Boosters
Saturn V boostersImage courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Boosters come
in all guises. There are booster seats for use by small children in cars so
that they are safe and not in danger of strangulation by the safety straps, or
on dining chairs, so that they can sit up at the table with the big people.
The first
stage of a space rocket intended for the moon or Mars has booster engines for
the initial surge of acceleration, after which they are jettisoned. Without them
they would not have sufficient energy to travel beyond Earth’s orbit.
Spitfires
in WWII had two-stage superchargers to improve performance at high altitude. These
were commonly called boosters. Artillery guns have boosters to make the shells
fly faster and consequently further.
Boosters,
or jump starters are used to give a temporary electrical boost to a car battery
so that an unresponsive or ‘dead’ engine, a ‘flat battery’, can be started.
A booster
can increase electrical voltage or signal strength. Power boosters, known as amplifiers, augment electrical signals to increase the power
output of an audio system. They increase the volume and clarity of sound from
speakers.
Morale boosters are remarks, actions or
reactions that raise morale. The recipients of such encouragement
gain increased confidence in their ability and performance.
The boosters
with which most of us are familiar are vaccine boosters, given to increase the
level of immunity and provide protection against new variants of a disease.
On Saturday
afternoon we repaired to our local, well-respected co-educational comprehensive
school to receive our boosters. These were administered in the impressive 6th
form centre which had set out a series of well-spaced tables and chairs. We had
arrived half an hour before our appointment and were seen immediately. There was
no queue – well, there was one person ahead of us, but he was soon called to a
table and we were then beckoned forward, so we waited for approximately 30
seconds.
Although
we had been booked for a ‘flu jab, it turned out that we were to receive a Covid
booster at the same time. One painless shot in each arm and we were done. The organisation
was excellent, with friendly helpers at regular intervals to indicate where to
go as well as clear and frequent signage.
The school
sports centre is open to public membership and has ample parking, so there was
no lack of parking spaces. To cap it all, it was a beautifully warm afternoon.
Sunday
was a different story. It was warm but grey and windy and our arms were a
little stiff and sore, but we were happy in the knowledge that we were covered against
the winter’s nasties, supposedly. At least, if we do fall prey to them, they
should be in a milder form.
