RETIRED NURSES & FIRE HOUSES Could Vaccinate Villagers

[Lottoguy]

There are countless retired nurses in The Villages that if asked, could be used to help vaccinate people here in TV. Sure it would be great if they just volunteered but that is asking too much. Perhaps some kind of compensation could be working out? I think many would be happy to help out in this endeavor.
Now for the the multiple fire houses in The Villages. These folks are trained for this. Giving a shot for them is nothing. If possible their down time could be used for vaccinations at their site. Or, maybe they could be used at the polo fields in a drive-thru situation.
Let's face it at the current rate this will take a long time to complete. We had a vaccine plan but no vaccination plan.

[blueash]

If you are not licensed now, it does not matter what job you held in the past. Retired nurses, or doctors, cannot vaccinate unless the law is changed.
EMT's cannot give vaccines
Paramedics can but only after several additional steps are taken
Statutes & Constitution
:View Statutes
:

Online Sunshine (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0400-0499/0401/Sections/0401.272.html)

They must be working under a medical director with a written set of policies and with documentation of specific training in giving vaccines [not part of the usual paramedic training].

The bigger issues with using fire stations is that they don't have parking, the on duty staff needs to be able to leave NOW if they get a call so what happens to the guy who is being watched for 15 minutes post vaccine for anaphylaxis. With proper training and written protocols they could use paramedics who are off duty at some other site. But there really are very few paramedics and it really won't make a difference. You also need a lot of other staff on site other than the shot giver... traffic control, check in, ID verification, vaccine safety information, patient eligibility and warnings, observation teams, etc.

[Lottoguy]

Okay, that is something I was not aware of. But, in Ocala they are getting volunteers at a medical center to help vaccinate. Trinity Clinic (https://www.facebook.com/TrinityClinicFL/)

Registered nurse comes out of retirement to administer COVID-19 vaccines (https://www.wesh.com/article/registered-nurse-comes-out-of-retirement-to-administer-covid-19-vaccines/35013244)

[Lottoguy]

See this? Registered nurse comes out of retirement to administer COVID-19 vaccines (https://www.wesh.com/article/registered-nurse-comes-out-of-retirement-to-administer-covid-19-vaccines/35013244)

[JoMar]

For any of that to be viable we need to see a supply of the vaccine....when that happens they they can figure out the delivery into our arms. I don't know that will improve significantly until the other manufacturers are allowed in the game.

[blueash]

See this? Registered nurse comes out of retirement to administer COVID-19 vaccines (https://www.wesh.com/article/registered-nurse-comes-out-of-retirement-to-administer-covid-19-vaccines/35013244)

Yes, I see it, especially the part where although she is retired in Ohio, she has kept up her license which is active

"Why do I still have my nursing license? Why did I keep my basic life support up? But then this came along, and maybe the universe is opening up and speaking to me," Foglesong said.

[blueash]

For any of that to be viable we need to see a supply of the vaccine....when that happens they they can figure out the delivery into our arms. I don't know that will improve significantly until the other manufacturers are allowed in the game.

Yes and no. I 100% agree with those complaining that this roll out is an unmitigated disaster. Many but not all of us knew that Covid was a real problem that was not going away on Nov 7th. And we knew that a vaccine was coming soon, whether in December or weeks later.

It was also obvious that if you want to immunize 300 million people twice, you need a big plan with complex logistics. That kind of planning should be done at the Federal level with minor adjustments available in the states and localities. Nobody seems to have done what was needed. I don't know if the Feds thought all they had to do was say "we have vaccine" come and get it and leave it all to the states while the states expected far more guidance and help than they got?

We have much more vaccine available than has been shipped. Is that the Feds not moving it even though the states are ready, or the Feds ready to go but the states not ready to accept?
And it is red states, purple states, and blue states. Almost all failing to have a working plan in place.

I disagree with your statement which perhaps you just poorly wrote that they can figure it out when they have an adequate supply. No, you figure it out before you have a supply. Like a month ago.

[Two Bills]

One of the problems with the Phizer vaccine is once it is thawed it has a short shelf life, and there are only so many jabs a day a vaccination centre can administer, taking into acccount form filling before, and the 15 minute wait after.
However they should be vaccinating every day of the week if the vaccine were available.
Seems a supply and maybe a storage problem, as there seem many capable of administering it.
When the vaccines that are more storage friendly are being distributed, the innoculation rate will increase.
It's a logistics nightmare, but someone needs to get control of it, PDQ.
As was mentioned in another post, get Amazon on the job!!

[graciegirl]

Yes and no. I 100% agree with those complaining that this roll out is an unmitigated disaster. Many but not all of us knew that Covid was a real problem that was not going away on Nov 7th. And we knew that a vaccine was coming soon, whether in December or weeks later.

It was also obvious that if you want to immunize 300 million people twice, you need a big plan with complex logistics. That kind of planning should be done at the Federal level with minor adjustments available in the states and localities. Nobody seems to have done what was needed. I don't know if the Feds thought all they had to do was say "we have vaccine" come and get it and leave it all to the states while the states expected far more guidance and help than they got?

We have much more vaccine available than has been shipped. Is that the Feds not moving it even though the states are ready, or the Feds ready to go but the states not ready to accept?
And it is red states, purple states, and blue states. Almost all failing to have a working plan in place.

I disagree with your statement which perhaps you just poorly wrote that they can figure it out when they have an adequate supply. No, you figure it out before you have a supply. Like a month ago.

I think it is because so much needed to be learned AND validated as this is our first Pandemic in modern times. Florida is still in the top four states in administration of vaccines...probably due to being in the top three in population.

It is frustrating to want the vaccine and not be able to get it. However we are doing better than the rest of country in amount of vaccines administered.

[coffeebean]

Yes and no. I 100% agree with those complaining that this roll out is an unmitigated disaster. Many but not all of us knew that Covid was a real problem that was not going away on Nov 7th. And we knew that a vaccine was coming soon, whether in December or weeks later.

It was also obvious that if you want to immunize 300 million people twice, you need a big plan with complex logistics. That kind of planning should be done at the Federal level with minor adjustments available in the states and localities. Nobody seems to have done what was needed. I don't know if the Feds thought all they had to do was say "we have vaccine" come and get it and leave it all to the states while the states expected far more guidance and help than they got?

We have much more vaccine available than has been shipped. Is that the Feds not moving it even though the states are ready, or the Feds ready to go but the states not ready to accept?
And it is red states, purple states, and blue states. Almost all failing to have a working plan in place.

I disagree with your statement which perhaps you just poorly wrote that they can figure it out when they have an adequate supply. No, you figure it out before you have a supply. Like a month ago.

A month ago? The government should have had a task force figuring out a roll out plan as soon as this virus became an issue back in March. Draft the policies and procedures BEFORE the imminent need is dire. Include different plans for the possibility of storage issues such as they have. THAT is what should have been done. In the meantime, we are all left hanging and waiting.

I know......hindsight is 20/20 but still SOMETHING should have been in the works back in March or even sooner. Our government knew back in January 2020 this virus was a BIG threat.

[billethkid]

Speaks volumes about the lack of ability/capability of those in charge.
It is not as though the need for a vaccination plan was a surprise...months of planning opportunity wasted!
In corporate America they would be gone....at least in my day they would be!!!!

[photo1902]

speaks volumes about the lack of ability/capability of those in charge.
It is not as though the need for a vaccination plan was a surprise...months of planning opportunity wasted!
In corporate america they would be gone....at least in my day they would be!!!!

87644

[npwalters]

The governor has contracted with Publix to administer the vaccine. We just need more of it.....just like every other state in the union except NY which can't figure out how to use what they have.

[J1ceasar]

Correct , we simply need more of it, and that's going to be happening over the next one to three months. If you Google potential supply of vaccine you'll see that it'll be 10 to 20 million shots available in the next one month and 30 to 50 million every month thereafter. Further the third vaccine is going to be approved in February if all goes correct. That being said I totally agreed the FOH and the US health department have screwed up there should never have been a free-for-all line up to get your shots in most States. We should simply have a website and you put in your ages and you get your numbers and then whether it's one week or four weeks from now you don't go crazy not knowing what's going to happen

[Scott O]

Yes and no. I 100% agree with those complaining that this roll out is an unmitigated disaster. Many but not all of us knew that Covid was a real problem that was not going away on Nov 7th. And we knew that a vaccine was coming soon, whether in December or weeks later.

It was also obvious that if you want to immunize 300 million people twice, you need a big plan with complex logistics. That kind of planning should be done at the Federal level with minor adjustments available in the states and localities. Nobody seems to have done what was needed. I don't know if the Feds thought all they had to do was say "we have vaccine" come and get it and leave it all to the states while the states expected far more guidance and help than they got?

We have much more vaccine available than has been shipped. Is that the Feds not moving it even though the states are ready, or the Feds ready to go but the states not ready to accept?
And it is red states, purple states, and blue states. Almost all failing to have a working plan in place.

I disagree with your statement which perhaps you just poorly wrote that they can figure it out when they have an adequate supply. No, you figure it out before you have a supply. Like a month ago.
How about everyone just chills out and waits their turn, and be happy that they have Vaccines made so quickly....wow never ceases me how impatient some can be...oh and your welcome to have mine..

[WSU]

Uncertain but I think retired nurses/pharmacists in TV are no more elibible for getting the vaccine than any other 65 or older Villager. As such, unsure of the wisdom asking that they should give injection when they cannot get them.

[MandoMan]

A month ago? The government should have had a task force figuring out a roll out plan as soon as this virus became an issue back in March. Draft the policies and procedures BEFORE the imminent need is dire. Include different plans for the possibility of storage issues such as they have. THAT is what should have been done. In the meantime, we are all left hanging and waiting.

I know......hindsight is 20/20 but still SOMETHING should have been in the works back in March or even sooner. Our government knew back in January 2020 this virus was a BIG threat.

Exactly. That’s what is meant by “leadership.” All of this could have been anticipated and prepared for.

[Wizie1949]

Yes. Thought of this myself and discussed it with a retired nurse. I do think they would want t to have had their vaccine already though

[kendi]

There are countless retired nurses in The Villages that if asked, could be used to help vaccinate people here in TV. Sure it would be great if they just volunteered but that is asking too much. Perhaps some kind of compensation could be working out? I think many would be happy to help out in this endeavor.
Now for the the multiple fire houses in The Villages. These folks are trained for this. Giving a shot for them is nothing. If possible their down time could be used for vaccinations at their site. Or, maybe they could be used at the polo fields in a drive-thru situation.
Let's face it at the current rate this will take a long time to complete. We had a vaccine plan but no vaccination plan.

Retired medical professionals cannot legally practice and they are no longer have malpractice insurance.

[Judy n Ron]

The problem is right now at least, there are more people able to distribute the vaccine then there is available vaccine.

[bonrich]

After reading the paper yesterday and seeing that Marion County had to shut down its registration site with 50,000 signed up and waiting. They also stated that they gave 1,000 injections that week. My question is if you were able to get the first vaccination and you have to wait 28 days for your second, how, or when, do you get it? Site is shut down, no way to make a reservation, have to stay with the same manufacturer of the vaccine, and will Marion County continue to stay with that manufacturer in future shipments, or go with whatever is available for shipment and use?
Questions and concerns!

[biker1]

My wife has an appointment for her second shot in 28 days (Moderna vaccine) at a Publix in Marion County.

After reading the paper yesterday and seeing that Marion County had to shut down its registration site with 50,000 signed up and waiting. They also stated that they gave 1,000 injections that week. My question is if you were able to get the first vaccination and you have to wait 28 days for your second, how, or when, do you get it? Site is shut down, no way to make a reservation, have to stay with the same manufacturer of the vaccine, and will Marion County continue to stay with that manufacturer in future shipments, or go with whatever is available for shipment and use?
Questions and concerns!

[Rwirish]

If you don’t have the vaccine you can’t give the shots.

[mohawk427]

I have been asking where I could help at Publix, CVS, Walmart. It is just not organized

[biker1]

Maybe they don't need your help. Regarding not being organized, my wife's experience indicates otherwise. She got an appointment at Publix, was injected promptly, waited 15 mins to check for any reactions, and was given another appointment for her second shot.

I have been asking where I could help at Publix, CVS, Walmart. It is just not organized

[Merrills]

We were able to get our vaccine down in Clermont on Friday. I can not say enough about their organization it was easy smooth safe and a very pleasant experience. Nurses, Emt’s, firemen , national guard, police, sheriff, administration and the mayor all involved. Sumter needs to get with it. But that experience would be hard to top

[bonrich]

My wife has an appointment for her second shot in 28 days (Moderna vaccine) at a Publix in Marion County.

Good for her. Where did she get her first shot? Same place or did she have to shop around looking for a site. How did she determine that this was the same manufacturer as the first one?

[biker1]

It was a Publix in Ocala - I don't know which one as I didn't go with her. She just received the first shot. They gave her an appointment (for the same Publix) in 28 days for the second shot and will use the same vaccine (Moderna) at that time.

Good for her. Where did she get her first shot? Same place or did she have to shop around looking for a site. How did she determine that this was the same manufacturer as the first one?

[coffeebean]

After reading the paper yesterday and seeing that Marion County had to shut down its registration site with 50,000 signed up and waiting. They also stated that they gave 1,000 injections that week. My question is if you were able to get the first vaccination and you have to wait 28 days for your second, how, or when, do you get it? Site is shut down, no way to make a reservation, have to stay with the same manufacturer of the vaccine, and will Marion County continue to stay with that manufacturer in future shipments, or go with whatever is available for shipment and use?
Questions and concerns!
I'd rather wait to be vaccinated and continue on with the practices I've been doing since March of last year. I always wear a mask in public indoor spaces and always keep my distance no matter where I am; indoors or outdoors. That is going to have to be the best I can do at this point. I would prefer to wait for my shots when there is a better system in place to guarantee the second shot at the point and time it is due.

[biker1]

Read Post #28.

I'd rather wait to be vaccinated and continue on with the practices I've been doing since March of last year. I always wear a mask in public indoor spaces and always keep my distance no matter where I am; indoors or outdoors. That is going to have to be the best I can do at this point. I would prefer to wait for my shots when there is a better system in place to guarantee the second shot at the point and time it is due.

[Girlcopper]

Okay, that is something I was not aware of. But, in Ocala they are getting volunteers at a medical center to help vaccinate. Trinity Clinic (https://www.facebook.com/TrinityClinicFL/)

Registered nurse comes out of retirement to administer COVID-19 vaccines (https://www.wesh.com/article/registered-nurse-comes-out-of-retirement-to-administer-covid-19-vaccines/35013244)
Retiring and keeping your license active is different from retiring and letting it lapse. If this was possible, it would be done. We dont know whats going on behind the scenes. The shortage of vacvines is the issue, not having people available to administer them

[EviesGP]

Yes and no. I 100% agree with those complaining that this roll out is an unmitigated disaster. Many but not all of us knew that Covid was a real problem that was not going away on Nov 7th. And we knew that a vaccine was coming soon, whether in December or weeks later.

It was also obvious that if you want to immunize 300 million people twice, you need a big plan with complex logistics. That kind of planning should be done at the Federal level with minor adjustments available in the states and localities. Nobody seems to have done what was needed. I don't know if the Feds thought all they had to do was say "we have vaccine" come and get it and leave it all to the states while the states expected far more guidance and help than they got?

We have much more vaccine available than has been shipped. Is that the Feds not moving it even though the states are ready, or the Feds ready to go but the states not ready to accept?
And it is red states, purple states, and blue states. Almost all failing to have a working plan in place.

I disagree with your statement which perhaps you just poorly wrote that they can figure it out when they have an adequate supply. No, you figure it out before you have a supply. Like a month ago.

I could not disagree with this statement any more! The Federal Govt operates at the macro level. Vaccinations(and operations like this), need to be managed at the micro level. That's why in emergencies, FEMA comes in and 'ASSISTs' state and local entities, it does NOT TAKE OVER.

And, you might recall, that a few months ago, the Feds told the states to be prepared to administer the vaccine(s)?! And even the states can't always manage every community or municipality, as they don't know all the inner workings of it. When you have 20M vaccines, and try to roll it out to over 300M people(whom are all anxious to receive it), it's not going to go all that smooth. We just need to be patient, and await additional doses, and be happy we got this as early as we did.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

If anyone on here has the answer from their couch with their large organizational, operational and reporting expertise, please become a state bureaucrat and lead the operations, as the current set of bureaucrats don't have the experience to perform all these very complex activities very well. . . and they didn't plan ahead very well with the current shortages of people

[jimjamuser]

For any of that to be viable we need to see a supply of the vaccine....when that happens they they can figure out the delivery into our arms. I don't know that will improve significantly until the other manufacturers are allowed in the game.
Supply does need to be increased. The DPA was designed to do that. When supply exceeds demand for a "free good", then one method to prevent the stress and stupidity of "1st come,1st served" mob negativities at BOTH on-line appointment lines (which has crashed miserably) AND in person - is to do a lottery drawing for the vaccine. That or some other logical system needs to be used to prevent this chaos that is now taking place. This is NOT s Black Friday sale at Walmart!

[ldj1938]

My wife is 82 and a retired RN. She maintains her license and does the online recurring training requirement. Like most nurses it is a lifetime endeavor. My question is since we are dealing with an entertainment ticketing system is anyone scalping tickets to get a covid shot? Just asking!! BTW she is an invalid and spends days in a wheelchair. I'm very concerned about her contracting covid because I don't believe she can endure. Nice to see the young folks getting their shots!

[coffeebean]

Read Post #28.

Yes. I read it. It’s good to know Publix has a good system.

[jimjamuser]

I could not disagree with this statement any more! The Federal Govt operates at the macro level. Vaccinations(and operations like this), need to be managed at the micro level. That's why in emergencies, FEMA comes in and 'ASSISTs' state and local entities, it does NOT TAKE OVER.

And, you might recall, that a few months ago, the Feds told the states to be prepared to administer the vaccine(s)?! And even the states can't always manage every community or municipality, as they don't know all the inner workings of it. When you have 20M vaccines, and try to roll it out to over 300M people(whom are all anxious to receive it), it's not going to go all that smooth. We just need to be patient, and await additional doses, and be happy we got this as early as we did.
No - it won't be smooth - I agree. I suggest a "lottery" system to balance great demand and (currently) a LOW supply. It would be FAIR and people would be less stressed out. We currently have UNFAIR and completely arbitrary methods of placing people in their order of receiving the vaccine. It is a completely unnecessary shame! A "cluster sham".

[rmd2]

We were able to get our vaccine down in Clermont on Friday. I can not say enough about their organization it was easy smooth safe and a very pleasant experience. Nurses, Emt’s, firemen , national guard, police, sheriff, administration and the mayor all involved. Sumter needs to get with it. But that experience would be hard to top

On Friday Clermont said they had more vaccine and would give it on Monday at the Arts Center starting at 8am. I drove there and they had no vaccine. 80 miles for nothing.

[Quixote]

No - it won't be smooth - I agree. I suggest a "lottery" system to balance great demand and (currently) a LOW supply. It would be FAIR and people would be less stressed out. We currently have UNFAIR and completely arbitrary methods of placing people in their order of receiving the vaccine. It is a completely unnecessary shame! A "cluster sham".

A lottery system sounds fair. I've heard of a number of people running around like Chicken Little (but without their heads) every time a community offers vaccine first-come-first-served. Imagine the proportion of dosages available contrasted with the number of people (often impatient) who show up and are frustrated because it's gone. This would at least allow prioritization, as for example, in New York State, where they're starting with ONLY those 75+.

Going back to the OP, two retired nurses with active licenses spoke up just in this thread, and I know another (80 years old) volunteering to help in a vaccine clinic in a different state, where the structure had already been in place. Granted product has to be available; in Sumter County, having 2,400 doses allocated for 130,000 population goes beyond not making sense....

Florida may have high numbers of cases and vaccinations to date because it is a populous state. A comparison of PERCENTAGE of cases against population rather than NUMBER of cases in countries around the world would be a more legitimate comparison. What we find is that of ALL the countries in the world, only FIVE have a greater percentage of cases against population than the USA. Of these five, FOUR are tiny countries with small populations, where a handful of cases can significantly change the percentage (1. Andorra, 2. Montenegro, 3. San Marino, 4. Luxembourg). Only 5. Chechia has a population over a million—actually just over 10 million, in contrast with 6. USA with a population of 327 million+, hardly a comparison. The next country with a significant population, say over 100 million, is Brazil, which ranks #33, with a population of 209 million+.

I'm citing numbers, not making a judgment. Besides, I'm not knowledgeable enough about pandemics and RNA-created vaccines to even consider making a judgment—a speculation on how this came to be. But can those with the knowledge AND in a position of authority use this information to help learn how to deal with the pandemic today. It's reassuring to know that TODAY there's a contract in place with Publix to administer vaccine. Could this not have been put into place a month ago? If not, help me understand why not.

Coronavirus COVID-19 Percentage of Population Tracker, By Country (https://isabelcastillo.com/covid-19-percent)

[Lottoguy]

Of course the nurse would not have access on her own. They need people when the do get a massive amount of vaccine to deliver it. Right now their holding back because of lack of manpower.