Dear Kids,
Today, Ima and I went to Six Flags America in Largo, Maryland, so Ima could get her second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (she got the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine). I got my second shot (also Pfizer) two weeks ago, which was before I started this blog, thus no entry. So far she’s having no major reaction, just a sore arm. She’s lucky so far. Most people got sick from the second dose. But it’s worth a day of suffering with a fever, chills and headache to know that we are protected from COVID-19 and that the end of this craziness is nigh. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just announced that if you are fully vaccinated, you don’t need to wear a mask if you’re outside and able to maintain six feet of distance.
I’m sure you haven’t forgotten about the Coronavirus pandemic and the havoc it’s wreaked on so many people’s lives. We made it through with little more than an aversion to sticking things up our noses. It was a rough year we all had. Sadly, we did lose J– and her husband, D–, but everyone else survived it (as of this writing anyway). It was a scary year and half with constant fear of being too close to people and forgetting masks so having to turn around and go back home and getting annoyed by idiots who kept their noses outside their masks. I have no doubt that you remember going to school on your computer instead of going into the building, virtual playdates and birthday parties, and generally not living a normal life. But, as I said, Ima and I are now vaxxed (as is the current term d’art). And that means that travel, restaurants, and getting back to normal life is just around the corner. Once enough of us get the vaccine and “herd immunity” is achieved, we should be able to hit the reset button, put our masks in the drawer, and pick up where we left off.
Back to the vaccines. It will be interesting to look back when we read this in years to come and see how it worked. Did enough people take the vaccines? Did we get to herd immunity? Did the vaccines even work? Are we still wearing masks? Were the conspiracy theorists right and the vaccines had horrible side effects? Like thalidomide, were children born with horrific deformities? Do we still need to get annual COVID shots like the flu shot (do we still need to take flu shots)? Was it all worth it? From my perspective, two weeks from my second shot and hours from Ima’s we don’t have the perspective to say yes or no. Hopefully when you read this you’ll have better answers.
Either way, I think it was worth the risk, and I think vaccinations in general are worth the risks (yes, the three of you got all your shots when you were children). , the thing about all of this that I want you to remember is that we didn’t know if the vaccines would work or if they were truly as safe as the government said, but Ima and I felt it was worth the risk to protect the three of you and to do our part in helping to get the pandemic under control and to allow you kids to have the childhood you should have had and deserved.
Please let me know it was worth it.
Love,
Aba
