I was able to register for my first dose of the coronavirus vaccine this week—even though I’m not eligible according to the State of Michigan’s guidelines. In signing up for the COVID shot, success seems to depend on knowing the right place to go—or knowing someone who knows.
My age is 52 and my health is generally good. In Michigan, officially, the vaccines are now being offered to those 50 and over who have underlying health conditions. In reality, it depends on where you are signing up. Various county health departments and pharmacies seem to have slightly different criteria when offering vaccination appointments to people. My sister Carol in Ann Arbor is the type of person who is well-informed and researches things on the internet. A few days ago, she told my wife Mary that the Rite-Aid pharmacy in Mount Pleasant and Gladwin had available appointments for someone in my age and health category—and sure enough she was right. By the time Mary was telling me this, she was already on the Rite Aid app on her phone.
As I clicked the button that signed me up for the vaccine, I felt guilty. Am I cutting in line? Am I getting the vaccine earlier than I deserve? Am I cheating the system? Everything that I read on the subject says no—the conventional wisdom seems to be that you should get whichever vaccine you can, whenever it is offered to you. I have a strong sense of fairness and an awareness of my privilege…but I think this conventional wisdom is right. Let’s get our elders vaccinated. Let’s get people with fragile health vaccinated. Let’s get me vaccinated. Let’s get you vaccinated as soon as possible.
I am very hopeful with the increased availability of vaccines right now. It’s been just about a year since COVID shut down our normal way of life in so many ways, and now I feel that we are turning a corner in our battle against it. I hope for better days to come.
PRAYER:
Spirit of life and love--divine energy that transcends life and death, sickness and health--hear my prayer.
May all who are seeking the COVID vaccine quickly find a provider who is offering it. May those who are waiting for a second dose to be fully vaccinated have patience as they wait.
We long so much to see our loved ones, to hug them again. We long so much to gather in groups for worship, for dining, for singing, for business, for fun.
May those who are administering the vaccines be blessed: they are doing holy work. They are doing life-saving work.
May the whole community – the city, the state, the nation, the world – pull together to get everyone vaccinated, to follow guidelines of science, to defeat this virus and save lives.
Blessed be.
Rev. Andrew Frantz
My age is 52 and my health is generally good. In Michigan, officially, the vaccines are now being offered to those 50 and over who have underlying health conditions. In reality, it depends on where you are signing up. Various county health departments and pharmacies seem to have slightly different criteria when offering vaccination appointments to people. My sister Carol in Ann Arbor is the type of person who is well-informed and researches things on the internet. A few days ago, she told my wife Mary that the Rite-Aid pharmacy in Mount Pleasant and Gladwin had available appointments for someone in my age and health category—and sure enough she was right. By the time Mary was telling me this, she was already on the Rite Aid app on her phone.
As I clicked the button that signed me up for the vaccine, I felt guilty. Am I cutting in line? Am I getting the vaccine earlier than I deserve? Am I cheating the system? Everything that I read on the subject says no—the conventional wisdom seems to be that you should get whichever vaccine you can, whenever it is offered to you. I have a strong sense of fairness and an awareness of my privilege…but I think this conventional wisdom is right. Let’s get our elders vaccinated. Let’s get people with fragile health vaccinated. Let’s get me vaccinated. Let’s get you vaccinated as soon as possible.
I am very hopeful with the increased availability of vaccines right now. It’s been just about a year since COVID shut down our normal way of life in so many ways, and now I feel that we are turning a corner in our battle against it. I hope for better days to come.
PRAYER:
Spirit of life and love--divine energy that transcends life and death, sickness and health--hear my prayer.
May all who are seeking the COVID vaccine quickly find a provider who is offering it. May those who are waiting for a second dose to be fully vaccinated have patience as they wait.
We long so much to see our loved ones, to hug them again. We long so much to gather in groups for worship, for dining, for singing, for business, for fun.
May those who are administering the vaccines be blessed: they are doing holy work. They are doing life-saving work.
May the whole community – the city, the state, the nation, the world – pull together to get everyone vaccinated, to follow guidelines of science, to defeat this virus and save lives.
Blessed be.
Rev. Andrew Frantz
RSS Feed
