Millions Of Vaccines. Thousands Of Questions.

Red assets.rebelmouse.io

I'm so relieved there's a COVID-19 vaccine. And in record time, no less! But now I have a thousand questions.

Black assets.rebelmouse.io

You and millions of other people. And, probably many of the same questions. However, since neither one of us will be in line to get any of the first vaccinations, you will have plenty of time to get your questions answered.

Red assets.rebelmouse.io

Yes, I know. It's only fair that healthcare workers and first responders get top priority, along with employees and residents of long-term care facilities, like nursing homes. But how will we know when it's our turn?

Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Patience, grasshopper. It will be months before either one of us is eligible, which will give them time to figure out the notification system. And, I am guessing each state will have their own system.
Red assets.rebelmouse.io	Well, that'll be confusing.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Maybe for national record keeping, but why would you care about your eligibility in a state other than the one in which you are a resident? It is not like you own multiple homes.
Red assets.rebelmouse.io	Fine. But knowing what's happening in other places is important. For example, we learned from the UK that people with severe allergies shouldn't take the vaccine. I'd be curious as to how they define "severe" allergies. I doubt it, but does sneezing and watery eyes count as "severe"? Since I have what I think are "normal" allergies, should I take a Claritin or other allergy relief drug in advance of getting the vaccine?
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Excellent questions and I am confident all of your questions will be answered. The drug companies will be keeping records as will state and national health organizations. Not to mention, all the hospitals, pharmacies, and doctor's offices that will be vaccinating people. By the time we can get vaccinated, there will be lots of data available.
Red assets.rebelmouse.io	OK, but I wish there was a place to get all my questions answered. And answered honestly, without political bias or marketing angles.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	You can always go to the CDC's site. But there are other useful sites out there, and I am sure more will be developed, although some may limit your free visits. I recently joined Medium so I could continue to access Every COVID-19 vaccine question you'll ever have, answered. (Thank you, Bryan Walsh at Axios, for the heads-up on the resource.)
Red assets.rebelmouse.io	Good to know. Does it mention whether the vaccine's really going to be free for everyone?
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	I am sure it does, but I have not checked. Please tell me that you are not planning to send your thousands of questions to me.
Black assets.rebelmouse.io	Hello. You still there?
Red assets.rebelmouse.io	Yes. I just didn't know how to answer your question. Or, at least, not honestly.

vaccine

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I look 20 years out and where I want to be … which makes it easier to make day-to-day decisions as I ask myself whether they are pointing me in the right direction. It does not mean I will not make exceptions – but those are conscious decisions. And, I always remember that life is a journey … not a destination.

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Red, trying to be sarcastic, then asked if there was such a thing as “hard skills,” Black matter-of-factly told her those are tangible and technical skills such as computer skills.

Of course, Black couldn’t pass up an opportunity for sarcasm and explained that although there’s consensus about the importance of soft skills, there’s debate about what they should be called, with her favorite being the Texas Education Agency (TEA) calling them "21st Century Skills" – although she's old enough to remember they were important in the 20th Century, too.

But would anyone call them “Mom Skills”? Well, Red couldn’t help but remember the time Black told her, “Your job is every bit as demanding as a corporate position, and, in fact, you use many of the same skill sets.”Not something Red could ever have imagined, but it made sense once she better understood what soft skills are and how they are used. But then Black took it a step further,

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Homework never ends; it just is called “research” when you get older.

Over the last few years, Red has come around to Black’s way of thinking and realizes it’s a mindset. And that education is more than the classes you take in school.

September is when students of all ages are back in school, but it’s also National Literacy Month, which is about so much more than reading and writing. Literacy includes things like Digital Literacy, Financial Literacy, Health Literacy, and even News Literacy. (As the linked Conversation Starters indicate, Red was the “poster child” of a highly educated person who lacked many of these basic literacy skills.)

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