Today is a good day. I finally feel that there is hope. I have had my first Covid vaccination. I know that I still need to be careful. I don’t think I’d feel comfortable not wearing my mask, using hand sanitiser, washing my hands and keeping my 2 metre social distance. I also know that I won’t be fully vaccinated till 7 days after my second dose in 4 weeks time.
The injection itself was quick and painless. No different from the flu jab. A few hours on and I feel absolutely fine – my arm is a bit achey but nothing major. I still can’t quite believe I’ve had my first vaccine dose. I am so relieved. It really feels like the beginning of life restarting. I know that the world is a very different place today from before Covid-19 but it feels a little bit more positive today.
When I got the phone call to offer me an appointment, I was buzzing. I honestly felt hopeful and like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I haven’t felt this light in a long time. I am still scared of getting Coronavirus, my health issues make me at increased risk of serious illness. While I am working to reduce my weight and get fitter, I am still asthmatic and know only too well how it feels to have a tight chest and to struggle for air. Thankfully, I keep it under control but the thought of a respiratory virus literally strikes fear in my heart, especially one that can be fatal.
Yesterday, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement. Needles don’t bother me and I get my flu jab every year so that holds no nerves for me. I trust that the vaccine is safe so I’m not nervous about that either. I guess I’m nervous and excited about the country reopening.
It’s just been announced here that personal services can resume from May 10th as can click and collect from ‘non-essential retail’ with all shops able to open from May 17th. We can also travel outwith our county too. There’s also plans for hospitality to re-open in June if things go well in May. I’m nervous and anxious that we re-open too soon and have to lockdown again. The potential for things to go wrong when pubs open again really worries me.
Under 500,000 people here are fully vaccinated most of those are older. Around 1,100,000 people have had their first dose. I still can’t quite believe that I’m one of them!!
What I’ve found over the last 13 months is that as bad as lockdown and having all of our freedoms removed is, regaining some of that freedom and having it taken away a second and third time is far, far worse. I really hope that the lockdown that we are starting to emerge from in April and now on into May was the last. (Especially as it was totally avoidable had the politicians had the guts to in effect “cancel” big family Christmases. Anyway, what’s done is done.)
Onwards and hopefully upwards in terms of increased freedoms and NOT case numbers. (They’ve been up the last 2 days – hopefully just a blip.) I really, really hope that despite it being a bank holiday weekend that people are sensible and stay safe.
