We have a communal work area for 5 people, but won’t all be there at once–we’ll be at public service desks some of the time. No meetings but only one break room for 15-18 people. They said we can eat in the study rooms or conference room, which involves carrying your hot food past customers who aren’t allowed to eat, along the edge of an area where food has always been strictly prohibited (the computer lab) then eating where the customers can see you.
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A bit of positive news from the latest weekly update from CT (in part):
Cut for length and also because I can't block quote the entire thing
Connecticut continues to rank in the top four states in the nation for vaccine distribution.
So far, the state has vaccinated:
- 73 percent of its population over the age of 75
- 44 percent of its population between the ages of 65 and 74
Those who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine under Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program include all individuals over the age of 65, as well as all healthcare personnel, medical first responders, residents and staff of long-term care facilities, and residents and staff of select congregate settings. Over the coming weeks, eligibility will expand based on age according to the following schedule:
- March 1, 2021: Expands to ages 55 to 64
- March 22, 2021: Expands to ages 45 to 54
- April 12, 2021: Expands to ages 35 to 44
- May 3, 2021: Expands to ages 16 to 34
In addition, the program will expand in March to include preK-12 school staff and teachers, as well as early childhood providers, all of whom will be provided the vaccine at dedicated clinics specifically set up for those workers.
Information on Connecticut’s COVID-19 vaccination program is available at ct.gov/covidvaccine.
Connecticut expected to receive 30,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, pending anticipated FDA approval
Governor Lamont announced that his administration was informed by the federal government today that Connecticut is expected to receive 30,000 doses of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine next week, pending approval of the vaccine by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, which could come as early as this weekend.
“The addition of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is big news in our efforts to speed up distribution,” Governor Lamont said. “We were already anticipating 100,000 doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines next week. With the expected approval of this third vaccine by the FDA, our total dose allocation next week will increase to 130,000, and that amount should continue to grow each week going forward.”
Our governor seems very optimistic at increasingly rapid distribution (they have already set up a bunch of mega vaccination sites and it sounds like they really do expect to have the supply to meet this demand if the J&J vaccine is approved (and I imagine that is what many people here will get, ultimately)).
Also, I will be 45 in March… this means, if they manage to stick to this schedule I will be eligible in a month? That’s not to say I can get an appointment, but, this is very unexpected news!
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Whelp, people are already complaining about the change in strategy. 
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People just gotta complain.
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A friend in Texas is encouraging people to gain weight because obese is part of the group that is up now. She then recommended gaining weight, or wearing heavy clothes with things in your pockets when going to your appointment if you are borderline.
Vaccinating people with risk factors, include obesity, is important. Weighting yourself down with rolls of quarters to get it is ridiculous.
/sigh
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I did not see anyone being quizzed about age or condition when I went in for my shot. I handed over my insurance card, my consent form, and rolled up my sleeve.
So if you’re passing yourself off as obese, probably not worth it to gain the weight…
I have seen that you have to show an ID to prove your age here. I don’t know how they determine if you are an essential worker, or if you have a high risk condition. Seems like that’s super easy to cheat if they don’t check. Why not just open it as a free for all anyway?
I JUST WANT TO COMPLAIN.
In my state, as someone in my 30s but on an immunosuppressant, I’m not eligible for the vaccine until July 1.
I’m not even allowed on this immunosuppressant without taking a TB test every year because I’m more susceptible to contagious illnesses.
I know they have to make choices, and I’m happy to keep isolating if it pushes essential workers up the list, but I’m just annoyed. Especially because BMI is being used which is pushing many of my very healthy young friends (who also work from home) ahead of me.
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I feel all of that @anomalily. I will be in the very last group because decreased lung function due to deformity or defect literally isn’t even included as a high risk category*. Smoking is, though, as is high BMI.
Sigh.
*I don’t need advice, but thank you!
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I am making very frustrated faces about this.
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It’s all just such a cluster and so hard to implement. I sort of assumed I wouldn’t get it until late summer, but I hoped earlier.
Here only solid organ transplants + people with AIDS (not HIV) qualify in the “immunocompromised” category. I know it’s hard to write these lists but I’m still frustrated. :-/
As an immunocompromised friend said: “It’s kind of a gut punch to be in the last category before children”
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Same. Like I’m not surprised, but it’s annoying. I knew my age would work against me but like…damn. I’m jelly, lol.
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I’m mostly really sad about skating - I had made the decision to not return to skating until vaccinated, but I’m already watching lots of unvaccinated people my age go skating since the rinks reopened, and I’m bitter they can do that and be at lower risk to catch it.
I also have to fly in before June 23rd for an immigration reason, and I really hoped I’d be vaccinated before then!
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Because then it would result in only privileged people getting it (no one that works at a grocery store is going to be given the opportunity to take off work to stand in a mad rush line all day), and it would not have the same effect on reducing deaths, which is the main goal. We know which populations are more likely to die from covid, so we want those people to get it first.
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My next-door neighbor who got covid in Jan is probably going to be on oxygen for the rest of his life. He’s in his 70s and wasn’t in amazing health before, but it’s still super shitty. His wife just got her first vaccine and filled us in when we saw her on the sidewalk today.
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But isn’t that what is going to happen anyway if there is no one checking that you meet the group qualifications?
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No, because you have a perception of what the rules are, and they’re trying to vaccinate people via their employers for health care and front line workers which also cuts down on things.
The movie contagion did a decent job of showing what can happen when the entire world needs a vaccine. At least they didn’t do a lottery based on birthdate, which they could’ve done. And I don’t THINK anyone has been getting kidnapped yet for vaccines.
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Speaking of which, Côte d’Ivoire is the 2nd African country to get a vaccine and the 2nd overall country to get COVAX vaccines!
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At least in Texas though, those groups are already done, or at least offered. Conditions like obesity, which apparently they aren’t verifying?, are after healthcare and employee based vaccines. If there is no verification you HAVE the eligible health condition, why require it? Plenty of people have shown they are fine with lying to get the vaccine.
They are appealing to the vast majority of people who won’t lie and who recognize why they are trying to prioritize certain people.
The amount that are lying to get a vaccine are far less concerning than the numbers that aren’t getting the vaccine when they do qualify, from a public health standpoint.
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