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(MSN)   It's gonna be a productive winter, Mr. Darwin   (msn.com) divider line
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    More: Scary, Vaccination, Vaccine, American people, new bivalent booster shots, federal health officials, doses of the vaccine, Washington Post, view of many Americans  
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1743 clicks; posted to STEM » on 08 Oct 2022 at 9:15 AM (24 weeks ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



45 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest
 
Harlee [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 6:35:18 AM  
Just got an email from the VA yesterday. Bivalent boosters are now available.

VA Long Beach HCS is now offering updated Moderna booster doses. This booster provides protection from the original COVID-19 virus and newer variants (the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variations of the virus). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed for the distribution of this vaccine through Emergency Use Authorization. It is safe and highly effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalization from COVID-19.

Who is eligible for the updated COVID-19 booster? Veterans, spouses, caregivers, beneficiaries, and VALBHS employees over the age of 18. Individuals are eligible two months after completing COVID-19  vaccination (two doses of Moderna, Pfizer, or Novavax or one dose of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) or at least two months after their last booster.

How do I schedule an appointment? Call 562-826-5151 between 7:30 AM-7:00 PM to schedule.
Are walk-ins available? Yes! Our COVID Vaccination Center is located at the Tibor Rubin VAMC, Bldg. 165 in the Learning Center (or "The Egg.") Walk-in appointments are available from 8:00 AM - 2:45 PM Monday through Friday.

Are flu shots also available? Yes! Flu shots are also now available to Veterans and VA Long Beach HCS employees.  Flu vaccines are available at any clinical area and CBOC. Veterans can also walk-in to our Vaccination Center in Bldg. 165 (the Learning Center) Monday through Friday, 8 am to 2:45 pm.

For COVID-19 vaccine updates, call 562-826-8000 and Press 8.

For COVID-19 testing information please call 562-826-5151
 
enry [TotalFark]
2022-10-08 6:53:57 AM  
I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.
 
bloobeary [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 7:01:46 AM  
Updated booster scheduled for this morning. Just a couple hours to wait, now.
 
Circusdog320 [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 8:16:21 AM  
We got ours at Albertsons pharmacy. Flu and booster. No problems, took 10 minutes. Scheduled online.
 
Gubbo [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 8:49:32 AM  
I'm still on cooldown from my last booster.

I must check soon when I'm eligible for shot #5
 
educated [TotalFark]
2022-10-08 9:05:34 AM  
The bivalent vaccine was announce almost exactly two months after my previous booster so as soon as my local CVS had it, I had it. Perfect timing.
Even got one of those cute little heart stickers.
 
Russ1642
2022-10-08 9:30:08 AM  
I'm not even eligible until Christmas because they want five months since your last vaccine.
 
natazha [BareFark]
2022-10-08 9:32:57 AM  
Kaiser "doesn't" have any bivalent booster. Walmart, Costco, Walgreens, CVS, and the little drug store down the road do. I think Kaiser is sitting on their share until the Federal money runs out and they can charge whatever they want.

I got the flu super-shot last week and my arm is still sore. But, I'll be getting #5 next week.
 
Hugh Manatee
2022-10-08 9:33:46 AM  
Got my bivalent and flu shots at CVS a couple of weeks ago.  Easy scheduling online.  No waiting.
 
Xythero [TotalFark]
2022-10-08 9:33:53 AM  
I got covid during the May-June surge in cases. I took an antibody test this week and am still positive for antibodies. I'm not sure how longer they will last but I was thinking of holding off until maybe December for the booster. So maybe people are just waiting.
 
jake3988 [OhFark]
2022-10-08 9:34:39 AM  
I still have zero idea whether it's authorized (or recommended) for me to get one (already got one last November).  The messaging is abysmal and I can't find a straight answer.

/Clearly no one gives a shiat anymore even from the CDC so I suppose I won't either.
//But perhaps I'll at least get a stand-alone flu shot.  After never getting the flu for 30 years, I've gotten it twice in the last 3.
 
Barricaded Gunman
2022-10-08 9:41:20 AM  

jake3988: I still have zero idea whether it's authorized (or recommended) for me to get one (already got one last November).  The messaging is abysmal and I can't find a straight answer.

/Clearly no one gives a shiat anymore even from the CDC so I suppose I won't either.
//But perhaps I'll at least get a stand-alone flu shot.  After never getting the flu for 30 years, I've gotten it twice in the last 3.


This right here is not the thinking you're looking for, it's Republican bullsh*t.

Get the shot, then join us here on Fark for the Covid Death Watch threads this winter. It'll be fun!
 
PirateKing [OhFark]
2022-10-08 9:42:41 AM  
Perhaps this will be enough to fend off the subtle pressure to get back in the office.

I said NO, damn it. I work from home now. Since you won't pay more, I have to save money somewhere. Pay me for commute time and give me a gas card and company car, and then you can demand I be somewhere.
 
goatbroken
2022-10-08 10:38:02 AM  
Barricaded Gunman:
This right here is not the thinking you're looking for, it's Republican bullsh*t.

There is tons of Republican BS out there about covid, but at the moment the most dangerous misinformation about it is Biden declaring the pandemic over. No wonder so many people aren't bothering with the updated boosters.
 
bloobeary [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 10:56:58 AM  
Booster acquired: LEVEL UP.
(wooshy light fx)
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 11:37:29 AM  

educated: The bivalent vaccine was announce almost exactly two months after my previous booster so as soon as my local CVS had it, I had it. Perfect timing.
Even got one of those cute little heart stickers.


I got a Bugs Bunny bandaid, and was disappointed my granddaughter wasn't with me.
 
petec
2022-10-08 11:42:55 AM  
i'm getting a kick...

/arm is a bit sore from getting both the new moderna shot and flu shot yesterday
//feel a little run down
///but better than my second shot of moderna last spring, that one had me on the couch for a day
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 11:43:43 AM  

goatbroken: Barricaded Gunman:
This right here is not the thinking you're looking for, it's Republican bullsh*t.

There is tons of Republican BS out there about covid, but at the moment the most dangerous misinformation about it is Biden declaring the pandemic over. No wonder so many people aren't bothering with the updated boosters.


That's mainly because Republicans don't know the difference between pandemic and endemic, and haven't used a dictionary since 6th grade.
Youngest son's family all have Covid-19 right now, and the current flavor is kicking their ass. Dad had it last month and spent a week in the hospital. Everyone was current on boosters. I got the latest bivalent booster last week.
 
DrunkenBob
2022-10-08 11:44:14 AM  
Thanks for the PSA, I kept forgetting to make an appointment.
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 11:48:11 AM  
https://www.sorryantivaxxer.com/ isn't running out of material.
 
selunesmom
2022-10-08 12:06:12 PM  
I can't get mine til the end of the month. I always need at least 2 days to recover from it and the flu shot, so I have to schedule those things for my vacation weeks. Next week, I'll schedule them.
 
common sense is an oxymoron [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 12:33:12 PM  
Got my bivalent last week as a walk-in at a local carneceria, and they were doing an encouraging amount of business.
 
Lamberts Ho Man
2022-10-08 12:43:04 PM  

enry: I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.


Yea, same about 2 weeks ago, plus shingles. Arm was sore for a week.
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 12:45:34 PM  

Lamberts Ho Man: enry: I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.

Yea, same about 2 weeks ago, plus shingles. Arm was sore for a week.


Wait until you get the second Shingrex shot. That MFer hurt. Well worth it though, if you know 5 relatives that have had shingles.
 
edmo [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 2:43:26 PM  
"But after getting two doses of the vaccine, the Flower Mound, Tex., man doesn't understand why he needs the third and fourth "booster" shots urged by federal health officials."

So it's not just like the flu?
 
cyberspacedout
2022-10-08 3:16:51 PM  
Thousands may also die needlelessly.
 
HairBolus [TotalFark]
2022-10-08 4:10:46 PM  
I dropped into my local Rite-Aid to get a new booster. I got all my previous shots there as a walk-in.

The guy told me I had to schedule an appointment and they were booked solid for at least  a week.
 
cryinoutloud [BareFark]
2022-10-08 4:20:26 PM  

Al Tsheimers: Lamberts Ho Man: enry: I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.
Yea, same about 2 weeks ago, plus shingles. Arm was sore for a week.
Wait until you get the second Shingrex shot. That MFer hurt. Well worth it though, if you know 5 relatives that have had shingles.


Is that hereditary in any way?  They keep pushing me to get a shingles vaccine, and I don't want to.  I barely know what it is.  It sure doesn't run in my family.
 
aerojockey
2022-10-08 4:27:27 PM  
Got my booster at work.  Some nurses had set up a tent in the parking lot and were and giving out booster shots, and also giving out free covid testing kits.  A bunch of people came to the tent while I was sitting there in my fifteen-minute holding period.  The nurses offered them all booster shots, but they all just said, "No, I'm just here to get free testing kits".

Facepalm
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 5:00:27 PM  

cryinoutloud: Al Tsheimers: Lamberts Ho Man: enry: I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.
Yea, same about 2 weeks ago, plus shingles. Arm was sore for a week.
Wait until you get the second Shingrex shot. That MFer hurt. Well worth it though, if you know 5 relatives that have had shingles.

Is that hereditary in any way?  They keep pushing me to get a shingles vaccine, and I don't want to.  I barely know what it is.  It sure doesn't run in my family.


I think a lot of susceptibilities are genetic, and run in families. Shingles is the reemergence of chicken pox in adulthood. Normally the scourge of older people, but my son had it at 35. MIL and FIL, my mother, my SIL although she was vaccinated with the older Zoster vaccine.
Generally, people with shingles will tell you that someone lit their skin on fire, for a week or two. Shingrex is 90% effective, and for me, worth any discomfort for a few days. I hope it is like most vaccines, in that you can still get it, but the effects are greatly lessoned.
 
aerojockey
2022-10-08 5:00:35 PM  

jake3988: I still have zero idea whether it's authorized (or recommended) for me to get one (already got one last November).  The messaging is abysmal and I can't find a straight answer.

/Clearly no one gives a shiat anymore even from the CDC so I suppose I won't either.
//But perhaps I'll at least get a stand-alone flu shot.  After never getting the flu for 30 years, I've gotten it twice in the last 3.



The messaging is abysmal.  It's not just the Feds, either.  The media has lost interest in making covid a front page story, people aren't posting messages on social media, and so on.

Quick answers
1. Boosters are still free
2. All boosters now are bivalent (that is, they targeting omicron strain as well as the original formulation); the FDA rescinded authorization to use the original vaccine as a booster
3. The new bilavent boosters are free and recommended for all adults.  (It might be 12 and over but I'm not sure.)

Of note, some first-world countries are recommending the bivalent boosters only for people at higher risk (older, immunocomprimized, etc.).  In spite of the the Fark's tendency to characterize not taking even the tiniest covid precaution as an unmitigated doomsday scenario, there is room for differences of judgment.  You can take the fact that some countries are passing on universal boosters to mean that it's just not as important as it was last year.

(Obv, all bets off if some new strain emerges.)
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 5:03:21 PM  

aerojockey: Got my booster at work.  Some nurses had set up a tent in the parking lot and were and giving out booster shots, and also giving out free covid testing kits.  A bunch of people came to the tent while I was sitting there in my fifteen-minute holding period.  The nurses offered them all booster shots, but they all just said, "No, I'm just here to get free testing kits".

Facepalm


Ron White is correct. You can't fix stupid.
 
cyberspacedout
2022-10-08 5:30:14 PM  

aerojockey: Got my booster at work.  Some nurses had set up a tent in the parking lot and were and giving out booster shots, and also giving out free covid testing kits.  A bunch of people came to the tent while I was sitting there in my fifteen-minute holding period.  The nurses offered them all booster shots, but they all just said, "No, I'm just here to get free testing kits".

Facepalm


Basically,

imgs.xkcd.comView Full Size
 
cyberspacedout
2022-10-08 5:30:47 PM  
imgs.xkcd.comView Full Size
 
aerojockey
2022-10-08 6:03:28 PM  

Al Tsheimers: aerojockey: Got my booster at work.  Some nurses had set up a tent in the parking lot and were and giving out booster shots, and also giving out free covid testing kits.  A bunch of people came to the tent while I was sitting there in my fifteen-minute holding period.  The nurses offered them all booster shots, but they all just said, "No, I'm just here to get free testing kits".

Facepalm

Ron White is correct. You can't fix stupid.


If I'm being fair, a couple people did sound honestly like they were waiting till a surge was imminent to get it (which I don't blame), and one person had concerns about the side effects and preferred to get it closer to a weekend (this was on a Monday).  Also who knows how many got boosted elsewhere.  But that doesn't make good Fark Snark.
 
Caelistis
2022-10-08 6:06:12 PM  
Got my bivalent booster two weeks ago. I'll get my flu shot when I get back from vacation.

For those that are able but elect not to get the bivalent booster, contract COVID, and end up with lifelong, debilitating repercussions...I have no sympathy.
 
Al Tsheimers
2022-10-08 6:40:31 PM  

aerojockey: Al Tsheimers: aerojockey: Got my booster at work.  Some nurses had set up a tent in the parking lot and were and giving out booster shots, and also giving out free covid testing kits.  A bunch of people came to the tent while I was sitting there in my fifteen-minute holding period.  The nurses offered them all booster shots, but they all just said, "No, I'm just here to get free testing kits".

Facepalm

Ron White is correct. You can't fix stupid.

If I'm being fair, a couple people did sound honestly like they were waiting till a surge was imminent to get it (which I don't blame), and one person had concerns about the side effects and preferred to get it closer to a weekend (this was on a Monday).  Also who knows how many got boosted elsewhere.  But that doesn't make good Fark Snark.


The people that are waiting think that it is "just like the flu". It isn't. There is no Covid season. As I said in one of the above posts, I have a half-dozen immediate relatives that have, or have had it in the last month. And 10 more in the last 6 months. At least now only one of the living relatives has declined the free vaccine. She is stupid. Her dad died from Covid-19. When he was in the hospital dying, he asked all of his visitors to not be stupid like him and decline the free vaccine. I had one aunt and one uncle die from Covid-19.
I completely understand wanting to wait until a Friday to get the booster. I was tired for a couple of days this time with Pfizer, but all the previous doses were Moderna, and that affected me much more.
I wasn't being snarky. You said they declined the free boosters, but would take the free tests.
 
jclaggett
2022-10-08 6:47:32 PM  

Gubbo: I'm still on cooldown from my last booster.

I must check soon when I'm eligible for shot #5


I think I am as well. Yeah, August 13th.

I do work in a high human contact job, so I may see about getting the next once at the earliest window.
 
jclaggett
2022-10-08 6:49:48 PM  

Al Tsheimers: educated: The bivalent vaccine was announce almost exactly two months after my previous booster so as soon as my local CVS had it, I had it. Perfect timing.
Even got one of those cute little heart stickers.

I got a Bugs Bunny bandaid, and was disappointed my granddaughter wasn't with me.


Ingot some cool super hero ones when I got MP#1 and Hep A#1.

Just generic colored ones for MP#2 and Meningococcal. I was bummed.

And CVS later that day for flu, just a generic colored one as well.
 
enry [TotalFark]
2022-10-08 7:18:31 PM  

Al Tsheimers: Lamberts Ho Man: enry: I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.

Yea, same about 2 weeks ago, plus shingles. Arm was sore for a week.

Wait until you get the second Shingrex shot. That MFer hurt. Well worth it though, if you know 5 relatives that have had shingles.


I had shingles about 10 years ago.  When my doctor recommended I get the vaccine last year I didn't hesitate.  It knocked me out for a day each time but well worth it if I never get shingles again.
 
aerojockey
2022-10-08 7:36:41 PM  

Al Tsheimers: The people that are waiting think that it is "just like the flu". It isn't. There is no Covid season


I don't think that's true.  We have good current statistics, and in the US transmission is currently low and falling.  Should a surge come, recent history suggests that cases will go up stay high for a month or two and go down again.  With these two facts in mind, and given that boosters have heretofore only been recommended about once a year, it's not unreasonable to choose a strategy where your strongest protection from the vaccine coincides with the the highest levels of transmission.  Hence waiting until it seems like cases start to go up.  That logic doesn't depend on there being a covid season.

Also, I would say we don't actually know if there's going to be a covid season.  The virus has been making headway through a population that largely lacked immunity and was still undergoing newbie mutations.  Each surge was precipitated by a variant of concern, so it's not entirely certain to what extent the surge was due to the new variant or due to the season.  We don't exactly know what it'll look like as it settles down into a pattern.  I'm expecting it to be more like colds, which aren't exactly rare in summer like the flu is, but still are still a lot more common in the fall and winter.  If so, and if we end up with an annual covid booster (which is looking less and less likely) then they'll still probably do it in the fall.
 
DON.MAC [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2022-10-08 8:01:41 PM  

aerojockey: Quick answers
1. Boosters are still free
2. All boosters now are bivalent (that is, they targeting omicron strain as well as the original formulation); the FDA rescinded authorization to use the original vaccine as a booster
3. The new bilavent boosters are free and recommended for all adults.  (It might be 12 and over but I'm not sure.)

Of note, some first-world countries are recommending the bivalent boosters only for people at higher risk (older, immunocomprimized, etc.).


Here in Australia I'm not sure they are offering the bivalent ones yet.  They wanted to use up the old stock first according to something in the papers a few weeks ago. The government messaging has been poor lately but spring is nearly here.  The local government lack of messaging might be related to an election soon.
 
backhand.slap.of.reason
2022-10-08 9:01:30 PM  
Get boosted.
Call your representative and demand a nationwide brain autopsy study with as near realtime reporting as possible.
Adults and children.
Prior history of Covid irrelevant.
It's the for the American people to understand how bad leadership has farked us.
 
melfunction
2022-10-08 9:07:30 PM  

Al Tsheimers: cryinoutloud: Al Tsheimers: Lamberts Ho Man: enry: I got my bivalent and flu at the same time at CVS.  Easy online scheduling and there was no cost.
Yea, same about 2 weeks ago, plus shingles. Arm was sore for a week.
Wait until you get the second Shingrex shot. That MFer hurt. Well worth it though, if you know 5 relatives that have had shingles.

Is that hereditary in any way?  They keep pushing me to get a shingles vaccine, and I don't want to.  I barely know what it is.  It sure doesn't run in my family.

I think a lot of susceptibilities are genetic, and run in families. Shingles is the reemergence of chicken pox in adulthood. Normally the scourge of older people, but my son had it at 35. MIL and FIL, my mother, my SIL although she was vaccinated with the older Zoster vaccine.
Generally, people with shingles will tell you that someone lit their skin on fire, for a week or two. Shingrex is 90% effective, and for me, worth any discomfort for a few days. I hope it is like most vaccines, in that you can still get it, but the effects are greatly lessoned.


Has nothing to do with genetics. Get the shot. Don't be a baby. Shingles is horrible.
 
Dack48
2022-10-08 11:18:34 PM  
I got my booster a week and a half ago, so I'm really getting a kick out of these replies.

/Flu and bivalent in a single go
// one in each arm
 
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