Saturday, April 17, 2021

News of late.

I was starting to feel a bit anxious re: Covid vaccination accessibility last month. Starting back in January, relatives and friends of friends who weren't immuno-comprised yet desperate to skip the queue were able to get the jab via somewhat questionable means. Some cousins of mine who are in their 30s claimed that they worked in the hospitality industry and therefore were able to get the jab. One had her hubby put her on the payroll at his restaurant, the other just said she tended bar, in fact she used to, but now no longer does. So did she need to bring proof of employment? And, if so, what did she show the folk at the vax center? Someone I know owns and runs an event space where beer and wine are occasionally served, so she was eligible and got the jab. I thought, should I be doing this, too, in order to be vaccinated earlier than others? Is that a correct thing to do? In the end, I felt it wasn't, but couldn't shake feeling nervous about not being able to easily obtain a vax appointment once they became available to my age group. After fruitless online searches, thanks to social media (said usually no one ever), I caught wind of an abundance of vax appts. at a local college. I was able to book online the very first go. The initial dose was administered on April 7th. I will go back for the second injection on May 7th. Those of us who booked at this particular site were offered either the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine. I chose Moderna not for any other reason than it was the default choice on the website. 

My husband, who is a year younger than I am, is now able to be vaccinated along with everyone else ages 16 and over. He's tried booking an appt. for the past few days, but has so far come up short. I suppose if he were willing to travel some long distance, then he could possibly be able to book an appt. sooner rather than later, but who wants to drive 75 miles away to have a needle stuck in their arm? 

***

Since the start of lock-down, a portion of JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park has been closed to vehicular traffic. As a driver, I could stomp my foot and talk about 'my rights' as a car owner and demand that all of JFK be re-opened to car traffic, but it's not just about me. Having this roadway in the park closed to all but walkers, joggers, skaters, bikers and parents with kids in strollers has been a real boon to those of us wanting to be in a leafy-green park, but with a decent amount of social distance between us. Now the folk behind the big-monied museums in the park just off this closed bit of roadway (note: buses are still able to drive through) with ample underground parking between them, are crying that barring car traffic from almost literally their front doors is a hindrance to visitors. Even with the partial street closure, through-traffic in the park still exists as do over 4,000 parking spaces. So, really, why are the museums squawking? You'll get your $$$. People are still showing up, ffs.

In addition to the museum heads, we've even heard from district supervisors in SE San Francisco, now predominately neighborhoods of color, complaining that the park closure represents some sort of 'recreational redlining'. I call bullshit on that. As someone who used to live in SE SF at the beginning of lock-down, I could either take a direct bus into the park or drive to the park and PARK IN or around said park. The only issue that I take with the partial closure of JFK is that it doesn't seem to take into account those with pronounced mobility issues who might wish to visit either the museums or the Conservatory of Flowers now that this institutions are beginning to re-open to the public. 

Many SF families with young children have been able to enjoy the park together. I have seen more than my fair share of little'uns learning how to ride bikes without the worry of cars whizzing by and many parents on cargo bikes with their brood in tow. I don't need to be a parent to recognize that the park street closure is a good thing. Again, it's not about me as a motorist who wants to easily and quickly get to the other side of town via Golden Gate Park, it's about the majority. And the (vocal) majority are San Francisco families who want a car-free JFK. 

This past Saturday I attended a car-free JFK Dr. rally in front of the Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park. There were a good couple hundred folk in attendance. Most attendees were parents with children, but there were a few of us 'non-breeders' there as well. No one from City Hall showed up in support. Fortunately, state assembly member David Chiu (who lives in SE San Francisco, no less) took part in the rally and he also lent his voice to the cause. Here he is from behind in the picture below delivering a solid message of support to rally participants. 




Hope all of you are safe and well! x Bea








23 comments:

  1. It is lovely to see a post from you.
    I am a non driver and intermittently definitely mobility challenged but I welcome (loudly) reduced car traffic. I wish there was more of it. A lot more. Sometimes I think that convenience will be the death of us.

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    1. It's lovely to see a comment from you. :) Living during lock-down had begun to weigh on me. I didn't want to just get on here and RANT. I thought better to write nothing at all until receiving the first dose.

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  2. Two doses and no reaction. It is worth the drive to keep from having to wait and fight crowds. Oklahoma is giving shots to anyone and from out of state. That would be too far.

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    1. Hi, Donna! I'm glad to read that you're no worse for the wear. :) It's very generous of OK to offer vaccinations for those out-of-state. And, yes, that would be a long haul.

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  3. Congratulations on your first vaccine! Still waiting here. -Jenn

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    1. May you not have to wait much longer, Jenn! And thanks. :)

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  4. Glad you have had your first jab and hope your hubby can get his soon. No idea when we will get ours but we should get our annual flu jabs shortly.

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    1. Yes, me too. I hope that you and Doug will be able to get yours soon. At least there are flu jabs at the ready.

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  5. I am so happy to hear you are half done. Ohio opened up like that, too. First, a scramble for a place in line, and now it come one, come all.
    That assembly is lovely. I hope you are successful in your campaign to keep the road closed.

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    1. Yes, it would be great to be able to keep a portion of JFK Drive closed to through traffic!

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  6. Yay for being vaccinated. Hopefully your husband can find an appointment soon. I was lucky being in education.

    It's nice to have some more places to walk. Motorists can be such party poopers.

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    1. Yay, for sure! -glad to know that you've been vaccinated given your profession.

      Motorists can be road-raging party poopers!

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  7. I had my first jab a while back, before all the information about blood clots! I should be getting my 2nd in about 5 weeks. I can't wait. I'm glad you've had yours.

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    1. Yeah, my friends in LDN got their first AstraZeneca jab already as well. I'm not sure when the next one is due. May all go well!

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  8. Nice to hear from you!

    It sounds like quite a process to get a jab! When the opportunity arises for us, we'll just be wandering up to our local doctor, but when that happens is anyone's guess. There's talk of October. I personally know precisely 2 people in Australia who've had their first shot, one of which is my Mum last Friday!

    The car-free park sounds ideal! It has only to be a good thing for the citizenry to be out of their cars for a bit, surely? And if the museums are so concerned, they could organise shuttle buses for visitors. Perhaps it's the museum workers who just want to drive right up

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    1. It's nice to be heard. ;) I was feeling both crabby and nervous about the state of affairs and was afraid I'd just RANT if I'd dared to post anything. It's wild to think how vax roll-outs are so vastly different depending upon what country one lives in. May Oct. arrive quickly!

      Yes, that's a good point. Why don't the museums offer a shuttle service. I've not seen such a service, so I'm pretty sure one doesn't exist. They surely could afford one.

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  9. Some people are all in favour of green initiatives unless they think it costs them something.

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    1. Yes, that's true. Making concessions doesn't seem to come easily for many.

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  10. Ughhh. My original comment got lost somewhere. And it was the best comment ever. =) Let's try this again. Good luck with the second dose. I get my second (Pfizer) on Monday and I am a little nervous because a lot of people I know had a bad reaction after #2. Car-free parks sound great to me. Take care.

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    1. Yes, I've heard that the second dose can be a doozy as well. I get in a couple of weeks. May all go well with the upcoming jab!

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  11. Glad you were able to get your vaccine. I received Pfizer 2 shots with no problem. Slight swelling and a little pain in shot site many hours later for a short time after first shot but no after effects following second shot unless it was tiredness. Friends had Moderna and had no problems with either shot other than tiredness they thought, too.

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