Everyone should get vaccinated against Covid-19 when they have a chance. On February 14, I got the second dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. The first shot was on January 24. I experienced zero side effects the first time. This time was a different story.

Both shots were administered at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC and the process involved taking a lap on this famous NASCAR racetrack – at slow speed of course. The weather on the 24th was sunny and seasonably warm. On February 14, it was cold and rainy.

But I was lucky to get a vaccine at all on Valentines’ Day because of the storm that brought rain to Charlotte dumped copious amounts of snow and ice on a wide swath of the country. Many places in those areas cancelled vaccine appointments.

So, I got the vaccine at 11:15 am EST. This time, the nurse gave me the shot higher on my arm. The jab was almost in my shoulder. I had to get out of my car and take off my shirt. There was almost no pain. I waited the required 15 minutes and drove home picking up lunch on the way.

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Tiredness is a potential side effect and that afternoon I felt tired and took a nap for about three hours. Monday night, I had a lot of trouble sleeping. The morning greeted me with general muscle and joint stiffness and very low energy. That lasted all day. Going from the bedroom to the kitchen was a big effort.

I suspected a fever. My head was hot. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a thermometer and didn’t want to go out to buy one. Monday night was like Sunday night.

This morning I felt much better about 75% – 80%. I bought a thermometer and met a friend for a quick coffee. This morning the thermometer registered between 99.8°F and 100.2°F. Maybe I’m doing something wrong because this evening it is reading in the 102°F to 103°F range.

At any rate, I feel much better today and getting close to normal.

Check this site to see how your state or country is doing with Covid-19 vaccines. The United States will surpass 500,000 dead in the next couple of weeks.

Final Thoughts

Although the number of vaccines being administered daily has ramped up to nearly 1.7 million, it remains far below demand.  That might not be a long-term situation.  Once the highest demand is satisfied, the remaining portion of the population may have little interest in getting vaccinated.

Speaking generally and no offense intended, the below 40 cohort, which is the largest portion of the population in most countries, has not taken the virus as seriously as other groups.  Some in this group kept partying, traveling, and going to bars and restaurants when open.  This cohort has the best chance of surviving or being unaffected by Covid-19.  Some of the people who they might infect, directly and indirectly, are probably not so lucky. 

The primary purpose of vaccines, masks, and social distancing are to protect the vulnerable. By following guidelines of your local public health authorities we may save the lives of people we probably don’t even know. Further, as long as Covid-19 can find hosts it will continue to circulate and mutate (potentially into a form that beats the current vaccines).

Finally, one good thing about not feelin well is returning to normal is such a blessing. Stay safe, get vaccinated.