Shot in the arm, anyone?

Like so many, I and my family have joined millions of Americans in trying to secure appointments to get the Covid-19 vaccine over the last few days.

While the many healthcare workers and nursing home residents were initially inoculated in New York in December, next came the fair assumption that teachers, first responders, public safety, public transit workers and those over 65 years of age would be able to get their vaccination. But as "Economics 101" courses teach college freshman — when demand outstrips supply, shortage reigns.

Now I understand that the arrival of the pandemic and its swift and devastating impact left municipalities with no prior knowledge or basis by which to combat the virus. It was trial by fire.

But the race to develop the vaccine was on from the beginning. Therefore, despite a quicker than usual process for approval, there was still time to imagine, construct and execute a viable action plan with contingencies for limited supply.

For a nation that can send a rover to Mars while entertaining its citizens with TikTok videos — that's a nation that can figure out a schedule that can be adjusted to assume less, not more, when production is lagging. In fact, three analogies come to mind when considering this schedule:

Don't open a line at Disneyland to accept admission unless Mickey is ready to greet visitors. 

If you need to give two dosages, provide the dates at the onset like those Broadway shows that sold seating for both part one and part two at the same time. That way, you get the same seat (i.e. the same vaccine) as promised.

And of course, have the goods so you can provide what is reasonably promised and avoid the marketing equivalent of a "bait and switch" with people's health.

For those of you who were able to secure an appointment swiftly, you have the medical equivalent of the Willy Wonka golden ticket. For the rest of us, it has been an exercise in futility mired in website crashes and facility closures.

I know this will take time. You know this will take time. But in 2020 hindsight (pun intended) will anyone ever be able to explain why our officials didn't use the time they did have, before this process started, to really plan: contingencies and all?

A contributing writer to the Herald since 2012, Lauren Lev is an East Meadow resident and a direct marketing/advertising executive who teaches marketing fundamentals as well as advertising and marketing communications courses at the Fashion Institute of Technology and SUNY Old Westbury.