I wish we could elect you Queen. I agree the local Health Depts. are just trying to do the best they can with no direction from the King. I also agree with your prioritization plan. But, I believe the King is simply pandering for votes from the 65 and over group. Public health is not his priority. Thank you!
This is so true! It's been annoying as hell trying to get an appointment, but there are a lucky few I know who were able to snag one. Oh, well, I didn't expect to get one till March or later so it could very well be that timeframe after all. BTW, I wish you were Queen of the Universe!!
I'd definitely vote for you for Queen. I easily signed up online for lottery in Manatee. And folks can call 311 to answer a couple simple questions and do likewise, assuming they are aware of that, and I am sure many, many many are not. Agree on the order. I can wait. So, we'll see what happens. But of all the times you need the feds or state to step in, huh? And said feds and states have known this was coming down the pike for months. Ugh.
Carrie, you have thought about it. I bow to the Queen. The problem I think was there was little planning. When did the counties know they would be responsible for a distribution system? We were one of the lucky ones. Walking the dog on the first Tuesday vaccine was suddenly offered in a text message to me. My wife none. I acted trying to get two but got hers and went along. DOH staff was amazing. They said the had only a two or three hour notice that they would be giving vaccine. Smooth and they took me without an appointment.
Planning was the failure and apparently true for most of the state. A national health care crisis should have been handled in a national way.
Always great pleasure reading your comments. I can only hope the Biden administration takes the reins and gives clear and effective guidance to the Nation .
Our current Governor is clearly over his head and unable to lead the State out of this crisis.
Carrie - I can’t agree with some of your thinking on this one. I agree that the State of Florida and Sarasota County have done a terrible job handling the vaccine rollout. First, with not having a solid plan in place for distribution and secondly, virtually inviting out of staters to come to Florida to get vaccinated. These errors need to be corrected quickly. It’s early in the game with 775,000 doses administered of the possible 23,000,000 needed.
Order of vaccination - should seniors go first - YES. Looking at Sarasota County - as of yesterday - 90% of the 556 deaths are over age 65 and virtually 100% of the deaths are over age 55. 82% of all hospitalizations are over 55. 65 and over age group only account for 27% of all diagnosed Covid 19 cases. Is it still impacting seniors - YES - 64 of the 117 positive cases yesterday were over age 65. If we want to make an impact on deaths and hospitalizations let’s do the seniors (and those truly immune compromised) first. This will have a major impact on bringing this disease under control.
I understand your point. But the problem for me is that there are many, many people over 65 who are very healthy and not as at risk as those older or frailer. It's kind of like giving a $600 stimulus check to everyone whether they need it or not. But certainly preventing more death is a critical factor to consider.
Thank you for these writings, Carrie! I am enjoying them so much (and agreeing so much!), and loving that you don't have to stick to the metro journalist profile. It almost makes up for missing your newspaper column (although both would have been perfect for us, overwhelming for you !).
I just got back from seeing my mother in London and thought you might be interested to hear that she has had both of her Covid vaccinations.
Everyone over the age of 70 registered with a family doctor is contacted and given dates for both appointments. My mothers first appointment was on December 15.
Her appointment happened to be on the same day as three neighbors all in their 90's who live in the same street. My mothers carer Eileen arranged with the family practice that she would take them all together to both appointments. It sounds like living in a village but they all live in Inner London.
Single payer health care systems are not perfect but they are very good at delivering vaccinations to a whole population, in the same way that they deliver childhood vaccinations. Many people view this as socialism here, although most people in UK love the National Health Service and know that the vaccine is being equitably delivered.
They other thing that I became aware of are the number of friends who have retired from nursing or medicine who have agreed to return to the service to support the vaccination effort.
I am sure things will get better here too when the supply of vaccine improves. The expectation that each Health Departments without a public health capacity each create their own system of delivery seems to be a recipe for inefficiency.
Thanks for sharing the information from the UK, Pat. They definitely have a more organized system in place and I'm so glad your mother has already been vaccinated. And welcome back!
It’s akin to Survivor’s Guilt, being lucky enough to snag a vaccine through the Eventbrite system! I even took down the FB photo of my significant other and I getting our shots at SMH last weekend, because people were so angry with me. Why did it have to go this way when the government had months to prepare a smooth delivery of vaccines and the protocols for putting them into arms? So botched and so unnecessary. I still have PTSD from the Cares Act Unemployment registration debacle last spring! This all adds to the fear and loathing of our 2020 lives. I wish you were queen!
I'm so sorry you incurred the wrath of others less fortunate, but I'm glad you've been vaccinated. It certainly hasn't been a positive exclamation point on 2020...
I wish we could elect you Queen. I agree the local Health Depts. are just trying to do the best they can with no direction from the King. I also agree with your prioritization plan. But, I believe the King is simply pandering for votes from the 65 and over group. Public health is not his priority. Thank you!
Loved the Queen!
You definitely would be so much better than the Florida King.
I like this group of level headed friends you have on your “chronicles”. Level headed, empathetic and forward thinking. Love the company
This is so true! It's been annoying as hell trying to get an appointment, but there are a lucky few I know who were able to snag one. Oh, well, I didn't expect to get one till March or later so it could very well be that timeframe after all. BTW, I wish you were Queen of the Universe!!
Just shared on Facebook!
I'm afraid there would be a lot of resistance to that appointment. ;)
😜
I'd definitely vote for you for Queen. I easily signed up online for lottery in Manatee. And folks can call 311 to answer a couple simple questions and do likewise, assuming they are aware of that, and I am sure many, many many are not. Agree on the order. I can wait. So, we'll see what happens. But of all the times you need the feds or state to step in, huh? And said feds and states have known this was coming down the pike for months. Ugh.
Carrie, you have thought about it. I bow to the Queen. The problem I think was there was little planning. When did the counties know they would be responsible for a distribution system? We were one of the lucky ones. Walking the dog on the first Tuesday vaccine was suddenly offered in a text message to me. My wife none. I acted trying to get two but got hers and went along. DOH staff was amazing. They said the had only a two or three hour notice that they would be giving vaccine. Smooth and they took me without an appointment.
Planning was the failure and apparently true for most of the state. A national health care crisis should have been handled in a national way.
In October I began writing to all the powers that be that I could think of about vaccinating agricultural workers first. In my mind, our food supply is a matter of national security, but also our comfort. We shouldn't eat while our harvesters die. https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/01/07/covid-19-vaccine-whats-florida-plan-for-vaccinating-thousands-of-farmworkers/6562382002/
Great point.
Always great pleasure reading your comments. I can only hope the Biden administration takes the reins and gives clear and effective guidance to the Nation .
Our current Governor is clearly over his head and unable to lead the State out of this crisis.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Carrie - I can’t agree with some of your thinking on this one. I agree that the State of Florida and Sarasota County have done a terrible job handling the vaccine rollout. First, with not having a solid plan in place for distribution and secondly, virtually inviting out of staters to come to Florida to get vaccinated. These errors need to be corrected quickly. It’s early in the game with 775,000 doses administered of the possible 23,000,000 needed.
Order of vaccination - should seniors go first - YES. Looking at Sarasota County - as of yesterday - 90% of the 556 deaths are over age 65 and virtually 100% of the deaths are over age 55. 82% of all hospitalizations are over 55. 65 and over age group only account for 27% of all diagnosed Covid 19 cases. Is it still impacting seniors - YES - 64 of the 117 positive cases yesterday were over age 65. If we want to make an impact on deaths and hospitalizations let’s do the seniors (and those truly immune compromised) first. This will have a major impact on bringing this disease under control.
I understand your point. But the problem for me is that there are many, many people over 65 who are very healthy and not as at risk as those older or frailer. It's kind of like giving a $600 stimulus check to everyone whether they need it or not. But certainly preventing more death is a critical factor to consider.
I’LL be in your Court.
Lady Judy!!
If you got to be Queen I’d feel in very good hands. You learned from the best.
Unfortunately you are not queen of the universe and our governor is the mad hatter
LOL
Thank you for these writings, Carrie! I am enjoying them so much (and agreeing so much!), and loving that you don't have to stick to the metro journalist profile. It almost makes up for missing your newspaper column (although both would have been perfect for us, overwhelming for you !).
Thanks, Katie. I'm so glad you're enjoying the wider range of topic.
Hi Carrie
I just got back from seeing my mother in London and thought you might be interested to hear that she has had both of her Covid vaccinations.
Everyone over the age of 70 registered with a family doctor is contacted and given dates for both appointments. My mothers first appointment was on December 15.
Her appointment happened to be on the same day as three neighbors all in their 90's who live in the same street. My mothers carer Eileen arranged with the family practice that she would take them all together to both appointments. It sounds like living in a village but they all live in Inner London.
Single payer health care systems are not perfect but they are very good at delivering vaccinations to a whole population, in the same way that they deliver childhood vaccinations. Many people view this as socialism here, although most people in UK love the National Health Service and know that the vaccine is being equitably delivered.
They other thing that I became aware of are the number of friends who have retired from nursing or medicine who have agreed to return to the service to support the vaccination effort.
I am sure things will get better here too when the supply of vaccine improves. The expectation that each Health Departments without a public health capacity each create their own system of delivery seems to be a recipe for inefficiency.
Thanks for sharing the information from the UK, Pat. They definitely have a more organized system in place and I'm so glad your mother has already been vaccinated. And welcome back!
It’s akin to Survivor’s Guilt, being lucky enough to snag a vaccine through the Eventbrite system! I even took down the FB photo of my significant other and I getting our shots at SMH last weekend, because people were so angry with me. Why did it have to go this way when the government had months to prepare a smooth delivery of vaccines and the protocols for putting them into arms? So botched and so unnecessary. I still have PTSD from the Cares Act Unemployment registration debacle last spring! This all adds to the fear and loathing of our 2020 lives. I wish you were queen!
I'm so sorry you incurred the wrath of others less fortunate, but I'm glad you've been vaccinated. It certainly hasn't been a positive exclamation point on 2020...