“I’d much rather have a vaccine, than this virus.”
Paul A. Volberding MD (And me!)
Thank, Spidey for this reminder, that we have decisions to make.
I, for one, am pro-vaccine, totally.
We teachers, as a profession, were told, categorically, that, despite being in rooms for lengthy periods with large numbers of people, young or old, were not at any higher risk of catching the virus, than others, so, despite being in school throughout lockdown, still having to be with children, and other adults, the virus still posed a huge risk to us.
Yet there was a fear amongst us all.
It has been evident, since schools returned, that children were not as harmless, virus-wise, as the Government led us to believe. (Did we actually believe them?)
From September to December, in our school, and my children’s secondary school, we had several bubbles closing, some more than once, and it was the children who brought the virus in. Maybe they didn’t suffer, but they were the vectors, and this led to several staff getting quite unwell. Nine, over the Christmas holiday, itself.
Vaccinations started, and we weren’t on any priority list.
Then, out of the blue, our school was given an opportunity.
You see, these vaccinations have a shelf-life, and once defrosted, and punctured, the vials have to be used, or thrown away, and it would be criminal to throw this precious vaccine away, knowing how many people want them, and how we are all clamouring to get back onto the road to normality.
So, early in January, before we had even started back at school, (before BoZo, et al, decided that remote learning would be the thing), two schools were contacted, locally, as there was excess vaccines at the end of a session, and, being the weekend, it was almost impossible to get the vaccination to the elderly, who were on the priority list, so, why not offer to a school, who could gather willing and grateful recipients pretty quickly?
I was one of those lucky folk.
But I didn’t shout it out at the time, because I actually felt guilty. I was getting the first shot even ahead of both sets of my parents, who are in their late 60s and 70s. And there are folk out there, who still don’t think school staff really need this protection.
We all queued up, socially distanced, andwaitied patiently, on a Sunday morning. There was even a reporter from that rag, The Sun, waiting with a cameraman, ready to sully the name of schools who had ‘jumped the queue”.
We didn’t talk to him. He tried. “No comment.” (Always wanted to say that!)
Vaccinated, and with my little card to prove it in my hand, I went home. Still a little nervous, but also nervously excited, too.
That reporter?
Oh, he still managed to contact our head. (The poor woman was up to her eyeballs in government legislation, ready for schools starting again, and had to spend the evening wording a press release as to how and why we were offered the vaccine!)
And yes, we were in The Sun, the next day, but instead of being a derogatory tale of undeserving people blagging a quick jab, they congratulated us on being proactive, and showing our willing to do what we can to keep schools open, and protected, so our children won’t, hopefully, have to suffer much more time away from the school buildings.
How was it?
Well, we were given the Pfizer jab, and the rest of the Sunday was fine. I woke on Monday with a slightly achey arm, and felt very tired. Tuesday, though… I had the tiredness, and the HEADACHE from HELL! I had to medicate with strong over-the-counter pills, three times, and it still didn’t shift. The headache was still there on Wednesday, but just a dull ache.
I was thankful that lockdown had started, then, and that I didn’t have to deal with a classful of children, on top of this awful migraine-like pain.
Why am I writing this today?
Because, I will be getting my second jab, today. Then within a few weeks, apparently, my immunity will be at the highest it can be. Of course, nothing totally rids you of the risk of getting the virus, but if I do, it would hopefully be a milder case than if I hadn’t been vaccinated.
But, I am dreading the initial side effects, because I have read that if you suffered from them the first time, it is possible you will feel the same ones again, and they could be more severe!
And I’ll definitely be in school with the children this time, too!
God help me!
But, at least I’ll have had the vaccination!
So, have you had your vaccination, yet?
Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps.
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