My COVID-19 Vaccine Experience

When did I receive my vaccine?

I got vaccinated for COVID-19 in early January.

How did I book my appointment?

My hospital trust mailed us about the booking slots for vaccination.

As the stocks were limited, the slots were getting filled up quickly. I was lucky enough to get a slot in early January for myself.

Photo by Hakan Nural on Unsplash

Which vaccine did I receive?

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine by Pfizer & BioNTech

How many doses do you need to get?

Two doses at least 21 days apart

According to the new guidelines, the U.K. government has decided to delay the second dose to 3 months from the date of receiving the first dose.

How does the vaccine work?

The mRNA in the COVID-19 vaccine contains instructions for the cell on how to make a piece of the spike protein found on SARS-CoV-2.

Once displayed on the human cell surface, this protein causes our body to produce an immune response (in form of antibodies and T-cells).

This primes our immune system to protect us against future infection.

Can the mRNA change my genes?

The mRNA strand never enters the cell’s nucleus or affects genetic material.

After the piece of the spike protein is made, the cell breaks down the mRNA from the vaccine.

What are the side effects of the vaccine?

1. Pain at the injection site (> 80%)
2. Fatigue (> 60%)
3. Headache (> 50%)
4. Myalgia (> 30%)
5. Chills (> 30%)
6. Arthralgia (> 20%)
7. Fever (> 10%)
8. Lymph node enlargement (Uncommon)
9. Anaphylaxis & hypersensitivity (Rare)
10. Acute peripheral facial paralysis (Rare)
    
    

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Receiving the vaccine

At the place where I had booked an appointment, the U.K. government had converted a sports and leisure center into a vaccination facility.

There were multiple booths for vaccination along with waiting areas in this facility.

After confirmation of my details, I was informed about the vaccine and its side effects. I was given an information leaflet as well, which contained all these details.

A checklist to ask about my health related problems, allergies, and immunological status was completed.

My arm preference was asked for and an intramuscular vaccine was delivered in the deltoid area.

Once I have had the vaccine, I was asked to wait in the waiting area for 15 minutes. This was to identify any side effects of the vaccine, most notably, an anaphylactic reaction that occurs within minutes of receiving the vaccination.

I was advised to contact the national emergency helpline in case I develop a reaction later on. I was also given a link to register my side-effects in case I have had any.

What side effects did I get?

1. Pain at the site of injection — The pain persisted and gradually decreased in 36 hours
2. Lethargy- This lasted for around 12 hours and I believe that it had a psychological component too.
   
   

Should I delay getting vaccinated?

You should get the vaccination as and when you get a chance.

I am sure that you must be afraid of the rare complications. But, if you think statistically, the probability of getting those is very rare. Also, an anaphylactic reaction can be managed with medications, when identified early.

It is like staying in the bed all the time to avoid the possibility of getting hit by a car while walking on the footpath (There was 1 in 541, lifetime odds of death from a pedestrian incident in United States in 2018. )

If you are not afraid to get out of bed every day, I am sure you can definitely contribute towards bringing an end to this horrifying pandemic as soon as possible.

Photo by Edward Howell on Unsplash