September Covid @Content

[noodleoo]

I think the pediatric doses are taking longer to ship than the adult doses. I finally found appts for DD1 (age 8) on CVS starting in a week. They are kind of far from us, so I'm going to wait and see if any show up closer. The last time I checked there were no appointments anywhere.

I have the kids flu vaccines scheduled next week and I'm hoping maybe the pedi will have the covid vaccine at the same time. <fingers crossed>

DD2 turns 5 on 10/7 so if she can't get it at the pedi, I'll have to wait another week to get her done at CVS after her bday.

[sugarbear1]

I can't find a booster anywhere in my (very large) city. What gives?

[formerlyak]

waverly, when I went to get mine, the pharmacist at CVS said the under 12 doses hadn't shipped yet. Walgreen's site said you could schedule for under 12 anytime after Sept 29 and when I went on the CVS website, the appointment availability based on birthdate reflected that as well. When I got to the page where I could choose the appointment for DS9, it only offered two locations of CVS, but if I changed it to my birthdate, every CVS in my area showed up. So it does appear to recognize the birthdate and that it's a pediatric dose.

[Bad Dingo]

"The Biden administration is reopening a program mailing free COVID-19 tests to households who request them and is investing $600 million into boosting test manufacturing."

www.axios.com/2023/09/20/covid-test-program-mail?stream=top&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alerts_all

[aspentosh]

Was able to schedule appts at Walgreens for all three of us on the 29th and 30th. DD is 11 so will be getting the pediatric dose of Pfizer. Knock on ALL the wood, but we've done pretty well with reactions to all previous vaccinations and boosters, but I wanted to schedule for the best time for each of our schedules.

[seeyalater52]

Sept 20, 2023 10:08:11 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

I had an appt Monday at CVS (moderna) and it was cancelled on Sunday. Soonest reschedule was 2 weeks out. I am limited by chemo scheduling so I really only had one day (and it was technically last Friday).

I rescheduled with Walgreens for Monday. I was able to get it (Pfizer), but it was a cluster and I had to wait over an hour even though I had an appt. I saw 2 people get turned away for insurance refusing to cover it for being “too new” while I was there. My h was able to go Monday evening.

I made my dad a Tuesday morning appt at Walgreens closest to him, and he was turned away because his insurance would only cover Pfizer, not moderna.

Ridiculous. My dad will go back to a different one with Pfizer today. A lot of people wouldn’t try again. Stop making it hard for people trying to do the right thing.

Anecdotes: I had a really sore arm for about 36 hours. Light back pain. My h is acting like he has the flu and came home from work early yesterday. We both oddly had ankle discomfort but it’s resolved.

I’m so sorry this has been such an ordeal for you guys.

I am FLOORED that someone tried to tell your dad he could only get one vaccine type covered. I would be very very surprised if there were circumstances where that would be allowable right now.

In addition to the ridiculous coding issues and lag in updating systems etc, I think the biggest challenge here is going to be that a lot of insurers just do not have pharmacy coverage for vaccines so people will be required to get them at their PCP… and a lot of PCPs, especially those that are not hospital based, do not have the vaccine. Some never really offered the vaccine, others didn’t get it in this go-around because it is expensive to order and it’s no longer being handled centrally in states by DOH, some gave up offering it as time went on because of all the different eligibilities and age ranges and so forth.

A lot of PCPs are just not going to have it. Period. Not sure exactly how that mess gets sorted out (perhaps a requirement that insurers accept a PCP referral to a pharmacy? That would create a lot of barriers to access but at least SOME pathway.) What a hot mess this is.

[Bad Dingo]

I wish the gov't would open up the drive through shot sites again. They could include Covid shots and flu shots and not force people to go through insurance. This is about public health, why is it so hard?? I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be that difficult to use the National Guard to do this like before.

[fortnightlily]

Sadly in some areas there's such a perverse cycle, too. In some of these Southern states the government is outright hostile toward vaccination or vaccination except for the elderly, which perpetuates an antivaxx culture, so then the pharmacies and doctors offices don't order doses because it's a hassle to obtain, store, and administer when it feels like a lot of them will go to waste, which means the people who DO want them can't even find them.

[tacokick]

Sept 20, 2023 14:30:04 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

"The Biden administration is reopening a program mailing free COVID-19 tests to households who request them and is investing $600 million into boosting test manufacturing."

www.axios.com/2023/09/20/covid-test-program-mail?stream=top&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alerts_all

They must be really worried about this winter!

[Bad Dingo]

tacokick , possibly, or they are just trying to unload their expired/soon to expire stockpile.

[tacokick]

This goes into a lot of the issues around getting the vaccine/vaccine hesitancy and inequalities in health care in a way I haven’t seen spelled out very often.

A new COVID vaccine is here, but those at greatest risk may not get it as outreach drops off


www.pbs.org/newshour/health/a-new-covid-vaccine-is-here-but-those-at-greatest-risk-may-not-get-it-as-outreach-drops-off

[tacokick]

Sept 21, 2023 8:54:10 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

tacokick , possibly, or they are just trying to unload their expired/soon to expire stockpile.

It’s 100% that but they are also apparently ordering production of new ones.

I think it’s a re-election ploy but I’ll take it.

[seeyalater52]

Sept 21, 2023 8:52:51 GMT -5 tacokick said:

Sept 20, 2023 14:30:04 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

"The Biden administration is reopening a program mailing free COVID-19 tests to households who request them and is investing $600 million into boosting test manufacturing."

www.axios.com/2023/09/20/covid-test-program-mail?stream=top&utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alerts_all

They must be really worried about this winter!

This. I have been pretty chill (comparatively speaking lol) about this fall/winter wave so far but this is the first thing I’ve seen that makes my blood run a little cold.

It’s cheaper for them to just get rid of expired stock than to put logistics behind shipping them.

[fuckyourcouch]

Sept 21, 2023 7:19:25 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Sept 20, 2023 10:08:11 GMT -5 fuckyourcouch said:

I had an appt Monday at CVS (moderna) and it was cancelled on Sunday. Soonest reschedule was 2 weeks out. I am limited by chemo scheduling so I really only had one day (and it was technically last Friday).

I rescheduled with Walgreens for Monday. I was able to get it (Pfizer), but it was a cluster and I had to wait over an hour even though I had an appt. I saw 2 people get turned away for insurance refusing to cover it for being “too new” while I was there. My h was able to go Monday evening.

I made my dad a Tuesday morning appt at Walgreens closest to him, and he was turned away because his insurance would only cover Pfizer, not moderna.

Ridiculous. My dad will go back to a different one with Pfizer today. A lot of people wouldn’t try again. Stop making it hard for people trying to do the right thing.

Anecdotes: I had a really sore arm for about 36 hours. Light back pain. My h is acting like he has the flu and came home from work early yesterday. We both oddly had ankle discomfort but it’s resolved.

I’m so sorry this has been such an ordeal for you guys.

I am FLOORED that someone tried to tell your dad he could only get one vaccine type covered. I would be very very surprised if there were circumstances where that would be allowable right now.

In addition to the ridiculous coding issues and lag in updating systems etc, I think the biggest challenge here is going to be that a lot of insurers just do not have pharmacy coverage for vaccines so people will be required to get them at their PCP… and a lot of PCPs, especially those that are not hospital based, do not have the vaccine. Some never really offered the vaccine, others didn’t get it in this go-around because it is expensive to order and it’s no longer being handled centrally in states by DOH, some gave up offering it as time went on because of all the different eligibilities and age ranges and so forth.

A lot of PCPs are just not going to have it. Period. Not sure exactly how that mess gets sorted out (perhaps a requirement that insurers accept a PCP referral to a pharmacy? That would create a lot of barriers to access but at least SOME pathway.) What a hot mess this is.

Right, there’s absolutely no way that was correct info, he did not have this issue with any other vaccine under the same plan, etc. he tried to argue but they just flat out refused and he ran out of time before work. Extremely frustrating. And for people without the resources to drive across town or to reschedule more than once, really dangerous and terrible.

[Scout'sHonor]

I hadn't even gotten to looking for appointments and H came down with it after a work trip. Guess he won't need it for a few months! If the kid and I escape it, then maybe late next week or the week after we can find something.

[lilypad1126]

We were supposed to get vaxxed at CVS this morning. Last night, when I was trying to double check our appt times, CVS's website said it couldn't find us/our appts. So I assumed that meant they canceled our appts. And forget trying to call at 9pm to verify our 9am appts. So, I scheduled us for this afternoon at Walgreens.

Well. This morning at 8am I get a text from CVS about checking in for my appt. By then, 9am no longer worked, so I tried to call CVS to cancel. And they were so confused, didn't know what I was talking about. Ok, fine, I was just trying to be helpful to let you know we weren't going to show u.

This does not give me hope that walgreens will be a smooth experience this afternoon.

[Bad Dingo]

Just got a text from CVS that I need to reschedule tomorrow's vax because their supply hasn't arrived .

[hermione]

Walgreens just canceled my 10yo’s appointment because “it hasn’t been approved for her age group.” When I pushed back, she told me I was wrong. When I said, do you mean you just haven’t received the dosage for children, she replied that, “They will never receive it bc it hasn’t been approved.”

So that’s great.

[seeyalater52]

Sept 21, 2023 18:49:33 GMT -5 hermione said:

Walgreens just canceled my 10yo’s appointment because “it hasn’t been approved for her age group.” When I pushed back, she told me I was wrong. When I said, do you mean you just haven’t received the dosage for children, she replied that, “They will never receive it bc it hasn’t been approved.”

So that’s great.

My head hurts. I know it’s impossible for them as well but it stresses me out how many layers of things have had to go wrong for a pharmacy to tell someone that.

[statgirl]

[mention]hermione [/mention] When we got last year’s booster, we got the same runaround from Walmart and Walgreens (after I scheduled appointments a month after approval). I was talked down to, told that I was wrong, and that there was no way that I scheduled any appointments despite having the confirmation (and their names on the computer list). It was horrible. I’m in Florida so I knew it would be a battle to find it but it was worse than I thought.

We ended up waiting over a month until a grocery store allowed my kids to be vaccinated.

I haven’t even tried this round yet because of last year’s nonsense. I may get enough courage soon. I’m going to start with the grocery or hope the nice guy at CVS at Target has a stock (he had the wrong manufacturer last year).

[gardengal]

Well, I have a Sunday appointment (that I made days ago) for my 10yo at Walgreens & have heard nothing other than an email that I need to print out paperwork. Sigh.

[lilypad1126]

After the craziness of scheduling, being canceled, not being canceled, and rescheduling, my H and I are now boosted (and got our flu shots). The pharmacy was crazy busy, but we were the only 2 getting vaxxed. We went to Walgreens and they asked if had filled out the paperwork ahead of time. No we did not, so then the tech made a big production out of how she’d have to print the forms for us and how long it would take. I’m sorry I couldn’t print from my phone? Lol. Whatever, All in all, it was a relatively smooth process for us.

[pumpkin]

I’m impressed that so many of you have been able to get appointments for the new vaccine/booster. My parents leave next weekend for a 3 week trip and we’ve spent the last 2 days trying to find a place for them to get it and we can’t find a place within 30 miles that has any. Not that the places are fully booked, but no one seems to have it at all.

[Velar Fricative]

Some of these stories are frustrating!

The only reason we aren’t dealing with any nonsense is because my kids and I all had covid in July/August. By the time we reach late October or so, I am really hoping this crap about kids not being able to get the shot has disappeared.

[StrawberryBlondie]

DH was finally able to get his booster. Insurance was still being dumb but the pharmacist at the pharmacy he went to knew what to do to essentially send a bill to insurance anyway despite their system saying they won't cover it. It sounded like that had probably happened a lot.

Also, he had zero side effects. Which was super weird because he has historically had pretty bad ones (like with the first series he had a fever of 104).

My appointment isn't till next weekend so hopefully everything goes smoothly then.

[Susie]

I got my Pfizer booster yesterday at CVS, and it was super easy.  Pharmacist took me 20 minutes early, hardly felt it, and left right away afterward.  Easy peasy.  

I'm now about >18 hours post-vax and feeling basically no symptoms at all, which is amazing.  Maybe the teeniest bit of muscle aches, but that could just be ... life.  Most of my prior covid vax doses were Moderna, and I spent much of the day after each 2nd/subsequent dose in bed with a 100-101 fever, chills, and full body aches.

I haven't successfully scheduled either my 4 or 7 year old yet.  CVS tells me the 4yo needs to go to a Minute Clinic, of which there aren't any near me, and both CVS & Walgreens tell me no available appointments for my 7.

[seeyalater52]

Sept 22, 2023 11:13:05 GMT -5 Susie said:

I got my Pfizer booster yesterday at CVS, and it was super easy.  Pharmacist took me 20 minutes early, hardly felt it, and left right away afterward.  Easy peasy.  

I'm now about >18 hours post-vax and feeling basically no symptoms at all, which is amazing.  Maybe the teeniest bit of muscle aches, but that could just be ... life.  Most of my prior covid vax doses were Moderna, and I spent much of the day after each 2nd/subsequent dose in bed with a 100-101 fever, chills, and full body aches.

I haven't successfully scheduled either my 4 or 7 year old yet.  CVS tells me the 4yo needs to go to a Minute Clinic, of which there aren't any near me, and both CVS & Walgreens tell me no available appointments for my 7.

Did you try booking both kids at Walgreens for dates on or after Sept 29th?

[Susie]

Sept 22, 2023 11:16:26 GMT -5 seeyalater52 said:

Sept 22, 2023 11:13:05 GMT -5 Susie said:

I got my Pfizer booster yesterday at CVS, and it was super easy.  Pharmacist took me 20 minutes early, hardly felt it, and left right away afterward.  Easy peasy.  

I'm now about >18 hours post-vax and feeling basically no symptoms at all, which is amazing.  Maybe the teeniest bit of muscle aches, but that could just be ... life.  Most of my prior covid vax doses were Moderna, and I spent much of the day after each 2nd/subsequent dose in bed with a 100-101 fever, chills, and full body aches.

I haven't successfully scheduled either my 4 or 7 year old yet.  CVS tells me the 4yo needs to go to a Minute Clinic, of which there aren't any near me, and both CVS & Walgreens tell me no available appointments for my 7.

Did you try booking both kids at Walgreens for dates on or after Sept 29th?

Thank you!  I was able to get them both appointments on 9/30 at Walgreens.  We had to go to one that's a little further so 4 could get Moderna (his only option based on vax history) but it's doable.  7 could get either, so she'll get Moderna just to be his vax buddy.

[beerlover]

I looked again today for our Rite Aid and I can't get an appointment until October 22. And I highly doubt its because all the other appointments are taken since I am in rural Central PA, lol.

[tacokick]

I was able to get it today at CVS in a Target. No issue with insurance! My husband has an appointment at the same location tonight so hopefully that goes well too.

ETA I see a lot of appointments available if you aren’t picky about location. Ours weren’t at our usual Target but only about 20 minutes away.