I am in the same boat
@DharmaGirl and I will be receiving my second vaccine injection in a few weeks. Take care and I hope your second dose goes well.
There are many people in hospital or at home with the disease here in Australia and the trend is upwards in most places at the moment unfortunately. However thus far only three states have had to shut down to control the outbreak. The rest of Australia is operating relatively normally and do not have any restrictions apart from not being able to travel to the Eastern seaboard states.
There may be a slight dent in the upwards trajectory with infections but that may be not be significant and just hopeful thinking on my behalf. Certainly we do not have thousands of people in hospital requiring medical support so there are some aspects of our current situation that we must be grateful for.
The good news is that nobody who has had both doses of the vaccine is in intensive care. And only a very, very low number of people who have had their first dose have caught the disease and even less are in hospital requiring support. The rest of the known cases are unvaccinated people.
Being unvaccinated here in Australia is not entirely the fault of the person at this time because the authorities in charge of getting the vaccine out to most people have not dealt with the logistics well. There has been a shortage of vaccines, places and people who can administer it and have been slow to establish. Only now are the authorities receiving enough vaccine to push the vaccination rate up and meaningfully and sustain that level.
As well there was a big media beat up over the Astra Z vaccine regarding an auto immune clotting disorder that 1/50,000 people may experience following administration of the vaccine. As a result there was a general reluctance by the population who could have got it, to get it, opting to wait instead for another brand and type. And to be honest, Australia was incredibly lucky with being able to shut international borders so we as a population were protected from the virus simply by that.
Unfortunately out repatriation program to bring back Australians from overseas brought back Delta too and it has exploited the fact that our population was mostly unvaccinated.
Now that Delta has shut down three entire States and put millions of people into isolation and quarantine, the population is now herding back towards the Astra vaccine. Many people are regretting the missed opportunity they were given to take the Astra and be done with it.
Also, finally, now the media seem to be sending out a more balanced view of the side effects for Astra. Medical authorities know how to treat the rare side-effect very efficiently and even the diagnosis is easy (blood test). The symptoms are quite clear and easy to recognise too so maybe all of these factors will help. Denmark has banned Astra but obviously they must have access to an alternative vaccine at the numbers they require.
I have had Astra and it also made me feel very off for about two and half days but even though I didn't like that and don't want it again, I'd much rather have that relatively mild reaction from the vaccine than get the disease.
I worry about my family members who have not become eligible due to their age group to receive the vaccine. I think I would happily give up my second dose and wait longer just so they may receive it but I don't have the ability to manipulate the system like that. I just have to trust the authorities to amp up their efforts and keep going with the vaccination roll out.
There are a number of new vaccines that are coming up for approval and should, all going well, be available later this year.
about both of our brains not working at the same durn time? IS supportive. For us. The two people actually involved in that exchange. Who have known each other for years. And who understand both the sense of humor & sentiment involved.
