I got my first 'taunt' post-Covid. Okay, I'm being a bit dramatic. But only a bit.

You see, there are those who sincerely disbelieve the whole Covid virus pandemic. And seriously believe that masks and sanitiser and social distancing are a complete waste of time. And, most importantly, they will never ever have a vaccine administered into their bodies.

Now, that's okay...if you live by yourself on an island. But for those of us who actually live in a society, and actively follow science, there is indeed a global pandemic, and there is indeed a coronavirus.

So when someone stands in front of you and says: "But you Rami I thought you had been vaccinated. Two shots!! And didn't you tell me you were stuffing your face with Zinc, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, and God know what else? And you wear a mask all the time! And yet you got severe Covid!! Don't waste my time with vaccination talk and other so-called protocols!!"

What exactly do you say to that? Yes, I've been asked a couple of times since I emerged from the depths of the ICU (and it's deep, baby!). I'm not a healthcare professional, and I am a Covid survivor, not an expert. But I must admit that this question did encroach on my peace of mind several times as I suffered. After all my efforts surely I shouldn't have caught the virus.

Well, first of all, I do not sleep alone. There's a woman in my bed, and she caught the virus (for the second time). So it was kind of expected that my wife would donate the virus to me, innit?! We are both vaccinated, and nowhere does it say that getting vaccinated means you will not get the virus. A bit like condom packaging, where it tells you in the small print that condoms are only effective 97% of the time....and you usually read this later when something has not arrived. But I digress.

The vaccination will protect you, yes, and if you do catch the virus you will be a milder case, and you may avoid hospitalisation, and you will probably not die. All these dependent on how you handle your healthcare. Like an umbrella, the vaccine will be effective against light drizzles and short cloud bursts. But when the tropical storm arrives, like from my wife into my nose and mouth....an umbrella will not do much.

But what about all the other things I did? Shouldn't I have been better protected against the virus? You see, I am 56 years old, and I am a heart attack survivor. Which means I have notorious co-morbidity issues. And that's an important factor where Covid is concerned. Don't forget other factors like obesity, diabetes, etc. Of course, I am not obese....just well-covered....and slightly sexy.

All I'm saying is that without the vaccination my personal situation would have been much worse. I would probably have lost my sense of taste (no chicken light soup!), smell (no more female perfume in our bedroom!), had diarrhoea (the throne, the throne!), aching joints (no more acrobatics when needed!), breathlessness (no more extended....you know!), and on and on. In fact, with hindsight, apart from the dreadful state of my lungs, the 'only' symptom I had was a cough. A violent one, truly, but only a cough.

Would I have walked out of the ICU? I have my doubts about that....no matter how sexy I believe I am. But I do believe being a vaccinated person helped me recover faster and sooner. That and the desire to watch Arsenal again. Nothing gets you out of bed faster than the belief that Arsenal might not lose their next game.

But I must admit, the thought that I could become the poster boy for anti-vaccine creatures was what made me write this post. Especially after reading about these creatures in the USA fighting against vaccines and mask mandates. Jeez! Might someone in Ghana use my Covid experience after vaccination as an example of why NOT to get vaccinated?? And supposing that extends to being labelled a Trump supporter!? Or even worse: a Chelsea fan. Aaaaarrrggghhhhhhh!!!!!!! Nooooooooo!!!!!!!

Look, for me, it boils down to one thing: the grace and mercy of God in my life. Period. But, please, when God has sent us a vaccine that is effective, I will climb mountains (or at least a short fence) to get it. And so should you. GET VACCINATED! We all react differently to Covid, but at least you can help give your precious body a fighting chance by getting vaccinated. And keep wearing a mask! And don't use Rami as a negative example. I'm a dedicated hand-washer, even if I'm not quite in the class of Lady Macbeth. After all, you know I am a toonoo....with sanitiser.