Being in the service and a vaccine is mandatory

THParent said:
Okay everyone. I was going to start another thread but am way too lazy for that.

I got my first shot at around 0700 today. It was the Pfizer-BioNTech version. I get the second one on February 19th.
To any of you out there who have needle-phobia, it was a tiny little (25 gauge, 4mm long) needle with a .3ml dose.
I seriously did not feel it.
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Give it until this afternoon when your deltoid feels like it’s being pulled from your humerus, your head starts to pound, your breathing becomes so labored it seems like you’re in your gas mask, and the rash on your face resembles chicken pox.

I got mine six days ago and looking forward to the second dose on 11 Feb.
 
This just in:

Senior Chief’s post causes 40% of the SAF community to turn anti-vax.



The optimistic goal is for vaccines to roll out to Mids in the next month or two. We fall under DoD priority 2. We’re currently on 1b (or we were when the Dant addressed the issue.)
 
I had the Moderna vaccine shot two weeks ago, and get another in two weeks.

Almost didn't feel it at all at shot administration, no side effects whatsoever other than a very slightly sore shoulder the next day (as with any shot you receive there) and that was it.




As you were.
 
Does the military fall under the same ‘shortage issues’ presently being reported by individual states? IOW, does the military have and run their own separate program, or are they buried within what we see reported via the news? Not sure I’m asking this the correct way...
 
Skipper07 said:
This just in:

Senior Chief’s post causes 40% of the SAF community to turn anti-vax.



The optimistic goal is for vaccines to roll out to Mids in the next month or two. We fall under DoD priority 2. We’re currently on 1b (or we were when the Dant addressed the issue.)
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I'm hugely pro-vax. I've received hundreds and given tens of thousands. In all seriousness I had a headache, malaise, and a sore arm. I was one who could not believe the military would keep this as voluntary but as Mr. Mullen stated several times, it remains voluntary.
 
Skipper07 said:
@Devil Doc , unsure if you were just clarifying, or I was unclear. I could read your sarcasm and got a laugh out of it. Thanks for your continued sharing of wisdom. You are a goldmine of experience and advice for everyone here.
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I read your post in the same vein. Being a sarcastic, cynical old goat causes people to look and listen sideways trying to figure out how to react. It's a miracle I haven't been fired due to some of the things I've said in my high school classroom these past 13-plus years.

On a serious note, seriously, you and other midshipmen and cadets are the lifeblood of this place. That is followed by parents who have helped and continue to help their kids achieve success. A mantra here is "let the kid do it, he'll be a man some day, a leader of troops" which is true but kids still want and need parental support and help navigating this crazy world. My wife and I still do things for our son and he's about to put on major. Academy grads are invaluable here as well.

I stick around here because it is fun, I have no friends, and I learn stuff I in turn pass on to my students and colleagues.

And of course, the MVP of this site is @Capt MJ who should be on everybody's bucket list to meet someday in person.
 
Devil Doc said:
I read your post in the same vein. Being a sarcastic, cynical old goat causes people to look and listen sideways trying to figure out how to react. It's a miracle I haven't been fired due to some of the things I've said in my high school classroom these past 13-plus years.

On a serious note, seriously, you and other midshipmen and cadets are the lifeblood of this place. That is followed by parents who have helped and continue to help their kids achieve success. A mantra here is "let the kid do it, he'll be a man some day, a leader of troops" which is true but kids still want and need parental support and help navigating this crazy world. My wife and I still do things for our son and he's about to put on major. Academy grads are invaluable here as well.

I stick around here because it is fun, I have no friends, and I learn stuff I in turn pass on to my students and colleagues.

And of course, the MVP of this site is @Capt MJ who should be on everybody's bucket list to meet someday in person.
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I have to stay behind the Green Curtain, but thank you, shipmate.

And for those unfamiliar with different intonations and meanings of “shipmate”:

“Gee, thanks, SHIPMATE.” (As in, you did me absolutely no favors here, my friend. Sarcastic font in play.)

“Shipmate.” (Use same intonation and pause as “Dude.” As in, really now.)

“Appreciate you, shipmate.” (Said sincerely and with warmth, the ultimate accolade to express appreciation, gratitude and respect. You can be good shipmates without being close friends, but you can’t be good friends without being shipmates too.)
 
My 84-year-old father and his wife received the first (Moderna) shot last week, didn’t feel the needle, just mildly sore arms. Our son (Ft. Gordon) receives the first shot next week. Because we’re under 65 with no comorbidities, we’re in the “general population” bucket at the end of the line, so who knows when we’ll be two weeks past that second shot and can get a semblance of our lives back. We haven’t seen our only child in over a year now, and it’s killing us. The minute we’re fully inoculated, we’re off to Georgia.
 
@VelveteenR said, " We haven’t seen our only child in over a year now, and it’s killing us. The minute we’re fully inoculated, we’re off to Georgia."

I feel your pain.
 
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^^^^ @VelveteenR (still one of my all-time favorite user names) travel comment made me dig into the current reporting on safety of travel after vaccination. There are dozens of articles from all kinds of sources, newspaper, magazines, travel industry, healthcare, science sites. One of the comments that is a common theme is that it is as yet unknown if fully vaccinated people can still carry the virus, be well yet still transmit to others. Of course, observing quarantine guidance and wearing masks is still part of the drill.
Waiting for herd immunity to kick in for the general population and the virus to run into brick walls will be akin to waiting for a SA portal to update. Then there’s that pesky 5% bit of risk that goes with the 95% protection of the one vaccinated.
A year from now, I wonder where we’ll be.
I do miss traveling, big trips and small.
 
This damn pandemic is really messing me up. I travel extensively for work and am very near retirement. I have multimillions of miles/points on multiple hotels and airlines. I had planned on bring my wife with me on the nicer trips in the twilight of my career and then travel in earnest in retirement. Yes, I might even visit my four kids on occasion. ;)

I just hope that the business impact of this pandemic doesn't close the hotels I hope to visit or devalue my points.
 
Capt MJ said:
One of the comments that is a common theme is that it is as yet unknown if fully vaccinated people can still carry the virus, be well yet still transmit to others. Of course, observing quarantine guidance and wearing masks is still part of the drill.
Waiting for herd immunity to kick in for the general population and the virus to run into brick walls will be akin to waiting for a SA portal to update.
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This one grates at me, I find it similar to the refrain of "We don't know if having it prevents having it again" that was so prevalent in the summer. I asked a couple of my docs including one who had it when I did last March and they both said OFF THE RECORD that they fervently believe that antibodies from having it will prevent getting it again for almost everyone. There are always going to be "corner cases", those one in a million folks who do get it again but that was always true for older diseases like Measles, etc. The discussion between them was pretty much "Do you know of any specific diseases that are caught again within a year or two"? and the other saying "Nope".
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you don't have it, then you aren't producing virus particles and thus can't transmit it. Of course, you might have particles on your clothes from somewhere but they (medical establishment) have already stated that transmission from surfaces is extremely rare.

There. . . I said it.

Oh, and I am getting Dose #1 (Moderna) at 1420 today.
 
Ugh it’s just all so dreary and depressing....
 
Devil Doc said:
I was one who could not believe the military would keep this as voluntary but as Mr. Mullen stated several times, it remains voluntary.
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VOLUNTARY for now. . . as the vaccine is under an emergency approval order. When the approval is granted fully, watch for the "voluntary" aspect to disappear.
 
OldRetSWO said:
This one grates at me, I find it similar to the refrain of "We don't know if having it prevents having it again" that was so prevalent in the summer. I asked a couple of my docs including one who had it when I did last March and they both said OFF THE RECORD that they fervently believe that antibodies from having it will prevent getting it again for almost everyone. There are always going to be "corner cases", those one in a million folks who do get it again but that was always true for older diseases like Measles, etc. The discussion between them was pretty much "Do you know of any specific diseases that are caught again within a year or two"? and the other saying "Nope".
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that if you don't have it, then you aren't producing virus particles and thus can't transmit it. Of course, you might have particles on your clothes from somewhere but they (medical establishment) have already stated that transmission from surfaces is extremely rare.

There. . . I said it.

Oh, and I am getting Dose #1 (Moderna) at 1420 today.
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Good points all. I am keeping an open mind. I think all the news outlets start covering the same ground and chasing the same rabbits.
DH gets his Shot One today at a VA facility. I am on a few “we’ll call you” lists.

I am going to have ice cream for lunch. Dairy is a proven anti-viral for me. 🍨
 
It is still yet a scientfiic unknown as to whether you can contract COVID a second, third, etc. time, but that is in itself a misleading statement - i.e. "contract" can mean different things to different people.

You will undoubtedly have antibodies from the first time you had COVID and it is assumed that if you could "contract" it again you will very likely be asymptomatic the second, third, etc. time.

The bigger issue is, and an unknown as well, if you can TRANSMIT it a second (or third, etc.) time even though the antibodies make you entirely asymptomatic. "Contract" can (and does) mean that you could be a carrier, immune to symptoms and still be shedding the virus to others unknowingly.

Then there are the vaccines........
 
In the meantime - Vitamin D, Vitamin C, and Zinc - should be used by everyone to improve their immune system.
 
I completed by second Pfizer dose this week. My first dose, I had zero side effects, not even a sore arm. Nurse Jackie (really was her name) was awesome. Sort of felt like a flu shot, tiny needle, barely felt it. But she did upgrade me to a Snoopy Band Aid, so that was nice of her.

Second dose was a few days ago. Felt a little tired for about 12-24 hours, but not sure if that was from the vaccine or the crazy pace of life and work catching up. Arm was barely sore, went away after I slept. I told Nurse Jackie it was because she had ran out of the fun band aids, but not sure she agreed! I have actually been working our vaccine clinic a few times a week since they were released in mid-Dec. I have witnessed thousands of these vaccines at this point, first and second doses. I saw one person who said they felt a reaction and it was probably attributed to them coming off their 3-day 12 hour shift run. A drink and snack and they were on their way in 30 minutes. Overall the feedback has been mostly the common side effects: sore arm, felt tired, a few have mentioned a fever for 12-24 hours after.
 
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