I got my first dose of the covid 19 vaccine! Here I am sharing my honest experience of the covid 19 Pfizer vaccination, how I managed to book it, plus my side effects. I’m also going to share some tips to make sure you can get your covidvaccination as soon as possible and answer some frequently asked questions. Read on or watch the video below for my full vaccination experience.
Table Of Contents
How did I book the vaccine?
Thank you so much to those of you who pointed out that unpaid carers of kids or adults with additional needs or disabilities in the UK, may be eligible for a vaccine early. It hadn’t occurred to me that I might have been eligible. I went on the government website over the Easter Bank holiday weekend to investigate. That took me to the Welsh site which sent me to my local health trust site. A few more clicks and a form later, my application was submitted. I had a text with a number to call the morning of Friday 9th April 2010, I called the number and had my vaccine that afternoon.
As it happened, just a few days later on Monday 12th April 2021, I had another text message that vaccines have been opened up to all over 37 year olds in my area and to call if I had not already been vaccinated. So even if I had not gone for the “early” unpaid carer’s option, I would not have had to wait much longer yo be vaccinated..
Which vaccine did I get?
I had the Pfizer vaccination.
Did I get to choose which vaccine I had?
No, I did not. Each day at the vaccination centre that I went to, they offer a different vaccination clinic. Some days they offer Pfizer and others it’s the AstraZeneca. You are offered the vaccine that they happen to be offering in clinic the day you are booked in, there is no option (or at least there wasn’t when I went).
When will I have the second dose?
I was told to expect an appointment for the next dose to be sent to me in 4-12 weeks. As I had the Pfizer vaccine for the first dose, I will be booked into another Pfizer clinic and have the Pfizer for the second dose too.
What was it like actually getting the covid vaccination?
I have to say, I was very impressed! Everything seemed very efficient at the vaccination centre, it was like a well oiled machine.
The vaccine itself was no more uncomfortable than any other vaccination that I have ever had.
Side effects day by day
Day 1
Immediately after the vaccine, my are was a little sore. I am talking more like awareness of my arm than a large amount of pain. Calling it pain is probably overkill, it was more like discomfort.
As I said in the vlog, that evening I was tired and went to bed early. As I also mentioned in the vlog, this could have had more to do with the fact that I get up at 4:40am every weekday morning to work, so I am usually tired by Friday. It could also have been to do with the fact that the day I got my vaccine, I also got my period.
With all of this considered, I didn’t feel any worse than I would normally expect to feel at the end of the week when Aunt Flo came to visit.
Day 2
My arm was still a little tender, but it was not so bad that I had not been able to sleep on it through the night. I felt the discomfort most if I raised my arm directly to the side. By the time I got it to shoulder height, the discomfort increased.
In myself I was fine. My energy levels were normal and I had no flu like symptoms.
Day 3
By the 48 hour after the jab mark, I was still flu symptom free and my arm was pretty much back to normal.
Symptom Conclusion
I am pleased to say that I had almost no negative reaction to the Pfizer vaccination. My arm was uncomfortable, which I took as a sign that the vaccine was working it’s magic, but the side effects were by no means problematic. I am glad I got the vaccine.
Some tips for making sure you get your vaccine as early as possible
Now a few things to do to make sure you & your loved ones get your jabs asap;
💉 Make sure your GP has your up to date telephone, email & home address so that they can contact you when it’s your turn.
💉 Check on the government site to see if you are eligible for an unpaid carer’s vaccine.
💉 Do a Google search to see if your local area is running a reserve scheme. A friend of mine sent me a link to our local one last night and until then I didn’t know that was available. It’s definitely worth checking if there is something like that near you that helps avoid the “no show” doses going in the bin.
💉 Make sure that loved ones are able to get to and from their appointments. The more people that are vaccinated, the closer we will be to “normal”.
Hope you’re all ok and staying safe.
Love Rhi x
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