I had my first COVID vaccination

As I lay in bed watching something on Netflix, you know that faithful friend that some of you may have also met. She certainly isn’t a fair weather friend, but I really only enjoy spending time with her when it’s cold and rainy outside. Or when I am in London in Lockdown due to COVID, which I still am at the time of writing this. My phone flashed with a message. I would have usually ignored it, but it was past 10pm and it was a text message. I only have one friend who still insists on texting and she is usually in bed by at the very latest of nine o’clock. Opening it my heart started to beat and my stomach churn.

Dear Ms Charles,

We invite you to book your 1st COVID-19 vaccination. If you have already received your first vaccination, please ignore this message. If unable to book on this occasion, check via the link below as further appointments will become available. Only book if feeling well, no Covid symptoms and you have not had a positive Covid test in the last 28 days. Please bring booking confirmation text message to show our staff and attend ONLY at your booked appointment time. Please click on the link to book.

K&W Healthcare

Who are K&W Healthcare? I had no idea. At first I wondered if it was a phishing message (also called smishing). Was it some foreign government trying to embed chips into us unsuspectingly and hiding it as a COVID vaccination? Side note here. I am not a conspiracy theorist or anti-vaxer. My degree and first career was in Medical science. I understand how the vaccine works and am all for it, but there has been so much strange news and social posts that it can’t help to seep into your brain and then you imagine the worst. That’s what the brain does.

The strange thoughts evaporated immediately, but the nervousness didn’t all the way through to the morning of my vaccination.

I walked to the vaccination centre which was a large school. Extremely well organised I showed my text message to the person at the gate and lined up behind twelve or so people. There were people everywhere giving directions and places marked so we were able to easily social distance. There was noise, but not really from anyone waiting for to have their vaccination. We shuffled forward like zombies towards our destination. It did feel a little like I was in science fiction movie. Friends who have also had a vaccination have had a very different experience attending a local GP centre with only one person being vaccinated at a time.

How do I feel?

The whole vaccination process was quick. Although there was a long line it only took 10 minutes from lining up to sitting in front of the person holding the needle. They asked me a few questions. Pretty standard when you are getting and injection. You know the ones. Any allergies? What drugs are you taking? And then it was over. It is an intramuscular injection, but it wasn’t any worse than a pin prick. I remember having a Rubella vaccination when I was twelve and that hurt more and let’s not talk about those pull down your pants Tetanus shots that feel like someone has made a running jump with the needle before they stab you. Or is that just me?

Walking the 40 or so minutes home I felt ok. My arm didn’t hurt (although for some people it does). I felt a little tired and came home and had a nap and had a small headache. Nothing more than the beginning of a cold when you start just to feel, well off. Typical for an immune response.

The next day I had a headache that seemed to want to stay and play and a little nausea, but all of that went away in 24 hours. Now I’m waiting for the second vaccination.