The friendly GP at the hospital corona area asked me, ‘Do you like getting the vaccination?’
‘Not really. It’s for peace of mind,’ I said.
He smiled. ‘The main thing is to relax the muscle.’ This I did.
Afterwards I asked, ‘Why don’t they test for antibodies before these vaccinations?’
‘Good questions,’ he said, and added, ‘We just do as we’re told.’ Not reassuring, of course. Then again, I was just curious, not seeking reassurances.
The GP advised me to sit nearby for fifteen minutes, in case any side effects occurred. Nothing! The jab might as well have been a placebo, which, given the massive fear machine in operation would make sense. I shut my eyes while waiting. The murmur of voices from orderlies, the line of vaccination stations and the people waiting in the hall felt like the gentle surf at a sunny sea shore. I had missed the soothing surf of voices for many months. A revelation! I don’t care for noisy crowds, but the quiet chatter of people in close vicinity fills me with a gratitude for kinship and community.
In no way is this post meant as advice. I remain ambivalent about the pandemic phenomena and the measures employed to stem its spread, including conspiracy theories, acknowledging there may be hidden grains of truth with any perspective. I struggled with the decision of getting a jab, having read and explored opinions, a lot. Nothing seemed conclusive. It was an entirely personal decision. I’m not a martyr for rights or wrongs. The choice was for peace of mind. I’ve family, friends, and my writing to attend to, that’s all.
This Sufi story, re-posted last year is interesting in that respect. https://courseofmirrors.com/2020/04/12/when-the-waters-were-changed-2/
Course of Mirrors 