Vaccine hunting isn’t all bad. I found the upside.
I knew that COVID-19 vaccines would bring some much-needed hope and excitement, but I didn’t expect the process of finding appointments to be so heartwarming. Turns out helping people really makes me happy.
As more people are becoming eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in the United States, more people are trying to snag appointments. But, as you may know if you’ve tried to get one yourself, they can be tricky to track down.
That’s why when I’ve seen co-workers and random people I follow on Twitter offer to help other people – even strangers! – find a coveted vaccine appointment, I can’t help but smile.
My colleagues, for example, have turned our pre-pandemic group chat about free food in the newsroom to a “vaccine sleuths” discussion page, where people share tips for getting an appointment. And then there are the stories of “vaccine angels” or “vaccine hunters,” who have appeared online to help others find spots or simply share information.
Jordan Mendoza spoke to people across the country about their feelings after getting their shots – and their excitement, happiness and relief feels contagious. Here is an excerpt: here.
No hugs? No problem.
If you’re like me, you’ve been missing hugs from family and loved ones during the pandemic – but that doesn’t mean we haven’t learned something about boundaries from this lack of touch.
For the past year, we’ve been advised by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to avoid physical contact with anyone not in our immediate household to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, writes my colleague Rasha Ali.
The lack of physical touch has been trying, but many have gotten used to newer, more creative ways of greeting each other whether it’s a friendly wave from 6 feet away or an elbow bump. As more Americans get vaccinated and are able to abide by the new CDC guidelines, we may be able to go back to hugging, shaking hands and cheek kisses soon. But should we?
The pandemic has taken the pressure off forced interactions and allowed us time to reevaluate boundaries around physical touch, experts say.
“It’s been helpful in the sense that people get to have a little more personal autonomy, you don’t have to follow that social contract that has been set up of how you are supposed to greet people,” says Ashley Peterson, a licensed psychotherapist.
Read Rasha’s full story here.
Today’s reads
- It’s time to look for old games… This unopened ‘Super Mario’ from 1986 sold for $660,000!
- ‘Jeopardy!’ fans, my colleague Gary Levin interviewed guest host Aaron Rodgers, who said “hell, yeah” to quitting football to host the show full time.
- If you’re a frontline worker, here’s how to buy a home at a deep discount
- Yum! Make this fizzy and sweet hibiscus cocktail for your next brunch
- This graphic novel shows how there’s an easy fix for couples who are at odds during the pandemic, illustrated by my colleague Veronica Bravo.
Today’s pet
Meet Sven.
“Here is a cute little furry who belongs to my 14-year-old grandson, Cole. He has been his remote learning companion,” says Lucinda Wigode.
Sven is a Syrian Dwarf Hamster.
“He is about 3-months old and loves sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. He also loves to run all night and loves to sleep during the day!” Cole said.
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