The first time I got a Covid vaccination it felt almost like a spiritual experience. We had to drive 40 minutes away to a wide open Fairgrounds run by the army and the tone was solemn. The path to our appointment was carefully monitored by a series of checkpoints and reminded me of those scenes in disaster movies when civilization has been altered and the National Guard is in charge of rationing food and water. The nurse who administered the shot was careful and professional  and insisted that we honour the waiting period to monitor any adverse effects. Afterwards we felt anointed by a mysterious elixir that was entering our bloodstream to engage in some noble fight. When we felt the effects of the vaccination within a few hours it felt like we had entered a new world.

Three weeks later we got our follow up shot and things already felt different. It was much less crowded and the atmosphere was more casual. Already there were rumblings of ant-vax sentiment in the background until they would become an ever-present mindless cacophony. Each time I've gone since, it felt a little more routine and mundane. Yesterday I showed my vaccination pass (now filled up like an immunization bingo card) and asked if they were still keeping track. "No, we don't do that anymore," she said without looking up. "Should I wait for 15 minutes?" I asked her afterwards. "If you want." she said flatly then was looking down at her sheet to call the next name on her list.