All things political. Coronavirus Edition. (3 Viewers)

[Maxp]

I fear we are really going to be in a bad place due to the obvious cuts to the federal agencies that deal with infectious disease, but also the negative effect the Affordable Care act has had on non urban hospitals. Our front line defenses are ineffectual and our ability to treat the populous is probably at an all time low. Factor in the cost of healthcare and I can see our system crashing. What do you think about the politics of this virus?

 

[Nebaghead]

That sounds needless. Is there some sort of supply problem or issue with distribution/people to do the injection?

No explanation. My only guess is they feel over 50 is at higher risk then people in non age high risk groups.

 

[insidejob]

Edwards: More have been vaccinated than have contracted the virus.

Still waiting for him to get to the actual news here...

16+ in "high risk" categories from the list in that link. SMOKING! YES!

I can turn it off now.

 

[JRad]

"immunocompromised state from blood or bone marrow transplant, immune deficiencies, HIV, use of corticosteroids or use of other immune weakening medicines "

This pleases me.

I was being good and waiting for online scheduling to update with the new guidelines - CVS did as of this morning, so Pfizering up tomorrow and 4/1

 

[GrandAdmiral]

I heard from people who have gotten it that when you get there, they don't even ask about any of this. They just want to get people vaccinated.

This is likely changing some. LDH issued a new attestation form to vaccine providers for individuals that must be completed and turned in attesting to eligibility. Then again, they aren't asking for proof to go with it.

 

[insidejob]

I was being good and waiting for online scheduling to update with the new guidelines - CVS did as of this morning, so Pfizering up tomorrow and 4/1

I'm scheduled for Friday afternoon. Don't know which vaccine it is. I assume Pfizer or Moderna since it is through the city. I suppose I'll get a second appointment date when I get the shot because that option wasn't available when I scheduled it.

I'm finally starting to feel relieved for all of us.

 

[insidejob]

This is likely changing some. LDH issued a new attestation form to vaccine providers for individuals that must be completed and turned in attesting to eligibility. Then again, they aren't asking for proof to go with it.

With all that it takes to get a shot...being a smoker or overweight...they should save the money and bureaucracy involved with all that and just vaccinate any and everyone who is willing. We've got too many people who aren't going to get vaccinated to begin with.

 

[wardorican]

We also need to find out what's the plan for kids? They count for herd immunity. All of the charts I'm seeing on the NY Times is talking total population, but as of now, the studies on younger people isn't finished.

This is their estimate for "herd immunity" based on vaccinations and those already infected.

 

[wardorican]

Random thought...

They keep calling the Coronavirus Relief package, the $1.9 Trillion package. Didn't they shave off some cost in the Senate? Is the total price tag still estimated to be $1.9 trillion?

 

[Saint by the Bay]

Random thought...

They keep calling the Coronavirus Relief package, the $1.9 Trillion package. Didn't they shave off some cost in the Senate? Is the total price tag still estimated to be $1.9 trillion?

I don’t think what they shaved was significant. It was a few billion,but not even close to 100 billion. They are probably still just rounding up.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

With all that it takes to get a shot...being a smoker or overweight...they should save the money and bureaucracy involved with all that and just vaccinate any and everyone who is willing. We've got too many people who aren't going to get vaccinated to begin with.

I thought I read somewhere that Alaska is about to do just that - open it up to everyone who wants it.

I don’t think what they shaved was significant. It was a few billion,but not even close to 100 billion. They are probably still just rounding up.

Plus, I would think the minimum wage requirement wasn't calculated in right?

 

[DaveXA]

I don’t think what they shaved was significant. It was a few billion,but not even close to 100 billion. They are probably still just rounding up.

I suspect some of that was just moving money around. Which is why the overall dollar figure hasn't changed much.

 

[DaveXA]

I thought I read somewhere that Alaska is about to do just that - open it up to everyone who wants it.



Plus, I would think the minimum wage requirement wasn't calculated in right?

I don't think the minimum wage part was ever formally part of the bill. Iirc, it was dropped from the House bill before the final vote and being sent over to the Senate.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

I don't think the minimum wage part was ever formally part of the bill. Iirc, it was dropped from the House bill before the final vote and being sent over to the Senate.

You got me there. I thought it was in the House bill, then stripped out in the Senate.

 

[DaveXA]

You got me there. I thought it was in the House bill, then stripped out in the Senate.

Yeah, I want to say the Senate parliamentarian came out and ruled that the minimum wage increase couldn't be included in the bill shortly before it was taken up in the House. I might be misremembering, but I thought it was dropped from the House bill at that point.

 

[GrandAdmiral]

Yeah, I want to say the Senate parliamentarian came out and ruled that the minimum wage increase couldn't be included in the bill shortly before it was taken up in the House. I might be misremembering, but I thought it was dropped from the House bill at that point.

Yeah, it was in the House bill and taken out after passage.

Here’s what’s in the House Democrats’ stimulus relief plan | CNN Politics

The House has passed the Democrats’ massive coronavirus relief package, bringing President Joe Biden’s stimulus proposal one step closer to reality.

www.cnn.com

Minimum wage
The House legislation would increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 in stages. It would also guarantee that tipped workers, youth workers and workers with disabilities are paid the full federal minimum wage.
The plan would raise the wages of 27 million workers, according to the Budget Committee.
But the Senate parliamentarian has ruled against allowing the increase to be included in the Senate version of the bill under the budget rules Democrats plan to use, an aide familiar with the process and two sources with direct knowledge of the situation tell CNN. That means that the wage increase won't survive into the final version of the bill even if passed by the House.

 

[DaveXA]

Yeah, it was in the House bill and taken out after passage.

Here’s what’s in the House Democrats’ stimulus relief plan | CNN Politics

The House has passed the Democrats’ massive coronavirus relief package, bringing President Joe Biden’s stimulus proposal one step closer to reality.

www.cnn.com

Good catch, with all of the stuff going on, it's tough to keep up with the timeline, lol.

 

[Optimus Prime]

I’m assuming this is accurate

 

[insidejob]

Y'all see this shirt right here. This really pisses me off. This should never happen - especially to a 74 year old man. It's why I say, "If you can find a way to get the vaccine, get the vaccine." (Of course, I don't mean go steal it or hold up the vaccination site. I'm talking drive to your neighboring state if that's a possibility and things like that.)

REALLY pisses me off!!!

Brown County man dies from COVID-19 after trying for shots twice, turned away (wlwt.com)

BROWN COUNTY, Ohio —
Tuesday was a day of remembrance in Ohio marking exactly one year since the first COVID-19 cases were confirmed in the state.

As more people get vaccinated, it's been a struggle for some.


A woman from Brown County said her husband tried to get a COVID-19 vaccine twice, but before he could, he ended up contracting COVID-19 and died in a matter of days.

She said the virus has broken her heart, but also inspired her to advocate for others.

"I didn't think it was real for a long time, until March 4, when he left me," Susan Rickett said.

There's an emptiness Rickett feels on the front porch of her Brown County home near Ripley.

"We had four children. We had six grandchildren and we have two great-grandchildren and three puppy dogs," she said.

Her husband of 46 years, Bob "Bobby" Rickett, 74, was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Feb. 23, hospitalized for eight days and died after he was taken to hospice.

"Two times. Twice. He attempted to go to the drive-thru vaccine clinic in Georgetown, Ohio, here in Brown County where we live. Both times, he was turned away because they did run out of the vaccine," Rickett said.

Weeks before he died, Rickett said he'd been working as usual to support his family.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.

"I feel like if he had had the vaccine, he would be sitting out here next to me talking to you," Rickett said.

She said because she's 75, she was able to get a vaccine before her husband could.

Rickett said they both took precautions seriously.

"My husband, Bob, always wore his mask. Even if I had to yell at him about it. 'You forgot your mask! Oh, I forgot!' He grabbed it," she said.

Now, she's telling his story, to show the importance of getting vaccinated as soon as possible.

Sorry, but if your state is still in the phase of inoculating the 70+ population, there is no excuse to run out of the forking vaccine. None. And there shouldn't have been barriers to stop him from getting it from somewhere else since this was the state's massive fork up, not his. Now he's dead. I'd sue the state. He would be alive today if they had their shirt together. I'm actually very proud of Louisiana's COVID people and the way they've handled testing, vaccinations, even shut downs. I saw a tweet today that was posted yesterday that said "Alaska is the first state to open vaccinations up to all residents age 16+. Of course, I had to comment that LA basically did the same thing yesterday just because we are sandwiched between OPEN EVERY BUSINESS UP TO FULL CAPACITY AND THROW ALL YOUR MASKS IN THE TRASH TEXAS AND MISSISSIPPI and don't want to be lumped in with them on COVID (even though LA and MS are always running neck and neck for dead last in every major category that makes your state attractive to people and businesses looking to relocate.

/rant