I think the biggest danger is that if vaccines aren't mandatory, they won't be free. Which will be a HUGE barrier to herd immunity in all kinds of bad ways.

Surely the insurance companies will realize that it's cheaper to vaccinate people than to treat them. At least for people covered by insurance.

I think the biggest danger is that if vaccines aren't mandatory, they won't be free. Which will be a HUGE barrier to herd immunity in all kinds of bad ways.

This is key. I like to think Kaiser would still want people up-to-date on everything but who knows.

In my current "prep" mode, I finally went to get my flu/COVID shots for the year. I also checked to make sure my recent tetanus booster (which I got when I did one of my shingles shots a couple of years ago) was actually Tdap and verified that I did indeed redo my measles vaccine in the early 90s (for grad school). I think that is the only part of MMR that needs redoing for people in my age group, but if you know otherwise please speak up.

Now I'm thinking about the pneumonia vaccine. Thanks for the info, Steph, I hadn't realized it was a ten-year vaccine and that makes it more appealing somehow.

Also stocking up on fluoride toothpaste (based on the potential for both RFK fuckery and global supply chain issues).

CVS just texted me about the pneumonia vaccine! Same as megan walker, knowing it's 10 years makes me want to do it.

The Florida Surgeon General just came out against fluoride in water. Shock and surprise.

I have to think that big pharma is more powerful than RFK Jr. Who would have thought I would be cheering for big pharma? Also, I was alive and following the news when Bobby Kennedy was running for president, and it is just mind blowing. Ethel died recently and I know she had to be mystified as to what the hell went wrong.

I was going to go ahead and get the pneumonia vaccine next visit. I've never had any of that type of thing, never had the flu, or bronchitis. But I am 70 now and after having had Covid 3 times I have a newfound respect for my lungs and should care for them properly. My freak PCP is part of a senior center and I have to see him every 6 weeks! Most visits are just televisits to say all is well but if I am in Florida I will go in and get stuff checked as needs to be done.

Laura! Be good to your lungs!

The pharmacy has appointments tomorrow; I can have the weekend to get over it.

The pharmacy has appointments tomorrow; I can have the weekend to get over it.

We'll be weekend vaccine twins!

We'll be weekend vaccine twins!

Hooray for science!

I have all the vaccines available to me (I just went to my health portal to double check). The university I work for also has one of the larger medical systems in NC, and they have been pushing vaccines hard—fewer sick workers + delivery at cost = $ savings. I’ll be leaving their medical system on Monday when I move to MI (with lesser, but still fairly reasonable insurance), but I’m sure any “we’ll pay for the shots and you can take time off for free to get them so go!” will still apply. People stay as staff with the university for decades and filling their roles is a pain. So they take a refreshingly long term view of health care.

I hung out with smonster and my buffista-adjacent buddies last night. We saw that new Christmas movie with Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson. I’ve heard the name of the movie multiple times and it’s rolled off my brain like water off a duck’s bill. It is not one of cinema’s masterpieces, but Evans is very pretty. And the special effects and visual aesthetic also made my eyes happy.

Red One? Sounds like a lovely way to spend time.

This morning was an early one starting at 4 AM with digestive issues which lasted several hours. I'm back home and since DH has basketball at dinner time I stopped at the grocery store and bought snow crab legs. They were very tasty, but I think something was amiss. I cooked and ate half of what I bought, but the rest go in the trash. Ugh

If I am able I'll go back across the alley today because one of our extra sons who plays for Southern Georgia now has a game in SW Florida. I'll likely just go to my sisters as I am not up to sitting on bleachers and Brenon will no doubt spend extra time with the coach and D'aynte. We bought my sister a new laptop because hers was old and slow and I'll transfer all the stuff while I visit. The last hurricane damaged her rooftop passive solar heating system for her pool so no swimming. The water was 76F when I checked it!! Too cold for me. She had just had it replaced a couple months ago from last year's Ian. The Gulf coast had been getting most of the storms. We have had it easy on my side recently.

I'm rambling so I'll go back to doing my puzzles.