Flu shots [PLEASE READ FIRST POST!]

Maria Young9 said:yet, I still find myself thinking that one really should get vaccinated.

The last time I caught the flu—and man, it absolutely wrecked me—was right after my last vaccination. That was over 25 years ago. Since then? Zero shots, zero flu. Just living life.

So, I went ahead and reserved some vaccines at my local CVS—I’ve already got the prescriptions ready and everything—but honestly, the staff there seems completely clueless about when they’re actually arriving.
Plus, I keep hearing whispers from pretty much everywhere that they're being held back specifically for healthcare workers and that us regular folks aren't even going to get a shot at them...

If anyone actually knows what's going on, please drop some info here...

Local pharmacies are completely tapped out. They aren't even taking orders because there's zero stock coming in—at least, that’s what a colleague of mine who works at one told me.
To make matters worse, my mom's primary care doctor flat-out refused to vaccinate her patients against the flu this year! She didn't even bother trying to order any doses; she just told everyone to head over to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instead.

Bryan Taylor9 said:Local pharmacies are completely tapped out. They aren't even taking orders because there's zero stock coming in—at least, that’s what a colleague of mine who works at one told me.
To make matters worse, my mom's primary care doctor flat-out refused to vaccinate her patients against the flu this year! She didn't even bother trying to order any doses; she just told everyone to head over to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instead.

Is your mom considered high-risk due to some underlying condition or maybe her age?

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At some clinics in New York City (I'm fairly certain about one), they were turning away people at higher risk due to their age because they didn't have enough supply on hand. This was back in mid-September when everyone was trying to get their appointments scheduled early...

It’s pretty obvious there’s a massive surge this year—so much so, I suppose, that they'll have to start triaging patients based on priority levels since there simply won't be enough vaccines to go around for everyone.

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redmason4 said:So, I went ahead and reserved some vaccines at my local CVS—I’ve already got the prescriptions ready and everything—but honestly, the staff there seems completely clueless about when they’re actually arriving.
Plus, I keep hearing whispers from pretty much everywhere that they're being held back specifically for healthcare workers and that us regular folks aren't even going to get a shot at them...

If anyone actually knows what's going on, please drop some info here...

Well, this past Thursday in Cleveland, I picked up the Fluzone 2020/21 season vaccine at a pharmacy near Station Square by the community center $32—it was quite affordable—and of course, I had already obtained a prescription from my doctor beforehand. After I got back from the pharmacy, I stopped by the clinic where the nurse administered the shot. Interestingly, the pharmacy in my small town mentioned they'd already sold through their entire stock or that everything was reserved, yet when I called that specific pharmacy in Cleveland, they told me they still had plenty of vaccine available. 👍

mellowskipper said:It’s pretty obvious there’s a massive surge this year—so much so, I suppose, that they'll have to start triaging patients based on priority levels since there simply won't be enough vaccines to go around for everyone.

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Given that the news reported just a few days ago that they ordered a total of 590,000 doses, this prioritization seems a bit strange... especially since they're leaving out people who usually qualify for free shots and have been getting them regularly...

Michelle Evans said:Given that the news reported just a few days ago that they ordered a total of 590,000 doses, this prioritization seems a bit strange... especially since they're leaving out people who usually qualify for free shots and have been getting them regularly...

Well, they could order a million doses for all we care, but the real question is how many actually end up being delivered. Demand is up globally this season, so I suppose it’s unlikely everyone will get exactly what they asked for.

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That figure isn't just some wild hallucination from a bad trip; it’s the exact number they explicitly announced is on the way. The only uncertainty is whether that might apply to a final batch of 30,000 doses due to timing, but otherwise, the rest is expected shortly. To quote:

We should be seeing 560,000 doses arriving soon, with another 30,000 coming in December.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/news...economy-1046971

Based on that article, I assume at least 50,000 doses have definitely been delivered. What’s left is just what was ordered and what we're still waiting on.
And look, don't get me wrong—I really do hope they actually arrive and that there's enough to go around for everyone.

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Fair enough. I suppose it all comes down to how we understand and actually use the American language. That’s really all there is to it...

I can’t say I’ve ever actually had the flu. If I did, it was probably just something mild enough that I didn't even realize it was the real deal.
This year, I'm being much more careful. I've been eating better than usual, avoiding crowded spaces whenever possible, and keeping up with extra disinfection. I'm hopeful this winter passes without me getting sick.

mellowskipper said:Is your mom considered high-risk due to some underlying condition or maybe her age?

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She’s 79, so she’s absolutely eligible for the shot. She gets vaccinated every single year.
I'm with Michelle Evans on this one. Media hype is one thing, but reality is something else entirely.
Her doctor was pretty blunt about it—said she was actually cleared for 40 doses this year, but she turned down ordering that many just so she wouldn't have to play judge and decide who gets them and who doesn't... now I don't even know what to think.

Anyone else have any leads on where I can actually track down the vaccine? 😢 My pediatrician is telling me they won't be getting any in stock and specifically told me to hunt down Fluzone. 🕺

Last I heard, they were doing shots and full checkups over at the Mayo Clinic in New York City $117.

Bryan Taylor9 said:She’s 79, so she’s absolutely eligible for the shot. She gets vaccinated every single year.
I'm with Michelle Evans on this one. Media hype is one thing, but reality is something else entirely.
Her doctor was pretty blunt about it—said she was actually cleared for 40 doses this year, but she turned down ordering that many just so she wouldn't have to play judge and decide who gets them and who doesn't... now I don't even know what to think.

So, I have this friend—he’s a family physician, by the way—who mentioned that he actually ordered 200 doses, but only 70 showed up at his clinic. It's quite a discrepancy, really. Because of that shortage, I guess he’s going to be forced to decide on specific criteria for who gets vaccinated first. He'll likely prioritize the most high-risk individuals within the high-risk groups—something like that, anyway.

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mellowskipper said:So, I have this friend—he’s a family physician, by the way—who mentioned that he actually ordered 200 doses, but only 70 showed up at his clinic. It's quite a discrepancy, really. Because of that shortage, I guess he’s going to be forced to decide on specific criteria for who gets vaccinated first. He'll likely prioritize the most high-risk individuals within the high-risk groups—something like that, anyway.

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I actually went in for my shot today, and honestly, it didn't feel like there was any shortage at all. Just like every other year, I called a few days ahead to confirm I was coming, and they poked me right away.

My doctor only got about 40% of what was ordered. Meanwhile, at the private clinic where we took the kids, they’re already sitting at 50%.

I tried signing my mom up on Stamper using the email gripa@stamper.hr and instantly got an automated reply saying every single appointment is booked and I should just contact the local health department instead.

If I actually could, I’d do it in a heartbeat. 🙄

This is just great, absolutely fantastic. What a total circus. 🕺