DISCLAIMER: Anything written in this article is based off of my own personal experience, and may not be a universal experience for everyone. Symptoms may vary individually, and you should go to the nearest hospital should you be experiencing major adverse effects from any vaccination. You should consult with a physician before receiving the vaccine about concerns you may have regarding the vaccine itself, side-effects or any pre-existing health conditions you have.
I am a person who’s still afraid of needles – Let’s start there. I don’t cry as hard as I used to but I definitely still can’t bring myself to look at the injection site yet – and I have had alot of injections in my lifetime. As a healthcare worker, I was recently blessed the opportunity to get the COVID vaccine as soon as it became available for primary care. I am honoured to be part of the fight for the end of this virus, but I still had that pit feeling in my stomach knowing I was going to feel a pinch and some pressure.
I got the Pfizer-BioTech vaccine – and it honestly went better than expected. After waiting in line ups and filling out consent forms, I found myself sitting next to an injection nurse sooner than expected. She was really friendly, and told me about her symptoms post-vaccine and what to do if they arise. As soon as I saw her pull out the needle, I was immediately profound and nervous at the same time – months of research over a global pandemic all in one syringe.
There was no preparation like I would normally get with my regular family doctor back at home; I just kept talking to her while looking away and telling myself it “it’s just like a blood test” over and over again for what felt like 5 minutes. I was expecting pressure like I would normally get from a flu vaccine, but I felt nothing at all.
As I sat there in the recovery room for what felt like the longest 15 minutes of my life, I felt extremely content as it went better than expected. For the next 24 days, my symptoms were just as written on paper – my left arm was sore longer than any other injection I had, and I felt extreme fatigue despite going to bed early and sleeping a full 8 hours.
If you are eligible to get the vaccine, I strongly encourage you to get it to be a part of the fight against COVID-19!