We got the call yesterday afternoon: “If you can come to City Hall before 5:00, you can pick up a voucher.” Yes, we can.
It means we can get up early again and, hopefully, get the vaccine.
So, up at 4:00 and a drive to Los Fresnos (a half hour away). The line to get to tHe grounds where they are doing the shots was 2.4 miles long. It took just over two hours to get to the fairgrounds parking. Then we were directed to parking that looked more full than they get when the rodeo is going...
No movement now for over two hours. So, we sit. Joan brought fruit and muffins; and cards. That kept us occupied for a while. A walk to some skanky porta-potties. Someone came by, asked to see our vouchers, and put a pink card on our windshield. Seems that we are about 3/4 of the way back in line... no guarantee we will get shots today. People are tired of sitting in their cars and are getting out and walking around aimlessly.
Shit-show part 2.
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Just coming up on noon. Got the shots and we are home!
Now that I have my computer to work with, here's the timeline:
After 2 hours in the traffic line, we were within a half mile of the fairgrounds...
Once into the fairgrounds and heading for another bunch of lines, we saw the sunrise...
Parked with the engine off, it was another 3 hours of just sitting. Looking at the lines with hundreds of cars, I have to shake my head at the incredible waste of time. Granted, this is the 65+ age bracket, so most of them aren't missing work, but by the time they directed our line to move, there were still cars coming into the fairgrounds. I would have no issue with coming at whatever time they'd schedule, but hopefully those in charge of this will learn how to be more efficient.
When the time came for the line of vehicles we were in to move, things happened pretty fast...
There were 6 bays at the fire station, with 3 shot stations in each bay...
We heard that last hour we were there, they gave shots to over 750 people. This part was efficient: we pulled up to a station, there was someone at each side of our vehicle; they did my shot through the window, they had Joan open the door and swing around (she preferred to get the shot in her left arm). The took our paperwork and the vouchers and we were done. One more line to a parking spot to wait for 15 minutes to be sure there were no adverse reactions (many people were leaving after a couple minutes). A guy came to our vehicle and asked if we had a headache or any breathing issues, after 10 minutes. No. You can go any time you want.
Done. Really. Four weeks before we have to come back for the second shot (the Moderna vaccine) - I'm guessing they will be better at it by then. My biggest concerns today (besides dumbass people wandering around without masks) were: the lack of information, the inefficient waiting, and not knowing if they'd have enough vaccines for all the people who were lining up.
Seems to me that it would have been far more efficient (and not need so many people guiding you where to park) to just give you a time range (like: between 8 & 9 pm) when we had to pick up the voucher (in person).
Now that it is done, we are grateful to have this first vaccine. We know this changes nothing as far as the need to mask up, keep a distance, staying away from groups of people, and constant hand-washing. Nothing about that will change for months. But, there is hope that if we are exposed to the virus, the vaccine will provide some measure of protection from getting it, and/or lessen the effects if we do get it.
I am going to need a nap this afternoon.
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