Got the Jab

Got the first shot of the Pfizer vaccine today. I can report I do not suddenly feel Marx makes more sense. If it’s reprogramming my DNA, I can’t say that I’m noticing. So far, not much in the way of side effects at all. I had to go lay down because my equilibrium was feeling a bit off, kind of like if you had too much to drink the night before off. But I’m not sure if that was the shot, because I get that way sometimes just sitting at a computer too long.

I realize that a lot of people will choose not to get it, and I’m not the type that thinks we ought to be strapping people down and making them get their shots. But I tick all the risk categories except age, so I decided it was probably worth the risk of side effects.

Bitter feels a little at the injection site. I don’t. Hopefully I’ll feel OK tomorrow. When I get a flu shot, I usually don’t get the sore arm until the next day or two.

7 thoughts on “Got the Jab”

  1. “I tick all the risk categories except age…”

    I’m happy enough to report that age is the only risk category I tick, and that I was finally able to make an appointment for my first jab, this afternoon — with the second scheduled for three weeks later. I was worried about the second when I was having so much trouble trying to schedule the first.

    Maybe the pace is beginning to pick up everywhere, but I was cursing PA’s lack of any obvious system, when I was camping out on the computer at midnight trying to schedule an appointment with one of the chain pharmacies. Slots would appear but somehow be already taken, the instant they appeared. With almost a year to think about how a vaccine would be distributed when it finally came along, it sure looks like no one did.

    P.S.: I would be happy if anything appeared to make sense, after I get the jab. ;-)

  2. I probably tick at least some of the boxes, and I’ve absolutely had the opportunity to get it by flying standby*, but I’ve decided not to go for it.

    On the whole, I see a bigger benefit for me in making sure that the available doses go to others first: It’s hard to deny that many have been driven by fear for the last year, and getting vaccinated will likely be the first step for many in returning to acting based on reason rather than fear. As far as I’m concerned, if not pursuing personal vaccination will help ensure that those squeaky wheels get their grease faster, then it’s the right move.

    That’s why I’m not annoyed that there are people lying about their risk factors in order to jump the line–if they’re willing to lie like that, then they’re exactly the sort of people I want getting vaccinated as quickly as possible.

    * My brother has worked vaccine sites, and they often end up looking for any available arms for the last few doses at the end of the day.

    1. “It’s hard to deny that many have been driven by fear for the last year. . .”

      Here’s how I look at such things:

      According to the Selective Service, there were 230,991 men drafted in 1965, and I was one of them.

      In the year since the pandemic started, over 500,000 have died.

      Was there something to be afraid of?

      Yup. Both years.

      I wish I’d taken steps back in ’65. ;-)

    2. I would recommend you get it if you get offered a leftover again. I can understand your move if you’re talking about not taking an appointment someone else could schedule. However, it you’re looking at the potential of a dose being wasted, then you’re not helping the way you think.

      The reality is that things won’t go back to normal for anyone until the spread is reduced and anyone getting shots – eligible by current rules or not – is helping that.

      Your thinking makes sense, but only for appointments or letting any other “standby” people go first. However, if there’s a point at a site where they don’t have anyone else nearby, you’re helping those other people more by getting it.

  3. Just age for me. 2nd shot on Friday. Modena here. PA must behind the power curve re the rollout. Here in NV, for some reason we are getting lower allocations per capita. Media is actually curious about this which is amazing since there are no Republicans in sight. We also have a line jumping problem with unions and politicos.

  4. Apparently being raised as an only child means that I didn’t get punched in the arm enough by siblings to toughen me up. Holy moly, it is sore. It came on fast.

    I only felt minor tingling for the first hour or so. But this evening, suddenly the muscle soreness kicked in.

  5. OK, Sie haben nicht den Drang, Marx zu folgen. Das ist gut.
    Sie müssen mir sagen: Wie viele Völker sollte es geben? Wie viele Reiche sollte es geben? Wie viele Führer sollte es geben?

    Und könnten Sie das alles plötzlich lesen, wo Sie es vorher nicht konnten?

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