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osodecanelaI wanted protection.
It’s been hard to come by; supply has been short. Everyone seems to want it. Nobody has it. They all blame the supplier, as though he’s sitting on a stockpile, hoarding it, increasing the ambient demand.
I’m talking about Shingrix, the new shingles vaccine.
I’ve seen shingles, more times than I can count. For most, it’s an annoyance; for a rare few, it’s chronic agony. I knew it was somewhere I don’t want to go. I took the original vaccine when I turned 60. Had to argue with my then insurer, but in the end they covered it. Coverage has gotten much better over the years since and when the new vaccine was released most plans covered it for anyone 50 on up.
I took my first dose October 1st. You’re supposed to get your second 2 months later, and no later than 6 months. Given the short supplies, I was beginning to doubt I was going to succeed. Waiting lists with pharmacies have been 200 people long. I needed to fill an ear drop prescription so I thought I’d try Walmart where I was on the waiting list. They had a single dose that had been ear marked for someone and after a week of work waiting for them to show, the pharmacist decided I would be the fortunate one to get that single dose.
It’s been hard to come by; supply has been short. Everyone seems to want it. Nobody has it. They all blame the supplier, as though he’s sitting on a stockpile, hoarding it, increasing the ambient demand.
I’m talking about Shingrix, the new shingles vaccine.
I’ve seen shingles, more times than I can count. For most, it’s an annoyance; for a rare few, it’s chronic agony. I knew it was somewhere I don’t want to go. I took the original vaccine when I turned 60. Had to argue with my then insurer, but in the end they covered it. Coverage has gotten much better over the years since and when the new vaccine was released most plans covered it for anyone 50 on up.
I took my first dose October 1st. You’re supposed to get your second 2 months later, and no later than 6 months. Given the short supplies, I was beginning to doubt I was going to succeed. Waiting lists with pharmacies have been 200 people long. I needed to fill an ear drop prescription so I thought I’d try Walmart where I was on the waiting list. They had a single dose that had been ear marked for someone and after a week of work waiting for them to show, the pharmacist decided I would be the fortunate one to get that single dose.
no subject
Date: 2018-12-29 02:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-12-29 02:38 pm (UTC)My advice is call a couple of local pharmacies and get on their list to be called when the vaccine is available again. Unless you’re part of a large hmo like Kaiser, most docs don’t keep this vaccine in the office. Under Medicare this vaccine is a part D benefit, meaning the pharmacy can bill Medicare for the vaccine; the doctor cannot.