ABILENE, TX – Over the past year, in the name of safety we have had to adjust our lives in one-way or another.
“It’s not the end of everything, but I think it’s a wonderful start, that we have this now,” said Abilene resident Kathy Akers.
“If we’re ever going to get a handle on COVID everybody needs to step up and get a vaccination,” said Hamlin resident Beverly Guerra.
Everyone has his or her own personal reasons for needing the vaccine, and for some knowing other people have received the first dose is an encouraging sign moving forward.
“It gives me great relief, because right now I have a nephew that’s in the hospital fighting for his life, since the week after thanksgiving. He has really suffered, and I don’t want to see anybody go through that,” said Guerra.
In addition to fearing for her nephew’s life, Hamlin resident Beverly Guerra works with special needs individuals on a daily basis. Guerra drove two of her patients from Hamlin to Abilene, to get them the first dose of the vaccine, and to sign up herself.
“There’s so many people that live in the outlying areas that really need the vaccine,” said Guerra.
After speaking with multiple people who had either received the vaccine or signed up for it, most people had positive things to say about the process.
In fact, when I asked Abilene resident Kathy Akers how long the wait time was, she said, “what wait time?”
“I don’t think there was a wait time. I went from the pre-registration, to the lady who registered me, to right through the insurance line, a lady who directed me right down another aisle, to someone who said, hi I can give you your shot,” said Akers.
“It took about 45mins, but there were a lot of people in there. So it was well worth the wait,” said Guerra.
Both Guerra and Akers are thankful for the opportunity to get the vaccine, and they say it is important for everyone to keep doing their part, so our lives can one day return to normal.
“I just want to go back to church, and be with my friends and tell them hello. I saw one church member in here, and it really made me think again about how much I missed that,” said Akers.
“We don’t have to live in this constant terror of who we might run across, or who might be exposed to, and who we might lose. That’s the most important thing, who we might lose,” said Guerra.
To this point, everyone who has received the vaccine at the Abilene Convention Center has either qualified for Groups 1A or 1B. That means they are a health professional, have pre-existing health conditions, or are over the age of 65.
