I finally got my Coronavirus vaccination.
The card indicating that has a place of honor on the fridge, plus several pix in my phone. And a Xerox copy in my files. And in my wallet.
Considering how much trouble I went through to get it, it’s worth making sure it’s not going astray. I spent hours on the phone and hours online. Hunting for likely places that might have it. Registering online and at different places all over the city – until I finally got lucky.
At one point my wireless failed. I had to call place after place, getting put on hold (forever!), and then being disconnected. It brought home to me how the search for a vaccine site is accentuating the digital divide. It highlights that some seniors live in a digital desert. No tools, no connectivity – especially in rural areas – and no way to get a vaccine except maybe spend hours on the phone.
There’s help
It’s a sobering thought, but luckily there’s help. OATS is launching Aging Connected to help one million older people get online; if you know anyone who needs connectivity, tell them about it and give them this number to call for more information: 1-877-745-1930
Meanwhile, what did you have to do to get the vaccine – if you got it at all? Let us know in the comments…and take our poll!
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; her blog “Don’t Get Me Started” puts a quirky new spin on Old School New York City. Send your suggestions for Open Threads to her at editor@seniorplanet.org.