Fairly predictable human nature now at work. First is reluctance to take the vaccination because it was expedited by an unpopular President. Then step in the “anti-vaccine” folks. (See my previous Post on that one). I overheard a guy telling his buddy yesterday that it will cause infertility and alters DNA. Now it’s the scramble to try to acquire access to the shot with limited availability so far. Keep in mind, this would never have occurred had not our government not bought the vaccines ahead of any anticipated approval by the sluggish regulatory agencies in this country.
Protect the most vulnerable. Protect our “front line” workers. So I see this post from a Doctor I have known for years. He is a very sharp guy. He has so many letters behind his name he should just drop his given name. MD, PhD, MBA and it goes on. Yes, he is a Doctor. Front line? Hardly. He only sees patients in his practice now mostly by telemedicine. (See my previous blog on this). I am not picking on this person mind you, there are many more like him I am sure that are receiving a front line vaccine. One thing is for certain; it’s who you know and how much income you provide to those that facilitate the distribution of the Vaccine. Oh yeah, did I mention he brings in hundreds of thousands of dollars to the hospital in the form of his surgeries. Go figure.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I am a tough guy, been exposed to any conceivable germ, virus, bug and critter on earth during my 45 years in the business. Bugs that crawl and burrow into the skin, viruses that can enter through skin, fluids and any possible orifice you have. Bitten by dogs, cats and exposed to hundreds of snot-nosed children literally coughing in my face. But I am Truly Front Line. I have been visiting my Patients in their homes, assisted living facilities, memory care facilities, independent living facilities, apartments, single-wide trailers, double-wide trailers, RV’s and the like. Yep, actual at-risk and high risk folks over the age of 65 almost all of them. Bedbound, wheelchair bound, you name it. I have done my best to try to keep them OUT of the hospitals. In the meantime, the telemedicine folks are getting vaccines? Right. Some of the administrative folks that are working from home are, and have already received vaccines. C’mon now, seriously? Yes seriously. I am not making this up.
The folks that I see are not taking their RV to warm locations during the Winter and visiting National Parks. They live in their mobiles year round, mostly off of what remains of their social security. Many of them are very chronically ill. They are all over age 65, most vulnerable. Many are bedbound as I said and rely on folks that ARE NOT SICK to care for them.
Since March, when the first serious lockdowns happened and most Medical Offices closed, I and some of my braver colleagues continued to see our Patients. In Person. Yes, precautions are taken. Masks, sanitizers, gloves, temperatures and the like. Log in, log out. I have had my temperature taken a buzzillion times so far this past year. (by the way notoriously inaccurate way to stop spread). My own administrative staff and some Nurses and Medical assistants have fallen ill. We are understaffed.
These guys are criminals. Guess what? They may get vaccines ahead of most of my “vulnerable” patients. We’ll see how that works out. In the meantime I am left to make phone calls, call in favors, try my best to get “hooked-up”. Pssssst, hey buddy got any hot COVID vaccine? If and when I do get my vaccination I won’t feel the least bit guilty in doing so. What I do for a living (so far) is definitely front line and my patients are surely vulnerable. I will sleep well at night.