Are those with comorbidities, immune system disorders, etc able to receive the vaccine yet?

I work in a retail HQ with around 300 employees, our HR emailed late last week that some in the company had already received the vaccine, and I was scratching my head wondering how that was happening, only thing that came to mind was maybe it's those in the high risk that are able to get vaccinated...?
This is from News 4 story from the definition of Phase 2 section:
"Adults age 65 and older, and adults of any age with comorbidities
Older adults and adults with one or multiple comorbid conditions including but not limited to hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, chronic lung, liver or renal disease, cancers, who are at high risk of mortality and several morbidity resulting from COVID infection.

Officials say this will affect 635,000 Oklahomans."

The Pfizer vaccine lasts 5 days in a normal refrigerator after it comes out of super cold storage. It gets diluted for shots and last up to 2 hours after dilution.

And the Moderna vaccine's storage is more tolerant than that - between -13 and 5 degrees frozen, and lasts 30 days in the fridge.

I absolutely reject this lack of recent compliance is due to the individualistic nature of our culture; it's 100% down to politicians lying to deflect blame and protect their own base of power. 100%.

100% agree with this. It’s driven by the failure/incompetence/selfishness of our political leaders and the seemingly increasing tendency of Americans to tribalize (new word?) around a person at the expense of American society at large.

^

I hate bringing politics into non-political threads but it's ridiculous not to point out the obvious and/or pretend this issue has not negatively influenced every single aspect of how this country has handled the pandemic.

History is going to be very, very unkind to these leaders and the people that enabled them.

Oklahoma now 15th in per capita cases; we continue to move up after having a big headstart with few cases and even though almost every other state is experiencing a big surge.

Completely predictable given the leadership or complete lack thereof in our state.

I got my jab yesterday, appointment was a breeze scheduling it but I don't live in Oklahoma anymore so that's probably why. I'm shocked at how the vaccine rollout/pandemic response is handled as I've got family to worry about still in OK. A family member who works in OU med mentioned that morale is really low.

We decided to let states and the private system handle it. There are reports of hospitals and other facilities canceling shifts needed to administer more vaccine doses because of overtime. The same people needed for vaccinations are also busy working shifts on covid units and working increasing shifts at testing sites.

Our response to COVID has basically redefined America's potential for an entire generation. We are no longer a nation. We are basally some states and a couple of political parties. Ideas of collective greatness no longer exist in this country.

In the same way that our leadership after WWII elevated the US to the the pinnacle of a "virtuous" world power, our dismal and disastrous approach to this world crises has defined us for the next three generations.

How do we explain to our children that the most resourceful country in the world chose this for its people?

We decided to let states and the private system handle it. There are reports of hospitals and other facilities canceling shifts needed to administer more vaccine doses because of overtime. The same people needed for vaccinations are also busy working shifts on covid units and working increasing shifts at testing sites.

It sounds like we're dropping a lot of troops into a war zone, giving them weapons, and telling them "go win the war" with no guidance.

How would you have done it differently?

There was an entire extensive distribution plan from the CDC sent out to states in October.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/imz-managers/downloads/Covid-19-Vaccination-Program-Interim_Playbook.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiCnJ3HuYHuAhUVBs0KHe-jBOEQFjAEegQICRAB&usg=AOvVaw1JIc0MocChHbYk95vCV7MG

West Virginia seems to be doing a better job by using state government resources, public health entities and the National Guard: https://www.whsv.com/2020/12/21/west-virginia-leads-nation-in-covid-19-vaccination-rate-expected-to-receive-more-vaccines/

Here's a map of % for each state: https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/covid-vaccine-tracker-global-distribution/

Or some additional details: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/health/covid-vaccine-states-distribution-doses/

Our response to COVID has basically redefined America's potential for an entire generation. We are no longer a nation. We are basally some states and a couple of political parties. Ideas of collective greatness no longer exist in this country.

In the same way that our leadership after WWII elevated the US to the the pinnacle of a "virtuous" world power, our dismal and disastrous approach to this world crises has defined us for the next three generations.

How do we explain to our children that the most resourceful country in the world chose this for its people?

This country has been a mess—socially, politically, and economically—for the better part of 40 years. We decided that easy access to cheap goods was more important than the growth of the middle class.

So, the seeds for this disaster were planted long ago. That Trump and Hilary were 2016’s presidential candidates is only further proof.

16656
Stupidity at its worst. I'll never get it. I want to be in something like this for OU but not now. If everyone would stay the hell home we'd get back to doing this safely faster.

2,699 new cases today; 7-day rolling average now 3,455 down slightly from the all-time high.

5 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 24.1.


Hospitalization data will be updated this evening.

Any chance we can start a new thread to share current vaccine location information? I am driving my mom to Elk City Thursday but sure would like to find one closer to home.

Any chance we can start a new thread to share current vaccine location information? I am driving my mom to Elk City Thursday but sure would like to find one closer to home.

Excellent idea:

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=46105&p=1151602#post1151602

Excellent idea:

https://www.okctalk.com/showthread.php?t=46105&p=1151602#post1151602

Thanks so much!

It's pretty unreal how bad the federal and state leadership on vaccine distribution is. I mean, why are there not systems in place for distributing, signing up for, and administering the vaccine? There should literally be 24/7 sites where people are getting vaccinated. Considering the unemployment crisis, why not temporarily employ people to support these efforts like a New Deal program? We should be treating this like a war effort. The incompetence is staggering. Instead, we're literally at risk of big batches of the vaccine expiring before they can be administered.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/opinion/coronavirus-vaccines-expiring.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/health/covid-vaccines-slow-rollout.html

Having said all that, according to this map, Oklahoma is above average among state vaccine distribution:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html

No kidding. I was baffled when I saw a few posts saying that there are sign ups via facebook. Seriously, facebook?

Keep in mind that many people don't have Facebook let alone a computer and the internet. Especially those over 65 who are in most need of the vaccine.

It's a darn good thing this virus isn't worse than it's proven to be because I think most our country would be wiped out due to the ridiculous politics, in-fighting, outright lies, and lethal combination of denial, ineptitude and disinterest.

It's a darn good thing this virus isn't worse than it's proven to be because I think most our country would be wiped out due to the ridiculous politics, in-fighting, outright lies, and lethal combination of denial, ineptitude and disinterest.

Let me tell you about another slow burn crisis called climate change...

It's pretty unreal how bad the federal and state leadership on vaccine distribution is. I mean, why are there not systems in place for distributing, signing up for, and administering the vaccine? There should literally be 24/7 sites where people are getting vaccinated. Considering the unemployment crisis, why not temporarily employ people to support these efforts like a New Deal program? We should be treating this like a war effort. The incompetence is staggering. Instead, we're literally at risk of big batches of the vaccine expiring before they can be administered.

Sources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/31/opinion/coronavirus-vaccines-expiring.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/health/covid-vaccines-slow-rollout.html

Having said all that, according to this map, Oklahoma is above average among state vaccine distribution:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/covid-19-vaccine-doses.html

There are systems and guidelines for distribution and administration of the vaccine both on both the state and Federal level. Just google.

Signup plans are another matter. It seems something should be out on Thursday for Oklahoma. There still isn't anything for Colorado on a statewide basis. Counties seem to be doing this at that level.

From CNN. Not a decision anyone should have to make.

"With intensive care units at Southern California hospitals nearly full because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Los Angeles County Emergency Medical Services Agency (EMS) has directed ambulance crews not to transport patients with little chance of survival to hospitals, and to conserve the use of oxygen."

^

I have a good friend who is an ER doctor in L.A. and she's posted a few photos.

It's a horrific, ugly scene.

All the idiot deniers and minimizers should be made to go work a couple of hospital shifts and put their own lives at risk.

There are systems and guidelines for distribution and administration of the vaccine both on both the state and Federal level. Just google.

Signup plans are another matter. It seems something should be out on Thursday for Oklahoma. There still isn't anything for Colorado on a statewide basis. Counties seem to be doing this at that level.

It will speed up pretty rapidly I'm sure in the coming weeks as supply ramps up. At the end of the day, there is still a limited supply of doses available and officials were too cautious in making sure that there was enough doses for all of phase 1. They turned the rate down too much.

Once there is plenty of doses available, you actually can start ramping up other resources in a more "free for all" type of lottery system.

^

I have a good friend who is an ER doctor in L.A. and she's posted a few photos.

It's a horrific, ugly scene.

All the idiot deniers and minimizers should be made to go work a couple of hospital shifts and put their own lives at risk.

I think everyone underestimated the impact seasonality has on coronavirus.

I think everyone underestimated the impact seasonality has on coronavirus.

Folks have been saying since last April that this winter was going to be the toughest part. It was just hoped that we would have better therapies by now, or that folks would actually follow directions.

I think everyone underestimated the impact seasonality has on coronavirus.

Nope. Not on this board.

I think everyone underestimated the impact seasonality has on coronavirus.

Absolutely nobody underestimated it; some made a conscious decision to ignore the long and loud chorus about how this was going to play out.

This whole thing has been and continues to be completely predictable.

Absolutely nobody underestimated it; some made a conscious decision to ignore the long and loud chorus about how this was going to play out.

This whole thing has been and continues to be completely predictable.
This.

Absolutely nobody underestimated it; some made a conscious decision to ignore the long and loud chorus about how this was going to play out.

This whole thing has been and continues to be completely predictable.
Ignoring what was known is the saddest and most maddening part of this whole situation.

I do wonder if we will see some sort of drop after the holiday spike. No more big holidays for quite some time.

I do wonder if we will see some sort of drop after the holiday spike. No more big holidays for quite some time.

Week 10 to 12 is about when you start seeing Influenza decline. So end of March is the baseline estimate unless vaccinations ramp up pretty fast.

Interestingly, the upper Midwest actually had a decline after Thanksgiving, but that may be because the climate actually got too cold for Covid.

...
Interestingly, the upper Midwest actually had a decline after Thanksgiving, but that may be because the climate actually got too cold for Covid.

Got any cites that cold weather inhibits the virus or the virus spreading?

1,497 cases today. Reminder that Tuesday usually show low numbers; last week it was only 1,194.

7-day rolling average 3,498 down slightly from the all-time high of 3,562.

19 additional deaths; 7-day rolling average 23.7.

Hospitalizations are 1,909 (-1); 1,927 is the all-time high.

ICU is 488 (-10); 501 is the all-time high.

Got any cites that cold weather inhibits the virus or the virus spreading?

I haven't really looked at cities specifically. Just noticed a fairly sizeable decline relatively to other regions a couple of weeks ago. May or may not be related to it being colder. It wouldn't be surprising if there is an ideal range even if its something simple as people being 'less active' in extreme cold regions. Of course, every region is going up now that may both due to the new UK strain taking root and also post Christmas rise.

https://91-divoc.com/pages/covid-visualization/

16658

Good thread (and good reporting) from Kassie McClung on getting data on OK COVID deaths *by date of death*:

https://twitter.com/KassieMcClung/status/1346467691150786568

As she says, keep in mind this data is incomplete, and that recent decline is most likely due to a lag in reporting and not an actual decrease in deaths

Interestingly, the upper Midwest actually had a decline after Thanksgiving, but that may be because the climate actually got too cold for Covid.

I'm not sure about how temperature impacts COVID-19 (if at all), but more extreme temperature impacts human behavior in ways that increases the spread of COVID. Hotter or colder weather forces more people indoors, which is where more COVID is spread at far higher rates. More moderate weather allows for more interactions outdoors and more doors/windows open, which results in far less cases.

We had a co-worker in our office go home this morning sick with Covid symptoms. I was very surprised at the lack of communication concerning this from management. Large federal agency and we received very little information. Cleaning is scheduled for late tomorrow morning. Why not tonight??
There will be workers already in the office by then, and no mention of the type of cleaning will take place. Just surprised me at this far along, there was some definite struggles. Our campus has had cases already surely someone is trained to communicate and handle it better than we did.

I signed up for the vaccine using the new portal this morning.

I signed up for the vaccine using the new portal this morning.

Would you please provide a link to the portal. I want my parents(both 80+) to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Would you please provide a link to the portal. I want my parents(both 80+) to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

ok-vras.powerappsportals.us

It took about 5 minutes to complete.

ok-vras.powerappsportals.us

It took about 5 minutes to complete.

Thanks

The U.S. set a record yesterday with 3,700 deaths.

We are now routinely over 200,000 new cases per day.

3,305 new cases today; 7-day rolling average 3,506 just shy of an all-time record.

62 (!!) additional reported deaths, the most ever; 7-day rolling average 25.7.

Hospitalizations are 1,994 (+85!), an all-time high by a fair margin.

ICU is 494 (+6) just off the all-time high of 501.


You can almost be assured that as the rest of this week plays out we will smash every record.

3,781 new cases today; 7-day rolling average 3,488 just off all-time high.

39 more reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 26.1.

Hospitalizations are 1,987 (-7) down slightly from yesterday's all-time high.

ICU is 489 (-5); all-time high is 501.

2.6 Americans died every single minute yesterday from COVID-19.

^

Over 4,000, the first time that threshold has been reached.

I take it that is deaths in this country..

I take it that is deaths in this country..

Yes, from yesterday.

Please delete, dealt with local politicians and mask mandates.

Oklahoma had over 100 deaths reported in the last two days. How will communities grieve?

Looking at how things are spreading and considering how many states are reporting the presence of that UK variant, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it is spreading here as well. Anybody sign up in the vaccine portal yet?

Looking at how things are spreading and considering how many states are reporting the presence of that UK variant, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it is spreading here as well. Anybody sign up in the vaccine portal yet?There's quite a but of portal discussion on the COVID Vaccine thread.

5,323 (!) new cases today, an all-time high. 7-day rolling average 3,504 slightly off an all-time high.

31 more deaths; 7-day rolling average 25.1.

Hospitilizations are 1,961 (-26); all-time high is 1994.

ICU is 477 (-12); all-time high is 501.

BTW, 4,100 U.S. deaths were reported yesterday, the highest ever.


Please be careful for the next couple of months at least.

We are very close to getting through this and we shouldn't lose our focus with light starting to shine at the end of the tunnel.

BTW, 4,100 U.S. deaths were reported yesterday, the highest ever.


Please be careful for the next couple of months at least.

We are very close to getting through this and we shouldn't lose our focus with light starting to shine at the end of the tunnel.

Can't wait to go to Homeland today and ask/tell so many of the other customers to follow the f*cking arrows on the floor... Last 4 times I've been there, 75% of the people are oblivious to them, they either need to enforce it (yeah, right) or pull them up, I get tired of being the only one that says anything to the idjits that can't see the 3 yellow arrows on the floor in each aisle or the signs all around the store asking them to follow them. Makes me wonder how they drive if they can't see the signs in the store...

Can't wait to go to Homeland today and ask/tell so many of the other customers to follow the f*cking arrows on the floor... Last 4 times I've been there, 75% of the people are oblivious to them, they either need to enforce it (yeah, right) or pull them up, I get tired of being the only one that says anything to the idjits that can't see the 3 yellow arrows on the floor in each aisle or the signs all around the store asking them to follow them. Makes me wonder how they drive if they can't see the signs in the store...
I hear ya! I don't bother to say anything because it's a waste of time. They should just take the arrows up. I don't really have any problem avoiding other people with or without the arrows. Worst thing are the people that park halfway down an aisle for ten minutes deciding on A, B or C.

Can't wait to go to Homeland today and ask/tell so many of the other customers to follow the f*cking arrows on the floor...

They need traffic spikes. ha.

Honestly, it'd actually be nice, in theory, to have the aisles be one way all the time regardless of the pandemic, especially at the one on 16th.

I hear ya! I don't bother to say anything because it's a waste of time. They should just take the arrows up. I don't really have any problem avoiding other people with or without the arrows. Worst thing are the people that park halfway down an aisle for ten minutes deciding on A, B or C.

Or wander around talking on their phones. I guess at least they all have their masks on...

Actually, most of the ones I mention it to say "Oh yeah, sorry, didn't notice" :doh: , but I have had maskholes (and yes, there are still *tons* of people not wearing them properly) ask if I'm the police, and I just flip them off and walk on.