My UK physician colleagues call vaccinations JABS. I am not sure that it ranks any better than SHOTS. We cower from both. Regardless I was happy to bare my left arm on Thursday and have suffered only mild muscle soreness.

I am grateful to my sister, Irene, who signed up for the Moderna trial and got her first jab in August, her second in September. Her Christmas present was learning that she had received the vaccine and was not in the control group. “I can’t tell you how relieved I am. It is bad here, really difficult.” I knew she was right as I watched the news about Southern California Covid cases and hospital's overflowing occupancy.

Yesterday, I edited a manuscript for my colleagues in Palestine who studied the willingness to get vaccinated among Palestinian health care workers (nurses, doctors and paramedics). It is woefully low, about a third will, a third won’t, and a third aren’t sure. If health care professionals aren’t willing, they will not encourage the pubic to do so. That is a problem. But Palestine has other problems—where will they get the vaccine?  

As you know conspiracy theories abound these days, and my Palestinian colleague asked if my jab included a microchip or electronic card. I assured her not, just the paper card and sticker that you see in the photo. But should you want to look at the craziness, the internet is full of fake news on the topic. I assured her Bill Gates doesn’t want to take over the world and the Gate’s Podcasts Reed and I listened to recently were quite inspiring and offer some hope during these dark times.

While I am sad that the ancient-appearing horseshoe crabs we watch climb out of the ocean and mate each May are used for the vaccine, I too am grateful and will thank them when I see them this spring.

Covid is serious business. Although my 90-year-old mom was largely asymptomatic we worry that she may be suffering from post-Covid neurological symptoms evidenced by periodic cognitive problems. In people speak--sometimes she is confused when we talk with her. My sister Fran with Down Syndrome and asthma fared well when she had Covid. But working in the Covid tent, reminds me we are in the middle of a pandemic. Covid is very contagious and some people have serious illness and death. Concerns about Covid viral mutation are real and worrisome. These are difficult and dark times.

If anything, this new world teaches us how little control we truly have. So let me close by encouraging you to get your jab when it is your turn. Be thankful to the horseshoe crabs and let us be a little kinder to the earth and mindful of climate change concerns as a nation. Count your blessings. Practice gratefulness for the good things you have. And most of all practice kindness and help to make this suffering world a little better, one human to another human, day by day. Take care of yourself!