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Covid-19 Discussion

I got my first Moderna vaccine a couple of days ago. A little tenderness in the shoulder, not enough to even say ache and only if I raise my arm above horizontal. Looking forward to the next shot. Until then, I'm still doing the 'safer at home' routine.

Notes
 
I went in to my doctor for something unrelated to Covid. I asked her about the vaccine and she already had her first dose.

Y'know that there's a version of the vaccine that needs extreme cold and one that need just pretty cold? My doctor said that there's also one that can handle more normal-ish temps (I think it's from Pfizer). This is the one that they're going to try to help 3rd world countries with and/or just really hard to get to places. It's supposed to be in the mid-70% effective.

I was listening to the news on the radio, on the same day I went to the dr. Seems you have to be almost exactly on time for your scheduled second shot or you can have problems. One of the interviewed folks said that only the one dose is about 50% effective in stopping Covid. So, the conclusion was, unless we do the second shot on time, we're not going to be building enough herd immunity to cover folks that can't take the vaccine, for whatever reason. Kinda like how I'm allergic to the flu vaccine: I count on other people around me getting the shot so I don't get sick.

FWIW, even after I get the two shots, you're not going to see me in public without a mask.
 
Pete. I hope you get a vaccine that you won't be allergic to.

FWIW even after I get two shots, I'll be wearing a mask too.

Besides, it'll keep the facial recognition software from tracking me :)
 
The Pfizer version is the one that has to be stored at -70 to -80 deg C. They are shipped in batches of 975 doses (195 vials of 5 doses each) which once opened, must all be used within 3 and half days. Once reconstituted, each vial must be used within 6 hours. Although each vial is said to have 5 doses, you can actually get 6 doses from them if care is taken drawing up into syringes. They are 90% effective within 12 days of the first shot, and becomes 95% effective son after the second shot if the booster is done 21 days later. There is no evidence to say the second booster can be delayed beyond a 3 week gap, but UK are assuming it can, with no reduction in efficacy.

The Astra Zenica (Oxford) vaccine is the one that can be stored at 2-8 deg, normal fridge temp. This is the one likely to be used around the world in places where it is important to not have any specialist refrigeration. It is 70% effective 2-3 weeks after the first dose, and although intention is to boost at 4 weeks, they actually have evidence that it is more effective if that is delayed, but not beyond 12 weeks after the first vaccination.

The USA vaccine (Moderna) I believe must be stored at -20 deg, but UK will not be taking delivery of that for a couple of months yet, so I can't give any more detail.

UK are delaying all second doses until 11 to 12 weeks in a bid to get as many first doses out there as possible, starting with elderly and health care workers.

I hope an effective vaccination programme is rolled out as quickly as possible wherever you are, and that as many people take advantage of it as possible.

Chris
 
Been producing recordings, the bari part, for a number of ensembles/bands that I pass off to a fellow who merges them with other parts. Wrote this to my friends/family in FB:

Before the pandemic I was playing 8 to 10 hours every week with ensembles a week plus practicing on my own. Now almost a year later I am still working on recordings for the different ensembles/bands but I gasp for air more, don't play as long, and I'm not liking my sound.

If it wasn't for my friend Gary, who keeps giving me recordings to participate in, I can't even imagine how bad I would be now! He gives me 8 or more charts to cover on bari, which he records usually in a day. It takes me weeks to record something I like and even then it's nowhere near perfect.

If you want some homework, I can send you an audio click track and part for you to practice. Just sayin'. Oh, and I won't be grading you, most of you on my friends list are much better players than me. Be safe, be strong, be well.
❤


 
Leilani and I have been learning new songs, and I've been recording the backing tracks for them (first sequencing them on a DAW). I know I can buy karaoke tracks like most of the other duos, but I play drums, bass, guitar, sax, flute, wind synthesizer, and enough keys to make fixable mistakes, so why let someone else have all the fun?

Besides, they come out in our key, and I can tailor the arrangement, so I get to improvise a solo in there somewhere.

Also, karaoke tracks have vocals, where I can play the vocal parts on a synth and not sound so canned. And I can do what I call a 'live mix' - meaning I can pump up the bass and snare. After all, when you go to a place where live music is happening, as you approach, what do you hear first? Usually bass and snare.

We are practicing on our porch, serenading the birds, squirrels, snakes and lizards in our backyard, but it isn't the same as playing for an audience of humans. After we get our second Moderna jab, we are going to start looking for outdoor gigs. We miss our audience.

I'm sure once it's safe to go out again, a lot of people are going to be looking for live music as much as we are looking to play it.

Notes
 
At last, both the concert bands that I play with are restarting next week after almost a year of closure. We'll be playing under fairly strict conditions and with wide spacing but it's a start. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for us to get up to speed again.
 
Sadly, Canada is a "bit" behind in the vaccination dept. Sigh... Our gov't had a fantastic facility (Connaught) that was world-renowned, but a previous Conservative gov't sold it in the 1980s. Our current gov't pre-purchased millions of doses from all the current manufacturers, but after a strong start, we're now caught in the vaccine nationalism that has reared its head in the EU.

Then this week our current Liberal gov't announced it was dumping millions upon millions into a new facilities that will be in Montreal, Saskatoon, and Vancouver. Dates for all these: Waaaay later than the US.

I was saying to a friend of mine who lives in the States--who I haven't seen for nearly a year--that the border between our 2 countries has been closed for nearly 12 months because Canadians wanted to keep COVID out from the US (either from Americans coming here, or us going there, contracting it and bringing it back). Now with the vaccine rollout in the US gaining steam and ours sputtering, the border is likely to remain closed, but this time it will be the Americans wanting to keep the Canadians out, or their citizens safe from contracting COVID while here.
 
I regret closing the border. Being on the outside looking in, I don't really know if it helped or not, but I know a lot of Canadians that winter here in South Florida are not enjoying our sunshine. That means they aren't hiring our duo either.

Through the years we've made friends with quite a few of the Canadian snowbirds. Hopefully this plague will be under control by next winter so we can have some good times together again.
 
AZ is usually a big place for folks from Canada to visit in the winter because, even though we had a smattering of snow last week, it's been in the upper 70s and low 80s (that's 4.5 trillion pascals, in metric) this week.

Something that I wasn't aware of, so I'm glad I checked: with the vaccine, you can still transmit the virus (info per some official-looking doctor on the front page of YouTube). That means that you still have to mask up.
 
I regret closing the border. Being on the outside looking in, I don't really know if it helped or not, but I know a lot of Canadians that winter here in South Florida are not enjoying our sunshine. That means they aren't hiring our duo either.

Through the years we've made friends with quite a few of the Canadian snowbirds. Hopefully this plague will be under control by next winter so we can have some good times together again.

Well lots of Canadians have gone to "sun destinations" despite our govt's warning. Unfortunately these vacationers have NO (Zero, Zip, Nada) health care coverage while out of the country if they contract COVID. No travel insurance company will cover them for COVID-19 (or any related complications) if they get sick or end up in hospital. (Not to mention the added strain this can place on an already over-burdened health care system and workers.)

Now with the new restrictions our gov't has put in place until at least April 30 requiring those coming back from outside the country to quarantine at their own expense for a minimum of 3 days at a hotel while awaiting the results of their COVID tests--that they also have to pay for on their own--travel insurance companies are getting flooded with phone calls asking about extensions to existing plans. Travelers are all being told the same thing: You are not covered.

People are really taking a chance and playing Russian roulette with not only their health, but also their finances.

I too hope that we get this virus under control enough that things will be more "normal" for next winter. Although what "normal" looks like is still a long ways from being determined I fear.

AZ is usually a big place for folks from Canada to visit in the winter because, even though we had a smattering of snow last week, it's been in the upper 70s and low 80s (that's 4.5 trillion pascals, in metric) this week.

Something that I wasn't aware of, so I'm glad I checked: with the vaccine, you can still transmit the virus (info per some official-looking doctor on the front page of YouTube). That means that you still have to mask up.

Yup, I have friends that have condos in AZ. It's a hotspot for Cdn's to vaca.

As far as possibility for transmissibility post vaccination goes, this is something that Dr. Fauci has spoken about, as well as Dr. Sanjay Gupta. I remember when the head of Pfizer was interviewed on CNN and the Dr. Gupta first heard this. He was shocked. It was only a few weeks ago. I think at that moment you could have knocked him over with a feather.
 
I got my second Moderna shot today. I am breathing a little easier.

I know I'm still supposed to wear masks and follow all pre-vaccination precautions, and I will, but knowing my odds of getting it have been reduced 95% is comforting.

I know I can catch it and my immune system will beat it, but before it does, I can be contagious, and I don't want to endanger anyone else.

I went to a facility in Florida called The Cleveland Clinic, and they had a production line there with perhaps a dozen nurses stations giving shots, plenty of extra help guiding people along the way, and sanitizing every surface or chair touched. In the 20 minutes I was there (including a 15 minute after-vaccination 'just in case' wait) I must have seen 100 people get jabbed. I was impressed with the efficiency and general attitude.

I know there are millions and millions more to get vaccinated, I know I was lucky to be in the age group to get in early, and I know this is going to take some time, but I can see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Perhaps next winter I'll be able to play music for my Canadian and northern USA friends. Meanwhile, we'll continue learning new songs, and I'll continue to make aftermarket styles for Band-in-a-Box.

If you know anyone who is timid about getting vaccinated, please encourage them to get it. I had no side effects to speak of. At worst, you can get a day of feeling sick with the vaccine, and at worst without it, you could die in an isolation ward without being to say goodbye to your loved ones.

Insights and incites by Notes
 
www.plasticsurgery.org said:
The FDA is reporting that people with cosmetic facial fillers could experience localized facial swelling and inflammation after receiving the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19. The reactions have been mild, and physicians say this information should not stop people from getting the vaccine when able.

Sauce. Emphasis mine.

There are some possible side effects, but they are mild:
healthaffairs.org said:
We also know, from the trials and early experience with COVID-19 vaccine administration, that the vaccines have high rates of temporary and unpleasant—but not dangerous—side effects. The vaccines cause sore arms at high rates, and they can cause swelling, mild fevers, fatigue, and aches.

Sauce.

My wife had no complaints other than a sore arm. I also don't mind feeling mildly sick after having the shots. Mildly sick is better than mildly dead. I did just want to point out that there can be some side effects.
 
My 90+ year old parents finally got their shots (PNW) through a church group who spent time getting their seniors appointments. The parents were then picked up and driven 25 miles south to a country village where they got their first round of shots. I am sooo happy for them.
 
I got the second Moderna vaccine yesterday. Today I got a mild case of the heebie-jeebies so I took a nap.

A small price to pay for immunity.

I'd do it again if needed.

Insights and incites by Notes
 
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