“Responding to Covid is a communal team effort. As much as we have to work as a team to adopt safety precautions, it’s also our responsibility to get the vaccine.”
—Jessica Stern, clinical psychologist & assistant professor at NYU Langone Health
Cecile and I are relieved to have gotten our 2nd COVID-19 vaccine shot later this morning and even celebrated the event at lunch at "Happy Hound," our quick take-out and outdoor eatery for hot dogs and fries.
We sat under the red umbrella with a beautiful mountain view, after what was supposed to be a celebratory event. And yes, we were indeed happy, relieved, and grateful. However, we couldn’t help feel for those who have been left behind due to unequal distribution and shortages of the vaccine, mixed-messaging from the state, and federal authorities.
My doctor called recently and asked how the first inoculation went a few weeks ago. While she was happy to hear our experience was uneventful, she warned that may not be the case with the second shot. Side effects are more common and more pronounced with the second vaccination.
But, again, so far we’re good and it’s better than the potential of an actual COVID-19 infection.
My doctor thanked me for getting the vaccine since the more people who get vaccinated the better chance we have at herd immunity. She added that the compliance in getting the regular annual flu vaccine is at best 50%. We need to do better with the Covid vaccine if we want to get back to any semblance of “normal." The vaccine alone may not be a get out of jail free card, but we have made great strides thanks to the innovation and brilliance of doctors and scientists.
And, as Keith Norris, MD, a professor of medicine at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said recently, “Knowing that after I’ve had the second dose my chance of getting COVID and being so sick I have to go to the hospital or could die is close to zero—that feels wonderful to me.”
