Joel Creasy: Why I’m getting a Covid-19 vaccine

The pandemic has had a devastating effect on the arts community, and getting jabbed will help take it from surviving to thriving, writes Joel Creasey.

I had my first vaccination this week. Now before we press on I’m not going to tell you what to do with your body or your life. But I made the decision that I trust science, want to protect myself and those around me, want the vaccine (I’ve put far worse in my body for far less) and really just wanted an excuse to see what one of these vaccine hubs looked like … I’m mad for an “event”.

So off I popped to get jabbed, a word I never expect to become such a common phrase. “Get jabbed” sounds like I’m telling someone to rack off and leave me alone. My appointment was for 11.20am and I breezed in where a friendly man offered sanitiser, a fresh mask, pointed out the QR code and then directed me to the correct queue.

I say queue but they were moving through so fast it was more of a socially distanced conga line which lasted all of a minute.

I then spoke to another gentleman who had a quick scan of my Medicare card, ID and supporting documents as to why I was there. He then said “ah, you’re the comedian”. Which is lovely but also just a statement. He could well have been thinking “ah, you’re the comedian. who I cannot stand”.

Comedian Joel Creasy says he’s getting vaccinated “to get the lights back on”. Picture: Eugene Hyland

I didn’t even have time to sit down, instead perhaps lightly grazing the seat with my toosh before I was ushered over to my nurse administering my vaccine. We had a brief conversation (about how excited I was to be there), she vaxxed me, popped a sticker on my chest and I was then pointed to another group of seats where I chilled for 15 minutes before being told I was good to go.

I was in the building for 22 minutes in total. Having budgeted an hour for the trip this provided plenty of time to pick up a meatball sub as a vaccination treat. My body is a temple. Aside from a sore arm (vaccine related) and a bloated belly (meatball related) I felt fine after. Fantastic, in fact.

As a member of the arts community, I’ve seen first hand the devastating effect the pandemic has had on our industry.

The moment lockdown is announced our theatres shutdown indefinitely … and are always the last to open again. The Covid compliance these theatres have had in place is remarkable. Yet these devastating but understandable lockdowns are blow after blow to the live performance industry … without which the world would be truly miserable.

So I’m getting vaccinated to get the lights back on and the rafters filled. And I’m so very grateful to all the doctors, nurses and frontline staff working night and day to keep us safe.

You can hear Joel on the Kate, Tim & Joel drive show from 3-6pm on the Nova Network

Originally published as Joel Creasy: Why I’m getting a Covid-19 vaccine