Izzy Rivera
Staff Writer
irivera1@umassd.edu
We are now over a year into the Covid-19 Pandemic and slowly but surely vaccines are being rolled out to the public. Getting vaccinated is doing your part to keep not only yourself safe but also those around you to get things headed in the right direction. So, if you are interested, what does getting a Covid-19 Vaccine look like and how should you prepare? I have personally gotten my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine so my background will be based on this experience. It is best to go to your counties website and sign up through there, but you can also score the internet late at night on CVS and other places who provide to get an appointment. It takes as little as a week to as long as a couple months so being patient with this part of the process is necessary.
I personally received a text message and email from CVS telling me what type of vaccine I was receiving, what date and time both doses were, and which location to go to. They ask you to of course do a personal check list on your health, if you have a fever or any Covid symptoms to please stay home and contact your doctor to perform a test. Of course if you are sensitive to needles make sure you eat and drink before going as to not have any fainting issues. You will need to come with your insurance card, ID, and of course a face covering of some sort, and preferably wear something short sleeved. In my case the CVS had a check in table where they ask for your name and date of birth followed by filling out a card stating what vaccine you are getting and the date. These cards are crucially important as you need to bring it back for your second dose and possibly in the future these cards will be needed as proof of vaccination to travel.
Once that was done I proceeded to the back of the store where privacy dividers were set up. Tape was on the floor so people knew where to stand six feet apart from one another. Once my name was called I proceeded to the area and was asked by the doctor if I was previously or currently allergic to any medication, if I take any on the daily, if I have had any bad reactions to vaccines, and if I had any other allergies. After receiving this information he asked me to roll up my t-shirt sleeve, cleaned my shoulder with an alcohol pad, and then administered the shot. After that I was asked to sit in a designated area where another nurse from the pharmacy watched over people for fifteen minutes just to make sure no reactions occurred.
Overall the experience was easy, well organized, and fast, with no hiccups. Of course this experience can change for everyone and you need to take into consideration if you have any health risks, but this seems to be the average experience of receivers. This vaccine will hopefully be a step in the direction to keep everyone safe and healthy.