On April 2, I got my second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. You can read about my experience with the first dose in my last article.
This experience was similar, but there were some key differences that stood out to me. Last time, I was texted a link to a consent form and a vaccine screener. The only texts I received for my second shot were appointment reminders.
When I parked at the clinic, I was expecting to just wait in my car until after my appointment time, but I actually got a text telling me to come in right at my appointment time.
I walked inside and my temperature was taken. I was given a slip of paper with a group number and asked by a volunteer if I had completed the consent form and I explained that I had completed one for my first dose but never got a link for another form.
She directed me to the seats in the back of the waiting area where I could sit down and fill out the consent form on a clipboard under my chair. Another volunteer came over and checked my form and told me to go with the next group.
Instead of a volunteer calling out a group number, an announcement was made that anyone waiting to get their second dose needed to come stand in line. Just like last time, everyone stood on spaced-out markers on the floor and we proceeded to the next area.
We passed the monitoring area and waited in line for the ID checks at the desk. This time, I was asked for my consent form, ID, and CDC vaccine card. A sticker was placed on my consent form and everything was handed back to me, including a second sticker. Unlike my first shot, I was not asked any questions.
I was directed to the next line to wait for my shot. I was on a different side than when I received my first shot, but I was in the first cubicle again.
I gave my CDC card, consent form, and the extra sticker to the worker at the computer in the cubicle and I answered a few questions. I sat down and waited to get the shot.
When I got my first shot, the girl administering it talked to me more than the worker at the computer. This time, only the worker at the computer was talking to me. The woman administering my shot was talking under her breath. She had an AirPod in so I’m assuming she was on the phone.
Right before she stuck the needle in, she softly told me to relax my arm. I almost didn’t hear her but then she said it slightly louder before continuing to speak on the phone.
Immediately after I got the shot, I tried a trick my mom told me about where you press your thumb down on the injection site to prevent soreness later. I took my CDC card and my time card and was directed to the monitoring area.
I sat down and placed the time card on the floor and waited for 10 minutes. About a minute before my time was up, a volunteer came over and stood in front of my chair until my time was up. She directed me out of the area and told me where to exit.
I felt fine at first, but later that night I felt slightly nauseous and had a headache. Those symptoms could have been caused by a slight accident I had while helping my dad rebuild our fence gate that afternoon.
I worked the next day and I noticed I was tired, but I didn’t think that was a symptom until I fell asleep on the couch after work. I don’t usually take naps so I think I experienced some fatigue due to the vaccine.
Other than that, the only other symptom I noticed was soreness in my arm. Like last time, it hurt to lift my arm and to touch it. This time though, the soreness lasted for two days after the shot.
Overall, this experience was not as amazing as last time but I wouldn’t say it was bad. Everything was still really organized and I still felt everyone was taking everything very seriously.
I definitely recommend getting the vaccine if you can, because this is the only way things will go back to normal. Everyone will have a different experience or different symptoms, but don’t let that scare you away from this opportunity.
Even if you have gotten both doses of the vaccine, you are not fully vaccinated until two weeks after your second dose. Continue to social distance and wear your mask around others.