I actually hadn't expected it to go as planned, but it did. I drove to the location (which was clearly marked) and presented my ID. A very nice young man in military fatigues (masked, of course) greeted me and confirmed my information and told me to get in line. He put a placard on my windshield. Another military person went through some details and said once the vaccine had been administered I would receive a card with my second appointment, "here, a month from today."
Now, you have to remember, I live in New England. It was sunny. slightly breezy and a mere 37 degrees. If you live in New England this was a gorgeous February day. But you're sitting in your car with the windows open, and you're going to present your (bare) arm. This wasn't in some big garage. This was out in the open. I wore a short sleeved shirt under under my winter coat. I was glad it was a nice day.
While I waited, I looked around. There were three "aisles" and it was clear the crew knew exactly what they were doing. It ran like clockwork.
When the First Responder came to give me my shot, I pulled up my sleeve, "No, I can take care of that," he said, and proceeded to give me shot I barely felt. Then he handed me a card showing which vaccine I received, its lot number and the date and time of my second vaccine. I waited the prescribed amount of time, and then drove home.
Later, at "work" several of my coworkers expressed jealousy and said they couldn't wait to get the shots themselves. This is a massive undertaking, At the current pace, the New York Times estimates it won't be until February 11 of 2022 that 90% of Americans will have had both shots, and mid-August before half the population would be at least partially vaccinated. (Assuming supplies of the vaccine are sufficient to meet the demand. This could change if more vaccines are authorized (let's hope so) and that children are eventually able to be vaccinated.)
It's all very humbling. The crew I watched worked ceaselessly. There are seven vaccine locations in my small state, which has a very specific order for who gets vaccinated when. The scale of all of this begins to hit home. Yesterday flags in the US were at half-staff for the 500,000 who have died of Covid 19. We aren't out of the woods yet. I'll be working from home for several more months. Yesterday I found out that the two big movie theater chains in my state will close permanently. We all want everything to go back to "normal," but I think it's going to be a very different "normal."
Clearly my head is all over the place about this. I know I'm not the only one.
13 comments:
Glad you got the vacccine. New York's system is much more cumbersome. The site I went to was the SUNY campus in Buffalo which required a lot of walking and standing. Some of it outside in 14 degrees. I need my mom to get it, but she would never be able to navigate it there. The local drugstores book like hot concert tickets, so I have been unable to book one for her. Very frustrating. Next shot, March 5th.
I have never in my life been excited to get a shot but yesterday I was excited and ever so grateful to get my first dose shot (DH got his, too). Like your site, ours was a drive through with a marvelous crew from a local community health organization - plus traffic control volunteers with EMTs and an ambulance at the ready should anyone have a problem (none while we were there). Today will be a pharmacy administered second dose for younger son - fingers crossed it goes smoothly.
I'm happy for you getting the vaccine and hope the 2nd dose goes as planned. Seeing how many people say they will not get it, I don't think we'll ever see 90%. Some areas will, but I'm guessing large sections of the country will not.
It's sad, but not really surprising on the theater closings, IIRC some chains were in trouble before the pandemic hit due to the rise of people streaming movies? Maybe once things open up again, more people will return to going out and watching in theaters.
Woohoo, another jab in the arm.
My husband and I both got our shots. The first time we waited in line out side for 3 1/2 hours, the weather wasn't too bad about 40 degrees. One month later on Feb 11th we waited in line for 4 1/2 hours, yes thats right. I must admit all of us 65 and older most in their 70's and 80's never complained. We were glad to get our shots and be done with a bit of the worry. Neither of us had any bad side effects, and while we still will have to wear a mask when grocery shopping or banking, we feel fortunate to have been able to get our vaccines.
It was three degrees the day I got my second shot. It was a parking lot clinic like yours. We are tough in Wyoming.
The organisation behind this is huge, no side effects, that is so good,they say to drink a lot of water that day and for several days after.Working at home, schooling at home, this might be t he new normal for many months yet.
I live in SW Washington and signed up on a county website, (group 1b) was contacted by my clinic within two weeks with an appointment date and time and yesterday I had my second shot. My friend did the same but her clinic did not respond - she signed up for the drive through site at the fairgrounds a couple of weeks after I got my first shot. My daughter lives in Portland and Oregon is not doing well with their systems she figures she will be lucky to get a shot in 2021 at all, luckily she is healthy. Will continue to wear masks and distance.
After having no luck getting an appointment in western NY, I figured I'd have to wait until there was a glut of vaccine, maybe by summer. But my husband called the county Office for the Aging earlier this week and they said someone would call back. He got his shot today, then when he got home called them again and gave them my name. They called back this afternoon and I'm getting my first shot tomorrow morning. Linda is right, NY's system is confusing with too many places to have to check and the rural counties are being shortchanged.
Pat
Your experience there in the Granite State sounds to be exactly the same as my parents' experience last Sunday. My Dad and Mom, at 92 and 87 respectively (and she with COPD no less)had a tough time getting in the queue to begin with. I was eager for them to get their doses. They had only the highest praise for the volunteers and medical personnel on scene and for the methodical organization of the entire procedure. So glad that you've been able to join the ranks of the vaccinated, I'll get my dose #2 on Thursday. There's light at the end of the tunnel!
We have three county-run vaccination sites here in the Salt Lake Valley. As well, there are at least a dozen grocery store pharmacies and Walmart pharmacies participating. The pharmacies are booked out through April and May. Once statewide registration for my age group (66) opened up, I was able to secure an appointment a couple days out at a county site. I had my first shot last Thursday at the only walk-in venue of the three county-run sites. It was so well organized and I was in and out (including walking to and from parking and the required 15 minute observation) in an hour. Everyone was so kind and friendly. My DH was vaccinated a week before me at a drive-through site and it was the same thing - organized, friendly and in-and-out in under an hour. We both have our second vacs scheduled for mid-March and are looking forward to it. Neither one of us had any reaction, and I never even had a sore arm.
Now that the J&J vaccine has been approved, we’ll see the vaccination rate picking up. I doubt that we’ll ever get to 90% because there are too many anti-vax’ers and those who are afraid. If we can get between 75-80%, we’ll be doing great.
Congratulations on getting your vaccine on a clear day. They certainly have the lines well organized. Here's hoping the whole world gets vaccines this year so we can kill off this virus.
I was in town the day the flags were at half staff and I wondered what it was for. Thanks!
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