This feels a bit crazy, but I was able to get my husband a vaccine appointment after reading that California's Governor Newsom just expanded eligibility to seniors 65+ years old, and that my county (Orange) was ready to proceed accordingly. So after spending 4+ hours on the Orange County vaccine sign up website yesterday, I was finally able to get him scheduled.
It was a frustrating process. There is no rhyme or reason to when the appointments for the next available booking day are loaded onto the website. It's pretty much down to luck. If you are lucky enough to make an attempt within about five minutes of the appointments being loaded, you may be able to snag one. I made over 100 attempts before finally getting through. As I shouted in excitement, the first appointment I attempted to grab disappeared before I could click through. My second attempt was successful, however, and we got one. My husband will be vaccinated this Sunday, and my understanding is his second appointment will be given to him then and there, so no website follow up needed.
It feels a bit surreal.
This won't change my life for the time being, since even vaccinated he can still carry the virus and thus infect me, but I least I'll no longer have to worry about him becoming ill. Plus, he will now be able to fly back east to visit and help out with our granddaughters in that my son-in-law is back out to sea with the Navy. I wish it were me as well, of course, but I'm relieved that at least one of us can soon go back.
Otherwise, much relief that our home is once again a place of peace and tranquility with all work pretty much completed. Shower glass has been ordered for two bathrooms, and is due in next week, plus we have two small adjustments that will need tradespeople to return, but all of these will be brief and mess free.
As a result, I've been able to rejoin my kayak, hiking, and bicycling groups and it feels really good. I feel free for the first time in months, and I'm enjoying it immensely.
Here is a photo of where we sat down to eat our lunch during yesterday's bicycle ride. Our high yesterday was 98 degrees, so this ride took some determination to complete, not to mention a whole lot of water. Still, it felt great to return to having my days once again available to spend outdoors.
It's such a positive thing to hear about people getting vaccinated. My parents are trying to get an appointment as well (in WA), so fingers crossed. I'm sending all of my positive thoughts to California getting to the teachers, and allowing kids to go back to school in person.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photo, and so happy for you that you are able to get back to your outdoor activities
My father is in Texas, and he received his first vaccine last week, which was an enormous relief. I've been trying here for hours now trying to get an appointment for my husband's 70 year old sister to no avail, so the Othena website continues to feel very luck-of-the-draw, unfortunately. For your parents sake, I hope Washington state's vaccination system is closer to Texas' than California's!
DeleteJust back from an 8 mile hike, so I'm making up for lost time with a vengence. 😄
Lucky and persistent you! Ventura county hasn't opened it up yet and I have to agree that healthcare providers should get the first shots. Soon hopefully.
ReplyDeleteIn that I've been trying all day to get my 70 year old sister-in-law an appointment, I'm inclined to think more luck than anything. The system is challenging in that there is no way to know when new appointments become available.
DeleteMy understanding of why Gov. Newsom expanded the eligibility tiering is that the vaccines simply aren't going out to people fast enough, so he is throwing a wider net to meet his goal of 1 million vaccines in 10 days. And, of course, seniors are why our ICU's are overwhelmed, so the more of them are vaccinated, the sooner our ICU's can hopefully get emptied out. Our best friends out your way told us the Ventura Fairgrounds is being set up to become a super site . . . of course, that was before last night's bombshell that there are no reserves being held by the Federal Gov't as we'd all been told. What???
I am on the list. Tiday or next week. I am number either thousand and something and they have passed four thousand so it just depends how many caccjned they give this week. However even after the second shot I will still be masking and social distancing.
ReplyDeleteBut I will feel soonuch safer and hopefully not feel the need to remain in prison. Iook forward to shopping in a real store. And my kid will also be vaccinated,lol.
DeleteOh, so that makes sense . . . my dad is in Texas and received his first vaccination last week, and said he was impressed with how organized the whole thing was. We could take some lessons here!
DeleteOh that is GREAT news! It will make so much difference and I bet your daughter will be so pleased to have him come and help her. I can imagine that you finally feel that you can tentatively start to make future plans again. I'm so happy for you! Over here they hope to have all over 80s vaccinated by mid February and every day they are meeting their daily goals and opening new vaccination hubs so fingers crossed maybe by May I will possibly be close to being done. Next is over 70s, then those with underlying health issues, then it's the turn for us 'youngsters' in the 60+ group ;-)
ReplyDeleteHi Debs! That your vaccines are rolling out as being projected by the gov't is fantastic. Over here we have 50 different plans (i.e., states) with no consistency. Some states are doing well, some OK, some terrible. A clear plan would be so much less stressful. I don't mind waiting, even if it's going to be a year. But knowing would help with life planning in the meantime.
DeleteAnd we never imagined my husbands turn would come so soon, so hard to express how we're feeling this morning.
I could not find an official California sign-up site. Perhaps yours is for Orange County? If you have a link to the state site, can you please share?
ReplyDeleteThanks -- and great work!!
OK, it looks like I may have made a BIG assumption that the website Orange County is using (Othena.com) will be used by all counties in California to schedule vaccine appointments over and above what is already occurring at medical offices/facilities. Further research would seem to indicate that every county is handling the process differently, so I'll amend my post to make it clear that the site I used may differ county by county.
DeleteGovernor Newsom made the announcement about 65+ now being eligible to receive the vaccine before we all learned that the Federal vaccine stockpile doesn't really exist. I am wondering if that will impact Gov Newsom's recently stated goal of vaccinating 10 million people with 10 days.