With the recent boost in Covid-19 vaccinations the past few months, I wanted to share my experiences surrounding the entire process. I am lucky to be in Phase 2, as I have underlying health conditions, so I am almost fully vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine. In Massachusetts, residents over the age of 16 should be able to sign up to receive the first dose of an available vaccine on April 19th.
In my opinion, registering for the vaccine is the hardest part. I had a difficult time finding an appointment nearby, as the CVS clinics were constantly booked and the UMass Covid Vaccine Clinic barely released any new slots. My main tip is to check at night: the CVS website updates usually between 9pm-12am, and many family members and friends that I know had success at these hours. Hopefully, with the new surge in availability happening in April, signing up will not be as cut-throat down the line.
On the day of my first dose, I arrived at the UMass Clinic with my license in hand- it is crucial that you bring your Massachusetts ID if getting vaccinated in the state! After showing the QR code given to me upon registering, I was all set.
The shot itself was very tolerable; it felt like the familiar pinch of the flu shot or any other routine vaccine. Immediately after, I was directed to a separate room for a waiting period, in which I stayed for 30 minutes to ensure I would not have a serious reaction to the vaccine upon administration.
That same night, just a few hours after I received the dose, I started to feel soreness in my arm. This side effect is extremely common among all available vaccines, as it is an intramuscular shot. I was not prepared, however, for the side effects that I felt as I woke up the next morning. To put it simply- I felt like I got hit by a bus. My entire body ached, I had constant chills, and I felt as if I had a fever. Luckily, a Tylenol every 6 hours did the trick to make me at least semi-functional to attend classes.
My experience is most likely going to be worse with the second dose, as this is typical with the Moderna vaccine, but I am feeling prepared and grateful for this opportunity. I highly recommend it to anyone eligible to sign up as soon as you can. The efficacy is quite similar between Pfizer and Moderna, and recent studies have proven the Johnson and Johnson vaccine to be very effective against severe cases of the virus.
Hopefully, the majority of the population in the country will be able to be vaccinated soon. Even though the vaccine does not exempt you from wearing a mask in public and staying socially distant, it is comforting to know that you will be free to gather with other vaccinated civilians and not have to worry about developing extreme symptoms of the virus.
https://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2021/03/17/baker-massachusetts-full-va…