I'm so ready to get back to feeling safe while doing wedding photography. Yesterday my state decided that anyone over the age of 30 could now sign up to receive the vaccine for the coronavirus (the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson vaccines). This meant I was finally able to sign up. I assumed that I would go to sign up and get a date a few weeks or even a month from now. Instead I was told they could squeeze me in at 2 PM if I was willing to drive to a small town about 50 minutes from my house. I said yes and grabbed my keys and headed out the door.
The Process
When I arrived at the vaccination site I was able to check in for my vaccine by opening a link on my smart phone. Once I opened the link I had to enter my birthdate. When I got inside, I was supposed to disinfect my hands and do a temperature check at kiosk, but one of the workers just waved me over to get things started with paperwork so I skipped that. Which felt weird, but I was one of only 5 people there and they were set up to handle 30 people at a time. I filled out my paperwork and then a few seconds later I sat down in a chair and a nice man poked me in the shoulder with a needle. He gave me a card with my name and birthdate and yesterday's date (the date I received my first dose of the Moderna vaccine). Afterward I had to wait for 15 minutes to see if I would have an adverse reaction. They gave me a timer and had me sit down in a chair spaced out 7 feet from any other chair (they had 30 chairs in a large gymnasium type room). After 15 minutes the timer went off and the guy who gave me the shot thanked me for getting the vaccine.
Post Shot
I cannot begin to describe how hopeful I felt. Both when I was told I could sign up to get the shot and then again after I got the shot. I don't think I really realized how depressed I've felt the last year until after I felt a bit of that depression get lifted yesterday. Because I got the shot yesterday, that means that by the time I shoot my first wedding this year (end of May), I will be fully vaccinated. Last year while doing wedding photography it felt like I was taking a huge risk every time I had to shoot. A big part of the hope I felt yesterday is because this year my job won't feel so risky. I'm super excited. I know my state is kind of weird, in that I'm getting the shot now because so many people older than me in my state have been unwilling to get it, so they've started opening up the process to younger people so they can use up their supply. I'm still thankful it happened even if it feels like it's not for the right reasons. I'm so ready for life to go back to being somewhat normal. I hope everyone who is able to get the vaccine in my state goes in for it. My experience has been great, even if my shoulder is a little sore today.
Thanks for reading. I am a full time wedding photographer with Van Elk & Co who also makes a comedy podcast about running a wedding photography business called the Wedding Photo Hangover.
