I ran into a guy today I first met here in 1986. We don’t see each other often but have had business dealing every since. He operates a service business that has mostly 50 years and older clients. Prior to Covid in an average year, he told me they would have maybe a handful of clients who would die. Some years less. In the past year, they lost 30 clients, mostly 70+ years old. Huge increase when compared to his company’s historical decades-long record. I knew three of them.
I got my second (Moderna) shot two weeks ago, so I am now immunized!
I had no side effects with the first shot.
My left arm was somewhat sore for about 3 days with the second shot.
The pain was not bad, and I could sleep fine with the pain (I sleep on my side), which is what I cared about the most (concerning the pain.)
With the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, extremely dangerous side effects are exceedingly rare, and those would be the only side effects that would make me regret getting vaccinated (for those vaccines.)
My side effects were very minor, so I consider myself lucky.
My wife and I sleep most of the day after our second Moderna shot. Felt like a hangover.
I drank alcohol from 2000 to 2006.
Sometimes I binge drank, and sometimes I drank quite a bit, but I never had a hangover in my life.
Before I started drinking, I was worried about having hangovers, but I got lucky there, too.
Lucky you. What’s the trick. You could patent that. 
This took a heavy toll on old people. I know of a 92 year old customer of mine that died. He was in good shape last time I saw him and still drove, had his wits still, slim. I just saw his obituary and it said he died in the hospital after a short illness. I have to wonder if it was covid.
I hear that hangovers are caused by dehydration because alcohol is a diuretic.
I don't drink an excessive amount of beverages that contain water, so my experience is just dumb luck. 
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EXCERPT
The case rate among unvaccinated people susceptible to infection is 69 percent higher than the standard figures given, a Washington Post analysis determined. Infections continue among the unprotected. “It looks like fewer numbers, looks like it’s getting better, but it’s not necessarily better for those who aren’t vaccinated,” one public health researcher told The Post.
thanks
there has been a new development, requesting we no longer post news links
my personal experience is that
corona news gives me brain fog
In my state of lower saxony vaccination came to a halt and the situation is not getting better. The number of people waiting for the first shot are growing since we currently need all the vaccine to ensure people getting their second B/P shot in time. This takes a lot of momentum from the campaign. I fear the willingness to get appointments will suffer greatly from this frustration on one hand and the seasonal decline of infections on the other 
. My guess is, at some point later this year we might face a situation where there’s more vaccine available than people wanting it, and infections will grow again beginning of fall, leading to an extended face mask mandate .
I want this to end. I’m fed up with closed shops and effin masks.
I want this to end as well.
I feel sorry for those that don't live in rich countries, and therefore probably won't be able to get the vaccine very soon.
A lot of people want the vaccine, but it's just not available in many parts of the world.
My county has hit 78% fully vaccinated, 85% with the first shot of Pfizer or Moderna. Only 6 deaths attributed to Covid-19… (mind you we are just under 20,000 population), but I know/knew more than that in other parts of the state.
Wow, that's extremely high.
I wonder if your county has reached herd immunity.
...
As of one week ago, my county is 32% fully vaccinated, and 41% are at least half-vaccinated.
My county is very large in area, and I cannot find statistics for the Coachella Valley, which I think would be more relevant.
I could probably find statistics for Palm Desert or my ZIP Code if I wanted, though.
Statistically I suppose so. But, those figures are the rate on the people who live in the county. There are something like 8 to 10,000 people who commute to work from surrounding counties where the rates are something like 10 to 15% less. Still not bad.
Herd immunity, which is the dying out of the disease because it fails to spread before people recover (r<1), indeed only really happens without exchange of people to other areas, and if not, the surroundings keep feeding the disease into the population and the disease will not completely die out, and maybe eventually spreads again once the immunity that the vaccines provide wears off over time.
Israel two months ago declared herd immunity for their military, which is a weird statement, as if soldiers never socialise with other people. In the meantime the whole of Israel could be pretty close to herd immunity, but again provided that exchange with the hardly vaccinated Palestinian area’s around Israel is kept very low (which I believe is not the case, a lot of people from the Palestinian areas work in Israel).
The whole world needs vaccinated to let COVID-19 die out and get to former normal. But more realistically, in the well-vaccinated countries COVID-19 will keep simmering at low level (maybe until a variant pops up that does evade the current vaccins, unlike the ones sofar).
That is more or less my fear. We are not really out of the woods. I do feel more comfortable being around those I know are fully vaccinated, but wonder who is not and has no plans to get vaccinated.
There are a couple of social groups we belong to. They have not met since March 2020. There are numerous members who are wanting to get together very much. (Social dancing groups). Currently many are planning on a dance event soon. We know many couples who have been fully vaccinated. I know there are members who are not vaccinated and have no intention to become vaccinated. On the one hand I think that, okay, let’s all dance. Those who have been vaccinated will be alright. Those who are not vaccinated may spread covid and some may die. But I wouldn’t want to be there if a new virulent variant popped up and was spread.
I think I’ll go find a lonesome mountain hike.
I am trusting the vaccines. Have actually danced and it was wonderful! Very grateful to be fully vaccinated! It appears that the risk drops to such a low level that it is worth it to me. Can’t even begin to measure the heath benefits from dancing. Far exceeded the effectiveness of people I knew who took to medical supervision and drugs for the kinds of blood pressure and cholesterol numbers I was seeing before I started dancing. Have no desire to see my numbers now as I suspect they would be borderline medical intervention numbers. (As they were before I started dancing.) If dancing gets back to the point where I am doing it a couple of times a week or so I know my numbers will go back to the healthy side again.
Checking my County’s info today, my County is reporting 74.5% have received at least one dose and 61.3% are fully vaccinated. This is for all residents ages 12 and older. Not too bad.
My County has a population of about 2 million.
This weekend I went and visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium. First outing around lots of people in over a year. Everyone wore masks and the Aquarium was working on reduced capacity, but there were still lots of people around. Enough that social distancing of 6’ or more was not possible near many of the exhibits and out on the street.
I felt fairly safe though as I’m fully vaccinated with Pfizer and had my mask (except when eating).