Last Sunday, my mom and I took the tramway once again to one of Nantes’s vaccination centre. It was a long weekend in France and despite the awful weather (15⁰C and rainy), plenty of people were… well, anywhere but in vaccination centres, apparently. Originally, we were supposed to get out second shot on May 28, exactly six weeks after the first one, but I was able to move it to May 23 easily.
The vaccination centre was much, much quieter than in April. This time, it only took about 40 minutes from start to finish.
“Go ahead, you can get your shot together!”
“Best mother-and-daughter moment ever,” I joked.
I went first and gave my mom my phone. “Take a picture when I get the shot,” I said. “I’ll send it to Mark.”
Except my mom doesn’t really master the smartphone picture function, so she couldn’t find the button.
The healthcare professional was really nice and not too rushed. “No worries, take your time, I’ll leave the needle in…”
So I ended up with the needle in my arm for two minutes, time for my mom to finally take the picture.
After that, I was issued a very fancy vaccination certificate with two QR codes, one of them I scanned to upload my vaccination status into the TousAntiCovid app. It shows in the “wallet” that I’m fully vaccinated and I’ll be able to use it to attend major events or travel in Europe (apparently, still a work in progress).
Unfortunately, Canada doesn’t make any exceptions for vaccinated travellers so if I come back, I still have to go through three tests, hotel quarantine plus home quarantine (and since I don’t live alone, Mark and Feng also have to quarantine, so that would be a month in total where no one can leave the house).
So yay, I’m super happy to be fully vaccinated (thank you, France) but “meh” because I’m still in France and the guys are still in Canada. Feng got his first shot last Sunday as well, but because Canada has a four-month waiting period between both doses, he won’t get his second one before late September so even if Europe decides to open borders, he won’t be fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, in Ontario, reopening plans are murky. Schools are still closed and I have the feeling they won’t open until September. The stay-at-home order is still in effect until at least June 2 and the three-stage reopening plan should start on June 14 but it’s based on vaccination rates. To move to stage two, 70% of adults will need to have had their first shot and 20% need to be fully vaccinated. For the third and final stage, the province said it wants 70 to 80% with one dose and 25% fully vaccinated.
Basically, it’s going to take a while… August?
I miss the guys. I don’t want to be stuck in Canada right now. It just… sucks for all of us.
It’s cool you’re already fully vaccinated. You did it in the right arm ? Are you left handed ? My parents didn’t get any adverse reactions from both shoots, and it’s not a problem, but I’ve seen it was common especially in younger people to have a reaction the next few days after the second dose (fever, headache, fatigue) for 1 or 2 days.
If Eastern Canada has high températures, I had snow 2 weeks ago in Saskatchewan.
Vaccination centre had a rule for the first shot: left arm if you didn’t see a doctor (on site, if you tick specific boxes on the form like existing conditions, etc.) and right arm if you didn’t have any medical issue. So right arm for me. For the second shot, I was asked which arm… and I said right out of habit. Didn’t matter to me.
Congratulations on your second shot ! I don’t know if we are really supposed to congratulate for getting a vaccine but this one is important in moving things forward! I am also really sad for you that you still aren’t able to see your guys. This must be a hard time for you and I understand a simple Ikea bed can crack you up…
We are still finishing the renovations on our house and this seems endless… We are both exhausted. I really hope we can move in this summer. I know you like houses stories. I’ll send you this one by email to distract you! 🙂 Garde la pêche. Take care.
I congratulate people on getting their shot 😆 Eh, 2021 is a weird year, we can say that… and it’s kind of a team effort.
Things are looking pretty good in France now so it looks like you will be able to do… pretty much whatever you want this summer. Are you happy with the result for your house? I can’t imagine how tired you must be, such a big project during such an exhausting time…
Biden’s administration is pretty good at vaccinating, and they will vaccinate anyone who wants. They opened vaccination centers along interstates. When I crossed at Sweetgrass, MT, there was a sign directed at Albertan and Montanan truck drivers, to get their shoot at the Conrad rest area.
So I got one. I will have to postpone the appointement I have in Alberta.
Congrats! Great move indeed. Now, traditional questions: which vaccine, and what proof do you have?
I wonder how manay Canadians got their shots abroad… and we’re not in the stats. Will you get the second shot in the USA as well if available?
By the way, common wisdom (at least with Pfizer) says that if you got COVID, you get side effects (tiredness, sore arm, fever, etc.) with the first shot. If you’ve never been exposed to COVID, you tend to react to the second shot. I felt like shit for 24 hours after the first shot and nothing at all after the second one. I suspected before that I probably got a mild form of COVID last year in South America…
I had the choice between Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson. I wanted one of the ARN messenger one, and because Canada reserves Moderna for more isolated communities, I chose the Pfizer.
I was a little bit tired the day after, made it to Cheyenne, WY, although I planned to go to Bennett, CO.
I have a card from the CDC with infos about the vaccine I received (lot number and location of vaccination). They probably won’t stay here for a month, so I’ll have to get my second dose somewhere else. I don’t know yet if I just move my appointement after the date for the second dose in Alberta in June or if I cancel it to get it in July or August to follow the Canadian protocoles.
I’ll see.
I wonder how easy it’s going to be to get our foreign vaccination recognized in Canada. We’ll see… Good job, though! 😉
Are you considering going to France this year?
Yes, once I’m fully vaccinated and Canada stops requiring hotel stays and quarantine. They are talking about it.
I hope something comes through soon… keeping fingers crossed.
Yay! Lucky you! My second shot will be at the end of August, unless they change the date like they keep on saying… we’ll see! I hope that on June 21st the Prime Minister removes the quarantine so you can see your guys.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed (re. quarantine hotel) but Ontario is just lifting the stay-at-home order and Ford blamed everything on travellers so I’m really not sure which way this is going.
Hopefully you’ll get your second shot sooner, although a single dose is already great in terms of immunity.
Overall sucks everywhere right now…