Life in the Age of Corona

A Daily Diary

Friday, March 26th, 2021

Frist Shot

Today was the day.

I was super anxious. Anxious about being able to get the shot, fearing something might go wrong at the last minute. Anxious about the shot itself and possible side effects.

I had taken a day of sick leave, just in case, but spend 7:30 -10:30 on very productive calls, before heading out to my appointment. This was a forty-five-minute drive away. Throughout the drive I worried about being late, missing a turn, getting lost and so on. However, I arrived at the vaccination center at 11:07. Since one is allowed to proceed to the building 15 minutes before the scheduled appointment, which in my case was 11:24, I left the car and walked to the building.

There was single couple in front of me. My appointment confirmation was checked twice before I could proceed to a person matching the confirmation with my drivers’ license. Once the data had been checked I was told to proceed to the next “steps” marked on the floor, where the fourth person I encountered asked me about allergies to shellfish, eggs and so on.

That took about a minute.

I was then directed to a table where a friendly person proceeded to complete my vaccination card after having taken my drivers’ license to ensure the details were correct. At the same time a nurse had me roll up my sleeve, gave me the jab and put a band aid on. This I now wear like a badge of honor. It even survived my one-hour swim unscathed.

Card in hand I was sent to another table where I was given a piece of paper with “11:27” written on it and instructed to make sure not to leave before securing my second appointment. IT was all super-efficient. By 11:28 I was out of the place with appointment number two scheduled for April 16th, 2021 at 10:57. I was back home at noon, much to EM’s surprise!

Lunch was left over stir-fry and rice, which I consumed while checking emails and unlocking my phone. Apparently, I changed my passcode last night, but clearly had forgotten all about it, including the new passphrase. Glad to say it is all fixed now.

Then followed a walk with the BF. We chatted about this and that, before I asked about the plans for the weekend away and proceeding to broach the dicier subjects.

Much to my surprise he did not know the word “contraception”, however, it turned out that he was very familiar with the concept once I threw in the word “condom”. Seems he has had a talking too about that subject by his family. Interestingly, I also learned that his mum had a teenaged pregnancy and he is well aware of the fact that men can not be relied upon.

When I explained that in the unlikely event of EM becoming pregnant he would have no say in the matter, he was okay with it. I think he might even have smiled when I mentioned that he would get a say only if he found a way to carry a baby to term and give birth.

The other issue on my mind is of course EM’s choice of university. I mentioned I did not want him to influence her decision or put her under pressure by saying he would not do a long-distance relationship. Of course, he would like for her to study in the USA. At the same time, he is not willing to entertain the idea of studying anywhere other than Florida. I feel strongly that EM should not make her choice based on his inflexibility. She would be all by herself on this continent with all of her family in Europe. I will be sure to impress that on her. The BF is planning on four years in Florida as of 2022.

If their relationship survives five years of this kind of distance, I guess it is meant to be. It may become a clash of wills, but I will not pay US$ 75k a year for a mediocre US education when she has far better options. Over the coming weeks we will need to have a conversation about university choices. I will prepare for it to be as objective as possible using criteria such as money, ranking and content of curriculum. I fervently hope I have brought up my daughter to be an independent young woman who will make use of the opportunities afforded to her and follow her heart, but not her first teen love.

We also now have a plan to celebrate her 18th birthday. Her, the BF and I will go out to dinner at one of the latest DC Michelin-star rated restaurants. I have booked a table for three outside for the chef’s fifteen course tasting menu. I invited J. today to join us and he promised to dress for the occasion.

EM and J. will then head of to West Virginia for two days of hiking in nowhere. The plan is to sleep in either the truck or a tent. Not really my idea of fun, but if that is what she wants to do to celebrate coming of age it is fine by me. It is certainly a strange feeling that EM can as of a week from now decide anything she wants without my consent. I sincerely hope I have equipped her to make the right decisions.

Today, the USA set a new record and administered 3.4 million shots in a day and I am glad I was one of that number, even if my arm is a little sore and I have a slight headache. Meanwhile numbers of new infections reported everyday continue to creep up. 67k added the past twenty-four hours and 73k today to reach 30,8 million reported cases in total. This evolution is disconcerting. But having had my first shot I feel I care less. Two weeks post the second shot I think I will feel invincible; a false assumption of course.

Twitter is discussing what the USA should do with its stockpile of vaccines as it has secured more than four times what is needed to vaccinate every American. This miracle has also been achieved through employing the defense production act as a result of which no vaccine produced in the US can leave the country. Not that the USA has more than enough shots it is high time to lift the export ban and think about sharing as none of the shots in stockpile can be kept for more than four months.

As the world continues to study the Corona virus. In the US randomized trials with college students are now underway trying to assess if asymptomatic can transmit the virus in a controlled trial. My take is they can, hence the high infection rates.

Very excited about testing of nasal vaccine under way. This would be an awesome for boosters.