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.
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.
Would you know if you have developed antibodies yet?
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My reaction indicates my body was responding to the vaccine. Antibodies should be present a couple of weeks after the second Pfizer dose that make the vaccine 95% effective against getting infected. The only way to “know” if you develop antibodies is to get a test for them. Thanks for your question.
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You are one of the lucky ones! Just got my first shot this last week but I know of too many 65 years and older still seeking appointments. What a crazy way to run a health care system!
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In this instance, one problem is there isn’t one health care system. Glad to hear you got the first jab. I’m happy to have both out of the way in spite of the side effects. Thanks for reading.
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Thanks for sharing. I finally got my first dose on February 25th. My second dose is scheduled for March 18th. So far, I’ve had no side effects from the first dose. It’s good to know that my body may respond differently to the added blast.
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Great to hear you have the first dose taken care of and are scheduled for the second. I don’t know others who had side effects. I may be an outlier. I’d do it again though even if I was certain to have the same effects.
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Thanks for sharing, and encouraging others to get vaccinated. I’m hoping to get mine soon! Wishing you well! 🕊
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I appreciate your kind thoughts and hope things work out for being vaccinated in the near future.
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Glad to hear you are feeling better and thank you for sharing the Covid-19 vaccine experince with us. In this difficult time we all need to try our best to protect ourselves and more importantly to protect the most vulnerable.
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Yes, Definitely worth getting vaccinated even with the effects I experienced. I hope you fare better when you are able to get one.
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Glad you’re feeling better. I’m quite willing to put up with a few days of side effects for the protection and greater good. Yours was one of the more severe I’ve heard of. I live in a small mountain town, with a low population, so we are not getting a lot of vaccine to administer. Trying to be patient!
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Thanks! I’d get vaccinated again even if I knew I’d have this reaction.
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doesnt matter which country its the younger people taking it less seriously. which is sad.
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I read an article that said young people in the military are not getting vaccinated. Strange because I think the government can order them to take it.
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Thank you for posting this. I will be getting my 2nd dose in 9 weeks time, so well worth being prepared for possible side effects like yours. For some reason the UK govt decided to make us 1st dosers wait 12 weeks until the 2nd.
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That was a tough decision to make people wait. I think they should have given people the choice to wait or get the second dose on the schedule that was in effect when they got the first one. Thanks for sharing your experience. Stay safe.
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I don’t need your educational input thanks.
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Side effects are actually a sign of your immune system working and responding, as you hope it does, to the intended purpose of the vaccine. Aches and tiredness lasting 1-2 days are commonly reported symptoms, and there’s a theory that stronger responses mean you build up a stronger defense against the virus.
Thanks for sharing your story with us, and glad that you’re feeling better. However, I wish you could have titled it something like “finally! everything is all good a couple days after my second shot.” Considering the amount of misinformation out there about the pandemic and the vaccine, we wouldn’t want to unnecessarily scare people into thinking that the process is dangerous.
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People should be prepared as I was for potential side effects. It might be scary for those who think its a guaranteed walk in the park. I encourage everyone to get a vaccine when they have the opportunity. Thanks for the comment.
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I’m so glad you’ve had your vaccination and all the side-effects are out of the way. It’s also great you got the second dose in the right sort of timeframe. In the UK, everyone now has to wait 3 months rather than 21 days for the second dose, which is a reckless move that’s made me livid. Much like those people you mentioned not taking the virus seriously makes me livid!
Anyway, it’s interesting to hear your experiences. Everyone responds so differently, don’t they? My parents are in their 70s and had their first shot two weeks ago, experiencing nothing but a little soreness in the arm. I don’t think they’d anticipated anything with their second jab as they fared ‘easily’ with the first. I’ll have to keep this in mind. I’m sorry you felt so rough, but it’s also a sign your immune system is responding so I hope it gives you as much protection as possible. Rest up and I hope that in another day or two you’re back to your fully normal awesome self 🤗
Caz x
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Thanks much! I think the authorities should give people a choice of waiting or getting the vaccine as planned when they got the first dose. My best wishes for you and your parents.
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thanks for sharing your personal experience with the vaccine. I’m glad you are starting to feel better.
And I agree that people need to get vaccinated…
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I hope my fear/prediction about those who do not see getting vaccinated as a priority turns out to be wrong.
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I hope so too…
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Finally, life is coming back to normality..Congratulations dear…🌻
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I’m very happy to have been vaccinated. My life won’t get back to normal for a while… probably not until reaching herd immunity here and wherever I might want to visit. Thanks for your comment.
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Thanks for sharing your experience with us, glad to hear that you’re feeling better. The tiredness you felt sounds quite extreme, I guess that’s one of the risks with taking the live virus vaccines. We are about to apply for our vaccine appointments. In Serbia people can choose between several vaccines available including Pfizer and Chinese and Russian ones. The waiting time depends on the availability of your preferred vaccine and other factors like age and underlying conditions.
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FYI it’s not a live virus vaccine.
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FYI, there is a reason I have termed it so and I don’t answer to you.
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Thanks Leighton! The side effects I experienced are a drop in the bucket compared to the disease. It’s great that you have vaccine choices. I went for the vaccine that was first available and didn’t really have a choice. Picking the first one or waiting may be a tough decision.
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❤ My current position is anti-vaxxa, I’ll wait a year then review my position on the basis of Real World Data NOT!!! Clinical Trials where anything above 60% is considered SUCCESS!!!; in the MeanTime My AutoImmune System is Working just Fine and Dandy, Thank You for being a Guinea Pig and ALL The Best
…❤❤❤…
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Yes, I’m a guinea pig. But now with a decent chance against this invisible virus. Stay well, and thanks for your comments.
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❤ You ARE Most Welcome My Friend, My Brother; incidentally the competition that is Vaccine vs AutoImmuneSystem will be interesting reviewing this time next year.
…❤❤❤…
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I can’t wait to see how such a review turns out.
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💜 SomeThing has just occurred to Me EveryOne; when We Follow The Crowd, especially due to Propaganda, Politics and TV, We ARE Labelled ‘Sheep’ so I Wonder if They who Coined the Term ‘Herd Immunity’ had Their tongue firmly in Their cheek (pun intended) 😂🤣😅😆😁😄😃😀🙂
…💛💚💙…
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Possibly, ha ha!
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sorry about the Valentine’s Day vacinne but glad you’re feeling better… the good news it’s working and now you can feel he love!❤️
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Ha ha! Feeling the love… That’s one way to put it. 😄 Your comment is much appreciated.
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🤣🤣🤣 Right?!
Oh so glad! ❤️
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Glad to hear you are vaccinated. If the companies ever get their shipment schedules sorted out, we may get back on track in Canada. I suspect it will be May, before the 65 and over )me and mi beloved) general pop are able to get vaccinated. My son, who works with Covid patients in the hospital system has had his 2nd dose schedule bumped twice and is now supposed to get it Sunday coming (5 weeks between). Fingers crossed. Stay well John. Allan
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Thanks much Allan! I feel much safer but not invulnerable. Nothing is really changing for me although I may take a couple of short road trips later. I hope your son gets the second shot this week. He definitely needs it for the great work he is doing for others.
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That’s great that you got back to your norm after the side effects 😀
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Yes. The sun was shinning today, too. That always helps. 😎
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Glad to hear you are better, my 89 year old dad who actually survived Covid in the UK still got a jab! He also had some side effects after. I’m so happy both my parents survived Covid.
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Your parents must still have good immune systems. The side effects are nothing compared to the disease.
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That is very true
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Thanks for sharing this experience with us….The good news is you’re better and your reaction means the vaccine is working for you. 🙂
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True. The long-term benefits definitely outweigh short-term inconvenience. Thanks much 😉
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