President Biden and his excellent team have been working so hard to increase vaccine supply and distribution. He announced last week that the government has purchased enough vaccines to inoculate all Americans by the end of July. Considering he took office less than a month ago and inherited a mess from the previous administration, that’s remarkable. While that’s somewhat reassuring, those of us who have been sequestered in our homes for a year want to know when we can get vaccinated. Nothing is ever going to be the same, but I would like to be protected enough not to feel anxiety when I see antimaskers (I live in a rural area and I see them every time I go out). Dr. Fauci was on The Today Show recently and I’m loving how much he’s talking to the media! He said that the supply should open up enough in March and April for people in all categories, not just the vulnerable and older folks, to be vaccinated. He didn’t promise that logistics will be in place for everyone to get a shot at that point, but it sounds like they’re working on that and that we can count on getting vaccinated by the end of the summer. He also said that the vaccines work against the new UK variant.
“If you look at the projection, I would imagine by the time we get to April, that will be what I would call, for [lack] of better wording, ‘open season,’” Fauci told NBC’s “Today” show. “Namely, virtually anybody and everybody in any category could start to get vaccinated.”
April? That’s less than 50 days away. The U.S. vaccination campaign started 60 days ago, on Dec. 14. Since then, just 11.3 million Americans — mostly health workers, with a few seniors sprinkled in — have received both doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Another 24 million Americans have gotten their first shot and are awaiting their second.
The news has been filled with headlines about crashing appointment websites, struggling seniors and governors complaining about supply shortages. Meanwhile, we’ve only just started vaccinating Americans 65 or older; most essential workers aren’t even eligible yet.
So is Fauci offering false hope when he says that “anybody and everybody in any category” will be able to sign up for vaccination starting in April? Or is his projection realistic?
The answer, if you actually examine the numbers, is surprising — and encouraging. It turns out April isn’t out of the question at all.
The first thing to consider is the current pace of vaccination, which is faster than you might think. “If you compare now to what we were doing just literally a month ago,” Fauci said Thursday, “the escalation has really been considerable.”
My mom has been double vaccinated, my dad got his first shot recently and I have two friends who have been double vaccinated. I am happy for them and I swear I do not have vaccine envy. (I’m not a jealous person except in love, and I try to follow Taraji P. Henson’s advice, “What’s meant for you is yours, and what’s meant for someone else is theirs.”) They’re all still double masking, like the current administration is doing, because they’re realistic about it and know that a vaccine is not 100% protection. Dr. Fauci also said in that interview that even if you’re vaccinated you can still get the virus in your nose, meaning you can still spread it. Masking is the right thing to do, to set an example for everyone and put people at ease.
Dr. Fauci told Savannah Guthrie that once you and your loved ones are double vaccinated, you can safely be around them without masks. However you should not be around unvaccinated people or unmasked children (I hope they approve an under-16 vaccine soon!) as you can still get and spread the virus.
My friend Karen pointed me to this podcast interview with Dr. Fauci where he said that it’s possible we’ll have to get booster shots every year, similar to the flu, to fight against the new variants. He hopes that we can avoid this by getting enough people vaccinated and preventing the spread now. The rate of infection in the US has also dramatically decreased recently, from 200,000 cases a day to under 100,000. While some say that’s due to seasonal changes, I think we can thank the Biden administration for encouraging mask-wearing and for vaccinating healthcare and frontline workers.
Here’s that interview, I love watching Dr. Fauci he’s really come onto his own.
Photos credit: Avalon.red and Getty
That man looks 20 years younger every time he is on television now.
What a difference a competent boss makes.
My friend (who lives in NY) said today is the day for under 65s with underlying conditions to be able to sign up for the shot. Here in CA, it will be (as of now) March 15. Check in your area; it may be sooner than you think!
I (and my dad) are getting the 2nd dose this Sat. I am *very* excited!! I did get “Moderna Arm” (apparently quite a few are getting a reaction at the injection site, about 8-9 days after: red, warm, itchy, and a little swollen; it is the same reaction I’ve gotten with every vax I had to get after my SCT, just “delayed” this time). It passed after 2-3 days. My dr. referred me to my allergist who said just take Benadryl 1/2 hr or so BEFORE the next dose, then every 4 hrs. after for a day or two. So I am GOOD TO GO! 😄
It’s so interesting to see the differences between states. My state has been vaccinating 65 and over for several weeks now. It really shows you how the lack of federal leadership and federal funding for distribution in the preceding months led to this incongruity among the states.
I’m in NY and it’s a nightmare trying to get an appt to get the vaccine. My 75 yo dad has been getting up at midnight every night for weeks to sit in front of his computer to try and get any appt that’s released at that time. He spent most days calling every pharmacy within a 50 mile radius. Finally on Saturday he got one for a hospital in the Bronx. He’s out on Eastern Long Island but will gladly travel to get it.
I just don’t understand how they are adding more people to the list who are eligible to get it when there’s not enough availability for those currently on it.
It’s different in rural NY, might be worth a scenic drive!
Throw an ice pack on the injection site as well. I had allergy injections for five years and wore ice packs like water wings after each shot because they got swollen and itchy
Ty! I did do that (used ice in a ziplock and wrapped it on w/an ace bandage). Felt like I had a bulging bicep! lol
My friend in NY lives in Oyster Bay. He got his appt. out in the Bronx. He just got home from his early morning appt. Said there wasn’t any line; he was in/out. Only “side effect” he’s feeling is some chills. I told him to take some tylenol, wrap up, and rest.
As far as getting the 1st appt (for my dad), once we were told we could make appts., it did take almost a week, and a lot of constant “refreshing” on the websites. I tried ALL of the local Walgreens/Ralphs (Kroegers), and the new “super sites” over and over and over. FINALLY, a spot opened up for the LAFD/Dodger Stadium one, and I GRABBED it. Then, no one was making 2nd dose appts. About 2 wks ago we got an email saying we would be sent an email 3-7 days out from our 2nd dose date, and sure enough, last Sat., around 5pm, I got the notification. I wouldn’t care if the appt. was a midnight, we were going to take whatever they gave us (thankfully, in terms of my dad, it’s at 10 am!).
I am chomping at the bit for mine, but I know I’m a long way down the list of priority. My state just opened up for 70+ which means my boyfriend’s parents were finally able to get their first shots last week (he’s already had both of his as a firefighter, and his sister was part of the Moderna trials and just found out she got the real thing) I’m happy if I can’t get the vaccine yet, everyone who I’ve spent time with in the past few months is at least vaccinated.
My state seems to be fairly organized with the distribution. My brother got both of his shots (his job deemed him essential). My mother got her first shot, my Dad is getting his first this week.
My job has just deemed me essential but so far I’m just pre-registered for an appointment. But I get regular email updates from my county. My job is also distributing them but has limited supply but I’m on their list as well. So I’m just waiting to see which comes through first. I’m hopeful I will get it next month.
I don’t know where you live-but my parents live in Maryland and I’m in California-and it hasn’t been remotely organized yet. My parents are the only ones of their friends who have even been able to get the vaccine. The websites are confusing, once they were finally able to schedule the shots, they had to stand in line outside in freezing weather to wait to get them. Here in Southern California they have run out of the vaccine. Lots of my parents’ older friends who live in Northern CA have also not been able to schedule their shots. At least for these two states it seems like winning the lottery to be able to get the vaccine.
We live in Maryland. My Mom told me how organized it was when she went to get hers. No first come, first serve. You had to bring ID to confirm who you were and everything was secure and properly socially distanced.
Maybe once they got there it was organized-but to get an appointment was not. I’m glad your parents had an easy time. My parents’ friends have not.
The rollout in California has been a mess. My parents are in their 70’s and have not been able to get their vaccine. We have been checking for weeks and it is impossible to set up an appointment anywhere in L.A. county Its such a nightmare and extremely frustrating
Our county (Santa Barbara) in California is still just doing 75+ but I was able to get an appointment at Ralph’s in January and got our first shot. I know quite a few people who got shots at Dodger stadium and other locations in LA. And all my 65+ friends up in the Bay Area have been vaccinated. Places do run out but they get new supply of doses every week.
Dr. Fauci seems so much happier, as happy as one can be in a pandemic. He’s finally being listened to and respected by the people in charge!
I hope we don’t see a Superbowl spike, but people are still being stupid and gathering and going maskless. Bad weather around the US has probably helped get the numbers down a bit too.
I have an appointment for April. I was surprised to get approval, and thrilled to get a spot. Military personnel are running the mega sites here and everyone has said it’s extremely well run and efficient.
My nephew is under 16 and was part of a vaccine trial for teens so they are working on getting it approved for those under 16.
Gosh I cannot wait for my vaccine and my husbands but also for my daughter with special needs. She’s the reason we have basically isolated ourselves for the last year and pulled all of the kids out of school but it doesn’t look like she, even with her underlying conditions, or any of my under 10 kids will be getting the vaccine anytime soon which stinks.
So happy for AND envious of you guys. I don’t get why americans are complaining about the vaccine rollout. In germany we have to wait until next year. I’m in group 3 of 4 and my vaccination is currently estimated to happen between september and january (2022!). If I didn’t have an auto immune disorder I’d be waiting until march or june of NEXT YEAR.
Germany really really dropped the ball on this one.
It’s similarly messy here in Canada. But that’s what was expected given that most of our provinces are run by conservative premiers who are sitting on billions of dollars of federal aid money and many of the vaccines we’ve got are still sitting in freezers.
I’m sorry to hear that 🙁
So you have the vaccinations but not the infrastructure to distribute them? What’s the problem exactly? (Sorry I’m not familiar with your situation)
Also sad to hear that Canada is conservative right now. It has always been a dream of mine to visit one day or maybe even apply for a visum and come work next to the beautiful forests and mountains.
Germany has taken a turn for the conversative, too, sadly, but that is not the reason for the f**kup here. I think the politicians had a really tough job to do, to come up with a strategy for a situation with very many unknown variables, and they tried, and they selected a strategy that was unfortunate. While I’m very frustrated with the results of that, I wouldn’t want to have been in their shoes either.
Nina, that’s a totally inaccurate account of why we are in the dire straits we are in in Canada vaccine wise. I am totally liberal and NDP all the way, and it’s been pretty clear for months now that the vaccine procurement was botched in a MAJOR way by the federal government. Vaccine procurement is not done on a provincial level and the conservative provincial governments are sitting on pandemic relief aid as well as rapid tests in no way impacts upon vaccination efforts. Also, last I checked, most of the provinces have been quite good, after initial hiccups, in ensuring that no vaccines are being wasted. PM Trudeau, Anita Anand and the task force were MONTHS behind the likes of the UK, US and the Eu in entering into contracts with vaccine manufacturers, hence the unacceptable situation we are in now.
For once my state (AZ) is doing something right. I just got my second shot (I’m a teacher) and my fiancée was able to volunteer at the giant vaccine site we have running 24/7 at our football stadium so he got his first dose too. My school district even set up a private vaccine site and I was in and out in about 25 minutes. We’re also allowing people from out of state to get vaccinated so come on out to
AZ if you qualify!
I’m in FL and it has been a disaster with no solid leadership either at the state or federal levels so far. My parents in their mostly blue county were able to get at least their first shots, but my MIL in our red, poorer county has signed up for all the newly available “waiting lists” but has not been able to get an appointment. The waiting lists are not centralized, so who knows what’s going on there.
It’s been so frustrating to watch because I am scared for my elderly parents and MIL, but I’m also scared that by the time Biden gets vaccine distribution straightened out, my kids and I will get some weird vaccine resistant variant. I’ve definitely got vaccine envy.
My husband and I happened to be at our local community clinic when a couple of seniors no showed their vaccination appointments. The doctor asked us if we were willing to get vaccinated so they wouldn’t have to throw them out. We of course said YES! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. We would’ve been the end of summer level of eligibility otherwise.