COVID-19 vaccine

[Sciencewoman]

We've only eaten al fresco at restaurants over the past year. Considering Michigan winters, that means it's been 6 months since we've eaten out. Curbside is great and we always tip generously.

[AGDee]

I do delivery and also tip generously.

[NYCMS]

I'm still waiting to get my vaccine, but what worries me here in NYC is 1) now that the weather has warmed up, I see more people no longer wearing a mask outdoors; and 2) restaurants are re-opened for in-door dining and boy are those tables close.

I think things will spike with warm weather and people relaxing, including that once you're vaccinated, you can still get it albeit a mild case. I was waiting to pickup food at a cafe today and a guy walked up to the hostess without a mask on.I saw several other people pull their mask down to talk to the hostess....smh. She told me it made her very nervous.

[carnation]

Most places around here are back to business as usual. The only place that still hasn't opened their dining room is Chick-Fil-A. Not many people have worn masks for quite awhile and our Covid rate is low. I feel like possibly a lot of people here had mild cases early on.

[NYCMS]

Originally Posted by carnation

Most places around here are back to business as usual. The only place that still hasn't opened their dining room is Chick-Fil-A. Not many people have worn masks for quite awhile and our Covid rate is low. I feel like possibly a lot of people here had mild cases early on.

And "back to business" makes me nervous. CDC guidelines for both vaccinated and unvaccinated people are to keep wearing a mask in public, socially distance and wash hands frequently. Lots of folks not yet vaccinated and there are those who will refuse to get the shot. I don't think we can be too cautious, especially with all the new variants.

Great article on this topic from ABC News today including why a plateau in cases is not a good thing given the vaccination rates.
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/vaccin...posts_card_hed

[carnation]

No, I mean they've been back to business as usual since last fall.

[Sciencewoman]

The father of one of my colleagues is hospitalized with Covid and he and his wife were fully vaccinated. He is not doing well. He is 89 and only leaves the house to go to medical appointments. They didn't even test him until after he was admitted, because they didn't suspect Covid.

[FSUZeta]

Do you know what vaccine he had?

[shirley1929]

Had 2nd Pfizer dose on Friday. Was spending the weekend with friends and was worried about feeling bad. Alternated Advil/Tylenol every 6-8 hours or so for the first 36 hours and still feel completely fine. My arm actually hurts less with this one than it did with the first one. I'm in my late 40's.

[Benzgirl]

Originally Posted by shirley1929

Had 2nd Pfizer dose on Friday. Was spending the weekend with friends and was worried about feeling bad.

From what the pharmacists are saying, you need to wait 2 weeks after the 2nd dose before you build the antibodies. My parents (in their 80s) had their 2nd shots in mid February are still are not spending time with friends. I've only had one shot and I still wear a mask around them (and I've tested negative 4 times for antibodies when donating blood)

[navane]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

From what the pharmacists are saying, you need to wait 2 weeks after the 2nd dose before you build the antibodies. My parents (in their 80s) had their 2nd shots in mid February are still are not spending time with friends. I've only had one shot and I still wear a mask around them (and I've tested negative 4 times for antibodies when donating blood)

Actually, you have antibodies starting about two weeks after the first dose. During the clinical trials, they were saying that the vaccines were 50% effective after the first dose and you would receive "peak protection" of 90% about two weeks after the second dose. But that wasn't to say that you had no protection or antibodies at all after the first dose.

As it were, additional studies conducted by the CDC, using real-world people who received the vaccine in the earliest rounds, have revealed that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 80% effective after the first dose! 80%!! That means that the second dose only adds an additional 10% of protection.

See it here: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/29/cdc-...effective.html


Also, an antibody test (from your blood donations) won't tell you if the COVID vaccine is working or not. Antibody tests are looking for a certain protein in people who have already had the actual COVID virus. If you have tested negative four times, congratulations! That means that you've never had COVID! Though, those tests don't mean that your body still hasn't produced antibodies from the vaccine. The antibody test you took, I presume, was looking for a different "piece" than the ones the vaccines makes. The Atlantic had an article that's a bit wordy, but it explains it well.

The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/...-tests/617981/

Washington Post, easier read, but less informative: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...antibody-test/


Finally, the CDC says that fully vaccinated people are free to visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without masks. They can also visit with unvaccinated low-risk people from a single household indoors without masks. Of course, you and your parents are welcome to operate at your own comfort level; but, it is not necessary to fully stay inside and not visit anyone.

See the CDC guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...-guidance.html

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by navane

Actually, you have antibodies starting about two weeks after the first dose. During the clinical trials, they were saying that the vaccines were 50% effective after the first dose and you would receive "peak protection" of 90% about two weeks after the second dose. But that wasn't to say that you had no protection or antibodies at all after the first dose.

As it were, additional studies conducted by the CDC, using real-world people who received the vaccine in the earliest rounds, have revealed that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were 80% effective after the first dose! 80%!! That means that the second dose only adds an additional 10% of protection.

See it here: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/03/29/cdc-...effective.html


Also, an antibody test (from your blood donations) won't tell you if the COVID vaccine is working or not. Antibody tests are looking for a certain protein in people who have already had the actual COVID virus. If you have tested negative four times, congratulations! That means that you've never had COVID! Though, those tests don't mean that your body still hasn't produced antibodies from the vaccine. The antibody test you took, I presume, was looking for a different "piece" than the ones the vaccines makes. The Atlantic had an article that's a bit wordy, but it explains it well.

The Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/...-tests/617981/

Washington Post, easier read, but less informative: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...antibody-test/


Finally, the CDC says that fully vaccinated people are free to visit other fully vaccinated people indoors without masks. They can also visit with unvaccinated low-risk people from a single household indoors without masks. Of course, you and your parents are welcome to operate at your own comfort level; but, it is not necessary to fully stay inside and not visit anyone.

See the CDC guidelines here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019...-guidance.html

Cosign all of this. I'm just treating this all like - You do what's best for you...I'm going to follow the rules pretty tightly, but if your comfort level is at a lower place, then I'll probably meet you there now that I'm vaccinated. And if you want me in full hazmat gear, well then I'm cool with that too.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by Benzgirl

From what the pharmacists are saying, you need to wait 2 weeks after the 2nd dose before you build the antibodies. My parents (in their 80s) had their 2nd shots in mid February are still are not spending time with friends. I've only had one shot and I still wear a mask around them (and I've tested negative 4 times for antibodies when donating blood)

Should have clarified...socially distanced time with friends. Wasn't spending time with them just because I was vaccinated. I know about the 2 week rule and am now past it, but acting as I did 2 months ago (masked up, socially distanced, etc...). My mom (85), however, had her 2 shots in January and you'd think Covid never happened by the way she's acting.

[Sciencewoman]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Do you know what vaccine he had?

I don't, but I'll find out. It was either Pfizer or Moderna, because I was told he and his wife had "both shots."

Meanwhile, my son was invited today for his first dose tomorrow, and our daughter has her first dose of Pfizer scheduled for April 8. I have my second dose on Wednesday. The pace of vaccination has really ramped up here.

[ChioLu]

Had my second shot of Pfizer vaccine yesterday. Arm hurts a tiny little bit but I’m wearing magnetic bracelets to help from feeling sore. No other side effects. I’m going to a concert in two weeks! So excited! Will still be wearing a mask though.