Well...here's to hoping it's not like several apocalypse novels I've read where everybody's all 'yaaaay a vaccine' and then all said vaccine does is mutate the virus and everyone turns into zombies of some sort and the world goes even further to hell.

But I'm sure it won't be like that. I'm sure everything will be fine. It's fine. We're fine.

Right?

I'll let you know when my Dad gets it tomorrow. (He's a healthcare worker before someone gets uppity with me.)

Good for your dad! I have a special place in my heart for healthcare workers and all the crap they have to put up with. I hope he doesn't zombify! <3

So far, so good. Mild headache and arm pain that went away with tylenol, according to him.

[edit]Week out, no side effects.

I got the vaccine on 12/22. My arm was hella sore but it was fine after some ibuprofen. No fever, chills, or headaches, here. I get the 2nd dose next week.

I have a microbiology degree and studied virology and the immune system at a college level. I am a grad student currently studying to work in the field of healthcare, and I understand how the vaccine development process works and what steps are enforced to ensure that it would be safe. I would KILL to get the vaccine right now, and it drives me nuts that so many people are so spooked by it. It’s not even a live/attenuated vaccine; the worst you could expect from it is an allergic reaction or a level of protection that’s lower than what’s been reported, which are the same risks that could come with any new vaccine, “rushed” or not.

Christ, people. This pandemic has claimed an absurd number of lives and ruined even more through long-term negative health effects and financial devastation. Get. Your. Shot. We can’t afford to drag our feet on this. If flu shots are only 60% effective and encouraged anyway, it won’t be the end of the world if this one isn’t quite as effective as it’s being reported.

The way people talk about it, you’d think they’re expecting to see someone’s arm start to melt off at the injection point. This vaccine is nowhere near as deadly as the virus it’s designed to protect you from, and we need to stop pretending that it could be. It’s textbook anti-vaxx rhetoric. I mean, god, what’s everyone expecting? Are they waiting to hear about the first freak death from anaphylactic shock? Rando McBadluck had an allergic reaction to the adjuvant, and now they’re going to use that as an excuse to skip the shot altogether? Nearly two million people have died from this virus, and the bodies are only going to keep piling up until something is done about it.

This stuff boils my blood. God, we still use the live polio vaccine in certain parts of the world, and that one can actually give you polio. AND IT’S STILL STATISTICALLY SAFER THAN NOT GETTING THE VACCINE AT ALL. This one isn’t even live!

Someone ask me about ECMO. Ask me about what they do for people whose lungs are rendered so useless by the virus that even ventilators can’t save them, so they have to have their blood oxygenated externally. Ask me about the tubes that get shoved into your jugular veins, and and how big the blood stains get when they’re changed, or moved, or got jostled too much. Ask me about how miserable and glazed over peoples’ eyes are, laying there in bed while hooked up to their artificial heart and lungs. Ask me about postperfusion syndrome, or about amputated digits and limbs, because femoral cannulation will cut off circulation to that leg. Go on, ask.

Get the stupid vaccine.

Got the first dose on Saturday. Had a little bit of an allergic reaction, but expected it as I consulted with the administering pharmacist because I have had an allergic reaction to the flu shot in the past. She said that the benefit out weighs the risk in my case. Today, I am feeling better. Got a text that my next dose will be 2/16. I went ahead and took the day off. I'm hearing that the 2nd dose can have more side effects than the first...and considering I didn't have the greatest reaction to the first...I took the day off. Fingers crossed--here's to hoping that the 2nd dose goes well!

Welp, Dad got the second dose last night and got hit with the awful joint pain to the point of he's hobbling around like a little old man. But I can say this:

I have had one parent on a respirator, I've had Covid myself - get the damn vaccine.

My mom got her second dose yesterday and did not have any side effects both times. If I could, I'd get the vaccine right away, but in my country, I still have to wait.

Just got back from getting my first vaccine dose. It was pretty painless. Not experiencing any symptoms yet, though I'm expecting a sore arm tomorrow. That's what usually happens with the flu shot.

[edit] Mar 30 - no side effects at all. A tiny bit of arm pain, but not even bad enough to take pain killers. Hopefully the second shot will go as well.

Got my first a week ago. My arm hurt bad for about 30 hours, but really not much worse than I remember tetanus shot being. TOTALLY WORTH IT.

I said some things I should not have said. I apologize and I edited my post in order to erase it.

i have a number of autoimmune related health conditions, so jumped at the chance at being prioritised for a vaccine jab...i caught covid in March last year and it wasn't a pleasant experience at all and something i really wouldn't want to repeat...now i'm looking forward to my second jab...bring it on...!!

Don't fear monger. You're allowed to be skeptical but don't fear monger.

--

Update again: got my own first shot, flinched, had more pain from that than anything else. Due for second dose on April 20th (blaze it!) and won't have to worry about getting Covid again for a while. I'd take even partial immunity compared to THAT hell.

Looking forward to hugging my bffl's mother... who I haven't hugged in 14 months.

You know what I'm tired of? Conspiracy theorists and insane viewpoints being spread around because "eVeRyOnE's EnTitLeD tO tHeIr OpInIoN"

Nothing is happening to women. Nothing is happening to kids. Except that they're getting sick and dying from a now preventable illness.

Vaccines save lives. Conspiracy theorists endanger others.

The vaccine will NOT be used against anyone. That is insanity.

And honestly? If you or anyone else gets offended by this, that's fine. Whine all you want. I am absolutely sick and tired and refuse to put up with conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers and other garbage. I am sick of working in retail and being yelled at by anti-maskers. I am sick of doing everything I can to protect myself and others and having insane people spewing nonsense and going out of their way to make things worse.

Just... stop. Your viewpoint is invalid and it's high time people like you were told that instead of being coddled and told your beliefs as just as valid as actual science.

I got the J&J vaccine (that's the one and done). Got an aggressive case of the side effects (headache and some gnarly joint pain) that they warn you about, but not any kind of serious allergic reaction (despite the fact that I have allergies and the nurse was concerned). Through the worst of it.