Looks like Mr. and I will be doing vaccine tourism into Eastern WA soon. 
Plenty of openings, plenty of wineries, and our favorite hotel sent an email with a great deal.
16 Likes
Rideshare, taxi, or riding with a friend is something they do not want to do because of COVID-19 risk â also, vaccine availability does not seem to be that good within reasonable driving distance either. Maybe after others they know who have cars have been fully vaccinatedâŠ
I can understand the hesitancy, but your friend could always glove & mask up, take a hand sanitizer, and ask the driver to put down the windows while en route (to protect the both of them). The odds of spreading virus at 40+ mph has to be infinitesimal.
(sorry, meant to tag UCB.)
@Creekland This Facebook group of vaccine hunters in PA might be helpful: Covid Vaccine Hunters PA | Facebook
People post updates about where there are appointments, and tips on how to get them. They also have volunteers who will get one for you.
This article also sounds like April and May will be much better for getting vaccinated in PA: All adults in Pa. eligible for COVID-19 shot on April 19; Philly suburbs will give out J&J shots as state backs off mass clinic plan
3 Likes
@creekland You are probably a bit too far from Salisbury, MD (on the Eastern Shore) but the mass vac site there is run by FEMA. Tons of availability every single day this week b/c no one is going there. When I checked in today, they told us that anyone who is in an eligible phase in MD, no matter what state they reside in, can make an appointment at that location. Because so many appointments are going unused, they were telling us to let anyone who lived in nearby states who were willing to drive there that appointments are available daily. Yesterday, I made two appointments for this morning (fortunately, an easy drive from where I live in MD). We were in and out in 20 mins - 5 mins to check in and get shot, and 15 mins afterward for precaution. They also have a drive thru for people who have difficulty or unable to walk in. They are giving Pfizer at this location and open Mon- Saturdays.
If you know anyone interested, I can PM you the link.
2 Likes
True, but that lad doesnât care for crabs or sailing and due to being my mostly super healthy eating, âgreenâ lover, likely wouldnât do the fries anymore either. The âgreenâ part of him doesnât want to use the gas for âjustâ this when openings are supposed to be just a couple more weeks away.
Powers That Be say it shouldnât be long until everyone who wants one can have one no matter where they live. Hopefully theyâre right. Time will tell. H and I will have ours before long. FIL is soon to have his second one. If we can get youngest and DIL âdoneâ weâll all be able to do more safely.
Weâre still holding out on returning to normal life until after weâre all as safe as we can be. None of us feel like reaching this far only to lose at the wire. Having a son/brother whoâs a long hauler gives us the stamina.
1 Like
Good to know. My kids are not in an eligible phase in MD. Iâm still wondering about - and should probably check - DC.
@creekland Asthma is considered a high risk condition in MD and is currently being vaccinated as part of Phase 2B which just started yesterday in MD.
3 Likes
Good to know! When I looked it was in PA, but not in MD. I wasnât keeping up on the dates for changes though. Thanks for the info.
@Joblue Oops, I didnât read the whole thread before commenting and just said the same thing to Creekland!
My 16 y/o daughter and I just got vaccinated this morning at the Salisbury site. Itâs a pretty easy drive for us (we live in AACo). We were told the exact same thing when we checked in today. As long as you meet eligibility, it doesnât matter where you live b/c FEMA is running this site. But note, itâs 16+ for those with high risk conditions, not all 16+ so you have to meet one of the conditions on the CDC website (which are broad - overweight as well as smokers qualify). They have a ton of availability thru this Saturday.
1 Like
NJ is hopeless. My college kid will get vaccinated when she comes home for the summer, months after the rest of us.
I do think things will move quickly in states that are currently stuck. In Colorado, teachers were made eligible on 2/8 and there was much panic that âdeservingâ (aka, my sister!) would never find an appointment. One Denver area district had people driving to Colo Springs (about 1.5 hours). Within a week they all had appts. Within 3 weeks they opened to the next group. Since then theyâve added more groups, opened a ton of pharmacies to the groups (ex, some pharmacies were only doing teachers, not the whole 1b2 group).
What seemed like a gridlock really picked up steam and as of Friday, vaccines are open to everyone, from any state, in any county. I think other states will find that happens too.
1 Like
https://www.lcdes.org/covid-info/
Is this closer to you?
My DHâsvassistant just got an appointment today for tomorrow.
Closer. Weâre over toward Gettysburg, PA or Frederick, MD.
So frustrating. She can get vaccinated in PA (but not Philly) if thatâs a possibility.
Eligibility does not mean that there are actually vaccine appointments available.
Unfortunately, convertibles have gone out of style these daysâŠ
But probably the bigger problem is that there is very little vaccine availability in the area to begin with, unless one wants to drive to a place two to four hours away. Vaccine availability has not kept up with expanding eligibility, at least in areas with high vaccine enthusiasm and low vaccine refusal.
I just did the math for PA. We have roughly 10,000,000 people above age 16. If 70% of them want to be vaccinated, thatâs 7,000,000. Checking our state data there are 1,830,605 already fully vaccinated and 1,614,879 partially vaccinated. That leaves roughly 3,550,000 million to go. Weâre vaccinating somewhere in the vicinity of 82,000+ per day so dividing that means roughly 42 days max IF all stays as it is now.
I see a light at the end of the tunnel.
5 Likes
NJ has vaccinated lots of people, they just do not happen to be college staff or students, mostly. There is vaccine available, but it has gone to other demographic groups which are prioritized higher by NJ.
It appears to be the same for you @Creekland. About half of those seeking shots in PA got them already, you just were not in that lucky group.
1 Like