I got my COVID vaccine in March at the combination COVID testing/vaccination/medical marijuana certification/cosmetic dermatology/queer health authorization/adult ADHD diagnosis/ketamine clinic. As a social worker, I self-identified as a member of the 1B category. Some of my colleagues declined to participate at this stage because they did not want to cut the line, but after reading about yoga teachers getting vaccinated as educators and an overwhelming number of suburban moms driving into the city for vaccine appointments, I decided my own vaccination was not likely to be a zero sum tradeoff between myself and a high-risk elderly person of color. In the Uber ride to the clinic, I convinced my driver to get vaccinated and helped him schedule an appointment. The clinic brands itself as a one-stop-shop for INNOVATIVE and EXPRESS care, delivered on-demand. The Uber driver identified the location as a former Mini Cooper dealership.
One week after I received my second dose, the Chicago Department of Public Health shut off the vaccine supply when they discovered the former Mini-Cooper dealership/COVID testing/vaccination/medical marijuana certification/cosmetic dermatology/queer health authorization/adult ADHD diagnosis/ketamine clinicr “knowingly misallocated” 6,000 doses meant to inoculate Chicago Public Schools teachers. I didn’t tell anyone about my vaccination until several months later, when it was more acceptable to share the news.