V-Day

 Wednesday, January 20

At last, our turn for our first Covid vaccination. East Anglia is lagging behind the rest of the country - it is reported. We do know of someone older than us who has Parkinson's, lives in sheltered accommodation in Kent, and still hasn't even been notified of a date. Post 70 year olds are already being vaccinated in other parts of Norfolk, a Sprowston friend had hers at the beginning of December last year.

The vaccine administered to us in North Walsham is the Pfizer-BioNTech.

Based on evidence from clinical trials, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 95% effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people without evidence of previous infection.

We were able to park directly outside the entrance, in a disabled badge-holder space, walk up a ramp to where someone checked our registered surgery, and asked  to sanitise hands. Pam was first. When told that the sanitiser spray is foot pump operated, she checked it out whilst her hands were still elsewhere. Her feet did not need it. 

Another walk down a corridor where another assistant took our name and surgery. Pam went straight in, I had to wait three minutes until a jabber was free, instructed to bare my arm in readiness.  The large room I entered held at least ten tables which had one woman giving the vaccination and another doing the admin. Two minutes later, I was on my way to the waiting area, clutching a card containing details of the second vaccination jab in April, and a letter about possible after effects.

We all had to wait 15 minutes before leaving. Well spaced chairs, some in twos, Pam had chosen a twosome, I joined her. A very busy woman was kept occupied sanitising each chair as customers left. When asked if we'd come far, Pam reciprocated. Aldborough was the answer. Apparently patients from two surgeries were on to-day's list, Paston (us) and Attleborough. The patients at the other N Walsham surgery - Birchwood -still haven't been notified. Odd. One would have thought that they'd have paired up. A diabetic 86 year old, Birchwood surgery neighbour, has heard nothing.

All very pleasant and efficient.

We came home the pretty way, a celebration of the first time out of the house for some time. I'm not counting the postbox drive. The light couldn't have been worse. It was very dark all day with an extremely low, dark grey, cloud ceiling. The front at Walcott was as empty of cars as we have ever seen it. Seeing a couple of Sanderling amongst the Turnstones and gulls,  distantly, on the sea wall, jogged Pam's memory. The boot contained a bag of breadcrumbed, over ordered, Christmas stuffing bread. This was duly scattere along the wall, Pam soon enveloped in a swirling snowstorm of mostly Herring Gulls. They did not reward her with a deposit on her, nor the car. The penicillin will do them good.

I had to try....

 

We put a moth trap out last night, we opened it when we got home. Two Chestnuts. Better than nothing. Our first moths of 2021.

 

I'm writing this on Thursday morning. Pam put the trap out again in a sheltered corner,  last night . two hours later, it had to be taken in as the gusty wind had blown the lamp and its holder onto the ground. No harm done. No moths either.