Opinion | My experience getting the COVID-19 vaccine

Mulan Homo, sophomore pre-pharmacy major

I received the first dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Jan. 9, and finished the two dose series Feb. 6. As a pharmacy technician and home caregiver, I was fortunate enough to have been given access to a registration form through my employers at CVS Pharmacy and 24 Hour Home Care, and for that I am ever so grateful. 

Growing up in a household filled to the brim with healthcare professionals, there was relatively no doubt as to whether or not I would receive the vaccine had it been offered. Really, the only question was when — or so I thought. Registering for the vaccine was probably the most difficult aspect of the entire process.

So many news sources were telling me who was supposed to be getting the vaccine at what time, but there was no information on how I — or any other person within their respective tier — could go about scheduling an appointment. I remember getting hit with “‘Insert Vaccination Site Here’ is now distributing vaccines by appointment only,” with no further information on how to actually sign up. I was quite frustrated because the means to facilitate the end of a worldwide pandemic was within my grasp, yet so far because of something easily resolvable through proper communication. 

Since then, around the first week of January, platforms for registering for the vaccine have begun opening up and are more readily available. 24 Hour Home Care provided me access to a web platform called Othena, now accessible to the public, whose company is continuing efforts of distributing vaccines to those in the Phase 1A group. So long as you have access to appointment registrations, the process of signing up for these appointments and physically receiving the vaccine is relatively simple and easy. Honestly, it was kind of like signing up for a pick-up time for your groceries at Amazon Fresh, except with a couple more questions and time slots appearing and disappearing as fast as Air Jordan 1 drops on the Nike SNKRS app — available one second and sold out the next. 

Once the appointment was set up, I arrived at the Orange County Fire Authority vaccination drive-thru. Cars were lined up along the entirety of Jamboree Road and Portola Parkway to get into the parking lot, approximately 2-3 blocks, and before I got to the second line where you actually were able to get out of the car to get in line to be vaccinated, I’d listened to my entire two hour and 27 minute “post-shaven showers: smooth” Spotify playlist. 

I showed proof of identity, proof of employment and answered more questions that would help designate if I was medically eligible to receive the vaccine. I was then injected, handed my vaccination card and brought to an area where those who had just been vaccinated were observed, for medical precautions, for at least 15 minutes before leaving. My next appointment had already been scheduled exactly 28 days from my first visit. 

What’s important at the end of the day is that everyone does their part during this pandemic. If there is a means for you to get vaccinated, please do. And until it has been deemed safe to go out without one — regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not — wear a mask and social distance.