I had my first dose of the Covid 19 vaccine yesterday. It was scheduled through my primary physician. Upon entering the office, (with face mask) and announcing my arrival, I filled out a little paperwork, got the follow up appointment for the 2nd dose, and received a vaccination card and paperwork about the vaccine. I was getting the Moderna vaccine. I was instructed to exit the office and go down the hall to another room where they were administering the vaccine.
This room had chairs spaced at least 6 feet apart, if not more. There were 5 people including myself and the nurse giving the shot and a man collecting the information. I had to fill out another short questionnaire and waited maybe 5 minutes before my name was called. I was prepared for a little pain, (a quick jab) but experienced none at all.
The vaccine is intramuscular, which I remember from my days injecting interfurons. I remember learning how they showed us, jabbing an orange, and when the time came it did hurt. Immediately after I received the vaccine I thought she did it wrong. It seemed more like a subcutaneous injection, which I also used to give myself, rather than an intramuscular one.
Afterward I was given a timer and had to sit for 15 minutes before I could leave, to see if there were any immediate side effects. During that time I read the information given to me about the vaccine, a fact sheet to be exact. This is what it said,
“The Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is a vaccine and may prevent you from getting COVID-19. There is no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved vaccine to prevent COVID-19……………….. It is an unapproved vaccine.
“The FDA has authorized the emergency use of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older under an Emergency Use Authorization, (EUA).”
I had mistakenly thought that the FDA did approve this vaccine and I also mistakenly thought that it would prevent me from getting Covid. I should have read this before getting the vaccine. I don’t think it would have changed my mind, but it might change others. So I’ll hope for the best and try to tamp down my paranoia that we’ll all die in a couple of years, (all who received the vaccine) and also that it wasn’t given correctly.
I experienced no side effects. Most side effects have been noted after the 2nd dose, so I’ll let you know. I’m a little wary because after the 2nd vaccine against Shingles, I had experienced side effects of fever, chills, exhaustion. They lasted about 24 hours and were gone so hopefully that will be the case with this vaccine.