Dawn is Breaking

I'm in the over-65 cohort that is supposedly prioritized for the coronavirus vaccine. In February the only site that was open for San Mateo County seniors was the Oakland Coliseum, 22 miles away, and the appointment would have been more than two months distant.

Very recently I became aware of two local, non-health-care, non-senior individuals who were scheduled for vaccinations this week. What the heck?!?

On Sunday I again checked myturn.ca.gov and found that a number of slots were available in San Francisco on Monday, so I grabbed 2:30 p.m. at the Moscone Center.

Hundreds of people were in front of me on the sidewalk, but the line moved quickly. Americans may not have a lot in common with each other any more, but most of us learned how to behave in lines at Disneyland, where everyone wants the same thing and the quickest way to get it is to follow the instructions.

From start to finish took one hour. I entered the line outside Moscone at 2:15 and was inside my shot kiosk at 2:45. Again I was asked for my ID and birth date (the first time was to get in the door). The technician, who I could tell was not a medical person because she totally mispronounced anaphylaxis, (I, on the other hand, was familiar with the term because I have had a couple of anaphylactic reactions at the doctor's office) asked me to wait 30 minutes after the injection, which she administered skillfully and painlessly. I will return in three weeks for the second shot.

We can talk about the poor decisions that have been made, the half-million deaths in the United States alone, and the immense financial damage which $trillions of relief can only partially alleviate, but in the end I am very grateful that, only one year after a mysterious disease shut down the economy, the fear is rapidly dissipating.

Dawn is breaking across the land.