I am a firm believer in science
I wrote this column on Tuesday after spending most of Monday and Tuesday afternoon chasing COVID-19 vaccination options. I had come to the understanding that what is, is. I’d go with what I could manage.
After all, I am no one special and if I am having these vexations, so are others.
This morning the phone rang. It was my local Main Street Pharmacy asking if I was still interested in getting a COVID vaccination. I had made a lot of calls about the vaccine. What do you think I said?
So, at 1:10 p.m. Jamie Cataldi, our beloved pharmacist, gave me my first injection of the Moderna vaccine.
Here is my story as I wrote it yesterday … and I’m sticking with it.
I am a firm believer in science. Science is based on evidentiary proof not conjecture, information from friends who know someone who knows stuff that isn’t for the public or what you read on Facebook that masquerades as medical information touted by some “first line” doctor.
Do you remember the “first line” doctor who also practiced voodoo?
The mRNA vaccine, a wonder of modern science that will protect me from the Novel Coronavirus, is a prime example of how science works. It is based on years of research about how mRNA functions, providing a strong evidentiary basis on which to create a vaccine for this new pathogen. 95% safe and effective is good enough for me.
Getting that vaccine into my arm is – how shall I put this diplomatically – is more like herding cats.
Let me elucidate. On Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, vaccinations became available for those over 75. As early on Monday as I could get to my computer, I began a search for appointments for a vaccine for my husband and me.
I filled out the eligibility form and was taken to a list of providers, the first of which was my trusted local pharmacy. The screen said to call. I called. Yes, they are approved to give the vaccine… if they had any.
“We don’t know when we will be getting any. Call back.”
- This happens. Understandable. There are always glitches in logistics, especially when it’s a small local pharmacy. The big guys get stuff first.
I continued down the list to the Kinney’s where my husband is a customer and quickly got him an appointment on Feb. 5.
I actually picked an earlier date, but I made a typing error and by the time I rectified that keystroke mishap, that date and several dates later had been taken.
Confident that I could make an appointment for myself, I surfed on over to Kinney’s in Skaneateles, and voila, easy-peasy, I got an appointment for Tuesday at 11 a.m. Wow, did I hit the jackpot? … or so I thought.
It was maybe two hours later as I was inspecting the email confirming my appointment, that I noted the date seemed off.
Monday was the 11th, but my Tuesday appointment was also the 11th? Then I noted, the year … 2022.
I called Kinney’s and the poor guy had no idea what I was talking about. He patiently told me how to navigate the website to the COVID vaccine appointment page. This was the same page that signed me up for Jan. 11, 2022. Sigh.
A slow learner, I read further down the email and noted that it was possible to change your date and time by clicking on a link. I clicked on the link only to find out that all of the COVID vaccine allocated to the Kinney pharmacies had been spoken for. So, now I am scheduled to receive a vaccine next year.
Wonderful.
Back to the New York State website and the list of local vaccination sites, I was able to get into the site at the State Fair Grounds on Feb 2. Not bad.
I printed out the CDMS registration ticket and this time I read the entire thing. At the bottom of the page, there was the sentence: “to cancel your appointment please click on the link provided in your email.”
What email?
I checked all day, into the evening and this morning and there was no email from CDMS. Was this some “maybe” email or was I supposed to get one confirming the appointment? I’ve dealt with New York State before and know that details matter. I still haven’t been able to get my enhanced driver’s license because of details.
So back to the same site and I signed up for another appointment with the intent to verify whether some kind of email was a necessary part of registering. I planned on cancelling this appointment. The confirmation looked appreciably different than the first one and yes, I did immediately get an email with all kinds of information and links for changing or cancelling the reservation.
What is going on? Do I have an appointment in early February or not? Looking at the confirmation paper again, there was a phone number listed. Aha! I’ll call and someone will help me with this. Sure.
I called 888-364-3065, the number on the registration ticket, and a masculine voice told me that this line was only for information about testing. I rechecked the registration ticket and yes, that was the number to call. What is going on? If I wanted information about vaccinations, I had to call 833-NYS-4VAX.
Oh, no! An acronym phone number. Who has time to memorize where the letters fall for each number, but being that I have some functioning neurons, I carefully examined my phone and rewrote the acronym in ordinary arabic numbers.
I called the vaccine hotline and the same masculine voice from the testing hotline told me that due to the increase in call volume they are temporarily unavailable to take my call.
It was suggested that I go to the website, where, because I’ve been there before looking for help, I know there is no way I can find out if I am really registered for that early date in February.
I don’t think there is anyone who can answer my question. I guess I’ll just show up with my CDMS registration ticket and hope for the best. I’ll cancel the second registration once I know that I’m good.
In the meantime, I will self-medicate with a chocolate covered, cream filled donut. Not mRNA but I have scientific proof that it makes me feel good while I am eating it.
So … I have canceled all of my previous dates for inoculation and have marked my calendar for my second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at Main Street Pharmacy …. If they get the vaccine. According to Jamie, right now nothing is sure.
And…I now had no reason to eat that donut. Rats!
