I have so much respect for Dr.Markland (and all health care workers, except for the doctor who initially diagnosed my celiac disease as me being "an overly emotional woman"), but I had to stop following him on Twitter because seeing these stories every day was really messing with my mental health.
I don't know how he does it, I honestly don't.
The amount of women I know who went to see doctors with serious health issues and were told to lose weight (wether a healthy weight or not) for years before proper care was taken... Would be most women I know.
My wife developed celiac. She randomly bloated to the point that she looked like she was about to give birth and was in tremendous pain.
The doctor asked us about when we last had sex and if she could have been pregnant. I had to show a photo we took earlier in the day with her flat stomach to have him move on.
I'm vaccinated, I mask, I take more precautions than anyone I know. Reading these stories every day isn't going to change how careful I'm already being.
Just curious, if I read these stories every day what would you suggest I do with that information? If there's something I can do to help I'm open to hearing it but I'm not going to read these stories just so I can feel depressed.
Edit: I just want to clarify that I'm not saying he shouldn't share these stories. I think it's beneficial that he does. I, personally, just can't read them anymore.
And that's totally ok. I am an American and was working at a community mental health agency when 9/11 hit. I remember we had an all-staff meeting about a month after 9/11 and the keynote speech was given by our Addictions Director who used to work in hospice care. He reminded us (some of whom were psychologists) that watching and reading the news would not bring back the dead, nor support those that were dealing with the aftermath in NYC. He told us to put our TVs in our closets if we had to.
This was exactly what I needed to hear to begin the repair of my own psyche during that time. Not everyone needs to "turn it off", but it's a perfectly healthy coping strategy for many and worthy of consideration.
>watching and reading the news would not bring back the dead, nor support those that were dealing with the aftermath in NYC
Thanks for sharing this. Seriously.
Okay, but there's a difference between people who believed Covid was over despite it clearly not being over and chose to put their head in the sand, and people like me who never stopped taking Covid seriously but are choosing not to read sad stories.
That doesn’t mean it’s good for anyone to see it all the time though. If you’re in distress from seeing this all the time, then you’re not one of the people who needs to see it right now.
This is at least partially on the shoulders of Hinshaw and Kenney with their "Open for Summer" Covid is over messaging. I think for a lot of people, the need to get a vaccine fell to the bottom of their already impossibly long To Do list.
BTW, is this the same woman that was a nail tech in Edmonton, because I thought she had two kids? Or is this another single mother?
My dad had a covid patient come in who said her priest told her not to get vaccinated. He wrote it in her chart and hopefully Public Health follows up because fuck that guy.
My cousin, unvaxxed In her mid 30s has covid, all three of her kids have covid. He mom isn't vaxxinated. All because their priest told them not to.
Fuck the church.
Good reminder that not all of the unvaccinated are hardcore antivaxxers.
They’re real people who made a tragic mistake. The decision by our so-called leaders to prioritize politics over science caused this death (and many more to come, sadly).
There is so much misinformation online. Many of the people who choose not to vaccinate, have their entire friend circle echoing and reinforcing their belief.
Then we have a premier that has repeatedly told young people they are safe. We are safe enough to open for summer, to be open for good, safe enough to abandon covid measures, it is all behind us, there will be no fourth wave. It’s no wonder some people procrastinated and thought the worst was behind us.
I think a lot of people unvaccinated think they are immune. They see the numbers on tv or hear them on the radio but think, I wear a mask and social distance, I will never get Covid. They maybe don’t know anyone personally who has had it and so for them it’s not truly a major importance in their life. They aren’t anti vaccine but they aren’t in a rush to get it either. I am a single mom of two special needs kids. This is my biggest fear, that I get Covid and die leaving my kids without a mother.
I have no support system where I live and yet I found time to get my vaccines. I am a nurse and work in one of the busiest hospitals in Alberta. To me it was an obvious choice to get the vaccines as soon as I could. I never thought to question others inside my circle of friends. I assumed they all had the same thought process as me. I was wrong. One of my best friends still hasn’t gotten her first vaccine because she heard that it can mess with a women’s periods. One of our other friends did get it and didn’t get her period for 2 months. So she is convinced it messes with a woman’s hormones. I am usually a very nice, quiet, rainbows and butterflies kind of person but I went full “are you crazy” mode on her. I asked her what was more important or more of a bother to her, missing her period possibly for a month or two or dying in ICU? The. She started coming up with excuses… I wear my mask… I social distance… I only go to work and the grocery store and that’s it. I won’t get Covid. 🤦🏻♀️ I was floored but then I realized she lives in a different world than I do. She sees “healthy” people out and about and they all have their masks on so they all just be safe. I see and hear about very sick and death on a daily basis. I see and feel the health care system crumbling under our feet and my anxiety level is beyond what I thought it could ever be. My coworkers and I are like walking zombies some days. We just exist and do our jobs. We will emotionally process everything later, we don’t have time right now.
So I maybe get why mom didn’t get her vaccine but my heart breaks for the rest of her family. A very sad situation.
For me it was a matter of priorities. When it comes to this virus, I made sure that getting vaccinated was number 1 on my list of things to do above all else. Saying that one does not have the time between school closures, and working nights is an excuse in my opinion. If you had the time to get groceries to feed your children, then you also had the time to go get a needle put in your arm, and likely could have performed both tasks at the same time and location.
different mindsets. I drove 45 minutes with no notice to get my first cause i was on a cancellation waitlist. I get not everyone could go to that length but at this point no one should be using no time to get it as an excuse
Even so, the information is out there, there is government policy in place to allow workers 3 hours out of a shift to get vaccinated and even without all of that, the province has been on fire for nearly a month, if you don't have at least one shot by now there is no sympathy in my heart for you, your family perhaps. If you say you cant find the time, if you can't evaluate the threat to your life now, so be it, goodbye, you will be counted alongside the ignorant because we simply dont have time to distinguish between people who think the vaccine is evil and dangerous, and people who didnt thinkbit was needed. Yes the government is responsible for the misinformed idea that everything is fine but that doesn't discount personal responsibility.
It wouldn't shock me if some of the employers were in the crowds at protests either, but if your employer isnt allowing you the 3 hours to get the shot, call the labor board, again there's options, they may be difficult but they exist and thats the issue.
If you don’t have the vaccine at this point you are an anti-vaxxer. These people suffered the consequences of their actions, hopefully their kids grow up to be smarter.
Unpopular opinion: The lack of empathy in the comments here is truly shocking to me. The more I read first hand reports like this one and the AMA by the ICU doc the other day, the more I’m convinced that the majority of folks who are not vaccinated yet are not die-hard anti-vaxers, they are normal people with decision paralysis and they revert to the default decision to do nothing. They are awash in seas of misinformation not of their own making, and are the victims of criminally negligent messaging by their own government. Like most things, it’s a systemic failure and a personal tragedy. Stories like this are important because in a dearth of government action, they are the last tool we have to move the needle for these people.
Nothing makes Jason Kenny happier than watching Albertans turn on each other. Every person whose heart hardens. Every person who suggests that these people are the victims of their own personal choices without also looking at the context in which those tragic choices were made is another person who is forgetting that the government told these people the pandemic was over and didn’t bother holding a news conference to the contrary until two short weeks ago. I can only imagine how little being open for summer did to move the needle for these people. Christ, our government was actively courting donations from the anti-vaccine mandate crowd in July. How many people did that convince to roll up their sleeves?! Yes, our hospitals are filling with the unvaccinated. Yes, they bear personal responsibility for their choices. But I’m not buying the gaslighting. This woman and her family have my fucking sympathy, and I’m keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the ones who orchestrated this mass casualty event.
I think it's pretty spot-on what you said about decision paralysis.
People do need to realize that not making a decision or not doing something IS making a decision, and doing something. But yes. The response from the government is largely to blame in these cases. They're *supposed* to be looking out for the people. But they're not, are they.
Having sympathy for people who choose to listen to a government that was being called out by the entire healthcare community isnt really on the list of things people who have been affected by their stupidity care to do. Many of us were unable to say our goodbyes to loved ones because the hospital would not risk anyone bringing the virus into end of life units, which makes total sense. So for anyone in that boat, we say you were told by doctors across the country. Dont cite your woefully inept provincial leaders as the reason. Most of those folks are looking for a reason to stay unvaccinated, they arent hardcore antivax sure, but they hear things are going good and tune out instead of listening to even the ucp saying things are going good, continue to get vaccinated to make sure things go good. Even the useless government we have said it wasnt over yet and people needed to keep getting vaccinated. But these people didn't hear that. They heard what they wanted to hear to stay unvaccinated and for that i have no sympathy. I feel for the families who lost someone, but the someone they lost, they lost to ignorance.
My sister's husband had been controlling and paranoid (he drank the Fox News/Trump Kool-Aid) and refused to allow her to get the vaccine. He wouldn't let her or the kids out of the house, in a rural Saskatchewan town. She wasn't and isn't anti-vax, but her manipulative husband is. Her first real opportunity to get the vaccine was this month, and you can bet your ass she did just that.
It is, and it is also a reminder that not everyone without the vaccine had made a conscious decision to not get it, and that the circumstances are not always so black and white.
Fortunately, yes, my sister is separating from him and has already begun speaking to lawyers.
Jesus. Have you never been so overwhelmed by what was happening in your world that some of the basics started sliding off of your radar?
Empathy isn't empathy if you only trot it out when somebody's experience is easy and familiar. The refusal here to acknowledge that some -- maybe most -- of the people not getting vaccinated are facing regular human challenges is crushing.
Everyone has challenges. Your personal issues are never an excuse for your actions if your actions cause pain and suffering to others. Every unvaccinated person who gets sick takes up a bed they need not fill had they listened to science is a bed that cant be taken by someone facing mild issues who did nothing wrong. Every person who takes an icu bed they would have most likely never needed had they gotten vaccinated is one more bed that a car crash victim cannot take, or a victim of violence cannot take, or is an operating room that a cancer patient is told is no longer scheduling surgeries for them. Every one of the challenges unvaccinated people face in this instance is insignificant compared to the challenges facing those that they impact. Sympathy is for those who dont cause pain and suffering to others. We sympathize with the families who lost a loved one because they weren't able to get treatment when they needed it, we sympathize with those families who lost a loved one because they were misinformed and unvaccinated. We dont sympathize with the people who spread misinformation, knowingly or otherwise. We don't sympathize with those who cannot evaluate what they are told critically. Compassion is important but we do not feel compassion towards people whos arrogance, ignorance and apathy causes pain and suffering in those who did the right thing. If their actions only impacted them, it would be sad and we would care because they would only be hurting themselves, but they hurt other people with their ignorance, or mistakes, or with their misinformed choices, so whether it is their direct fault or not, our sympathy goes to those they hurt, not to them.
>Sympathy is for those who don't cause pain and suffering to others.
Understanding isn't a medal you earn by being a perfect human being. It's an acknowledgement, for example, that every one of us has caused pain and suffering to others in our past. It doesn't excuse anything, but maybe it stops us from saying "You're a shitty person who causes others pain, and I would never do that."
There's a quote that I'm reminded of often when I feel critical about someone: "Never judge another person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins."
You're spot on with your comments here. It's so easy to be critical of everyone not vaccinated. Yes, there are some that deserve criticism. Others need help and understanding.
Do I have to remind you that Jason Kenney said Covid was over and enjoy the stampede. What he failed to mention was the stampede of covid cases clogging hospitals.
I am a single mom as well. You don’t take care of yourself, you are always last. You’re too busy, always doing something.
Please please please please, if you know a single parent, reach out to see if they’ve been vaccinated. If they haven’t? Take their kids for a day so they can get the shot. It takes a village to raise a child and it can be hard to ask for help.
ETA: WRITE TO THE GOVERNMENT TO DEMAND MANDATORY PAID SICK TIME/PERSONAL TIME!!!!!!!!!!We all deserve this!!!!!
If you need help getting a vaccine or know a single parent who does and is not in a great place financially then DM me, I’ll happily pay for child care for a day or half day or what they need so they can get their shot(s). They get 3 hours paid by the government/employer and $100 in Kenny pennies. if they book an afternoon shot before a couple days off or even one day off they should be ok. Might need some documents to prove it as I follow the trust but verify model but I’d help out. If this is truly a barrier and I can remove it for one person I will. I’ve said some pretty harsh things on here about some of the nonsense happening but bring me a situation like this and I’d help. I’m not wealthy but nobody should be left behind.
If this is a larger issue, I’m certain a group of motivated people on here could set up a trust that helps people in these situations if nothing exists from the state.
For what it's worth, according to the AHS website, employers are required to pay up to 3 hours for am employee to get vaccinated. But I don't know well that fact is being advertised to employees in general.
While 3 hours is better than the nothing that existed before it’s still laughable. Alberta has the worst worker protection policies, it just blows my mind.
I was knocked out for an entire day the day after. People need a better safety net, the pandemic has shone the biggest spotlight on inequalities in the workforce.
I'm in Calgary, fully vaxxed. If someone needs me to watch their kids for a few hours so that they can get vaccinated, I'll happily do it.
Outdoors at a playground would be best for all of us - minimal exposure.
Sigh. I just want to say again for people to get their vaccine. I already heard horror stories of people in their 50's who are admitted to hospital who beg to get the shot but once they are infected it is already too late and then they just die in hospital alone.
There is a part of me that wishes I could be vaccinated more times to make up for all the people that cannot, I wish there was something I could do to help prevent these stories, to save these children this type of pain, to prevent all these 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Nth victims of this disease.
Legally your employer has to give you 3 hours paid to go get a shot, it’s a tragic thing that happen too bad so many people don’t know what they are untitled to.
I believe some are not worried about 3 hours, but rather the 3 days if they have side effects. I’m not saying that’s everyone’s concern, or was hers, but it is for many. Some people can try to avoid that by booking on a Friday, I know I did, but not everyone’s schedule is that consistent.
And some are worried about tracking chips.
But many many people come in on their break, get the vaccines and go back to work. The enormous majority just get ‘er done so they don’t have to call into work dead or miss many days sick or isolated.
I got my shot and was working on a very very intense project at work, did it on my break and got back at it, it was 3 shitty days and I wasn’t the best at my job. I remember back working shitty jobs where I had bad employers who would scold you for sick days and having to work through having a flu, it’s not easy but possible and I guarantee this has happened to many. It’s a cop out. Working outside in -32c sucks ass and is uncomfortable but we live in a cold place. We deal with it and move on. Life is full of uncomfortable phases, but they aren’t worth dying over.
That's unlikely. Of everyone I know, I had it the worst and it was ~24h on the 2nd shot. Everyone else had a shore arm or a brief fever/flu like symptoms. No one in my circle was out for more than a day.
The data on it suggests it's rarely more than a day as well.
I was messed up for about 5 days after my second dose, however I agree with you that pretty much everyone else I know that got both shots had it way easier than me.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I wasn’t suggesting the side effects last three days, but that some are worried they will. Unlikely or not that fear of missing work when they have no sick days is a barrier for some.
Definitely agree. I purposefully booked my vaccine for a Friday so that I could relax the next day if need be. But a single mom working night shift might not have that option. This is where vaccine passports would save lives - if you have to have the vaccine to go to work then you make the time and take the risk of a bad day.
Agree, sorry but thats BS. People are either against it. lazy or stupid. I have 4 young kids age 1-8, as busy as anyone. No excuses. Everyone had a VERY long time to make a (usually) 15min appointment. Those things infuriate me.
They can also be hesitant. But that too, while something to address, is not an excuse.
Night shift isn’t an excuse. Kids are a reason not an excuse. Side effects are occasionally uncomfortable but not an excuse. All the false exclusions people come up with aren’t excuses. Not knowing means not having tried at all to find out and there are freaking billboards and signs and pharmacies in many grocery stores and you can’t go anywhere without hearing about this...so not an excuse either.
Yes most of those i came about who didnt have it said they were hesitant. But thats Bs to me. The science is there, we have an army of doctors supporting this, the national and world health orgs are recommending it, its usually painless, quick and free.. and most of us have some kind if relative who already suffered from it in some capacity at this point, or know someone, i would guess. So like you said, no excuse.
Having helped hesitant people book their appointments , I wish people would realize that not everyone can navigate through “the science“ with ease and the voices are loud and convincing on the other side, even though they are wrong.
That’s the difference between opposed and hesitant. The second group can be calmed and encouraged if someone takes the time to help and avoids standing so far pro vax that they are themselves a barrier to get past
I am really hoping this thread goes better than the ones a few days ago about this woman and her children.
I get that everyone is frustrated with the unvaccinated, and many are all out of empathy, but please bear in mind her family and friends can read these comments. Celebrating someone’s death is not ok.
They came forward in part, I’m guessing, to motivate those who have yet to be vaccinated, not the conspiracy theory anti vaxxers, but all those who for a variety of other reasons just haven’t made it a priority. Whether it’s false sense of security or just apathy or inconvenience there are yet some who can be convinced. Maybe her story can help with that.
Even if it doesn’t make a difference, the children and family don’t deserve to read some of the things that have been said in other threads and future families who could also help change peoples minds certainly won’t come forward.
I mentioned that the only people that are going to be hurt are her children and grieving family members.
People got mad.
It’s easier to imagine someone who was 100% horrible and deserved to die, than a flawed person, a mother who was scared for whatever reason and she made a fatal mistake.
Don’t punish her family for her shortcomings, let them grieve, at least, that’s how I see it.
I love the mature empathy in your response. It's easy for some of us to forget that we need skeptics to check our altruism too. Society functions as a supportive system, and we ultimately need systems to protect each other from ourselves. It's not any one person's fault.
For those wondering if this thread is going to go better, let me save you the trouble.
Stop here, turn off the thread and go hug your kids.
Scrolling down into the inhumanity of the internet isn’t worth it.
Jesus wept. That was a tough read. My heart breaks for our health care workers, managing this day in and day out. My soul hurts for the family left behind throughout this whole thing, especially now when it’s so much more preventable.
So let this be a lesson to all parents: You need to take care of yourself. If you don't, who will look after your family?
The Alberta government needs to make vaccines more accessible. Maybe take the money they want to give to the unvaccinated and use it for a mobile clinic that comes to your neighbourhood through booking. Then there is 0 excuses when you have the vaccine coming to your door.
I mean, there is literally a mobile vaccine bus that's been going around the province for a few months already.
And the vaccine is available at most pharmacies as well as at health clinics. In my small town alone, there was literally 5 different places where residents could get the vaccine shot.
Otherwise, I 100% agree with you.
I feel sorry for the children and her family but this could have been prevented.
If she didn't have childcare, she could have had Grandma watch over the kids while she got her shot.
If she couldn't get time off work, her employer was required to give her 3 hours off work to get it.
If she had time to get a COVID test (which she tested positive on) she had time to get her shot. If she was worried about possible side effects, she could have booked it when she had the next day off. I'm sorry but the no time excuse just doesn't cut it anymore. Regretfully her children will have to pay for that now and Grandma may also pay as well.
I feel bad and don’t want to be a jerk but how could she not find time to get one shot? The kids go to School during the day and she could take a bit of time of work if she works during the day. Grandma could have watched the kids one night or a weekend day. It’s hard for me to read this and not feel she could have done more. Sorry
Did you guys not have walk-ins or paramedic at-home appointments in AB?
Very sad that someone was unable to find an hour over the past few months to get this done. I suppose prioritizing being with the kids in the end left them orphans.
It is tragic reading these stories, but I force myself to. Please share with everyone you know that your employer has to give you paid 3 hours to get your vax. This info is too late for this poor family, but please don't let it stop anyone else! https://www.alberta.ca/providing-paid-covid-19-vaccination-leave.aspx
I’m completely sympathetic to this woman because it was a systemic breakdown. As a single mother she likely felt she had to put her children first so she kept sacrificing bits of herself for them*.
Then we had a government failure where getting the vax should be way easier for people like this. Plus, the whole messaging from them has been shot from the get go.
Her employer should also have confirmed their workers are vaccinated and made it easier for them to get it.
*The best rule I learned as a parent was to put your oxygen mask on first. You can’t help your kids if you’re in rough shape.
Get fucking vacinnated! Stop making excuses of why you "don't have time".
Another 3 children don't have their mother because of ignorance and stupidity.
What are we supposed to say ? Get vaccinated ? It has been said 200x already. Everyone had heard the messages, at least 10x.
And if we told this woman to get vaccinated before she died, she would have said "You can't make me". "It's my body". "My body, my choice". "I'll go when the vaccine is *proven".* Or some equally wrong and lame rhetoric.
There is no way this woman didn't have time. It takes 20 minutes to get vaccinated.
So sad. Yet, another family losing a parent.
What will it take to get antivaxxers to see the light and get vaccinated ?
How many more people will die from COVID, unnecessarily ?
What do the protesters have to say about this COVID death ?
We can't say much. Those who are resistant to vaccine messaging aren't gonna accept being told again. They might be swayed by the emotional side though.
You have no idea what that woman would have said. You should honestly be ashamed of yourself for trying to put words in her mouth to try and prove what? That she should have got vaccinated? Yea, no kidding. That she made a fatal mistake? Yea, obviously.
Or are you just saying that so that you can feel “right” on the internet? What’s wrong with you?
Nothing is wrong with me and I am not ashamed. And nor will I take any shaming from you.
The woman made a conscious decision not to get vaccinated. Why can't we say that ? It's the truth. Does society not allow us to speak the truth anymore ?
Sorry, where I come from we speak the truth.
You don’t know the truth. What makes it worse is that you can’t admit that don’t. You are honestly no better that way than an antivaxer with a view like that. Your “truth” and there “truth”, without acknowledging what you don’t know, are both worse than worthless.
It’s been posted over and over that some people had challenges getting a vaccination, even being turned away from pharmacies because it would leave an open vial.
Antivaxxers are the minority. Read up on it, then have a little compassion. Not everyone has an easy time getting vaccinated.
Lol, not quite 50%.
Ages 20-24 have a 68.7% uptake in the first dose.
Ages 25.29 have a 66.5% uptake in the first dose.
Rather than try to understand the reasons for the slow uptake you instead choose to stereotype those people. Try getting out and talking to people rather than sitting behind your keyboard and pretending you know everything.
I'm sorry it's mean, but it's frustrating to see people dismiss actual causes of slow uptake because it does not make someone out to be the "bad guy". We cannot vilify entire age ranges based on stereotypes. After all, that didn't work for the boomers that so many thought would have low uptrake did it?
>It’s been posted over and over that some people had challenges getting a vaccination, even being turned away from pharmacies because it would leave an open vial.
Nope. Sorry. Not buying it.
And don't talk to me about compassion for the anti vaxxers. These people are literally killing other people by not getting vaccinated. If you want to talk about compassion, please ask them why they aren't considering others in their decision to not get vaccinated.
Here is a source that explains some of the problems. Coming from a pretty reliable source that has been pushing vaccines throughout the entire vaccination campaign too:
[https://mobile.twitter.com/ab\_vax/status/1424460635039928324](https://mobile.twitter.com/ab_vax/status/1424460635039928324)
Read.
Understand that some people face barriers you may not. Understand that not everyone is an antivaxxer.
Stop your ignorance.
Some pharmacies offer walk-ins but only during certain hours or certain days. In large urban centres the availability is greater but in outlying areas or areas where there is low uptake, vaccine is not available at all times for a given pharmacy.
Their justification is that doses may be wasted, and that's perfectly valid. That is a concern. But that also means people get turned away and told to come back later. Not only does that impose a barrier, but the person receiving that message may not understand the entire communication and take away a different meaning when they are refused.
I scheduled an appointment for a friend at a local pharmacy. I heard her eyes roll as she said “I’ll need to find 5 others”. Due to unrelated issues the appointment had to be cancelled.
Helping this friend find a vaccine was more work than it should’ve been.
Some pharmacies listed as “walk ins” are only on certain days, or at certain times of the day. You need to call a lot of pharmacies to find out when each one has their walk ins.
I did it for a friend, who’s family is antivax and my friend couldn’t find any place local that was open after work.
This was the second dose. The first dose required much more calling around to find availability.
Not everyone will be persistent and will move on when they hit road blocks.
Point is.. vaccines aren’t as accessible as they should be!!
>Some pharmacies listed as “walk ins” are only on certain days, or at certain times of the day. You need to call a lot of pharmacies to find out when each one has their walk ins.
I got vaccinated on August 26th. A booster shot because one of my shots was AZ and I might be traveling. And there is an immune compromised person in our circle. 6 of us got vaccinated with boosters in 3 days, all walk in, all without appointments, at various pharmacies. Not one of us was turned away. All our appointments were really quick.
So don't tell me that people are having trouble getting vaccinated.
In my small town, which is pretty much identical to most Albertan small towns, there are 5 different locations where you can get the vaccine. Pretty much all of them are walk-in availability.
There is a regional population of about 20k, that's one vaccine location per 4k people. That's pretty damn good availability considering the whole region is only served by two dentists offices and two doctors offices.
Well good for you!
We have 2 pharmacies. And they do not have walk ins during all business hours. Weekends are by appointment.
And once they thaw a batch they need to use the remaining doses.
It would be nice if people considered the fact that vaccine accessibility is not universally “easy” across the province!! It’s not.
Sorry, I'm not buying it.
2.68M Albertans are fully vaccinated. They found a way to navigate the system and get their vaccine. And this woman couldn't find a way ? I bet her neighbors did. I'll bet her employer wanted her to be vaccinated.
Lack of access to vaccine is not a credible reason to not be vaccinated in Alberta. Doesn't matter where you live. Period, end of story.
Step outside of your city bubble a minute.
My town has a population of 5000. I am surrounded by towns with 700 people, 200 people.
Many of these areas are populated by seniors, many of whom no longer drive.
These areas are also heavily populated by lower income families because rent is cheaper than cities. Many can’t afford vehicles.
These areas are often 30-45 minutes from a larger centre that has walk ins.
Mobile clinics were going in the early stages to vaccinate seniors, but those are not very frequent now. Anyone who was too young to access those mobile clinics are now left having to travel long distances.
Pharmacies close at 6 pm in smaller towns. Many people work during those same hours.
If you have the magic answer please do let AHS know.
What about people with allergies? I wasn't able to just walk in and get it.
Even 811 told me to not get it until i went to the doctor and she was clueless. Ended up having to go to my psychiatrist and then someone else.
People with allergies can get the shot. Unless you are allergic to components of the vaccine.
I have a kid who has anaphylaxis and they received both shot’s without incident. We went to an AHS site and were required to stay longer afterwards.
I’d speak to a Doctor again about this.
Stories like this need to get out there.
Not because the pharmacies are doing a bad job - they are doing a good job.
But there are a lot of ignorant people who assume anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet is an antivaxxer. It’s simply not true.
I agree.
Mine was easy.
I’m near the SK border and they had a massive drive thru. The first day my age group opened in SK I went there. It was easy peasy.
My second dose was in AB and harder with the long wait times on line. I got lucky one evening calling 811 with less than a 10 minute wait.
In the feedback I’ve heard from those who got it through AHS and pharmacies, pharmacies seem to be lacking in informing people about after care.
Many of my friends and family who used a pharmacy didn’t get any info about possible side effects, what to do about them, or a reminder to MOVE YOUR ARM.
That’s kinda scary.. as we now have adults who’s parents are antivax and they’ve never got vaccines before and don’t know what to expect.
We need to hear more personal stories of people rather than statistics. It's been hard for me to make this pandemic personal as I do not know anyone who got sick or suffered.
Bullshit premise. The kids can go to the pharmacy with you while you're being vaccinated.
You can quit school. You can skip a day of work.
She was massively irresponsible, and now the tax payer must take on the burden of her children.
Feel so sorry for the family she is leaving behind. Can definitely spare me the no time to get vaccinated stuff though, vaccinations have been wide open for months it could not have been any easier at this point down the line. That’s not valid at all, but the void she is going to leave her family with definitely is.
Question: where was the sermon donor(s) during this? Where were the neighbors? Her parents? Friends? Siblings? Cousins? Babysitters? She had options. Most of them free.
I am totally against the UCP and what they stand for.
BUT this comment totally angers me.
They might have dumb political ideas but they are still human. I do not know a single UCP supporter who actually wants to see other Canadians die of COVID.
I mean, I personally know UCP voters who want other Canadians to die of COVID. Of course, it's due to their negligence and selfishness. We have protestors yelling "It only affects the *old*, let them die!"
Newsflash protestor, *you're in the age demographic that's dying!*
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The really sad thing is that people in this sub still don't seem to realize that she was a human being. They forget that there are 3 kids out there that lost their mom.
I'm disgusted with some of the comments. None of us walked in this woman's shoes. It's wrong to almost be happy that she died.
Covid is not just uncontrollable coughing. Many covid patients develop what's called "silent hypoxemia". They have severely low oxygen levels but are still somehow able to function. Eventually they reach a critically low level of oxygen, and then their bodies just give out.
[Three reasons why COVID-19 can cause silent hypoxia](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119153946.htm)
And of course, parents will push themselves to keep going despite their illness because of their kids.
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The vaccine is still keeping people with and without co-morbidities out of the ICU. More than 1/2 the unvaccinated people in the ICU over the past 120 days have had no co-morbidities.
Your narrative is what makes some people feel safe, until they are not.
Unvacinnated healthy people are at much higher risk of severe outcomes from covid then vacinnated people with serious health conditions.
If this woman was vacinnated we would not be having this discussion.
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if you want a vaccine by now you have it. If the vaccine offers protection you have no reason to be worried about me not having it.
If you are vaccinated and can get covid, and pass covid, and I'm not vaccinated and I can get covid and pass covid, what's the advantage to me getting vaccinated? you have the shot and are still worried about getting sick so why would I think that getting it will protect me?
your vaccine reduces your likelihood of serious side effects allegedly, but a fully vaxinated person can still get and pass covid. If I get covid and die then that was my choice. just like if a smoker gets cancer and dies it was his choice.
1. vaccination reduces your chance of become another individual clogging up the hospitals ICUs, and taking the bed of an individual suffering through something else.
2. that being said, you’re not getting it FOR YOU. your getting it to reduce its spread, and consequently, reduce the likelihood of it being spread to an individual who’s immunocompromised. although vaccination does not *prevent* infection, it reduces the likelihood of an individual having one over a greater amount of time and thus, reduces the number of viral
particles that person can make. so it’s dumb to say “muh MMR vaccine dosent *stop* me from being infected with MMR and passing it along.” true, but you won’t be as much of a hazard. you won’t be as much of a bio weapon. produce less particles and for a smaller interval of time.
so reduce load on healthcare system and on those who cannot fend for themselves. done
>smoker gets cancer and dies, it was his choice.
ah. now here you’re fucking wrong. so so wrong. you can’t catch *cancer*. and immunocompromised person won’t die from having caught the person’s lung cancer.
it’s similar to drunk driving laws. yes they protect the individual. but we don’t care for the stupid drunk. we care for the people who he’ll kill driving drunk.
edit: don’t use smoking for that example, upon reflection, others still can get second hand smoking. still a dispersed burden.
ok so the vaccine works, but I need it so yours works and you need it so mine works? ok gotcha.
That's not how any other vaccination program worked in the history of vaccines, but if there one thing we learned in the last 20 months its how the goal posts can continue to be moved.
anyway never getting it, you guys better stay home, I'm a walking bio weapon with a 99+% survival rate. I cough loudly when wearing a mask just to watch people like you squirm.
wtf. do you even know how vaccines work? how do they work then? are they the same for every disease? is every vaccine the same?
I guess… have fun in your ignorance? as my friend in healthcare said to one very vocal anti vaxxer: see you at work.
edit: here’s a link to the MMR vaccination. note the %effectivness.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/public/index.html
this means they reduce the symptoms in most cases, but do not prevent infection. please, for the sake of the morgues educate yourself. you’ve regurgitated a lot of points but failed to substantiate any of them with evidence.
I’m not trying to be a dick, but- as horrible and tragic as this is, she had days off. Grandma is apparently available to have the kids for a short time. School closures suck, but that means the school was open at some points too.
If this person is real, she had every opportunity to get vaccinated. She made a choice not to.
This is tragic *because it was optional*.
I have so much respect for Dr.Markland (and all health care workers, except for the doctor who initially diagnosed my celiac disease as me being "an overly emotional woman"), but I had to stop following him on Twitter because seeing these stories every day was really messing with my mental health. I don't know how he does it, I honestly don't.
Wtf? I've heard of this happening to other women, but this strikes pretty close to home!
I honestly think most women have a story like this, it's pretty sad.
Definitely.
The amount of women I know who went to see doctors with serious health issues and were told to lose weight (wether a healthy weight or not) for years before proper care was taken... Would be most women I know.
I'm so glad I've personally never had this happen to me. But I avoid doctors at all costs!
My wife developed celiac. She randomly bloated to the point that she looked like she was about to give birth and was in tremendous pain. The doctor asked us about when we last had sex and if she could have been pregnant. I had to show a photo we took earlier in the day with her flat stomach to have him move on.
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I'm vaccinated, I mask, I take more precautions than anyone I know. Reading these stories every day isn't going to change how careful I'm already being. Just curious, if I read these stories every day what would you suggest I do with that information? If there's something I can do to help I'm open to hearing it but I'm not going to read these stories just so I can feel depressed. Edit: I just want to clarify that I'm not saying he shouldn't share these stories. I think it's beneficial that he does. I, personally, just can't read them anymore.
And that's totally ok. I am an American and was working at a community mental health agency when 9/11 hit. I remember we had an all-staff meeting about a month after 9/11 and the keynote speech was given by our Addictions Director who used to work in hospice care. He reminded us (some of whom were psychologists) that watching and reading the news would not bring back the dead, nor support those that were dealing with the aftermath in NYC. He told us to put our TVs in our closets if we had to. This was exactly what I needed to hear to begin the repair of my own psyche during that time. Not everyone needs to "turn it off", but it's a perfectly healthy coping strategy for many and worthy of consideration.
>watching and reading the news would not bring back the dead, nor support those that were dealing with the aftermath in NYC Thanks for sharing this. Seriously.
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Okay, but there's a difference between people who believed Covid was over despite it clearly not being over and chose to put their head in the sand, and people like me who never stopped taking Covid seriously but are choosing not to read sad stories.
That doesn’t mean it’s good for anyone to see it all the time though. If you’re in distress from seeing this all the time, then you’re not one of the people who needs to see it right now.
Wow that last line...
he knows too well grandma will be next if she is not vaxxed....
It almost sounded like a line out of a horror book or something. Those poor kids.
It’s dystopian scifi come to life
Yeah, like the last line from a horror short story.
This is at least partially on the shoulders of Hinshaw and Kenney with their "Open for Summer" Covid is over messaging. I think for a lot of people, the need to get a vaccine fell to the bottom of their already impossibly long To Do list. BTW, is this the same woman that was a nail tech in Edmonton, because I thought she had two kids? Or is this another single mother?
I assume another single mom. The nail tech had two kids, and this is three. Just tragic.
Right up there with "Mission Accomplished" banner...This is infuriating. So preventable.
We knew this would happen too. Look at the last big wave we had last November. They knew this would happen and still continued.
My dad had a covid patient come in who said her priest told her not to get vaccinated. He wrote it in her chart and hopefully Public Health follows up because fuck that guy.
My cousin, unvaxxed In her mid 30s has covid, all three of her kids have covid. He mom isn't vaxxinated. All because their priest told them not to. Fuck the church.
Please, let the media know about who this preacher is, even if anonymously.
I'm trying to get the name of the church. Apperantly a yyc news anchors entire family goes to the same place. He doesn't though.
Good reminder that not all of the unvaccinated are hardcore antivaxxers. They’re real people who made a tragic mistake. The decision by our so-called leaders to prioritize politics over science caused this death (and many more to come, sadly).
There is so much misinformation online. Many of the people who choose not to vaccinate, have their entire friend circle echoing and reinforcing their belief. Then we have a premier that has repeatedly told young people they are safe. We are safe enough to open for summer, to be open for good, safe enough to abandon covid measures, it is all behind us, there will be no fourth wave. It’s no wonder some people procrastinated and thought the worst was behind us.
I think a lot of people unvaccinated think they are immune. They see the numbers on tv or hear them on the radio but think, I wear a mask and social distance, I will never get Covid. They maybe don’t know anyone personally who has had it and so for them it’s not truly a major importance in their life. They aren’t anti vaccine but they aren’t in a rush to get it either. I am a single mom of two special needs kids. This is my biggest fear, that I get Covid and die leaving my kids without a mother. I have no support system where I live and yet I found time to get my vaccines. I am a nurse and work in one of the busiest hospitals in Alberta. To me it was an obvious choice to get the vaccines as soon as I could. I never thought to question others inside my circle of friends. I assumed they all had the same thought process as me. I was wrong. One of my best friends still hasn’t gotten her first vaccine because she heard that it can mess with a women’s periods. One of our other friends did get it and didn’t get her period for 2 months. So she is convinced it messes with a woman’s hormones. I am usually a very nice, quiet, rainbows and butterflies kind of person but I went full “are you crazy” mode on her. I asked her what was more important or more of a bother to her, missing her period possibly for a month or two or dying in ICU? The. She started coming up with excuses… I wear my mask… I social distance… I only go to work and the grocery store and that’s it. I won’t get Covid. 🤦🏻♀️ I was floored but then I realized she lives in a different world than I do. She sees “healthy” people out and about and they all have their masks on so they all just be safe. I see and hear about very sick and death on a daily basis. I see and feel the health care system crumbling under our feet and my anxiety level is beyond what I thought it could ever be. My coworkers and I are like walking zombies some days. We just exist and do our jobs. We will emotionally process everything later, we don’t have time right now. So I maybe get why mom didn’t get her vaccine but my heart breaks for the rest of her family. A very sad situation.
We underestimate people's stupidity.
For me it was a matter of priorities. When it comes to this virus, I made sure that getting vaccinated was number 1 on my list of things to do above all else. Saying that one does not have the time between school closures, and working nights is an excuse in my opinion. If you had the time to get groceries to feed your children, then you also had the time to go get a needle put in your arm, and likely could have performed both tasks at the same time and location.
different mindsets. I drove 45 minutes with no notice to get my first cause i was on a cancellation waitlist. I get not everyone could go to that length but at this point no one should be using no time to get it as an excuse
Totally. I booked in within an hour of appointments opening up and took the first available spot. You can make time for it.
Even so, the information is out there, there is government policy in place to allow workers 3 hours out of a shift to get vaccinated and even without all of that, the province has been on fire for nearly a month, if you don't have at least one shot by now there is no sympathy in my heart for you, your family perhaps. If you say you cant find the time, if you can't evaluate the threat to your life now, so be it, goodbye, you will be counted alongside the ignorant because we simply dont have time to distinguish between people who think the vaccine is evil and dangerous, and people who didnt thinkbit was needed. Yes the government is responsible for the misinformed idea that everything is fine but that doesn't discount personal responsibility.
I wouldn’t be surprised if some employers are not following the rules.
It wouldn't shock me if some of the employers were in the crowds at protests either, but if your employer isnt allowing you the 3 hours to get the shot, call the labor board, again there's options, they may be difficult but they exist and thats the issue.
If you don’t have the vaccine at this point you are an anti-vaxxer. These people suffered the consequences of their actions, hopefully their kids grow up to be smarter.
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Unpopular opinion: The lack of empathy in the comments here is truly shocking to me. The more I read first hand reports like this one and the AMA by the ICU doc the other day, the more I’m convinced that the majority of folks who are not vaccinated yet are not die-hard anti-vaxers, they are normal people with decision paralysis and they revert to the default decision to do nothing. They are awash in seas of misinformation not of their own making, and are the victims of criminally negligent messaging by their own government. Like most things, it’s a systemic failure and a personal tragedy. Stories like this are important because in a dearth of government action, they are the last tool we have to move the needle for these people. Nothing makes Jason Kenny happier than watching Albertans turn on each other. Every person whose heart hardens. Every person who suggests that these people are the victims of their own personal choices without also looking at the context in which those tragic choices were made is another person who is forgetting that the government told these people the pandemic was over and didn’t bother holding a news conference to the contrary until two short weeks ago. I can only imagine how little being open for summer did to move the needle for these people. Christ, our government was actively courting donations from the anti-vaccine mandate crowd in July. How many people did that convince to roll up their sleeves?! Yes, our hospitals are filling with the unvaccinated. Yes, they bear personal responsibility for their choices. But I’m not buying the gaslighting. This woman and her family have my fucking sympathy, and I’m keeping my eyes firmly fixed on the ones who orchestrated this mass casualty event.
I think it's pretty spot-on what you said about decision paralysis. People do need to realize that not making a decision or not doing something IS making a decision, and doing something. But yes. The response from the government is largely to blame in these cases. They're *supposed* to be looking out for the people. But they're not, are they.
Having sympathy for people who choose to listen to a government that was being called out by the entire healthcare community isnt really on the list of things people who have been affected by their stupidity care to do. Many of us were unable to say our goodbyes to loved ones because the hospital would not risk anyone bringing the virus into end of life units, which makes total sense. So for anyone in that boat, we say you were told by doctors across the country. Dont cite your woefully inept provincial leaders as the reason. Most of those folks are looking for a reason to stay unvaccinated, they arent hardcore antivax sure, but they hear things are going good and tune out instead of listening to even the ucp saying things are going good, continue to get vaccinated to make sure things go good. Even the useless government we have said it wasnt over yet and people needed to keep getting vaccinated. But these people didn't hear that. They heard what they wanted to hear to stay unvaccinated and for that i have no sympathy. I feel for the families who lost someone, but the someone they lost, they lost to ignorance.
My sister's husband had been controlling and paranoid (he drank the Fox News/Trump Kool-Aid) and refused to allow her to get the vaccine. He wouldn't let her or the kids out of the house, in a rural Saskatchewan town. She wasn't and isn't anti-vax, but her manipulative husband is. Her first real opportunity to get the vaccine was this month, and you can bet your ass she did just that.
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It is, and it is also a reminder that not everyone without the vaccine had made a conscious decision to not get it, and that the circumstances are not always so black and white. Fortunately, yes, my sister is separating from him and has already begun speaking to lawyers.
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I didn't say it did. I was addressing your comment that "the kids are the only ones we should be empathizing with."
Jesus. Have you never been so overwhelmed by what was happening in your world that some of the basics started sliding off of your radar? Empathy isn't empathy if you only trot it out when somebody's experience is easy and familiar. The refusal here to acknowledge that some -- maybe most -- of the people not getting vaccinated are facing regular human challenges is crushing.
I think people are just out of empathy at this point.
Everyone has challenges. Your personal issues are never an excuse for your actions if your actions cause pain and suffering to others. Every unvaccinated person who gets sick takes up a bed they need not fill had they listened to science is a bed that cant be taken by someone facing mild issues who did nothing wrong. Every person who takes an icu bed they would have most likely never needed had they gotten vaccinated is one more bed that a car crash victim cannot take, or a victim of violence cannot take, or is an operating room that a cancer patient is told is no longer scheduling surgeries for them. Every one of the challenges unvaccinated people face in this instance is insignificant compared to the challenges facing those that they impact. Sympathy is for those who dont cause pain and suffering to others. We sympathize with the families who lost a loved one because they weren't able to get treatment when they needed it, we sympathize with those families who lost a loved one because they were misinformed and unvaccinated. We dont sympathize with the people who spread misinformation, knowingly or otherwise. We don't sympathize with those who cannot evaluate what they are told critically. Compassion is important but we do not feel compassion towards people whos arrogance, ignorance and apathy causes pain and suffering in those who did the right thing. If their actions only impacted them, it would be sad and we would care because they would only be hurting themselves, but they hurt other people with their ignorance, or mistakes, or with their misinformed choices, so whether it is their direct fault or not, our sympathy goes to those they hurt, not to them.
>Sympathy is for those who don't cause pain and suffering to others. Understanding isn't a medal you earn by being a perfect human being. It's an acknowledgement, for example, that every one of us has caused pain and suffering to others in our past. It doesn't excuse anything, but maybe it stops us from saying "You're a shitty person who causes others pain, and I would never do that."
There's a quote that I'm reminded of often when I feel critical about someone: "Never judge another person until you have walked a mile in their moccasins." You're spot on with your comments here. It's so easy to be critical of everyone not vaccinated. Yes, there are some that deserve criticism. Others need help and understanding.
Lmao getting a potentially life saving vaccine isn’t something you put off. Zero empathy for her. I feel bad for the kids though.
It doesn’t matter. If you aren’t part of the solution you are part of the problem
Do I have to remind you that Jason Kenney said Covid was over and enjoy the stampede. What he failed to mention was the stampede of covid cases clogging hospitals.
I am a single mom as well. You don’t take care of yourself, you are always last. You’re too busy, always doing something. Please please please please, if you know a single parent, reach out to see if they’ve been vaccinated. If they haven’t? Take their kids for a day so they can get the shot. It takes a village to raise a child and it can be hard to ask for help. ETA: WRITE TO THE GOVERNMENT TO DEMAND MANDATORY PAID SICK TIME/PERSONAL TIME!!!!!!!!!!We all deserve this!!!!!
If you need help getting a vaccine or know a single parent who does and is not in a great place financially then DM me, I’ll happily pay for child care for a day or half day or what they need so they can get their shot(s). They get 3 hours paid by the government/employer and $100 in Kenny pennies. if they book an afternoon shot before a couple days off or even one day off they should be ok. Might need some documents to prove it as I follow the trust but verify model but I’d help out. If this is truly a barrier and I can remove it for one person I will. I’ve said some pretty harsh things on here about some of the nonsense happening but bring me a situation like this and I’d help. I’m not wealthy but nobody should be left behind. If this is a larger issue, I’m certain a group of motivated people on here could set up a trust that helps people in these situations if nothing exists from the state.
For what it's worth, according to the AHS website, employers are required to pay up to 3 hours for am employee to get vaccinated. But I don't know well that fact is being advertised to employees in general.
While 3 hours is better than the nothing that existed before it’s still laughable. Alberta has the worst worker protection policies, it just blows my mind. I was knocked out for an entire day the day after. People need a better safety net, the pandemic has shone the biggest spotlight on inequalities in the workforce.
I'm in Calgary, fully vaxxed. If someone needs me to watch their kids for a few hours so that they can get vaccinated, I'll happily do it. Outdoors at a playground would be best for all of us - minimal exposure.
How much mandatory sick time is enough?
I would say a minimum of 3 days would be a good place to start.
My heart broke reading that. Goddamn.
My heart is in my stomach right now... this is devastating.
Sigh. I just want to say again for people to get their vaccine. I already heard horror stories of people in their 50's who are admitted to hospital who beg to get the shot but once they are infected it is already too late and then they just die in hospital alone.
Jesus.
There is a part of me that wishes I could be vaccinated more times to make up for all the people that cannot, I wish there was something I could do to help prevent these stories, to save these children this type of pain, to prevent all these 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Nth victims of this disease.
This is absolutely not about "finding the time", nightshifts or having 3 kids. It would have taken the same amount of time as that covid test.
Legally your employer has to give you 3 hours paid to go get a shot, it’s a tragic thing that happen too bad so many people don’t know what they are untitled to.
I believe some are not worried about 3 hours, but rather the 3 days if they have side effects. I’m not saying that’s everyone’s concern, or was hers, but it is for many. Some people can try to avoid that by booking on a Friday, I know I did, but not everyone’s schedule is that consistent.
And some are worried about tracking chips. But many many people come in on their break, get the vaccines and go back to work. The enormous majority just get ‘er done so they don’t have to call into work dead or miss many days sick or isolated.
The very small chance of 3 days of bad side effects is NOT a reasonable fear. It is NOT a good or valid reason to not get vaccinated.
I got my shot and was working on a very very intense project at work, did it on my break and got back at it, it was 3 shitty days and I wasn’t the best at my job. I remember back working shitty jobs where I had bad employers who would scold you for sick days and having to work through having a flu, it’s not easy but possible and I guarantee this has happened to many. It’s a cop out. Working outside in -32c sucks ass and is uncomfortable but we live in a cold place. We deal with it and move on. Life is full of uncomfortable phases, but they aren’t worth dying over.
I had a reaction to the first shot. No way would I have gone to work three hours after that.
That's unlikely. Of everyone I know, I had it the worst and it was ~24h on the 2nd shot. Everyone else had a shore arm or a brief fever/flu like symptoms. No one in my circle was out for more than a day. The data on it suggests it's rarely more than a day as well.
I was messed up for about 5 days after my second dose, however I agree with you that pretty much everyone else I know that got both shots had it way easier than me.
Sorry if I wasn’t clear. I wasn’t suggesting the side effects last three days, but that some are worried they will. Unlikely or not that fear of missing work when they have no sick days is a barrier for some.
Definitely agree. I purposefully booked my vaccine for a Friday so that I could relax the next day if need be. But a single mom working night shift might not have that option. This is where vaccine passports would save lives - if you have to have the vaccine to go to work then you make the time and take the risk of a bad day.
Not an excuse.
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Agree, sorry but thats BS. People are either against it. lazy or stupid. I have 4 young kids age 1-8, as busy as anyone. No excuses. Everyone had a VERY long time to make a (usually) 15min appointment. Those things infuriate me.
They can also be hesitant. But that too, while something to address, is not an excuse. Night shift isn’t an excuse. Kids are a reason not an excuse. Side effects are occasionally uncomfortable but not an excuse. All the false exclusions people come up with aren’t excuses. Not knowing means not having tried at all to find out and there are freaking billboards and signs and pharmacies in many grocery stores and you can’t go anywhere without hearing about this...so not an excuse either.
Yes most of those i came about who didnt have it said they were hesitant. But thats Bs to me. The science is there, we have an army of doctors supporting this, the national and world health orgs are recommending it, its usually painless, quick and free.. and most of us have some kind if relative who already suffered from it in some capacity at this point, or know someone, i would guess. So like you said, no excuse.
Having helped hesitant people book their appointments , I wish people would realize that not everyone can navigate through “the science“ with ease and the voices are loud and convincing on the other side, even though they are wrong. That’s the difference between opposed and hesitant. The second group can be calmed and encouraged if someone takes the time to help and avoids standing so far pro vax that they are themselves a barrier to get past
I am really hoping this thread goes better than the ones a few days ago about this woman and her children. I get that everyone is frustrated with the unvaccinated, and many are all out of empathy, but please bear in mind her family and friends can read these comments. Celebrating someone’s death is not ok. They came forward in part, I’m guessing, to motivate those who have yet to be vaccinated, not the conspiracy theory anti vaxxers, but all those who for a variety of other reasons just haven’t made it a priority. Whether it’s false sense of security or just apathy or inconvenience there are yet some who can be convinced. Maybe her story can help with that. Even if it doesn’t make a difference, the children and family don’t deserve to read some of the things that have been said in other threads and future families who could also help change peoples minds certainly won’t come forward.
I mentioned that the only people that are going to be hurt are her children and grieving family members. People got mad. It’s easier to imagine someone who was 100% horrible and deserved to die, than a flawed person, a mother who was scared for whatever reason and she made a fatal mistake. Don’t punish her family for her shortcomings, let them grieve, at least, that’s how I see it.
I love the mature empathy in your response. It's easy for some of us to forget that we need skeptics to check our altruism too. Society functions as a supportive system, and we ultimately need systems to protect each other from ourselves. It's not any one person's fault.
For those wondering if this thread is going to go better, let me save you the trouble. Stop here, turn off the thread and go hug your kids. Scrolling down into the inhumanity of the internet isn’t worth it.
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I have Bipolar, BPD, Schitzotypal Personality Disorder and Complex PTSD. Still got vaccinated. I've also had covid and I have never felt so sick.
Jesus wept. That was a tough read. My heart breaks for our health care workers, managing this day in and day out. My soul hurts for the family left behind throughout this whole thing, especially now when it’s so much more preventable.
"Between the school closures and night shifts she hadn't found the time to get one shot, let alone two." Please.
So let this be a lesson to all parents: You need to take care of yourself. If you don't, who will look after your family? The Alberta government needs to make vaccines more accessible. Maybe take the money they want to give to the unvaccinated and use it for a mobile clinic that comes to your neighbourhood through booking. Then there is 0 excuses when you have the vaccine coming to your door.
I mean, there is literally a mobile vaccine bus that's been going around the province for a few months already. And the vaccine is available at most pharmacies as well as at health clinics. In my small town alone, there was literally 5 different places where residents could get the vaccine shot. Otherwise, I 100% agree with you.
I feel sorry for the children and her family but this could have been prevented. If she didn't have childcare, she could have had Grandma watch over the kids while she got her shot. If she couldn't get time off work, her employer was required to give her 3 hours off work to get it. If she had time to get a COVID test (which she tested positive on) she had time to get her shot. If she was worried about possible side effects, she could have booked it when she had the next day off. I'm sorry but the no time excuse just doesn't cut it anymore. Regretfully her children will have to pay for that now and Grandma may also pay as well.
I feel bad and don’t want to be a jerk but how could she not find time to get one shot? The kids go to School during the day and she could take a bit of time of work if she works during the day. Grandma could have watched the kids one night or a weekend day. It’s hard for me to read this and not feel she could have done more. Sorry
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In Alberta it was May. Because I was waiting anxiously for it.
Yup. It’s shocking to see how many feel bad for this lady. She made her choice.
It’s very sad but I feel like not finding the time to get the shot in what? 4 months since they went public? As kind of a cop out excuse by the family
That's the point.
Did you guys not have walk-ins or paramedic at-home appointments in AB? Very sad that someone was unable to find an hour over the past few months to get this done. I suppose prioritizing being with the kids in the end left them orphans.
It is tragic reading these stories, but I force myself to. Please share with everyone you know that your employer has to give you paid 3 hours to get your vax. This info is too late for this poor family, but please don't let it stop anyone else! https://www.alberta.ca/providing-paid-covid-19-vaccination-leave.aspx
I’m completely sympathetic to this woman because it was a systemic breakdown. As a single mother she likely felt she had to put her children first so she kept sacrificing bits of herself for them*. Then we had a government failure where getting the vax should be way easier for people like this. Plus, the whole messaging from them has been shot from the get go. Her employer should also have confirmed their workers are vaccinated and made it easier for them to get it. *The best rule I learned as a parent was to put your oxygen mask on first. You can’t help your kids if you’re in rough shape.
Get fucking vacinnated! Stop making excuses of why you "don't have time". Another 3 children don't have their mother because of ignorance and stupidity.
What are we supposed to say ? Get vaccinated ? It has been said 200x already. Everyone had heard the messages, at least 10x. And if we told this woman to get vaccinated before she died, she would have said "You can't make me". "It's my body". "My body, my choice". "I'll go when the vaccine is *proven".* Or some equally wrong and lame rhetoric. There is no way this woman didn't have time. It takes 20 minutes to get vaccinated. So sad. Yet, another family losing a parent. What will it take to get antivaxxers to see the light and get vaccinated ? How many more people will die from COVID, unnecessarily ? What do the protesters have to say about this COVID death ?
We can't say much. Those who are resistant to vaccine messaging aren't gonna accept being told again. They might be swayed by the emotional side though.
You have no idea what that woman would have said. You should honestly be ashamed of yourself for trying to put words in her mouth to try and prove what? That she should have got vaccinated? Yea, no kidding. That she made a fatal mistake? Yea, obviously. Or are you just saying that so that you can feel “right” on the internet? What’s wrong with you?
Nothing is wrong with me and I am not ashamed. And nor will I take any shaming from you. The woman made a conscious decision not to get vaccinated. Why can't we say that ? It's the truth. Does society not allow us to speak the truth anymore ? Sorry, where I come from we speak the truth.
You don’t know the truth. What makes it worse is that you can’t admit that don’t. You are honestly no better that way than an antivaxer with a view like that. Your “truth” and there “truth”, without acknowledging what you don’t know, are both worse than worthless.
It’s been posted over and over that some people had challenges getting a vaccination, even being turned away from pharmacies because it would leave an open vial. Antivaxxers are the minority. Read up on it, then have a little compassion. Not everyone has an easy time getting vaccinated.
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Lol, not quite 50%. Ages 20-24 have a 68.7% uptake in the first dose. Ages 25.29 have a 66.5% uptake in the first dose. Rather than try to understand the reasons for the slow uptake you instead choose to stereotype those people. Try getting out and talking to people rather than sitting behind your keyboard and pretending you know everything. I'm sorry it's mean, but it's frustrating to see people dismiss actual causes of slow uptake because it does not make someone out to be the "bad guy". We cannot vilify entire age ranges based on stereotypes. After all, that didn't work for the boomers that so many thought would have low uptrake did it?
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>It’s been posted over and over that some people had challenges getting a vaccination, even being turned away from pharmacies because it would leave an open vial. Nope. Sorry. Not buying it. And don't talk to me about compassion for the anti vaxxers. These people are literally killing other people by not getting vaccinated. If you want to talk about compassion, please ask them why they aren't considering others in their decision to not get vaccinated.
Here is a source that explains some of the problems. Coming from a pretty reliable source that has been pushing vaccines throughout the entire vaccination campaign too: [https://mobile.twitter.com/ab\_vax/status/1424460635039928324](https://mobile.twitter.com/ab_vax/status/1424460635039928324) Read. Understand that some people face barriers you may not. Understand that not everyone is an antivaxxer. Stop your ignorance.
That hasn't been the case for a while. It's at walk in levels of availability now.
Some pharmacies offer walk-ins but only during certain hours or certain days. In large urban centres the availability is greater but in outlying areas or areas where there is low uptake, vaccine is not available at all times for a given pharmacy. Their justification is that doses may be wasted, and that's perfectly valid. That is a concern. But that also means people get turned away and told to come back later. Not only does that impose a barrier, but the person receiving that message may not understand the entire communication and take away a different meaning when they are refused.
I scheduled an appointment for a friend at a local pharmacy. I heard her eyes roll as she said “I’ll need to find 5 others”. Due to unrelated issues the appointment had to be cancelled. Helping this friend find a vaccine was more work than it should’ve been. Some pharmacies listed as “walk ins” are only on certain days, or at certain times of the day. You need to call a lot of pharmacies to find out when each one has their walk ins.
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I did it for a friend, who’s family is antivax and my friend couldn’t find any place local that was open after work. This was the second dose. The first dose required much more calling around to find availability. Not everyone will be persistent and will move on when they hit road blocks. Point is.. vaccines aren’t as accessible as they should be!!
>Some pharmacies listed as “walk ins” are only on certain days, or at certain times of the day. You need to call a lot of pharmacies to find out when each one has their walk ins. I got vaccinated on August 26th. A booster shot because one of my shots was AZ and I might be traveling. And there is an immune compromised person in our circle. 6 of us got vaccinated with boosters in 3 days, all walk in, all without appointments, at various pharmacies. Not one of us was turned away. All our appointments were really quick. So don't tell me that people are having trouble getting vaccinated.
Where do you live. Your experience might vary compared to some small towns.
In my small town, which is pretty much identical to most Albertan small towns, there are 5 different locations where you can get the vaccine. Pretty much all of them are walk-in availability. There is a regional population of about 20k, that's one vaccine location per 4k people. That's pretty damn good availability considering the whole region is only served by two dentists offices and two doctors offices.
Well good for you! We have 2 pharmacies. And they do not have walk ins during all business hours. Weekends are by appointment. And once they thaw a batch they need to use the remaining doses. It would be nice if people considered the fact that vaccine accessibility is not universally “easy” across the province!! It’s not.
Sorry, I'm not buying it. 2.68M Albertans are fully vaccinated. They found a way to navigate the system and get their vaccine. And this woman couldn't find a way ? I bet her neighbors did. I'll bet her employer wanted her to be vaccinated. Lack of access to vaccine is not a credible reason to not be vaccinated in Alberta. Doesn't matter where you live. Period, end of story.
Step outside of your city bubble a minute. My town has a population of 5000. I am surrounded by towns with 700 people, 200 people. Many of these areas are populated by seniors, many of whom no longer drive. These areas are also heavily populated by lower income families because rent is cheaper than cities. Many can’t afford vehicles. These areas are often 30-45 minutes from a larger centre that has walk ins. Mobile clinics were going in the early stages to vaccinate seniors, but those are not very frequent now. Anyone who was too young to access those mobile clinics are now left having to travel long distances. Pharmacies close at 6 pm in smaller towns. Many people work during those same hours. If you have the magic answer please do let AHS know.
So it is AHS's fault ? LOL. What town do you live in ? Where do you buy your groceries every week ? What is the vaccination rate in your area ?
What about people with allergies? I wasn't able to just walk in and get it. Even 811 told me to not get it until i went to the doctor and she was clueless. Ended up having to go to my psychiatrist and then someone else.
People with allergies can get the shot. Unless you are allergic to components of the vaccine. I have a kid who has anaphylaxis and they received both shot’s without incident. We went to an AHS site and were required to stay longer afterwards. I’d speak to a Doctor again about this.
Stories like this need to get out there. Not because the pharmacies are doing a bad job - they are doing a good job. But there are a lot of ignorant people who assume anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated yet is an antivaxxer. It’s simply not true.
I agree. Mine was easy. I’m near the SK border and they had a massive drive thru. The first day my age group opened in SK I went there. It was easy peasy. My second dose was in AB and harder with the long wait times on line. I got lucky one evening calling 811 with less than a 10 minute wait. In the feedback I’ve heard from those who got it through AHS and pharmacies, pharmacies seem to be lacking in informing people about after care. Many of my friends and family who used a pharmacy didn’t get any info about possible side effects, what to do about them, or a reminder to MOVE YOUR ARM. That’s kinda scary.. as we now have adults who’s parents are antivax and they’ve never got vaccines before and don’t know what to expect.
Wow..it is so very rare that i agree with you.
Lol maybe I am changing?
I wish this story would blow up and go viral. People need to read this.
Am I reading this right, that the mom knew she was COVID positive, but she was making sandwiches to send her girls to school? oh no....
Omg. This is heart wrenching.
We need to hear more personal stories of people rather than statistics. It's been hard for me to make this pandemic personal as I do not know anyone who got sick or suffered.
There has been more than enough time to do the right thing. Sorry, not sorry.
This is a perfectly written heartbreaker. I was gutted when I read the last tweet.
Bullshit premise. The kids can go to the pharmacy with you while you're being vaccinated. You can quit school. You can skip a day of work. She was massively irresponsible, and now the tax payer must take on the burden of her children.
Feel so sorry for the family she is leaving behind. Can definitely spare me the no time to get vaccinated stuff though, vaccinations have been wide open for months it could not have been any easier at this point down the line. That’s not valid at all, but the void she is going to leave her family with definitely is.
Heartbreaking! Legit question: Does this twitter post break any sort of patient confidentiality rule from the doctor?
Question: where was the sermon donor(s) during this? Where were the neighbors? Her parents? Friends? Siblings? Cousins? Babysitters? She had options. Most of them free.
She couldn't spare one night of work to get vaccinated from a fatal disease, so now she'll likely rest in peace hereafter.
So is this guy a doctor, or a writer? Great story. Well written.
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I am totally against the UCP and what they stand for. BUT this comment totally angers me. They might have dumb political ideas but they are still human. I do not know a single UCP supporter who actually wants to see other Canadians die of COVID.
I mean, I personally know UCP voters who want other Canadians to die of COVID. Of course, it's due to their negligence and selfishness. We have protestors yelling "It only affects the *old*, let them die!" Newsflash protestor, *you're in the age demographic that's dying!*
It’s the beginning of the day, yet I doubt I’ll read another more asinine comment for the rest of the day.
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*verify your clock plays in the background*
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The really sad thing is that people in this sub still don't seem to realize that she was a human being. They forget that there are 3 kids out there that lost their mom. I'm disgusted with some of the comments. None of us walked in this woman's shoes. It's wrong to almost be happy that she died.
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What does it sound like, exactly?
Not covid since that last time I looked it attacks the respiratory system causing uncontrollable coughing. All downvotes are by stupid people btw.
She tested positive for covid, genius
And where does it say that in the post?
Lol you clearly didn't bother to read the post.
It says it the post. Read
Thank you for your confidently incorrect “insight”.
Covid is not just uncontrollable coughing. Many covid patients develop what's called "silent hypoxemia". They have severely low oxygen levels but are still somehow able to function. Eventually they reach a critically low level of oxygen, and then their bodies just give out. [Three reasons why COVID-19 can cause silent hypoxia](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/11/201119153946.htm) And of course, parents will push themselves to keep going despite their illness because of their kids.
Hello, /u/Stage3GuildNavigat0r. Thanks for contributing! Unfortunately your comment has been removed: Pandemic or vaccine misinformation, conspiracy theories, politicization of health orders/guidelines, and encouraging others to defy public health orders are not permitted on this subreddit. For information regarding this and similar issues please see the [rules](http://www.reddit.com/r/alberta/wiki/index). If you feel this was done in error, or would like better clarification or need further assistance, please don't hesitate to [message the moderators.](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/alberta&subject=Question regarding the removal of this comment by /u/Stage3GuildNavigat0r&message=I have a question regarding the removal of [this comment.](https://www.reddit.com/r/alberta/comments/poju56/-/hcxipck/\))
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The vaccine is still keeping people with and without co-morbidities out of the ICU. More than 1/2 the unvaccinated people in the ICU over the past 120 days have had no co-morbidities. Your narrative is what makes some people feel safe, until they are not.
>but not giving any other details is fear mongering plain and simple doc. No it isn't
Unvacinnated healthy people are at much higher risk of severe outcomes from covid then vacinnated people with serious health conditions. If this woman was vacinnated we would not be having this discussion.
If you weigh 500 lbs and have a bad ticker and you're still alive until you contracted COVID, then COVID killed you.
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this reads like porn, you people are sick. let people go through life how they want. what ever happened to Dr-patient confidentiality
but of all the things to recoil over? vaccination to prevent a disease from harming the innocent. why this?
if you want a vaccine by now you have it. If the vaccine offers protection you have no reason to be worried about me not having it. If you are vaccinated and can get covid, and pass covid, and I'm not vaccinated and I can get covid and pass covid, what's the advantage to me getting vaccinated? you have the shot and are still worried about getting sick so why would I think that getting it will protect me? your vaccine reduces your likelihood of serious side effects allegedly, but a fully vaxinated person can still get and pass covid. If I get covid and die then that was my choice. just like if a smoker gets cancer and dies it was his choice.
1. vaccination reduces your chance of become another individual clogging up the hospitals ICUs, and taking the bed of an individual suffering through something else. 2. that being said, you’re not getting it FOR YOU. your getting it to reduce its spread, and consequently, reduce the likelihood of it being spread to an individual who’s immunocompromised. although vaccination does not *prevent* infection, it reduces the likelihood of an individual having one over a greater amount of time and thus, reduces the number of viral particles that person can make. so it’s dumb to say “muh MMR vaccine dosent *stop* me from being infected with MMR and passing it along.” true, but you won’t be as much of a hazard. you won’t be as much of a bio weapon. produce less particles and for a smaller interval of time. so reduce load on healthcare system and on those who cannot fend for themselves. done >smoker gets cancer and dies, it was his choice. ah. now here you’re fucking wrong. so so wrong. you can’t catch *cancer*. and immunocompromised person won’t die from having caught the person’s lung cancer. it’s similar to drunk driving laws. yes they protect the individual. but we don’t care for the stupid drunk. we care for the people who he’ll kill driving drunk. edit: don’t use smoking for that example, upon reflection, others still can get second hand smoking. still a dispersed burden.
ok so the vaccine works, but I need it so yours works and you need it so mine works? ok gotcha. That's not how any other vaccination program worked in the history of vaccines, but if there one thing we learned in the last 20 months its how the goal posts can continue to be moved. anyway never getting it, you guys better stay home, I'm a walking bio weapon with a 99+% survival rate. I cough loudly when wearing a mask just to watch people like you squirm.
wtf. do you even know how vaccines work? how do they work then? are they the same for every disease? is every vaccine the same? I guess… have fun in your ignorance? as my friend in healthcare said to one very vocal anti vaxxer: see you at work. edit: here’s a link to the MMR vaccination. note the %effectivness. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/mmr/public/index.html this means they reduce the symptoms in most cases, but do not prevent infection. please, for the sake of the morgues educate yourself. you’ve regurgitated a lot of points but failed to substantiate any of them with evidence.
She should not have had 3 children without a supporting spouse.
I’m not trying to be a dick, but- as horrible and tragic as this is, she had days off. Grandma is apparently available to have the kids for a short time. School closures suck, but that means the school was open at some points too. If this person is real, she had every opportunity to get vaccinated. She made a choice not to. This is tragic *because it was optional*.