This is a follow up to my diary "Getting my first vaccine shot." I really like the British term “jab.” So, this is about my second jab that I got on Monday, 2/22 in the afternoon. I’m writing this on Wednesday, 2/24.
Again, it was at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KU Med Center) just over the state line in Kansas. I live in Kansas City, Missouri.
There did not seem to be as many people in line, and, unlike the first time, everyone was getting their second shot. There were fewer guides but where to go was well-marked. My spouse, waiting in the car, was surprised at how quickly I returned.
Like my first time, almost everyone in line had either gray hair or no hair and white. This time I saw next to no medical workers (one person who got the shot the same time and room I did was doing a residency at KU).
I only wrote about my experience in the first diary on the day I got the shot. I had some soreness in my shoulder. On the fourth day, I woke with no energy and no appetite. I ate very little and later that night I threw up twice. I had no fever. The next day I had no energy and spent almost the entire day in bed. The following day I felt better and the day after I was able to do a twenty-five mile bike ride.
With the second shot, I have had much less soreness from the injection site. I have bicycled over twenty miles both yesterday and today. I’m tired only because I have not bicycled very much in the last couple of weeks because of the extremely cold weather and ice and snow on the roads. So far, I have had no obvious bad side effects.
I’m 71 years old, retired, computer literate with a good connection to the internet, and white. As I indicated in my first diary, I’m aware of my privilege.
Today, the Kansas City Star has a report on the top ten zip codes in Kansas City with the number of people vaccinated. My zip code, 64113, has the fourth highest number. The Star notes: “It is 95% white and has one of the lowest case rates in the area.”
This is not a surprise. My neighborhood is one of the richest in Kansas City; however, from my experience (knocking on doors), it is also overwhelmingly elderly and most are college educated. I suspect there are large number of people in the healthcare industry. I have my precinct list and I estimate well over half the voters are 65 or older. By the way, it is also overwhelmingly Democratic. There was no Republican on the ballot in November for State Representative or State Senate. On another site, I saw my zip code gave Biden/Harris a quarter of a million dollars and just under $50,000 to Trump/Pence.
What has been your experience getting either your first jab or second jab?