Weekly online vaccine competition

 

Just to bring you up to speed; there is a world wide pandemic of a flu like virus named Covid-19.  It’s been front and center in everybody’s lives since March of 2019.  A quarantine of varying degrees of severity has been implemented across the world including the United States.

A vaccine to combat the virus was developed in record time; less than a year.  Usually It takes years to develop vaccines, or so we’ve been told by the “experts.”  In addition 2 additional vaccines; 3 different companies, altogether have been created and two have been available; approved by the FDA, for immediate use.

There are approximately 328 million people in the USA alone and 7,800,000,000 world wide.  Again the experts tell us that to achieve “herd immunity” we must vaccinate a minimum of 70% of our population.  In the US that amounts to 229.6 million people.

As of Thursday 11th of February 2021 about 34.7 million people have received at least 1 dose of  a covid-19 vaccine and 11.2 million fully vaccinated. Currently 1.5 million doses a day are being administered in the US.  Without overwhelming you with math details; the New York Times Has a neat graph that shows 10% of our population has been vaccinated as of 11 February, 2021.  At the current pace we will have 50% immunized by June 26th, and 70% by September 3rd.  And 90% next November 10th.

Due to a variety of factors; first and foremost, not enough vaccine! Not enough syringes, not enough personnel trained to administer injections, and sadly; wealth of communities(wealthier communities being vaccinated at a higher percentage than low wealth communities,) are all factors in keeping us from getting to herd immunity more quickly.

To dole out the meager supply of vaccine States have set up a lottery system for citizens to use to get vaccinated ahead of their neighbors.  I will speak to Florida’s system because that is where my wife, Diane, and I have resided since Oct. 2020 and will be here, God willing, ‘til the middle of May.

First they prioritized the population into groups to be vaccinated first; front-line health care workers, and people over 65 years of age etc.. then they eventually set up a state registry system by county where you sign up and establish your eligibility.  In our  case we qualify under the elderly category.  Instructions inform us that we have been “Q”d and when our turn comes up we will be notified by phone and/or email. In a quote from the local newspaper; “the state’s new system ensures those who have registered will eventually get a call back when appointments are available.”

They already have 20,000 more people on the list than actually qualify as residents in our county—— You can see where this is going; usual government inefficiency.

To make getting the vaccine into a competition  they (the state) have started distributing the still limited amount of doses to various pharmacies around the state.  In another quote form the same article in the local newspaper; “for those who prefer the weekly online competition for appointments, doses are also available through Publix stores in Charlotte, Lee and Collier counties.  They quickly fill up as that online registration opens up several times a week.”  To date Winn Dixie, Walmart, and Walgreens have joined the lottery competition for vaccination.  All these vendors to administer the same limited number of doses.

I’ve entered the lottery for Publix twice and attempted Winn Dixie once.

I’m done.  I’m not going to emulate Oliver Twist and beg for my vaccine.  When there is enough to go around and I’m still alive I’ll gladly take my shot in the arm.  If I get the Covid-19 infection as two of my children and their families did I’ll pray to recover as they did.  “They” say there is a 95+ % survival rate for people who contract the virus’ infection.  So I’ll take my chances, ( while maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask and washing my hand 101 times a day) but I won’t enter the state lottery system.  Perhaps I’ll get it an be immunized nature’s way. “So it goes.”