Coronavirus thread

[Daverz]

I haven't had any vaccines at CVS. My local outlet is too grimy and the employees too dopey.

Gotta be better than Rite Aid.  I only go there because it's closer to me, but the pharmacy employees always seem so unhappy.  Given how willing they are to rip off their customers, I can imagine how badly they treat the employees.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Gotta be better than Rite Aid.  I only go there because it's closer to me, but the pharmacy employees always seem so unhappy.  Given how willing they are to rip off their customers, I can imagine how badly they treat the employees.

Several months ago, I remember hearing about strikes at some stores; googling a bit further, it seems that some pharmacists at both Walgreens and CVS went on strike.  I feel for them.  At the store that I often use, there is one (sometimes two) people working in the pharmacy (only one pharmacist at a time).  So much of the service is now automated (as in refills), but it can be hard to get ahold of a pharmacist at times if you need to ask questions.

And, yes, as one article described it, certain shampoos are being "held hostage" as in a locked enclosure and you need to patiently wait for a sales person (who often is struggling to balance customers in line waiting to pay for items to be free to unlock them or try and check on something for you if you call in with a question) so that you can purchase them.

PD

p.s.  Back in the early days of Covid, I ended up getting my shots at a local Walmart.  The pharmacist there was very polite, nice and capable.

[DavidW]

I get all my vaccines at cvs.  No problem here.  They have a special privacy booth, and everything goes smoothly.

Also I had no problems asking a pharmacist about issues with a prescription.  They took the time to do some research and think about it before providing me with an indepth answer.

[T. D.]

Gotta be better than Rite Aid.  I only go there because it's closer to me, but the pharmacy employees always seem so unhappy.  Given how willing they are to rip off their customers, I can imagine how badly they treat the employees.

While I dislike CVS, my big problem is that I live in a rural area and the closest CVS to me is really sad on all counts. The next nearest one is better, but 50 minutes away, less convenient (I go there about once a week and just found out they have Pfizer). I agree that Rite Aid s**ks, and it must be even worse now that the corporate parent is bankrupt.

My preferred vaccine giver has been a small independent pharmacy, also about 50 minutes away (in the same town as the nearest CVS with Pfizer), but such outlets have been hosed in favor of corporate chains and he's shut out from the latest Pfizer.

So it's gotta be CVS.

[krummholz]

Nor a choir director. Mend quickly!

You as well!

[Karl Henning]

You as well!

Thanks!

[steve ridgway]

Norovirus appears to be in vogue here at the moment; my wife and I are just recovering from it .

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Norovirus appears to be in vogue here at the moment; my wife and I are just recovering from it .

Looking at a description of the symptoms, it does not sound at all fun!  Hope that it came and went quickly.

PD

[steve ridgway]

Looking at a description of the symptoms, it does not sound at all fun!  Hope that it came and went quickly.

PD

Thanks PD, it was only really bad for one night.

[Todd]

From the Hindustan Times: 'Blood on its hands': FDA loses battle against ivermectin, agrees to remove COVID-related anti-drug social media posts

[DavidW]

From the Hindustan Times: 'Blood on its hands': FDA loses battle against ivermectin, agrees to remove COVID-related anti-drug social media posts

For context the FDA was not fighting against people taking human grade ivermectin.  They were trying to fight against idiots taking animal grade ivermectin as snake oil due to fake news and rumor suggesting that it cures covid19 or at least helps with the symptoms.  It does not in either case no matter what Joe Rogan says.

https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/why-you-should-not-use-ivermectin-treat-or-prevent-covid-19

[Todd]

[DavidW]

Yes that was exactly what I was providing the context to.

The link I provided explained the difference between the two types of ivermectin, and when it is appropriate to use ivermectin if you're up for the challenge of reading a few paragraphs.

[Karl Henning]

if you're up for the challenge of reading a few paragraphs.

(* chortle *)

[Todd]

Yes that was exactly what I was providing the context to.

The link I provided explained the difference between the two types of ivermectin, and when it is appropriate to use ivermectin if you're up for the challenge of reading a few paragraphs.

The fact is that the FDA agreed to remove its social media content relating to the product.  That is an unusual action on the part of the FDA.  The tweet was posted to demonstrate the unprofessional behavior of a government agency in the midst of a crisis.

[Madiel]

Speaking of actually reading paragraphs, in a piece of colossal irony the Hindustan Times gives a piece of medical advice in reporting how terrible it supposedly is for anyone other than a doctor to give medical advice.

In cases of humans, the drug is recommended to treat parasitic infections such as river blindness disease, thread worm infestation, tropical eosinophilia, round worm infestation, whipworm infestation, filariasis (also called elephantiasis), and loiasis.

Now is this okay? I can think of one reason why it would be okay for the Hindustan Times to do it but not the FDA. It would be okay because people in America listen to the FDA but nobody in America really listens to the Hindustan Times. 

[Karl Henning]

My late sister, who was (God rest her) addicted to the right-wing disinformation drip, was taking Ivermectin in the belief that it would shield her from COVID. I never learnt if she had been taking the animal or human grade. I don't see her getting her doctor to prescribe the proper Iv'tin, but, hey, maybe. She had enough other medical issues that I don't know enough to suppose whether this snake oil contributed to her untimely demise.

[Madiel]

How anyone ever thought that the same drug that's effective against worms is also effective against a virus is a bit beyond me. But then, people constantly want antibiotics for viruses too. And far too many doctors PRESCRIBE antibiotics for viruses. Far be it from me to believe that a basic knowledge of how disease causing organisms are classified should form part of medicine. That was just part of my biology major.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

How anyone ever thought that the same drug that's effective against worms is also effective against a virus is a bit beyond me. But then, people constantly want antibiotics for viruses too. And far too many doctors PRESCRIBE antibiotics for viruses. Far be it from me to believe that a basic knowledge of how disease causing organisms are classified should form part of medicine. That was just part of my biology major.

Madiel, how did you go from a major in biology to becoming a lawyer (if I'm remembering correctly)?  Or does your current job have something to do with legal medical issues/lawsuits?

PD

[Madiel]

Madiel, how did you go from a major in biology to becoming a lawyer (if I'm remembering correctly)?  Or does your current job have something to do with legal medical issues/lawsuits?

PD

My university allowed you to do 2 degrees at once. I don't know how common that is elsewhere but I was doing Science and Law at the same time. Eventually Law won when I tried to do honours in biochemistry and realised I hated lab work.

The science does come in handy sometimes both in a previous job and the current one drafting legislation.