Covid Vaccine: My experience of them

 As I write this (21st of May, 2021), I am 10 days past my second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

While I know the pandemic is far from over, I’d be lying if I said I’m not sleeping a bit better at night.

Based on the evidence from clinical trials, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was 95% effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people without evidence of previous infection.

Although we don’t yet know exactly how it will perform under real-world conditions, the odds are very good that even if I get sick, I will not get as sick as I might have prior to the vaccine. Better yet, I may not get sick at all.

That knowledge is giving me a peace of mind that I have not had since the pandemic began.

How I got my appointment so early?

The most common question people were asking me was how I managed to get it so early since I’m only 44 years old and not a healthcare worker? Because adults in my age group in the UK has only been offered the first dose recently.

My answer is “luck.” Yes and not really, it’s simply because my husband is in the high risk category and I work with children.

In addition to the fact that I happened to meet the criteria to be eligible, it was also a matter of just being alert and assured to take the vaccine for the sake of my family and others.

Since last March, I have been following the NHS’s Tweets and the BBC news channel to get all of the COVID-19 updates. So, when the  school, I work with called on the 26^th of February,  to  say there were opening up for me at the nearest health centre and  if I can go immediately, they will make the arrangement, without any hesitance I said ‘yes’. Unlike, how I am usually reluctant for the annual flu-jab even if I am sick, I have never resorted to have one for myself or even for my kids. I always believed my kids and I have the antibodies to fight against the annual flu virus but not this time for the deadly coronavirus. I did not give it a second thought but at first instance knew I should trust the scientist, virologist and healthcare system and the country I reside, for this one time.

My personal advice is if you are offered take it (this is my personal opinion and you may have a different view, so please act accordingly). I followed what my heart said. Since, we were born, we are given multiple vaccinations. These have prevented many then once deadly epidemics or pandemics. Polio for example is a serious viral infection that used to be common in the UK and worldwide. It’s rare nowadays because it can be prevented with vaccination. So, when it comes to life or dead in the wake of Covid-19, I chose to be vaccinated.

What the vaccination itself was like?

In my location, there were a few large clinics  or town halls set up around the city. The one I went to for the first one was a health centre.

All of the expected safety protocols were being followed. Everyone had to wear a mask. There was plenty of distance between everyone. The staff was cleaning and disinfecting each chairs and station in between patients.

The operation itself was quite efficient, with us being checked in and moved from station to station very quickly.

First, they confirmed that we were registered, then I received the vaccine and later a card with my vaccine information on it and a leaflet with information about the vaccine, and a timer to wait for 15 minutes to ensure there is no adverse reaction.

The first injection, which was given in my upper arm muscle, was quick and almost painless.

Finally, we were given an appointment to return in 11 or 12 weeks.

The side effects that I had

I received my first dose of the vaccine, around 11:00 a.m. that day.

By around 6:30 p.m., my arm was sore at the injection site and had a headache and a light feverish shivers.

For the second day evening, I felt similar reactions but the third day was completely normal.

When it came time for my second dose which I had 11days earlier than the actual  booked date, however, the experience didn’t turn out to be that well. Few hours after the second dose, I felt nauseas and headache, my body started to shiver and for the 2 consecutive days, I experienced sleeplessness and for the next couple of days the situation has worsen. 3^rd day my shivers worsen and I was down with flu-ish fever (it could be caused by the crazy London's winter-like, cold and wet, Spring's weather, this year but it could also be the side-effects, I am not sure) and dehydrated. I also had severe headache. When the fever got better couple of days later, my whole body started aching as though I have been squatting and weeding in a vegetable farm the previous day. This lasted for 2 days. Today, on the 10^th day, I felt much better and certainly have regained myself from fatigue, although I still do feel thirsty and having dry-mouth.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely! Even if I had more severe side effects —like groin swelling which one of my colleague had— it would have been worth it for me.

As of today, May 21, 2021, there have been 165 158 285 confirmed cases and  3 425 017 deaths worldwide as reported by World Health Organization (WHO). In the United Kingdom (UK), in the last 24 hours, 2829 people were tested positive and 9 reported death, a significant drop in numbers since the peak of the outbreak . All thanks to the country’s execution of vaccination and strict lockdown measures. To date, 71% of the country’s adult population have had their 1^st dose, while 41.1% had the 2^nd dose. To record, on March 6, 2020, the first death as a result of coronavirus was recorded in the UK. The number of deaths in the UK has increased significantly since then. As of May 20, 2021, the number of confirmed deaths due to coronavirus in the UK amounted to 127,701. On January 20, 2021, 1,820 deaths were recorded, which is the highest total in single day in the UK since the outbreak began. Now the country has started easing its protective measures, however, being vigilant with the different strains of mutated virus. The current most feared is the Indian Variant which sends an air of cautious and not clear if the step four of the UK government's roadmap out of lockdown will go ahead as planned on 21 June. However, the race to vaccinate people in areas experiencing a spike in the Indian variant is picking up pace.

It’s true that many people have only mild symptoms, and I might be one of those people for the first dose, and, I was not for the second dose. I do not mind at all,  feeling a little bit sick now instead of wondering how severe a case of COVID-19, I might have later on.

I also feel that having the vaccine is worthwhile because I am doing my part to protect my family and others. Even if I knew that I could catch the disease and not suffer any effects at all from it, there is still the risk that I might transmit it to someone who would not be so lucky. I’m happy to do my share in making things safer for everyone. We all have our share of duty in the fight against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).