h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Many people close to me got it and quite a few died ... so people who say it's no worse than flu ... I can't remember a single person I know ever dying of regular flu, and now suddenly a bunch of people around me are dying. So ... I think it's a serious thing. And now we seem to have a *mutant* variety of it around here!

There are people in their eighties who have survived, and people in their forties who have died. Granted, the chances of survival are much lower if you're 200 pounds overweight or have diabetes or hypertension.

I'm not reassured by the poor rollout of the vaccines in my state.

re 41:

I'm sorry to hear that, Willem

Corona is three times as deadly as the flu. Researchers have compared figures from the flu season 2018-2019 with figures from the corona's emergence in March and April 2020 and conclude that the corona takes significantly more lives.
Part of the picture is that the flu it is compared to was the most deadly in five years.

From the 1st amoeba type cell which "appeared" on this planet, to where life is now in the year 2021.
Life has struggled and will continue to do!
But! As the "highest" form of life that we've become (humans).
We! Will continue to survive whatever is thrown at us and adapt accordingly.

Unfortunately! Life also takes away

MY utmost respect! to those that have left us!

I thought the vaccine wouldn't stop me getting the virus, but my body will recognise it and deal with it. At least that's my understanding of vaccines in general. I have the flu jab every year on the assumption that if I get it I only get it mildly. I had the Measles, Mumps & Rubella vaccine and had all three illnesses as a child, mildly, shaken off easily as the vaccine had already introduced my body to the invader.

However, I'm perfectly ready to accept that I'm completely wrong, or I've completely oversimplified it A scientist I ain't!

Here in the English midlands I know a 75 year old who had the vaccine last week, so that's where we are. According to an online queue calculator, I should get mine between 25th Feb & 27th March...but I also know someone who has no spleen so very immuno-compromised, and hers is booked for 27th April so I doubt that's accurate.

Deb

Deb! I'm 70yrs and just got my 1st corona jab last Thursday

I take life as it comes if it happens! It happens! If it don't I don't lose sleep either way.

I've been close to death many times (by various events) I wake on a morningand it's JUST another day I'm here - to bring humour and smiles

(see my P/S) IE: in Brunel

I can't sign up or a vaccination yet, because I'm not a health care professional, a first responder, nor a 75-year-old. In another month, my age range (72) may become eligible, but the sign-up software online is confusing and has many bugs in it. There are at least three different players involved, too: The State of Massachusetts (which has a website and a phone number 211 for those who have trouble with the website), the City of Boston (which has 311 as their phone number), and the average clinic or personal care physician. Most people would ordinarily want to get the vaccine from their local doctor. I've had flu shots a my doctor's office several times. This gives my doctor a chance to have all my medical history (including shots) in one database.

But my doctor's HMO has received no vaccine yet, and it may be quite a while before it gets eough to include me.

I'm theoretically qualified for the vaccination, but I am not going to commute all the way to LA on the chance the shot itself is available.

Instead, I'll wait till the shot beomes available at the VA facility where I get my primary care, or CVC or Walgreens.

There are many people who need that shot more than I do.

I have a history of a SARS infection and may have some lingering immunity.

I am either in group 5 (out of 12) because of health issues. Or group 9 because of my age. So will be given the first jab any day now or the last week of March. We'll see. Nothing that keeps me awake