AMERICANISM -- OLDER OLDS VACCINATION

The scourge of the world, coronavirus, continues to assault humankind.  Just when our scientists create vaccinations to protect us the virus mutates with a variety of viral variants evolving.    The threat covid-19 has presented should be enough to unify all our nations, dwarfing our differences as we seek to preserve human life.   Such does not seem to be the case as many of the issues dividing us from one another persist.  

Meanwhile,  our scientists strongly urge us to receive a vaccination to protect us in this pandemic.   Even if we still may become infected, at least we are told we'll be armed to prevent severe life-threatening illness.   Here in Los Angeles County California the distribution of any of the vaccines has been quite limited, necessarily resulting in difficulty obtaining an appointment to receive the injection.   

While groups were assigned, often in various age segments as eligible, the release for inoculation was rather erratically, sometimes confusingly changed at times.  Even those who were being permitted to receive inoculations were suddenly unable to do so at the only drive-thru in our area, for example.   I questioned an instance of this on behalf of the older old people 75 years and up, of whom I am one, who live in our community, alone, without family, when that occurred here affecting me, too.   They had importantly earlier provided vaccinations for only aged in group homes.

I conveyed my concern to our local senior center and county officials.     I suggested they needed to consider needs of those in this age group living outside long term care for future emergency events planning since we're told we may well expect such in the years to come.   

Unexpectedly to me our local senior center submitted my name to a local group for which I could qualify to receive a vaccination who had suddenly received a vaccine allotment.   There was no certainty I would be added.  I alerted a 90+ year old friend also living alone in her home with no family.  Ultimately she declined getting the vaccination thinking, erroneously, it would be different than the one she wanted.  

Much to my surprise I was contacted to schedule an appointment so I decided to follow my doctor's recommendation to take whatever vaccine might be offered whenever available.     The first of this past week I received a Pfizer vaccination and am scheduled mid-March for the recommended second booster shot.  Now I hear talk there might even be a third shot to protect against the latest variant.  

The injection caused no immediate reaction just as occurs with my yearly flu shot.  The only difference was about twenty hours later I did begin to experience swelling, then aching with increasing intensity at the shot site.  This lasted for only a few hours, then abruptly ceased.   I will continue to mask, wash my hands following protocol, using sanitizers and observing recommended safety measures to minimize this coronaviruses odds of infecting me.  

I'm not sure why but I seem to be in a philosophic pensive mood as I write this.  Perhaps it's partly a reflection of thinking about all the lives needlessly being taken around the world, especially in this United States by this pandemic.   

As if that isn't enough, I know I am distressed to hear news reports of so many mindless vicious attacks on individuals of a national heritage other than what some few perceive to be the criteria for being American.  Those violators attacking frequently older individuals are the ones who are unAmerican.   

I can't help thinking as I have through the years and expect you may have, too, what wonderful progress could be accomplished in this world and in our United States, if we could all focus our time, energy, finances simply on making this world a better place.  Seems it would be so much easier for everyone than all the dissension, anger, fear and hate that prevails with the lies deliberately told to perpetuate devious ends. 

I guess the best we can do is for each of us to live our lives to minimize humankind's worse qualities and concentrate on those that bring out our better selves.    We will be wise to make certain we choose only leaders to govern us who speak truth, defend democracy, reflect our values, optimizing mutual cooperation, tolerance,  peace, love, genuine caring for one another.