(Editor’s note: A lot people are probably wondering what it’s like to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Our guest writer, Dan Vale, has graciously decided to share his experience. This is not a recommendation to get the vaccine, that is your personal choice. This is to share details on what went into the decision, and what it was like. Everyone should do their research on what is best for them. A big thank you to Dan for sharing this article!)
My Experience with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
By Dan Vale
In this article, I will describe some of what you probably will experience if you schedule yourself for the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. For readers who have chosen any of the three vaccines, I invite you to share your experiences in the remarks section below. For those readers who have decided not to vaccinate, please share your viewpoints below as well.
Why we decided to get the vaccine
I decided that I needed the vaccination for several reasons. My wife has many underlying medical conditions, and we both are in the vulnerable 65-74 years of age group. Because a COVID-19 Virus infection most likely would be fatal for her, I did not want to risk accidentally becoming infected with the virus and passing that infection on to her or to anyone else. I have seen friends and relatives die or suffer lingering, and perhaps permanent medical problems because of this virus.
My wife and I chose the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination because it was immediately available to us. We received our vaccinations in the Pharmacy section of the Giant Food Store. Store customers were doing their regular food shopping.
Meanwhile, we were part of a small, socially distanced, seated, masked group of people who were waiting to be vaccinated outside of the pharmacy. Everyone who was there to be vaccinated had to fill out and sign informed consent forms before being vaccinated.
What was it like to get vaccinated?
First dose
My wife and I described our first vaccination as feeling like a tiny pinprick. I told the person who was vaccinating me that he had a soft touch. Neither my wife nor I had any after-effects from the first vaccination. We were relieved to know that our waiting for the vaccinations was over.
After our first vaccinations, the pharmacy staff gave my wife and me cards with the date of our first vaccination, the future date, 30 days later, of our second vaccination, and the lot number of our vaccines.
To determine if we would have any bad reactions to our vaccinations, the pharmacy staff asked us to wait up to 30 minutes before we left the pharmacy waiting area.
The whole process, from the time we walked into the Giant Food Store until we left, took less than an hour.
My wife and I both felt relieved to know that our immune systems were preparing to combat any future infections of the COVID-19 virus. In two weeks our vaccines will be done with their preparations and ready for any infections. We even felt buoyant after a man who was waiting for his vaccination congratulated us about our vaccinations.
Second dose
We arrived early for our second appointment and were able to get our vaccinations before our scheduled times.
Our second injections were no more painful than any other normal injection. After our second vaccinations, the pharmacy staff gave each of us a Certificate of Immunization to give to our primary care doctor.
For the second injections, my wife felt nothing immediately, but the next day, her arm was a little sore. The soreness stayed for a couple of days but the pain diminished soon after. My injection arm was a little sore immediately and for one day, but I thought that might be due to an operation on that shoulder a couple of years ago. I was pain-free after one day.
My thoughts on the process
An article of this length cannot begin to discuss all the fast-changing details involved in choosing and scheduling an individual’s COVID-19 vaccination. These details will be different for different states, counties, and territories. The details also will be different for different priority groups, vaccination sites, and vaccines.
As the vaccination supply increases, and as additional procedures, facilities, and personnel are put into place, there will be many additional locations and times available for the vaccinations. Most people will schedule on internet web sites.
To learn more details about choosing and scheduling your COVID-19 vaccinations, you can profitably use at least several strategies. You can access the Center for Disease control website as well as your state, county, or territorial health departments’ internet web sites. You also would do well to get information from other people who already have scheduled their vaccinations or who have been vaccinated. Using these various methods, you can tailor your vaccination schedules to be appropriate for your priority group, state, county, territory, and vaccine of choice.
Time is of essence during this pandemic. The COVID-19 virus is mutating into more deadly, faster spreading viruses.
Also, there are additional reasons to anticipate infection surges in the future here as is happening in Europe right now. As much as 25% of the thousands of illegal immigrants that are rushing across our southern border have COVID-19 infections. Furthermore, spring break for college students will result in even less prevention efforts such as masks, social distancing, or avoidance of large groups. In addition, many states now are dropping restrictions on businesses. Finally, air travel is starting to increase again.
I have several hopes for you readers. It is my hope that those of you who want to be vaccinated will be able to do so before suffering a COVID-19 infection. President Biden said he wants vaccines available to all American adults by May 1st.
It also is my hope that those of you who decide not to become vaccinated will be able to avoid infection, at least until you eventually will be somewhat more protected by the “herd immunity” that will occur when about 75-80% of our population is vaccinated.
Finally, I hope that if any of you readers are infected, your infections will not be serious enough to require extensive medical care or hospitalization. If you do need extensive medical care or hospitalization, I hope that your need will not occur during a disaster such as the recent Texas power failure or the western states blizzard when medical help will not be as available.
Please, stay safe.
About the Author:
Dan Vale has a Bachelor Degree in Physical Education. He won the Mr. Delaware Bodybuilding Contest in 1968 and earned his karate Black Belt in 1973. He has had a lifelong interest in physical fitness. Furthermore, for over seven years, he wrote 785 of articles for the Examiner Online Newspaper. Most of these articles were written in his capacity as the Baltimore Prepper Examiner. To see his Amazon books, visit his Amazon author page.
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