Medical Discussion of Coronavirus

[AR]

You might want them to have it, but getting someone to give it to them when it hasn't been approved for that age group is nontrivial.

I guess they could lie about their ages.

-Pfizer is approved 16+
-Pfizer also had folk in study getting pregnant DURING the trial, so first dose wasn't pregnant; but 2nd dose may have been. That's all the evidence we have for now.

Front line workers ICU nurses are probably more at risk of COVID than the vaccine itself. If they were stay-at-home teleworkers -- different story - wait would be my guidance, but ICU? Get it.

My mistake. I thought that they were both 18+.

Carry on.

[Kamban]

You might want them to have it, but getting someone to give it to them when it hasn't been approved for that age group is nontrivial.

I guess they could lie about their ages.

They ask for date of birth on the CDC form and consent form ( in my case, that is what happened). So you really can't lie about ages, unless you want to lie the date of birth too. Which would be a disaster, should an allergic reaction occur.

I would not do that.

P/S. This is for some one who is truly under 19 years age.

[SLC OB]

I would feel comfortable having them take the vaccine. Doubtful they would be anywhere but the back of the line though.

Much harder question is what to do with frontline workers who are pregnant. The pregnant ICU nurses have been asking, my response has been "there's an unknown amount of risk from vaccination but a known higher risk of severe COVID while pregnant, if it were my wife I'd hope she could get vaccinated." Obviously there is no safety/efficacy data nor is there likely to be trial data on this. How are the OB docs counseling their patients on this?

We are lucky enough to have gotten a lot of vaccines. Looks like the whole health system will be eligible for the vaccine soon (obviously vaccinating all the frontline workers first, anyone in the hospital setting, then will roll out to the business offices, etc. That last tier is where my kids fall.)

ACOG is saying that pregnant women who are eligible should not be withheld from getting vaccine. SMFM (society for maternal fetal medicine) is recommending the vaccine. The risk of severe illness including preterm birth or pregnancy loss is high enough and thought of risk of vaccine is low enough. I think your message is very appropriate.

From ACOG:

• ACOG recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination based on ACIP-recommended priority groups.
• COVID-19 vaccines should be offered to lactating individuals similar to non-lactating individuals when they meet criteria for receipt of the vaccine based on prioritization groups outlined by the ACIP.
• Individuals considering a COVID-19 vaccine should have access to available information about the safety and efficacy of the vaccine, including information about data that are not available. A conversation between the patient and their clinical team may assist with decisions regarding the use of vaccines approved under EUA for the prevention of COVID-19 by pregnant patients. Important considerations include:
  • the level of activity of the virus in the community
  • the potential efficacy of the vaccine
  • the risk and potential severity of maternal disease, including the effects of disease on the fetus and newborn
  • the safety of the vaccine for the pregnant patient and the fetus.
• While a conversation with a clinician may be helpful, it should not be required prior to vaccination, as this may cause unnecessary barriers to access.
• Vaccines currently available under EUA have not been tested in pregnant women. Therefore, there are no safety data specific to use in pregnancy. See details about the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) EUA process below.
• Pregnancy testing should not be a requirement prior to receiving any EUA-approved COVID-19 vaccine.

From SMFM:
SMFM recommends that healthcare workers, who are considered prioritized for vaccination, be offered the vaccine if pregnant.

Recent data indicate that pregnancy is an independent risk factor for COVID-19 disease severity, with an increased risk of ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), and death among pregnant patients with symptomatic COVID-19 infection compared with symptomatic nonpregnant patients. Although the absolute risk of severe morbidity and mortality remains low, reports have demonstrated a 3-fold increased risk for ICU admission, a 2.4 -fold increased risk for needing ECMO, and a 1.7-fold increased risk of death from COVID-19.

[SLC OB]

Just got back from Moderna shot myself Yes, they've been largely very good about things and really looking forward in being closer proximity. DD is the more risky pandemic pod so she's been staying further away from the grandparents than the usual teen self that she is

-UC schools done
-USC done
-ND done (sadly)
-UMiami (our alma maters) done
-Left on the docket this holiday - CMC, Santa Clara University, and Occidental.

We are still working on USC, the others on the Common App are Stanford (far reach but fun to try) and CalTech. Also applying for Univ of Utah, Salt Lake to be close to skiing... that's the safety school.

[StarTrekDoc]

Lol. Stanfords seven essay questions was sufficient barrier for DD. clairemont colleges are near big bear for skiing. They can be potential roomies!

Day 1 post moderna. Sore arm. Low grade fever feeling. Thought it would be more, so all good so far!

[VagabondMD]

Lol. Stanfords seven essay questions was sufficient barrier for DD. clairemont colleges are near big bear for skiing. They can be potential roomies!

Day 1 post moderna. Sore arm. Low grade fever feeling. Thought it would be more, so all good so far!

I am also Day 1 post-Moderna vaccine. Sore arm but no more sore than after doing a vigorous arm workout. Then again, I joked with the nurse that she would have trouble finding my deltoid muscle. 😉

[SLC OB]

Lol. Stanfords seven essay questions was sufficient barrier for DD. clairemont colleges are near big bear for skiing. They can be potential roomies!

Day 1 post moderna. Sore arm. Low grade fever feeling. Thought it would be more, so all good so far!

Yes, the essays are painful. The worst is the "Write a letter to your future roommate".... I thought he was writing a "match.com" essay...
I like to hike, read, laugh, etc... ....was waiting for strolls on the beach and a picnic!
We are having to sleep on that one. How do you make yourself sound interesting and not creepy! Ha!

[StarTrekDoc]

Yes, the essays are painful. The worst is the "Write a letter to your future roommate".... I thought he was writing a "match.com" essay...
I like to hike, read, laugh, etc... ....was waiting for strolls on the beach and a picnic!
We are having to sleep on that one. How do you make yourself sound interesting and not creepy! Ha!

Pina Colada song I suppose.

[gap55u]

Our hospital system is currently offering vaccine to all health care workers and recently expanded to almost all employees. I am having a hard time stomaching that our marketing department may be getting vaccinated before fire/police/ EMS. I console myself that anyone vaccinated is helpful.

[Tim]

Our hospital system is currently offering vaccine to all health care workers and recently expanded to almost all employees. I am having a hard time stomaching that our marketing department may be getting vaccinated before fire/police/ EMS. I console myself that anyone vaccinated is helpful.

I have a relative that is a paramedic, LACFD.

”The paramedics go into filthy houses and apartments to treat critical covids. Teachers should move to the back of the line. They really have it easy with remote "learning". Many are enjoying their leisure time, even taking trips to Hawaii, etc.”

He has zero problem with every hospital employee or the nursing homes being first.
Attitude was “it goes with the job”. Just FYI.

[CordMcNally]

Our hospital system is currently offering vaccine to all health care workers and recently expanded to almost all employees. I am having a hard time stomaching that our marketing department may be getting vaccinated before fire/police/ EMS. I console myself that anyone vaccinated is helpful.

Unfortunately it just isn’t possible for the vaccine to be distributed perfectly efficient considering police and fire don’t work for any health systems and it’s rare for a health system to have their own EMS. It’s a huge process trying to do this and there will be inefficiencies. It just comes with the turf.

[Kamban]

Yes, the essays are painful. The worst is the "Write a letter to your future roommate".... I thought he was writing a "match.com" essay...
I like to hike, read, laugh, etc... ....was waiting for strolls on the beach and a picnic!
We are having to sleep on that one. How do you make yourself sound interesting and not creepy! Ha!

I am surprised you are even reading the essays. I have no idea which colleges need which essays. In any case I am not sure she would share it with me. And even more, I am not sure I would want to read those.

This year is a tough year to get into good colleges, with test optional increasing the applicant pool and students who have taken a gap year and coming back reducing the number of slots in 2021 in quite a few colleges.

[SLC OB]

I am surprised you are even reading the essays. I have no idea which colleges need which essays. In any case I am not sure she would share it with me. And even more, I am not sure I would want to read those.

This year is a tough year to get into good colleges, with test optional increasing the applicant pool and students who have taken a gap year and coming back reducing the number of slots in 2021 in quite a few colleges.

StarTrekDoc
Ok, so I read my son what I wrote and he was mortified. He's making me reply that he wrote an awesome, funny, not creepy "letter to the roommate" that did NOT sound like match.com material.
Ha!
So proud of him!

[StarTrekDoc]

StarTrekDoc
Ok, so I read my son what I wrote and he was mortified. He's making me reply that he wrote an awesome, funny, not creepy "letter to the roommate" that did NOT sound like match.com material.
Ha!
So proud of him!

DD calls it social suicide. She doesn't let us near her media in fear of accidental posting/slide swipe/liking/or whatever they do. But at least she does let us be a sounding board for her essays as it's the 'older folk at the table' deciding weight/worth for their college....or match.com. Have to share that with her to see via that point of view

On other medical news --- Fauci coming out and saying 75-80% to get herd immunity. Interesting to hear that and wondering what data they are drawing on for that. Scary number flashed on out county data today. 27%positive rate -- cause we didn't have mass screening/preops ongoing with the holidays.

COVID-19 Percentage Positive.pdf

[Antares]

I am surprised you are even reading the essays. I have no idea which colleges need which essays. In any case I am not sure she would share it with me. And even more, I am not sure I would want to read those.

This year is a tough year to get into good colleges, with test optional increasing the applicant pool and students who have taken a gap year and coming back reducing the number of slots in 2021 in quite a few colleges.

In contrast, we’ve spent the last several days helping with essays. After rejection from ED school, my alma mater, with an exemplary application and scores, your point about 2021 is well taken. I can just imagine the joy of my child as she prepares to go to her safety school. And why is it even called a safety school if you would be unhappy to go there? 🤯