Me, waiting in an overcrowded pharmacy for my #COVID19 booster
Woman of Color (#WOC) in front of me: It is NOT safe to have this many people in one place!
Me: I hear you. This is not COVID-19 safe at all. I'm here for my booster.
WOC: Wait, I have some questions about that.
Woman of Color (#WOC) in front of me: It is NOT safe to have this many people in one place!
Me: I hear you. This is not COVID-19 safe at all. I'm here for my booster.
WOC: Wait, I have some questions about that.
Me: I work in medicine. Maybe I can help.
Her: See, what I don't understand is: why are there two shots?
Me: Yeah, fair. This kind of virus confuses your body, so the first time your body sees it, it is CONFUSED.
Her: Yeah, yeah.
Her: See, what I don't understand is: why are there two shots?
Me: Yeah, fair. This kind of virus confuses your body, so the first time your body sees it, it is CONFUSED.
Her: Yeah, yeah.
Me: And the second time your body sees it, it's like "wait a minute, I KNOW this" & it's ready to FIGHT.
Her: Now that makes sense.
Me: Mm-hm.
Her: You know, I'm just here to pick up my prescription. I have to work tomorrow, you know, third shift.
Me: Yeah, you work hard.
Her: Now that makes sense.
Me: Mm-hm.
Her: You know, I'm just here to pick up my prescription. I have to work tomorrow, you know, third shift.
Me: Yeah, you work hard.
Her: Yeah, & all these people working behind this counter here are probably EXHAUSTED.
Me: Yeah, this pharmacy is 24/7.
Her: It's 24/7!! Give them some REST.
Me: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Me: Yeah, this pharmacy is 24/7.
Her: It's 24/7!! Give them some REST.
Me: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Her: But you know, I hear the shot gets you sick & I can't afford to do that with work tomorrow.
Me: Yeah, sure, today might not be the best day, though generally the first shot is pretty mild because your body is confused, right?
Me: Yeah, sure, today might not be the best day, though generally the first shot is pretty mild because your body is confused, right?
Her: Right, right.
Me: It's the second shot that really takes people out but only for a day or so.
Her: Right, right. But I think I'm immune though. You know, I got sick with it when everything started.
Me: Sure, that must have been rough.
Me: It's the second shot that really takes people out but only for a day or so.
Her: Right, right. But I think I'm immune though. You know, I got sick with it when everything started.
Me: Sure, that must have been rough.
Her: Yeah, it took me out for weeks! But I got through it - lots of tylenol & ibuprofen & pedialyte, you know? And I was drinking NONSTOP.
Me: You got lucky. I'm glad you're fine now.
Her: Yeah, yeah, I was able to recover from it, you know?
Me: You got lucky. I'm glad you're fine now.
Her: Yeah, yeah, I was able to recover from it, you know?
Me: Yeah, but the virus is changing, so getting vaccinated is still a good idea.
Her: Yeah, I heard that!! This new strain or something.
Me, waving at the kid by her side: Yep, yep. And I see you have a little one, too. You gotta work & you gotta take care of her, you know?
Her: Yeah, I heard that!! This new strain or something.
Me, waving at the kid by her side: Yep, yep. And I see you have a little one, too. You gotta work & you gotta take care of her, you know?
Her: Yeah, AND I have a mom at home to take care of.
Me: Right, you can't afford to be taken out for weeks like that again.
Her: Yeah, yeah.
Me: And what happens if you don't get lucky & end up in the hospital next time? You can't afford that.
Her: ...
Me: Right, you can't afford to be taken out for weeks like that again.
Her: Yeah, yeah.
Me: And what happens if you don't get lucky & end up in the hospital next time? You can't afford that.
Her: ...
Her: You know, I remember when she was just a baby.
Me: Yeah, they sure grow up fast.
Her: They sure do! ... I want to make the most of my time with her.
Me: Of course!
Her, phone ringing: I'm so sorry, my mom is calling.
Me: I totally understand, you should take that.
Me: Yeah, they sure grow up fast.
Her: They sure do! ... I want to make the most of my time with her.
Me: Of course!
Her, phone ringing: I'm so sorry, my mom is calling.
Me: I totally understand, you should take that.
Her, on the phone: Yeah, I'm at the pharmacy. There are WAY too many people here. ... Yes, I am masked, she is masked, we are being safe. I will be home as soon as I can. ... Yes, I'm gonna get my flu shot.
Her, still on the phone: ... Hey mom, I also learned some more information about the COVID shot from this lady I've been standing next to & I think I'm gonna get it. I'll tell you about it later.
Me: 🥳🥳🥳
Me: 🥳🥳🥳
A few lessons from this:
1. #WOC listen to other WOC, & we don't even have to be the same "color." WOC in medicine have tremendous power in these spaces, & as primary caretakers, the WOC we talk to will bring this information to their families.
1. #WOC listen to other WOC, & we don't even have to be the same "color." WOC in medicine have tremendous power in these spaces, & as primary caretakers, the WOC we talk to will bring this information to their families.
2. Many #POC are doing their absolute best to stay safe. They aren't vaccinating because no one is talking to them & answering their questions. In our discourse about unvaxed people, we frequently forget about this population of people, which comprises most unvaxed POC.
3. In general, I have found that people don't respond well if you just say "you're protecting others." This message is everywhere & feels depersonalized. Put together for people what it means for them - both them getting #COVID19 & giving it to others they care about.
4. People trust you when they feel listened to & when you care about them as a whole person. This is humanism in medicine. It takes time, but I think we waste more time saying 1 sentence over & over again than spending the 5-10 minutes to care & personalize.
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