After a vaccine Hunger Games process which I mentioned in my last post (I am so thankful to Allah for being able to secure a slot within three minutes after the site opened to those below 60 on 26 May 2021. But many of my friends and colleagues didn’t manage to secure a slot for themselves so much so we likened the experience to Hunger Games - somewhat akin to the Vaccine Hunger Games recently experienced in Ontario) and a fairly smooth process for dad, we had our first dose of vaccination of Astra Zeneca and Pfizer on 11 and 14 June respectively (dad’s appointment was rescheduled from 4 June). Syukur Alhamdulillah.
I think what really spurred me into action (besides
the high number of cases in the Klang Valley and somehow being tested positive
for Covid) was the fear of being quarantined at the centre and the thought of
not having family members with me in my last hours and to perform the last
rites if anything untoward happens. If you’re quarantined at the centre, there’s
no privacy, lights are switched on until 02:00 or 03:00, it’s noisy, there’s
long queue to use the facilities, it’s cold and there’s no hot shower. It’s not
unlike being in a penitentiary and while a somewhat similar experience may be
fine when one was at a boarding school while one was a teenager, I don’t think
I could stand that now at all. The last time I slept in a cramped area with
dozens of other strangers was in Mina when I performed Haj and even that was a
fair number of years ago.
A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers, nurses
and doctors, RELA officers and the police who helped made the whole process
very smooth. Well done!!!
Apart from a sudden pain that made me felt like someone had just poked another needle into my left arm at the observation area, Alhamdulillah, I only had a mild headache and pain in the arm for this first dose. I did pray for little or zero side effects before I had my vaccination. I downplayed what little pain I experienced as I didn’t want to scare off dad from getting his altogether. He admitted after his vaccination that he was afraid and apprehensive at first, in fact he was even praying that if Allah thought if best for him to avoid it altogether, then he would not object. He was telling all the doctors there of his many health challenges and after a while, I looked at the doctor and said, if anything he should be among the first to be vaccinated - because he’s in the high risk category. Dad’s next dose will be on 5 July 2021, InsyaAllah. I’m praying that my second dose will be as mild as my first, ameen.
Stay safe, stay healthy and stay well, everyone. And do register and get yourselves vaccinated if you haven’t already. If you have registered, don’t worry too much and have faith that Allah is the best planner.
