RICHMOND, Va. – Starting this week, Virginia pharmacies that administer COVID-19 vaccines will be synchronized with the state release that keeps the focus on seniors, but a young woman’s opportunity to get vaccinated came a little earlier. than expected.
Mel Pruett has been living in fear for eleven months.
“It was very scary to go to the grocery store for the first time, even get out of my car. I remember breathing because I was so scared, ”said Pruett. “I am someone who cannot get sick. It can literally kill me. ”
The Richmond woman does not take risks when it comes to coronavirus. He lives with a debilitating underlying condition called POTS. It means postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
“I know I look healthy, like a normal 20-year-old, but this is an invisible disease, an invisible disease that affects the whole body,” Pruett explained. “It affects the heart, it affects blood pressure, it affects cognitive thinking.”
Mel Pruett
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And it also makes it vulnerable to COVID-19.
“So if I had an infection, I would essentially die,” Pruett said.
But their fears will end soon.
When Walgreens first opened COVID vaccine appointments in Virginia, Pruett was able to claim one.
She said a friend tagged her in a Facebook post alerting her to five-hour appointments at Pennington Gap in the southwestern state.
“I woke up at two in the morning for the appointment with the vaccine, I had to drive through Tennessee,” Pruett recalled.
Although Pruett qualified for Category 1B because of his pre-existing condition, the Virginia Department of Health has asked all pharmacies that administer traits to give priority to people over 65 or older.
So how did Pruett and other Virginians under the age of 65 get dating?
RELATED: Pre-registration of the COVID-19 vaccine on the Vaccinate Virginia website.
“It took us a couple of days to figure out exactly how this would work logistically,” said Dr. Danny Avula, the state’s vaccine leader.
Avula said when additional pharmacies were added to a federal immunization program, coordination details were still being finalized.
“Meanwhile, we didn’t want people to sit against the vaccine or stop in the vaccination communities while they had that vaccine,” Avula said. “So we told you to go ahead and use the process you want every first few days.”
As of Monday, Avula said pharmacies will book appointments through the state pre-registration system established by VDH.
In a statement, a Walgreens corporate spokesman said the pharmacy will follow VDH directions to give priority to people over 65. However, Walgreens will not cancel appointments already made by people under the age of 65.
While Pruett waits for his second dose, he says he is looking forward to regaining his life.
“I feel like it’s a second chance to live,” Pruett said. “This saves lives.”
Pruett credits social media for helping her find a date and wants to encourage others who want to get a chance to use social media as a tool to help others.
He hopes to get his second dose closer to home.
There is currently no residency requirement for vaccines, but VDH encourages those to receive a vaccine in their local health district, as the allocation is based on geographic population.
Precautions against covid19
Most patients with COVID-19 present with mild to moderate symptoms. However, in a small proportion of patients, COVID-19 can cause more serious illnesses, including death, especially among those who are older or with chronic illnesses.
COVID-19 is spread mainly through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include fever, cough, and difficulty breathing. Symptoms appear after 14 days of exposure to an infected person.
Virginia health officials urged the following precautions:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer only if there is no soap and water.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Avoid contact with sick people.
- Avoid non-essential travel.