Tweet
My wife and I received our second doses of Pfizer yesterday. No side effects at all last 24 hours. We signed up for and then got scheduled for our shots using the FL Public Health Department. FL went to a central vaccine registry for statewide public health vaccine administration at the end of January after several quickly arranged phone systems and web site failed. You register via an automated phone system that has a few simple questions and follows an algorithm to get you into the right place in line. After that, you get a call and a text telling you the location, day and time of your first shot; same thing for the 2nd shot after 21d (Pfizer). In the phone calls, you're offered a window of days and times.
The registration and scheduling system was developed by ShareCare, a private digital healthcare company who has developed a technology platform designed to integrate health care activities, in this case vaccinations. I assume the state of FL has a contract with them. While it has not replaced any of the registration systems being used by retail pharmacies - those are still out there and available - but it is THE system to utilize for FL Public Health Department vaccine administration - the FL PH Dept. is getting the lions share of vaccines coming from the Feds. While it's good to have multiple ways to inoculate FL residents, retail pharmacy registration is a PITA compared to the FL PH Dept's ShareCare's system. These are phone and web based registrations that get mobbed as soon as an announcement is made that X number of shots will be given on day Y between the hours of 8am and 4pm. I tired when they fiort became available. Never was able to sign up that way. ShareCare system was a piece of cake.
Once you call in to the public health system (ShareCare), you don't have to do anything else except be prepared to answer the phone when they call to set up your shots. Answered the call and waas scheudled for our first shots. We both missed calls Sunday evening for our second set but got texts and call backs around 9am Monday morning - we were ready this time and answered. Then we got emails and texts confirming our appointments.
On the email you receive after the call, you click a link and fill out your pre-registration forms. You then print out the forms with a QR code that contains all of it for the health department volunteers to scan it into the data base when you arrive at the drive through vaccination sites. Our assigned site is 10 minutes from us. Very well organized. We were in and out in under an hour including a 15 minute post vaccine wait to make sure you don't have any reactions to the vaccine. Never got out of the car.
An article in the local Sun Sentinel today describes the massive additions of vaccines for Floridians rolling out over the next two weeks, not counting the J&J vaccine. Given the roll-out of vaccine sites - big one with plenty of people to run them, FL will be ready to hit the street running. I haven't done the math but assuming there's only a 20% outright refusal rate and a 10% dumb shit reason for not getting the vaccine (30% combined), FL will probably have the entire resident population inoculated by mid-April, possibly sooner. In the 65 and over population, FL is right up there in the top 3. This IS the target group. This group accounts for 75% of deaths and hospitalizations. With few exceptions it is dumb to talk about inoculating other groups, like teachers under 65, before ALL of the 65 and over population is vaccinated. FL starts inoculating teachers under 50 this week. OK, I guess.
The Fed, correctly so, is allocating vaccine doses based on how well the states are distributing them. FL is 31st (85.74) but only10ths and 100ths separate the states top to bottom. Mexico is 1st (99%). I don't find these stats particularly useful. It's easier to distribute 600K vaccine to a small state population than it is to deliver 4M to a large one - exponentially more difficult. https://www.beckershospitalreview.co...inistered.html
Looked but couldn't find weighted stats that account for this. What I did find is all kinds of stats showing "racial inequities." They are present but I think we kind of know why this is so, states can only do so much, they try but blacks and Hispanics have comparatively high vaccine refusal rates and it's not because the safety information isn't out there spoon fed to this cohort via outreach programs in pharmacies, public health departments and churches. The waaaaay more important issue for states is to off-load as many vaccine doses into arms as possible being race and ethnicity blind in doing so. Answer the phone or the door, yes, door to door sign-up is underway for known house-bounds and in certain communities - and then show up when your number comes up dumbass.
The registration and scheduling system was developed by ShareCare, a private digital healthcare company who has developed a technology platform designed to integrate health care activities, in this case vaccinations. I assume the state of FL has a contract with them. While it has not replaced any of the registration systems being used by retail pharmacies - those are still out there and available - but it is THE system to utilize for FL Public Health Department vaccine administration - the FL PH Dept. is getting the lions share of vaccines coming from the Feds. While it's good to have multiple ways to inoculate FL residents, retail pharmacy registration is a PITA compared to the FL PH Dept's ShareCare's system. These are phone and web based registrations that get mobbed as soon as an announcement is made that X number of shots will be given on day Y between the hours of 8am and 4pm. I tired when they fiort became available. Never was able to sign up that way. ShareCare system was a piece of cake.
Once you call in to the public health system (ShareCare), you don't have to do anything else except be prepared to answer the phone when they call to set up your shots. Answered the call and waas scheudled for our first shots. We both missed calls Sunday evening for our second set but got texts and call backs around 9am Monday morning - we were ready this time and answered. Then we got emails and texts confirming our appointments.
On the email you receive after the call, you click a link and fill out your pre-registration forms. You then print out the forms with a QR code that contains all of it for the health department volunteers to scan it into the data base when you arrive at the drive through vaccination sites. Our assigned site is 10 minutes from us. Very well organized. We were in and out in under an hour including a 15 minute post vaccine wait to make sure you don't have any reactions to the vaccine. Never got out of the car.
An article in the local Sun Sentinel today describes the massive additions of vaccines for Floridians rolling out over the next two weeks, not counting the J&J vaccine. Given the roll-out of vaccine sites - big one with plenty of people to run them, FL will be ready to hit the street running. I haven't done the math but assuming there's only a 20% outright refusal rate and a 10% dumb shit reason for not getting the vaccine (30% combined), FL will probably have the entire resident population inoculated by mid-April, possibly sooner. In the 65 and over population, FL is right up there in the top 3. This IS the target group. This group accounts for 75% of deaths and hospitalizations. With few exceptions it is dumb to talk about inoculating other groups, like teachers under 65, before ALL of the 65 and over population is vaccinated. FL starts inoculating teachers under 50 this week. OK, I guess.
The Fed, correctly so, is allocating vaccine doses based on how well the states are distributing them. FL is 31st (85.74) but only10ths and 100ths separate the states top to bottom. Mexico is 1st (99%). I don't find these stats particularly useful. It's easier to distribute 600K vaccine to a small state population than it is to deliver 4M to a large one - exponentially more difficult. https://www.beckershospitalreview.co...inistered.html
Looked but couldn't find weighted stats that account for this. What I did find is all kinds of stats showing "racial inequities." They are present but I think we kind of know why this is so, states can only do so much, they try but blacks and Hispanics have comparatively high vaccine refusal rates and it's not because the safety information isn't out there spoon fed to this cohort via outreach programs in pharmacies, public health departments and churches. The waaaaay more important issue for states is to off-load as many vaccine doses into arms as possible being race and ethnicity blind in doing so. Answer the phone or the door, yes, door to door sign-up is underway for known house-bounds and in certain communities - and then show up when your number comes up dumbass.
Comment