Today was the day for scheduled 2nd dose of COVID19 vaccine.
Last time was 1/5/21. I got Moderna vaccine, which is suggested to be administered 28 days/4 weeks after the first dose.
As I had to join a long line and waited for 1 hour last time, I went 45 minutes earlier than the appointment.
But this time, there was no line at all and only 2 minutes wait at the room entrance.
I only got mild reaction from the 1st dose. Some sore at injection site and body ache here and there, but nothing terrible and they faded in 3-4 days.
They say 2nd dose may come with harsher adverse reactions due to primed immune system. Well, I'll see. Should still be more manageable than the real COVID19.
Pfizer's clinical trial data showed that with 1 dose you may get about 50% protection, and after 2nd dose plus 10-14 days, 95% protection. I'd assume Moderna vaccine would show similar dynamics, considering the same mechanistic (mRNA vaccine) and similar numbers (both reported 94-95% effective). The numbers are pretty good.
Speaking of current status of COVID19 pandemic in this state in the US, daily newsletter from our university has been reporting hospital bed occupancy. In this past 1 week or so it started declining from 30-something percent (upper tier 3) to 20's (lower tier 3). Number of new diagnosis in this state came down from 3000-4000's to 2000's. Although daily death number is still high (30-45 in this state), the number lags from new diagnosis by 1-2 weeks. Thus, certainly there are some signs of relief.
There are metrics you can use to estimate this Coronavirus pandemic. Some are from medical standpoint, such as death number (the US went past 400,000 already. Fail.), new patient number (official diagnosis with PCR+, reduced with vaccine), and rate for severe cases or death (that can be improved by new treatment regimen, procedures, or new medicine).
The other would be its effects on daily life in general including economy, which will be impacted by lockdown or lifestyle modifications such as mask mandate and travel restrictions.
Economy has been affected very differently by social segments. Some are hit harder than others.
From public health standpoint, sustainability of medical system has been used as one of important metrics. "Once hospitals fail, society and the public will feel the pain. Protect them. Flatten the curve" was the logic of emphasizing hospital conditions. It's not wrong. This pandemic is stress-testing social systems and also people directly.
After about 1 year of pandemic, we have seen and learned a lot, in medical or scientific terms and in political or social science terms. Although there are many questions remaining in medical terms, I am hoping that we will deal with socio-political folly better in the future.
Anyhow, completing 2 doses of COVID19 vaccine is a blessing. I am happy about it.
