If I ran the zoo

Covid-19 has us flying by the seat of our pants without an indication of where to land.

That is a great headline about a vaccine but when you get down to the real nitty gritty of how and when and where you go about getting vaccinated, it is very hard to get information.

I realize that medical workers and people in retirement homes are at the front of the line, and people in my age group and older are supposedly next, but how and where do we sign up?

I am trying to get my pal, Father William Treacy, set up for vaccines. He is 101 years old and should be at the head of the line in that third group. We are waiting to hear from his physician but no word so far.

For myself, I have contacted my doctor’s office and was told I have to get in touch with the County. Not exactly sure what that means. I would have liked to have a more specific answer, such as “here is the number to call.”

When I called the County, they referred me back to my health care provider. They said they do not have enough vaccines yet to serve the general population, even in my age group.

Back to my care provider I went. Got a recorded message saying the vaccines are not available yet and was referred back to the County. Oy vey.

I have a direct line to Governor Inslee, so I called and spoke to one of his assistants last night. She gave me an email address for someone in the state government who could help me. I sent that person an email and I am still awaiting a response.

If I really ran the zoo, which I should, then I would make this much simpler. You would be assigned to an eligibility group by your family physician, and when your group number is called, you show up at a participating pharmacy and get your shot. Group one is health care workers, group two residents of retirement homes, group three people with pre-existing conditions, group four, old farts like myself and Ken Stern, my editor. Actually he, as a newspaper publisher, is an essential worker. He was so classified in the spring. Journalists who tell it like it is are extremely essential in these challenging times in which misinformation is rampant

Meanwhile, I’m heading to my hot tub to watch another beautiful sunset over the Puget Sound and applying my not so secret COVID-19 prevention by breathing in hydrochloride.

Here is to a healthy, safe, sanitary and sane 2021.