@@ November thread - covid/rsv/flu and general

[statgirl]

I am frustrated and need to vent somewhere.  I live in one of the most COVID-denying areas of the country.  I attempted to schedule Moderna bivalent boosters for my two kids (7 and 10) for today.  We went to our appointment at Walmart (since they had it marked in stock at vaccines.gov and sell toys to bribe them with) and the tech said they were out and that there was no way I could have made an appointment and I should have checked vaccines.gov to see they were out.  I HAD DONE ALL OF THAT and chose that store because they were in-stock and I was able to make appointments specifically for Moderna (6-11) bivalent booster despite having to drive twice as far to get to it. 

So...we went back to the car and made appointments for later today at Walgreens.  There, the district manager had not approved shots for under 12's so they weren't able to give them out despite commiserating that it is the same vials.  The techs there were at least kind in their denials (probably because I started with confirming that the vaccine was in-stock and didn't make them do the paperwork).

I then tried Winn Dixie--no one under 12, CVS--only will do Pfizer despite saying Moderna at vaccines.gov, and Publix--sure, in a week (but after today, I really don't believe them).

I'll call the independent pharmacies next week but none are showing in-stock on vaccines.gov.  I guess they might be since all the other info was bogus for the major chains.

I did control myself and not make multiple appointments at Walmart to verify to the lady that I could indeed make an appointment for kids vaccines for that very day at their store and that it wasn't impossible as she kept telling me.  But I was tempted... (I know it is not the pharm techs' fault and I would never do that, but I can dream).

All I want is a bivalent booster...and to get my kids the toys they picked out (and put back because they said "we didn't earn them" even though I offered to still buy them).

[seeyalater52]

Nov 18, 2022 18:39:32 GMT -5 statgirl said:

I am frustrated and need to vent somewhere.  I live in one of the most COVID-denying areas of the country.  I attempted to schedule Moderna bivalent boosters for my two kids (7 and 10) for today.  We went to our appointment at Walmart (since they had it marked in stock at vaccines.gov and sell toys to bribe them with) and the tech said they were out and that there was no way I could have made an appointment and I should have checked vaccines.gov to see they were out.  I HAD DONE ALL OF THAT and chose that store because they were in-stock and I was able to make appointments specifically for Moderna (6-11) bivalent booster despite having to drive twice as far to get to it. 

So...we went back to the car and made appointments for later today at Walgreens.  There, the district manager had not approved shots for under 12's so they weren't able to give them out despite commiserating that it is the same vials.  The techs there were at least kind in their denials (probably because I started with confirming that the vaccine was in-stock and didn't make them do the paperwork).

I then tried Winn Dixie--no one under 12, CVS--only will do Pfizer despite saying Moderna at vaccines.gov, and Publix--sure, in a week (but after today, I really don't believe them).

I'll call the independent pharmacies next week but none are showing in-stock on vaccines.gov.  I guess they might be since all the other info was bogus for the major chains.

I did control myself and not make multiple appointments at Walmart to verify to the lady that I could indeed make an appointment for kids vaccines for that very day at their store and that it wasn't impossible as she kept telling me.  But I was tempted... (I know it is not the pharm techs' fault and I would never do that, but I can dream).

All I want is a bivalent booster...and to get my kids the toys they picked out (and put back because they said "we didn't earn them" even though I offered to still buy them).

This is beyond infuriating. Then people turn around and act like parents of kids <12 don’t want their kids vaccinated. They make it impossible and we are basically on our own because the tools that exist (like vaccines.gov, pharmacy scheduling etc) just are not functional for kid vaccine access.

[sparty04]

Nov 18, 2022 18:39:32 GMT -5 statgirl said:

I am frustrated and need to vent somewhere.  I live in one of the most COVID-denying areas of the country.  I attempted to schedule Moderna bivalent boosters for my two kids (7 and 10) for today.  We went to our appointment at Walmart (since they had it marked in stock at vaccines.gov and sell toys to bribe them with) and the tech said they were out and that there was no way I could have made an appointment and I should have checked vaccines.gov to see they were out.  I HAD DONE ALL OF THAT and chose that store because they were in-stock and I was able to make appointments specifically for Moderna (6-11) bivalent booster despite having to drive twice as far to get to it. 

So...we went back to the car and made appointments for later today at Walgreens.  There, the district manager had not approved shots for under 12's so they weren't able to give them out despite commiserating that it is the same vials.  The techs there were at least kind in their denials (probably because I started with confirming that the vaccine was in-stock and didn't make them do the paperwork).

I then tried Winn Dixie--no one under 12, CVS--only will do Pfizer despite saying Moderna at vaccines.gov, and Publix--sure, in a week (but after today, I really don't believe them).

I'll call the independent pharmacies next week but none are showing in-stock on vaccines.gov.  I guess they might be since all the other info was bogus for the major chains.

I did control myself and not make multiple appointments at Walmart to verify to the lady that I could indeed make an appointment for kids vaccines for that very day at their store and that it wasn't impossible as she kept telling me.  But I was tempted... (I know it is not the pharm techs' fault and I would never do that, but I can dream).

All I want is a bivalent booster...and to get my kids the toys they picked out (and put back because they said "we didn't earn them" even though I offered to still buy them).

I made an appt online for DS3 to start his primary series at our local Walmart (we took the other kids there too when they got theirs). I did it about 2 weeks in advance. DH took him to the appt only to be told they were no longer doing the primary series for under 12. So frustrating that I didn't find out until he showed up at his appt time.

[Bad Dingo]

We need to start bombarding our elected officials with these issues and complaints. With the Senate passing the Marshall resolution last week, the days of having a National State of Emergency are numbered.

Some impacts if Biden doesn't veto:
www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/what-happens-when-covid-19-emergency-declarations-end-implications-for-coverage-costs-and-access/#coverage-costs-and-payment

[Bad Dingo]

Regarding vaccines for under 16:
"Any COVID-19 medical countermeasure still under an EUA will no longer be available for use. A transition period will allow for disposition of unapproved products covered by EUAs as well as labeling and other material related to unapproved uses of approved products.
As of April 6, 2022, the FDA has approved two COVID-19 vaccines for use among adults (Pfizer: ages 16+, and Moderna: ages 18+), but for younger age groups, use of these vaccines continues to only be allowed under EUAs."

[Bad Dingo]

Sorry for the multiple posts, but the PREP Act allows pharmacies to administer Covid vaccines to kids even if state law doesn't allow them to vaccinate minors:

www.phe.gov/emergency/events/COVID19/COVIDVaccinators/Pages/PREP-Act-Immunity-from-Liability-for-COVID-19-Vaccinators.aspx

[noodleoo]

Nov 19, 2022 7:21:50 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

Regarding vaccines for under 16:
"Any COVID-19 medical countermeasure still under an EUA will no longer be available for use. A transition period will allow for disposition of unapproved products covered by EUAs as well as labeling and other material related to unapproved uses of approved products.
As of April 6, 2022, the FDA has approved two COVID-19 vaccines for use among adults (Pfizer: ages 16+, and Moderna: ages 18+), but for younger age groups, use of these vaccines continues to only be allowed under EUAs."

Seriously??? 🤯🤯🤯🤬🤬🤬

[seeyalater52]

Nov 19, 2022 7:21:50 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

Regarding vaccines for under 16:
"Any COVID-19 medical countermeasure still under an EUA will no longer be available for use. A transition period will allow for disposition of unapproved products covered by EUAs as well as labeling and other material related to unapproved uses of approved products.
As of April 6, 2022, the FDA has approved two COVID-19 vaccines for use among adults (Pfizer: ages 16+, and Moderna: ages 18+), but for younger age groups, use of these vaccines continues to only be allowed under EUAs."

I just want to be clear because I think this is sort of confusing, there are multiple emergency authorities governing different things related to the covid emergency. The “public health emergency” that continues to get extended by 90 days is not the same thing as the § 564 emergency declaration that governs the EUA and FDA authorizations. That will be be determined separately by the Secretary and is not expected to end at the same time. It will likely remain active as long as the peds covid vaccines are on EUA rather than full approval.

If you look at the “expiration” column in the KFF charts you’ll see the different sections and authorities they’re referencing.

[aprilsails]

News from the trenches: after 8 days of being full-on sick with some awful virus DS(3) is improving. This has been a wild ride. I’m still hacking up a lung every morning but then feel fine for the rest of the day once I’ve had a tea and an Advil Cold and Sinus. DH is nursing his man cold going on 2.5 weeks and I’m feeling murderous.

My niece and nephew have horrific ear infections. Luckily one of their friends who is a nurse on maternity leave spent Friday cruising pharmacies in the area and tracked down some antibiotics for the kids. She literally went to 8 different pharmacies to find them. My Stepsister also had to group source childrens Advil and Tylenol since it is sold out everywhere. We had stocked up when the kids were sick in September so I had enough left over to get through this week, but we don’t have much left for the next battle.

[chickadee77]

Nov 18, 2022 18:39:32 GMT -5 statgirl said:

I am frustrated and need to vent somewhere.  I live in one of the most COVID-denying areas of the country.  I attempted to schedule Moderna bivalent boosters for my two kids (7 and 10) for today.  We went to our appointment at Walmart (since they had it marked in stock at vaccines.gov and sell toys to bribe them with) and the tech said they were out and that there was no way I could have made an appointment and I should have checked vaccines.gov to see they were out.  I HAD DONE ALL OF THAT and chose that store because they were in-stock and I was able to make appointments specifically for Moderna (6-11) bivalent booster despite having to drive twice as far to get to it. 

So...we went back to the car and made appointments for later today at Walgreens.  There, the district manager had not approved shots for under 12's so they weren't able to give them out despite commiserating that it is the same vials.  The techs there were at least kind in their denials (probably because I started with confirming that the vaccine was in-stock and didn't make them do the paperwork).

I then tried Winn Dixie--no one under 12, CVS--only will do Pfizer despite saying Moderna at vaccines.gov, and Publix--sure, in a week (but after today, I really don't believe them).

I'll call the independent pharmacies next week but none are showing in-stock on vaccines.gov.  I guess they might be since all the other info was bogus for the major chains.

I did control myself and not make multiple appointments at Walmart to verify to the lady that I could indeed make an appointment for kids vaccines for that very day at their store and that it wasn't impossible as she kept telling me.  But I was tempted... (I know it is not the pharm techs' fault and I would never do that, but I can dream).

All I want is a bivalent booster...and to get my kids the toys they picked out (and put back because they said "we didn't earn them" even though I offered to still buy them).

I so feel you. Thankfully our pediatrician ended up coming through, but not after I had booked and gotten turned away from Walgreens. I then went online and could *supposedly* book through Walmart, CVS, or . . . I forget, but there was another. I booked each, then called to confirm and was told nope. Ugh.

[konapoppy]

Access to the kids vaccine is hard even in very pro-vax areas. We ended up going to a county site 20 minutes from home. There was one pediatrician in our network who had it - also about 20 minutes away.

[underwaterrhymes]

Six days after my husband and kids tested positive, I just tested positive. I had symptoms yesterday, but was still testing negative until this morning.

This is why I really believe we should still be quarantining for close exposure, or, at the very least, masking in public. I was likely contagious earlier this week and if I had operated like everything was dandy, I would have exposed others.

[babsbunny]

I hope you are well underwaterrhymes.

I'm so sorry to hear of all the sick kids.

I am on day 4 of symptoms. It's like a horrible cold with waves of fever. I'm glad I bought the cold medicine last year but am now afraid I'll go through it too quickly. DH is still ok. I was at work when the symptoms came on strong and started isolating that night, so he might be able to avoid it.

[underwaterrhymes]

babsbunny - feeling pretty rough.

I’m sorry you’re sick too. I hope your H avoids it. ❤️

[noodleoo]

Sorry to everyone who is sick. 🙁

We started the weekend with DD2 having a stomach bug. She was tired and warm Friday (temp 99.5, which is usually how everything starts for her), so I knew something was coming. It came on at 3 AM (because of course!), so we had a rough day yesterday. Lots of laundry and I lost a day I needed to prep for family coming to visit this week. But at least she seems better today so we won’t have to cancel the holidays like last year. 🤞🤞🤞 no one else gets it.

I’m scared for what is going to come after the holiday with everyone traveling and gathering. DD2 has already been sick every other week since then beginning of October. Usually Thanksgiving is what kicks off the illness cycle. With it starting earlier this year, I think the next 2 months are going to be brutal.

[beerlover]

noodleoo, we had the exact same thing Friday MOTN but DS gave no indications it was going to happen. Ate a bunch for dinner, went to bed happy. Then I hear H in the hall in the middle of the night trying to get DS to the bathroom and he threw up all over the floor That was fun showering him and cleaning the hall while feeling like a zombie. He turned around quickly though and was fine by yesterday AM. H and I are still OK and I'm hopeful we won't get it but every time my stomach gurgles I feel anxious lol.

H is always so calm about everything. I wonder what that's like. I was just talking out loud about how bad it would suck if we couldn't travel to see our relatives in DE on Thursday and he was like "welp, if we can't, we can't." Well, it's my favorite day of year dude and I'm allowed to be a little disappointed. Also, I bring like 4 different side dishes so other arrangements would need to be made. #mentalload

[babsbunny]

Doc did not give me antivirals since I'm vaxxed and do not have any health concerns. It's day 5 of symptoms and I feel a ton better with no fever (yay bivalent vax!) but I'm also not trying to expend much energy. I can't tell if I lost smell or am too congested.

DH feels fine so now to decide how much I un-isolate and when. He'll go to work two more days so Thursday will be the start of mass disinfecting. Oh darn if my light middle of the night coughs keep me starfished in my own bed for a few more days.

[seeyalater52]

Looks like there may be a bivalent booster option for <5 kids with the Moderna series in December, per release to press today (it isn’t being reported widely.) Absolutely baffling not to have a proactive plan to communicate what options there might eventually (?) be for <5 kids with a 3 dose primary series of Pfizer, as they appear to be saying the boosters can’t be mixed and matched and 3 dose Pfizer kids won’t be eligible for this updated booster.

It is very frustrating to feel like all the decisions parents are forced to make without a lot of options come back to have these unanticipated consequences down the line. I know so many people who wanted Moderna and couldn’t get it, took Pfizer even with the very long time to full efficacy with the 3 dose series, and are now going to be shut out of an updated booster option. I presume that a Pfizer bivalent booster option will be made available at some point, but the uncertainty and confusion is really challenging. And I say that even though my kid got Moderna (and of course trial kids with BA1 boosters also won’t be eligible, although some of us may try to get a BA5 booster once it’s approved since the trial reporting isn’t very thorough.)

Also I’m sure pediatricians and children’s hospitals will just LOVE having vaccine distribution for kids under 3 become their primary responsibility on top of the insanity of the collapsing pediatric health system this winter.

[curbsideprophet]

www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-establishes-website-self-reporting-covid-19-test-results

Reporting a positive or negative test result just became easier through a new website from the National Institutes of Health. MakeMyTestCount.org, developed through NIH’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx®) Tech program, allows users to anonymously report the results of any brand of at-home COVID-19 test.

[bimbi284]

My tiny niece (2 yo) spent at least 3 days in the hospital in Barcelona for a bad case of RSV that almost became pneumonia. No idea if she’s out of the hospital yet because of weird dynamics with my sister in law, but I know my brother was super worried.

[babsbunny]

bimbi284, I hope you hear good news soon.

[babsbunny]

Day 7 of covid for me. No fever for a few days now. Still needing meds to manage congestion. Not coughing which now I'm worried about on how much is in my lungs.

It's just us two and I can tell DH is getting bored and lonely. I was still positive on a rapid this morning but I'll mask up and maybe play some video games with him. It's raining so outside fun is not appealing.

I need some basics at Costco this weekend and I know it will be packed. Ugh.

[picksthemusic]

DS got the flu on Thanksgiving. Was fine all day until mid-afternoon when he was complaining of his throat feeling weird. Then the fever came, and it was all downhill from there. He spiked a 103° fever, which thankfully came down with Tylenol. We went home the next morning and he was okay most of the day after napping a bunch and trying to control his fever. Then Saturday morning he tanked again and so I took him to urgent care and they confirmed flu A. We were so, so lucky that our local pharmacy had Tamiflu in stock and they filled it right away. We started him on it that day and he perked up within 12 hours and now is basically back to normal with a cough and stuffy nose. Everyone else avoided it so far, thankfully.

The doctor he saw basically said if the patient is young and sick, it's the flu. If they're old and sick, it's Covid.

[breezy8407]

I started feeling a cold coming on Friday night, took a test Saturday and it was negative. Today, two home tests are positive. I am so upset. I don't feel that bad, but am so worried about H and the kids since I was around them thinking it was just one of the various viruses going around. Both kids had influenza two weeks ago, and I managed to escape that. DD is still coughing at night so I was going to take her in this week, but it will have to wait.

I don't feel that bad, just sinus congestion and a cough occasionally. No fever. Is it worth calling about paxlovid? The taste thing really puts me off if I can manage without it.  

[5kcandlesinthewind]

My son had a cold two weeks ago, it moved through my husband and me, and now he's got it again, only worse. He's super lethargic, his temp is up and down, and he says his throat and head hurt. I gave him a rapid test, and it was negative. It took me a half hour to get through to the pediatrician's office, but we were able to get an appointment for this afternoon. I'm betting a million Stanley nickels that it's probably just a virus and they won't be able to do anything, but with everything going around, I figured we'd better get him checked. He missed three days of school with the first round, plus all of his activities, and my nephew's birthday party is this weekend, and I'm so bummed we're here again already. His teacher sent a note last night saying she's tested positive for Covid, but given that he hasn't seen her since Wednesday, I think he's fine...?

My husband is also still sick, and he keeps asking me how I feel. I don't have the option to be sick, H, so it doesn't. matter. Sigh.

[pixy0stix]

Nov 28, 2022 11:09:46 GMT -5 breezy8407 said:

I started feeling a cold coming on Friday night, took a test Saturday and it was negative. Today, two home tests are positive. I am so upset. I don't feel that bad, but am so worried about H and the kids since I was around them thinking it was just one of the various viruses going around. Both kids had influenza two weeks ago, and I managed to escape that. DD is still coughing at night so I was going to take her in this week, but it will have to wait.

I don't feel that bad, just sinus congestion and a cough occasionally. No fever. Is it worth calling about paxlovid? The taste thing really puts me off if I can manage without it.  

I would ask for pax. Preliminary studies are showing that it's good to take because it reduces the chance of long covid.

[docholly]

Nov 28, 2022 11:20:11 GMT -5 5kcandlesinthewind said:

My son had a cold two weeks ago, it moved through my husband and me, and now he's got it again, only worse. He's super lethargic, his temp is up and down, and he says his throat and head hurt. I gave him a rapid test, and it was negative. It took me a half hour to get through to the pediatrician's office, but we were able to get an appointment for this afternoon. I'm betting a million Stanley nickels that it's probably just a virus and they won't be able to do anything, but with everything going around, I figured we'd better get him checked. He missed three days of school with the first round, plus all of his activities, and my nephew's birthday party is this weekend, and I'm so bummed we're here again already. His teacher sent a note last night saying she's tested positive for Covid, but given that he hasn't seen her since Wednesday, I think he's fine...?

My husband is also still sick, and he keeps asking me how I feel. I don't have the option to be sick, H, so it doesn't. matter. Sigh.

Push for an influenza test because that is what this sounds like to me. So, you have the option for Tamiflu…

[dcn]

Ds2 had a barky cough last week that the pedi gave steroids for. The bark went away, but still coughed all week. Then yesterday he said his head hurt and he took a nap (hasn’t done this since he was 2, he’s almost 7). Had a fever too. I made an appointment online for him to be seen again and they called this morning and said to just go to the drive up testing spot for Covid, flu and strep. So, waiting on those results. He doesn’t have a fever today and is acting better and eating so maybe it was just a quick thing.

My older ds had a fever for a couple days this past week so maybe ds got that on top of his cough he was getting over.

There’s just so much yuck going around. I’m crossing my fingers I don’t get it bc H is oot this week.

[5kcandlesinthewind]

Nov 28, 2022 11:31:16 GMT -5 docholly said:

Nov 28, 2022 11:20:11 GMT -5 5kcandlesinthewind said:

My son had a cold two weeks ago, it moved through my husband and me, and now he's got it again, only worse. He's super lethargic, his temp is up and down, and he says his throat and head hurt. I gave him a rapid test, and it was negative. It took me a half hour to get through to the pediatrician's office, but we were able to get an appointment for this afternoon. I'm betting a million Stanley nickels that it's probably just a virus and they won't be able to do anything, but with everything going around, I figured we'd better get him checked. He missed three days of school with the first round, plus all of his activities, and my nephew's birthday party is this weekend, and I'm so bummed we're here again already. His teacher sent a note last night saying she's tested positive for Covid, but given that he hasn't seen her since Wednesday, I think he's fine...?

My husband is also still sick, and he keeps asking me how I feel. I don't have the option to be sick, H, so it doesn't. matter. Sigh.

Push for an influenza test because that is what this sounds like to me. So, you have the option for Tamiflu…

Thanks! They usually do swabs for flu, strep, and Covid, (we were there roughly every two weeks once masks came off in the spring, sigh), but I'll make sure it's still on the list.

[breezy8407]

Nov 28, 2022 11:23:43 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Nov 28, 2022 11:09:46 GMT -5 breezy8407 said:

I started feeling a cold coming on Friday night, took a test Saturday and it was negative. Today, two home tests are positive. I am so upset. I don't feel that bad, but am so worried about H and the kids since I was around them thinking it was just one of the various viruses going around. Both kids had influenza two weeks ago, and I managed to escape that. DD is still coughing at night so I was going to take her in this week, but it will have to wait.

I don't feel that bad, just sinus congestion and a cough occasionally. No fever. Is it worth calling about paxlovid? The taste thing really puts me off if I can manage without it.  

I would ask for pax. Preliminary studies are showing that it's good to take because it reduces the chance of long covid.

I did a telehealth appointment and I was out of the window of 72 hours. He also said based on my age/health and having had it once already, he wouldn't recommend it regardless. 

Thanks for encouraging me to call though!