COVID-19/Coronavirus Information and Support Thread (see OP for useful links)

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I was driving to a restaurant (remember those?) yesterday and received a call so I let it go to voicemail.

After we got home, the message was from a restricted number and she said she was from the North Dakota DOH. They obviously had my phone number and in the message they said my name and that it was about my recent test and named the location and date and that they'd call back or I could call the number they provided.

Couple of things about all that.

First, I've received the email results for my last test, which was negative.

Second, the number they gave to call back isn't the NDDOH but I did find it on a DOH pdf.

Third, if it's a scam, it's pretty damn accurate having the date and location of the testing, so I'm certainly leaning towards it being legit.

All that adds up to me being all worked up over this and since they're probably not around today or Monday (holiday), I likely won't find out what it's about until Tuesday. :irked:
 
Joey D
Wait, you don't use Fahrenheit for body temp in the UK? I thought you guys only used Celsius for the weather? The UK has a confusing mix of metric and imperial units.
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We use miles instead of kilometres, but I think that's about it. Oh, and beer. That's in pints because they're just the right size to hold while you drive. I think the rule is that you can do one mile per pint*, or something.

OT, the local GPs around here are holding "stand by" lists of family friends and acquaintances who would be able to attend the vacc centre at short notice to get the spares** that would otherwise be disposed of at the end of the day. It's working well and apparently being done across lots of trusts... but when the GPs have collectively asked for formal help in promoting the system nationally for more people they've been told it's impractical. So they're doing it themselves the best they can.


* I should point out that this is completely untrue!
** For example, the Pfizer vaccine is a guaranteed 10 shots per vial but on average they're getting 13 per vial, so they have more doses than they need and no spare list to use them on.
 
It's been astonishingly well organised in my experience so far. I hope this continues to be the case once the under-75 and non health personnel start getting called up and the numbers start ramping up.

Those globalists must be eager to get those microchips into our bloodstreams. Thanks Soros and Bill Gates! :lol:
 
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TB
All that adds up to me being all worked up over this and since they're probably not around today or Monday (holiday), I likely won't find out what it's about until Tuesday.
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I just got off the phone with them. The only verification they asked for was if I was tested on the 14th, which they already knew from their voicemail. When I confirmed, they said that the test had come back negative but I could still test positive if I'm exposed later.

No ****.

Weight off my mind but I'm still confused as hell.
 
TB
Weight off my mind but I'm still confused as hell.
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Good to hear it! I suspect somebody at a test and trace centre (or whatever your region has) is getting paid per contact or similar.
 
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TenEightyOne
Good to hear it! I suspect somebody at a test and trace centre (or whatever your region has) is getting paid per contact or similar.
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I truly don't know. This is the, I think, eighth time I've been tested but it's the first time I've received a phone call, which is why I was all weirded out by the voicemail.

On the plus side, since my wife has to get up for work in the morning, I might as well get up too and get the gym out of the way early. :P
 
McLaren
UK friends, read this morning y’all are administering more vaccines than new cases registering. Seems like a good outlook for y’all.
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It's really good news. However, today we officially became the country with the highest death rate in the entire world. Scandalous.
 
PzR Slim
It's really good news. However, today we officially became the country with the highest death rate in the entire world. Scandalous.
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We are indeed, and it is obviously not good - and yes, the government have made far too many missteps in their handling of this crisis.

But a few words of caution - the UK currently has the highest death rate in the world, but many countries have had that dubious honour as well, including Ireland, twice. Other countries have had higher death rates prior to where the UK is now too.

The main reason for the rapid increase in the death rate in the UK is the unfortunate combination of winter, the festive season and, by far the most significant factor, the emergence of a much more transmissible form of the virus within our population.

In other words, I blame the government too, but there are other factors at play. Regrettably, other countries are likely to surpass the UK in the near future unless they can get their act together (namely Brazil*, the US), and one can only hope that the roll-out of the various vaccines across the globe can be done very quickly and take effect quickly.

* There is also the question of attribution as well; different countries have different criteria for attributing a COVID death, and I suspect that Brazil and a few other places have set their bars quite a lot higher than we have in the UK. But, in terms of countries with comparable healthcare systems and standards for reporting cases, it's a pretty woeful place for the UK to be right now.
 
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Touring Mars
The main reason for the rapid increase in the death rate in the UK is the unfortunate combination of winter, the festive season and, by far the most significant factor, the emergence of a much more transmissible form of the virus within our population.
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Long ago a researcher asserted that the virus is intelligent, can think and adapt.
“Viruses are very intelligent. They can think. They do things that we do not expect. They adapt to the environment. They change themselves in order to survive,” said Lai, professor of molecular microbiology and immunology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

The reason why some high school biology teachers might argue with his stance, Lai notes, is that a virus can be crystallized similar to nonliving matter. Plus, viruses depend on other living things to reproduce.
https://news.usc.edu/9791/researcher-teases-out-secrets-from-surprisingly-intelligent-viruses/
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Other researchers talk of a "hive mind".
A tactic familiar from insect behaviour seems to give viruses the edge in the eternal battle between them and their host – and the remarkable proof can be seen in a video.

The video catches viruses only a few hundred nanometres in size in the act of hopping over cells that are already infected. This allows them to concentrate their energies on previously uninfected cells, accelerating the spread of infection fivefold.

Geoffrey Smith and his team of virologists at Imperial College London were curious about the vaccinia virus, and set up a video microscope to watch how the virus spreads through cells.

--------

says Erik Barton, a virologist at Purdue University, Indiana. “What I find most fascinating is that it suggests that viruses can function with a sort of primitive ‘hive mentality’ to ensure efficient use of host cell resources, akin to the way worker bees tell others where to locate the best food sources.”

Read more: https://www.newscientist.com/articl...lligence-to-focus-their-attack/#ixzz6juxeLVJd
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Accepting for just a moment that the thinking and adapting hive mind is another form of consciousness, would it be fair to suggest, if only in allegory, that the UK is on the receiving end of an attack by an alien intelligence, as suggested by HG Wells in his work, The War of the Worlds?
 
How do you get in line for the vaccine? I'm not scheduled for my regular doctor's visit until mid March. I'm not looking to jump ahead of those who are more high priority than I am but I also want whoever is in charge to know that I'm not one of those that is adamantly against taking it either. I want it when my time comes or there is adequate supply.
 
Jezza819
How do you get in line for the vaccine? I'm not scheduled for my regular doctor's visit until mid March. I'm not looking to jump ahead of those who are more high priority than I am but I also want whoever is in charge to know that I'm not one of those that is adamantly against taking it either. I want it when my time comes or there is adequate supply.
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Check with your county's health department, they probably have something online that explains where you fall in line. If you meet the criteria, you should be able to schedule an appointment through that site as well. Most states and counties have broken down the population into several waves with various criteria. If you're a reasonably healthy, young person, you're probably in whatever the last wave is, which could be anytime between June 2021 and the end of 2023 (I'm not exaggerating, unfortunately).
 
Joey D
Check with your county's health department, they probably have something online that explains where you fall in line. If you meet the criteria, you should be able to schedule an appointment through that site as well. Most states and counties have broken down the population into several waves with various criteria. If you're a reasonably healthy, young person, you're probably in whatever the last wave is, which could be anytime between June 2021 and the end of 2023 (I'm not exaggerating, unfortunately).
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I could probably jump into this phase for my state (I am slightly overweight but could be considered obese so I fit into this phase), but at the same time, I do not feel I should get it over someone who is more in need of it.
 
Joey D
Check with your county's health department, they probably have something online that explains where you fall in line. If you meet the criteria, you should be able to schedule an appointment through that site as well. Most states and counties have broken down the population into several waves with various criteria. If you're a reasonably healthy, young person, you're probably in whatever the last wave is, which could be anytime between June 2021 and the end of 2023 (I'm not exaggerating, unfortunately).
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55 years old, 6ft. 153lbs.

I just want to get my name on the waiting list if there is such a thing.
 
Jezza819
55 years old, 6ft. 153lbs.

I just want to get my name on the waiting list if there is such a thing.
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You're in Alabama, right? Looking at the dashboard I have access to, it looks like the state is pretty slow rolling it out, unfortunately. I'm not sure if it's a lack of infrastructure or what, but it'll probably be a hot minute before you can even get your name on a list. Right now it looks like 130,000 people have gotten the vaccine in Alabama which is only around 3,700 vaccines per day. That's 927 days to vaccinate 70% of the state.

I don't know what Alabama's criteria is though, but I assume it's healthcare workers, followed by those 75+. Chances are, you'll see the next wave be 65-74, then 55-64. So given the rate, which should speed up, you're probably looking at mid to late spring.

Biden's plan might help though. If he envokes the Defense Production Act, you'll see vaccine production increase. I don't really like Biden, but if he can figure out a way to meet his goal of 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days, I'll certainly give him the kudos he deserves for making that happen.

On a side note, you're height/weight ratio makes me feel like a complete fatass. I mean I am, but still.
 
Joey D
You're in Alabama, right? Looking at the dashboard I have access to, it looks like the state is pretty slow rolling it out, unfortunately. I'm not sure if it's a lack of infrastructure or what, but it'll probably be a hot minute before you can even get your name on a list. Right now it looks like 130,000 people have gotten the vaccine in Alabama which is only around 3,700 vaccines per day. That's 927 days to vaccinate 70% of the state.

I don't know what Alabama's criteria is though, but I assume it's healthcare workers, followed by those 75+. Chances are, you'll see the next wave be 65-74, then 55-64. So given the rate, which should speed up, you're probably looking at mid to late spring.

Biden's plan might help though. If he envokes the Defense Production Act, you'll see vaccine production increase. I don't really like Biden, but if he can figure out a way to meet his goal of 100 million vaccine doses in his first 100 days, I'll certainly give him the kudos he deserves for making that happen.

On a side note, you're height/weight ratio makes me feel like a complete fatass. I mean I am, but still.
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Right. The local county healthcare website had absolutely nothing on it about the vaccine. But the biggest hospital system here had it on their website but said it currently was for people 75+. I'll tell my doctor in March that I'm ready whenever my time comes up.
 
Jezza819
Right. The local county healthcare website had absolutely nothing on it about the vaccine. But the biggest hospital system here had it on their website but said it currently was for people 75+. I'll tell my doctor in March that I'm ready whenever my time comes up.
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In the meantime, you should fatten up so you have some reserves to fall back on should you become ill. :nervous:
 
Joey D
A Michigan dispensary is offering a free joint when you get the COVID vaccine:

This Michigan marijuana dispensary is giving free weed to anyone who got the COVID-19 vaccine

I mean whatever works right? I'm guessing you'll start to see all sorts of places give out free stuff if you've been vaccinated, I just never thought it'd start by getting "pot for a shot".
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So you guys have enough vaccines to do this kind of promotions? In the EU there is more demand than supply so there is no point in doing promotions. My age group in seemingly healthy condition is predicted to get shot in late summer, which is uncomfortably late. I wanted to get vaccinated before my cycling season starts, but I guess not.
 
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novcze
So you guys have enough vaccines to do this kind of promotions? In the EU there is more demand than supply so there is no point in doing promotions. My age group in seemingly healthy condition is predicted to get shot in late summer, which is uncomfortably late. I wanted to get vaccinated before my cycling season starts, but I guess not.
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No idea, Michigan seems to have an adequate supply of vaccine while other states don't. New York supposedly has none. It comes down to how the infrastructure is in a given state and how quickly they're able to administer the vaccine. The issue is that Pfizer requires super cold storage meaning that not every health system is capable of getting it. The federal government is also controlling the entire supply of the vaccine as well and releasing it however it sees fit, which is a mystery to even those of us who are working on a vaccine committee.

The logistics surrounding the vaccine were always going to be difficult to figure out, but it's not like we haven't had nearly a year to get a plan in place. Apparently, the Trump Administration has done nothing to even come up with anything that resembles a plan. They always went from not doing anything to just distributing all of the vaccines at once, so there's apparently no reserve stockpile anymore and it's likely people won't be getting their second dose in the appropriate time frame.

The best course of action would be to remove the government completely and let health systems and health departments order directly from the manufacturer. Some states are trying to do this, but the federal government isn't allowing it at this moment.

If Biden's plan works as well as Biden thinks it will, we will be in much better shape by spring. If it doesn't, well then we're going to have a long road ahead of us.
 
novcze
So you guys have enough vaccines to do this kind of promotions? In the EU there is more demand than supply so there is no point in doing promotions. My age group in seemingly healthy condition is predicted to get shot in late summer, which is uncomfortably late. I wanted to get vaccinated before my cycling season starts, but I guess not.
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I don't think it's so much as a promotion as it is a reward. To answer your question, no we don't have an abundant supply of vaccine.
 

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