One down in Stuff

I suppose I should write, as I finally had my first Covid vaccine last Thursday evening. The nurse could tell I was nervous, but assured me that 75% of people she has seen have felt the same way. I literally didn’t even feel the needle when she warned, “slight pinch”. I wasn’t even sure I had been vaccinated. Go brain! Another stupid thing to obsess over. Literally felt nothing, nor do I recall her even using an alcohol swab, although I had to wait for her to go get some, so I’m sure she did. My mind was probably just all over the place as usual. I asked her if I should stay still or move around and what could I expect, and she assured me I could go about my day, and that her reaction was the opposite to most people’s (she got sicker from the first dose than she did the second.) I grabbed a complimentary bottle of water and a mentos and went and sat down for my 15 minutes of observation. I spent the time reading the screens around the huge hall, saying to put your hand up if you felt sick or needed to use the bathroom. It was a really good set-up. They even had a strawberry sundae van set up outside the venue, so people could get their EKKA fix, since it was cancelled this year.

Just me waiting

So of course I spent the following moments worried about how bad my side effects would be, and if I would even be able to sleep that night. It didn’t help I had a 10-hour work day on Fridays, but I told myself I would go in and just go light duties and if I felt too sick I would go home. I didn’t have to bring my gym bag as there was no way I would by gymming so soon afterward, and just put some Hydralite and Nurofen in my pocket. I’d also been drinking a shitload more water than usual, which just made me need to pee more often, but I think it may have helped a little. All in all, I had basically no side effect whatsoever from the first vaccine, other than a very slightly sore arm, but it was barely anything other than enough to assure me that I had in fact received a first dose. Apparently I will automatically receive a second email when I am due to receive my second dose, probably in 3 weeks time or so. That is the one that I am completely anxious about haha. But, I gotta get it over with.

NSW has now hit 4-figures per day in their daily infections, and are having a couple of deaths every day, which is worrying. My heart jumped a little seeing Victoria’s cases rise again yesterday, but I think they are doing well. At least their citizens seem to be staying the fuck at home. NSW’s just seem to all be out and about. And they are talking about opening up! Lordie. I joked with Ryan that his city doesn’t even need to open up because they are acting like they are completely open up anyway. He called me a bitch lol.
Meanwhile, somehow, my state has had one local case in two weeks, whom thankfully was at home in quarantine, and is opening up not one, but two state quarantine hubs, both of which were rejected for funding by our pathetic Prime Minister, so we’ve had to take things into our own hands. One is out near where I grew up, so there is naturally a lot of controversy about it, as country-people can be as stubborn as the sheep they raise :P Anyway, so that one is owned by a wealthy well-known family (I went to school with one of the sons) whom offered it to the federal government well over a year ago, but they rejected it, so now our state government will be leasing it from them for one year (cost details have been kept private, surprise-surprise), and maybe further two years depending on how things go with Covid and variants etc.
I assume maybe this will mean unvaccinated travelers will be making use of them? Or maybe even vaccinated. I’m not sure how it will all work. Spending two weeks of a holiday overseas in a quarantine hub will certainly dig into people’s annual leave. Especially if it needs to happen in each country.
Our state government has also paused all movement to the state, as our hotels are overwhelmed. 2750 people from the southern states have been relocating here every week, and every single one of them has to go into quarantine, as NSW, Vic and the ACT are all currently hotspot states. My friend Brent on the Gold Coast has been trying to find a new rental and can’t and I said, “That’s because everyone from down south is trying to escape Covid!” So that’s a bit shit, and of course has me worried for when my lease is up early next year, if I’ll be able to find anywhere. It’ll be interesting to see what our vaccination rates are like by then. My state is running last in the country, last I heard. I think we’re now just over 50% of first doses. I’m glad I’m now a part of that figure, and am hanging out for my second.
I’m kind of glad I travelled a bit when I did. I was reminiscing on Europe this morning in the shower and remembering all the good times. I don’t know when that will happen again, although Qantas here seem to think they are the government and have made their own plans to certain countries by November. The anti-vaxxers must be brushing up on their photoshop skills I guess.
Oh that dickhead who rode his horse across our border has been fined by both QLD and NSW. LOLz.
And some woman was caught hiding underneath blankets in the boot of someone’s car and has tried to enter our state three times. They finally handed her a $4000 fine. Fucking idiots. It’s only going to take one to bring it in and it’s always anxious waiting to hear if someone has. My state has police and the army at the borders, so our Premier really is taking this pretty seriously. Most protests have been peaceful. There is a truckie protest today. They have planned to block the highways into borders, but it was all organised so people have been warned.
My state’s restrictions have eased, which is in contrast to down south. The roadmap was updated to say masks to be worn indoors, and not just at airports and public transport like it was previously. But wearing a mask isn’t hard.
Thankfully, on Friday at work I was totally fine. It was ‘Wear It Purple Day’ so I was afraid I might be too sick to be able to wear my shirt that I bought. Turns out I was the only staff member who did wear purple ergh. At the morning huddle, I exclaimed, “Thanks for the support, guys!”

We don’t have to wear masks outside, again, for now. God, natural outside sunlight is not good for my appearance lol.

Me being a fat slob on the sofa

At work yesterday, at one point, there were four customers in the aisle I was working in alone not wearing masks at all. A guy in front of me waiting for the doors to open on Thursday walked straight in without checking in or wearing a mask. Both are still mandated in Queensland. I’m allowed to think they are a fucking moron just as much as they are allowed to think they’re better than everyone else.

Anyway, first vaccine, yay!

Last updated August 30, 2021