Thread — I’m very happy and relieved that my elderly parents got their first shot of the coronavirus vaccine this week. But the story of how they got it is nucking futs and illustrates just how messed up the vaccine distribution system is. 1/?
Just for background, they are both Pennsylvania residents living right now in South Florida and they are both between 65 and 75 years old. They own a small condo in a retirement community. They both have co-morbidities, like most people their age...
They watched in horror when Trump held huge rallies in Florida that spread the virus and they hung their heads in disbelief as Gov DeSantis bungled the response every step of the way. They did the best they could and were very lucky not have caught it...
When the vaccines started to be sent out, they wanted to wait to get their shots until after healthcare workers and people over 75 got them. They were confused by the lack of information about distribution and tried to get information, to no avail...
Inside their retirement community, the residents tried as much as they could to get a vaccine distribution outpost deployed there, but nothing ever happened. The phone line advertised for information led to nothing, when it wasn’t jammed. Emails disappeared into the abyss...
My mother, throughout quarantine, periodically visited her 95 year old aunt in a different retirement community, to bring her food and check on her. Last week, during one of those visits, the aunt mentioned that vaccines were being distributed in her retirement community...
My parents went to the clubhouse and found that, because DeSantis had visited that particular retirement community for a photo op, they actually had vaccines and were giving shots. But there was zero systematic organization...
On each day, residents lined up for shots until the nurses ran out of the days allotment. On the day my parents randomly stopped by, there were not enough people in line. So the nurses, not wanting to waste the shots, offered them to whomever was standing around...
On that day, there were enough shots to vaccinate my mother but not my father. But the nurses made a note and he returned the next day and got his first shot. On that day, the line of residents was out the door. If my mother had visited her aunt one day later, no shot...
I told my parents karma had delivered for them. They tried to help their other relatives and friends get into that retirement community to get their vaccines, but they haven’t had the same luck. My parents are guaranteed a second shot. Their friends can’t even get their 1st...
This is how life and death decisions are being made in Florida. DeSantis says he is prioritizing the elderly but his incompetence is increasing their risk of sickness and death. Shame. — End thread
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