I am a 67 year old young man of good grace with good health. I enjoy my golden years in the company of my family, especially my grandchild, who has just begun to articulate a few words and still expresses her commands in a nonsensical way. I love traveling and waited to start again once the vaccine was made available to us. Since I’m pretty technically savvy, I tried to book a vaccination slot myself from March 1st and it’s absolutely not true. A few rantings on Facebook and whatsapp groups gave comfort that I was not alone in my frustrations.
Finally, on March 8th, I was delighted to get an appointment at Manipal Hospital, Whitefield, Bengaluru, for the afternoon of March 14th. I got up early and my son and I reached the hospital and was surprised to find only a few people there. As I attribute this to Lady Luck, I joined the small group of fellow citizens and their miners to let me know that there is no vaccination on Sundays. All of us, including the hospital staff, checked the appointment messages and we were blocked.
After a hurried call to their seniors, the staff politely informed our seniors that we could come the next day and enjoy preference. Meanwhile, the staff agreed to my suggestion to fill out the registration forms and compile and keep files ready while we were there.
I returned and honestly doubted the assurance given for any priority and was convinced it was just a gimmick to spread us. Monday brought a pleasant surprise in the hospital. We immediately gained access, our files were ready at the counters and within a short time I was escorted with all courtesy by the staff to the vaccination site. Everyone was so polite and caring. The jab was virtually painless, as was the whole process. The vaccine informed me that I had been given 0.5 ml of Covishield and then taken to the observation room to sit for 30 minutes. !
After the jab, I was ready until the evening when I experienced stiffness at the vaccination site, a mild nausea and feverish feeling. I took no medicine and hit the bed early to the great dismay of my granddaughter, who expected me to serve her bid. I’m better today, except for a slight headache. I urge all citizens to go for vaccination. And the government and hospitals must do all vaccinations on Sunday without any interruption so that the fight against COVID can be won quickly.
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DISCLAIMER
The opinions expressed in this article should not be construed as a substitute for the advice of a physician. Consult your treating physician for more information.