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COLUMN: #Vaccinated! Now get me out of this house!

BradfordToday editor and reporter Natasha Philpott shares her experience on getting the COVID vaccine

After a year of living like a recluse, I feel I can live semi-normally now that I have my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

How did a young-(ish) woman who isn’t a front-line worker get her shot already, you ask? Through my husband. He is Metis and falls under the Indigenous Priority group as part of the province’s Phase 1 vaccine rollout plan, along with all household members aged 16-plus. 

If my husband didn’t have a serious medical condition, I would have just waited until the rollout reached my age group, but I felt I had to get it as early as possible for his sake: I decided to get this vaccine for my husband and others like him who may not be able to fight off the virus as easily if infected. 

I am upset that people with health conditions were not part of the Phase 1 priority group, but that’s a whole other article for another day.  

At the beginning of the pandemic, my husband's cardiologist advised us to drastically reduce contacts, limit outings... essentially live under a rock until we could be vaccinated. This made it difficult, especially for the type of job I have as a reporter, interviewing and interacting with people on a daily basis. 

Even when government restrictions were eased, we still had to play it extra safe and were not able to do as much as others. Add in virtual learning for my kindergartener and a screaming two-year-old at home and you can see why I was so desperate to get this jab.  

Last week, I filled in my pre-registration form on the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit website and was sent an invitation to book over the weekend. (It felt so exclusive  like I was a real VIP!)

Trying to make an appointment was a little confusing. When I used the link provided to book, only Toronto locations were popping up. I decided to wait and check the site again on Monday, when the provincial booking system was set to go live, to see if there was anything closer to home. 

As predicted, at 8 a.m., Monday, I logged back in and this time when I entered my address, the closest vaccine clinic location that popped up was in Tottenham. I immediately rebooked a spot for Wednesday the 17th. It also allowed me to book my second dose at the same time, which is four months away. 

Once I arrived at the Tottenham Community Centre, I got in line. I must admit I felt a little out of place, since it was mostly seniors getting their shot. The lady at the check-in conducted a COVID screening before sending me to a lineup along the outside of the gymnasium. 

In the gym, we had to check-in at two different stations, present our health card and proof of eligibility. 

We then waited in another line until a vaccination station was available. 

Now, I hate needles. I usually get hot and clammy just thinking about them. But this time I was ready, and welcomed it. 

The nurse asked me if I had any allergies or have had any reactions to vaccines in the past and let me know that I would be getting the Pfizer vaccine. I looked away as she jabbed the needle into my left arm, and it was over before I knew it. She gave me a yellow slip of paper with my vaccination information and I was sent to sit in another spaced-out chair for 15 minutes to monitor for any reactions. 

I felt hot and clammy immediately after the shot, but that’s how I always react whenever I get a needle. After my 15 minutes, I got up and checked out at another table, but not before taking my obligatory “vaccine selfie” and posting on social media. I even dressed up a little for the occasion, and donned my new sparkly pink sequin top that has been collecting dust in my closet all year. 

At check-out, the woman at the desk asked how I felt, wrote down my second dose appointment date and printed off a white vaccination receipt. 

We then exited the building on the opposite side of where we entered and headed back home. Easy-peasy. 

I feel like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can now go to the grocery store, get a haircut, and send my kids to daycare without suffering from an anxiety attack. Of course, this is not an excuse to be reckless and live my life pre-pandemic. I must wait for the rest of the population to catch up. But I have peace of mind knowing my husband's chances of getting sick from COVID-19 are extremely low. 

I know this rollout is slow, confusing, and unfair but I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I am hopeful better times are ahead. 

Natasha Philpott is the community editor at BradfordToday and InnisfilToday. 


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Natasha Philpott

About the Author: Natasha Philpott

Natasha is the Editor for BradfordToday and InnisfilToday. She graduated from the Media Studies program at The University of Guelph-Humber. She lives in Bradford with her husband, two boys and two cats.
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