I got my Moderna Booster shot at a pharmacy yesterday. The good news for me? While the third world is awaiting their first shot, I just got my third.
The bad news? It’s delivered in a pharmacy not run by the Boston Marathon director who consulted with Gillette Stadium in Foxboro to deliver my first two shots in February and March of 2021. Thousands of people were scheduled for shots at this facility, day after day, week after week. Those giving the shot were not required to cover Drive-Thru, answer calls, attend to pharmacy pick-ups. Their only job was to give injections. I was in and out within 30 minutes and that included the 15 minutes I had to stay following each shot.
Yesterday, I showed up early and there was no one else in the waiting room. I had scheduled the first appointment for the day. The lady behind the counter verified my appointment. I said I had filled the papers out online as suggested by the pharmacy. Sorry, we don’t have access to those, I’m afraid, so let me check you in and I’ll bring you out the forms.
10 minutes later she brings me out the forms, and PS by this time, the appointment after mine had been processed and taken to receive her shot by a pharmacist assistant. Note to wise: She brought her forms with her and did not fill them out online.
I filled the papers out again and brought them back to her right away.
20 minutes later, I said, “How much longer is this going to be?” There was no one in the waiting room at this point.
“Oh, let me check,” she said. She went back to the pharmacist who had come in AFTER I had arrived with his mask under his nose. They were looking for papers underneath other papers. She looked with some degree of frenzy as he said, What’s her name? She said it.
After shuffling from one place to another, she came back to the window and looked at me, said, “Liz?”. No, I said, “Pat”. She returned to the window with new papers and said, just let me fill this out with you. Wait, I said. The papers I filled out just now, you can’t find?”
Yes, I’m so sorry. So, she filled out the first page of two pages I filled out and had me sign it. He’ll be right with you.
10 minutes later, the pharmacist with his mask under his nose, comes out, “Coakley”. That’s all he said.
I followed him. He opened up the room. Put his stuff down. Proceeded to do what he had to do. Said nothing. And, I mean, zero. I couldn’t help but notice the overflowing trash can.
After about 3-4 minutes of silence, I decided to double-check this group was giving me the Moderna booster and not the polio vaccine. He said, “Yes, it’s Moderna. Half dose.”
He gave me the shot. This part was good.
Not one word as he turned and proceeded to take the trash bag out of the can and put in a new one.
Um. Do I have to wait 15 minutes?
He didn’t turn to face me, just said, 10 minutes, as if it was of no earthly interest to him whether I stayed or not.
Do I have my vaccination card updated?
I can do that. He did that.
He turned his back to finish up.
So, I said, “I’m done? Nothing else.”
No.
I left the room and didn’t let the door slam on his nose.
Sat on a chair for 10 minutes and hoped to hell I had no adverse reaction as having my life in the hands of this crew was not promising.
Just so you know, I called my primary care to ask if they were giving out booster shots and they said, “Oh, no, we don’t give booster shots. You can go to the pharmacy or your local grocery store.”
Need I say more?
I know people are wondering what receiving the booster shot means to their future behavior. What can they do after the shot that they couldn’t do before? The Atlantic magazine has a good article about this confusion.
I think the confusion begins with the administration of the shot.
I’m still a little bit concerned that someone named “Liz” got the polio vaccine.
