vaccination problems

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sbwertz

sbwertz

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Joined
May 11, 2010
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3,678
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Phoenix, AZ
We've run into a problem with vaccinations in AZ. Vaccine is allotted to states depending on population. But that is permanent population. We have tens of thousands of "snowbirds" in AZ in the winter, who are not included in our population figures, but who are getting vaccinated. Our Governor has asked for additional vaccine for these extra people...most of whom are seniors, but it has fallen on deaf ears. We are due our second shot on the 22nd, but the gov says we will be out of vaccine by the 14th unless we are allotted extra vaccine for the snowbirds.
 
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In the UK we have our own issues......
Because the UK has four devolved nations ( England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) we each have First Ministers that seem to continually be playing one-upmanship. None of them have a clue really. Lock down rules are a nightmare.
Our gap between doses has been stretched to 12 weeks . The logic being that more people can be vaccinated at least with the primary first shot, until stocks are replenished.

I get my first shot next Sunday,
But to be honest, the UK isn't half as bad as some countries.
 
I think it's reprehensible that A) snowbirds have travelled there in the middle of a pandemic, and B) they're taking vaccinations in a different country in which they are not citizens and C) they're taking vaccinations away from populations that need it, and deserve first crack at at it. They should be isolating at home in Canada. I sincerely hope that people who have travelled there for pleasure don't impact your ability to get a vaccine.
 
maxwell_smart007 said:
I think it's reprehensible that A) snowbirds have travelled there in the middle of a pandemic, and B) they're taking vaccinations in a different country in which they are not citizens and C) they're taking vaccinations away from populations that need it, and deserve first crack at at it. They should be isolating at home in Canada. I sincerely hope that people who have travelled there for pleasure don't impact your ability to get a vaccine.
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As I read Sharon's post, she may be mainly referring to "snowbirds" who are US citizens, normally resident in states other than AZ.

Like you imply, Andrew, I too know some from Canada who winter in AZ. . Among those are a few, one partner of whom is a US citizen.
BUT .... Any way you look at it, the permanent residents/citizens should get the vaccine in priority to any others who may be there at this time.

It is an incredibly difficult time. . Governing is difficult at the best of times. . And, in my opinion ..... "Tourists" should not take advantage.

Sharon, I do hope you are able to get the vaccine that you need and deserve to have.
 
Mal snowbirds are Canadians that winter in the warm states like Arizona, Florida etc. You could also include the ones doing the same in Mexico. As I understand the State rules are that if you own property you are counted as eligible for the jab. Quite a few own condos. I don't agree with it but I don't write the rules.

Marla, a nurse, got her second jab a week or so ago but I don't expect to get one until deep into the summer at the earliest. Saskatchewan is predicting they will have given 100,000 shots (50,000 people?) by the end of March. That is only one twentieth of the province's population. It's going to take a while before they get around to sticking it to me. :rolleyes: Well at least it's not the usual way.:oops:

Good news is the University of Saskatchewan has developed a vaccine that is going into clinical trials any day now if it isn't already. I wonder 🤔 if it is grain based?🌾 If the trials go well along with the subsequent ones there may be a home grown vaccine available by the end of the year. Then Canada won't have to rely on imported vaccines as the only source.

😷
 
@Curly

I do not think the definition of "snowbird" is as restrictive as you suggest, Pete. . And I don't believe Sharon used it so restrictively.

....... with all due respect ....... :D :D :D :D :D

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You are correct Mal. Many that live on the east coast are refereed to snow birds when they travel to their winter homes in some warm climate Hear this term all the time. It was the outgoing party that dropped the ball on distribution and that is being proven as fact now. The end never did make it around that proverbial corner. We do hear of plans on stepping up distribution plans as well as another vaccine coming on line very soon. I have not even gotten my first shot and on a waiting list. But we have some mega sites opening so I think by mid spring things will be in full swing. With these winter storms hitting here on the east coast will put a damper on things abit. But at least there is hope. Everyone stay safe in the best way you can. stay away from large gatherings and wear a mask and wash those hands and stay in the shop making pens. :)
 
Mal , there are also Canadian snowbirds who think BC is a suitable winter destination , to the chagrin of your premier , judging by some of his recent comments . Then there was the case of the well off BC couple who flew to the Yukon and pretended they were health care employees I believe , to get their shots . There are always some who try to beat the system to their advantage .
 
Don't even get me started on COVID. every facet of this thing is criminal, the Chinese government, our media, our government and these clowns that thing they're above everyone...
 
lorbay said:
Yup. Exactly. Bet they'll have a tough time getting their second shot. Oops. That couple just got put to the bottom of the list, one month later. Oops that couple just got put to the bottom of the list. etc
Lin
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They will have to pay their fines or end up in court and risk being sent to jail for 6 months. What I hope will happen is the casino company will want to distance themselves from him and he losses his job. That will hit him where it hurts the most but a criminal record will curtail their ability to travel out of the country. What's the point of being rich and powerful if you can't vacation where you want. ;)
 
It is strange how different states have different rules. I am in NW MS, near the TN line (Memphis). The way the vaccine has been distributed here (MS) is different than in TN. As to the population, I live in a rural county (large farms) and because of the low population count, we have had very few doses allocated here. But for those beyond first responders, the aged comes second and this allows us to go where ever there are doses available. We just have to sign up and wait for our time. We (in our county) usually have to drive 60 to 150 miles for an appointment. My wife was in Florida taking care of her 94 year old mom for 5 weeks since the end of December. I could have signed up for her but the only opening was before she was due back, so now she is scheduled for the 19th of Feb. I get my 2nd the last week of Feb. - but haven't got a date yet.

Snowbirds - my in-laws in FL refer to Snowbirds as those from Northern (USA) States staying over there in the winter.
 
Here in the UK we are presently in total lock down. We have had the first of our vaccinations but for us its not changed anything still can't go out nowhere to go we are told to stay at home. Boris our leader changes direction on a regular basis but he his stuck between a rock and a hard place.
THANK GOD FOR PEN TURNING to relive the boredom.
At 75 I think I will live with this for the rest of my life it will just become a new normal.
Still I remain hopeful, I'm sure its the same the world over and just think how many pens I can make in the meantime.
STAY SAFE.
 
IF it is any consolation ..... things are much the same here. . Chaotic opinions about what to do for the best are prevalent here as well.
A vaccination regimen has not been established yet.

Also .... like you .... I am thankful for the pen turning hobby. . Can't imagine what I would do without it.

Of course, the ability to communicate here on IAP with other turners is another positive "distraction" which is much appreciated.

Seems that all we can do under the circumstances is just "tough it out".

Thanks for yours above !!! . I am 77 so in much the same boat as you.

Now ..... to find a market for all these pens !!! :D :D :D
 
Still waiting to get on a list here in East TN, but meantime just stay home.... would have anyway as I'm not much of a traveler anyway. I gave up the pen turning several years back, but enjoy my pepper mills and bowls.... still have enough wood I think to last out this pandemic.
I'm a few months shy of 80, but I plan to be around long after this pandemic is over and gone.
 
From what I've seen here in IN, the system is being very well run. I have gotten the first shot and am scheduled for the second. Currently anyone over 65, healthcare and first responders etc. can get it. Soon they will start using some pharmacies, which will make wait times and travel distance lower.
As for snowbirds - if they are US citizens they should be able to get it in the state they are residing. They went south months ago.


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I've only ever heard of 'snowbird' as being a Canadian going south for the winter...Ann Murray was Canadian, after all! :) I never knew it was also a term for Northern states residents going south as well - learned something new today.

The vaccine issue in Canada is that Canada has bought ten birds in the bush at exorbitant cost, but has none in the hand.
 
maxwell_smart007 said:
I've only ever heard of 'snowbird' as being a Canadian going south for the winter...Ann Murray was Canadian, after all! :) I never knew it was also a term for Northern states residents going south as well - learned something new today.
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Snowbird, "our" beloved song, as well as having been introduced and popularized by Canadian singer Anne Murray, was also written by another Canadian, Gene MacLellan ( reference here :- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowbird_(song) )

Many other singers, including Bing Crosby and Elvis, have had a part in its universal popularity.

However, it seems that the term "snowbird" has a longer history than the song by the same title. . Here is what Google has to say :-

"The term 'snowbird' has been around for almost 100 years. The word was first used in 1923 to describe seasonal workers who moved south for the winter months, and by 1979 it was commonly used in reference to the large number of retiree tourists who flocked to the south."

So while us Canadians may have, quite early on and possibly in jealousy, applied the term to our relatives, friends, and neighbors going "south of the border" to seasonally more desirable places, it seems that folks within the USA might have had "snowbird" in their vocabularies even before we did.
 
And on the other end of the spectrum is the "sunbird", the person from the south, that heads north or to the mountains when the summer heat gets to high and they prefer cooler temps. I snowbird from the mountains in the winter, and sunbird in the summer. Do I fly like an eagle, or an old buzzard. LOL
 
maxwell_smart007 said:
I think it's reprehensible that A) snowbirds have travelled there in the middle of a pandemic, and B) they're taking vaccinations in a different country in which they are not citizens and C) they're taking vaccinations away from populations that need it, and deserve first crack at at it. They should be isolating at home in Canada. I sincerely hope that people who have travelled there for pleasure don't impact your ability to get a vaccine.
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Most of our snowbirds are seniors from the midwest who can't handle the cold winters any more. Many of them even own second homes here. They usually come every year and spent the 4 or 5 coldest months here, and have been doing so for many years. They aren't just vacationing here for a few weeks. They are an important part of our economy. But they are not being calculated in the vaccine allotments.
 
dogcatcher said:
And on the other end of the spectrum is the "sunbird", the person from the south, that heads north or to the mountains when the summer heat gets to high and they prefer cooler temps. I snowbird from the mountains in the winter, and sunbird in the summer. Do I fly like an eagle, or an old buzzard. LOL
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We used to park our travel trailer on some friend's property up in the mountains of northern Arizona. We would go up Friday morning, and stay until Monday night, then come back down for three days to Phoenix. Rinse and repeat all summer long. We helped them with the seventeen horses they were boarding and their breeding stock, and took care of the place while they went to weekend horse shows to promote the Appaloosas they bred and showed. I also gave riding lessons and had a 4H equestrian group up there. It worked for all of us. They had a caretaker for the ranch on weekends and we got out of the heat of a Phoenix summer for four days a week.
 
Well my first dose was due this coming Sunday. We wanted to know where carers came on the waiting list.
As I'm listed as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable, my wife takes care of me when I'm sick from the chemo and takes me for my chemo. Anyway, we gave our GPs a call and they said there was no category made for carers and she'd have to wait her turn , age wise. No big deal as that's what we figured.
Ten minutes later my wife gets a text from the GPs to say that if we hustled down to our local vaccination centre, then we'd both be done. This was because they had a surplus of 400 doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
Of course we went straight away. It wasn't fun being outside in a mile long socially distanced queue in periodic snow flurrys but we are both extremely grateful for it.

One thing that has stood out massively to me about all the workers at the drive through testing centres and now the vaccination centre, is the wonderful good nature of every staff member we have come across. It is people like them that restore your faith in humanity. 😉
 
We also were impressed with the upbeat attitude of the people doing the vaccinations. We had to wait fifteen minutes after the shot and the monitors were great. We had a great conversation with them.
 
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