Vaccines for 40+

I don't turn 40 until June (let's not age me unnecessarily) but I am eligible for a vaccine here in Ontario now.  We have our appointments for later next week, although we are also on a number of waiting lists at the various local pharmacies so it may happen before then.  The offer to our age group is the Astra Zeneca vaccine. A few comments about how I feel about this:

I am absolutely for vaccines of any kind and I am not bothered by the possibility of any side effects, including blood clots.  Now that the variants are here, and affecting people my age more seriously, I will take the first one offered.

I saw a few people wondering if we should be getting the vaccine when there are other higher risk people that are still unvaccinated.  Although I did hesitate for a minute, I know that it will help to have any and all people vaccinated so if I can get it, I should get it.  I do appreciate that many people were even questioning their eligibility. But what I know to be true is that you need to look after yourself, you can't expect anyone else to do it for you.  So although the government could have done a better job of prioritizing those higher risk groups, they have opened it up to me, and I'll take it.

I was feeling like I hit the pandemic wall last week, and vaccines seemed a long way off for me, so when this news was released, I instantly felt better.  Then I kept hearing in my head the chorus from the hymn, "My Soul Cries Out" (Mom, it's in More Voices):

Wipe away all tears,

For the dawn draws near,

And the world is about to turn.

Also, I have been chuckling at the tweets I've seen about the 40+ crowd (some of you will get these jokes):

- If you watched Jem and the Holograms on TV when it aired, you may be eligible for the vaccine. 

- If you completed OAC (Grade 13) classes, you may be eligible for the vaccine (I didn't grow up in Ontario, but if I had, I would have been one of the last OAC classes).

- Someone bring Big Shiny Tunes Vol. 1-3 to the vaccine line.

- If you wanted to go to Woodstock '94 but couldn't and wisely decided not to go to Woodstock '99, you may be eligible for the vaccine.

- If you saw I Mother Earth pre-Edwin leaving the bank, you may be eligible for the vaccine. 

- Haven't seen this many members of Gen X excited to get shots since "Home for a Rest" came on at the last wedding I went to.

- If you have a borrowed copy of "Jagged Little Pill" you may be eligible for the vaccine. 

- This vaccine appointment race reminds me of the good old days logging into the city of Toronto website via four devices at 7 am to sign my toddler up for swimming.

- If the Hip played at your frosh week, you're eligible for the vaccine. 

- If you made mixtapes by recording songs off the radio on your cassette player, you're eligible.

- If you tuned into Much Music for the music, you may be eligible for the vaccine.

- If you rushed home from school to watch Video Hits, you may be eligible for the vaccine. 

- If you regularly took a peanut butter sandwich to school, you may be eligible for the vaccine. 

- 1981 babies:

If you know, then you know.  Ontario friends, let's get it!