Three years ago this week, in March 2021, I was extremely grateful to finally get vaccinated against Covid-19 through my local health department.
On the day in question, I joined a large number of my fellow Hoosiers also hoping to do the same over at the Allen County Memorial Coliseum.
In years past, I'd attended circus performances, hockey games, concerts, and even my high school graduation at the venerable arena, but never a mass-vaccination during a global pandemic.
I remember being quite nervous that day—Covid-19 was killing people all over the world, and I wanted to get the shot before it got me, too. There was also an additional concern—I have allergies and wasn't sure if this new Pfizer shot would trigger any of them.
Those of us with similar concerns that day were instructed to report post-vaccine to a waiting area, where we sat on metal folding chairs for 15 to 30 minutes to see if we suffered any adverse reactions.
Two nurses from the Allen County Health Department hovered nearby to render assistance to those who did feel any ill effects.
I've always liked to diffuse tense or nervous situations with a bit of humor, so after sitting in silence for a moment or two with a dozen or so my fellow vaccinees, I posed a question to one of the nurses.
"I know it's only been a few minutes," I said to her, "and I feel okay so far, but do you think I'll be able to play the piano after this?"
The nurse looked up from her laptop with a reassuring smile.
"Oh, of course," she told me. "That won't be a problem."
"Wow," I replied, "that's great, because I never could play it before."
It took a second for one of the oldest jokes in vaudeville to sink in, but the very calm medical professional eventually laughed.
Immediately afterward, I sensed her sizing me up as some kind of wiseacre (which I am), but after 30 minutes had elapsed and I hadn't turned blue, she graciously allowed me to exit the waiting area.
As I stepped outside the Coliseum that afternoon, I felt a great sense of relief and security—something I hadn't felt in the months since the Pandemic first hit US shores. The little laugh I'd shared with the nurse made me feel better, too, if only as a way to relieve some tension.
Still, while it's often said that laughter is the best medicine, if the global pandemic taught me anything, it's that there's no substitute for actual science-based medicine. Thanks, Pfizer!
When I first realized this week marked the three-year anniversary of my first Covid shot, I recalled that old campaign slogan: "Are You Better Off Now Than You Were Four Years Ago?"
Remembering how truly terrible 2020 was: the rampant fear, uncertainty, and death—along with widespread school and business closings—it's incomprehensible to me how anyone say anything but a resounding "yes!"
There's more to come in the next dispatch.
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