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The way things are going, it may be in March, but I’ve decided to get the COVID vaccine when my turn rolls around.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a sheep.

Sure, I wear a mask in public. But it’s not because King Cooper told me to. It’s because I don’t want to get sick, and I don’t want to unknowingly make others sick. And on the bright side, wearing that mask has tremendously helped my dental hygiene. I’ve always thought I brushed my teeth well … until I smelled my breath under that mask. Yuck. Now I brush and swish, and not with some fruity smelling Kool Aid type mouthwash, but with the alcohol-laced, bad-tasting stuff. It has to work when it tastes that bad.

Sure, I practice social distancing when applicable. Not because Queen Cohen told me to, but because I pretty much did that before that Chinese bat became someone’s meal. And as you may remember from the pre-social distancing days, not everyone brushes well and uses mouthwash. That’s one of the things I don’t miss.

Sure, I wash my hands often. Not because some government official says that’s the thing to do, but because of where my hands have been. Use your imagination, then imagine it a bit worse. Enough on that one.

And sure, when my time comes, I’m going to get the COVID vaccine. Maybe there’s a little sheep dog in me after all, because I’m doing it to help get this mess behind us.

Modern medicine is a great thing, and Operation Warp
Speed helped to get the vaccine to the public in record time.

But modern medicine is also its worst enemy. We have a pill for everything. We have a surgery for everything. In other words, we have a price for everything. We’re prescribed treatments more based on putting money in a certain company’s pocket than what is the best for us in the long run. At times, we demand treatments for some ailment or the other when the best treatment would be to let it run its course.

Do I trust the vaccine? Yes, well, at least I’m about 90 percent sure it should work, and I’m a skeptic on just about everything.

Do I get a flu shot every year? No. Never had one. Never contracted the flu, either.

Do I go to the doctor every year? No. Never felt the need to.

Do I have conditions and injuries that would be better if I let modern medicine decide the treatment? Probably, but groceries are more important. Going to the doctor can bankrupt a fella quickly.

But I will get the vaccine.

It’s a good time to point out that the CDC ranks North Carolina pretty low in the rollout of administering the vaccine. It does seem to be happening slowly.

It’s a better time to point out that the Davie County Health Department, dispatched with the job of administering the vaccine here, has done a terrific job of doing just that. Agencies worked together for the drive-thru clinics that allowed priority local residents to get the vaccine. All reports said that all involved – from those directing the traffic to those handling the paper work to those administering the shots – were pleasant and efficient. We couldn’t ask for anything more.

The only complaints were from folks who couldn’t – or wouldn’t – wait in their vehicles for hours. That’s understandable, but it seems those counties taking appointments are having more troubles and using more resources.

Folks, we are going to get through this. No matter the cause. No matter who’s to blame.

It’s up to us to be kind to one another in the meantime. Don’t worry about the politics of the situation. Don’t try to be the COVID police. Don’t think less of people because they act or think differently than you.

– Mike Barnhardt