Commission on Aging information on COVID19 vaccine

[Beaver Island COA]

Hello friends,
Here is the latest information I know about the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan will be on Beaver Island for another vaccination round at the Beaver Island Community School on April 13. There is enough vaccine for 150 appointments which I understand is approximately amount of people from Beaver Island ages 16 and older who have used the most recent pre-registration link. The best way to be contacted for vaccine scheduling is pre-registration link: https://patienteducationgenius.jotform.com/z/HDNWM

All Commission on Aging clients who I have helped register online are pre-registered. Beaver Island residents preregistered will be identified and will receive either a text message or an email with a link for scheduling their appointment.

The Health Department of Northwest Michigan generally schedules the week before the clinic. I am told that people registered with the health department for the COVID19 vaccine to be on the lookout for these messages and to check their text messages and email inboxes including junk and spam. Also if a person has pre-registered with Health Department of Northwest Michigan and has been able to get vaccinated elsewhere please email the health department at: covid19vaccination@nwhealth.org to be taken off the upcoming vaccination list.

Please do not call the Health Department of Northwest Michigan. The staff is very busy with all the surrounding counties they cover, including Charlevoix.

[backwoodsbuccaneer]

Is there any word on what version of the vaccine is coming over? Pfizer and Moderna are great, but the Johnson and Johnson has less than an 80% effectiveness.

[KateL]

Hi there, here’s a little more info on those efficacy numbers. All three Vaccines (moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson) are effective at preventing hospitalization and death according to the FDA - which is the main goal of the vaccines. The efficacy numbers below are the reduction in risk between the non-vaccinated group and vaccinated group in the study. All three are great vaccines that keep people out of hospitals.


Learn More About COVID-19 Vaccines From the FDA

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer- ... ccines-fda

“Does the COVID-19 vaccine work?
Yes. All three FDA-authorized vaccines are effective in preventing hospitalization and deaths from COVID-19 and may be given to any person eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. “


“...Overall, the vaccine was approximately 67% effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination. 

Additionally, the vaccine was approximately 77% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.”

[backwoodsbuccaneer]

The point is that I've done my due diligence on this. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine has a more limited efficacy and has demonstrated that it is not the most consistently effective against some of the newer more highly infective variants, many of which have now made it to Michigan. I'm also concerned that people will use the excuse that younger people can handle the less effective vaccine because they are younger and stronger and it would be more cost effective instead of beneficial. This isn't just a plague that kills people. This is a mass disabling event, and the younger generations in our country are not inclined to know if they have contributing factors that increase their risk, because it is often too expensive to get adequate medical care. So I'm curious which vaccine is coming here. It matters. The most active, most likely to be working customer service and traveling group of our society is the one that was opted to be vaccinated last which in the grand scheme makes little sense.

[KateL]

I appreciate you considering younger folks and completely agree that the variants are concerning and rampant in Michigan right now. With the prior clinics held on the island the essential and front line workers you mentioned we’re all previously offered a vaccine and to my knowledge all were a two shot regimen, implying either Moderna or Pfizer was given.

The long term effects and disabilities associated with COVID are highly concerning and all the more reason to encourage vaccination. I think we can agree on that and I have been very encouraged by the overall demand and excitement of residents for the vaccine. People are taking it seriously.

With variants being a major concern, and new variants being possible all the time because viruses love to replicate, the best way to stay ahead of them is to not give them an infected person to replicate in. The best way to do that is to vaccinate as many people as quickly as possible. Which makes the best vaccine the one that is most readily available to you, especially as all three have incredible effectiveness of reducing the need for medical intervention.

I’m excited our island has been able to have so many clinics so soon. We’re far out pacing the vaccination rate both state and nationwide and want people to feel great about getting their shot — no matter what is offered. All are equally exciting and come at a time when full vaccination could be achieved before summer.

[backwoodsbuccaneer]

"With variants being a major concern, and new variants being possible all the time because viruses love to replicate, the best way to stay ahead of them is to not give them an infected person to replicate in." While I agree this is true, the best way to fight continued replication and resistance is to give people the best options available the first time around which are the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

"Which makes the best vaccine the one that is most readily available to you, especially as all three have incredible effectiveness of reducing the need for medical intervention." If one has less effectiveness than the other two then this line is essentially saying "shut up and color, be happy you're getting something." I want people vaccinated as quickly as possible, but I want it done well and done right or we're gonna be doing this for the rest of forever. Which is already a likely possibility with the number of people that refuse to mask and won't vaccinate.

"I’m excited our island has been able to have so many clinics so soon. We’re far out pacing the vaccination rate both state and nationwide"- This is great and I'm glad that we are ahead because it helps ensure our safety and our future. "and want people to feel great about getting their shot — no matter what is offered." This is basically a rehashing of above, "Shut up and color, be happy with what you're getting, even if it's only third best."

All I wanted to know is do we know what vaccine is coming out next. I still don't know the answer. If you didn't know that's fine, but it makes this entire discourse largely unnecessary.

[BeanieBeanstalk]

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[backwoodsbuccaneer]

Lol, oh no, another person here to give me an unsolicited opinion on the dwindling and toxic Beaver Island Forum, when I was asking what vaccine will be here and all I've received is the proverbial shut up and color. Your legs must also be sore from jumping to the conclusion that I know nothing about this topic, but that's fine. I still do not know if what is coming over is Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson and Johnson. My last comment wasn't telling her to shut up. I was offering her a polite out to end the conversation that I hadn't been asking for from the start. This is another derailment of my initial question and another attempt at telling me to "shut up and color." Remember to ask yourself if your commentary is actually helpful in a debate that had already been concluded. If you want to have a debate I'm not here to have it with you. Your standing up for whom I'm assuming is your friend is virtuous, but ultimately unnecessary. The "debate" was over and I'm sure she was okay sticking up for herself.