Oh Shoot

So glad some of youse guys are getting it, especially some I know personally. Once I was two weeks past the second Pfizer dose, I felt fairly confident that my personal risk became near zero for serious illness/hospitalization/death. But even though the science seems to be showing that vaxed folks have very high probability of not being infectious period, I still would be reluctant to be closely associated with any one not vaxxed, as I just couldn't abide the thought that I caused someones illness or death, however slight that might be. Including some of you "younger" folks, as this UK variant is now hammering pre-geezer folks too. - OS

Well, March overall is "good" news, lowest average Covid death per day rate since last August. Bad news is that there was an upswing in last 10 days of month, which seems a bit odd what with the vax program underway for a while now. We'll see. (2021) Mar 1-7 136 Mar 8-14 80 Mar 15-21 86 Mar 22-28 139 Mar 29-31 52 Total: 493= 15.9 deaths per day TN average daily Covid deaths: (2020) March 0.7 (first death 3/21/20) April 5.8 May 5.3 June 8.0 July 14.7 Aug 22.5 Sept 23.2 Oct 29.0 Nov 41.9 Dec 74.3 (2021) Jan 88.4 Feb 62.8 March 15.9 total TN deaths thru 4/1/21: 11,915 - OS

That's like reasoning that a fat guy who got run over by a bus was killed by obesity because he couldn't get out of the way fast enough. - OS

I hope we (and the US in general) aren't settling in on some kind of plateau. TN Covid deaths per week Feb 1-7 819 Feb 8-14 464 Feb 15-21 200 Feb 22-28 278 Mar 1-7 136 Mar 8-14 80 Mar 15-21 86 - OS

Millions of people with heart issues, lung issues, diabetes were living relatively normal lives with their respective health treatments. Then they caught Covid and croaked. Strange how their existing maladies all flared up at once enough to kill them, eh? Not to mention all the folks who had NO significant health issues and died after contracting it. - OS

I got second dose of the Pfizer a week ago. One more week for it to reach full moxie, and I'll rejoin the world to a greater extent. Lots of things to catch up on needing personal contact, couple doctors, dentist, Comcast, and perhaps most of all - A HAIRCUT! Assuming my old barber who was taking no precautions at all last time I was there long ago is still kicking. I don't care how cool man buns are, I'm over it. I must say, I might continue the curb side pickup thing with Kroger though, even when/if Covid is no longer a factor if they are still offering it. Done that twice, and it's aces. Gonna try it with Sam's too. - OS

A "great week" re TN deaths: Feb 1-7 819 Feb 8-14 464 Feb 15-21 200 Feb 22-28 278 Mar 1-7 136 Mar 8-14 80 - OS

In a nutshell, as I understand it, there just isn't enough data/research to definitively say. It seems that the vaccine may or may not prevent "catching" the disease at all. Much like influenza, seems to depend on a variety of factors, the most variable of which might be the individual himself. In the case of flu, the yearly vaccine almost certainly will mitigate the effects of an infection. The big difference in the Covid vaccine is that it seems to be mitigated significantly more effectively than with the flu vaccine. Certainly, if a vaccinated person catches Covid it seem likely that they can indeed also transmit it. However, the degree to which they can also seems to be lower, as total viral load has been shown to be a significant factor in transmission. In that regard, it's beneficial to the population at large as it does indeed prevent spread to a larger degree than a non-vaccinated person having it. But again, at this point, precisely definitive statements are simply not rock solid. It's like the 3ft, 6ft, one mile debate. At what point can a sneeze or cough not reach you with enough viral load to pass it along? IF Covid had only the same infection potential as most varieties of the flu we've seen so far, this wouldn't have been nearly the big whup it has been. But it's definitely been shown to be quite a bit more transmissible, so like always, everything helps. There's still so much to be learned about it. The issue of "long haulers" is especially vexing. And I hope there's still not another shoe to drop down the road with all the younger folks who have had it. - OS

This was lowest TN weekly death total since I started keeping that in Dec: Dec 1-7 407 Dec 8-14 532 Dec 15-21 595 Dec 22-28 452 Dec 29-31 319 Jan 1-7 585 Jan 8-14 740 Jan 15-21 452 Jan 22-28 733 Jan 29-31 233 Feb 1-7 819 Feb 8-14 464 Feb 15-21 200 Feb 22-28 278 Mar 1-7 136 - OS

TN average daily Covid deaths: (2020) March 0.7 (first death 3/21/20) April 5.8 May 5.3 June 8.0 July 14.7 Aug 22.5 Sept 23.2 Oct 29.0 Nov 41.9 Dec 74.3 (2021) Jan 88.4 Feb 62.8 total TN deaths thru 2/28/21: 11,411 - OS

Good Lord, Memphis. Covid-19 vaccines allegedly stolen, expired and inappropriately administered in Tennessee county, state investigation finds https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/health/tn-coronavirus-shelby-county-vaccines/index.html

Yeah, I've heard that rule of thumb through the years, yet there remain any number of virii that haven't followed that cycle. - OS

No waiting list signup, like in Knox? - OS

As often opined from various sources early on, there remains a good chance that it will require a yearly vaccine like the one for flu, formulated for the likeliest strains for each year. Even if so, lots of questions currently pend, such as the relative lethality of Covid compared with influenza, whether it can be contained at roughly the same level as influenza, etc. One big diff right off the bat was that Covid spread didn't seem much fazed by seasonal change, unlike influenza. And of course, there's always the chance a prevalent strain may mutate into something much more (or less) lethal than what we've seen. Or change so that people of all ages face roughly the same risks as we geezers. Now that would likely be the game changer. - OS

How have they handled distribution so far there? Not like here, with appointments? - OS

I'll not debate "cases" as that's a moving target, and always suspect period, not to mention that many if not most go unreported altogether. But deaths are another matter, and while not likely a "perfect" stat, plenty close enough. As per that, January was the worst month in the entire saga, both nationwide and in TN. Hell, first week of Feb was TN's highest death count yet, including highest single day death count. - OS

All perspective. Most of us were pretty spooked when only 5 people/day here were croaking back in the very beginning. Natural herd immunity isn't gonna happen short of ~70% or higher infection saturation. Which using available stats of deaths per infection means millions of deaths. - OS -

Daily TN deaths average still trending well down from peak in Jan (88.4). "Well" being relative term, of course. Feb 1-7 819 117.0/day Feb 8-14 464 66.2/day Feb 15-21 200 28.5/day overall 1483 70.6/day - OS

Well, if another 464 deaths in a week can be considered "good news", seems we might be over the worst peak thus far. TN average daily Covid deaths: (2020) March 0.7 (first death 3/21/20) April 5.8 May 5.3 June 8.0 July 14.7 Aug 22.5 Sept 23.2 Oct 29.0 Nov 41.9 Dec 74.3 (2021) Jan 88.4 feb 1-7 819 117.0/day feb 8-14 464 66.2/day feb overall thru 14th: 91.6/day total TN deaths to date: 10, 954 - OS

Well, it worked -- got call just two days later on Friday, scheduled first dose for yesterday at ET Children's Hospital in Fort Sanders. Oddly, though the lady mentioned Knox County Health Dept, this call came from an Illinois number, and the email followup was from outfit called Sign Up Genius, guess that must be some sort of contractual relationship. Also, oddly, got another call on Sunday also stating from KCHD, offering the vaccine for the next day at the Convention Center. I mentioned already had appt. she said just keep that one then, and asked who had called, I said not sure but they mentioned KCHD and that the followup was from Sign Up Genius, and she said, "yeah we use them too." Whatever all that indicates, dunno. Anyway, so got the Pfizer at ETCH. Quite the operation there, seemed to be four shot stations, about 25 folks there at any given time (they had you hang around for 15 min afterward to make sure your head doesn't explode or anything), and scheduled the second dose for 21 days hence. Slight soreness in arm somewhat more than from a flu shot has been only reaction so far. - OS

On further reading, the waiting list thing is new as of this am. Apparently up til now you'd get an actual appointment for whatever slots they had if you happened to be among the select few that timed refresh just right at certain times. Whether the waiting list thing is better, dunno. But at least you don't have to keep going to site and hoping, and getting a bit more crushed each time there was no bueno. - OS

Good on you. Guess you mean NovaVax? What's the "bad"?

Registration still possible. No idea of course how long the wait will be, but this is still the first necessary step. Matter of fact, for most of us who currently qualify, this is the ONLY option right now. Supposedly, drug stores start getting an allotment in a day or so, but they are still only going to dose as per the current state guidelines AFAIK. Bill Lee really told some DJT league whoppers re TN's Covid response stats. https://www.wbir.com/article/news/verify/verify-tennessee-is-not-in-top-10-for-vaccine-distribution-as-governor-claimed/51-4ec1257d-fcfd-4321-b566-be302dad5714 - OS

Have checked Knox County HD off and on all times of day and night for several weeks now, registration always closed. Happened to see on local gnus last nite that new appointments would open at 8:30 am. Sure enough, was able to sign up for the waiting list, plus the option to show up on 30 min notice for any cancellations. Still open right now. Phase 1a1, Phase 1a2, or those who are 70 years and older. https://covid.knoxcountytn.gov/vaccine-info.html - OS

Well, Covid stats may be looking a bit rosier nationally, but TN deaths surely ain't yet in even the neighborhood of that ballpark. Our single worst death day ever was Tue (203) and this seems to have been our highest weekly count also (819). Dec: 2,305 = 74.3 deaths/day Jan: 2,743 = 88.4 deaths/day Feb (thru 7th): 819 = 117 deaths/day - OS