After receiving his first shot of the COVID-19 vaccination, Philip Cosand, an Amazon Go Grocery employee in Seattle, was inspired to email Amazon's COVID-19 volunteer vaccination team. We, in turn, were inspired by Cosand’s sentiment, and asked to share his email. Read his message below, edited lightly for length.
"I work at Go Grocery on Capitol Hill. We have been in operation for just over a year. It has been interesting to be open to the public and watch the world change before our eyes. Some days have been challenging, and some days were downright stressful.
"However, things have been improving. I noticed it when we first started hearing of vaccinations being approved. In the last month, there have been two new topics of conversation: Getting vaccinated and WandaVision. (Hey, it is a gripping show!)
"Then we found out that we could all get a vaccine. We excitedly gave each other tips, shared links, and ran to get our shots. You never thought a person would be so excited about getting poked in the arm. We are all ready to move on to a new phase in life.
"I tried to volunteer to help with vaccinations (that Amazon hosted) at Virginia Mason Hospital over the weekend. To my surprise, all the volunteer spots had been taken—153 spots in less than a day. That is inspiring to me. So, I signed up to get my own dose of the vaccine. Less than a day later, I was notified that I could get my shot, appropriately enough, at Virginia Mason.
"It was a fascinating sight. Without fail, the volunteers and staff were ready to help and kept the crowds moving quickly and efficiently. It did not hit me until the day after I got my shot, but it is worth emphasizing here.
"A group of people, from my Amazon co-workers to the Virginia Mason community, gathered for one simple reason: they wanted to make the world better. All those people, giving freely of their weekend, for the sole purpose of healing, protecting, and instilling hope for a better tomorrow.
"That gets me choked up and teary eyed. So, thank you. A visit to my parents does not seem so far off now. I can focus more on customers and less on infection.
"There is Joe, who comes in to buy two papayas. There is Daniel, who likes a specific brand of bourbon. And there was the woman who was getting treated at Swedish Medical Center and had a compromised immune system. She appreciated that she could go grocery shopping and touch as few things as possible.
"You have made it easier to pay attention to those people. You have made my co-workers smile and laugh easier and more often. By opening the doors to the community, you are improving the quality of life for those around you, at no cost to them.
"As an employee and a big fan of groups coming together to fix the problems we face, thank you. I will keep cheering you on in these efforts and looking for slots to volunteer with you.
With gratitude and respect,
Philip Cosand, Amazon Associate”
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