Sour Grapes: Waiting for Eligibility in Pittsfield
Dear Diary... Well, if I kept a diary, I might write this.
People all over Berkshire County, across the Commonwealth, and throughout the Nation are frustrated with trying to find an available vaccine appointment. This is understandable, as the vaccine distribution rollout has not been without its problems. I will contend however that waiting to become eligible for a vaccine appointment, may be even more frustrating than trying to book an appointment.
I am trying to be patient, and I understand that state and local vaccine officials are following the current three-phase plan as it was meant to be followed... but something has got to give. Am I the only person that gets annoyed with someone 20 years younger than me posts on Facebook that they just received their second shot and they feel great? If I am... I’ll shut up.
Okay, I know that sounds like sour grapes... but I’m sort of kidding (but not really).
To be honest, I really did think I would have been eligible by now. My medical record looks like an autopsy report, but it apparently isn’t good enough to make me eligible for a vaccine appointment.
As it turns out, the one thing I hate about myself more than anything else, is the one thing that will make me eligible to get an appointment. I’m overweight. So, I’m patiently waiting for Phase 2: Group 4. Yay!
Are you carrying a few extra pounds, like me? Well, if your Body Mass Index is over 30 like mine, then congratulations... we can go and get vaccinated together. If you want to do a quick check, you can calculate your BMI HERE.
And just in case you’ve lost track of the vaccine eligibility phases due to the tons of information being thrown at you daily, you can go HERE to get the full run down of the phases.
Hmmm. I’m not sure that I feel any better having gotten that off my chest or not.
LOOK: Answers to 30 common COVID-19 vaccine questions
While much is still unknown about the coronavirus and the future, what is known is that the currently available vaccines have gone through all three trial phases and are safe and effective. It will be necessary for as many Americans as possible to be vaccinated in order to finally return to some level of pre-pandemic normalcy, and hopefully these 30 answers provided here will help readers get vaccinated as soon they are able.