Coronavirus
How I Feel After Receiving the Covid Vaccine and One Issue to Consider
It’s more than a sore shoulder
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I can’t believe the day came this soon. This is not hyperbole: It was a joyful experience to receive this vaccine. There was a buzz and excitement at the hospital. Camera crews descended. Local media reporters interviewed hospital administrators and providers. Even the governor showed up. Why? Because this marks the beginning of the end.
As I waited in line with my colleagues on Tuesday, we shared a feeling that didn’t need to be verbalized, though it often was — the mutual understanding that it was an absolute privilege to receive this vaccine. I can’t express enough how thankful I am for the scientists who developed this, the patients who participated in the clinical trials, the suppliers, the distributors, the administrators, the organizers, the nurses, even the lab mice, even the leaders in our government who made this possible.
Two days later I feel great. No symptoms. My sore shoulder is back to normal. Here’s the thing to consider, though. Not everyone is going to have just a sore shoulder.
The latest reports estimate 100 million people could be vaccinated in the U.S. by March. That’s over 2,300 times more than the 43,448 individuals who received injections in the most recently published Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine trial. The sheer number who will be receiving the vaccine in such a short time frame creates significantly more occasions for symptoms and potential side effects to occur.
Over 328 million people live in the United States. Among us, over 4,000 people suffer from a stroke or a heart attack each day. Despite the hope that comes along with the vaccine for Covid-19, other medical conditions won’t be taking the day off. With such large numbers becoming vaccinated, by happenstance we are bound to see individuals suffering from adverse events in close proximity to when they receive the vaccine.
You’ll see it on social media; you’ll see it on the news: Someone received the vaccine in the morning and later that night he had a heart attack. Another vaccine recipient woke up with a stroke. People may hear such stories and mistakenly conclude that association equals causation. They…
