I got my shots

 I got my second shot of the Coronavirus vaccine a week ago, and my wife got hers today.

I don’t mean to brag. That’s not the point. But, there is no other way to say it - I haven’t been this relaxed in the past year.

Now I qualified for the vaccine for several reasons, and so did a lot of other people - about one out of every five people in the United States so far, according to published figures.

I can’t speak for all of us, but I would be willing to bet that we are all sharing the same happy thoughts about going out to eat with some friends in the summer, going to a concert or a show in the fall, and hoping the somewhere along the way there will be time to go to a baseball game.

Not necessarily a major league team, but at least a local one.  The Long Island Ducks - an Atlantic League team - lost their entire season last year, but are supposed to play before a crowd at the end of May. Go Ducks!

It’s amazing how many things you can look forward to, from going to the local store to buy some milk or lettuce to wandering up and down the aisles of a nursery to buy some plants.

And best of all, not only can we go out, but we don’t have to worry about getting infected with a disease that can kill or, if not fatal, leave someone with a debilitating disease that will cast a pall over the rest of their lives. And, of course, not unknowingly giving that disease to others.

Heck, there are wineries within a hour’s drive of my house that might be open again, or games to be played with friends, And no dark cloud of worry to hover over the table when you pick up a card or roll the dice.

Of course, I realize that a lot of other people have gotten their vaccinations as well as me and my wife, and a lot more are waiting for their chance. But it seems   tens of thousands of otherwise educated people are deciding not to line up for it - at least it is proven absolutely, completely safe to their satisfaction.

Strangely, they don’t tell you what will satisfy them. Some hint that if a few thousand more people - or a few million more people - get vaccinated first, they would consider it.

I’ve seen a lot of interviews where those anti-vaxxers say it is safer not to take the vaccine than to take it. They promise to keep an eye on the situation by looking at e-mails from their friends, who certainly have the time to check out messages from their on-line friends who are passing it along.

Shame on them. Shame on their friends. 

Why?

Well, there are a lot of lies going around, passed on from person to person from who knows where. Some of them even look official. Heck, some are being sent out by officials.

Let me give you some examples. I won’t go into too much detail, but you can look them up yourself. Why should I have all the fun.

In no particular order: 

The test results were faked. Why? To rig the Presidential election for Democrats, to make money for their financial supporters, to support big business over the freedom-loving patriots - take your pick.

The vaccine is made from the Covid virus, and you can get the disease from it.

No and no. But, you only have doctors and scientists to explain the truth, and some people would rather believe their cell phones.

The vaccine will alter your DNA. Just ask anyone who tells you that what DNA is. If they can’t explain it, don’t believe them.

The vaccine was made from a cell line that came from an aborted fetus. Now that’s not true, and some pretty impressive people have tried to kill that rumor. Don’t take my word for it. Just ask the Pope.

“Who believes this stuff?” you might ask. Well, a recent NPR/PBS Newshour poll fibbed that nearly half the people who voted for Trump do not plan to take the vaccine. That resistance may affect when the country can go back to normal.

It’s not clear how many of them know - or believe - that Trump took the vaccine in the White House when no cameras were on him. Or even care about it.

And I will ask one final question. Just what do the people who keep saying the vaccine is a fraud, or dangerous or even deadly get from digging their heels in and condemning it and all that a vaccine stands for?

 So, let me put all doubts aside. I took my two shots, my wife has taken her two shots, and other close members of my family who qualify have also been vaccinated.

Which leaves me to wonder just one more thing. How come we were so lucky?

Well, for me, I got a call from my doctor, who is part of a practice at a huge state university medical center. Age and pre-existing conditions made me eligible, but it was hard to get an appointment on the state website.

The call came as a surprise. There was some vaccine available, and they had to make appointments to use it all once the containers were opened. The next day.

And, let me say, it worked like a charm. Now my family is quibbling about who is authorized and qualified to give out shots. Typical. We never leave anything alone.

But, we do check out the facts. Ever have dinner with your kids and half the people at the table are looking things up on their cell phones?

I live in an interesting house.