Got My Booster!

I was going to wait until December 24th to get my booster; that's the date I got my 1st COVID-19 vaccination. But they had doses left at the end of the day that needed to be used, so I got it today at the end of the Kūpuna Booster Clinic that Kaiser Permanente was running at the Makua Ali'i Senior Center. After talking with some of the vaccinators, I decided on Moderna for my 3rd shot. I had heard of mixing & matching to get an additional boost, but one of the vaccinators said the data showed that Pfizer & Moderna had almost equal efficacy when they were 1st introduced, but with the Delta variant Moderna was more effective at preventing illness.

The clinic actually closed at 1 p.m.; a handful of us got shots after it closed.

It looked like a very successful event; in the morning it was non-stop people for about 2 hours! Then it started to slow down so we could catch our breath. By about 11, people were only trickling in; the clinic closed at 1 p.m. I heard that there were about 200 shots given out today. Marsha from the City & County of Honolulu Department of Community Services came by & took a bunch of photos; she later sent a thank you email out to the clinic staff & volunteers along with the photos. Besides myself, the others from Medical Reserve Corps were Eric, Joyce, Tom & Deb; I've worked with all of them before.

The incoming line for the clinic. (Photo by Marsha)

Nā kūpuna waiting in line; MRC volunteer Eric (blue t-shirt) helps a kupuna with paperwork. (Photo by Marsha)

The line wound through courtyard; I am in background helping a kupuna with paperwork. (Photo by Marsha)

The waiting area. (Photo by Marsha)

The vaccine administration area. (Photo by Marsha)

MRC volunteer Deb checks on patients in the post-vaccine waiting area. (Photo by Marsha)

I walked over 2 miles during the vaccine clinic! I was 1 of 3 people helping nā kūpuna with filling out forms so I was walking back & forth along the line for several hours. 

The first thing I noticed when I arrived at the clinic site was the trees. They were all Cook Pines! I recognized them from their lean to the south.

On my way to the parking lot.

It looks straight because I am south of the tree.

The lean is noticeable when looking at the same tree from the westerly side.

One of the down sides to this clinic was that they did not provide lunch like the other events I worked at. So on the way home I stopped at Don Quijote to pick up something for lunch & also coconut water & spirulina powder. I also picked up some other goodies to make Christmas boxes for Kai's household & Evan & Kaia. I picked up a piece of miso salmon for lunch; but by the time I got home its was so late I decided to save it for dinner. I ate half an orange instead.

I took a shower right after I got home; this is one of the few times I have sweat so much I was feeling crusty afterwards. But I think that is only because I cooled off at DQ while I was shopping; most of the time I don't stop so the sweat has not had a chance to solidify & get chunky!

Later, I was working in the computer room & heard a crunching sound & couldn't figure out what it was. I peeked out to find this happening below. But I outsmarted them; I put the bag in a secure location.

Keala, the ring leader.

I got an email from Dwayne; he sent some information & photos of the Neighborhood Security Watch walk this morning with Corporal Mau & Officer Ho from the Honolulu Police Department.

L to R: Cpl. Mau, Officer Ho, Ken, & Ron. (Photo by Dwayne)

I also got an email from Francisco about the next inventory which is scheduled for Wednesday. It will be along the Kapahulu Bike Path & Kapahulu Avenue from Date Street to the Waikīkī end of the bike path. I am going to wait until tomorrow to respond; I want to see whether the booster shot gives me a more severe response than the 1st 2 shots. 

In the evening, I picked up The Roommate Who Likes to Wash Dishes. On the way there I saw a pedestrian with a death wish as I was just getting off the freeway. She was crossing 4 lanes of traffic ... with her walker! Auē! 

Later, on our way home on the surface streets, we passed a new mural being installed on one of the buildings. It is of Duke Kahanamoku & Carissa Moore; our Native Hawaiian Olympic medal winners!

Work in progress.

For dinner I heated up half the miso salmon and had it with chipotle sauerkraut & kimchee.

In the thermal image, the lava lake at Kīlauea volcano is slightly smaller than yesterday. Not sure if that means it is slowing down & will be ending soon or what.

At 8:10 p.m.

At 8:10 p.m.

 

The Aix weather app forecast rain until about mid-afternoon, then partly cloudy skies. I did not get any traffic cam shots so I donʻt know what those showed; but standing around helping nā kūpuna it was hot & sunny! For Kapaʻau & Marysville, Aix forecast a similar pattern. Since I did not get any screen shots today I do not know what happened.

Nā Koʻolau at 4:32 p.m.

I also did not get any screen shots of the surf today.

There were 94 new cases of COVID-19 reported today, bringing the total known cases up to 85,139. There were no new deaths reported so the death toll remains at 962; currently there are 1507 cases that are considered active. As of yesterday, there were 2,243,033 doses of vaccine administered, providing 71.9% of the State population with full vaccination and 82.5% with at least one dose. There are 60 cases that are currently hospitalized with 14 in the ICU & 13 on ventilators. The State 7-day new case average is 99 with a positivity rate of 1.7%. For Oʻahu the 7-day new case average is 51 with a positivity rate of 1.5%.