Some public health experts hope that Americans will welcome the new shot as they would a flu jab. But demand for the vaccine has dropped sharply since 2021 when it first became available and more than 240 million people in the U.S., or 73% of the population, received at least one shot.
In the fall of 2022, by which time most people had either had the COVID virus or the vaccine, fewer than 50 million people got the shots.
Is anyone else super annoyed by the use of the word “jab” in news articles/headlines? It just sounds so unprofessional.
Isn’t “jab” what people from the UK call it? In the US, we just call them “shots.” That’s not necessarily any better. Or worse, for that matter.
I’ve seen US publications use it, too. But knowing it’s a UK thing makes me feel better about it for some reason…
“Jab” got adopted in the US when the disinformation memes and stuff started flooding into social media. The creators of the memes learned British English, so they used British slang.
Absolutely. I don’t understand why headlines try so hard to use slang.
It’s just the word for it in the UK. Not the formal medical one, but I’d hardly call it slang either.
Probably to get in on that sweet sweet clickbait money
I’ve had 5 shots and would take more if offered. Make it an annual thing!!
Yeah I’m kinda prepared for that life. I got a second booster about year ago. Along with my annual flu shot. I have no problem with getting two shots instead of one each year.
Now how the heck do I get the booster without having to sign up on a website and agree to an arbitration clause? Because hell no, I’m not going to agree to that.
I’ve usually just walked into a local pharmacy and asked if they have the booster. My local pharmacy just has a standard paper form for all vaccination (flu, shingles, covid, etc) walk ins, there is no website or arbitration clause or even specific covid form. You might want to try a different pharmacy if that has been your experience.
I just hope they don’t cost an exorbitant price now that the national health emergency has ended here. It was really nice being able to get them for free because I am poor.
I bet it’ll be the same as flu shots. It’s not like those are actually “free.” Someone is paying for them, whether it’s insurance, the hospital/clinic itself, or more typically a governmental agency (usually state or local). I’ve paid a small co-pay for a flu shot before, but most times it’s “free” because my insurance covers it.
Only time I’ve really paid for a vaccination was right before I travelled overseas. Needed a couple specialized immunizations and think that was like $75 total.
And that’s also after the companies that made them got billions of dollars to make them in the first place
With the current wave very quickly picking up steam, chances are we will be through the worst of it by the time vaccines are available / taken by those still willing to go through with it.
I think I am 4-5 shots deep at this point, and have had a natural infection once. It was horrible where I fully lose my taste for a number of weeks.
Then as taste / smell began to return some things were “wrong.”
It took months for coffee to return to normal.
If I had to live like that… well, let’s say those months had very unwelcome new dark thoughts that took me by surprise.
