Who Has Not Been Vaccinated?

[Yppej]

I tried again today to look for a vaccine. I started with my doctor's medical group and they are booked up. I then looked online and saw one site a reasonable distance away. It is run by a Board of Health. Supposedly it had openings but no appointment times were listed but there was a next button which I clicked. Then the website directed me to fill out a preregistration form for a mass vaccination site although the site I wanted is not a mass site. The instructions said the form is only good for mass vaccination sites so it makes no sense that I was directed there for a non-mass site.

Nothing was available at a clinic, pharmacy, or other more user friendly location. Next week New Hampshire opens up to non residents and I will try there. Massachusetts is a disorganized mess. I saw on the news that nationwide there is more supply than demand now and doses are available but not being used. It is because of this stupid top down approach to try to force everyone to go to mass vaccination sites. You need to use the distribution channels people want, as brick and mortar stores have learned in the retail apocalypse. Herd immunity doesn't mean herd everyone into a few huge locations far from where they live.

Now people of any age can sign up for shots in my state starting Monday. I don't see things getting any better in the short term.

[frugal-one]

Why not go to a mass vaccination site? What's the big deal?

[Gardnr]

It is because of this stupid top down approach to try to force everyone to go to mass vaccination sites. You need to use the distribution channels people want, as brick and mortar stores have learned in the retail apocalypse. Herd immunity doesn't mean herd everyone into a few huge locations far from where they live.

Wrong. No mass vacc sites at all in my state. Appointments are going unused and vacc days going cancelled making staff nervous about their paychecks. State is barely at 21% vaccinated. Some want J/J only d/t a single injection-really the most ridiculous excuse to not get vaccinated. We use tiny needles and it literally takes 1 second to inject. Others just think the vacc is stupid and still stand by Trump on his no-big-deal BS.

I certainly can't answer for why you can't find an appointment but blanket statements are wrong so please refrain.

[Tradd]

Wrong. Doses aren’t being used because some people refuse to be vaccinated, for whatever reasons. I got my shot through my the hospital group my doctor belongs to. Got it at a regular doctor’s office.

[Yppej]

I have been surprised at all the strong right wing people I work with getting vaccinated. There doesn't seem to be any vaccine hesitancy. I guess it is different in the Northeast. New Hampshire leads the nation in percentage of their population that is vaccinated - and some people still feel they should stay under restrictions ad infinitum.

ETA There seems to be a gender divide. I work with all men and several have said things like they are only getting the shot because their significant other or mother wants them to. And the women navigated the system to find and book appointments for them.

[razz]

It is amusing to hear reports about right-wing vs left-wing decision-making on vaccinations. It keeps reminding me of a retired nurse and good friend's observation - "they all look the same in a hospital gown."

[Tybee]

It is amusing to hear reports about right-wing vs left-wing decision-making on vaccinations. It keeps reminding me of a retired nurse and good friend's observation - "they all look the same in a hospital gown."

To me, it is really a factor. I think that if the country wants to make substantial progress with the virus, we need to try to understand how people think and meet people in the middle. Using scare tactics does not work; calling people ignorant because they engage in critical thinking does not work, ignoring the problem does not work, and assuming bad faith and using words like "freedumb" doesn't work.

We interacted with my son's in-laws last week, who have decided not to get vaccinated. We did talk about our decision to get vaccinated, we discussed common ground of wanting to be able to all get together with the grandchildren as one big family unit. I respect their decision, and they respect ours. That was unexpected, and very positive and good.

I pray they do not get sick, or that our kids don't get sick. I guess I fail to see much amusing in this whole situation, when the stakes are very high.

Additionally after getting hives on my face after my second Pfizer shot, I have concluded no boosters for me. Husband has concluded the same.

[catherine]

I am up for a market research project on just that topic: What is behind vaccine hesitancy and what messages resonate to get people vaccinated? I suggested in the proposal that we make sure we recruit people from both red and blue states and take politics into the conversation to see the extent to which the local political environment (leadership, neighbors, culture) feed into attitudes.

[Yppej]

For each chain it looks like you have to create a separate online account. I made one for Walmart and of the five stores near me only one has any times and they are on weekdays and smack dab in the middle of the day so I cannot go to work late or leave early. This is not good for people who have to work for a living.

[razz]

There is no question about the seriousness of the whole situation for everyone, without exception.