Trying to get vaccinated in Massachusetts

[flyingfysh]

Massachusetts is one of the places where a working vaccine was invented (Moderna headquarters is in Cambridge). Ironically, trying to actually get vaccinated here is a problem for Massachusetts residents.

The state has set up a few mass vaccination sites (not real smart - encouraging crowds of people who are by definition not vaccinated yet), and set up a web site for people to get appointments there. People are seeing astronomical wait times, in one case 50475 minutes. In another case, someone was told he was in line for appointment sign-up, and that there wwere142334 people in line ahead of him. These numbers are from the front page of the Boston Globe.

Another vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) is about to be available, it will probably be approved tomorrow. Maybe it will help a bit. My wife and I have a chunk of J&J stock, but that will probably not help us get vaccinated earlier.

[LisaL]

1. J&J is not going to provide huge numbers of vaccines at the moment.

I can't get vaccinated either, OH apparently decided to just go by age, and not pre-existing conditions (unless the conditions are congenital). So my age group is nowhere near to be eligible for the vaccine.

[flyingfysh]

3. true, unfortunately

Their manufacturing process hasn't yet produced as many doses has they had hoped by now.

I am very near the top of the priority list (age 74), but that hasn't helped yet.

[LisaL]

8. My age is nowhere near priority at the moment.

Each state is doing its own thing. My state of OH is ignoring pre-existing conditions (unless they are congenital) and is going by age.

[Ms. Toad]

2. 50475 minutes 35 days.

At 64 years and 7 months, with diabetes and 2 (likely 3) cancers, that's about how long I have to wait in Ohio before I am even eligible to sign up.

[LisaL]

6. For reasons I can't comprehend, OH decided to ignore pre-existing conditions,

unless the conditions are congenital. Which makes no sense to me.
That doesn't appear in CDC guidelines.

[Ms. Toad]

11. Yup. I'm royally pissed about it.

Get those kids back in school. (even if it's only 1 day a week for some kids, and even if the school employees are working entirely from home.)

But worry about someone who has 3 known pre-existing conditions that are likely to make me toast if I get it, who is just a few months shy of 65, and who has been teaching older kids in person since August - not enough risk to justify letting you have a vaccine.

Part of what gets me is that they are focusing on death, exclusively, as the deciding factor for who is at the head of the line - which completely ignores the no-death risks that are also significantly higher for people with my conditions.

[LisaL]

15. Pisses me off as well.

In some states I would already be eligible for vaccinations. In OH, I have no clue when my age group is going to be eligible.
And focusing on pre-existing congenital conditions makes no sense, because kids can't be vaccinated right now-oldest age is 16.
So they would have to be adults with congenital conditions-where does CDC say to focus on congenital conditions only? OH is not following CDC guidelines.

[Ms. Toad]

16. Some of the diseases they have picked out make sense

Cystic fibrosis, for example - is congenital and dramatically impacts the lungs, so it would definitely put any adult with CF at significantly higher risk for death from COVID.

BUT the collection of childhood conditions they have picked out are not inherently riskier than COPD, for example, which is entirely an adult-acquired condition.

I've been trying to find an email address that doesn't just send me back a "Since you're interested in COVID" canned letter to make my case to. So far - not successful. I thought I found one for Dr. Bruce (whose last name I've lost temporarily), but that one bounced back as undeliverable.

[LisaL]

17. Yep. They have spina bifida on the list.

While not a good condition to have by any means, it's not known to increase risk for covid complications.
So it makes no sense.

[Ms. Toad]

21. You're right.

I can't find anything that suggests spina bifida, itself, increases the risk for COVID complications.

[LisaL]

22. Add to that, many other states are following CDCs recommendations on pre-existing conditions.

OH doesn't. No rime or reason as to why.

[Ms. Toad]

23. If I could figure out how to make an appointment

in Western PA, I'd be there in a heartbeat.

Unfortunately, even though they have vaccinated a lot of Ohioans, I have yet to find a website that lets me register.

[LisaL]

24. I would be eligible right now if I lived in PA, which is following CDC guidelines.

In OH, I am nowhere near being eligible.
OH is not following CDC guidelines. Some of congenital conditions they came up with as eligible right now is bizarre to say the list.
I already mentioned spina bifida, which doesn't increase risk for covid complications. So why is it on the list?
OH also has Tay-Sachs on the list. Most sufferers with this condition die by the age of five. The youngest age than one can get vaccinated is age 16.
How did OH came up with the list? Why is OH prioritizing congenital conditions? Like, what difference does it make with regard to covid, if an adult has the condition from birth versus condition developed later in life? Why is OH ignoring CDC guidelines?

[Ms. Toad]

25. Here's all I can find on the CDC website

Based on ongoing review of the literature, CDC has identified medical conditions or risk behaviors that are associated with increased risk for severe COVID-19.§§§ The risk for COVID-19–associated hospitalization increases with the number of high-risk medical conditions, from 2.5 times the risk for hospitalization for persons with one condition to 5 times the risk for those with three or more conditions (10).

. . .

Adults of any age with the following conditions are at increased risk for severe COVID-19–associated illness: cancer; chronic kidney disease; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies; immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant; obesity (body mass index (body mass index {BMI} ≥30 kg/m2 but less than but 40 kg/m2); severe obesity (BMI ≥40 kg/m2); sickle cell disease; smoking; type 2 diabetes mellitus; and pregnancy.

I've got breast cancer, sarcoma, and likely a thymoma + Type 2 diabetes.

I think they are being stupid about it. I may hve to resort to snail mail to give them a piece of my mind, since they have turned email/web communication into non-communication.

[LisaL]

26. Yes, CDC doesn't say that conditions have to be congenital to get vaccination priority.

I don't know of any other state that is doing what OH is doing. All of this really pisses me off, since I should be eligible if OH followed CDC guidelines. And yet I am not, and won't be any time soon, since OH is not following guidelines.

[Turin_C3PO]

12. That's ridiculous.

You should have been among the first in line. I sincerely hope you get it sooner rather than later.

[Ms. Toad]

14. The next age decrease in age is still "weeks" away.

they are not even making a prediction yet, because they will not lower it until everyone 65+ who wants a vaccination gets one (and they re-vaccinate all those in nursing homes who rejected it the first time, and they vaccinate all primary and secondary school employees - even those working entirely from home).

[Submariner]

4. I hope to see the Mass Democratic Party

use this vaccine boondoggle to dump the republican governor for a Liberal governor in the next election.

[White Fox]

5. Damn right

I'll be 68 in a week w/severe RA meds I take make me immune compromised.

I can't get vaccinated.

[sheshe2]

7. Have you tried CVS?

after trying around the clock for a week I was actually able to score an appointment for tomorrow.

Good luck!

[Croney]

10. Oh good!

[Ms. Toad]

13. It is going to depend, in large part, on state vaccine policy.

I can't even get past the welcome screen for any in-state provider since I have not hit the magic age - and I don't have aggravating conditions that originated in childhood.

And out-of-state providers kick me out because my address isn't in their state (even though 10% or more of the people already vaccinated in that state come from out of state).

[Rhiannon12866]

28. Good for you! CVS is obviously stepping up!

And I got an appointment yesterday, got my first shot today and get #2 next month! They were pretty busy, but I was impressed with how efficient they were. My friend got his at another CVS and said it was crowded. Good luck! And my arm aches a little, that's it...

[sheshe2]

29. Good for you!

Getting ready to head out soon. Thanks.

[Croney]

9. I know I'm in the minority here, but our MA appts have gone OK.

I'm over 75 and got a Danvers appt.; second shot is Tuesday. My husband is over 65, and I got him a Danvers appt. for last week.

I just clicked through at the right time I guess. Now it's impossible, because of that so-called waiting line which is ridiculous.

[JenniferJuniper]

18. Thursday seems to be the day

the appointments drop in.

Many people have had more luck with the CVS site, but the appointments went very quickly yesterday.

The "Mass vax" appointments have always been gone by the time I could get personal info in. Once CVS let me in yesterday, it seemed my place was held for a short time while I was able to get the details in. I dummied in "none, none, none" for insurance info even though I had it. They'll use your insurance card if you have one when you show up for the appt. No need to unnessarily slow things down I figured.

[Native]

19. Go to macovidvaccines.com

Simplified site that talks to all the other sites and shows real time availability with links to sign up. It refreshes constantly. Just saw 1 available slot at the Walgreens in Hyannis. It also has all the CVS location info.

[Pongo]

20. My 70 something friend had an appointment for the end of March.

But today on NPR I heard a website called vaccine finder.org and I texted that to her now she has an appointment on Monday about a block from where she lives whereas before she would’ve had to drive an hour for the vaccine a month from now.

Check it out.

[BradAllison]

27. .....

https://vaccinefinder.org/search/