Over the past year, the world was at a stand still because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lives were lost and because of it, governments have to close borders and limit movement of people, thus, causing thousands of people to lose their jobs. It has been more than a year but this pandemic is far from being over. Many experts say that this disease is here to stay. Ever since the pandemic broke out, scientists have been working overtime to develop a vaccine and we are now reaping the fruits of their research.As the entire world start the vaccination process, many people also doubted the efficacy of the vaccines - concerns like:”it was developed too fast;” “this vaccine is not as effective as that one;” or “these vaccines are not good for the body.”
As a medical professional, I knew that the vaccine was developed in a rush compared to the other vaccines already on the market. However, I also knew that scientists and vaccine manufacturers have started developing a vaccine for MERS-COV back in 2012 which, I think somehow helped in the development of SARS-COV-2 vaccine. When they announced to the world that there are several vaccines being tested, I was adamant not to get one until they complete the clinical trials. I told myself that I will not subject myself to a vaccine that is technically still on the experimental stages. But the number of cases and deaths grew and deaths became more personal and closer to home. By this time, I was reading every literature I could find on the efficacy and safety of the vaccines. Some had promising results. After reading scientific literature, listening to interviews of medical experts, I decided to get myself vaccinated but only with a vaccine brand that has 90% efficacy or higher. Of course, I wanted the brand with good standing. But alas! Getting the vaccine I wanted is nearly impossible and with all the numbers going up around me, I couldn’t be choosy. In my country, the only available vaccine at the moment are Sinovac and Astrazeneca. Between them, I could have preferred the Aztra Zeneca because it had better results in their Phase 3 Clinical Trials and it is a viral vector vaccine. However, you don’t always get what you want, right? As I read through tons of information about both vaccines, I decided not to push my luck and just accept whatever is available at the time of my scheduled vaccination. At this time, my only goals to get protection, however small that protection might be. I have survived the past year of the pandemic, COVID-19 free but I don’t know if I will get infected every time I go to the store or I go to work. The constant worry over an enemy that you cannot see is not good for my mental health and I decided to reduce my risks by getting vaccinated.
So, here I am, writing this blog 24 hours post vaccination. I knew what to expect when I agreed to be vaccinated. This isn’t my first vaccine as an adult. As a medical professional, I know I need to be protected from preventable diseases. I got the vaccine on the same day that I was part of the vaccination team (I am a volunteer). The mandatory observation of 30 minutes were great. I did not feel any soreness on my injection site, no dizziness or any other common side effects. So after 30 minutes, I went back to monitoring my fellow vaccinees. When I arrived home, my arm began to ache but the pain was tolerable. It didn’t prevent me from doing my ADLs. Before I went to bed, I took a tablet of 500 mg Paracetamol because I knew that the soreness in my arm is bound to get worse and would prevent me from getting a good night’s sleep. The next day, I felt a niggling headache but it stayed like that all day - just on the verge of becoming a full blown headache. I took Paracetamol to help me function because I am useless when I have a headache. My body felt so tired but that could also be attributed to the activities of the previous day coupled with the intense heat. It’s been more than 24 hours since I got vaccinated and other than a sore arm, I feel perfectly my normal self. I monitor my vital signs and so far so good. I have to be honest, while I am positive that the vaccine will do its work in my body and will give me protection, I still worry that I might be the exception because there are no absolutes in this world. But I remind myself that the benefits outweighs the risks. I took a risk in accepting the Sinovac vaccine but I am hopeful that for once, China won’t fail me. :-)
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