Corona Virus

[Geo]

Over here, people aged 65+ will have the choice of a booster vaccin too.
Mask restrictions have been lifted on most places in my region (vaccination rate has far exceeded the so-called group immunity-treshold in Flanders).
Restrictions are still in place in the capital area and French-speaking part of the country. Vaccination rates were too low there, and there's still a high infection rate in these parts.
At my workplace its still compulsory to wear a mask. No surprise there, since most of my colleagues are from the capital area, or the French-speaking provinces.

[Buster's Uncle]

I found out at lunch that I had a 2:15 appointment for a crows booster shot.  It turned out to be Pfizer, so I shouldn't turn into a woman and die this time.

I'll post to inform y'all if I do.

[Geo]

from the grave...

Over here plans are just being laid out for a booster shot for the general population.
I guess that next March or April its my turn.

[Rusty Edge]

I haven't been following the stats on the pandemic for some time, but anecdotally the sirens have been surging recently, and helicopter flights have resumed, reminding me of some of the worst times. Now I wonder if the freezer trailers are back at the hospitals.

[Geo]

In the Netherlands, freezer units are back at the morgues.The medical council has ordered all non life-threatening surgery that involves a stay in intensive care stopped. They expect to exceed the available IC beds in two weeks time.If it wasn't for such a huge percentage of the population being vaccinated, hospital care would have collapsed by now.

[Dio]

I haven't been following the stats on the pandemic for some time, but anecdotally the sirens have been surging recently, and helicopter flights have resumed, reminding me of some of the worst times. Now I wonder if the freezer trailers are back at the hospitals.

In the Netherlands, freezer units are back at the morgues.The medical council has ordered all non life-threatening surgery that involves a stay in intensive care stopped. They expect to exceed the available IC beds in two weeks time.If it wasn't for such a huge percentage of the population being vaccinated, hospital care would have collapsed by now.

One of my parents works as on the non-technical support staff in the medical field. Said parent's current employment status as of a few days ago remained minimally different from the last couple months. Hospitals and doctor offices in our area during the American Coronavirus surges stopped elective surgeries and reduced work hours, known as flexing, for the support staff. Coronavirus surges caused the hospitals' and doctor offices' temporary flexing of support staff because elective surgeries comprised a significant portion of the hospitals' and doctor offices' revenue.

I also received a booster vaccination for the Coronavirus last week. I have not had any adverse effects beyond mild tiredness the day after the vaccination.

[Rusty Edge]

Don't know about the freezer trailers yet. Otherwise it seems my fears are confirmed. Sirens and helicopters continue, the hospitals are filling up, and we are the fourth fastest growing Covid state.

[Unorthodox]

Got the booster plus flu shot in one go. 

Covid arm got the hard lump again, but flu shot arm was more swollen overall.  General bleh for a day after. 

[Geo]

I don't know how I do it, but every time I plan on a vacation its at a time my Covid vaccination would go through.
Last June-July it was for my primary and secondary shot, and now the government has announced that everyone is entitled to a booster vaccin, in my case (Pfizer) I would be entitled from 6 months after my secondary injection. Problem is, in February I planned an extended stay far away, so chances are my invitation would fall in that month.

[Unorthodox]

I don't know how I do it, but every time I plan on a vacation its at a time my Covid vaccination would go through.
Last June-July it was for my primary and secondary shot, and now the government has announced that everyone is entitled to a booster vaccin, in my case (Pfizer) I would be entitled from 6 months after my secondary injection. Problem is, in February I planned an extended stay far away, so chances are my invitation would fall in that month.

Are you guys doing mix and match, or do you need to stick to Pfizer? 

[Geo]

Mix and match. J&J and Astra Zeneca are no longer used here, so people who had their first shot(s) with either of those vaccines receive a boost with either Modena or Pfizer.

[Geo]

'cause of the Omikron variant, booster vaccination has been put in higher gear. I'm already scheduled for the first week of January.
And last Wednesday a common cold broke through in me. Been tested twice (selftest and PCR the next day since then), and both were negative. Of course, once you're in the testing stage you're in isolation until the result comes through.

[Unorthodox]

Talia has the vanilla flu, and I'm thinking I'm coming down with it as well.

On news the flu vaccine is a big whoopsie this year...

[Geo]

Ah blast it. The aftermath of a cold is often worse then the cold itself.
We're a week after now, and I still have to clear out my sinuses,

[Rusty Edge]

I should have updated. My daytime sirens and nighttime helicopter fly overs seems to have been a good indicator of Covid activity. Except that not long after I commented they tapered off. Turns out that they filled the beds here in the populous corner of the state and started exporting people to neighboring states.

Currently hospital beds are at capacity or nearly so, and they just announced that urgent care facilities are closing until January 6th.  I hope I don't get any kidney stones before then.