The news is out about a vaccine coming. This got everyone excited and out of the doldrums just in time for Turkey Day.
Not so fast, Pilgrim.
While there are confirmed two magic potions so far, they are both different; both require particular handling and have not been manufactured in the numbers to get to your local CVS. There has not been an agreed upon cost or if your insurance plan will cover it. Will your doctor have to prescribe the shots or will a local distribution center provide drive-by needles in the window? How long will that line be?
With only a few vials of this magic potion available to cure the plague, who gets it first?
Unless you are the President or know a guy who knows a guy, you will have to wait your turn.
First of all would be the ‘essential’ workers. Doctors and nurses who are the highest risk while they are caring for the sick and dying of the virus. That makes sense because if there were no doctors and nurses…? What about the ambulance drivers? What about the police and fire? What about those who clean the hallways for the gurneys? What about those who prepare the meals for the doctors and nurses and ambulance drivers and police and fire and those who clean the hallways for the gurneys? What about those who do the laundry for the doctors and nurses and…. well you get the picture.
These are all ‘essential’ due to the virus, but who else is ‘essential’?
Is the ole folks ‘essential’? They maybe the most vulnerable due to age and pre-existing conditions but should they get a shot before you do? Sorry grandma.
The guys who keep the grocery stores open seem pretty ‘essential’. They have to stock the shelves, slice the meat, cut the cheese, take you cash and bag your groceries while rubbing elbows with hundreds of strangers everyday. Not sure the number of people wandering the aisles and bumping carts on Thanksgiving will be under the governors gathering limit? No matter how many mask or gloves or plastic covering these folks wear they are enclosed with possibly contaminated strangers all breathing the same air. Still without these guys and gals dutifully checking your Cheetos, chips and bottles of wine, you’d starve. Besides, where else are you going to get toilet paper and paper towels to hoard?
What about the truck drivers? Without them there would be nothing for the grocers to stock. That makes them pretty ‘essential’. Those big rigs aren’t going to move without diesel and mechanics and warehouse workers and…
Are you starting to see a pattern?
What about the Armed Forces? All those folks who wear the same clothing and carry guys to protect our country from the enemy need shots too. They are ‘essential’.
And all those warriors in the foxholes need bullets and rockets. The folks who manufacture weapons of mass destruction are ‘essential’ for the armed forces to protect us from the enemy.
If your electricity goes off, who could be more ‘essential’ than the power guys? Without power your kids can learn and you can’t be entertained. You think you are bored now; sit in the dark awhile.
Is reality sinking in?
No matter how fast Drezel or Muldonic or Seziman Drinkal can put the magic potion in little bottles then deep freeze them and ship them to your town, you are in the back of the line.
I know you think you are ‘essential’ too. Why are you sitting at home in your week old sweats attending Zoom meetings and replying to emails then refreshing your streaming window because no one is looking over your shoulder if you are so ‘essential’. If you can’t tell a workday from a holiday you are either non-essential or retired.
Raise your pom-poms and cheer the miracle of modern science as others get shots and more shots and be careful and wash your hands until they call your number.
Your number will be up, one way or another.
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