that product may be only one injection. Fingers crossed
Roughly 1 in 190k will have an allergic reaction to the vaccine ( and many of those may anticipate it due to prior experience). Delaying administration of the vaccine is far more deadly.
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I definitely agree delaying is more deadly. But the need to observe and risk of allergic reaction has changed some plans to do drive thru administration…and I would guess that decision was informed by lawyers who are managing risk.
I actually know how my city is doing this, because it was on the news yesterday. It seems to be a wonderful coordination of various city agencies (to include the local health department). There is a special lot for the cars to enter immediately after release from the vaccination site (EMS site). They are given post-its with the time of release and then pull right into the (very close to vaccination location) parking lot to be monitored by someone. When the time of release is reached, the cars leave. (There seemed to be 4 cars released at a time from the vaccination site, so they would leave the holding lot in groups of 4.)
A large site is needed, and that is what this is. There is a fire station, EMS station, middle school (not in session), and public library, along with tennis courts with parking. It was the first vaccination clinic held by my city.
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Exactly. This ain’t rocket science. Drive thru can work great, and doesn’t require much out-of-the-box thinking.
Florida’s mistake, IMO, was setting the first threshold at age 65, causing the long lines. They should have started Wave 1 at 75.
Some states are worried too much about the “wrong folks” may jump the line as teh states have defined it. Thats’ too bad as it purposely slows vaccination.
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Right, all these people can’t figure out how to get this done. Of course, logistics is not the specialty of hospitals and some of the states have left it up to them to figure it out. We need federal guidance and then they can use Football Stadiums and other large areas, convention centers, airport parking lots, etc to get this done in large waves. I totally agree with you that Florida with the biggest senior citizen population starting at 65 was nuts. There are also a ton of healthy 65 year olds, as well as healthy 75 year olds. They probably could’ve begun at age 80 even because that is also probably a large portion of their population. Make sure they and medical staff are vaccinated, then go down from there. It would have avoided some places where people were just lining up and sleeping in their cars. Ridiculous.
My county in IL is putting together volunteers for drive the drive through sites so they are getting ready. Both people with medical experience and non medical experience. The non medical for traffic control mainly and some inside. Medical to help administer the shots. I was so happy to see they’re at least getting their ducks in a row. My one daughter in college has received an email from the university president on their plans, and my other daughter’s college they are administering it to anyone in group 1b. If things continue like this, she will definitely get it before anyone else as there are so many anti vaxxers down where she is. I’m hopeful though that we will get a national plan in place as right now the issue is not supply but the administration of it!
there are no federal rules that prohibit states from using parking lots, or convention centers. It’s the states that have to modify their own rules to do so. Gov Cuomo said that NY will soon be opening Javitz Conv Center again, for example. His team could have easily done that last month. On the West Coast, Gov Newsom has finally recognized that common sense should prevail: “We’re not going to enforce against people trying to do the right thing, and common sense,” he said…"
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The states have had months to plan vaccine distribution. It really isn’t that hard. The Post chart shows some states have vaccinated 40% of their prioritized population while others are less than 2%. States were allowed to set their own priorities, but seriously, should have been able to move things along much more efficiently than some are doing. Some even closed vaccination sites for holidays. I do appreciate those places that have a sense of urgency for this.
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Wouldn’t these differing percentages have a lot to do with how large the prioritized populations are (which can be affected by different states’ definitions of what the prioritized populations are), as well as how efficiently they distribute the vaccines?
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My health system has drive through COVID testing and flu vaccines in a parking lot with the ER on one side and a walk in clinic on another. After my flu vaccine, they directed me to a parking space to wait 15 minutes. I assume that will be used for the COVID vaccines, which I’m guessing will be at least a month or two away for me. I’m over 65 with one of the specified underlying conditions but don’t know I will have any priority over other seniors.
Will states and/or counties only be vaccinating residents of that state or county? I live on the border between two counties, could I go to either for the vaccination. My elderly father lives near the state border. His doctor is in the other state. Can he get his vaccination there? IOW, will they be checking IDs and turning away non-residents once the Tier 2 group opens up?
Partially answering my own question, I read that Florida is vaccinating snow birds. The logical reason is that since the vaccine was federally funded, it shouldn’t matter where a U. S. taxpayer is getting the vaccine. So I don’t see what rationale would be used to turn someone away.
@TatinG: We’re in a similar predicament. We live in 2 cities 2400 miles apart. I’m a resident in one state. DH is a resident in another. One of us won’t be in the “correct” state by the time the vaccine gets to us. I’m hoping there are no “proof of residency” requirements. Or that we will need to travel to the “land of our birth” ( residency) for it. Fits with the Christmas season though 