[RedTexanTea]

Originally Posted by TRex2

I just did the online registration for my wife, for walmart, and they said they needed her to bring medical insurance for billing, and any kind of ID to prove it was her.


I think, for you, they already have everything in your records.
I know my wife can go pretty much anywhere in our regional medical system and her records have everything they need, including who to contact (me) if she were to have an emergency or crisis. Along the same line, my bank has done away with checking my ID, since my picture and signature are in their system. I suspect Baptist Health has your picture, signature, medical info, and all that other stuff along with your actual health chart.

The only reason Walmart needs my wife's insurance is she has coverage through one company (medigap) for meds, and a different one for all other, including vaccines.

The Covid shot is free, period. It shouldn't matter who you go through or whether you have insurance or not. The Covid shot is free.

From GoodRX https://www.goodrx.com/covid-19/how-...9-vaccine-cost

The COVID-19 vaccine will be free to everyone who wants one in 2020 and 2021, federal health officials have said.

No surprise billing or balance billing is allowed, so no need to worry about going to an in-network provider during the pandemic.

After the public health emergency is over, the COVID-19 vaccine may be covered like the flu vaccine.

[CraigCreek]

Originally Posted by RedTexanTea

The Covid shot is free, period. It shouldn't matter who you go through or whether you have insurance or not. The Covid shot is free.

From GoodRX https://www.goodrx.com/covid-19/how-...9-vaccine-cost

The COVID-19 vaccine will be free to everyone who wants one in 2020 and 2021, federal health officials have said.

No surprise billing or balance billing is allowed, so no need to worry about going to an in-network provider during the pandemic.

After the public health emergency is over, the COVID-19 vaccine may be covered like the flu vaccine.

Not only are Covid-19 vaccines free, now anyone who gets them can also get a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut free, one for every single day of 2021, by showing their inoculation cards.

That's going to be a LOT of doughnuts.

This generous freebie offer should sweeten the deal!

[Hollynla]

Originally Posted by CraigCreek

Not only are Covid-19 vaccines free, now anyone who gets them can also get a Krispy Kreme glazed doughnut free, one for every single day of 2021, by showing their inoculation cards.

That's going to be a LOT of doughnuts.

This generous freebie offer should sweeten the deal!

LOL My first thought was how counterintuitive is that to staying healthy by getting the vaccine and then eating a donut everyday.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by TRex2

...

The pandemic is winding down, ...

Originally Posted by Mindraker

The numbers in Europe and abroad say something else. The variants are pushing for another wave.

1. This is the Arkansas forum, and Arkansas is not in Europe, nor is it "abroad."
2. The "numbers" you are being fed are deceptive.

Europe is merely experiencing the surge we went through in Dec and Jan. That it is substantially more damaging to Europe is due to socialized medicine and the difference in national leadership we had, as compared to them, last year.

[HJ99]

https://www.vaccinespotter.org/AR/

Found this useful volunteer run site. Its more useful than all the govt and private pharmacy sites put together. Cause that is basically what it does, it shows open pharmacy appointments WITHOUT requiring anything but zip code or it will give all appts in your state. Be sure to update
and check back often as appointments come and go fast. Oh and this just shows available appointments at pharmacies at that moment, you still have to go to the pharmacy site and jump hoops to make actual appointment.

The individual sites only do their own and then want bunch info upfront before even mentioning if they have the vaccine and open appointments.

So yea, vaccinespotter.org !!!! I have my appointment for tomorrow at closest Walmart so no driving long distance twice to some small town, or going to Indian reservation in OK. And comorbidity or employment is now meaningless since for whatever magical reason, state of Arkansas opened things up to everybody 16 and older. When it did matter, Governor said it was honor system, but Walmart site wanted you to bring employment ID, they didnt mention referral from doctor for medical condition.

I do wonder why they opened it for anybody wanting it, this early, if production of vaccine has ramped up greatly or if they are running low on available arms to inject since many object to vaccine for political reasons and it is a very RED state. Or both. Or maybe people are afraid little green men in spaceships will be able to track them if they get the vaccine?? LOL

[HJ99]

Originally Posted by Hollynla

LOL My first thought was how counterintuitive is that to staying healthy by getting the vaccine and then eating a donut everyday.

I am T2 diabetic. A donut would definitely be counter indicated for me. LOL.

Interestingly when I went low carb to deal with the diabetes, never had cold or flu since and its been several years. Couple times it felt like cold coming on with tickle in throat or stuffed nose. But then gone next day never developed further than that. Not sure how much one can depend on that continuing rest of my life, but did run across an article in science journal about a small study of mice given H1N1 virus. https://www.jimmunol.org/content/202.../62.7.abstract Those fed regular lab rat chow all died. Those fed KETO diet, half lived. I am not eating KETO, just low carb but it does seem to make a difference. Muscle aches and pains tend to go away faster too.

[reubenray]

Originally Posted by HJ99

https://www.vaccinespotter.org/AR/

Found this useful volunteer run site. Its more useful than all the govt and private pharmacy sites put together. Cause that is basically what it does, it shows open pharmacy appointments WITHOUT requiring anything but zip code or it will give all appts in your state. Be sure to update
and check back often as appointments come and go fast. Oh and this just shows available appointments at pharmacies at that moment, you still have to go to the pharmacy site and jump hoops to make actual appointment.

The individual sites only do their own and then want bunch info upfront before even mentioning if they have the vaccine and open appointments.

So yea, vaccinespotter.org !!!! I have my appointment for tomorrow at closest Walmart so no driving long distance twice to some small town, or going to Indian reservation in OK. And comorbidity or employment is now meaningless since for whatever magical reason, state of Arkansas opened things up to everybody 16 and older. When it did matter, Governor said it was honor system, but Walmart site wanted you to bring employment ID, they didnt mention referral from doctor for medical condition.

I do wonder why they opened it for anybody wanting it, this early, if production of vaccine has ramped up greatly or if they are running low on available arms to inject since many object to vaccine for political reasons and it is a very RED state. Or both. Or maybe people are afraid little green men in spaceships will be able to track them if they get the vaccine?? LOL

I looked at this it had availability at the closest Walmart to me, but it is in Jane, MO. This may or may not be an issue. I can get mine there, but my wife cannot. I did set up appointments for my wife and myself at a local pharmacy for dates in May instead.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by HJ99

https://www.vaccinespotter.org/AR/

Found this useful volunteer run site. Its more useful than all the govt and private pharmacy sites put together.
...

I do wonder why they opened it for anybody wanting it, this early, if production of vaccine has ramped up greatly or if they are running low on available arms to inject since many object to vaccine for political reasons and it is a very RED state. Or both. Or maybe people are afraid little green men in spaceships will be able to track them if they get the vaccine?? LOL

Thanks for the site.

I don't worry about the men in spaceships (coincidentally, my wife thinks I am one of those little green men from a space ship, and she has mentioned it, from time to time since watching the end of "UHF" by Al Yankovic), but have worried a bit about the "vaccine passport" idea. It isn't the item itself, but the slow nibbling away at our autonomy. Those of the hive mind don't value our ability to choose for ourselves, but those who think and act independently do.

As for the vaccine, it, of itself, is now a neutral subject. Many people taking a minor risk by getting the vaccine is not much different than the major risk to the few who would get the virus.

As a side note, the equation I posted earlier is good enough for now, but it will lose accuracy as we get closer to herd immunity. It doesn't properly account for those who take the shot after recovering from the virus, nor does it adjust for the fact that the vaccine isn't 100% effective. As I said, though, it is good enough for now. It shows we are around 2/3 of the way to herd immunity.

Of course, a mutation could set us back a bit, and the K484Y mutation is worth watching, but I still don't see any evidence of a real resurgence, and I think any up-tic's will pass. Note that I said "I don't see any evidence." Next Wednesday, that could change.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by TRex2

...
As a side note, the equation I posted earlier is good enough for now, but it will lose accuracy as we get closer to herd immunity. It doesn't properly account for those who take the shot after recovering from the virus, nor does it adjust for the fact that the vaccine isn't 100% effective. As I said, though, it is good enough for now. It shows we are around 2/3 of the way to herd immunity.

Of course, a mutation could set us back a bit, and the K484Y mutation is worth watching, but I still don't see any evidence of a real resurgence, and I think any up-tic's will pass. Note that I said "I don't see any evidence." Next Wednesday, that could change.

Arrg. I just did a full up calculation on my new formula.

My new and improved, multi step formula, for herd immunity:
Five step process:
v1 and v2 are % of people having taken first and second shots
a and b are based on % of total population and % of pop over 18yrs.
C is % of people who have had the virus
v2=(v2a+v2b)/2
v1=(v1a+v1b)/2
V=(v1+v2)/2
H=(4C+((V-C)/1.33)/1.1
H is percent Herd immunity.

C=9.8%
V=40.5%
H=(39.2+((40.5-9.8)/1.33))/1.1
H=57%

35% is due to people having been infected,
and 22% is due to our vaccination program.
This is much worse than my previous estimates.
It may underestimate the number of people who have been infected.

This is still winding down, but will take a lot longer than I was recently thinking.
No, I still don't expect another major wave.
An uptick is possible, from time to time.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by TRex2

...
H=(4C+((V-C)/1.33)/1.1
H is percent Herd immunity.

C=9.8%
V=40.5%
H=(39.2+((40.5-9.8)/1.33))/1.1
H=57%

...

This is embarrassing. I made a typo on the formula.
I added a parenthesis.
And I used the typo when I ran it.

That last line should be:
H=(4C+(V-C/1.33))/1.1

Putting the numbers in gives:
H=(39.2+(40.5-9.8/1.33))/1.1

65.75%
about 35% due to infections
and about 30% due to vaccinations.