We Got Shot

For the past few weeks I have been constantly checking DHEC and a variety of other websites to find locations for the COVID VACCINE. South Carolina was low on the number of vaccines available as with other states but I was persistent on checking. Well today we got shot and this is how the entire procedure went down!

I was able to get two appointments for us on March 18th but with Rich’s weakened immune system I wanted to see if I could find something sooner.

I found an online site, VAMS which is the Vaccine Administration Management System and registered on the site Tuesday and immediately was given two locations in my area with appointments. I could have made the appointments the very next day but since we already had things going on, I opted for Thursday at 7am – 7:10am time slot at the Grand Strand Medical Center. But the tricky part was wondering how I was going to get an appointment for Rich and me at the same time. So here’s what I did… I signed in on my phone with Rich’s info and used the laptop for mine. I filled out every step for each of us and simultaneously clicked enter. It worked, we both received immediate conformations for the same day and time!

This morning was the day, we left home about 5:45am even though it was only about a 20 minute drive. When we arrived there were a few people in vehicles waiting. About 6:30am we all started gathering in a large tent to wait for the next step. Around 6:45am the SC National Guard members came in and welcomed us all. He explained that the time slots would be called out first and then each person’s name as they had signed up. Rich and I were the 3rd and 4th to be called.

Next we moved to the huge tent (with heat I may add since it was in the high 30’s with heavy wind!) where there were ten stations with nurses ready to give the vaccine.

When we signed up through VAMS we were given a Qcode and a Patient Portal which made it so easy for the nurse to find us and double check that it was really us with our driver license. Neither Rich nor I even felt the needle going in and the nurse was so pleasant.

After we were shot, we received a shot record and given the dates we need to go back for our second dose of the vaccine, then we went to another part of this tent and waited 15 minutes to make sure there were no side affects. Both of us were fine so we headed back home.

Our second dose is scheduled between February 13 – 15, I was thinking we could go on Valentine’s Day for a nice morning out together but that’s on a Sunday and not sure what the site schedule will be yet. LOL

55 years together and Rich and I even got our Covid vaccines at the same time! Ten stations, amazing nurses and so very well organized. With the National Guard on site controlling the lines and helping with any questions, everything went very smooth. If we were given a survey with a point system from 1 to 10, we would definitely give Grand Strand Medical Center and the wonderful team of those helping out a 10 for sure!

Rich and I have been lucky the past year and haven’t been in contact with anyone with the virus. With his weakened immune system we have always worn our face masks, sneeze in our elbow, sanitize, follow social distancing and don’t go out hardly at all. Even Lia won’t leave home without her mask. We will continue that but hope that by us haven taking the vaccine, it will help us not worry about spreading the virus as well as not having it pass on to us. An old blogger friend from India (old as in from years ago through a blog site, not age) mentioned that he received his first Covid vaccine today also. This is what Avijit T. stated on his post… “Done with my first jab of COVISHIELD™ today. I just want as many people to know with this post that it wasn’t a simple shot, but so much more. It’s about hope and humanity!”