Vaccine & Friends

Because I was fortunate to be registered and called, I did have a Covid vaccine at Brookdale College this week, and I can’t begin to praise the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners, the system, the workers, the volunteers, the organization enough! I received the call that if I could get there that afternoon, I would be accepted. With my vehicle snowed in, and me not being a shoveler of heavy snow, I relied on another great friend, Jane Frotton, to give me a ride over. Jane, generous to a fault, readily did it, although she herself wasn’t registered there so could not get the vaccine. From the county police officers outside the Collins Auditorium building directing traffic and parking to the volunteers who said thanks and have a good day as I left, no one…no one…and you already know how quick I am to criticize…could have been nicer or more efficient. Check in took a minute…. temperature taken, signup paper approved, then directions to keep distance, and while you’re in line, why not fill out these papers? Papers and clipboard and pen in hand, I advanced behind dozens of other equally contented folks to the next checkpoint, all the time filling out the papers with necessary background info, including my Medicare and other insurance cards. The next equally pleasant person checked to be sure I had filled in all the blanks, asked me the usual Covid questions about time, place, and whom I’ve seen, and moved me on down the line. A white coated person saw me next, checked to see whether the blood thinners I take would be a problem, then moved me on, letting me know, when the space was open, which desk to go visit. There, my information was checked again for completeness and accuracy, and I was issued a card with the date, type of vaccine…Moderna…and date for the second vaccine. The person here also gave me a great suggestion. Why not take a photo of this card, because it’s important for you to keep it, that way, it will also be on your phone. Great hint. From there I was directed to the line to get to the vaccine itself. And here, if possible, it got even better! Brookdale is known for the excellence of its nursing program, and it’s the senior students who were volunteering to give the injections. How wonderful! Learning on the job with people who are sometimes frightened, concerned, and unsure of everything that’s going on. But each one of these women was calm, cool, pleasant, cheery, soothing, comforting…. can’t think up enough adjectives to say how incredibly wonderful the experience was. Three seconds later, a band-aid covering the injection point, I was invited to sit in another chair, equally spaced, of course, for another 15 minutes or so until staff felt confident I would have no immediate reaction. Then by the exit door, there were two more volunteers ready to wish me well and send me on my way. Counting the 15 minutes I sat after the injection, the entire procedure took no more than half an hour. With scores of people in line, it all moved so smoothly. The next day, I got a telephone call to see whether I had any untoward reactions. I had no, still have not, and am set for March 3 when I go back to the same place, same time, to receive the second vaccine in the series. There’s more good news for me personally as well. My friend, Jane, learned of another source where she could get the vaccine, and is already scheduled for hers, which makes me truly happy. And she’s got an equally generous family. Her daughter, Renee, brought her daughter, Jocelyn, to my house that night, and the pair shoveled out my car, so I didn’t feel imprisoned. And when neighbor Kevin came out to help as well, it made me realize, just once again, how fortunate I am to live in an area where people like being nice to other people, and…because I am so fortunate… I happen to have the best friends of anybody! I wonder why every college can’t be like Brookdale, every board of commissioners as concerned for their constituents, every Health Department as efficient and friendly as Monmouth County’s and everyone have friends like mine.