Covid-19 situation

[HermanH]

Reporters were complaining that the QC gov is playing YOYO with certain businesses. Legault said that extreme measures are warranted to slow down the Covid variant. One Gym in the Qjuebec City area has been closed because the sanitary measures were not followed and 68 people were infected. How can peeps be so dense.

While regrettable for those 68 unfortunate individuals and Quebec City, this case might be helpful for the rest of the country as a cautionary tale. Many gymnasiums were pleading the case that they were not responsible for community transmission. Hopefully, this will put that argument to rest.

[GoodBoy]

Rock ‘n Roll!!

Scheduled to get my first Pfizer jab on Saturday afternoon. Very pleased.

Province of Ontario and City of Toronto expanding coverage. Booked as soon as I saw the news!

[jokerjason]

Medical masks are surgical or procedure masks that are flat or pleated (some are like cups); they are affixed to the head with strapsa. Wearing a medical mask is one of the prevention measures to limit spread of certain respiratory diseases, including 2019- nCoV, in affected areas. However, the use of a mask alone is insufficient to provide the adequate level of protection and other equally relevant measures should be adopted. If kabuki mask are to be used, this measure must be combined with hand hygiene and other IPC measures to prevent the human-to- human transmission of 2019-nCov. We are also using the same in our company named as Truckoom LLC and its very heplful for us

[heartgirl99]

here is a helpful link to explain the variants now in circulation:

https://www.axios.com/variants-tracker

[alex78]

This is interesting: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...unal-1.5972326

Essentially, complainants must provide real proof of rationale for not wearing a mask, not just those who want to use The Code for personal preferences.

[SnowFlakey]

I heard something last night on CNN. I heard that the Pfizer vaccine is only good for 6 months after the second dose. Maybe im wrong, i dont know, but will that mean that we would have to be vaccinated every 6 months or so. Anyone know.

Well it is 11 AM and im getting ready to drive 2 towns over to recieve my first shot. Im kinda anxious and i had a sleepless night. My friend who had hers last week at the same facility said there is nothing to it. But im still anxious because i have some medical allergies. We are told to bring our RAMQ card and a list of our medications. Check! Also, i will receive the date of my next vaccination, probably the end of July or beginning of August.

So as of Saturday night, Ontario will be going into a complete lockdown. Let us know how thats going to work, i heard that all schools, non essential businesses will be closed. Certain business will have limited capacity. Hope it works for you guys because it is getting scarey. And the peeps that were waiting for their haircuts, well i guess you guys are out of lock. Mind you, you can buy those trimmers at a drug store.

[Arjon]

So as of Saturday night, Ontario will be going into a complete lockdown. Let us know how thats going to work, i heard that all schools, non essential businesses will be closed. Certain business will have limited capacity. Hope it works for you guys because it is getting scarey. And the peeps that were waiting for their haircuts, well i guess you guys are out of lock. Mind you, you can buy those trimmers at a drug store.

IMO, it's not a complete lockdown by any stretch of my imagination. Unsurprisingly, the Ford govt. is once again implementing restrictions that fall short of what their own medical advisors suggested. And even those suggestions are less restrictive than what some other countries have done, or even other provinces e.g. Quebec's curfew.

So yet again, the ON version of lockdown is actually a lockdown lite; i.e. less restrictive than it could be. The only complete thing is that it applies to the entire province.

To make things even worse, they are presenting this as an "emergency brake", deliberately using words that suggest they're doing everything they can to fight the pandemic when this clearly isn't so.

[SassyAshley]

I do not understand this lockdown, all stores can remain open Essential Stores can only operate at 50% capacity and Non-Essential Stores at 25% capacity. School will remain open for in-class learning.

The "big thing" is again gyms and beauty/personal care are closing as in all in restaurant dining, this includes patios must close.

I commented that I did not think the restrictions will help, with all stores remaining opening, schools open, the few limitations there are won't really change people's habits. My sister's comment was "It will stop region hoping because we are now all in the same boat." I am not sure it is enough to make our number drop.

With that being said my Sister was able to book her shot as her area has moved to Phase 2 of vaccinations, my areas has not so I cannot book mine.

[SassyAshley]

@SnowFlakey I heard that Pfizer is working on a booster shot which should be available in September, from what I heard it is combat the new variants.

But with that being said I know it was questioned a few months ago before the vaccines were even available was would people need a yearly shot, many were comparing it to the flu-shot. You need a shot once a year but there does not seem to be a clear answer on this. Some said you will not need additional shots, some felt a once a year booster, other were saying would be more often than once a year would be every 6 months. I do not think there is a clear answer yet.

[HermanH]

I heard something last night on CNN. I heard that the Pfizer vaccine is only good for 6 months after the second dose. Maybe im wrong, i dont know, but will that mean that we would have to be vaccinated every 6 months or so. Anyone know.

That still beats my personal prediction of 4 months protection.
With all the variants floating around, I think that I am going to be proven right and boosters will be needed every four months.

[princessjen]

I do not understand this lockdown, all stores can remain open Essential Stores can only operate at 50% capacity and Non-Essential Stores at 25% capacity. School will remain open for in-class learning.

I dont understand this "lockdown" either. Its just a closure of salons, gyms and eating in restaurants. Why even bother calling it a lockdown? I dont think this emergency brake will do anything. The few people I know who have gotten covid, have all gotten it from work or school. I think we need a complete shutdown of everything for a few weeks, with a stay at home order. We need to do what Australia had done. But it sounds like money is more important than lives.

[SnowFlakey]

Got our shorts yesterday and am very very grateful for that. Here is how it went. My appointment was for 12:20PM. I got there at 12PM. There was a Security Guard there who asked the time of your Appointment and your name. then you were directed to another Guard who let you in and directed you to the hand washing station. At that point you were told to take off your mask and throw it in the garbage and you were handed another one. this Security Guard handed you a new mask with pinchers so he didnt touch it. Then you were directed to one of 3 registration stations. You presented your Medical card and gave your name and DOB. Once that was done you were handed 2 pieces of paper and your medical card was wiped down with sanitizer. You were then directed to another station where once again you were asked for your medical card and DOB and a list of your medications. You were also asked some standard questions about having or being in contact with covid. After that you were directed to a nurse who once again asked your name and your dob and your medical card. Once you were vaccinated you were directed to a waiting room where i received the date of my second vaccination. Every single seat in the waiting room is sanitized after every person. You have to wait 15 minutes in the waiting room before leaving. All in all, from start to end of vaccination, it took 5 minutes plus 15 in the waiting room.

I dont know if the same procedure if followed in the other provinces. Would be interesting to know. The only side effect i have is a sore arm and a bit of swelling. The nurse told me that if this happens i should ice it and take some tylonol (spelling). One thing i did notice was that all the nurses giving vaccines were older. They all looked to be in their 50's and 60's.

[GoodBoy]

@SnowFlakey ... congrats on getting your first shots.

I received my first shot today at the new mass clinic in Toronto Thorncliffe. Arrived 45 min early and went right in and was done and dusted in about 25 min (Including the 15 min wait time). It was a really fast and they were processing people in an assembly line fashion. Really Really good IMHO.

For us we arrived and the front door checked that I had an appointment. Hand sanitizer was at the entrance. They did not question being early. Went to the registration desk and they checked and confirmed my details in the system and confirmed my Health Card and and directed immediately to a nurse station doing my shot. Shot was done expeditiously and then was directly to the 15 min waiting area. Once seated there a roaming nurse confirmed my information again in the system and printed off the confirmation of the Pfizer shot I got including date, time, and Lot #. It was up to me to time the 15 min and once it passed I simply left the facility.

They were very busy and apparently are fully booked for the next 7 days and will open up new bookings for the week of the 12th in a day or so. It is great to see so many people getting the jab there.

Arm is a bit sore but a nice pint of ale is helping the pain 😜

Wife had hers at UHN on Wednesday and the procedure and steps were similar. They are not as large a site at the MARS centre, but pretty much the same system. She got a hand written confirmation of receipt and a day later (since their system was down) they emailed the same confirmation to her. She has her 2nd booked for July but we have been told her second will be within 4 weeks now so just awaiting the email telling her the next date.

I expect with the increasing numbers of vaccine doses coming into the country by May/June that all dates will be moved up sooner than later

[HermanH]

The only side effect i have is a sore arm and a bit of swelling. The nurse told me that if this happens i should ice it and take some tylonol (spelling).

I've read that the second shot is the one to cause more significant effects and you may be sick for a few days afterwards. Plan accordingly. Congrats on your first shot.

[alex78]

My parents have both had their first shots. In small town Ontario, the clinics were held at arena type places. There were 'In' doors and 'Out' doors. Appointments were booked for them by me online. Same deal in terms of lines and walk about here and there. There was a questionnaire that had to be filled out in advance and handed in. The same deal with waiting and then flip your chair after 15 minutes. Pretty easy apparently. They are all full for all their appointments and my mum said she was one of the last and was #635, so presumably that's how many they did that day?

The public health nurses are usually around the same ages mentioned, as it's a job that folks like to do at the end of their nursing careers, same with CCAC and LHIN staff, it seems.

I'm pleased that they both have their first shots in and I'm glad it was Pfizer. I'd be happier if their second shots weren't a 'sometime in the next four months', but hey. Once it comes to my turn, I'll be ready to bare my arm and get it done and reward myself for my bravery as well, but perhaps with a glass of Shiraz.