I got the Vaccine! (at least the first dose)
My wife and I got our first dose of the Moderna Vaccine last weekend and I wanted to describe the process. There are some good and bad lessons that can be learned from the process. And there is a large measure of hope. The lessons reflect what we are doing well and what we are not doing well when it comes to vaccinating people. The hope helps us look forward.
We live in Southern California and in our state the first tier phase 1A recipients eligible for vaccines include those over 65. The process we followed for getting the vaccine was efficient and well organized.
The basic steps for getting an appointment were:
- Go to the Othena web site, which is an organization working in Orange County to provide vaccines. Once at the web site you create an account with an email address. You also answer questions about your status (age and address), if you have a previous history of vaccine reactions, and other very basic personal questions.
- Download the Othena app for your phone and connect to your account.
- Once a vaccine is available you are sent an email indicating some dates and times available for appointments. You choose a date, time, and location for your appointment.
Once you get an appointment date and time you show up at the vaccine location. In our case it was one of the large parking lots at Disneyland in Anaheim.
When you arrive for your appointment you get into a line beneath a sign with your appointment time. I noticed that the appointment time lines were in 15-minute increments. Just find your appointment time sign and get in line.
After a few minutes in line you get to a tent (everything is outdoors) where they check your status. You show a drivers license or some other picture ID to verify your age or a letter from your employer indicating that you are an essential worker. You login to your Otherna app on your phone and click a button that says “I Have Arrived”. After clicking this button all of your information is displayed on the phone screen as a QR code. The people in the tent scan the code and all your information and answers to the health questions you input on the web app goes into their systems.
You are then directed to another tent for the actual shot.
In the second tent you again scan your QR code and get your shot (hardly felt it). They update your account and send you to a third tent for observation. This takes about 15 minutes, to make sure there is not a reaction to the vaccine. Your app, which has been tracking your progress through the system, shows a countdown screen and the app beeps when the 15 minutes are up.
The second part of the vaccine must be given 28 days later. After you are given the first shot the people in the tent upload this to your system and the app automatically schedules the second appointment. You will be reminded by email and by the app when your appointment arrives.
And that’s it.
My wife and I got our shots on a Sunday afternoon and there were hundreds of people in the Disney parking lot going through the process. I was told by a worker that it was a slow day compared to weekdays. The whole process was efficient, very well organized, and worked really well.
That was the good part.
It was also very hopeful. Everyone was really helpful and in a good mood. People standing in line (maintaining social distancing and masks) were happy. The workers were happy. Everyone was happy. There was the feeling of finally getting something done. A feeling of hope.
That was the hopeful part.
This entire automated process works better with apps on phones, access to the Internet (to setup the initial appointments), and other things that are likely not available to those without such resources.
The process works great for middle-class people with resources. What about others (in much harder hit communities)? How to they get vaccines?
If we want to get out of our national crisis we need to find a way to help those with limited economic resources. Those who cannot afford to drive to Disneyland, use the Internet, or download an app on their phone (the app apparently only works with current generation phones and not older phones).
That was the bad part.
But there is still the hopeful part. Our new President and what he has been doing since he took office gives me hope. Those standing in line offering their portable chairs to the old people trying to vaccinated gives me hope. Smiling and laughing with strangers gives me hope.
I know we can do it.
