I am just happy that I have had one shot and the second one is scheduled and I don't have to play website roulette.
When I took my dad in to the Natick Mall last week,without even my prompting, they reassured us that scheduling his second shot would not be a refresh-athon, and it wasn't. However, the way they did it wasn't exactly best practice. If you're looking to ensure that people actually schedule (and hopefully come back) for their second shot at the correct time interval, you either schedule both appointments at the same time (I think Walgreens does this), or you schedule the second one at the location you get the first, before you leave. Just like how your primary care doctor should schedule your next visit as you leave.
To schedule the second appointment for my dad at the Natick Mall site, I had to wait just a little over 24 hours until I got a link texted to my smartphone - and I think I got an email, too. I mean, I didn't mind waiting, but I can easily see some problems. Some might be "too busy" to bother scheduling it when it comes in, forget to do it, or might not have easy access to a smartphone or email.
At least it was easy for me - but I'd prefer those second shots to be as close to automatic as possible for everyone.
somebody told me you shouldnt take tylenol after second dose and just let the vaccine do its job. is that true? shes a nurse.
Here's what I've heard:
Definitely don't it prophylatically - ie don't take it before the vaccine solely to prevent fever/aches/chills if you have no symptoms going in.
If you're on quasi-regular scheduled OTC pain relievers (ie for arthritis), it's okay to take what you normally would take, if you need it to function.
If you can tough it out, tough it out - the fever/chills is part of the immune response, and is one way you can tell it's working. Blunting it blunts the response. But if you're just absolutely a mess (particularly with the second dose), go ahead and take something. Tylenol's probably preferable to Advil, if you can stand it.
My dad was lucky enough not to have any side effects at all from his first dose. But he's 82, and it hits harder on the second shot, and hits younger folks harder. We'll see how I react to my UBI on Tuesday.
